Left me wishing I had enough time and luxury to jump straight back in and take the entire journey again. It's destined to enter the annals of gaming's classics in years to come.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is so immense and chock-full of content that we could conceivably rant about it for pages, but to do so would only detract from the time you should spend physically playing it.

LittleBigPlanet is gaming’s equivalent to YouTube: an unprecedented channel of collective talent that offers a level of creative freedom never before seenin a commercial videogame. It does for the platform genre what Half-Life did for shooters and what Gran Turismo did for racers; injecting innovation into a rapidly-staling genre and paving the way for the future of the side-scrolling platformer.

For all its achievements in aesthetics and game structure, perhaps the most significant feature of Red Dead Redemption is the way Rockstar has invested the experience with such a sense of nostalgia and poignancy, by stripping the open-world back to an era in which the telephone is the height of technology, an era which, in all its naivety, doesn’t yet realise how fast the tide of progression and modernity will be.

The Last of Us is the type of game that could only be crafted by a developer willing to take risks. Were Naughty Dog to have thrown its money at yearly iterations of Uncharted, it would likely still have found its audience, but with The Last of Us it has struck out in a bold new direction that asks some very big questions about some of the fundamental aspects of videogame culture and the relationship that exists between gamer and game.

For all its achievements in aesthetics and game structure, perhaps the most significant feature of Red Dead Redemption is the way Rockstar has invested the experience with such a sense of nostalgia and poignancy, by stripping the open-world back to an era in which the telephone is the height of technology, an era which, in all its naivety, doesn't yet realise how fast the tide of progression and modernity will be.

When it comes down to it though Bioshock Infinite is a labour of love, a staggeringly impressive achievement and an example of the invention and singularity of vision that so many big budget games lack. I

Batman: Arkham City isn't the surprise that the first game was and instead has to live up to the hype and remain fresh by bringing in new ideas whilst building on the old ones. This sequel handles the challenge admirable, making for what is so far the closest thing gamers have to a definitive Batman experience.

Everything about the game – plots, combat, progression, characters – comes together in a tidy, satisfying package.

It's this blissful sense of nostalgia that makes Street Fighter IV the runaway success that it undoubtedly is. Street Fighter hasn't changed per se – at heart, it's still the very same game you played all those years ago - but it's been tweaked and enhanced to within an inch of perfection.

Though it doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, the level of artistry is so far beyond anything we've played recently that it almost doesn't need to. Standing uniquely in the busy Christmas schedule and indeed within 2008 as a whole, Fallout 3 is an experience to savour.

The story may be overambitious, inconclusive and undermined by some queasy sentimentality, but the fine-tuning made to the game's core shooting and cover mechanics make Gears of War 2 Epic's finest work to date.

Pure Nintendo magic.

Still nobody does this better than Harmonix, and with Rock Band 3 they are at the top of their game.

But for now there're very few games that can match God of War 3's cinematic sensibility, its dynamics, its carnage.

Despite its unquestionable quality however, the praise we can lavish on Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is tempered slightly by a sense that the template might be reaching its breaking point and that even more treasure could be found with a little more diversity to accompany the astonishing moments of technical and cinematic wizardry.

Super Street Fighter IV is a celebration of the Street Fighter series that adds a final, glossy lick of paint to the already sublimely polished original and, while it is unlikely to woo new fans, those already hopelessly addicted to Had?ken’s and Tatsumaki-Senp? Kyaku’s will be in their absolute element.

There is a wealth of content growling under the proverbial hood, but the game comes perilously close to lacking any real enthusiasm to show us exactly what it is that makes it so special.

Fire Emblem Awakening is a truly absorbing experience; a game which can make you fist-pump in victory and shout in horror as you watch zombie archers pick off your last Pegasus knight, all while you plan on how you’ll do it all better next time. And for what is essentially a board game-type RPG where little men and women run around a grid, that is pretty damn impressive.

Never mind videogaming, Chrono Trigger is one of the great recent examples of storytelling in any medium. In short, it's everything role-playing games are meant to be, sucking you into a unique world until your identification with the game is inseparable from the characters and their goals.

The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection does an excellent job of re-mastering the original games, but its greatest success is that it does so without the tweaks ever taking centre stage; it is the original games that make the package so essential.

The level of polish that has been applied to LittleBigPlanet 2 is as apparent as we've come expect from the series, with no stone left unturned in upgrading each facet of the game's design.

Still nobody does this better than Harmonix, and with Rock Band 3 they are at the top of their game.

FIFA 10 is a game that’ll make you run around your living room, shirt pulled over your face screaming in unbridled delight. It’s a game that’ll make you fall in love and obsess over its every detail. It’s a game that’ll make you smash your pad in anger, swear like a sailor and curse the day you bought it.

