Dirt Rally transcends its simplistic presentation to offer one of the most engaging and dramatic representations of the motorsport yet.
Eight years in the making, Philip Bak's debut project is a twin stick shooter in which chaotic genius can be found.
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
Abstruse, demanding and silly, Resident Evil Zero has nevertheless stood time's test, thanks to its ingenious design and exquisite style.
Having dispensed with the rock-star posturing, Harmonix's return to its abstract rhythm action roots is a textured, vibrant triumph.
Music festivals offers an alluring theme for a management sim, but BigFest's simplistic approach fails to make the most of its metaphor.
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.
Majestic, vibrant, almost peerlessly handsome, Xenoblade Chronicles X is Japanese RPG-making at its most ambitious and determined.
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.
Lara Croft trades original ideas for popular ones in an action blockbuster that will please the crowds but leave some nostalgic for the days she actually raided tombs
This sprawling sci-fi series once set the agenda for console shooters, but now far behind and playing catch up, it has much to prove
Untame's experimental puzzle game pioneers a new style of interaction, layered onto a familiar premise, and finds gold among the ruins.
Dragon Quest gets the Dynasty Warriors treatment, but there are more fundamental changes than a mere asset swap; this is Musou re-imagined.
Platinum's brisk and breezy take on the 1980s Transformers cartoons is a joy, albeit one that wears itself out a little too quickly.
Glitch-ridden and seemingly unfinished, this is a tragic swansong for Tony Hawk's video game career.
An exquisitely presented co-op space shooter that can be burdensome when played solo, but delights when played with a friend.
Matches take a long time to complete - sometimes upwards of an hour and, for that reason, are best played against human competitors, where one's cruelty and wisdom takes on sharper significance. That said, the AI in the single-player game is able, and for players worried about entering games via Steam matchmaking, with all the attendant risk of having a human competitor who drifts away from their keyboard half an hour in, the single-player portion provides useful on-going training grounds.
The latest Metal Gear instalment somehow lives up to the hype and expectations, providing a luxurious cinematic gaming experience without equal
This whimsical and original game mimics the disorientating effects of blindness, but fails to build meaningfully on its initial idea.
Galak-Z falls just shy of genius. That it quickly reveals itself to be a demanding game is no surprise considering its lead designer's heritage (Jake Kazdal worked at Sega on exquisite yet challenging titles such as Rez) and the source material from which it draws inspiration.