Aside from the occasional texture glitch or stray enemy phasing into a rock (a problem easily solved with well-placed explosives), Far Cry 3 is a technically brilliant and expertly balanced gameplay experience that offers an immense amount of content and a high degree of polish. At the time of writing I have put nearly 60 hours into it across two playthroughs, and will probably play it a third time on PC later on. I suggest you do the same.

One of the best LEGO titles yet. It manages to find a brilliant sweet spot between linear set-pieces and larger puzzles and exploration that make it a joy to play through.

Comparisons to the Super Smash Bros. series are apt, but PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale stands on its own. If you're looking for a rich single-player experience that brings together all your favorite PlayStation characters into one ultimate story, this isn't your game. It is very evident that much of the focus went into character combat design for the explicit purpose of a deep online community and that's where PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale excels.

Epic Mickey 2 once again pays heartfelt tribute to animation history, and does it with style and sincerity. As with the original game, anyone who loves Disney, Mickey Mouse, or just animation history in general will find something to enjoy here, and the fact that the game is a superb platformer and co-op title is icing on the cake.

Hitman: Absolution is a triumph, top to bottom. Fans of the series can look forward to the best entry yet, without question.

The toolset is immense but you're not required to use every feature to make a basic track. The familiar, albeit modified LBP user interface will make it easy for longtime fans to hit the ground running.

A ton of work has gone into this game from top to bottom, and it stands as a real testament to the developers who didn't want to just coattail this one into the books. Nearly every system and aspect of the game has been tweaked or overhauled, and it certainly shows in the final product.

Criterion Games brings the fire here in this Frankenstein's monster amalgamation of Burnout and Need for Speed. The buttery smooth controls, multitude of unlockable rides/upgrades, and ever-alluring draw of besting your friends' times, not to mention the forward-thinking CloudCompete, come together to offer one of the finest arcade racing experiences out there.

Few risks are taken and most of the improvements over previous games amount to surface-level boosts to the presentation, but that also helps to make for a seamless transition from one studio to the next. As much as Halo 4 makes it clear that this is a franchise that needs to grow and evolve, 343 also gets a pass this time for playing it safe and serving the fans.

There is so much story, so much multiplayer, and so much stuff to do that your average 10 hour game should be terribly ashamed of itself. In this economy, you can't do better than Assassins Creed III.

Doom 3: BFG Edition is, without a doubt, the definitive collection for fans of this series. The package brings together virtually every Doom offering that has ever existed, with additions like the "duct tape" mod and The Lost Missions amounting to delicious gravy.

I loved The Unfinished Swan. It's the sort of experience that requires us to further refine the definition of the term "video game." While there are certainly elements of play here, I don't think that Swan qualifies as such. Instead, it slides in along the likes of Goodnight Moon and the Shel Silverstein library as the latest modern classic in the realm of children's fiction.

Masterstroke of fun, and does a good job moving the series in the right direction. It offers fresh new tracks for everyone to enjoy, and is far more accessible for everyone than ever before.

I'm the type of guy who actually goes for Sunday drives. Weird, I know, but it's true. As such, Forza Horizon felt like it was developed just for me. It may not be the perfect title for the F1 fans looking for a classic racing simulator, but for anyone who has ever turned their head as a Lamborghini whips past them on the interstate; this game needs to be played.

While it has a few quirks here and there, Dishonored delivers on almost every admirably/crazily ambitious promise made by its creators. Its impeccably crafted gameplay and exquisitely haunting and detailed world stand in loving tribute to all of the iconic and acclaimed franchises that inspired it, and yet it still has a soul and style all its own.

Even if you never played the original, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is turn-based tactics and management at its finest, and a perfect introduction to the genre...It's an exceptionally solid return for the series, and one that every turn-based tactics fan should experience.

This will be the best $19.99 you've spent all year.

The expansion adds more wonderful charm to the game while not exactly taking the huge risks that we've seen in past expansions, and that's okay. As a returning player, there's plenty to do to keep me busy thanks to all of the end game content, and there will be more to come when Blizzard implements the game's upcoming 10 and 25 man raid encounters.

NBA 2K13-building on the successful and delightful NBA 2K12-remains a fantastic basketball simulator. With a robust My Player mode, already-great online multiplayer and gameplay that just won't quit, it's clear why 2K is the only name in the basketball video game market.

The play is definitely aiming to please gamers from the old school, but Hell Yeah! offers a fun ride regardless of how many Mega Men you've conquered.

By playing it safe, FIFA Soccer 13 lacks innovation but this latest installment has helped keep the series at the forefront of video realism that you're pretty darn close from watching a live match, which is something you can't say about other sporting video games.

The animations are flawless and delightfully colored. Certain scenes, like a silhouetted battle in a mountaintop monastery, shone through the silliness of the game and offered something stunning to look at. If you have a brother, a sister, a roommate or a significant other . . . you absolutely must buy this game.

Borderlands 2 is a better game than Borderlands in every imaginable way. Scoff at anyone who calls it a v1.5 update; this is really what a sequel should be. At the most basic level, you've got the same great experience that the 2009 game offered, only with much more depth and variety.

My time with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 truly felt like an arcade without the frustration of losing my allowance in quarters.

It's just as solid as its console partners, it looks beautiful, and takes advantage of the Vita's controls in unique ways that don't negatively impact the core of the platforming gameplay. It serves as a wonderful reminder that you can never have enough Sackboy in your life.

The more I played NHL 13, the more I wondered how much previous installments were partially burdened with some drive to recapture the halcyon days of videogame hockey in the mid-90's. This new, genuine attempt at real ice skating physics makes NHL 13 the most worthwhile hockey in years.

As close to perfect as a game can be... In an age where the lines between non-action genres increasingly blur to support a more fast-paced direction, this is stealth gaming done right. An achievement made even more remarkable for pulling it off using a 2D presentation. If you play only one Xbox Live Arcade game in 2012, there is no better option out there than Mark of the Ninja.

More than anything, however, I have to say that Guild Wars 2 is just fresh. It's new, it's innovative and more than anything, it's a welcome change for fans that may want something different.