Most importantly though is that BioShock Infinite takes the story and uses the gameplay to enhance it. It puts the player firmly in the shoes of Booker, it makes Elizabeth not just your ward but a crucial part of your game. It connects the player and the player character inextricably, and then it tells a story through that connection.

If it were just the campaign with co-op, Judgment would seem difficult to justify for its triple A asking price, but with the addition of the excellent Overrun mode - and a couple of friends - it's a worthwhile purchase.

Multiplayer successfully delivers everything I really want from a new God of War game. If only the singleplayer were as good.

SimCity made me connect with the Sims in my world more than any Sims game ever could - and then it made me wilfully hurt them to further my own agenda. It simultaneously made me uncomfortable with my actions and impelled to win at the same time. That's an odd feeling to get out of a game where you can deliberately unleash a giant fire breathing lizard on an unsuspecting populace.

Crystal Dynamics has exceeded my expectations and crafted one of the most intense, rewarding, surprising and bloody origin stories I’ve had the pleasure of playing through. It’s been a long time since I HAD to finish a game.

Crysis 3 almost knocks it out of the ballpark on so many levels. The controls and visuals are certainly spot on, but the level design and pacing both have sporadic moments that let it, and you, down.

It’s an extremely solid action game, a brutal, crazy ride that fits in nicely with the rest of Platinum’s oeuvre, but one that falls just short of being an instant classic thanks to some finicky controls and muted design choices.

Antichamber will turn your brain inside out and then ask you to reach inside your own head and turn it back the right way. It’s quite unlike anything else I’ve ever played, and it simultaneously made me feel like an idiot and a genius. It’s daring, confident, original and enjoyable, not to mention ridiculously smart. Just make sure you’ve got some paracetamol handy before you start playing.

As a huge fan of both Dead Space 1 and 2 I thought this would be a massive disappointment, but Dead Space 3 successfully illustrates that it's tension I crave from these sorts of games, not fear. Because Dead Space 3 anchors its tension in the challenge the game presents, the player is able to customise how tense an experience they have through the difficulty settings (and it gets pretty bloody difficult). This is a good thing, and both Dead Space fans and sci-fi fans will get a lot out of this sci-fi shooter.

The sense of characters being real emotional beings is far above most other releases, even if the actual emotions being displayed are not particularly new. If you've never played a Devil May Cry game, this is a somewhat lighter but far more entertaining offering. For series devotees, give it a chance - there's humour here plus action and depth if you crave it.

As a multiplayer scrolling platformer, NSMBU successfully ad libs from a well worn Mario script to produce an evolution of the 2D platformer and importantly, a step forward for quality multiplayer games on the Wii U.

Nintendo Land oozes with familiarity and might even alert some of the most ardent players to gems they may have missed. With that in mind I have a number of Pikmin games to acquire and devour.

The gameplay itself is great, and a lot of fun, and I can see myself bringing it out to play when friends who have the game are over, and we'll have a ball with it, but the other areas just feel a bit lacking - online in particular.

It's a game about man's tenuous dominion over nature. It's about thinking for yourself, about adapting or dying and about having fun doing it. It's a reminder of all the bad things people say about Australian wildlife, and you get to see it without getting sand in your boxers. So where the bloody hell are you?

Multiplayer races do capture a bit of that spirit, but the Single Player gameplay is more exploratory in nature - and the true heart of LBP Karting lies in its creation mode. Making tracks and playing them with friends and checking out the awe-inspiring work of others is what LittleBigPlanet has always been about - and LittleBigPlanet Karting is no different.

This is the biggest movement in any direction we've seen from a Call of Duty game since Modern Warfare - but unlike Infinity Ward's game changer, Black Ops 2 lacks a little in both the polish and conviction areas. It's going to be hard to go back to the same corridor shooters after Black Ops 2 - and it's going to be harder still for someone to convince me to play generic Team Deathmatch - but the game still feels like it falls short in some areas.

There are very few games which are able to buck trends with aplomb and do it this gracefully. Pick it up when you can and give it the time it deserves.

Need for Speed Most Wanted does a great job at what it's supposed to - the cars feel good, the game looks pretty and the multiplayer is phenomenal. Some curious decisions hurt more than they help, and I'll never get used to the LSD inspired intro videos, but overall it's evidence that Criterion are getting ever closer to nailing that balance between arcade and simulation racing.

