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The core mechanics are strong and locations are stunning, but the game's pacing and surprising lack of gunplay seems like a bit of a missed opportunity that makes the gaps in action even more apparent. Nevertheless, we're sure fans of the previous games will enjoy closing out the trilogy.
Nintendo has produced a game which is occasionally elating, often frustrating, but which definitely feels like nothing we've tried before. Assuming you're willing to overlook its flaws, ARMS could be a welcome addition to your growing collection of Switch games.
At its heart, playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a completely different experience to playing Mario Kart 8 precisely because of how, and where, you play it. The feel and fun of the thing is an intrinsic part of gaming and there's just so much fun to be had when you throw portability and local multiplayer into the fray.
BioWare is a pillar of the gaming landscape, but somewhere along the line the Andromeda project steered off course. Who knows where this leaves the franchise, but any sequel is going to have to rediscover its focus or just like the Initiative, fans may also choose to emigrate to pastures new.
Sorry, Ocarina of Time, you've been dethroned.
Horizon: Zero Dawn is simply great fun to play – the open world and fantastic enemies make it easy to get on board with the surreal premise which Guerrilla Games has crafted. The challenging gameplay always tempts you to push past the next mountain, through new cities or delving into caves to discover new beasts, secrets and gear.
If you can find a team of friends to enlist into your squad, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is, well, wild. However, the sheer amount of travelling, planning and stealth required for numerous missions doesn't lend itself to online co-op with random drop-in muggles.
As brilliant as it is bloody, Resident Evil 7 doesn't just give the franchise a refreshing reboot, but also raises the bar for future survival horror games.
Farpoint proves that first-person shooters very much can work on PlayStation VR, but it never feels like this even believes itself that it's the definitive one. While Farpoint is certainly a fun adventure that you'll have a lot of laughs, and frights, with, there's little of narrative or strategic originality here and the idea that this will have a long life of competitive multiplayer seems to be hopeful at best.
Be prepared for some huge irritations but buy The Last Guardian despite these. It's the kind of game you won't forget.
There's something weirdly cheerful and festive about Frank's misadventures, about crafting homebrew weaponry and putting it to work. It wouldn't be a bad thing if this were the last Dead Rising, but in its own dumb way it's still more fun than it deserves to be.
Super Mario Maker 3DS is a great port, with creation tools that work wonders on the touchscreen and the Challenge mode is a brilliant addition. It's only besmirched by the fact online sharing is so very limited. Perhaps with a future update? We seriously doubt it. If you've not tried Super Mario Maker on Wii U and aren't bothered by sharing your creations with the world, it's still very much worth your time.
GTA + Saints Row 2 + hacking. What more do you want?
Although the road may have been initially bumpy, we've been won over by IO Interactive determination and conviction. They've managed to prove to the rest of the industry that AAA games done episodically can work, and can work incredibly well.
Simply because it builds on an already fantastic game, Football Manager 2017 is in itself a winner. But a lot of the new features feel a little rough around the edges. The social aspects are repetitive, the improved graphical engine disappointing and there isn't much to tempt those who don't want to sign the next 12-months away to a simulation game.
The city of New Bordeaux, from the 18th-century landmarks of the French Quarter to the damp swamps and open plains of the Bayou, is lovingly crafted and gorgeous to explore, while its attempts to show racism in all its raw ugliness is commendable. Yet unfortunately none of this is enough to make up for its myriad issues that just stop it being much fun. In a year of brilliant games, Mafia 3 is one of 2016's biggest disappointments.
A game so bad it'll literally make you sick
Pokémon Sun and Moon is the ultimate Poké adventure. It manages to introduce a lot of new features that greatly enhance the gameplay experience, but retain enough of the original DNA to make sure it doesn't feel totally alien to players who have been Pokémon trainers since 1996.
Just when you might have expected the original Toys-to-Life franchise to be running out of steam, Activision has brought it back, revitalised and exciting. Imaginators might just be the best Skylanders yet.
The multiplayer does enough to round-out a good Gears of War package. The single-player campaign isn't the strongest in Gears' five-game history. Much as we respect the change of style and like the interplay, the characters are dull and the set-pieces not as compelling as those in the original Gears and its two sequels – or even Gears of War: Judgement for that matter.