The simple fact is this is yet another high quality addition to a series that has rarely, if ever, disappointed, and is a rare example of a developer, franchise and games system working in near perfect synergy.

I was surprised there would be a sequel to Pullblox, given the versatility of the game, but this one manages to be just as fun and different enough to be equally worthy of a purchase.

Mortal Kombat is back and this time it's pulling no punches.

As a whole, SFIII: 3rdS – OE is a celebration of a threequel that wasn't content to merely stand on the shoulders of the giant that preceded it and that in doing so delivered a fighting game that to this day feels incredibly vital.

As a whole, SFIII: 3rdS – OE is a celebration of a threequel that wasn't content to merely stand on the shoulders of the giant that preceded it and that in doing so delivered a fighting game that to this day feels incredibly vital.

It has a ridiculously high replay ability factor, it's a game that is dressed in its proverbial Sunday best with regards to both aesthetic and technical ability, and it makes the age-old videogame designer headache of creating an experience that is "easy to pick up, hard to put down" look easy.

All in all, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a polished and well considered sequel to the underrated original that's humorous, hugely playable and frothing with ideas.

It's been years and Max Payne has aged both as a character and as a series. It's visually impressive and spins a compelling yarn, featuring a protagonist who walks the line of insanity yet remains likeable due to his inner humanity. That said, it goes to show that there's still only so much that can be done with a third-person shooting game set in the real world, becoming limited by the endless mobsters and hired guns. It's anything but perfect, but as what amounts to a gritty and playable action flick, Max Payne 3 could be just the ticket for those empty summer months.

If you have tried Zen Pinball before and came away unimpressed, there is little here to warrant taking another look. If, however, you're a fan or just fancy giving a pinball videogame a try, then Zen Pinball 2 really is as good as it gets.

The best thing to do when you put on Dance Central 3 is to embrace shame, put your dignity aside and get dancing. Oh, and then there's the latest DLC, which includes Gangnam Style. You know you want to horsey dance. Oh yes you do.

The fact that it works as well as it does is a testament to this, and shows there might well be some life left in the MMO genre after all.

Splinter Cell Conviction may still demand patient planning but when a well-conceived scenario pays off and the air fills with the cries of frightened soldiers, the sense of empowerment becomes palpable – indeed outright addictive.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is as much a triumph of curation as it is a technical showcase; Ghibli and Level 5 have cherry-picked the very best elements from their own past and combined them with the best that the genre has to offer.

If you’ve already been won over by last year’s instalment though, THQ and Yukes have delivered a solid sequel that serves a strong warning to any would-be competitors – two rounds are down and they have no intention of giving up the fight.

Regardless of whether Lara Croft: The Guardian of Light marks the future of the series or if is merely a side-project while the next full instalment is prepped and polished, it remains a remarkably successful experiment, and something of a bench-mark for downloadable gaming.

It is suitably complex mechanically to be challenging on a level beyond simply long fights with tough enemies, and tells a solid story reminiscent of the older Final Fantasy games from which it draws design elements.

It’s in desperate need of some more variation, but Dawn of War II is luscious, visceral and fast-paced.

Sadly Guitar Hero is starting to succumb to its heritage of being Rock Band's old man, and slowly growing out of touch with the gaming generation. Guitar Hero: World Tour doesn't offer anything of any substance over Rock Band, especially with its less than stellar selection of tracks and a disturbing lack of atmosphere.

The astounding visuals and deeper deviations from a simple arcade game keep Pure fresh, and while it isn’t perfect, it'll certainly take you for an exhilarating ride.

While not as great a progression as it could have been, LocoRoco 2 still manages to squash, bounce and squeeze its way into must-have territory, and is as pristine a slice of portable gaming as one could hope for. Visually arresting, a pleasure to play and an aural triumph (we dare you not to hum along to the soundtrack!), the love and attention that has been lavished on its production veritably oozes from the screen.

For anyone already enjoying Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria is a near-essential purchase. Not only in regard to progressing further through the Lord of the Rings storyline, but in offering a fresh style of play through the new character classes and presenting a lengthy boost to the game's lifespan.

This is not COD with an afterthought of a campaign, nor is it Far Cry 2 with its open expanses and sand-box gameplay. It's not a corridor shooter like Doom and it isn't Battlefield or Killzone 3. This is Crysis 2 – a magnificent first-person experience in its own right that stands out from the crowd by focusing on a campaign that is wholly engaging, at times highly challenging and often truly memorable.

