A truly beautiful puzzle game that soothes the mind and engages your imagination as well as your intellect. Perhaps not for the most dedicated puzzle enthusiasts but surely something that will leave most gamers smiling afterwards.

Spec Ops: The Line is one of the better shooters of 2012, and shouldn't be missed. With an interesting and well told story the game offers a journey through a horrible situation that shows how fast a civilized society can crumble under extreme circumstances.

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.

Quarrel is a charming and challenging little wordgame for a very resonable price. It's cleverly designed and is a delight to play against friends over Xbox Live or in your living room.

NetherRealms uses their Mortal Kombat engine very well to create a game that doesn’t feel like a simple license job. There are lots of winks for the comic enthusiast with this great party fighter, but the seasoned fighter veterans may find it a bit shallow.

With a low price tag and well-designed content, it's hard not to recommend the Local Justice Map Pack to fans of Max Payne 3.

Fire Emblem: Awakening manages to be a game for both the die-hard fans of the series as well as a great introduction for new players. A couple of flaws in the story and presentation keeps it away from magnificence, but it’s still a worthy addition to any 3DS library.

A really good RPG that takes your inner pirate spirit for a ride. Despite a few graphical bugs this game is for sure a day one buy, and a vast improvement on the original.

You can tell that the developers are fans of Transformers because the whole campaign is filled with love and respect for the source material. The lacking multiplayer prevents Fall of Cybertron from reaching the highest peaks, but it's still a really great game.

The latest entry in Namco's Tales of-series to reach the Western markets feels suitably old-school. It's eerily reminiscent of the best JRPGs the PlayStation 2 had to offer, and delivers a nostalgic experience to when role-playing games were more than flashy graphics and interactive cut-scenes. With a high focus on quick, tactical combat, interesting characters and a well-told (but slightly predictable) story, Tales of Graces F is a solid experience. It's the game every PlayStation 3 owner was waiting for at the generational switch from PlayStation 2.

Football Manager 2012 is still the best manager game out there, and delivers a solid and fun experience. But Sports Interactive would do well to let go of the past and actually keep innovating the series, as stagnation may be an issue based on the small amount of improvements this year.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed for the PS Vita might not be quite as good as its siblings on home consoles, but it comes really close.

Tomb Raider Trilogy is an essential collection for PlayStation 3 owners that neatly wraps up Crystal Dynamics' work on the core franchise so far. Anniversary ends up being the shining gem of the collection, and despite some flaws it still delivers an immersive experience.

It's hard to know where to place Anarchy Reigns. Character action? Multiplayer fighting game? In all essence it's a bit of both and it's utterly brilliant in its sheer insanity. With a short campaign that manages to out-weird Konami and a chaotic, beginner-friendly yet deep multiplayer, Anarchy Reigns delivers on most of its promises.

War of the Roses takes on the genre of multiplayer war-games with a new and exciting setting. The game manages to capture frantic melee-battles of the 15th century very well and the combat feels solid and deep. Lots of weapons and armor make up for a lack of game modes and maps, but hopefully there will be more content added to this already interesting title.

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.

F1 2013 is a very well made simulation of one of the fastest racing competitions in the world. While the game is demanding at points there are enough assists and tools to help a newcomer get better. This is a game that will make you gasp at the sense of speed and grip your controller through tight corners like not many others can.

It's hard to ask for more from such a complete product. This is a must have for everyone hungering for a new strategic role playing game.

Gears of War 3 falters somewhat in its storytelling, but it's still a game I highly recommend. The story has never been the focus in the series anyway. Both the single and multiplayer modes are massive, and despite not being a perfect game it's still well worth your while.

Newcomers to the series will get a lot of entertainment for their money, but previous fans can mainly look forward to the 3D effects and the portability. Thankfully that's more than enough to make us happy.

Street Fighter x Tekken may not reach the same amazing levels of perfection as Street Fighter IV, but it's still a must-own for everyone who appreciates a really good fighting game.

