Nidhogg is definitely a blast if you have a few friends around, and it's easy to see why it has been hyped up over the last few years.

Of course, that is assuming the second act can satisfactorily tie everything together. Act 1, if played at a relaxed pace while exploring every dialog possibility, is about a three-hour adventure.

Dungelot 2 polished and expanded the original's accessible charm to make a dungeon crawler that is both more approachable and far deeper than ever before.

Monument Valley's absolutely stunning visual style and clever level manipulation make it a fantastic mobile experience. The only shortcoming is that you will wish there was more of it.

Hitman GO is far cleverer than it has any right to be, putting a refreshingly unconventional spin on the stealth genre.

Give the free levels a try, and you will have a hard time not downloading the additional campaigns right away.

Leviathan: Warships has some issues in its controls, with buttons that can be slow to respond and ship menus that can get cluttered if you zoom out, but the game's solid strategy foundation still makes it a great pick for armchair tacticians.

Hearthstone's main drawback is a matchmaking system that can often put new players in matches out of their depth, along with a few stability and framerate hiccups that pop up in the iPad port.

It is a blending of genre and style that is an unexpected treat, and already one of the year's role-playing game highlights.

Samus Aran's latest 2D mission boasts consistently high thrills in exploration and combat to provide a worthy sequel to a highly-regarded game that came out 19 years ago. Metroid Dread doesn't quite deliver on the "dread" promised in the title, with atmosphere lacking and the initially-tense EMMI encounters becoming predictable, but nonetheless we had a tremendous amount of fun and hope we don't face another 19-year wait for the next original entry.

Double Exposure may fall a little short when compared to some of the previous games in the series, but Max Caulfield's return is still a riveting (and wild) ride. Max is as caring and likeable as ever. We loved spending time with her again – from her adorably awkward attempts at flirting at the start through to the dramatic if slightly uneven climax – and would more than welcome further stories with her.

A hugely enjoyable hack and slash title, with an incredibly satisfying combat system, memorable boss battles and an entertaining narrative.

Old Skies is an engaging point-and-click. It may not deviate heavily from the genre's formula, but the way the game bakes the time-travel aspects into some of the puzzle-solving provides a number of highs, and Fia's touching story and the twists along the way are worth experiencing.

Crates falling from the sky can aid your toaster with temporary power-ups like baguettes and bagels, with new bread attacks unlocking the more crates you collect. The downside is that Toast Time's 45 levels can go by rather quickly, but with more power-ups and costumes to unlock it makes for an excellent excuse to keep playing this quirky gem of a game.

Not only does The Stick of Truth capture the show's wicked sense of politically incorrect humor, but it wraps it up in what is actually a pretty fun turn-based role-playing game, making it a must for fans of the series and the fantasy genre.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst makes some major missteps in the story and character department, but hey, that's what the mute button is for...More important is that when the action is go and Faith is in full stride, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is as thrilling and sure-footed as they come.

It's a more methodical game than Angry Birds, requiring thoughtful planning and pinpoint timing, but in many ways that also makes it a more enjoyable game than its predecessor.

Out There is a game about controlling what you can, and adapting to what you can't, as a new story unfolds with each jump across the stars.

Taking into account everything the game does right, not least the top-tier racing and the Knockout Tour mode, World is arguably the most fun Mario Kart entry in a long time.

Gunpoint is a game with tremendous respect for the player, essentially giving you a toolbox of spy gadgets and a new stealth playground in every level, then letting you have at it at your own pace.

The greatest accomplishment of Super Smash Bros for 3DS is that the core battle system works so well on a handheld device. Once again Nintendo has demonstrated exactly how to bring a home console game to the small screen without compromising on concept and content.

After a constant stream of more realistic racing simulation games, the high-flying action of Asphalt 8: Airborne stands out for its interesting courses and intense speed.

A well-presented and engaging horror-themed first-person shooter. The story elements tread a delicate balance between the usual mobster clichés, yet the quality of the writing ensures that the game never becomes overbearing. Its also admirable that the campaign is utterly linear yet also hugely engrossing.

Solid controls and addicting gameplay already make Sheep Happens hard to put down, while the raining sheep and clever visual gags add that extra touch to turn it into a game you will keep coming back to again and again.

Soul Calibur V represents a strong return for the series, with battles more hard-hitting and free-flowing than ever before. Long-term fans might bemoan changes to the core mechanics, such as the removal of Critical Finishes and Guard Impact, but it's hard not to view most of its additions as progress.

Remains the definitive video game golfing experience.

Barring a slightly more restrictive career mode, Forza Horizon 2 more than builds on the solid foundations laid down by its predecessor. Forza Horizon 2 easily records a podium finish ahead of what is going to be a busy winter for the racing genre.

A game that captures all of the high points of the long-running series, and only one or two of the lows.