If you missed the previous Dirt titles, then Dirt 3 will certainly bring you up to speed with Codemasters's finest racing series, and comes thoroughly recommended to any petrol-headed gamer who loves to power slide through gravelled forest tracks.

All-in-all the game is good but it could have been better.

Aesthetically Dirt 2 is incredible. On the inside though it is flawed – the arcade nature of the game has changed the handling and feel to the game and for that, it could well be the downfall for the title.

Overall, Rayman Origins goes where very few games have been able to go before and has shown that it is possible to revive a classic and to make it even better. It's excellently developed and is great fun to play from start to finish. Minus a few little problems, Rayman Origins is one of the most underrated games of 2011, which is certainly worth playing through.

Resistance 2 does a fantastic job of improving on the original game, and is one of the best shooters available for the PS3. The single player campaign is an absolute blast, and the incredible multiplayer modes will keep you playing for months.

One word can sum up Flower, and that would be tranquil. The classical interactive score is soothing, and the graphical opulence is breathtaking – there are moments of shear beauty in the striking sunsets.

Yet another stellar title for the team. They have taken what is a classic concept and gone against the grain to produce something clean and fresh for us gamers to enjoy.

GRID is ultimately the fun and enjoyable racing game that many people have been waiting for. With beautiful graphics and an amazing flashback feature, who wouldn't buy this game? With so many different game types, GRID really does cater all thrills that drivers seek.

Ratchet and Clank is a game that makes the player feel empowered; it's not so difficult as to make things frustrating, yet it's not so trivial as to make the progress feel boring and achievements frivolous.

The whole experience was a bit of a back-and-forth of opinions, but only because Round 3 set such a precedent.

Valkyria Chronicles is a wonderfully presented game which is easily accessible to all. It's not without its quirks, but these can be overlooked simply because the game is so enjoyable to play and watch.

The title offers hours of gameplay, tight, responsive controls and an enticing visual experience and is definitely one to recommend for fighter fans and anime obsessives the world over.

Dragon Age is the perfect first step for newcomers; come on in.

This reboot is gritty and brutal, casting Lara in a new, grittier light and you will see Lara in a different perspective than we originally know her by. Tomb Raider feels similar to the Uncharted series, and has really made a welcome return to consoles.

If this style of genre is to your tastes, or even if you just like a bit of a challenge, Trials HD is sure to please.

While it's fair to say that Mortal Kombat is flawed, it's also fair to say that we all expected it to be – and because of that it's actually far better than we could have imagined. It isn't particularly clever or sophisticated, but it's slick, sick and gruesomely entertaining. Complaining that Mortal Kombat is all style over substance is like complaining that Michael Bay's films have a lot of explosions in them – if it's not your cup of tea, go drink somewhere else. But if you want your action loud, colourful, exciting and unpredictable, you know exactly where to kome (last one, I promise).

Devil May Cry still has its flaws and are readily visible in the game; the camera angles can be frustrating at times, for instance when Dante jumps off a wall in mid-air he will miss the platform that he was meant to land on and fall down. If you over jump a platform you will just fall off and lose a small portion of your health. The soundtrack is really upbeat throughout the game with hard rock but can soon get rather annoying.

It's safe to say that Max Payne 3 is a fantastic game and with a hefty single player and extensive multiplayer it will keep you entertained for hours and hours. The story is gripping and will have you wondering what happens next, and with the integration of crews to the multiplayer there is even more reason to make regular visits to the city of São Paulo.

Whilst the game is not revolutionary in storyline progression and the issues with online play leave more to be desired, the game does provide a fantastic single console experience that is long lasting, unique and most importantly a thrill to play.

With a great set of mixes, a better line-up of artists and DJs, and with its progressive Empire career mode, there is enough here to keep your body swaying and your toes tapping. If you already have a set of decks from the first game and you are wondering if it is worth picking this title up, then I would certainly recommend it if you enjoyed the previous title - you will definitely enjoy this second outing a lot more.

Without a doubt, one of the best music rhythm titles on the market at the moment. The incredible track list, new game modes and improvements over Guitar Hero: World Tour makes this a title worthy of a purchase.

In short—this is the best hockey game yet by a long shot.

With its stunning visuals, enormous substance and strong online community, it’s a fighter that comes easily recommended. You see, good things really do come to those who wait.

Conviction is one of the most polished experiences available this year, and certainly one everyone should see through to the end.

If you are a hockey fan then you need this game. It’s as simple as that.

To put it lightly, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is one of the best games I have played in years. From the moving story and characters to the amazing visual style and game design, there is little to complain about here.