Asura's Wrath is not so much a game as a series of monumental, weird experiences delivered as beautifully rendered cut scenes, interspersed with quick time events, God of War-style combat and Panzer Dragoon flying sequences influenced by Asian mythology infused with heavy sci-fi elements make this a weird experience. But it's weird in that good, can't-stop-watching-the-screen way. It is complete madness, wrapped up in a lovingly-created package.

Of Orcs and Men aims to twist the roles around – the human empire is the big, bad beast. Arkail, the most badass of Orcs accompanied by the Styx, the talkative, Tourette-stricken goblin is on a desperate quest to stop the human empire for eliminating their races. What I really like is that the action-focused role-playing game becomes more of a buddy movie with some really good set pieces and dialogue. It's not perfect, but Of Orcs and Men delivers a thought-provoking twist on classic fantasy plots.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is a game that excels with its fantastic campaign, although I'm somewhat dissatisfied that I can't move dead bodies, which is possible in other games featuring stealth. Anyway, you will definitely have a great time with this game if you like tactical shooters.

A thought that kept coming back to me was that maybe this game should've been released along with the Move controller to give it a stronger launch. Perhaps, but the fact remains. Sorcery is an entertaining game.

The game really doesn’t do anything new, but the things it does are done extremely well. If you are a fan of Torchlight II and Diablo III, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is the next great game in the same genre of games.

Unit 13 has great controls, lots of variety and content that may outlast many other shooters on the market - no matter what platform you're playing on. Not bad for a game that is released during the Vita launch window.

Close Quarters is an extremely well-made expansion that contains a lot of entertaining battles, and the new maps have lots of great qualities. But it's hard to shake the feeling that DICE has been looking a little too much at Call of Duty.

Undisputed 3 is incredibly large, complex and well made. It is not, however, a newbie friendly game that you can just pick up and play. Just as in real life it'll take time, practice and determination to become the master of MMA.

Hamilton is in for a great adventure in this charming and playful game. Not even the University of Chicago gave Indiana Jones this much of a challenge.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 is an incredibly charming game that despite some issues with online play and a bit of repetitiveness manages to offer a very good experience.

Sega's Yakuza team goes way off the beaten path with Yakuza: Dead Souls and infuses its otherwise serious, grounded series with a fresh injection of zombie mayhem. With gunplay as clunky as Resident Evil 4 it manages to emulate Capcom's franchise quite well, and in pure chaos and weirdness, actually manages to outshine the latter attempts. Not as much of a world to explore as in Yakuza 4, but way more zombies to murder and a nice catch-up of some of the series' strongest characters.

Brink could very well revolutionize the gaming industry with it's seamless integration between single and multiplayer modes. It's damn hard though!

This year's iteration of FIFA Street takes the series in a new direction, and i like it. A lot of the arcade-style gameplay is gone and have been replaced with something that feels more authentic without losing the playfulness and fun that the series is known for.

The cities themselves may feel a bit more bland than in the first game but the actual motion of them is top notch. Cities in Motion 2 boasts a deep and satisfying simulation of the woes of managing public transit. Not without its problems but nevertheless one of the top players in its genre.

The single player campaign in Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon may be fairly short, but it still rivals many retail titles in quality. It throws you back to a time when neon, cyborgs, lasers and synthesizers were the coolest things in the world. You may not play it several times over and over, but you’ll definitely enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie is an extremely fun and entertaining game, but at the same time it shows that more isn't always better. Joe Danger is an amazing game - the sequel has to settle for being really good.

As a whole this HD collection offers fantastic value. It’s a great way for the fans of the series to relive the games and if you’re a fan of the genre and never played these games, this collection is a must buy although it isn't a trilogy per se.

The epic dynasty-building from the original Shogun 2 has been replaced by a depiction of a shorter but very turbulent period in the history of Japan. To some extent Fall of the Samurai is almost a fusion of Total War: Shogun 2 and its predecesor Empire: Total War. Although I'm not a great fan of warfare in the 19th century, Creative Assembly succeeds in keeping Japan exotic and interesting in an era of modernization very familliar to us westerners. The strong heritage from Shogun 2 makes this a great expansion and a must for fans of the series.