There is a thin line between telling the player a story and letting them experience it, and it's one the previous games parkoured along with only the occasional misstep. Assassin's Creed 3 however, falls flat on the side of telling you its story - and it would be unforgivable if it weren't for the billion other things you can do in the game.

Most importantly, what Skylanders Giants achieves is a superior sequel to a hugely successful first game and demonstrates that developers and publishers are capable of innovation in a period where all we've come to expect are carbon copy sequels.

It's a different beast to its predecessors, but it's incredibly addictive and easy to start playing at 4:00 and only realise you haven't moved since at 11:00. The way Firaxis have used personalisation to give you a sense of attachment to what are otherwise personality free characters is excellent and makes XCOM an excellent addition to any gamer's library.

For an arcade downloadable title Mark of the Ninja brings substantial value for money. A single playthrough will keep you entertained for over a half dozen hours and that's just the tip of the sword.

Dishonored, like Thief, or Deus Ex, is one of those timeless games you'll play a dozen times. The game world is gorgeous - a steampunk City 17, the story is spectacularly written and almost depressingly dark and the gameplay is wonderful - either as a stealthy game, or an action fighter... or anywhere in between. Dishonored is all about giving - it gives you the weapon, it gives you the name, and then it gives you the choice - vengeance is entirely up to you.

It's a fantastic looking game - but more importantly, it's a fantastic feeling game.

A great game. As far as gameplay goes, this is going to bring back memories of the earlier Diablo games. The story is perhaps less interesting, but it certainly doesn't take itself as seriously as Diablo so I'm happy with that. For the price Runic are charging, this is an absolute gem - and I've got an empty socket.

FIFA 13 - by way of first touch control, improved Attacking AI and skill-bridging features - is the best football game on the market...Thanks to a few janky player collision interpretations, some frustrating AI decisions and a sub-par commentary it's not the best football game it can be - but that won't stop me from playing it for hours and hours and hours and...

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a well-made fighting game that is at its best in a room full of friends with a passing interest in Tekken in general. It's a love letter to Tekken fans, and people who want to see a kangaroo beat the **** out of a dinosaur.

It's expertly paced, cleverly written, gorgeously refined and beautifully executed. What surprised me the most is the sheer level of detail involved. Personalised character elements, the duel for loot system and the depth of your skill tree customisation makes playing for yourself more satisfying than ever. Symbiotic AI and meta-challenge systems give you more reason to fight on. And a combination of loot-chasing and story make Borderlands 2 a must own.

A fitting sequel and takes several important strides forward for the franchise. The strengthening of the multiplayer adds some much needed replayability, the sense of scope and scale is impressive and allowing you to see the climactic battle through the eyes of a smorgasbord of Autobots and Decepticons, each with wildly differing play styles was a definite step in the right direction.

If you only listen to Cradle of Filth or Jay-Z you will probably find very little to enjoy about the game. But if you like your music a bit softer and a bit more electronic and if you like the idea of making music and then sharing it with your friends (and the world) I can't imagine a better game for you.

Even with the despicable lack of Old Salty Crab content in Sleeping Dogs, it is definitely worth your time. It's fun to run about beating people up, sing Karaoke and jump from car to car and it is made even better by Sleeping Dogs' excellent story and characters.

Darksiders 2 "the game" is worth your time. Darksiders 2 the story is a little forgettable - and that's a bit disappointing, considering the first game contains one of my favourite moments in recent video game history.

It's not a particularly great rhythm game, nor is it really a Final Fantasy one, but for some reason the two work together well.

Roaming around a vast countryside in Dragon's Dogma is the sort of adventuring experience I imagined playing Dungeons & Dragons growing up. It's about hunting down great monsters, about charting areas on your own and about remembering what it's like to be afraid of the dark - and then conquering that fear.

If you don't need mods and prefer to play on your Xbox 360, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition is much better built than its PC partner. Long time fans will no doubt find some of the differences disappointing - for instance the world is limited to 1024x1024 - and while this is small compared to the PC version, with an 8 player multiplayer limit it's still massive. If you are looking to finally see what the fuss is about, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition is an excellent purchase.

