But that doesn't stop LIMBO being an entirely worthwhile experience, drenched in misery, pathos and loneliness. It's also really bloody scary.

Dead Space 2 simply adds more to that already excellent foundation, and in doing so, it has become the survival horror franchise to beat. An absolutely brilliant video game, and certainly the best survival horror game since Resident Evil 4.

Nintendo have given us something for everyone, an easy game for the youngsters and newcomers, which is hiding a serious old school hard platformer behind it for all us old grizzled gamers.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a true marriage of gameplay and narrative, and it is frankly a complete triumph.

It just goes to show that even after all these years you can still get excited pressing buttons to jump – Rayman Legends asserts to that. Ubisoft should be proud that they just released the best 2D platformer in over 15 years and anyone who enjoys platforming would be a loony not to pick it up.

As stated before, not much has changed in Moss Book II, making it an iterative sequel that keeps all of its strengths along with a few more bells and whistles. About the only remaining weaknesses are the spare enemy variety and combat; though there are a few new bolstering additions for both, they still serve as hors d’oeuvres while the platforming and puzzles make up the main dish. Nevertheless, anyone who enjoyed the first game need not hesitate to continue the adventure, while newcomers may want to consider starting off with the first game as the sequel is more of a complimentary package rather than a replacement; in the olden days, we’d use to call this “Disc 2”. Regardless of order, anyone who opted early with Sony’s new VR headset needs to make sure their paths end up right at the newest entry in Quill’s adventures (and hopefully not the last).

There is no other way to sum up The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone than saying this is more of what made The Witcher 3 spectacular.

Fable 2 would be a superbly accessible entry-point into action RPG’s for any casual gamer, but more experienced players may feel let down by the concessions to simplicity that have been made.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

Visually, the port doesn’t do much that the 360 version didn’t - but then the game looked pretty incredible to begin with, so that’s hardly a criticism.

Game of the year? Probably.

No two ways about it, Tetris Effect is a masterpiece, the kind of visually and audibly resplendence that one could immediately point towards the next critic who poses the age-old annoying question of whether videogames are “art”. It also makes for the best VR experience on the PSVR since Resident Evil 7, and is an absolute must-have with or without the extra hardware.

Despite these few annoyances, Guitar Hero 5 is still an excellent example of a band-based rhythm action game done right. This is a true evolution of the Guitar Hero phenomenon, simple but devastatingly effective changes that really bring the best out of the genre.

Grab the spoils of combat as quickly as you can, and get ready to be sucked in to the next level. Just be glad you don’t have to keep putting money in when you die again, and again, and again.

Immersion is one of Dead Space’s top specialities and the sound follows suit. Exploring the Ishimura is a pleasure to the ears in a sort of freaky way.

If you're a fan of atmospheric games, espionage or FPS games in general, you should definitely give this one a try.

I look fondly at XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It's the kind of game that gives me a glimpse at what games should be. It's a $50 title that has already burned 20 hours of my life, and refuses to be satisfied with that much.

Monument Valley is a perfect combination of creative beauty and fun simplicity.

Human Revolution is an engaging and compulsive piece of work that'll find itself nestling near the peak of many a top 10 chart. With Mass Effect 3 postponed, this'll be the one bit of interactive escapism that the fella in the Battlestar Galactica shirt can rely on for his kicks this year.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

A few ill-judged action sequences, occasional leaps of logic during the interrogations and some gunplay that just about scrapes through on the positive side of functional prevent this from being a stone cold classic in the same way Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption are. But if they're A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, this is surely Rockstar's Return of the Jedi – not the best of the bunch, but still loads better than most of the other stuff out there. Highly recommended.

Peggle is unique among puzzle games though, in that despite never being particularly challenging, it’s still great fun to play and is the very definition of that ‘just one more go’ feeling that some games evoke. A very pure, fun experience that appeals to gamers of all ages, and a great example of simple, but effective, gameplay. Top draw.

Well, there’s no question Paradise takes Burnout to a whole new level. Is it better though? Personally I’m inclined to think not.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.