Wins with simplicity. Strategically challenging without losing pace. Lack of variation and a bit to stupid AI brings down the grade, but it's still one of the more charming games I have played in a long time.

A charming and beautiful minimalistic puzzle platform game that offers both a gripping and amusing story through its great narration.

Overall, Painful Memories is more of the same thing that we've gotten from the other expansions. But this time, Rockstar Games seems to have hit their second stride and the maps are inspired, well made and a blast to play. Those in doubt won't be convinced by this, but fans of the game will have plenty of fun with Max's painful memories.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen still has a few of the problems the original release had, but the sheer amount of adventuring and new sadistic areas to traverse more than makes up for the occasionally annoying pawns. In terms of gameplay, it's still a magnificent game, well balanced and an exciting game world to explore with plenty of loot to collect and enemies to slay.

Eador: Masters of the Broken World manages to venture into grand strategy, tactical battles and role-playing and come out on the other side as a deep and satisfying experience. After most initial bugs have been corrected, the game stands as an impressive addition to the turn-based strategy genre. Worth noting though is that it is mostly a visual upgrade of Eador: Genesis.

ilomilo is extremely cute and charming, with excellent design and a well made co-op mode. It delivers plenty of fun hours of gaming. Even though the final chapter is a bit of a letdown.

The basic concept is still there, an action packed RPG-light with a very real focus on fat loot. Compared to its predecessors, Diablo III has been streamlined to appeal to a modern day audience and has lost some if its customization in the process, but the different characters are diverse enough to satisfy most play styles. Some design choices – like obligatory connection to an overloaded and unstable Battle.net together with sometimes far between checkpoints and non-persistent game areas – may be in question but the overall experience is as solid as ever. Be prepared to invest some time to get access to the real goodies since playing on normal difficulty setting is not enough to get you the full monty.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn delivers many hours of fun for role playing game lovers out there, and both the main story and the sidequests get better as the game progresses. The story may be a little jumbled at times, but the combat mechanics more than make up for it.

The single player campaign is among the best we've experienced, and we're impressed by the four armed fighting, the intense story and the dark athmosphere! However with such a short play time and an indifferent multiplayer modes we can't give this dark and twisted adventure the top score that the well made campaign deserves.

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.

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.

Storywise The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a very important game that reveals and explains certain points in the series. And as a game it's great fun, but still two full heart containers from being completely fantastic.

inFamous 2 is graphically way more polished version than it's predecessor, but it doesn't fix any of the inherent problems from the first game. The decent platforming, exploration and the varied and fun combat mechanics are slightly marred by repetitive mission structures and pacing problems, but ultimately the game delivers a really good romp in New Marais.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is an improvement over most things in the excellent first game, but it's not as breathtakingly revolutionary as its predecessor. All game clones that other people are creating always seem to be slighlty worse than their originals, but Media Molecule should be applauded for putting these tools in the players hands.

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.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy stands tall on the merits of the soundtrack – picking up solid tunes from the first 13 numbered games. Combining the best-of practices of other rhythm games and blending in some light roleplaying elements freshens up the mix. With a lesser game franchise behind it, or with less epic music, it would likely fall flat. With three varied playing styles, lots of incentives to perform better, makes this a hard game to put down. From the sheer nostalgic moments induced by the soundtrack, to the high-intensity tapping required to master the harder difficulties - this is a monumental experience.

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.

If you're looking for a slightly different fighting game and don't want to refer to yourself as mainstream, then Blazblue: Continuum Shift is an excellent option. It's got good graphics, challenging gameplay and well-crafted offline and online modes, with plenty of content.

The main focus in EA Sports Active 2.0 is the training itself, and not the game aspect. The different training options are varied, and give a really good excercise, but the best part is that I want to keep working out even after the session is complete.

This is truly not a game for everyone. But if you got the patience and commitment that’s required of you to get past the first seven hours of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, this will be an insanely addictive and rewarding game, especially if you go on hunts with friends. It still has a lot of flaws, but the core gameplay is awesome enough to compensate for these.

