Put like that it almost sounds sinister, like this was made by a committee of scientists in lab conditions. Really it's been made by people who understand the joy of play and, much more crucially, that it's not just about the numbers. In the end it doesn't matter that Heroes of the Storm has 37 heroes, and the competition has hundreds. It doesn't matter that it has more maps, or no items, or shorter games. It doesn't even matter how many players it has. All that matters is it's more fun.
When playing DMC4: SE you can see how certain parts of the design had grown archaic.
Rocket League is simply a joy to play, win or lose. And with friends? Wow. This is the most fun you'll ever have behind the wheel of a rocket powered football playing car.
Everything adds up to a game with good ideas that is sorely lacking in refinement – the punitive flaws of The Swindle's meta-structure and procedural generation could have been ameliorated with minor tweaks. This feels 80% of the way to a great game, but that missing 20% soon comes to dominate the rest.
Devil's Third is caught between genres it never quite brings together, and despite fun multiplayer never gets over its shaky foundations.
Hideo Kojima's farewell to Metal Gear Solid is a dream: the best ever stealth game, and the high point of a remarkable series.
Bethesda has a reputation for two things: stunningly realised worlds and frustrating technical issues. In both cases, the latest Fallout does not disappoint
Generous, artful and brutally hard, The Old Hunters is the perfect send-off for a modern masterpiece.
With its taut, tense action and destructible environments, Siege is the best Rainbow Six for years – if only Ubisoft would rethink its business model
This autobiographical game explores the death of a boy and shows the possibilities of the medium of video games
Darkest Dungeon is something fresh in one of gaming's most overdone genres, and the stress system is a winner – a particular delight being how a long-lived character will accumulate various mental scars.
The Westport Independent is a great concept that has its moments, but is ultimately too slight to deliver.
A brilliant concept coupled with smart design choices results in a hugely rewarding game that over-delivers in almost every area
Dark Souls 3 sees the return of the king in a spectacular conclusion to From Software's trilogy.
Platinum Games and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might be a dream pairing, but a co-op focus makes for a game that's strangely compromised.
Faith is restored to a visually striking world she deserves in the return of the first-person parkour title – but, as with the original, niggles stop it achieving greatness
Mighty No. 9 is the best Mega Man game I've played in years, but all of the problems it has come from that too. Whether the gaming scene of 2016 needs a modern Mega Man is a more ambiguous question, perhaps answered by the old adage: be careful what you wish for.
Capcom’s brilliant Nintendo DS series about hunting fearsome creatures just got even better – but it still might not be for everyone
Activision's blockbuster shooter goes back to its roots, and offers a solid if unsurprising experience, but the three elements within feel like wildly different games
This zombie survival game tries hard to stand out from the flesh-hungry crowd, but glitches will leave players groaning