Coming back to our original conundrum, GTA IV has its flaws as a game, like the sometimes problematic auto-aim shooting or the massive difficulty jump when you get to the final ten missions. But as an all-round experience it's truly, hype aside, a standout experience of gaming in 2008.

Galaxy's real success is in its ability to surprise, which it does consistently from start to finish. Just when you think Nintendo's out of ideas you're blasted off to another world that's even crazier and more creative than the last.

Warning! This exclusive sci-fi epic's mind-melting action and puzzles may sizzle your brain. But the tricky controls could put some off.

The two-player experience is utterly brilliant, but it's all the cool detail, the mysterious plot, and tight gameplay that make Halo feel so involving and unique.

This game is so close to flawless it's painful to the eye. It's so beautifully constructed, so immaculate, I can barely bring myself to divulge its details...Simply the most essential gaming experience of the year, the game the entire FPS genre has been building towards for the past decade, and one of the defining moments of the videogame medium as a whole. [PC Zone]

Engaging, immersive, repulsive, beautiful and challenging on every level, all at the same time. The bar has been raised...An experience of this calibre only comes around every few years and should be played by as many people as possible.

It takes elements from a lot of games - the exploration of Tomb Raider, climbing of Prince of Persia/Assassin's Creed, combat from Gears of War and stealth from Splinter Cell, yet it amalgamates all of these elements perfectly into one package. You can't compare it to any other game.

Resident Evil 4 displays such extreme mastery of the videogame medium that it deserves far more than any review could give it, which essentially makes the thousands of sycophantic words we've just battered out redundant.

Mass Effect 2 has quality oozing from every facet of its makeup. If you're patient enough to hop from tactical combat to immersive role-playing without a blink, then you'll discover that Mass Effect 2 is a wonderfully engrossing quest that's deep yet suitably streamlined and incredibly cinematic.

If you're an Elder Scrolls veteran, you'll already know what you're in for. This is not the next evolutionary stage of the series: rather a loving refinement of what made Oblivion and the now-aged PC title Morrowind so special. It's those games with better voice acting, a slicker interface, a richer world and an improved story. It's also the most polished and user friendly games in the series, with smarter character progression and a gentler learning curve.

If you want to admire the game's beauty, you'd best watch a friend play. After the shock, the gore and suspicious stains in our undergarments, we've only got one thing to say. Welcome back. [PSW]

A manifesto for every future video game. Now we've seen what can be done when truly brilliant people get to make a world brimming with variety, music, humour and sheer scale, very few other games are going to be able to live up to it. [PSW]

You'll look for inspiration for levels, mechanical dilemmas or puzzles in every corner of your life. And in your sleep. It will take over your conversations with fellow players. You will become obsessed. You have been warned.

The sensation is difficult to explain, but it's akin to abandoning the sensation of control itself, as if you're truly within the gameworld and every neuron twitch in your brain results in precisely the correct physical translation.

Better handling, more races and brain-melting visuals make it the showpiece title PlayStation 2's been waiting for.

It's the biggest Zelda game ever without a doubt and the extra year of development has clearly done it a world of good.

It's a tremendously detailed and authentic realisation of the Wild West with great stories, characters and inner workings.

Imaginative, challenging, hilarious and sometimes a bit exhausting, Portal 2 is one of 2011's most interesting, challenging blockbusters. Just make sure you take your sweet, sweet time with it - because you'll probably feel a hole in your head once it's done and dusted.

It's a belief in the character and, most importantly, a belief in itself that has seen the studio deliver one of the greatest Batman interpretations of all time. And you know what? Maybe even one of the best games ever.

Still a classic, still an explosion of nostalgia. Ocarina of Time 3D is a blissful rediscovery for veterans and an unmissable opportunity for newcomers.

The fact that you can revive your partner also adds a lot of depth and strategy to the game. Do you risk reviving your downed teammate in the line of fire, or do you stick it out and take out the bad guys first?

Halo 3 is the gaming equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster. It's not going to revolutionise the genre - it's not meant to - it's meant to be great fun, which it is. Never lose sight of that. The visuals, guns, vehicles, enemies, set-pieces, musical score... they've all been cranked up to 11 to create an experience up there with the best sci-fi properties.

