The Digital Fix

For those who've played the original version, the update has nothing new to offer except for a slight spit-and-polish and a few extra lacklustre missions. The multiplayer has been removed completely but to be honest, it'll probably not be missed. Strapping yourself back into the Animus for Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD feels like you're taking one step forward and two steps back, particularly so soon after the release of the brilliant Black Flag. However, you can't escape the feeling that Aveline de Grandpre is just getting warmed up and that by introducing her to a new audience, Ubisoft are giving fans clues on which direction this never-ending saga through time could be going. As the mystery of the Assassin's Creed universe grows, so does our anticipation, which is why we can't help but keep coming back for more.

Smoke and Mirrors is a short but engaging chapter but it is hindered by some odd decisions around the choice mechanics and ongoing engine issues. More importantly, the length of time between instalments risks damaging the IP.

As it stands, this first part passes the time, promises more but ultimately devolves into a third-person shooter peppered with fetch quests. Like the combination weapons it proudly (and rightly) brandishes, Operation Broken Eagle seems hastily constructed but not half as entertaining.

Regardless of the above quibbles OlliOlli is a game that's going to live on your Vita for a long, long time. It's a great example of the kind of game that works perfectly on the move, but just couldn't be achieved on a mobile platform. It's twitch gaming of the finest quality, with the simplicity of the controls obfuscating the true depth of the combo system that overlays them. Give OlliOlli a chance and you'll be hooked, more so than with any other Vita game that's appeared for a while. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to dream about hardflips and salad grinds, impossibles and laserflips down at the South Bank. Potentially while wearing a silly hat.

Tomb Raider is one of the games of the last generation and now it's that little bit prettier, and better for it. More realistic, more visceral as a result and an absolute delight to play through one more time. If you missed it first time around buy it now, if you loved it originally it's better the second time around and if you are still on the fence, trust us when we say you really should pick up the definitive version as soon as your wallet allows for it. A great release to fill the void before some decent games come out on both next gen platforms.

Don't Starve is wonderfully unforgiving, proudly unhelpful and sometimes ("How bad could something called the Deerclops be...?") just downright mean. And it's all the better for it. From the first rabbit you trap through to the last reeds run you need to make, it's an exhilarating journey of risk versus reward - even the later game appearance of various methods of resurrection don't take away the feeling of panic as you realise, once again too late, that you have bitten off more than you can chew. It's always far too easy to give yourself one more little goal, to promise yourself that you'll make it through just one more night before bed, and then before you know it you're coming up to Day 100 and you have a stash of items to rival the Pig King. Oh, and one last thing. A top tip, if you will. The game is amazingly hands off, and as said all the better for it, but trust me on this one, this is one pointer you'll love - hit the DS4 touchpad to bring up the in-game map. You can thank me later.

[D]espite all its strengths, it somehow falls slightly short in simply being fun to play. Due to the bleak landscapes, the depressing situations your characters find themselves in and the challenging tactical combat, this is a game for those who will find the challenge rewarding rather than those looking for lighter entertainment.

Broken Age works. Its story is compelling and captivating, giving you questions and clues all the way, and the absolutely stunning ending will leave you desperate to continue. The worlds created are fascinating and diverse, tied together perfectly with incredible artwork and music.

Fighter Within doesn't just tarnish the tenuous franchise that Ubisoft seems to be attempting to forge. It does motion-controlled brawlers a disservice, writing off a genre that probably shouldn't exist anyway. Even worse it tarnishes Microsoft's shiny new Kinect as well as the black box to which it's leashed.

Some will see Continue?9876543210 as a success, masterfully drawing sentiment from poignant (though sometimes clumsy) words, moodily lit pixels and brooding, bubbling music. Others will find a game with simplistic mechanics and frustrating repetition. In truth, both sides have a point.