March of the Eagles lacks the depth of its grander siblings like Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis, but it compensates for that well by being a swift and easily accessible grand war game. The AI is good enough for the moment, although the game really shines in its cutthroat multiplayer.

Renegade Ops is an absolute blast in any sense of the word. The great graphics, weighty handling and character upgrades create a fantastic, explosive and entertaining experience, and the chaotic multiplayer is the most fun you'll have in a game in a long time.

A fantastic puzzle rpg that's miles ahead of the competition, with epic multiplayer modes and single player campaigns. The excessively long loading times and the poorly narrated story detracts somewhat from the experience, but this is an excellent choice for anyone who likes the genre.

A slightly flawed gem. Any technical or gameplay flaws are made up for with unrelenting violence, dark humor, remarkable characters and a vicious attitude. Definitely worth picking up for players who have missed out on the-series to date. Fans of Suda51 or japanese weirdness will have a field day with this game.

If you love Formula 1 games this is an absolute must, and it's the best F1 simulator on the market. Unfortunately it's not accepting of newcomers, so if you haven't watched the sport on tv or played a lot of heavy racing simulators the high difficutly level, time consuming races and the lack of tutorials may prove a problem.

Despite some glitches, this is a very polished game that is drop dead gorgeous and it actually offers a great game beneath the beautiful surface.

With truly epic boss battles, a well told captivating story and an easy way to understand the fighting system for newcomers, this may very well be the best way to experience Naruto in animated form. Though it requires you to have some knowledge about the Naruto Universe and that you really care about the story, Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 will be one heck of a ride if you fulfill these criteria.

What could have been a beautiful marriage between Kojima Productions and Platinum Games ends up disappointing in some respects, but Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance still manages to impress and overwhelm from a sheer technical and gameplay perspective. Raiden finally gets his revenge and manages to stand on his own as a solid character.

Star Wars Pinball offers three of the best digital pinball tables I have ever tested. Great sense of detail, good sound effects and a clear love for the source material.

Despite the underwhelming mission design and the uneven graphics, I still really enjoy The Amazing Spider-Man. It's a game that proves that the whole product can be something bigger than the individual parts and that all you need sometimes is one great part of gameplay to lift the entire product.

I can give my warm recommendations for Pit's return in Kid Icarus: Uprising – but also an ice-cold warning for the terrible controls when Pit reaches ground from being airborne. Book an appointment at the orthopedic clinic already, because this will take a huge toll on your wrists and elbows.

If you enjoy easy going zombie fighting with a bunch of friends, Operation Raccoon City is a solid choice. Be warned however, it has little resemblance to other Resident Evil titles and more than one bug managed to crawl its way into the final product.

Jagged Alliance: Back in Action is a game from the time when games were games and movies were movies. And now you can relive those lovely times again.

F1 2011 is a racing game with qualities that far outshine the flaws and it's a really good simulator, no matter if you're are a fan of Formula One or not. But remember that you need to have the time to commit to the game in order to get the most out of it.

Penny Arcade Episode 3 shines through as a well-written and truly funny, fantasy comedy. However, it loses some of it's momentum due to a lack of variation in the actual gameplay elements.

This is a unique game that mixes elements from Japanese role playing games and shooters in a refreshing new way. It may not be a game for everyone, but if you like the two genres and aren’t too picky about graphics, this is a fresh breeze on the ocean of never ending RPG and shooter releases.

A charming adventure with a genuine feeling of love for the source material. It's certianly a very well made game compared to most other movie tie-ins. The only real negatives is the terribly short campaign and nearly no difficulty at all.

Thanks to a generally well done puzzle design, the Swedish game Unmechanical offers good entertainment that manages to stick out in the crowd of indie games despite a few borrowed concepts.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted has a number of flaws that prevent it from reaching the same heights as Forza Horizon or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. But at the same time it has some great ideas of its own to make it entertaining. I would've wanted Criterion to work more on the sense of speed and removing the graphical bugs, but besides that Most Wanted is a great racer that will give you a good time both online and offline.