Max Payne 3 makes you feel like the man with a very particular set of skills. With a good story, jaw-dropping action and fantastic graphics, it's a must-experience game. It's an homage to some fantastic movies, it's a step forward for Rockstar games and it's a satisfying continuation of the Max Payne saga.

With an intensely addictive gameplay model - the sort usually seen in the likes of Angry Birds - and expertly created tracks and game modes, Trials Evolution is a must-buy.

This departure from the franchise is an invigorating reboot that should satisfy both racing enthusiasts and action junkies alike while the decidedly robust track creation system should have the community upping the ante for months to come. Frag, destroy, create and decimate - it's all on the cards in Ridge Racer Unbounded.

Perhaps the largest compliment we can bestow is that it feels very old school, like a spiritual remake of Silent Hill rather than a bold new statement.

If you've ever wanted to get into a non-combat flight simulator but thought it sounded too difficult or esoteric, Flight is one to try out. After all - the price is right, and flying planes is so much darn fun!

It might sound like like an exaggeration, but it's not - Journey makes people stop what they are doing and then it holds them in its thrall, making them sit down to watch in silence (barring the occasional exclamation.) When I played it towards the end of an entertaining Saturday night, my living room slowly filled up with my roommates' guests, none of them saying anything, just sitting and watching. If thatgamecompany ever decides to take over the world we will all be in trouble.

The combat leaves something to be desired, which might diminish what you get out of playing it in 'Action' mode, but what Mass Effect 3 really sets out to do - wrap up one of the best space operas of all time - it does expertly.

The gameplay is fun, fresh, exciting and bloody tough. Newcomers, however, will find the switches in difficulty brutal and unforgiving. It doesn't cater all that well to the casual enthusiast and will surely alienate those without fond franchise memories to sustain them.

If you already purchased Rayman Origins on your PS3, 360 or Wii you can safely skip this one. It really is just the home console game perfectly ported across to the PS Vita - so if you, like me, never got Rayman Origins the first time around, grab it now. It's the best platformer out today.

With the extensive customisation, robust level editor with instant access to the PS3 library, and overall polished track design, it doesn't really matter where the ideas in ModNation came from. It's one of the more complete packages in the Vita launch lineup, and also one of the safest bets in terms of having fun.

The graphics are fantastic, the gameplay is tight and - while lacking the customisation introduced in Wipeout Pulse - the soundtrack is good. It's let down by long loading times and a short-ish campaign, but Cross-Play gives it both a little added longevity and makes it into a bit of a 'feature highlight' game. It's a must-have Vita game - just make sure you set aside time to play it.

At a time when Japanese developers seem to moving to more readily embrace "Westernised" gaming values, kudos to CyberConnect2 for sticking to its guns and providing a gaming experience quite unlike anything I've ever played before and one I look forward to revisiting in twenty minute blocks time and time again.

For an engine company, Unigine has displayed some solid design with Oil Rush. It plays just as good as it looks, and offers a less micro-intensive strategy alternative. At its heart, it's all about unit distribution, and gathering that critical mass of firepower to shift the momentum in your favour.

Don't get me wrong - this is the best UFC game, the best combat sports game and one of the better fighting games to come out... it's just that I can see it being even better, and I'm disappointed that hasn't happened yet.

Absolutely get Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning if you're looking for a deep fantasy world - but if you can't handle the MMO flavour, you might want to give it a pass. KOA:R shines when it is being creative or original - when you get lost in the depth of the combat, or the wealth of backstory - and falters when it apes other games. And seriously - it's 2012... lose the invisible walls already.

The characterisation, acting and story are all spectacular - and the way it works to create connections between the player and the characters within should be taught in schools, if such schools existed. The gunplay is frantic but at the same time you feel powerful, and the art style doesn't strive towards realism because it doesn't need to.

if you're a fan of the eccentricity of Japanese culture, like a mental challenge and reckon you have fingers dextrous enough to take the job on it will test your mettle and push your sanity to breaking point. It's equal parts frustration and exhilaration, completely intoxicating, almost impossible to walk away from and stays with you. If you're after something a little outside the box Catherine's the game for you.

Resident Evil Revelations was a genuine eye-opener and one hell of a thrill-ride. It handles like a dream, looks magnificent, has a completely immersive score, clever sound design and unique gameplay mechanics taking the series leaps and bounds forward.