Madden has gotten better, but it hasn’t progressed much in my view.

Better songs, better guitar, online play and co-op make this game a blast to play—a definite purchase for anyone who's dreamed of rocking out on stage.

The Sly Trilogy marks developer Sucker Punch at its hilarious best, and even if you've only a modicum of interest in platforming games, there's no getting around the fact that this is a must-buy.

The Tomb Raider series has been largely stuck in the same design and play style since the first game was released on the PlayStation One way back in 1996. It was therefore a very brave move to change the appearance to this degree and it's succeeded remarkably well.

Overall, for 400MS Points you can't go wrong. Nowadays developers can get a bit carried away with DLC pricing but RedLynx have remained sensible and for any fan of Trials, it's a complete no brainer.

The improved gameplay adds realism but doesn’t take away the user-friendly experience is a definite asset, especially to a beginner. Most Madden games don’t add much to the game to warrant a purchase every single year, but the amount of tweaks in Madden 10 is definitely worth a look at the very least. It’s safe to say Madden 10 is the best Madden yet!

The plot is thinly spread like a small knob of butter over a whole loaf of bread and the rigorous tedium of slaving through hours on end would drive the best of us to an enraged psychosis. Local multiplayer, however, is always a nice touch and if you've got some friends who are fans of virtual brawling, slip in the disk and prepare for a more subdued form of Fight Club to make its nest in your front room.

My main gripe with Guitar Hero: World Tour is that it's too similar to Rock Band. The features are too minimal to be a major leap forward and the setlist, in comparison with Rock Band 2, is a lot poorer in my opinion. I guess it's all down to which setlist you prefer in the end.

Watching 16 quads fly jump over a massive ramp, with each driver using different tricks, is amazing to watch. It's just a shame that a lot of the online players seem to be a lot better than me. Better keep practicing I guess.

If you like beat 'em ups you can't go wrong with Soul Calibur IV.

Whilst some aspects are sorely missed, such as tag team battles, larger stages and no ability to fight the commentator (one more “ring out” and I snap the disk!); other aspects take the game to the next level with beautiful graphics, a deep and intelligent character creation and fantastic gameplay all around.

DLC nagging aside, Forza Horizon is a solid arcade racer, if not the hardcore open world sim some were hoping for. There are plenty of challenging and enjoyable game hours here to be had, not just across the single-player mode, but in terms of leaderboard chasing and online racing, so long as the lobbies remain populated. It is great fun exploring what Colorado has to offer and a worthy driving game to sport the Forza name.

Fans of the series, adventure games or comedies will likely feel right at home with Monkey Island 2 SE. Even if it's not your typical taste, if you were ever curious about this style of game, it would certainly be a great place to start.

On the whole, Guitar Hero 5 is, without a doubt, one of the best music rhythm titles on the market at the moment. The incredible track list, new game modes and improvements over Guitar Hero: World Tour makes this a title worthy of a purchase.

Whilst Boom Blox may look childish, it will appeal to audiences of all ages.

If you enjoy platformers, cats or fun and laughter, then pick up this game and you won’t regret it.

The replayability aspect is heightened due to the opportunity to embark upon a mindless destruction rampage, which, ignoring the story, could keep you entertained for a good while.

Bionic Commando is not as amazing as the recently released Braid, but it is up there as one of the best Xbox LIVE Arcade titles available.

Scaling buildings and objects just works perfectly, you rarely miss a jump or ledge, and this helps enhance the gameplay further, letting you concentrate on navigating or shooting your foes. Some gamers may cry out for a multiplayer mode, but a game of this type just doesn’t need it.

This approach to skating is a real breath of fresh air, when compared to the over-iterated world of the Tony Hawk franchise.

So in a nutshell, a rather large one, that is Far Cry 2; a bustling and beautiful paradise which is held back by small conflicts of repetition and control.

It might not re-invent the wheel or “wow” you, but it’s consistently worthwhile.

If you’re looking for a huge change in the World War 2 genre that Modern Warfare did for the Modern era, you’re looking in the wrong place, but if you’re looking for one of the most intense and well designed World War 2 First-Person Shooters then look no further comrade, World at War has landed.

Perhaps not the groundbreaking world-beater a lot of us were expecting, Crysis 2 is nevertheless a worthwhile experience with enough collectibles, unlockables, multiplayer modes and gameplay paths to keep you entertained for a few weeks at least. If nothing else, you'd have to buy a PC and pick up the original to see another game as beautiful as this any time soon. Definitely recommended.