If we were stuck on a desert island with a TV, an Xbox and a generator, Ninja Gaiden Black is the only game we'd need. It really is that good! [Official UK XBox Magazine]

From the moment you turn the game on and sit through the arty CGI intro, to the moment you chuck your first punch and see the game's incredible visuals, you can feel the amount love poured into making this game.

Metalgear is distinctive in that the game is woven around the story, rather than the opposite way around.

Gorgeously lit levels create some amazingly atmospheric - and realistic - shadows to lurk in. The cod liver oil's been doing the trick too, as Sam's slinky, cat-like movements are animated in a stunningly believable way. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Loud, epic and incredibly polished, MW2 is this year's biggest must-have shooter.

Certain hardcore gamers may look down on God of War: it's short, it's linear, it's showy and it's accessible. But it's also a towering achievement of game design and attention to detail that even manages to make recent hits like Devil May Cry 3 look rusty in places. [PSW]

Now, however, it's been nailed: simultaneous turns, variable game speeds, the ability to join a game on the hop by taking over an AI opponent and game dynamics that leave you despising your best friend. Quite frankly, you needn't buy another game for the entirety of next year - Civ will suffice, and it gets deeper each time you play. [PC Zone]

The graphics are so finely detailed that you'll soon forget you're playing a game - it's more like taking part in the best cartoon you've ever seen.

You could say it's all just a fancy game of hide and seek, but the tactical element off and online adds so much depth and tension that the concept becomes genius.

A seriously good, fat-free but surprisingly deep GTA experience - that you can play on the toilet.

It's the new team-centred gameplay modes - the return of an old favourite particularly - and the introduction of driveable vehicles that make this such an exciting and important addition to the Unreal lineage...It offers just about all you could ever want in a first-person shooter - and just a smidge more. [PC Zone]

GoW II proves that you don't need £400-worth of technology to make a fantastic game, as Kratos' second outing is more intense and rewarding than anything we've played last- or current-gen.

Ultimately, it's a price worth paying. As one of the most anticipated games of all time, Blizzard had a great deal on its shoulders with this. We're pleased to say it doesn't disappoint.

Oblivion on PS3 is every bit as incredible as other versions. If you own a PS3 and haven't played it, do yourself a favour.

Gears of War 2 helps to change the perception of the 'angry space marine' shooter by thanks to a compelling story at its core. There are points in Gears of War 2's ridiculous and explosive Brumack set-pieces that you'll wonder how you'll ever be able to go back to the original game without being under-whelmed.

A huge departure for Zelda and a proper arrival for Wii's motion controls. Link's latest is rule-breaking, dream-weaving, tech-loving, heart-soaring stuff. If it Wii's last hurrah, they don't come more impassioned than this.

It's way more savvy than most movies about gang violence.

Blizzard has done what every MMORPG should be trying to do - it's ticked all the right boxes and really tried to forge the link between the heart and the head in a hugely immersive virtual space. This is what creates the stories in your imagination. These aren't just battles, they're adventures. Now that's what role-playing should be all about. [PC Zone]

There's a mind-boggling amount of stuff to do.

An epic, over-sized gorefest unlike any other. Sorry EA, Kratos is still the king of brutal brawlers.

All of which makes this a big step on from Uncharted 2 in terms of visuals, gameplay and performance - but its biggest achievement is that, barring minor lapses, the threads are brought together into a superbly cohesive whole.

If you want "Project Gotham 2" with more depth, or "Gran Turismo 4" with less tedium, Forza Motorsport's a fantastic mid-range choice. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The presentation is also seriously top-drawer. You can see the standard of the graphics with your own eyes, but what you can't see is the triple-A voice-acting and the dirty, groove-laden soundtrack delivered by Amon Tobin. [PC Zone]

Jaw-dropping battle engine, Staggeringly deep yet intuitive strategy map, Fiendishly lifelike AI.

Getting your favourite car and modifying like a mentalist is a joy on its own, as is hitting the tarmac in an 800bhp beast and throwing it around with Forza's excellent handling physics - even if you won't ever notice the supposedly massive numbers behind it.

Massively polished, hugely enjoyable single-player game that (finally) does the Batman license justice.