The introduction of the antagonist Ghirahim and the relationship between Link and Zelda are excellently laid out and the story contains a few twists and turns you will never see coming. It makes the entire experience feel more worthwhile - especially after the bafflingly cliched beginning.

It's about expansion, trading, economics, boats, and staring at a lot of awfully pretty sci-fi buildings while you do so... which, frankly, is more than an enough for me.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a fantastic game and while it will be good to move onto a new person and a new story in the next game, fans of the series will feel at least a twinge of regret at their last encounter with Ezio.

With the industry taking itself more and more seriously, Volition thumbs its nose at convention and gives you one hell of a ride. Expect that to escalate once you grab a buddy and hit co-op - just take my advice and keep friendly fire off, even if you're a masochist.

Skyrim is completely and utterly addictive in every aspect and quite possibly, I'll say it, the greatest RPG of all time. It affords you the luxury of playing it your way and doesn't try to constrain you. It wants you to get lost in a winter wonderland and believe me, you will. Kiss the rest of your life goodbye.

Modern Warfare 3 really is the best multiplayer shooter on console right now. It's not changing the landscape of shooters - it's honing it to its sharpest point. It's a no-brainer purchase for console gamers.

One hell of a surprise. I thought I'd have fun playing it, but didn't think it would be this much fun. If you're looking for something a little lighter during this bumper release schedule and dig some fast paced intergalactic action, Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One has you covered.

As all sequels (or three-quels) should, this third outing significantly raises the stakes and is by far the most personal.

It's pretty easy when it comes down to it. If you're looking for an offline experience, look elsewhere. Battlefield 3 has a decent singleplayer - it's certainly better than some other games I've played recently - but it's not mind-blowing. If it's the best multiplayer game in the world that you're after, get your affairs in order. You're re-enlisting soldier.

It's the best treatment of a comic book character outside of graphic novels ever. It's the best Action Adventure/Open World game ever. It's the best game I've played this year. And finally, it's the best superhero game you've ever played.

Great for those moments when you have time to spare and you can outdo your previous performance. For most it will be just that - a great game to play for a bit, but not particularly addictive. In some however, it will inspire marathon gaming sessions into the early hours of the morning, bettering your scores and those of others.

It's not just a racing game, it's a collecting game as well. The combination works spectacularly well - though I can't help but feel that the game could learn a little from the Formula 1... even small edits to the tracks we've all driven hundreds of times would do wonders.

Dark Souls won't be for everyone - that is guaranteed - but if it hooks you it won't let go. When you do stop playing - for work, school or to get some plasterboard and caulk for the brand new holes in your wall - you know it will only be a matter of time before you go back.

All over, F1 2011 is a fantastic simulation of the greatest motorsport in the world. It's sacrificed a little more game in favour of a little more sim this year - but the spirit of F1 is there in oodles, and for any F1 fan this year's game is a must buy.

Gears of War 3 is the absolute business. It plays extremely well on your own, as part of a co-op experience or if you've got the minerals to jump online and leave your mark.

Apart from being set in the Warhammer 40k universe however, it doesn't really have its own voice - but Relic now have a basis to build on. If you like the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Space Marine is a must buy - but if you aren't familiar with it you might want to leave Space Marine aside.

Dead Island is ambitious - even ignoring the technical aspects, Techland attempted to make a game which would cater to people who wanted visceral combat and decent enemies, people who wanted an immersive game with dozens of hours of gameplay and people who just wanted somewhere to drive over zombies and blow stuff up. Dead Island accomplishes all of that and while it has some issues, for the most part it does it with style.

Tropico 4 carries similar almost A-grade production values to its predecessors, is thematically identical, is bug-free if not entirely polished visually and it has a raft of new features for you to enjoy - it just struggles to earn that numerical update to its name.

Generic story elements aside however, Xenoblade Chronicles is an outstanding game - without a doubt one of the best JRPGs available on the current generation of consoles. If you are a fan of JRPGs this game belongs on your shelf - here's hoping Nintendo Australia keep bringing such excellent titles to our shores.

The most fun you'll have behind the wheel this year. It feels different from anything you've ever played before and you'll find yourself itching to complete every single task it asks of you. After knocking it out I'm still eager to take it for another spin and you can't give a game a better endorsement than that now, can you?