Get beyond the cynical positioning of Forza Horizon and you'll find a racer that is, ironically, as efficient and refined as it's older, more mature, siblings. Whether it can build a community as effectively as the Motorsport games is unlikely, but Horizon, for all its familiarity and reluctance to experiment, is still a fine addition to the Xbox 360's roster.

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge is everything fans of the series would expect from a high-definition remake.

Unfortunately a large shadow in the shape of last year's game hangs heavy over everything in World at War. Admittedly the feel is excellent, the visuals and audio work strong, but any overt enthusiasm is tempered by the knowledge that in twelve months time we'll perhaps be thinking the same thing about part six: that we've seen it all before, that in itself each Call of Duty is still one of the best rollercoaster rides outside of Hollywood's summer season, that Modern Warfare did it all better.

Thus while these remakes do not offer much new, they are remakes of such high-quality games that they are worth revisiting, or visiting for the first time.

As far as superhero showdowns go, you simply won't find anything more spectacular than Marvel Vs Capcom 3.

Roguelike games have become increasingly popular of late and it’s great to see one which rewards you for all the time spent by allowing a form of character progression. It’s mitigated to a point by having you lose all your money before entering a castle and each purchased bonus makes all the others more expensive.

The cuddly charm of BattleBlock Theater tells only half the story – the game boasts a horde of smartly designed puzzle platforming stages as well as a multiplayer suite goofy enough to raise some pure and honest laughter. Whether on your own or with and against some friends, there’s plenty worth chewing through here.

Licensed games are difficult, comedy games even moreso, but the Stick of Truth makes it look easy, and that’s maybe the biggest surprise of all.

Overall, then, FM2014 is a quality product; an enjoyable entry point into the series for new players and customisable enough for series veterans to add or remove the features they want to make the best experience for them.

Volition’s Geo-Mod 2.0 tech is leagues ahead of anything that we’ve seen previously, but you can’t help but think that Guerrilla is ultimately little more than a glorified tech demo.

The 3D makeover does a solid job and there are enough effects and functional animations that nod to the title’s origins, balanced by an elegant presentation and a superb score.

It positively crushes the gameplay of the fourth installment and does away with the overused backtracking. With a story that finally explores the truth behind Dante's supernatural heritage and reveals the decisions that lead him to become a hero, DMC achieves something no previous installment could not. It's the art direction and technical problems that let the package down, and they often do so in a big way. We encountered visual hiccups galore, shaky animations and a major crash on our PS3 review copy, yet the game remained enjoyable to the end.

Dazzling in design and addictive in the gameplay department, Trine 2 is a spectacular fantasy romp that shouldn't be missed by anyone with a penchant for high-quality platforming with a puzzling twist. It'll get you swinging, slicing, jumping and thinking as you venture towards the next gorgeous land ripe for exploration. Combat can be awkward and you'll fumble with the controls as you attempt to manipulate objects, but these are just minor blemishes on a downloadable title that simply shouldn't be missed.

It’s a euphoric example of tight, well-constructed narrative and strong game design, and ultimately a title that won’t only be remembered as the best superhero game to date, but also as one of the PS3’s finest moments.

It’s a fascinating experience and one of the stranger topics for a video game.

Relic’s current RTS formula has almost become a subgenre of its own, and with Chaos Rising they effortlessly prove themselves masters of their domain.

Obsidian had an admirable chance to re-define the Fallout experience but have really failed to enrapture our passions for the series. More of the same? Yes. But ultimately unlikely to be remembered as fondly as the third in the Fallout cannon.

Capcom has delivered on the potential of the cross-over template admirably and created a game that's hugely engaging, always entertaining and feels like an easily justifiable extension to both Street Fighter and Tekken brands. It is disappointing that the online element isn't yet up to scratch, but when this issue is resolved Street Fighter x Tekken should have no problems standing on its own two feet.

This is an eight year old game and it shows, with frequent camera issues that rear their head at the most inopportune moments, but to be too critical would be to do the game a disservice given its charm.

God of War Collection Volume 2 is an absolute must for fans that never experienced the games on the PSP, and the HD reworking has been so successful that even those who did buy them – and have played them fairly recently – are unlikely to regret this latest purchase.

If you've already been won over by last year's instalment though, THQ and Yukes have delivered a solid sequel that serves a strong warning to any would-be competitors – two rounds are down and they have no intention of giving up the fight.

Thus, as an Assassin's Creed game AC3 is the most ambitious yet the most refined yet; it is almost unmatched in density of content and unique in setting.

Something old, something new, something red and something blue, Outland stands as another fine example of how old-school platforming can be brought triumphantly into the modern era with tight gameplay and an interesting twist on an old staple.

