A nice beginning for what we hope will be regular DLC updates for this great game.

Rocksmith 2014 many improvements on its predecessor see the franchise elevated from a decent diversion to a great tool for budding strummers and shredders. There’s a ton of quality content to get through, but best of all it’s presented in an appealing and addicting manner that takes much of the pain from practice

The Sims 3 is a serious advancement of the series, however underneath it's still the same Sims, and if you couldn't stand it in the past chances are you still won't be able to. Some of the micro-management tasks have been made a bit easier, and the addition of a whole town to physically explore is fantastic.

The complete racing package, Race Driver GRID is perfectly tuned to produce a fine balance between fun and realism. A large range of classes means the comparatively small number of cars does nothing to detract from the sense of scale.

This is a good solid game with some interesting concepts around vehicles and weapons. It sits well on the console, both single- and multi-player.

Donkey Kong Country Returns could just be the best side-scrolling platformer of this generation.

It's the closest the Vita has to an 'essential release', a game that encourages its audience to build and create as if there was nothing to stop them while providing the perfect example of what that kind of mentality can produce.

If you are the type of person that enjoys a game that challenges your thinking capacity instead, then Zack and Wiki should be on your wish list.

A lovingly made puzzle laden parody of fantasy games that injects its own unique personality in between the deliberately laid layers of cliché and trope.

The Lombax and his trusty robotic companion make their PlayStation 4 debut in style with an entertaining story, great gameplay, and a beautiful galaxy to explore. This is one of the PlayStation 4’s best exclusives by a mile.

With a huge singpleplayer campaign, and shrewd changes to multiplayer, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm has something to offer every RTS fan.

There's a huge amount of potential in this sequel, and it has gameplay you'll keep coming back to time and time again. A must-have for any true skating fan.

In spite of a lack of competition, Visual Concepts hasn't eased off the brakes. Every year the developer continues to deliver. NBA 2K13 isn't just the best basketball game of the year, it's the best sports game of the year.

An interactive experience like no other. Perfect for unwinding after a long day.

Super Mario World 3D pares back some of the complexity seen in recent Mario games in favour of multiplayer gaming, and it works wonderfully.

First and foremost, Darkest Dungeon is a concept game that has hit its mark perfectly, a tonal masterpiece where everything from the art to sound, writing, difficulty levels and gameplay features contributes perfectly towards the whole picture that the developers aimed to paint. Turn off the lights, place a single lit candle next to your monitor, and creep hesitantly forward into its dark spaces; the way ahead will be hard, but the rewards are substantial.

Bloodborne is both perplexing and awe-inspiring, a challenging but rewarding title that will absorb or repel with equal strength.

How time flies… it’s hard to believe that EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is the fifth release of the series on current generation consoles. Forget any other golfing games out there, if there are any – Tiger Woods is where it’s at.

Crypt of the Necrodancer evolves the roguelike genre substantially with an exceedingly simple addition. The rhythm mechanics, combined with some really great music and the roguelike experience, create one of the best titles either rhythm games or roguelikes have to offer.

Take one part Lemmings, combine with liberal but equal amounts of undead flesh and 8-bit pixel art. Heat vigorously. The resulting decoction is something more potent than its constituent parts that delivers a wholly unique and heady rush. This action puzzler will have you quickly hooked. Side effects may include compulsive level replaying, RSI of your click finger, and loss of sleep.

Pikmin 3's release in Japan gave the Wii U a significant sales boost in that territory, and it's easy to see why. A wholesome yet colourful and engaging title, Pikmin 3 has wide appeal, and a great multiplayer mode to boot.

The single-player campaign involves a riveting and emotional story, and the inclusion of co-op is fantastic. The game itself however is heavily weighted towards multiplayer, as was its predecessor.

Uncharted 3 has the ability to elicit high excitement from its players through a tight and polished combination of gameplay styles, and through it's unmatched art direction. It's let down only slightly with a kind of shallowness, and a linear quality unbefitting a game of this quality. But these small niggles aside, Uncharted 3 will have players leaning forward through some of the best action sequences in gaming, and will be a favourite for both long time fans and those new to the series.

A Link Between Worlds boasts excellent characterisation and spacial design. Even a too-shallow difficulty curve can't hold this long awaited entry back.

The Sims 3: World Adventures is simply one of the best expansions for a Sims title to date, providing an excellent experience for you and your Sims, and really reinvigorating the title.

Additions to this year's Madden title have truly made it shine. The franchise just keeps getting better and better!

A Plague Tale – Innocence is the type of game that comes around rarely in the risk adverse gaming space. Bleak and beautiful it will leave an indelible mark on any gamer willing to enter its rat-infested world.

A superb FPS that plays out on the African continent, one of the most spectacular staging grounds to date. The graphics are exceptional and the multitude of missions and side-quests is big enough to keep you occupied for a long time. The AI are one of the smartest to date, actively using cover and flanking you realistically. Truly a sequel to Far Cry which does the original justice!