There's the real sense of consequence to your actions, and it's something we've not seen in games for a long time. The augmentations are diverse and interesting enough to also force you into making some legitimately tough decisions.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet's biggest boon is that tries to do something different, and it does it well. It falters early on with unintuitive tutorial sections - at a time in the game where it needs to be as intuitive as possible - but this forces the player into the deep end, and it's probably not a terrible thing considering how the game plays out.

Those that have smashed through their first playthrough can unlock and jump in to Master mode, a significantly harder version with tougher enemies and a mirrored world to mix things up a bit the second time round.

Definitely a must-play game. It delivers some truly great music, a narrative built around your own actions and a huge bang for your buck.

Suffice to say, if you can live with the juvenile humour and mental blank slate which makes up Garcia's education, Shadows of the Damned is an awesome game with great gameplay and graphics and it's a hell of a lot of fun.

The co-op and multiple story branches are a compelling reason to go back through the story at least one more time and while the sometimes terrible companion AI make single player incredibly frustrating at times, Dungeon Siege 3 does a great job of balancing action and role playing - making it feel like more than just a mindless clickfest.

The addition of UGC, the less angsty - but still serious - storyline and plethora of new abilities make inFAMOUS 2 a much better game than its predecessor.

It's well paced, offers cool vehicle sections to break the routine and still has you wanting more at the end.

Some of the design choices are incredibly confusing and you might not want to play it again for a couple of months, but it does an excellent job of bringing Geralt's world to life.

With slick graphics, a slew of racing modes, challenging courses and a crazy take on multiplayer, DiRT 3 is a remarkably playable title that successfully manages to juggle casual, hardcore and multiplayer modes and gives you a more than solid argument to take them for a test drive.

From the multi-threaded plot down to the variety of suits Cole wears, LA Noire has an unmistakable charisma about it - it's a fantastic game. A few anomalous missteps hold it back from being 'the next big thing', but if it was perfect to begin with they'd have nowhere to grow. As it is now, I really want to see what Team Bondi do next.

The 3rd Birthday is one of the PSP's better games and it's just a shame they had to muck things up with its ridiculous plot and juvenile fan-service.

The only other gripe - and this was true for Portal as well - is that Portal 2 has zero replayability...It's more Portal, not a better Portal. Regardless, if you're looking for a challenging puzzle game and a great coop experience, Portal 2 is a must buy.

A guilty and brutal pleasure with a rare sense of honour, humour and is perhaps the most quintessential Japanese title you'll ever play.

While Okamiden might not provide a significant challenge, it's still a fantastic game, with an outstanding atmosphere.

Any fan of wrestling - old or new - with friends should pick up All Stars (and a case of Stone Cold's favourite beverage) - though it doesn't have the same strength for those playing alone.

Game Freak wanted to reel people back in with Pokémon Black, and they have made an outstanding new addition to the series.

Crysis 2 might not be exactly the sequel most people expected after Crysis, but it's definitely an improvement. There's room for more, but the game delivers an absolutely stunning atmosphere - and even if the middle of the game bogs you down the ending will definitely pick you up.

The Multiplayer is fine how it is, the way I see it. As long as it maintains a healthy community of active players, it'll be around for a while.

The Multiplayer is fine how it is, the way I see it. As long as it maintains a healthy community of active players, it'll be around for a while.

One of the most complete sports simulations I've played and by far the best in the series. If you're after the quintessential boxing experience, you've found it.

If you were like me and worried about Dragon Age II, you can relax. It's not quite the same game, but where it's different it is better.

By and large, PixelJunk Shooter 2 is actually a better game than the first. There are more toys, more variety, online play (in theory) and arguably a better use of colour and sound as well. The drawbacks actually arise out of being a massive fan of the PixelJunk games and expecting more.

It goes beyond making you smile to that level of cuteness where your cheek muscles feel sore from the big smile which won't leave your face and you feel a rush of energy like you just had a shot of hard liquor. If you have any interest in platforming games at all, get Kirby's Epic Yarn.

These minuscule gripes aside, Guerrilla Games has done and outstanding job in crafting, what is easily the best FPS exclusive for the PlayStation 3, and a rollicking ride in it's own right.