CONSORTIUM is a short adventure but with a lot of flexibility in how you can play it and with your choices and actions leading to very different stories. With fairly limited, and entirely optional combat, this is definitely a game for those looking for a good story rather than action. The game has a great cast of well-voiced characters and intriguing plots with plenty of mystery. Whilst the launch was set back by technical issues, these should now be largely resolved by patches.

The Novelist still remains an interesting experiment that you will find yourself getting caught up in. Playing as an outsider to the family gives you a significant amount of objectivity but also prevents you from ever really connecting.

A reasonable twin stick shooter elevated from complete mediocrity by the licence - not really worth the asking price due to limited amount of content on offer but at the discounted rate for Windows 8 game owners it's probably worth picking up, if only for the addition of co-op and the inclusion of the DLC for free. Halo fans will purchase regardless and likely love every minute of it, this is the nature of adoring everything about a franchise, for anyone who doesn't live and breathe the franchise though there just isn't enough content and what there is has been done bigger and better many many times over.

It doesn't do anything new and it doesn't feel next-gen but Dead Rising 3 is a solid and welcome return to gleeful, quirky zombie killing. Like the rotting corpses that populate its streets, Dead Rising 3 has a long life after it's finished. The game is one to which, amidst a barren forthcoming release schedule, you'll keep revisiting.

Ferraris. That's where we came in. We said that's all you really needed to know about the game and that you should just go and play it. Having now shared various other thoughts, that recommendation still holds. It is wonderful to be able to race Ferraris around the gorgeous game map - as well as many other cars - and you're doing so within a structured, enjoyable game with fantastic handling, a super sense of speed (but not quite on a par with the very best) and the very on-the-edge mechanics which underpin this twitch racer. Unfortunately what keeps this title from hitting the heady heights it had the potential to reach are significant factors, like the forced end of racer sessions or impossible free roam type approach to the game. It also doesn't feel like the fastest thing ever. So a very good racing game, rather than a great one. Nevertheless it does make you long for Ghost Games' next attempt at Need for Speed.

At its core, Just Dance is a simple dance game slathered in perhaps unnecessary distraction. Ubisoft have included coins and leaderboards but in reality it's not a game that will require that sort of dedication. It will likely sit on the shelf and be brought out in small bursts, for parties or social gatherings. Ubisoft could alleviate this convolution by simply releasing new tracks as downloadable updates but the game thrives on its constant retail shelf-presence, particularly to a casual gaming audience who might not be as savvy to recognise a new downloadable add-on. Just Dance 2014 on the Xbox One is exactly the game you might expect it to be. There is more content than most people will likely use and as a core experience it doesn't offer much to sell non-fans on the wonder of Kinect, but if you fancy some fresh beats to dance to on your shiny new console, it works well without drastically altering a winning formula for Ubisoft.

In bringing the challenging subject of slavery to the forefront of such a blockbuster franchise, Ubisoft has shown that games are the perfect vehicle to reopen discussion and confront darker moments of history. Freedom Cry may not be particularly long or radically different from Black Flag but as a companion piece it feels important, imbuing its protagonist with a desire for retribution and justice that bleeds through the screen and inhabits your own persona. For that reason alone it deserves your attention.

Speedball 2 HD is a purchase for those who want to rekindle the early 90s, the glory days of gaming, the Amiga, the Master System, the Atari... however the resultant fire will barely light the soul, sizzling out all too quickly.

Max The Curse of Brotherhood is a mixed bag. It looks fantastic, it can be fun, even exhilarating plus some of the puzzles are totally wicked (in a good way). Sadly though it is unable to be anymore than something reasonably priced to play on your Xbox One over Christmas if you have completed your Xbox One back catalogue from launch day. Platforming/puzzle nuts will easily overlook the issues and the difficulty that these present, and if you are one of them, Max will satisfy.

Whilst not quite in the same league as the previous season's episodes, All That Remains offers a potentially intriguing character arc for Clem, which helps paper over shortcomings in the overall storyline.