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.