If there ever was a game that did a complete 180 in regards to the title preceeding it, Alien: Isolation is that game, for all the right reasons. Atmosphere, dread, tension and a shrouding feeling of challenge, Creative Assembly's take on the classic Alien franchise was a more-than-welcome variance on the tragic Colonial Marines.

While not breaking any new barriers in terms of graphics, AA2 brings several improvements for you to better enjoy your waifu and high school setting. Now you can be a teacher, more interactions between you and your loved one and even the risk of pregnancy.

The Culmination of several attempts by Hideki Kamiya and crew to perfect the third person actioner, Bayonetta 2 combined virtuouso design with just the right amount of "Cuhrayzee" to relaunch the franchise as if it had never gone. A sleek, sharp axe to the face of every DmC fan.

Never too much of a good thing is the motto here and once the PC version finally got it's shit together there was still a hell of alot of adventuring and dying and dying to be done. After you died.

Turns out Divinity only needed a gameplay twist to get it right. While the previous games of the divinity series were good, Divinity: Original Sin manages to actually go the extra mile with its compelling battle system, fun writing and interesting lore.

Above surface, just another run-of-the-mill, and dare say rehased, adventure for DK and co. Underneath though, one of the most surprisingly upbeat, charming and engrossing platformers of the past year. A welcomingly sprawling and stunning game with a superb soundtrack from none other than one of Nintendo's longer-serving collaborators, David Wise.

The X Warriors format gets a worthy update, expanding on Dynasty Warriors 8's effort and moving in a new direction with confidence, Hyrule Warriors made for a bold statement of the Zelda universe's versatility and longevity.

Nintendo's own "Racing Transformed", it's certainly better than 7 ...and sadly enough, as close to an F-Zero sequel that we'll possibly get.

A neo-retro indie with a little respect for itself and a lot of interpretation, Shovel Knight indicated that less may be more all the while giving players plenty to enjoy.

A franchise imposture that actually remembered to be a game, The Stick of Truth clashed modern humour with classic gameplay in that instantly loveable fashion usually reserved for the show's irreverant turns. A true adventure but a dilligently considered experience, the game ironically rose the tone for spin-offs like it.

Perhaps the most anticipated release of the last three years, Super Smash Bros expanded the series in a way that befitted a generational jump, bringing features that lesser arcade brawlers would use as a clusterfuck generator into genuinely fun gameplay with confidence.

Revitalising the corner of FPS's that take themselves a little two seriously was the indomitable appeal of this Nazi beater. Shrugging off the lazy effort of the remake, New Order injected some much needed catharsis into this year's most boring genre, pulling off the rescue job that Alien Isolation did for it's franchise whilst never losing faith in its key tools.