It’s a flawed work of art, but a work of art nonetheless.

Countless lauded exclusives have spectacularly flopped since the PS3’s launch and the console’s market share is still less than glowing; there’s a sense that for history to repeat itself twice with another Killzone debacle, given the expectations, the jaw-dropping preview footage and the hordes of illiterate fanboys chomping at the bit, would have been catastrophic. Instead, the end result is nothing short of triumphant.

It's not the perfect shooter by any stretch, if indeed such a thing could exist, but as a multiplayer effort there's every reason to expect the game to reach far into the coming year and beyond.

At no point does Forza Motorsport 4 feel as impactful as its predecessor did two years ago, but that certainly doesn't mean it's an inferior game. In fact, its refinements and production values are executed so well that it is arguably not only the best game in the series, but the best driving simulator on the market. If you missed out on the third entry, then Forza 4 is highly recommended. But if you're not quite ready to delve back into an experience that is largely unchanged from the last outing, then you might not find much worth coming back for.

The characters exude life and soul despite the game’s clunky animations and less than stellar voice acting – that’s the power of Bioware’s effective writing. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the environments: all the rote forests, castles and dungeons tend to blur into a single indistinguishable mess. It’s also too bloody hard in places, with a wonky difficulty curve comparable to a diagonal line drawn by a Parkinson’s sufferer sitting on a moving bus.

A Link Between Worlds is a beautiful experience: a fun retrospective of former Zelda glories while providing enough innovation to stand out on its own.

Given the consistent rush towards the safe option in gaming today, the possibility of Dark Souls 2 meaning something special to you makes its worth checking out, even if you might well hate every second of it.

The action is fun, fast and varied and makes for an enjoyable romp fans of the genre would be foolish to pass up.

The way it plays is a measure of beautiful precision and patience, and when you couple the community aspect to the near perfect gameplay, it makes for a package which is one of the strongest of 2012 so far, and we have a feeling that in terms of Evolution, the best is yet to come.

Limbo is a game about death that manages to invest the act of dying, at least in the context of gaming, with a rare impact – quite an achievement considering how often it happens.

It's a testament to Mark of the Ninja from a design standpoint that even the most ardent skeptic of the stealth genre can find something to shout about here. It is slick, responsive and vastly rewarding - in other words, something worth shedding light on.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a pleasant surprise in every respect, even though some of the concerns you might have had regarding the single map and ageing formula still stand with the final product.

Dead Space 2 is a great action adventure/survival horror game then – it just isn't necessarily the greatest game in the Dead Space series.

Super Mario 3D Land is a glorious example of how a 'less is more' approach can lead to significant rewards. Though Mario plaformers have never been overly narrative heavy, stripping the game back to its basic elements showcases just how solid these elements remain even to this day.

It’s easy to overlook a lot of what makes Brothers unique from first glance, its unassuming style belies a title with a lot more on its mind. But stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with something really quite special.

Pullblox is one of the finest titles currently available for the 3DS and even in a world where iPhone games can cost under a pound there's no questioning the value for money that Pullblox provides; it's really is a massive game with near-endless customisability.

Empire is distinct, challenging and immensely gratifying. Easily the finest example of the genre.

In conclusion, Borderlands 2 is a significant improvement on the original; it sharpens up the narrative, the core game progression, the visual theme and many other fundamental aspects that needed adjustment.

Once it sinks its claws in, you'll find it nigh on impossible to escape until the Kingdom of Boletaria is free from the horror of The Old One. In short then – Demon's Souls is a modern classic.

An endearing tale of courage and responsibility, and one of the most delightful titles you’ll find on Xbox 360.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a pleasant surprise in every respect, even though some of the concerns you might have had regarding the single map and ageing formula still stand with the final product.

Building on what came before it technically and thematically, Left 4 Dead 2 proves itself a thrilling multiplayer experience fans would be foolish to pass up. The sequel may have arrived just a year after the first but the wealth of content and overall refinement means you wouldn’t know to play it.

Left 4 Dead transcends the black and white of 'single player' or 'multiplayer' – suddenly there's a realisation that four players have amalgamated into a single, unified body during play. It's an incredibly exhilarating feeling, and other games offering co-op modes that amount to little more than running and gunning together suddenly appear a little juvenile. Left 4 Dead has indefinitely raised the bar for true co-operative play.

The aesthetics, the way it plays, the satisfaction of discovery – all are aspects that are missing in too many modern releases. Should you have found your interest in gaming to be waning of late, then this may have the power to restore your faith in the industry's ability to surprise and innovate. For that alone, Fez deserves your undivided attention.

For now though this collection is the perfect excuse to experience some of the best, most unique games of this generation and either encounter them for the first time, or dive back in for one more play.

