Madden NFL 15; God Factory Wingmen; Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare, gaming reviews

Evolution rather than revolution: Madden NFL 15

Madden NFL 15

****

PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One (£54.99)

For years, the popular Madden series has been about evolution rather than revolution; the gameplay hasn't really changed in a quarter of a century. Madden 15 is different. In previous editions, playing defence was like waiting your turn, and it was a struggle to make an impact. But the two-part change now enables players to lock in on a specific defender, flipping the camera; adding another dimension, you also have to decide how best to tackle. These may sound like small changes, but they could help to ensure the popularity of the series for another 25 years.

Tom Sheen

God Factory Wingmen

***

PC (£14.99)

As with MOBA games such as DOTA, this is a game that is not friendly to newcomers and will take a good deal of time to master. At heart, God Factory Wingmen is a multiplayer-only space-combat game in which two teams try to destroy the other's mothership. The combat itself is fun: the game virtually forces you to learn advanced manoeuvres in order to even compete. A lack of human opponents and some glitches within the first few hours take the sheen off an otherwise competent and enjoyable game.

Jack Fleming

Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare

****

PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC (£34.99)

Mere months after being an exclusive game for the Xbox consoles, Garden Warfare brings its mix of tower defence and third-person shooting to the PS3 and PS4. Just like before, this visually appealing 3D offering, with its bombardment of silly sound effects, is a lot of fun. There is no single-player mode, so you need to go online in order to get the most out of the game. Still, pitting four "plant" players against waves of zombies is the perfect cue for chaotic, soil-your-pants carnage.

David Crookes