Splosion Man maybe my sleeper hit of the year on XBLA. It just popped up on my radar upon release and I've pretty much fallen for it since I started playing it.

To write off Beyond Good & Evil on the count of such trivial issues, though, would be folly. Michel Ancel's seminal action adventure remains one of the wittiest, most charming and intelligent games on the market, and you absolutely owe it to yourself to give it a go if you haven't already.

To fans of the series, particularly those that haven't played the PSP games before, there's really no reason not to pick up this well packaged collection. Chains of Olympus provides an engaging story for its six hours, whilst Ghost of Sparta has some spectacular set pieces over its lengthier ten hours, with both having the solid combat and strong item utility that has made God of War so popular.

Overall, 2K has addressed most of the issues gamers had with the previous game and produced a quality game for both casual and hardcore gamers. If you are looking for a tennis game that delivers a unique control system, coupled with an interesting levelling based system for your created player, and have enough replay value for your cash, then its match point to Top Spin 4.

This experience alone sums up what Battlefield 3 is about. It isn't a John Rambo run and gun shooter and it shouldn't really be compared to MW3 in terms of how you play it. For players to truly understand the Battlefield experience you need to embrace the teamwork by joining a squad and calling out your spotted enemies, as after all, sometimes you also need your back covered too.

As a single player game, UFC Undisputed 2010 is not very good. It's too complicated, drawn out and at points, plain boring, but when taken online, the entertainment really begins.

Overall, Assassin's Creed III is an excellent addition to the series. While there a number of bugs and the protagonist isn't someone players will feel particularly attached to, the lengthy campaign, the range of objectives and the well thought out multiplayer ensure there is plenty of replayability to keep gamers occupied. This is a title that should be on every Christmas list.

Ultimately, Outland harks back to a time before celebrity voice-overs and glossy cutscenes, before the industry exploded into the multi-billion-dollar behemoth it is nowadays. It's straight-forward but intelligent, occasionally bastard-hard but never impossible, repetitive but never tedious and, though Outland might not make much sense story-wise, it more than delivers in every other department.

An action packed blockbuster featuring some of the best elements to be seen on a console, conveniently masking the flaws.

Something I was very pleased to note was the vast improvement in graphics and animation over previous Guitar Hero iterations.

Regardless of if you are looking for something to pass the time, something portable or something more hardcore, Guacamelee delivers on all these fronts and more. It's fun, challenging and above all else a joy to play.

Civilization Revolution is how all console strategy titles should be. Fun, easy to pick up with a good degree of difficulty.

Whilst there may not be a huge amount of content available in MvC3, it doesn't seem to suffer too badly for it. There's still a lot to the game, such as learning to play each and every character to perfection, or if that's not you thing, then sticking the game on very easy along with the simple control system and just enjoying the amazing and impressive animation and artwork on offer.

Well, let me put it this way; if you have a PlayStation 3, then without a doubt, you need to experience its single player campaign. If you are not going to touch the multiplayer then given this game's campaign length, as much as I hate to suggest it, then maybe a rental would be your best choice.

Overall F1 2012 is a great step forward for the F1 series. It's extremely fun and highly addictive and with the amount of game modes available, it even caters for the recreational gamer. Although the AI could do with some beefing up, this is a racing game that should definitely be on your 'to get list'. I'm off to set some lap records in Monte Carlo.

Each year we are given a new Need for Speed title and this has been one of the best in a long while.

The new weapons, improved campaign and great Xbox LIVE game modes make Worms 2: Armageddon, like its predecessor, a contender for best Xbox LIVE Arcade title.

Whilst Skate 2 isn't polished to a gleaming shine, sporting issues with the environment, both getting stuck on it and manipulating items within it, it is an accomplished game.

DJ Hero is the breath of fresh air the Guitar Hero series needed in order for the long-lasting appeal to be reignited.

Fallout New Vegas is a fantastic game that in its vast, interesting, flavour-filled world has something for everyone.

Gran Turismo 5 is without doubt a superlative driving simulator and there is so much within the game to do that it could easily take up as much as a hundred hours of your gaming schedule.

As a sequel, it can never be counted as being as innovative as the original, but Skate 2 has taken the very best offered in Skate and ironed out most of the creases.

With all the single-player blockbuster first person shooters on the market and even more to come, if you are looking to break away from all the loneliness and socialise with a friend or few in vast desert landscapes, Borderlands could be just for you.

It's amazing to look at, the music and rhythm of the game is second-to-none and the game's compatibility with Microsoft's latest peripheral makes for one of the better Kinect titles.