The last few years have seen the FIFA series come on leaps and bounds. This year is no different, with a welcome update to the visuals and presentation stakes, whilst again, EA have beaten down hurdles to bring gameplay to a delicate balance between realism and fun.

If we were being super critical, L.A. Noire can feel a little repetitive – and slightly linear – at times.

It is a major accomplishment and for all its ambition it succeeds where it counts, by transporting you to a world and empowering you to do with it you wish, creating unscripted and unexpected moments that feel unique to you. It is at these times that it becomes more than just an enjoyable stealth action game, but something truly special.

Dead Space 2 is a great action adventure/survival horror game then – it just isn't necessarily the greatest game in the Dead Space series.

Make no mistake though Human Revolution, for all its modern trappings, remains a game that requires commitment, offering the sort of long and deep single player experience that seems to be so rare these days.

If we were being super critical, L.A. Noire can feel a little repetitive – and slightly linear – at times.

Peggle is a rare, but clear example of a game that utilises a simple concept to create a limitlessly satisfying gameplay experience. There are no end of level bosses, ostentatious cut scenes or superfluous button layouts to memorise, Peggle is simply gameplay refined.

The Beatles: Rock Band raises the bar to such a nosebleed-inducing height that we also wonder where the genre is going to take us to next. The rate of acceleration is phenomenal.

With so much to play through and so many things to perfect and unlock, Joe Danger Touch provides a ton of content for the £1.99 (or $2.99) it costs. As far as the platform goes, it’s definitely one of the nicest-looking and best value games on iOS.

There are so many moments throughout Dead Space that will have you frozen to the spot, either through awe or sheer terror, and each of the game’s twelve chapters are just as entrancing as they are horrifying. A spectacular sci-fi romp from start to finish.

Pirate fans will merrily pick this up and discover a solid purchase, but the rest might want to hold out in hopes of something different from next year’s iteration.

Ultimately, there is little doubt that Black Ops will sate the hunger of those simply wanting more Call of Duty, but beyond that it seem unlikely that it will broaden the palettes of gamers or indeed the genre; and for such a big budget, high profile release, we can't help but feel a little disappointed with that.

It's a good world with a few flaws, and as long as you're okay with having to repeat certain bits and learn from your mistakes, then it's definitely worth your time.

BioShock 2 is an enjoyable experience in its own right regardless of the few niggles which hold it back from being a true masterpiece.

The last few years have seen the FIFA series come on leaps and bounds. This year is no different, with a welcome update to the visuals and presentation stakes, whilst again, EA have beaten down hurdles to bring gameplay to a delicate balance between realism and fun.

As a flagship title for the PS Vita this latest LittleBigPlanet works beautifully, and with its hugely enjoyable story campaign, creative tools and community features there is huge incentive to keep playing. Most significantly, the breadth and variety of experiences it delivers serves as a reminder that LittleBigPlanet so much more than a simple platformer - it is a platform all of its own.

Joe Danger: Special Edition is the definitive version of the game and one that the plucky stuntman can be proud of.

It’s not a complete overhaul of the series, but it’s an entry that intelligently pushes Animal Crossing into new areas of control and creativity.

Ultimately Hoplite is not a game based to any great extent about discovering new content or unlocking secrets; while some abilities are added to the roster for completing achievements, it does not have the complexity of hidden mechanics that its close comparator 868-Hack does. Instead it is, bluntly, the more “accessible” game and perhaps as a result the truer evocation of retro gaming. Its rules can be learned very quickly, as any good short-playing game should, and yet it still has elements of deep strategy, choice and randomisation to provide a motivation for chasing high scores.

You're getting a short yet solid single-player mode that demands a love for the 'combat evolved' formula – it's a first-person shooter that is linear to the core, though we hope to see this change in future instalments. The story could have used some tweaking, but fans will still find an enjoyable experience with challenging gameplay and vicious enemies.

Staggeringly beautiful and with a surprisingly gentle learning curve, Blazblue has much going for it, but its delayed release means it is unlikely to generate anywhere near the sales it arguably deserves.

A treat to behold for fans of the zombie genre or otherwise, this add-on comes recommended to anyone looking for a macabre twist on the Red Dead formula.

As a heavily-tweaked version of last year’s game, FIFA 09 may not have arrived with as much flair as that of its predecessor, but nevertheless it’s a solid and impressive assertion of the ‘new’ EA’s intentions to be market-leaders, rather than simply settle for second-best.

Dirt 3 is overall a thoroughly impressive beast, both creatively and technically that will surely please most fans of the series.

It definitely treads a very thin line, balancing interactivity and spectacle, but it is a balancing act that it gets absolutely right.

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

Dirt 3 is overall a thoroughly impressive beast, both creatively and technically that will surely please most fans of the series.

