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Madder than a box of frogs, Manual Samuel is surreal, a bit dark and slightly sadistic, but will bring a smile to your face. There are annoying bits, sure, but overall, Manual Samuel is an enjoyable QWOP-alike that will put your dextrous digits to the test. Holy faeces!
An enthralling open-world crime drama tarnished only by a few largely inoffensive bugs, Mafia 3 succeeds in delivering an involving story with great shooting and stealth gameplay. Repetitive missions and a lack of polish mar the experience, but you'll still have a ton of fun playing Mafia 3.
A cracking first effort from The Coalition, Gears of War 4 might be the studio playing it safe for its first proper go around with Gears, but it successfully manages to retain everything that's special about the series while re-igniting mankind's struggle for survival on Sera. That means there will be sequels. Lots of sequels. Fortunately, Gears of War 4 is a superb game, so if they're anything like this, bring 'em on.
XCOM 2 is a great strategy game for the same reasons that Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within were, for the unique minute-to-minute gameplay, but as a sequel, this needed more innovation and less iteration.
A ludicrously polished and tight game of basketball, NBA 2K17 is representative of a series that's at the top of its game. There are a few flaws, as ever, but they pale into insignificance against the consistent excellence that shines through in almost every nook and cranny of NBA 2K17. This is a shoo-in for All-Star status.
In the PES vs. FIFA stakes, we're giving this year's bout to PES. However, that doesn't diminish how good FIFA 17 is. It's a superb football game, marred slightly by a few annoying flaws. As an overall package, FIFA 17 also delivers in spades. Back of the net!
On paper, The Bunker sounds like a fantastic premise for a taut psychological horror that's both claustrophobic and frightening. As it stands, however, the game doesn't hang together as well as it should, most moments of drama provoking laughter when you should be on the edge of your seat. One instance made me grit my teeth and squirm, but the rest of the game is ineffective in generating any real atmosphere. I really wanted to love The Bunker, but it just doesn't work.
Forza Horizon 3 is another stellar open world racing game that has a plethora of things to see and do. Some of it can get somewhat repetitive during prolonged sessions, but Playground Games has really gone to town in packing the game with a variety of events and some great online activities to keep you hooked. Hit the gas and set off on an Aussie racing odyssey. You won't regret it.
It seems odd to give a game like Dear Esther a score. If I were rating it purely on its artistic merits, I'd give it 100. As a game, its unique qualities mark it out as something that deserves to be played and experienced, but if you're hoping for something action-packed, you're barking up the wrong tree. Dear Esther: Landmark Edition is a great game that transcends what a video game can be as a medium; a perfect marriage of artistry and ideas that you absolutely need to delve into.
While Mount & Blade: Warband hasn't really gained a whole lot in the jump from PC to console, it's great that such a deep and sprawling game has found a home on new platforms after so many years. It looks dreadful, but scratch beneath the surface, and Warband is an enormously rewarding RPG/strategy/medieval warfare sim-type thing that's becomes more and more compelling the more you play. Chaaaarge!
Continuing to go from strength to strength, PES 2017 is the zenith for Konami's stellar footie series, representing all of the pieces falling into place to create on-the-pitch nirvana. There are some extremely minor flaws, but all in all, PES 2017 is wonderful.
A smart action game with bags of personality and a few unique twists of its own, ReCore is most definitely worth investing in. It's big, sometimes difficult, fairly engrossing, and fun while it lasts.
The Turing Test is delivered well, resplendent in Unreal 4, and carries a few genuinely interesting moments that make some of the more languid ’downtime’ easier to swallow. We've had moments on our commute just mulling over some of the (ridiculously!) dry jokes in the game, but we love that - they feel like the bytes of humour you’d hear a museum curator crack as they show you their favourite exhibit. A puzzler for anyone who wants an aperitif after The Witness and The Talos Principle.
Hue is an attractive and appealing indie puzzle platformer with a smart gameplay hook. Yes, it looks and plays a little bit like Limbo, but Hue is very much its own thing. And it's great.
A worthy continuation of the Worms franchise, a nice return to form after deviating to 3D for a few years. Worms W.M.D gets everything right from a mechanical standpoint, but we can't help but feel a few of the design choices were unnecessary. The big new additions are hit and miss, but in the middle of all the fluff there's a solid, very playable game - especially if you're into couch co-op/multiplayer.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an impressive sequel to the brilliant Human Revolution. In the grand scheme of things, there are very few monumental changes, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? And everything that was broken in Human Revolution? It's all fixed. Held back from true greatness by the odd grumble here and there, Mankind Divided is worthy of anyone's time and money.
Codemasters has gone the extra mile for F1 2016, addressing almost every last one of F1 2015's shortcomings, while delivering an in-depth and enjoyable Career Mode at its core. Factor in all of the other modes and touches, and F1 2016 is not only the most authentic Formula One game to date, it's also one of the best in some time.
Telltale and Batman fans are well catered for in Batman: A Telltale Series' first episode, with a hefty dose of action and intrigue to set things up for the rest of the ensuing saga. We can't wait for more.
A fun but frustrating cooking experience, Overcooked is a fantastic couch co-op party game that will put your friendships to the test. Expect to be shouting and swearing at one another a lot; it gets pretty damn hot in Overcooked's kitchen. If you can't stand the heat, get out! Otherwise, bon appetit.
Successfully preserving the spirit of Carmageddon, Max Damage is addictive and good fun. Unfortunately, it's also a hideous looking game, with a dodgy handling model and repetitive race types that add up to a frustrating, and ultimately disappointing whole. Carmageddon: Max Damage has a certain appeal, but if you don't get the game's uniquely sick sense of humour, you're going to hate it. Otherwise, you'll love it regardless, like an ugly dog with three legs or something.