Step into the ultimate playground. When you're faced with a challenge or puzzle, you can be assured that the correct way to overcome it is also the most fun solution.

This game is awesome and among the finest games on a Nintendo console not to be created by Ninty itself. In fact, you can almost imagine Miyamoto himself playing this, grinning, and taking notes.

It's awesome to look at, a treat to play and as original a racer as youire ever going to see, and the two-player mode gives the game a totally fresh level of challenge. You'll take to it like a duck to water.

It looks more surreal than ever, provides a decently sized chunk of gameplay (although the multiplayer modes feel a tad half-hearted compared to the attention that has been lavished on the single-player game) and, despite being a first-person shooter, is cleverly suitable for all ages (although Nintendo's younger punters will find it prohibitively hard and confusing).

Although the game is hands-on, all your troops display a remarkable level of intelligence and can generally be relied upon to act on their own in a discerning manner. No more straying into the wilderness, taking on enemy divisions single-handed or walking backwards into a swamp.

A smarter, more fun and accessible LittleBigPlanet that does everything better.

Perhaps Snake Eater's greatest achievement for games in general is this: it makes it very clear that making an organic environment like a jungle is not merely a case of changing colours, textures and maps. It's a lush, chaotic place out there in the real, natural world, and computers are just at the very edge of starting to replicate what that's like. Snake Eater does it so much better than anyone else. [PSW]

It has the looks, it has the compelling level design, and it has the scary bits. Check, then: this is Resident Evil 4 all over again, but slightly better.

It's a game that'll remind you why you got into games in the first place. Essential. [PSW]

A welcome return to the no nonsense do-or-die school of games. You have to battle for every inch, but around every corner there's something amazing!

It might be a whole lot of fun and it might be the best golf game you can buy, but unless you create your own courses, there's very little challenge here.

Spectacular from start to finish. It doesn't innovate (and no co-op is a cop out) but its visual prowess and insane action make Killzone 2 unmissable.

A beautiful, astoundingly deep - yet very familiar - Halo package. Thanks for the memories, Bungie.

A fabulously rewarding drive and the finest Forza yet, but one that comes with an Advisory Notice: more single-player focus and diversity will be needed next time out to prevent the franchise from suffering a potential misfire.

Graphically it's stunning to behold, geographically vast to explore and whereas the first two games in the series were typified by the anarchic rushes for armour, BF2 promotes and rewards altruism and teamwork like no other.

There's no doubt the series has grown with every instalment, and number three sees Epic at its unsurprisingly best...Original or not, the solo campaign is solid in every department and brim with class, while the Versus, Co-Op, Horde, Beast and ambitious DLC plans should see Gears live on for years - even if this is the last time Epic has to use that chainsaw gun. For the record, we hope it isn't.

Sure it might not be the best looking version (although it's damn pretty and make no mistake) and, okay, certain modes have been done better before, but it's hands-down the absolute most complete Mario Kart package yet.

A massive, brilliant sequel that one-ups the original in almost every way.

There are moments of clarity when you become almost ashamed at what you're doing, such is the senseless waste of time and effort. But the fact that it can actually make you care is a definite achievement. And while we fully expect to grow to hate it - and the inevitable flurry of hateful expansion packs - for the time being we're hooked.

You'll be hard pressed to find a more intelligent, involving and entertaining game on Xbox today - it even gives "Halo" a run for its money. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The atmosphere of the castle is added to both by the superb sound and pacing of the game. The mellow speed of the game means that while there is the odd moment of button-hammering terror, most often you have time to sit back and rubberneck at the environments around you.

The one problem with the game is that cycling through the Brothers' many different moves and skills with the shoulder buttons isn't very streamlined.

It's been a difficult task judging the Lost and Damned because really, there's no DLC package like it. The production, scope and sheer amount of content is equal to some full releases and Rockstar could've easily put it in a box and sold it for 20 quid. But it's not on the shelves and it's not more than fifteen quid, which makes it a terrific bargain.

A more charismatic, tactical FIFA that's finally taking steps in a new direction.