In the end, Resident Evil 4 HD brings back one of the greatest games of the last generation and brings it back with style. While the graphical improvements could have been better, the game itself still plays and looks better than ever. And even with a slightly high £15.99/$19.99 price tag, it's a game that previous fans will be happy to re-visit and new players will be happy to experience.

Vanquish easily takes place as one of my top games of 2010 but then I do love my shooters. For anyone who enjoys running around carefree and blowing robots to bits, this is the perfect game for you and if not then surely you want to slide on your arse all day, right?

A serious contender for the best golf game of all-time and rightly so.

Excellent graphics and great game play are the perfect mix to make this game great fun.

Sound Shapes is a refreshing change of style and pace for the PSN. Although not perfect it does a lot of things that have not been seen (or heard) before and should be commended for doing so. Add to this a small price tag and cross-play features and you have a great package that no PS3 owner should ignore.

Take one fantastic engine, add pick up and play gameplay, top it off with a fantastic price and you have a hit - to the point of which EA struggle to handle the demand for. That’s a good sign that you should jump on in.

Darksiders 2 doesn't quite manage to reach the heights of its predecessor, but it does deliver a solid action-adventure with more than enough style, depth and complexity to maintain engagement throughout. Its greatest weakness lies in its inability to advance the series story, leaving you once again longing for the true sequel as hinted by the first's conclusion with the coming of the four horsemen.

If you are a big Battlefield 3 player it is a no brainer to purchase this DLC, even if it is purely just to have no restrictions when finding a server to play on.

Simple, clean, basic and beautiful!

Sure there are a couple Star Wars rip offs such as the beam sword and some of your enemies looking like they wear storm trooper helmets, but all-in-all this is a unique game, with just the right amount of motion controls that gives enough in cast, speech, game-play, and story to keep you wanting more.

Firefight is truly awesome.

It is seriously hard not to recommend PjM to anyone, as it is just such a great tribute to the tower defence genre, and is easily one of the best titles available on the PlayStation Store.

While lacking in any real puzzles at all compared to the confusing tests of the Playstation days, RE5 is not only a masterful piece of gaming experience but also technical art. Probably one of the best looking games on next-gen consoles to date. It has a story that is still gripping, if not outrageous, and gameplay that has me wanting to finish this review up to play some more!

There is a lot contained within Call of Duty: Black ops 2 and I am glad I bit the bullet and made the purchase. The team at Treyarch definitely feel like they are winning the race in terms of trying to bring innovation to the series compared to the very worn-out Modern Warfare franchise. The multiplayer experience is starting to feel old now, even with the fact that when you prestige you don't loose all your weapons. However with multiple endings for the campaign, Strikeforce missions, and an improved Zombie mode, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was worth the wait and was an enjoyable game. The single player campaign is short at about 6 -8 hours, but there is plenty to keep people interested if they enjoy the multiplayer aspect of the game.

It isn’t quite a Gran Turismo or Forza game yet, but give this a few years and like FIFA 10 in its genre, Need for Speed could become ‘the definitive’ racing game.

Final Fantasy seems to have fallen in a rut, but if you can put up with the linearity for long enough, there is an interesting story and game at its heart. That said, even hard-core Final Fantasy fans are going to struggle to find an A++ RPG here.

With all the single-player blockbuster first person shooters on the market and even more to come, if you are looking to break away from all the loneliness and socialise with a friend or few in vast desert landscapes, Borderlands could be just for you.

Everyday Shooter is a game that gets better the more you learn about how to play it.

Even if you have no interest in the UFC, you should really check this game out, because it is just amazing. Congratulations Yukes, knockout in the very first round.

EA have this year won the Superbowl this year by providing the best NFL experience to date.

Just Cause 2 is essentially the video games equivalent of Die Hard. The story is not that interesting but, by God, the explosions and fun you'll have along the way are so worth it.

You can look past the lagging issues online and in GM connected, you can look past the increased difficulty in slap-shots and face-offs, you can even look past the inability to make serious trades offline all because NHL does exactly what it should once you step out on that ice. It's a great experience, one which will no doubt have hockey fans hooked from the get-go. NHL '13 looks stunning, feels unique and has enough features to keep the NHL fan-base more than happy until NHL '14 is released.

A considerable step up for the series and results in a game that should suit every gamers tastes.

With a brilliant story filled with some surprising twists, an in-depth battle and combo system, tons of collectables, the option to replay all the chapters on harder difficulties and try complete the time trials associated with each chapter, Castlevania: LoS really is worth every penny.