It may not reinvent the wheel, but Guacamelee! leaves you satisfied that you’ve experienced a game crafted by a talented studio with a genuine love for what they do.

Whether or not you'll warm to it depends largely on if you enjoy the game's maniacal atmosphere: if you are, or ever were, a slightly juvenile adolescent male with a penchant for videogames and movies – and I think that covers most of us – there's a very good chance it'll go down a treat.

As far as superhero showdowns go, you simply won't find anything more spectacular than Marvel Vs Capcom 3.

So, there's enough of merit here to warrant a fourth outing, but Guerrilla will have to step up their game if Killzone is to be remembered as one of the truly great FPS series.

For now though this is the definitive Forumla 1 videogame, and pretty damn essential for fans of the sport.

Mortal Kombat is back and this time it's pulling no punches.

When you finally take the key out of the ignition, step out of your hotrod and observe all the carnage that Split Second has wrought, the overriding impression is that this is one slick game.

With that being said, it's extremely difficult to complain too much about a game that is as pumped-up, gratifying and shameless as this and that features a skillshot-system with the potential to launch an entire franchise.

Obsidian had an admirable chance to re-define the Fallout experience but have really failed to enrapture our passions for the series. More of the same? Yes. But ultimately unlikely to be remembered as fondly as the third in the Fallout cannon.

Hand of the Heavenly Bride is a solid, old-school adventure with the same problems and delights that any title from the period has. If you’re supporter of the series or just a sucker for this type of action, then you probably won’t be disappointed. But for the rest of you, HotHB does nothing that will change your stubborn opinions.

Thus while not being a visual spectacle in the way something like Killzone is, Resogun demonstrates well the potential of the PS4 as a console; its capacity for impressive particle effects and handling of many more physics objects at once than past consoles is shown off to the full.

So, if you've already sat through an excruciating wait for your next fix of this hugely popular franchise then strap yourself in and prepare to play long into the coming year. For everyone else, there's always Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit.

Skate 2 highlights the premise of evolution excellently with its minor, yet impressive changes reinforcing its position as the best skateboarding game on the market today.

Regardless of whether Lara Croft: The Guardian of Light marks the future of the series or if is merely a side-project while the next full instalment is prepped and polished, it remains a remarkably successful experiment, and something of a bench-mark for downloadable gaming.

It’s being billed as a niche title, but there’s enough joy within Half-Minute Hero to make the game an entertaining experience for anyone.

If you're looking for a slice of science-fiction heaven that injects the gameplay of Gears of War with a crazy dose of speed, then you won't do much better than Vanquish.

If you're looking for a slice of science-fiction heaven that injects the gameplay of Gears of War with a crazy dose of speed, then you won't do much better than Vanquish.

With that being said, it's extremely difficult to complain too much about a game that is as pumped-up, gratifying and shameless as this and that features a skillshot-system with the potential to launch an entire franchise.

However, it is also hard to deny that Marvel Pinball is a wonderful homage to the Marvel Universe and the game of pinball itself, and if you have even the slightest interest in either, then there is a mountain of content here to recommend.

If you are fine with crazy difficulty in your platformers then it’s a really rewarding game to play and so beautiful it puts the NSMB series to shame.

This is a game which has a free version, so as long as you have a device capable of using it, and at least one friend (or randoms to prey upon with your crude pictures of scrawled genitals) then this game makes for the perfect time-sink. And once you've got it and enjoy it, why not pay the 69p, you cheap sod? It's just over a third of a quid for this much fun!

It may be hackneyed, past its sell-by date and a tad too over-reliant on its predecessor’s successes, but when RE5 remembers that it’s Resident Evil and not, say, Gears of War, it’s nothing less than sublime. But unfortunately for the most part, Resident Evil 5 seems to be suffering from a rather harrowing case of identity crisis.

Thus, Persona 4 Arena is a standout game; it marries theme and mechanics closely, and through its apparent simplicity allows a total novice to enjoy it all while layering on levels of strategy for advanced play based on positioning and timing rather than specific dexterity at inputting attacks.

It turns out that EA, first with FIFA and now with Need For Speed, had the answer to beat the cynics all along: simply make a good game.

Decent by yourself, fantastic with friends.

After a few days spent learning the complexities of UFC 2009 Undisputed, you have to applaud Yuke’s for their efforts.

Though it has a fair few flaws, Just Cause 2 remains a high octane love letter to anyone who delights in exploration and destruction.

Overall Resistance 3 is a notable step up in the series and has a lot of offer; it is highly polished and c some enjoyable set-pieces and encounters.

