Will there ever be a perfect Dead Rising game? Probably not, at this point. But to paraphrase Alan Partridge , zombies by their very nature are inconsistent. So be happy that this shambling series is still capable of raising a goofy smile.
A perfect example of what can happen when world design, story and game mechanics click harmoniously into place, Dishonored 2 is just as good as we’d hoped it would be. Dust off that sword, pull on that mask and slink into the shadows for this year’s stand-out sandbox adventure.
Carefully crafted and tuned to perfection, Inside may not last long but will live in your memory for a lifetime. You’d be a fool to miss it.
It’s a quality-over-quantity approach for Overwatch, and one that works superbly. Blizzard always has long-term plans for its properties, so it’ll be exciting to see how Overwatch eventually evolves, too.
As a bloody swansong though, it’s the perfect send-off.
But where Stardew Valley comes into its own is the way these characters slowly reveal themselves – carry out a task or quest for them and they’ll tell you a little more about themselves, before the stereotypical town goth or jock eventually blows you away with their depth.
But hiccups and glitches however, in a game so generous in size and adventurous in ambition, are forgivable – for every minute of raised eyebrows at floating dogs or the spasming corpses of the long-dead, there are tens upon tens of wonder and excitement as you trek from one unbelievable wasteland landmark to the next.
It’s a vast game that, some backtracking aside, could engross you with fresh ideas for dozens upon dozens of hours.
But if for some reason you missed Dark Souls 2 first time around, or need a great reason to go back, this superlative edition is a nightmare worth having.
Not since Valve’s The Orange Box collection has a game's singular price tag offered so much bang for your buck. Whether you're after a spruced-up trip down memory lane, or entering the series for the first time ahead of Halo 5's launch, the Master Chief Collection is a stunning, meticulously crafted deal.
Like chasing a bag of Haribo with a can of coke, playing Sunset Overdrive is like indulging in a sugar-binge high. If the brown muted tones of Gears of War came to define the Xbox 360, there's a good chance that the primary-coloured madness of Sunset Overdrive will become the poster child for the Xbox One.
This is about as good as open-world driving gets.