Glimpses of Yuji Naka's outmoded genius can be seen in Rodea's barren skies, but a paucity and dissonance of ideas make this a failure.
Majestic, vibrant, almost peerlessly handsome, Xenoblade Chronicles X is Japanese RPG-making at its most ambitious and determined.
Fast Racing Neo offers a welcome and competent substitute for the long-absent F-Zero that's light on extras, but commanding on the track.
Music festivals offers an alluring theme for a management sim, but BigFest's simplistic approach fails to make the most of its metaphor.
Having dispensed with the rock-star posturing, Harmonix's return to its abstract rhythm action roots is a textured, vibrant triumph.
Abstruse, demanding and silly, Resident Evil Zero has nevertheless stood time's test, thanks to its ingenious design and exquisite style.
The greatest fighting game series of them all is back, but its return is half-cooked, with much of its advertised features yet to materialise
Eight years in the making, Philip Bak's debut project is a twin stick shooter in which chaotic genius can be found.
Dirt Rally transcends its simplistic presentation to offer one of the most engaging and dramatic representations of the motorsport yet.
While the boundaries and possibilities of storytelling within the video game medium are being explored, such missteps can be forgiven. This is, nevertheless, a costly mistake that should never be repeated.
Enter the Gunegon combines familiar ingredients but the result is unique and delicious.
Game designer Hidetaki Miyazaki no longer has novelty on his side, but the genius behind the Souls series still has plenty of tricks to surprise us with
Heavy Spectrum's affectionate, idiosyncratic reboot summons the spirit of the original Shadow of the Beast, as well as some of its faults.
Temper your expectations, accept that you're essentially blasting cans off a fence, and Doom is, unexpectedly, the best shooter of 2016 so far.
Gareth Noyce's revival of the British isometric puzzle game offers a deep and amiable dungeon filled with eccentric wonder.
The definitive version of one of the best and most overlooked fighting games of recent years.
A tribute to and evolution of Keiji Infaune's Mega Man, Mighty No. 9's moments of brilliance are tempered by its preposterous challenge.
A painfully undercooked Japanese RPG that shows how far the genre has fallen behind its western rivals.
Not just a loving tribute to the JRPGs of the 90s, I Am Setsuna tells a memorable tale, with a few bright design jewels of its own.
Abzû is a beautiful audio-visual treat that's light on challenge but big on wonder.