Nike+ Kinect Training is not fun, and it's not supposed to be either. It takes training very seriously and does a great job of motivating you with a lot of good and demanding exercises. The presentation isn't great and the trainer gets out of sync sometimes when trying to correct you on something. Overall, this is still one of the best training programs available on Kinect. But it's just not a game.

Liberation is a full sized Assassin's Creed game for Vita that makes you forget that you're playing on a handheld, and while certain parts require more work the overall impression is really good.

Those of you who put in the time and effort needed will have a lot to gain from Rocksmith. Not just high scores, but the feeling of actually learning to play an instrument.

A very atmospheric game that starts out very strong with some genuinely scary moments that made me put down the game for a while. As the game goes on it sadly loses some of that momentum and some of its punch, but still offers a good narrative and an unsettling story.

The name really says it all in this Metal Gear Solid-inspired puzzle-adventure, as you teleport through an underwater research facility in pursuit of freedom. Puzzles are reasonably clever and gameplay can be stealthy or full of action depending on your preferences, and despite some control issues and a general feeling of unoriginality Warp is a pleasant enough diversion.

A real classic that shouldn't be missed if you can't play Metal Gear Solid HD Collection or the older versions with better controls. You'll need the classic controller as well to enjoy this properly as well.

Shift 2: Unleashed delivers intensive racing for real gear-heads, with a daunting difficulty level and impressive physics. The Autolog function is excellent, but the experience is marred somewhat by the cumbersome controls, far too agressive opponents and a too hard easy mode for newcomers.

It might be lacking in terms of innovation, but the Hostage Negotiation Map Pack is still a good expansion for Max Payne 3. I hope that Rockstar Games will give us something new and different with the next expansion, but for now, Hostage Negotiation will do just fine.

Smart As… is a good brain trainer for the Vita, but the quality of the mini games varies quite a lot. Some are addictive gold nuggets while others are easily forgotten.

Sony offers us a more casual karting experience along with all the tools you need and more for the creation of levels. LittleBigPlanet Karting is good fun for the youngest and inexperienced, but hardcore gamers will probably give this a pass due to its lack of challenge.

Sports Champions 2 feels more like an expansion than a full sequel, but the low price point, a few well designed events and the party mode makes the game worth a look if you want a good party game for your PlayStation 3.

”Same mechanics, new skin” seems to be the motto for God of War: Ascension. A prequel without big flaws that lacks some extra spice. Fans of the mechanics and the character will find instant recognition but somewhat less satisfaction than the previous games.

While Binary Domain tries a few new things and fails, the basic coverbased gameplay in the entertaining story-mode is good enough to keep fans of the genre happy. The enemies may be robots, but they still feel more alive and interesting than most other opponents.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is a game experience as refined as it is typical. You get to follow Harry Potter and his friends as they finish their epic fight against Voldemort in this light hearted adventure puzzle game. It will delight LEGO and Harry Potter fans alike, but if you were already bored with the previous game, this is one to skip.

A competent update of the updated cult classic from Rare, pushed out to die in the worst possible release window, almost guaranteeing it will go unnoticed by all but the most hardcore Bond fans. The single player campaign is polished and enjoyable, the multiplayer mode is a quick, frantic affair enjoyed either over internet or in a more limited four player split-screen locally. Easily the definitive GoldenEye-experience.

Sound Shapes is an experiment that won't be the killer-app the Vita needs. But it still offers an experience unlike any other on both platforms.

Bleak, beautiful and violent, Vampire Smile provides great and atmospheric sidescrolling action. The lack of variety makes me only play in relatively short burts, but I keep coming back for more.

Being very similar to the original, game this is more an expansion than a sequel. There is a new focus on getting down on the battlefield yourself piloting tanks or helicopters, but some of the charm is lost in the process.

A fall forward as Konami introduces a new indicator for manual passing and shooting. Long distance screamers in the top corner are a bit easy to pull off and slide tackles are too often penalized. Pro Evolution isn't bad, it's just second best.

Syndicate is a fun shooter but it falls short of being great. The campaign is on the short side and feels slightly generic, although the action itself is immensly entertaining. The separate co-op mode adds some great value and ends up being the stronger part of the package.