Guardian's Reviews
Indeed, one of the best things about Sunless Sea, apart from its beautifully crafted elder-horror stories, fantastically drawn artwork and generally creepy atmosphere, is the feeling that the decisions you make within the game are shaping the narrative, and that by playing, you are writing yourself into that story.
What you do get, though, is a zombie scenario which is entirely plausible and believable and that, in itself, takes Dying Light to a higher plane, reaching toward the role-playing depth of State of Decay and the sheer nastiness of DayZ. Factor in the giant sandbox of a huge city, and the end result is a scarily immersive experience.
[W]ithout doubt, Elite: Dangerous is a purchase that will provide inestimable value, delivering many hours of gameplay opportunities and experiences. Furthermore, this is a developing universe, with many planned updates and new features due over the coming months. It seems likely that the depth and scale of the experience is only going in one direction: to the stars.
Ubisoft's ambitious open-world racer offers you a whole continent to explore, but struggles to make it really live
Never Alone is quite a short game, but its charm, coupled with the opportunity to explore a culture you might not know much about, makes it utterly captivating.
Clever updating of familiar favourites makes them feel like new adventures.
The latest title in Bioware's fantasy series is huge in size, vision and entertainment value
Cry 4 truly shines in the almost bacchanalian sense of freedom it bestows on the player as they traverse through its environment. In Kyrat you have the ability to go anywhere and do pretty much anything – much as Pagan Min would advocate. Here, the only pact you need keep is that with your conscience. God help you.
Konami's Pro Evo series has struggled to match the glitz of Fifa, but the latest instalment has the footwork to beat its rival
If you like games that are so big you can immerse yourselves in them for months, The Master Chief Collection offers excellent value. It's an absolute monolith of a package, beautifully presented for the 21st century.
Activision would have us believe that the latest title in the series is a bold re-imagining. It's not, but it's still blistering entertainment
Despite these creative flourishes, Sunset Overdrive never quite surpasses the chaotic physics of Just Cause, the coherent style of Blood Dragon or the assured sense of place of GTAV – nor does it manage to draw its story and systems toward a coherent, impactful point.
The upshot is that The Evil Within will give survival horror purists a rare contemporary pleasure fix. But be warned: if you prize smooth, silky action above all else, it will drive you insane.
Skylanders Trap Team won't be the cheapest video game for families this year, but with the Starter Pack and some old figures, this compelling action adventure offers good value.
Japan's Platinum Games has done it again, applying style and flourish to a control system of immense depth and assurance
So the ride won't just be exciting, it should be long, too. But right now, those prepared to embrace Driveclub for what it is will find a very accessible, carefully crafted, refreshing speed-over-sim driving experience that often provides fabulous fun.
Although saddled with an instantly forgettable title, Shadow of Mordor works hard to bring fun and life to the Tolkien universe – and manages both spectacularly
This beautiful detective story refuses to lead you by the hand – instead providing a rich and mysterious world to explore and experience
The classic Nintendo brawling game returns with a huge cast of characters, refreshed modes and a fist full of charm
The game's only issues are minor – a reliance on a race discipline it doesn't quite master, and the fact that it really only builds on what we knew from the first game without ever striking out too far on its own. The Horizon offshoot has unshackled the Forza franchise, letting it run free into the wild, and this new adventure ensures that we don't take that freedom for granted.