Whether you're a seasoned veteran or new to the franchise, you have every reason to dive into these games in all their HD glory.

With the step to next generation consoles it will be interesting to see what Travellers Tales can do to keep the Lego games feeling fresh going forwards. As a near-perfect mix of brands, Lego Marvel Super Heroes works as well as you would imagine, it’s just a shame that the framework the game is built on is starting to show its age.

As a free-roaming title intent on affording gamers the experience of a supercharged, structure-hopping badass, Infamous 2 succeeds in a variety of ways.

Something old, something new, something red and something blue, Outland stands as another fine example of how old-school platforming can be brought triumphantly into the modern era with tight gameplay and an interesting twist on an old staple.

While it may be a touch on the short side, it is still a game that has been crafted with a clear and uncompromising vision and we're happy that it has found a new home and – hopefully – a new audience on the Wii. If you have any interest at all in challenging and original game design, it really is more than worthy of your attention.

Sadly, the biggest advancement of Football Manager 2009 - the 3D match engine - is also the most underwhelming. Without eye-massaging graphical capabilities, it's hard to see why any FM veteran would choose the 3D option, relegating the much-hyped addition to an intriguing novelty, yet a novelty which will surely be slowly improved upon year after year.

Overall the latest entry in the Professor Layton series in unlikely to convert those who haven't enjoyed the other games in the series, but if you are a fan then this is a great entry with a good variety of puzzles and an intriguing and involving story that gets better as the game goes on.

The game's smooth-as-butter movement is a great hook which deserves to be paired with a more engaging game, as the end result feels far too sparse and underused in the greater context of everything it has going for it.

Just because a game lacks a multiplayer mode doesn't always mean that it's lacking. With good variety, solid character and world design, Sleeping Dogs offers a story that gamers haven't quite seen before, even if it does borrow liberally from other franchises. Unlike other titles, the game doesn't go all out and rely on the wacky or extreme to separate itself from the competition, instead choosing to present itself as a jack of all trades in a genre where no one knew it was needed.

When playing to its strengths, Hitman: Absolution is a genuinely great game. Overall, though, it feels slightly disappointing, simply because it doesn't spend enough time playing to those strengths.

Despite its flaws, it has class in abundance, which fans of any type of genre will surely appreciate.

Brutal Legend has clearly been a labour of love for Double Fine Productions, and this is reflected in the degree of ambition demonstrated on nearly every level. Unfortunately, like the LOVE and HATE tattoos emblazoned on the knuckles of many a Hell’s Angel, with one you must have the other, and Brutal Legend is no exception.

Until then it’s very much a case of damned if they do/damned if they don’t – to those whose obsessive desire for collection and completion has been hard-wired over the last thirteen years, the thrill of the search will likely never fade.

A must for all Dead Space fans, then, but what it lacks in scares and scale it makes up for in visceral heart-pounding action.

It will undoubtedly prove to be too much for some – whether it be too loud, too fast or just too out there; but should it sink its hooks in (pun intended), Dyad will foster obsession and with plenty of levels, Trophy challenges, a remix mode and the lure of online leaderboards, there is plenty of content here to feed the addiction.

It’s arguable that the PSP version is still the definitive PAL release, but the DS version doesn’t lag far behind. Such a niche title is a rare treasure on Nintendo’s handheld, serving as a meticulously hardcore game on a device where such games are becoming increasingly scarce.

On the whole however, it's hard to resist the basic level of fun that Blur's overall design attributes bring about.

Football Manager Live is a curious, audacious shot of adrenaline into a series that was bordering on stagnation.

While Darksiders is an undeniably confident package, it’s a shame the developers have fallen back on a succession of barely disguised facsimiles from proven classics to fill in the mechanics of their game.

Don't let the innate familiarity here cloud the fact that Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a technical tour de force, and by far the best entry in this illustrious series' history.

Obsidian had an admirable chance to re-define the Fallout experience but have really failed to enrapture our passions for the series. More of the same? Yes. But ultimately unlikely to be remembered as fondly as the third in the Fallout cannon.

As a package, Assault on Dark Athena stands on a par with Valve’s The Orange Box for value, albeit not quite in terms of quality.

Despite the raising of the level cap, we find it difficult to recommend Broken Steel – its shockingly unimaginative lean towards near constant shooting is remarkably unlike what we’ve come to know and love about the game.

When you finally take the key out of the ignition, step out of your hotrod and observe all the carnage that Split Second has wrought, the overriding impression is that this is one slick game.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep deserves to be considered as a top-tier PlayStation Portable title that combines high production values with some strong mechanics.