An expertly refined, craftily created fighting game which builds on an already outstanding base to deliver an all-around outstanding experience.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a fantastically refined title, a worthy sequel to its predecessor and a must own Wii game. Gripes about difficulty only exist in the context of the title's own simplistic tutorial system - platformers should be challenging, and so SMG2 does right by gamers on this front.

Some hardcore RPG fans will be disappointed by Mass Effect 2 - the higher focus on the shooter aspects of the first game and the streamlined nature of the combat might turn them away from the game. We'll call this their loss, because one thing is certain - Mass Effect 2 is the perfect blending of Shooter and RPG, mixing Gears of War style battles with one of the deepest, most immersive fictional universes in gaming history.

The sense of dread washing over you as you crouch in a corner in almost total darkness with your vision swimming, heart pounding and breath comes in short gasps as a humanoid creature with flayed skin instead of a jaw stands just metres away from you is more intense than any other video game has managed and if you even marginally enjoy the horror genre you owe it to yourself to pick it up.

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.

The streamlined nature of the story also helps keep the pace of the game up - and the game rarely takes a breather. When Nathan isn't blasting dozens of enemies he's showing off remarkable athleticism as he leaps across buildings and dives around corners. Naturally all of his companions are just as athletic - the amount of climbing and swinging they do leaves me out of breath just watching.

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

It combines the best features of any superhero series with fantastic graphics, solid gameplay and outstanding voice acting. The minor flaws - the easy gameplay, the initially confusing layout of Arkham and the occasional loading time hitch - are all negated a dozen times over by the game's character, atmosphere and attention to detail.

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.

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.

An absolute essential addition to your collection if you own a PSP, and is quite possibly the finest title to fit in your pocket to date.

The game plays like it was borne of a scientific experiment designed to test the best methods for delivering interactive horror fiction.

It sticks to the basics of racing games - going fast and looking nice. It combines a well-balanced learning curve with realistic challenges to keep you coming back again and again if you're even remotely interested in racing games Wipeout HD is a must-have game.

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.

Sure, the philosophy is more obvious this time and there'll never be a real equivalent to Sander 'effing' Cohen but BioShock 2 still manages to live up to the high standard set by the first game - even if it doesn't exceed it.

The reality is the game delivers exactly what any fan of the games could want - epic battles, loads of gore and a plot vehicle that sees Kratos take on the mightiest characters in Greek Mythology.

Frustration and lack of tension aside, Osmos is an excellent game. I would only hesitate to recommend this to the most diehard ambient music hater, and I imagine such a person would be too angry for video games anyway.

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.

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.

Pretty much exactly how I expected it - epileptic, frantic fun. Sure, it has a few balancing issues (Sentinel) and it might be a little too frantic at times, but at its core it's a great fighter for those who don't have the patience to learn SSFIV's endless move lists.

With new features like Backtrack and old features like Superstar and Franchise mode, Madden 09 is probably the best Madden yet.

HOI3 has a steep learning curve and it will be a struggle at first, but once you've got it all under control you can have some serious fun.

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

If you haven't already played it on the 360, get it right now and see what you have been missing. If you have played it on the 360, get it right now and play it properly, the way it should have been in the first place.