Titanfall, Yoshi's New Island, Dark Souls II, gaming reviews

Reinvention: Titanfall is a heck of a lot of fun

Titanfall

****

Xbox 360, Xbox One (£54.99)

It's been billed as the reinvention of the FPS genre and the saviour of the Xbox One, but all we know is that Titanfall (above) is a heck of a lot of fun. It takes the arena-based combat of multiplayer Call of Duty and adds a new sense of mobility (jet-packs!) and a new sense of destruction (giant robots!). It's by no means perfect (there's only the barest suggestion of a plot and Microsoft's servers are likely to lag badly on launch) but it's the strongest release on the Xbox One to date. It will go the distance.

James Vincent

Yoshi's New Island

***

3DS (£39.99)

The Mario spin-off that was adored by a Nineties generation of Nintendo lovers is back for the 3DS. The distinctive soft, pastel graphics frame a world where Yoshi must protect Mario, although the challenge lies in finding collectibles opposed to any skill required to complete a level – finally, it becomes more difficult in the last couple of worlds. There's not too much that could be considered as "new", which means it can feel dated, but it's certainly endearing enough for kids.

Laura Davis

Dark Souls II

*****

PS3, Xbox 360, PC (£39.99)

Like its predecessor, Dark Souls II is a complex, demanding opus. Concessions have been made to new players, but the sequel is a perfect refinement of the gripping experience. The nightmarish lands of Drangleic mirror the game's gothic heart that rewards those tackling trials with an escalating level of near-impossible challenge. The exquisitely designed bosses remain the highlight, requiring knife-edge precision. As the current generation of consoles "prepares to die'" its headstone will anoint Dark Souls II as its final masterpiece.

Oliver Cragg