Christian Donlan
At best, Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS Force is a competent but dull beat-em-up with a few neat mechanics, and at worst a cluster of battles mostly controlled by the game’s AI, with only a small amount of help from the player.
A lovely setting can't quite make up for a game that plays things a little too safely.
Playdead's follow-up to Limbo is a superior game in every way.
Insomniac's Oculus debut blends great art, effective stealth design and VR's powers of immersion for wonderfully unsettling results.
Pared back and wonderfully focused, Dangerous Golf brings the spirit of Burnout indoors.
Housemarque's latest offers brilliant loot and levelling, but it's the moment-to-moment action that truly excels.
Heart Machine's slash-'em-up is punishing and precise - and incredibly beautiful.
If you can handle the wild river - and the odd bug - there's plenty to love in this heartfelt survival game.
Digital violence has never been so intoxicating - but there's more here than mere slaughter.
Gorgeous and clever, Campo Santo's debut is a triumph of craft - but it may keep you at arm's length.
Generous and surprising, Cobalt's also blessed with central mechanics that are a joy to master.
Punishing and beautifully crafted, Darkest Dungeon is cruelty at its classiest.
Free aiming and ricochet shots bring wild life to this exquisite turn-based blaster.
Julian Gollop's devious turn-based classic receives a worthy update.
An elegant level editor that offers real insight into three decades of platforming brilliance.
The GamePad's gone, but Ubisoft's undead are just as feisty and thrilling as ever.
As the game continues to pull these wonderful tricks of staging, the world of things that The Chinese Room has created settles into a more comfortable balance with the game's other elements, giving ground when needed to the human - and the inhuman - drama that's unfolding. Counter to my own expectations, this is not a particularly complex story to follow, but it is told with a wonderful assurance and a disciplined eye.
Set in a drowned city, this game of exploration lacks the substance or conviction to hold your attention.
Sure, even middling ARPGs are almost always fun for an hour or so, but Victor Vran will keep you hitting stuff and collecting loot for a lot longer than you might expect.
Fast-paced stealth set to a ticking clock makes this a procedural platformer to savour.