The most gripping storytelling a game might ever have produced combined with one of the most basic and boring gameplay I have tried makes for a very strange experience from a critics point of view. But the tears, the stomach ache and the joy supersedes clunky controls and the bad illusion of choice.

Indie game designer Jason Byrne has showed us what storytelling in video games is supposed to be like. The small world in Lone Survivor is full of mysteries, a Twin Peaks-esque atmosphere and the occasional laugh. The only downside is the shooting mechanism which feels misplaced, clumsy and could have been skipped all together.

While lacking somewhat in the new features department, The Wind Waker HD is still a great remake of a already fantastic game. The result is nothing short of stunning and one of the best games ever made.

A brave restart of a game that arguably should've never been made. For a series primarily resting on the solitary player experience, it manages the transition to a multiplayer environment beautifully. There's enough content, races, classes and things to do to keep both new players and old MMO-foxes occupied for a long while, and all of it well realised with the worldbuilding skills of the Final Fantasy teams.

Rain is the latest game out of Sony Japans PlayStation C.A.M.P.-initiative, and it's the one most focused on story-telling. Through a rainy town, an invisible boy searches for a friendly face, an invisible girl. Through narrow alleyways and abandoned factories, the quest to banish loneliness and isolation goes on. A touching, moving and sublime beauty hangs over Rain, and the story delivers quite an impact.

A slight step forward for a franchise that has struggled just behind the competition for almost a full console generation. Better ball and player physics plus improved player graphics for the top tier players brings something extra. Arena atmospheres are also great. Sadly the last PES of a generation is slightly marred by choppy frame rates.

Diablo 3 is an extremely well designed action RPG that really hooks you from the first minute you play. Behind the great gameplay there is a well crafted feedback loop that always has you coming back for more. The console port is expertly made and although the PC version is the premiere version, this is a very good alternative.

The undisputed champ delivers another quality product. It’s a heavy hitting and hard punching game that tilts towards a more arcady experience. The physical game is not the only, but undoubtedly the most entertaining, way to play. Lots of small updates makes it an even more sleek experience off the ice than in previous years.

Puppeteer grabs you from the get-go and refuses to let go, partially thanks to the charm and the graphics, but mainly due to the quality of everything. With it's fantastical graphical style, really solid (and fun) voice-acting and story, it really shines. Puppeteer is easily the most disarmingly charming game since Little Big Planet.

Killzone: Mercenary fills an important void in the PS Vita game library. Finally it has a great exclusive first person shooter.

Europa Universalis IV is the ultimate edition of the series. The interface is better and more welcoming than ever and still the strategy is even deeper and grander than before. Basically everything is improved over the last game and playing sandbox with history has never been this fun.

Almost perfect platform game with crazy humor and not very subtle pop cultural references. Could have been a little less repetitive, but with a couple of friends it has the potential for fantastically fun chaos. Very addictive and cleverly-paced so that you will always feel the need for one more try.

Volition manages to create yet another crazy sandbox game packed to the brim with content and insanity. It doesn’t manage to reach the overall level of its predecessor but has enough peaks to make you disregard the valleys.

Some people may dismiss Duck Tales Remastered simply because they lack nostalgic memories of the NES original. That however, is a big mistake because this is a game that can stand on its own two feet and the developers have only used the nostalgic hook simply because they love Duck Tales. The result is a great platformer that plays and feels just as good as it did in 1989.

Brave New World finally address the somewhat lackluster endgame that has plagued Civ V so far. The changes to trade and the added importance of diplomacy through all stages of the game make this expansion a gamechanger in the most positive way.

Stealth Inc. is packed with great level design and has a nice balance between tactics and reaction speed.

Tales of Xillia doesn't so much innovate as it does refine the stable foundation laid by the previous games, at least not from a gameplay mechanics standpoint. Where it really shines is in the characterization, the world building and the mature, dark story. Choosing to play as either the young care-free Jude Mathis or the supernatural Milla Maxwell determines partially how the story is perceived and told. Tales of Xillia is one of the finest games to come out of Namco's Tales Studio and easily rivals, and in some cases clearly outshines, the competition within the JRPG genre this generation.

A very good sequel in the Mario & Luigi RPG series that offers great variation and solid gameplay. Creative use of the 3DS features makes the game interesting to play for hours and the classic Mario game charm is captured in almost every aspect of this game.

The Walking Dead: 400 Days bridges the first and second seasons of Telltales monumental adventure games. While it could have been longer, there's enough new questions raised and well-told personal moments to be worthwhile. Telltale still manages to deliver fantastic stories, and we can't wait to live through season two.

It’s amazing that Nintendo managed to trim a complicated mix of genres such as RTS, Puzzle, Action and Garden Simulation into a welcoming masterpiece – I guess they really must have green thumbs. If you own a Wii U there’s no excuse not to play Pikmin 3.

Luigi’s expansion is as big as a whole new game filled of playful and innovative level design. The significantly higher difficulty level is welcome and feels like atribute to The Lost Levels, and if you’ve ever liked challenging platform games New Super Luigi U is a must have.

Relic may have taken a safe route with Company of Heroes 2 and made it very similar to the earlier games in the series, but that also means that it has the same cinematic and engaging action that made them famous. The campaign fails to deliver anything special but the skirmishes are just as fun as one could have hoped for.

A gritty ultra-violent top down action game that dares to be different and excels at what it does. Tight controls and polished mechanics make this game a joy to play and extremely hard to put down.

The Old Gods offer a significant addition to Crusader Kings and a fun focus on the pagan cultures. While the vikings initially feel slightly overpowered, they have a much harder time ahead of them as the years go by. This is a well crafted expansion and a absolute must have for those interested in playing the Nordic nations.

Grid 2 will speak to fans of the original game, but it doesn’t really do anything brand new or different. But in the end, sometimes we don’t need a revolution, just something that’s bigger, faster and prettier.

The Swapper is an expertly designed puzzle platform game that excels in every area. Although the story is a bit hidden away in log files, it’s well worth going through them to expand the experience. This indie game is rivaling the quality of many of the AAA titles this year so far.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger lifts the franchise after the failure that was The Cartel. When you find yourself in a duel with sheriff Pat Garrett, you’ll forget everything about Battlefield and Modern Warfare. At least for a while.

The first episode of Jacob Jones’ adventure leaves me wanting more and I’m already waiting for the next part. It’s a great little title that will appeal to any gamer that loves a good puzzle.