There are many excellent games on the DS but few masterpieces. This one, though, is a masterpiece. And worth every penny you'll pay for it. [JPN Import]

Getting more Burnout is always a treat - like getting more cake or pudding! - and although it'd be easy to whine about the lack of innovations, it's easier still to fall back in the routine of having amazing fun bouncing Car A off Car B and watching the whole world blow to pieces at warp speed. [PSW]

More great story blended with improved AI and better firefights. It's starting to retread old ground though.

For the brief stretch you spend with Riddick in the galaxy's most notorious correction facility, Escape From Butcher Bay will keep you imprisoned in your house and chained to your PC from start to finish. [PC Zone]

The AI puts up a good fight at the higher realism settings, and should you wish to throw caution to the wind and try manual torpedo solutions, you'll either be in maths heaven, or find your brain oozing from your ears (or both). Don't worry - it's a lot more fun than it sounds.

Chinatown Wars on PSP was always going to be a port job, and though it soils some of DS original's intuitive mini-games it maintains the inventive, thoroughly entertaining and built-for-handheld mission structure of the original - and that's what we loved most in the first place.

Polished, sickening, satisfying and occasionally heart-testing, Dead Space 2 is undoubtedly the best horror adventure on Xbox 360 and PS3. It's the Resident Evil of this generation - and it'll leave you an emotional wreck...An action horror masterpiece.

Great package for the price but the feeling that it's all been toned down leaves a sour taste in our mouths. If you never played the original though, that won't matter, because you'll love this to bits.

What you have here is the cleanest, best looking, smoothest playing, most tactically enjoyable version of the deepest and most addictive strategy game of all time.

Conflicted throughout, but still an undeniable 3DS achievement. Wait for it to get its act together and the game soars. Well, flutters.

The most immersive Metroid yet with the best console FPS setup we've ever used. But maybe the formula's been tinkered too much.

It's just the actual racing itself that lets the whole experience down a little. It's not bad by any means; it just could have been much more exciting, especially if the AI had more personality.

Impressively bumped-up visuals, more multiplayer carnage and a well-built video editor; this is the ultimate version of 2008's premier sandbox game. If you've got the specs to run it.

If you and a group of mates do enjoy blowing the sh.t out of each other, however, you'd be as misguided as 343 Guilty Spark to miss out on this. Fifteen quid to add another year's enjoyment to an already fabulous title, or eight quid for five spanking new ones over Live? Yes please to both! [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

This is an enthralling shooter, with some fantastic setpieces we're aching to get back to. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Playing this marginally altered new Burnout still feels like you're flying a burning fighter jet through hell at 50 million miles an hour, and you'll still look at it and wonder how they've managed to make Xbox do so many cool things at once. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The brief playtime and lack of innovation might put you off. Still, Metroid rocks so hard, if Samus promised you a night of intergalactic canoodling, you'd be happy if all she put out was a quick grope in the shrubbery.

While it's still a great game, the basic flaws of last year's V2 version haven't really been addressed and the new menu system is laborious and unfriendly. [PSW]

Turn the speakers up for a shortlived but standout shooter full of genuinely awesome gaming moments. Unplug the sub and the magic's lost to the silence.

It's still not the revolutionary piece of software Mr. M lauded it to be, but Fable II finally sees Lionhead's original concept realised, and all round it's clearly the developer's best game to date.

Story limitations and a few failed mission experiments cement our statement that it's not Assassin's Creed 3 - but with a lick of paint it would've come dangerously close.

Can it improve on last year's version? The answer is most definitely yes, but like any successful team, you're going to have to work hard to achieve results.

But when you find yourself contesting an LDV Vans tie at six in the morning, you have to concede that they've got it right. Quite simply the most addictive thing I've ever tried. And I've tried the lot. [PC Zone]

The sheer accessible quality of Jade will grab the huge portion of mainstream gamers introduced to the role-playing genre by KOTOR, and drag them kicking and screaming into a sumptuous, surreal world of elephant demons and ancient lore - a considerable achievement for a new franchise. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The perfect example of how updates of existing titles should be done. Every single area has been improved way beyond what we would have been content with. Sports games don't get much more polished. [Xbox Gamer]

Unlike Lost and Damned which suffered from an overly familiar missions structure, the second 360 exclusive episode manages to rekindle the highs of GTA IV's greatest missions (we're thinking Four Leaf Clover) and in sheer absurdity leapfrogs them entirely.