Reviews

There’s enjoyment to be had here, especially wingsuiting, but if all you care about is nailing tricks, SSX is backwards compatible on Xbox One for a fraction of the price.

Dead Rising 4 is basically Dead Rising 3 with crazier weapons, more zombies to decimate and the grand return of original protagonist Frank West – with gameplay that’s almost unrecognisable to his original tale.

Watch Dogs 2 is a much stronger open-world hacking sandbox experience than the first.

Keen to re-attempt my non-lethal, stay-out-of-sight playthrough of the original, I began Dishonored 2 with the aim of taking the stealthier route. Very quickly, that idea was shaken down as I realised enemies are smarter and more aware this time around. And the experience is all the better for it.

25 years after the launch of the original, Civilization VI proves Sid Meier and his crack team of strategy gaming experts have still got it. This is an epic turn-based strategy title full of complexity, depth and real-world history, and its several different 4X gameplay systems work in harmony to create one of the most engaging digital board games imaginable.

Battlefield 1 is the shooter to own this year. Its campaign is a well-rounded and suitably crafted anthology of Great War tales. Importantly, unlike Battlefield games before it, Battlefield 1 is worth owning for its campaign alone, with its added multiplayer depth there as an extra if you dare take the risk.

Mafia 3 stands out on the story front, and if you stick to its powerful story and main missions, you might find something here to like. Unfortunately, its barren game world, trivial side missions and mindless AI make it a tough game to recommend. It has a story to tell, one many of us probably need to hear. It’s just a shame that its message sometimes gets lost in its own noise.

Gears of War 4 succeeds in its mantra to simultaneously evoke the ambient dark campaign of Epic’s original, whilst progressing the highly lauded multiplayer with direction from the community and a rising esports presence.

Its “best” mode has lost a lot of its charm, but NBA 2K17 is still a beast of a game.

Forza Horizon 3 still struggles in how it rewards the player, while battling a balancing act between unparalleled “arcadey” freedom and its hardcore simulation options.