The VR feels more like a delightful addition rather than an integral part of the experience, but there’s no denying how much fun it is to slaughter the cute alien kitty menace.
The Assembly is a good idea with great building blocks for its intended exploration and puzzle mechanics but it feels somewhat undeveloped. It'll no doubt leave you intrigued yet ultimately pining for more.
Gunjack’s slim ties to the EVE universe don't stop it from being a thoroughly entertaining arcade shooter that recreates the cockpit-shooter/light-gun genre within a VR space wonderfully without the need for peripherals or huge enclosures.
A great first impression soon fails to deliver on its potential, with the promise of time travelling adventure soon falling to education. Mind you, getting eaten by massive underwater monsters is really cool.
Turns out playing with yourself is a lot of fun. Who knew? However, despite some neat Easter eggs, the fun of slaughtering cartoon spectators with balls and rackets, and the pleasantly compelling tennis itself, there’s very little content on offer for the price.
Its narrative is lacklustre and it’s over with far too quickly, but FATED: The Silent Oath has moments of strong immersion within a well-build but underused world.
Zombie Vikings is a charmingly designed beat-'em-up, but it's ultimately a fairly shallow one. It's fine for a multiplayer laugh, and even single player has its moments thanks to the humorous plot, but it's only likely to amuse you once, before you leave it on your hard drive waiting to rot.
A spectacular package that meets the high expectations of race driver wannabe's the world over. If snow and sleet were added to it, it'd be perfect.
Zombi has transitioned to the PS4 rather well: the fear-inducing aspects of the second screen are re-created well enough to achieve similar scares, the loading times are greatly improved, and – three years later – it's still a unique survival title that never compromises its horror for action. It's a bit of a shame that its multiplayer mode is absent – a casualty of losing the second screen. Still, there's enough of an intense experience here to consider rising from your grave for.
This is supposedly the first of multiple chapters to this story, and if the writing stays as strong throughout then it's going to be a tale well worth exploring, but hopefully the next title will reduce the difficulty a tad.
Badland: Game of the Year Edition translates to PlayStation platforms well. The understated but attractive aesthetic runs smooth and fast on all platforms, and there's tons of content. The challenge does get a little stiff, however, and the experience was clearly designed around short play sessions. It's unlikely to hold your interest forever, then, but for the short time that it does it's a splendid game.
Scram Kitty DX is a hard game to get to grips with, but is a wonderfully unique take on some more traditional genres. And with its wacky story of cats versus space mice, as well as its old-school aesthetic, it offers a highly enjoyable experience. Certainly there'll be those put off by its stiff challenge and lack of instruction, but if you're up to the challenge, this should prove an excellently absurd addition to your gaming library.
PES 2015: Pro Evolution Soccer is yet another step in the right direction for Konami – even if it's again let down by its lack of licensing and complicated online options. Its simulation play is better than ever, and it leads to much more satisfying victories than in EA Sports' alternative. There's room for polish and improvement, of course – but this is still a great game.
It's the repetitiveness that really hurts Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops – there's just not a lot else to see beyond the first few missions. There are some good ideas here – the squad system being the real highlight – but relatively easy gameplay and flawed AI let it down. Worse still, at the time of writing, this series is free on mobile platforms, meaning that even with cross-buy, it's a purchase that's somewhat hard to justify.
Disney Infinity 2.0 is very light on pre-made content – its bundled Playset being far from impressive – but it's the enhancements to the other areas of the package that make the sequel worthwhile. Indeed, the Toy Box is a fantastic tool, and it's brimming with potential for those with a strong imagination. As with its competitor Skylanders, it'll cost you a fortune to get the most out of the game – but if you've already invested in this franchise, there's no reason to hesitate over assembling those Avengers.
Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition is a smart, accessible, and enjoyable open-world adventure with plenty to do. The terrific melee combat system and intriguing story are more than enough to warrant a recommendation to anyone yet to play it, but if you've experienced the streets of Hong Kong before then the slightly sharper visuals and included DLC are a tougher sell.
Skylanders: Trap Team brings enough new tricks to keep Activision's cash cow entertaining for another year, but we sense that there may need to be some more meaningful changes next time around. For now, though, kids and adults alike are going to love this charming romp – even if wallets will be hit harder than ever before. It turns out that you can buy happiness after all.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition still has flaws – a boneheaded narrative, minor framerate hiccups, and an inventory system that lacks the elegance of its PC counterpart – but these small niggles fail to dent what is an otherwise exceptional experience. It's a bit mindless, yes, but collecting loot and slaying enemies is seldom as sweet as it is here. Quite simply, this is an excellent action RPG.
While it lacks the endearing appeal of some of its older siblings, The LEGO Movie Videogame is still a strong cinematic tie-in that serves as a perfect accompaniment to the big screen blockbuster – even if you should ensure that you visit the theatre first. It's never going to set your next-gen system alight, but there's a kind of enjoyable comfort food here that makes for a familiar but thoroughly entertaining romp.
NBA Live 14 doesn't drop the ball entirely, as the aforementioned arcade mechanics can make for some tolerable head-to-head matches in multiplayer, where the artificial intelligence is less of an issue. However, unavoidable comparisons to the infinitely superior NBA 2K14 make this look like a bit of a mess. The gameplay's poor, the modes are predictable and shallow, and it's aesthetically extremely underwhelming. Don't even consider giving this a shot unless you find it very, very cheap.