It seems disappointing that new developer Sumo Digital didn't take the time to really make this a definitive LittleBigPlanet entry. Long loading times and slightly restrictive campaign levels are holding LittleBigPlanet 3 back from being a fantastic game for players of all ages. Co-op is still as enjoyable as it always has been, but there's not enough of it in the base game for you to appreciate all the characters.
If you enjoyed the original OlliOlli, then this sequel is an absolute must-have. For those who didn't play the original, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is the better of the two beasts and will have you kickflipping and grinding all day long. Multiple modes, lots of replayability and a wicked soundtrack create a perfectly addictive little combo.
Although we feel the Detective path is the weakest point of the new careers, there's still plenty to do in Get to Work that may justify that £29.99 investment. We love the fact we can follow our Sim to work now and explore the professional side of a life simulator – or as much as The Sims allows anyway. The retail businesses are an interesting addition, but we feel they won't prove as popular as the career paths.
If you're looking for an interactive horror movie, Supermassive Games has totally nailed it. The strong storyline is bursting with boo-scares, gore and stereotypically creepy settings – to the point I had to put my controller down to stop my heart racing several times. And I loved and loathed all of the characters in their own way.
We didn't think it was possible, but Tearaway Unfolded has surpassed the original PS Vita version. It's story is longer, more expansive and the papercraft even more impressive. It manages to celebrate the PS4 and the DualShock 4 in its gameplay too, making the overall game package completely appealing and utterly adorable.
Telltale Games has done it again with Minecraft: Story Mode. I'm still not entirely sure how the developer managed to make an open world building game into such a fun and compelling story-based adventure but it certainly has.
You'll struggle to find a game available now that looks or feels as immersive or as beautiful as Far Cry 4. And it's only games like Assassin's Creed Unity or Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that can match it in terms of breadth of gameplay. It just feels like the story lets it down in places. Make choices count and give the player real power. Don't just dangle the carrot.
Asking whether someone should buy Bloodborne or not should be countered with "do you think you can hack it?" Contrary to what some insufferable self-identifying 'hardcore' gamers may think, it doesn't require masses of experience and being willing to sit down for six-hour sessions.
But ultimately I've invested so much time in this game that my few niggles are also rendered mute. 11-bit Studios has created an exploration of the desperateness of wartime human experience and made it into something you can't help but find compelling. The addition of children into the original mix is a way of enhancing that, making the reality all the more visceral.
Unravel is a welcome change to the EA rosta and a lovely tale that will have you feeling all warm inside – like sinking into a warm bath that eventually gets a little cold with time. Yarny is an adorable and utterly believable lead who tells the aging woman's story well, allowing you to embellish it with your own experiences.
It's a game that challenges your way of thinking, forcing you to live by each moment and ditch that hoarding habit you've been harbouring. So grab your raft, enjoy the views and just try to survive. It's harder than you think.
Playing The Division is a bit like having the flu - you can't get it out of your head and it doesn't ever want to let you go. But unlike the flu, you won't mind at all.
Is Quantum Break, with its meld of compelling gameplay, strong storyline and high-quality TV series, really the future of gaming? Yes, but maybe it'll be Quantum Break 2 (if there is one) that truly nails it 100%. If they dial back the gorgonzola, the product placement and adjust that cover mechanic, this could have been a perfect game.
Now bring on that movie.
Yo-Kai Watch is an RPG that continued to surprise us. What we thought was going to be a Pokemon rip-off is much, much more than that.
It's the most appetising game smorgasbord we've ever had the good fortune to sample, with just the right blend of impactful storyline, cinematic cutscenes, explosive set pieces, exploration, discovery, puzzle solving and good old shootouts.
We just wonder whether it'll appeal to new fans at all when there are better brawlers out there already.
Play it. Question it. Fall in love with it. Tell everyone about it.
The realism has really been ramped up this year, making every pass, tackle and goal attempt feel accurate and worthwhile. The goalkeepers and graphics have vastly improved too, even if the more realistic referees might frustrate you at first – just as they do in the real game.
Although there are moments of warm loveliness in Grow Up's story, beauty in its world and some brand new abilities, there's no getting away from the fact that this feels like B.U.D's difficult second album.