Episode two of Telltale's Game of Thrones concerns itself with maneuvering pieces into position and foreshadowing greater conflict. It's a robust foundational episode, shoring up Forrester character development for future pay-offs (and inevitable tragedy.)
Gentle RPG systems collide with robust pinball design, triggering a modest gaming jackpot.
Lords of the Fallen isn't going to triumph in a direct match-up with Dark Souls, but seeing the Souls combat system and level design transplanted with this degree of success into a shorter, more accessible game is really no bad thing.
All is not perfect in the future, but Trials Fusion is another worthy entry in the series' bizarre bike-bouncing world.
FIFA 14 is the reassuring central-defensive midfielder of the series. Dependable, rather than revelatory. Physical, tenacious and tight on space. It does the job without fuss, but also lacks flair.
Unrest is a short narrative full of ethical dilemmas, presented through the eyes of an unusually diverse cast of RPG characters. Those choices have an isolated impact, but don't expect them to alter the story to a radical degree.
A "launch" build with some features still in infancy, Elite: Dangerous nonetheless offers terrific space flight ambiance and trading progression befitting of the once-revolutionary series. In a few months time, this title could be outstanding.
The unofficial NYPD Blue adventure game that Telltale never made. Aside from some pretty clear budgetary constraints, The Detail's hard edged cop narrative has a compelling opening.
An episode of grim, despicable moments and further fascinating tests of Clementine's morality, but one which persists with some of the weaker aspects of this second season.
Clementine's characterisation and her interactions with adults are strong as ever in this fraught episode. Two-fifths of the way through the story is still too early to judge how other themes, characters and plot strands will pay off, but the build-up suggests it'll be worthwhile.
It's far too early to crown this season as a successful follow-up to Telltale's first foray with The Walking Dead, but there are enough threads of character intrigue to suggest that Clementine and her new crew have a promising (that is to say, heartbreaking and terrible) future.
Ronin has little plot to speak of, but is focused like it's own motorcycle helmeted avenger on a tight and tactical turn-ish-based combat mechanic. Looks a little like Gunpoint. Plays like Ronin.
Superb faction design and twists on 4x genre conventions, combined with rather passive AI (even at higher difficulties,) mean Endless Legend is a strategy title that falls frustratingly short of being sublime.
A sturdy conversion of a robust set of board game rules. The top-down, corridor-heavy setting is reminiscent of Space Hulk, but Legions of Steel places more emphasis on equal fire-fights between the competing factions.
A chaotic dust bowl of an open world, rendered and recorded with Avalanche's usual technical excellence on PC. Like Max's car some parts are a little ramshackle, but if you stick to causing bedlam there's plenty of fun to be had.
Something of a return to form after 15, but sooner rather than later EA will need to stop re-arranging pieces of their existing code and actually develop a properly new and substantial FIFA engine.
Environmentally diverse, and largely consistent in the quality of its conundrums, Soul Axiom is an imperfect but distinct first-person puzzler.
The Banner Saga 2 reaps all the benefits and foibles of strict continuity. It maintains the outstanding presentation and decision-based narrative highs of the first entry, but minor changes to mechanics are unlikely to sway opinion on the unique, but slightly peculiar, combat system.
Shadow Warrior 2's excellent combat mechanics cleave through its weak story and over-abundance of iffy loot. The result is a title that's incredibly satisfying to play, almost in spite of the surrounding flaws.
It'll do nothing to shake the series' reputation for check-box collectibles and all-too-familiar mission types, but Assassin's Creed: Syndicate plays to the structural strengths of a terrific Victorian London setting, enjoyable characters, and a few smart, iterative design changes.