It brings together all of its systems to create narratives that unfold organically and that are easy to get lost in. You may encounter the same hitchhikers or the same quests across two different runs, but the stories won't be the same. It's about the journey, not the destination.

The single-player game lacks a bit of structure and the multiplayer is certainly chaotic at first, but the game excels in providing socially connected racing that gets under the skin.

Lone Survivor: Director's Cut improves upon the already excellent original with an expanded story for its most dedicated fans, making it the definitive version of the psychological horror adventure.

While the sequel doesn't reinvent the game, it builds on the original enough that the novelty of dashing steel unicorns hasn't worn out its welcome yet.

This game manages to find new ways to thrill, excite, and stomp all over your poor, terrified little heart – which we suppose is great for people who have that sort of kink. Whatever floats your boat, we suppose.

Frozen Synapse on iPad offers everything that made the PC original great, along with multiplayer support between the iPad and PC. Those looking for deep strategy on the go need to look no further.

Into the Dead is one of the best uses of the first-person perspective on iOS, and an absolutely fantastic infinite runner for mobile devices.

Many of Darksiders 2's key ingredients have been borrowed from elsewhere. The dungeon crawling from Zelda, looting from Diablo, and the oversized bosses wouldn't look out of place in Shadow of the Colossus, but Vigil Games has weaved these influences together into an original and varied package.

Double Fine has played it safe with this revival, tweaking it only in ways that were necessary to usher it into the 21st century for fans old and new to cherish.

This was clearly a labor of love for Just Add Water, and fans of the original will no doubt experience a similar degree of fervour when they revisit Oddworld, which isn't to say the game's appeal is limited to this crowd.

Heroes of Loot offers blazing fast action but doesn't overstay its welcome, with each game typically lasting only a few minutes. Death may be frequent, but each one only leaves you eager to dive right back in again to try and reach deeper floors and uncover new treasures.

Outside of multiplayer, New Super Mario Bros. U offers little in the way of innovation, focusing instead on delivering tightly-designed levels, which look superb and can be played when the television is in use.

If you've already played and loved the three original titles plus their DLC then some mild visual upgrades and a handful of extras might not be enough to justify the purchase. If, however, you've never sunk into the haunting depths of Rapture, this is the time to sort it out.

Quite simply, it's an incredibly stimulating and strangely provocative shooter, which is not something that you hear every day.

Although the road may have been initially bumpy, we've been won over by IO Interactive determination and conviction. They've managed to prove to the rest of the industry that AAA games done episodically can work, and can work incredibly well.

Leo's Fortune is a fun ride while it lasts though, filled with clever physics puzzles and unconventional controls.

What's impressive is just how many interesting levels and puzzles the developers have created with such simple and admittedly limited controls. Across 80 levels, One Tap Hero never feels like it's running out of steam, with the exciting promise of more to come in future updates.

Representing the best of both worlds, it improves on the original game in almost every way, adding the challenge that long-term fans have been craving, without sacrificing its newfound accessibility.

Despite slight control problems that can hamper portability - and unfortunately the multiplayer - there's an awful lot to like in Kid Icarus: Uprising, making Pit's return one well worth the wait.

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.

While the addition of eight new stages might not be enough to lure back fans of the original, but with its accessible new game mode, gorgeous visuals and plethora of challenging and diverse levels, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is almost guaranteed to attract an army of new followers.

Ultra Street Fighter 4 may not be a new game, but it's the definitive version of one of the greatest brawlers of its generation, refined in all the right ways.

Generous checkpoints alleviate some of the control issues, and the unique visual style is almost worth the price of admission on its own, but Type: Rider falls just short of its lofty vision.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a modernised love letter to Jet Set Radio that combines fun and stylistic gameplay, with a kaleidoscope of updated Dreamcast-era visuals and sound to create a sequel in everything but name. We may never see Sega release another Jet Set Radio again, but this is the next best thing and an exciting foundation for the future.

It may be a little short of original ideas and the controls can be fiddly, but blockbuster titles like this are what we need to take tablet and smartphone gaming to the next level.

While the core of Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous remains unchanged from the original, the sequel refines the formula to rekindle the addiction all over again.

Not everything new that Black Ops 2 introduces is a success, but what works - from the branching narrative to more flexible multiplayer customisation - makes it the most unique Call of Duty yet.

If you can get past the clumsy controls, you'll see why the Resident Evil series is held in such high esteem and how it kickstarted the survival horror genre.