A treat to behold for fans of the zombie genre or otherwise, this add-on comes recommended to anyone looking for a macabre twist on the Red Dead formula.

Ultimately, there is little doubt that Black Ops will sate the hunger of those simply wanting more Call of Duty, but beyond that it seem unlikely that it will broaden the palettes of gamers or indeed the genre; and for such a big budget, high profile release, we can't help but feel a little disappointed with that.

It encompasses the audiovisual elements, the neon graphics and low-rez music, and the joyous bloodiness of early shooters. But at the same time it also encompasses how dehumanising and routine the old games were – how the violence was immature and gratuitous and just a way of dressing up limited gameplay mechanics with visceral feedback to actions.

Dead Space 2 is a great action adventure/survival horror game then – it just isn't necessarily the greatest game in the Dead Space series.

Little King’s Story is a game of stunning breadth, imagination and slickly implemented design, and filled with an envious degree of heart and soul.

While it might not bring anything particularly new to the formula, the wealth of features and enhancements ensure that WipEout HD is the best iteration in the time-honoured series so far. For the incredible price, it’s an unmissable package.

It is a game heavily invested in gaming’s history and nature in its debts to retro graphics styles and the platform genre but also one which combines them with the medium’s new direction in its use of the auto-scrolling form.

With the arcade racing innovation of Split/Second and Blur just around the corner, and the simulation behemoths of Forza 3 and Gran Turismo 5 occupying the other end of the scale, DiRT 2 – with its ultimately well-judged balance between substance and style – is perfectly placed to occupy the niche that exists between both racing camps.

Rayman Origins signifies a welcome return to form for the hovering hero, presenting a world bursting with charm and adventure. It's a title that really shouldn't be missed, but we have the sneaking suspicion that it'll be overlooked this season amongst the slew of bigger names (the strange selection of levels offered in the demo probably won't help either).

As a game, it is perfect; it does nothing wrong in itself and the only criticism that can be levelled at it is the lack of online capabilities – although the games which it hearkens back to so closely had no such thing.

The latter part of Resistance 2 is altogether more successful than its opening, with some diverting puzzles, nods to Valve's storytelling technique and a well-considered balance between checkpoints. But the fact that its levels are so sparse and the production values so surprisingly low suggests this isn't a game in which every action should be savoured, rather one to plough through at full pelt. Look for revolution in Resistance 2 and you'll be found wanting.

Flower is an epiphany moment for the SIXAXIS: a game that outright wouldn't work without the motion controls, and one enhanced tenfold by their perfect execution. Disregard it for its unconventionality and you'll be missing out on one of the finest (and definitely most exquisite) titles to hit PSN so far.

Undoubtedly there will be those that question the games raison d’etre – was it really worth Sony investing in the title just to put Sackboy in your pocket? Does another portable version of a Playstation 3 title do anything to bolster the PSPs somewhat malnourished library? For our money, the answer to both these questions is a resounding ‘yes’.

It’s rather difficult to fault the game on any conceivable level, but one minor criticism is that the game-length-to-game-price ratio is a bit uneven.

Insomniac have a gift – the ability to forge games of such a high quality – and to ask them to stop would be a crime against gaming humanity.

Q-Games' quirky tower defence title is as competent as it is colourful, and the heap of additional content supplied in the PSP version makes it worthy of the deluxe title. Issues with frustration and repetition aside, the quick and accessible nature of the gameplay makes it a vital addition to the PSP's catalogue.

Ultimately the game feels like a risk, an antithesis of much of what gaming currently aspires to be, but it also uses the medium to its advantage, to tell a personal story in a new and innovative way. Hopefully it leads to more developers stepping out in a similar fashion, and together pushing the medium forward in equally interesting and unexpected ways.

Epic Yarn is a title for the player looking to be reminded what it's like to have the emotion of curiosity triggered by a videogame. A game cut from the finest Nintendo cloth.

The glorious visual style in which the world is rendered is a long way from the bloody realities of war, yet the game still manages to present a challenging and believable conflict. Underneath its polished (and undoubtedly quirky) presentation is a confidently delivered and engaging experience that doesn't hold itself a prisoner to convention. It's tempting to think that SEGA may very well have delivered a cult classic.

Bash Party isn’t a huge leap from the previous game, but then it really didn’t need to be.

Still, the fact remains that spending some time on stage with a virtual-Metallica can be a hugely invigorating experience, and fans of the band, or heavy metal in general, will quickly find their hands forming that most recognisable of gestures - the devil horns.

EA has done a commendable job at listening to its community and giving them what they want by way of the included movie maker, style creator and integrated online store, crafting not only a well-rounded package that bests its predecessor in every area, but a game that is, much like its virtual stars, filled with charm and character.