A worthy follow-up to a modern classic, Dirt Rally 2.0 offers marked improvements and a driving experience like no other.
Sprawling, varied and constantly stylish, Astral Chain is a very different breed of action game that ranks with Platinum's best.
An impressive suite of improvements combine with a more clearly defined structure for Animal Crossing's finest outing to date.
Glorious artwork and a fan's eye for detail combine for a sequel that manages to best its forebears.
A technical marvel, as well as an education and exploration of the joys of flight.
Sony leans into its PlayStation past in this frequently innovative, supremely charming old-school 3D platformer.
With smart additions that move the series forward, this is the most accessible, deepest and simply very best Monster Hunter to date.
A stylish, visually sumptuous return for 2D Metroid, and an adventure that proudly sits alongside the series' best.
Monolith Soft closes out its loosely connected trilogy of epic RPGs with its most adaptable, malleable and high-spirited adventure yet.
Like much of House of Wolves, it feels like part of a more harmonious relationship between Destiny and its players. So much of what has defined Destiny has come through that playful friction between the two - the loot cave, the deliberate disconnects to down Crota and all that glorious cheese - but now it feels like they're pulling together. This isn't a radical overhaul of Destiny, but it's a serious step in the right direction, and it's enough to suggest that the heroic comeback and more widespread adulation might not be too far off after all.
What an intoxicating place it is to spend a few hours, too. There are rough edges aplenty, but while the world Affordable Space Adventures conjures is never quite pretty it's certainly immersive, one which draws you in as you struggle in the space between the main screen and the GamePad. This is one of those rare games that could only ever be possible on the Wii U, and if you've any measure of affection or interest in Nintendo's console and what it's capable of, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
It's a minor blot, though, as elsewhere this lives up to the legacy of its predecessor, and takes it to new, interesting places. Kirby rarely gets a starring role in Nintendo's line-up, which is something of a shame, as the Rainbow Curse is another unconventional treat.
Retro Studios displays mastery of the 2D platformer in this exquisite sequel.
Like Shadow of Mordor before it, Mad Max sees Warner Bros thoughtfully apply its filmic property to an open world.
Smart, stupid and scrappy, The Division is an ambitious online RPG that delivers strategy and spectacle in equal measure.
Nadeo makes a concerted effort for console, resulting in a focussed, fantastic Trackmania.
One of 2015's very best gets a well-handled port to PlayStation - and Toby Fox's wonderful RPG finds the perfect home on the Vita.
More than just a pleasant surprise, this expansion puts into focus all that's good about DriveClub.
Codemasters goes hardcore with this no-frills, punishing off-road sim, resulting in its best game in years.
An understandably personal work, That Dragon, Cancer's sentimental excesses place a minor dent in a powerful, brave game.