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Blood Bowl 2 is definitely one for the board game devotees who prefer to play online rather than solo.
Telltale Games has done it again with Minecraft: Story Mode. I'm still not entirely sure how the developer managed to make an open world building game into such a fun and compelling story-based adventure but it certainly has.
Transformers: Devastation is essentially fan-service. Only Transformers fans would have the patience to persevere with the repetitive enemies, the arduous Boss Fights, the fiddly customisation and the levelling system that only really rewards players who stick with one Autobot throughout the campaign. Admittedly it's pretty good fan service – the best since War For Cybertron – but if you neither interested in deep brawlers or someone who can tell their Arcee from their elbow, you might be forgiven for wondering what all of the fuss is about.
While it has the same Dynasty Warriors meets… template as last year's disappointing Hyrule Warriors, Dragon Quest Heroes triumphs by making smarter use of the Dragon Quest franchise. Beneath the strategic brawling there are layers of RPG complexity, while above it rests a whole lot of Dragon Quest charm. It's a surprisingly irresistible combination that makes this a surprising little gem.
More than just a me-too Toys to Life game, Lego Dimensions is both a high-point for the genre and the best Lego game since Lego: Marvel Super Heroes. Be warned: the add-on packs will soon get irresistible and expensive, but the starter pack delivers enough fun to just about justify a rather jaw-dropping asking price.
Soma is an exceptionally-compelling story, told in ways that are both innovative and very traditional in turn. It takes you from the highs of puzzling where you're interrogating the back-up of a long-dead technician repeatedly until you manage verisimilitude to the lows (in terms of innovation, not in horror) of yet again skulking behind a table waiting for another insta-kill monster to wander by.
While it's possible to be disappointed by the lack of new material, The Nathan Drake collection makes three of the PS3's finest games one of the best things you can buy for PS4. Bluepoint's upgrades drag the visuals straight into the next-gen era, while subtle improvements to the gameplay make the first Uncharted even stronger.
There's a lot of fun to be had in this year's Skylanders, with the new vehicle content being more than just another gimmick. The inventive platforming and a fantastic Mario Kart-style sub-game also help keep things feeling fresh. On the downside, it's also the most expensive Skylanders yet, requiring an investment of nearly £80 to get the most out of the game. On balance, the generous package and the cool toys make it all worthwhile, but prepare to empty your wallet during the year ahead.
A compelling, deep and addictive experience that you might not begrudge dropping a few quid on premium currency, and even if you do, you have nothing to lose by taking it for a spin across some crater-filled battlefields.
FIFA has abandoned some of the fast, furious, end-to-end play of FIFA 15 in favour of a tighter, more believable defensive game, but if that saps out a little of the fun, there's compensation in the improved Career game mode and the more accessible Ultimate Team Draft mode. In fact, FIFA's problem isn't that it doesn't play a great game of football, but that this particular version might not be great enough. With Pro Evo looking incredibly strong this year, the more conservative, authenticity-focused FIFA seems a little less exciting than it is.
The Taken King isn't so much a Destiny expansion as a thorough reworking, building on the foundations laid by the version 2.0 update to make the endgame both more compelling and more accessible. The campaign itself is strong, varied and engaging, introducing a great new setting that should fuel quests and strikes for months to come. Come back Guardians, and bring your buddies with you - Bungie looks to have delivered the Destiny we've all been waiting for.
Mad Max has its ragged edges, relying too much on not-so-optional side activities, but it's a fast, thrilling open-world action game that captures the spirit of the George Miller films. Bad timing makes it unlikely that it will be this year's Shadows of Mordor, but if so it won't be for a lack of effort, quality or style.
You might come for the quickfire fun of the Ten Mario Challenge, but you'll stay for the pleasures of creating and the unpredictable delights of the Course World. Nintendo hasn't just produced a Mario construction kit, but a celebration of all things Mario where you're encouraged to get stuck in. Super Mario Maker is the real Mario Party.
We didn't think it was possible, but Tearaway Unfolded has surpassed the original PS Vita version. It's story is longer, more expansive and the papercraft even more impressive. It manages to celebrate the PS4 and the DualShock 4 in its gameplay too, making the overall game package completely appealing and utterly adorable.
The biggest and best Disney Infinity yet, with more activities to get you started in the Toybox mode, and stronger playset campaigns when you just want to play a game. The lure of Star Wars will be enough for many gamers, but it's still the creative stuff where Infinity shines, giving kids not just the chance to explore the worlds of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, but the power to build their own.
These quibbles aside, Satellite Reign has infiltrated our hearts. It's a handsome tribute to a much-loved game series that also functions as a unique RPG and a tactical combat game. As a revival, it takes its place alongside Shadowrun: Dragonfall and Pillars of Eternity with pride; as a tactical combat game, it runs a close second to XCOM.
After a long and troubled development history it's hard to describe Devil's Third as disappointing, but whatever genius Itagaki possessed when he made Dead or Alive 2 or Ninja Gaiden seems to have deserted him with this one.
However, such considerations are minor, and there's an awful lot of pleasure to be had from Volume. Its uncluttered gameplay emphasises the puzzle-solving aspect of stealth, the level design is brilliant, the gadgets are sometimes clever enough to make you chuckle out loud and the whole experience is both surprisingly meaty and absorbing to the point of distraction. It may not be as wildly inventive as Thomas Was Alone, but it's a wonderful homage to what constitutes the very essence of stealth games.
Some folks will be telling you that Gears isn't as good as you remember, but this Ultimate Edition proves that they're talking nonsense. Don't blame Epic's blockbuster for the dumb, dudebro sci-fi action games that followed; it's a lean, superbly-paced action game with slick mechanics, stunning aesthetics and some fantastic set-pieces, all of which work as well now as they did back in 2006. The AI has its dodgy moments, but the game is still phenomenal.
If you're looking for an interactive horror movie, Supermassive Games has totally nailed it. The strong storyline is bursting with boo-scares, gore and stereotypically creepy settings – to the point I had to put my controller down to stop my heart racing several times. And I loved and loathed all of the characters in their own way.