Fable: The Journey only has Kinect, and once again it's too unresponsive, too fiddly and too annoying to carve a genuinely enjoyable experience out of Albion. Whether Fable: The Journey was a labour of love or a contractual obligation matters little; when all's said and done the only thing that matters is that this feels like another nail in the coffin for this generation's version of Kinect – and perhaps even its last.

And the reason it's so easy to ignore the faults – so easy to shrug off falling off a ladder again – is because there's joy in taking on an entire platoon of troops as a goatee-sporting nerd. There's joy in taking on situations and knowing they aren't scripted half to death. There's joy in scamming your way through a puzzle by pretty much breaking the game.

Swing as it might between different genres and gameplay styles, Wrath Of The Dead Rabbit never dips below brilliant. An inventive and entertaining big-budget debut for Arkedo, and one that confirms its ability to deliver both on the indie scene and the main stage.

For its soaring highs and captivating hits alone though, Dishonored comes as an easy recommendation. With the Thief franchise stuck in a lab somewhere having numbers spliced into its title and Deus Ex still on the naughty step after those boss battles, Arkane has come good with arguably this generation's finest stealth title and a game so lovingly crafted that it begs to be played.

It's a worthy and far more appropriate reboot of the franchise, easily the most addictive game this year, and one of our favourite Firaxis games ever.

On the whole, Worms Revolution proves that there's life in the old worm yet, its enhancements giving the franchise a fresh set of… uh… legs? The revolution will not be televised, unless you've got Worms.

It's a good-looking DS game as well, slick new presentation and more emphasis on cut-scenes and 3D visuals making this an obvious transitional title on the series' inevitable march towards the 3DS.

Whether you've somehow never played a Pokémon game, you've only recently dived in or you've been around since the start, the vast world of Unova welcomes you equally.

There are moments in Resident Evil 6 that peak as high as the very best games in Resident Evil history, but there are so many more that settle for mediocrity or much, much worse. With a nip and tuck this could have been something very special indeed. Instead, it's a great little Leon campaign with a hell of a lot of content that you should consider a worthwhile but extremely flawed bonus.

Rock Band and Guitar Hero already have the party attitude, but Rocksmith needs to try harder to master this untapped school music teacher approach.

It'd take the most hardcore of fighting fans to put together an argument that this wasn't a decent fighter at its core and they'd struggle even harder to claim that it wasn't at least entertaining. On a base level, though, it's business as usual. It's a beat-'em-up loaded with increasingly damp and dirty scantily clad ladies whose breasts defy physics and one that has an Achievement for watching every questionably shot, moist, groaning defeat pose.

With an entire ark full of animals on offer and a chapter-based story mode to dive into as well, there's a constantly evolving roster to play around with. It might be bonkers in its concept, but in execution Tokyo Jungle is solid, addictive and best of all, different.

How does PES 2013 compare to FIFA 13? It's still very much an apples to oranges comparison, even with PES 2013 finally matching its long-term rival. FIFA excels in control, presentation and licenses while PES 2013 has depth, unpredictability and speed.

It's very slick, enormous fun, continually dynamic, and more than any other MMO it brings the genre closer to the ideal of a fantasy world filled with hundreds of players in which just about anyone can lose themselves. That sentiment, as much as anything else, makes it well worth playing.

We also take some issue with Borderlands 2's sense of humour. While it's welcome, it draws so frequently on up-to-the-minute memes that it becomes hard to remain immersed in an experience supposedly taking place in the distant future, on a remote planet, and among people who have no reason to understand the significance of an arrow in the knee. Most of it's just not that funny.

Like illustrious forebears in the score attack/total frustration genre, Joe Danger: The Movie will annoy as much as it delights. Don't be fooled by the cutesy graphics and sound; Hello Games wants you dead and the levels it built are happy to oblige.

The closest the fighting genre has come to recapturing the spirit of ye olde classic Capcom vs SNK 2, in that this feels aimed directly at the hearts of fans rather than at their wallets. It's the closest any series has come to a 'best of' album, and is a fitting tribute to the legacy of the series thus far.

Home is a must play. Its brevity matches its ambition - it's a game everyone should play, if only to see what's possible with a creative vision and stringent commitment to atmosphere. It's not the scariest, the smartest or the most ambitious game you'll ever experience, but it's also one you're very unlikely to regret. [Issue#125, p.105]

Anarchy Reigns is far from perfect, but despite being less visually striking than the developer's past titles, it nevertheless embodies much of that Platinum Games spirit, blending energy, humour, transforming robots and hammer-wielding cyborg bulls. There's real character here, and at the back end of this generation, there are too few games that can truly lay claim to such praise.

There are times when nostalgia wins out; when you realise this is an actual Cannon Fodder sequel, but that's quickly squashed down and washed away by a glitchy, boring and hugely underwhelming experience. In fairness, it's nowhere near as bad as might have been expected. But saying that about a game doesn't mean it's at all good.

After a rocky couple of years for rhythm-action, in which Guitar Hero came to an end and Rock Band 3 failed to repeat the retail success of its predecessors, it's fantastic to see Harmonix back on top with a game that reinvigorates the genre in new and interesting ways. But, more than that, it's just great to have an extremely playable reason to return to some old favourite songs.

If you put any value in the game mechanics that have arrived over the last 20 years with a mind to prevent tantrum-inducing frustration, you might want to steer clear.

High Moon is really starting to find form and do the franchise justice. And despite the game's flaws, fans will surely find Fall Of Cybertron to be the best reflection of their beloved robots in disguise in many a year. Too bad they couldn't get Grimlock right, though.

CS: GO stands as a glowing reminder that quality game design is rewarded in longevity and variety. Valve has not only updated the shooter but has completely outclassed its contemporaries. This is Counter-Strike, whatever the format you choose to play it on, and there isn't a higher recommendation than that.

A few rough edges don't detract from an adventure that is as emotional as it is brain teasing, and is worth experiencing whether or not you can relate to the subject matter.

There's no shortage of ideas on display, featuring some of the best use of AR tech on the handheld to date, but ultimately the 3DS feels more like a curse for the franchise, rather than a blessing.

Sound Shapes will ultimately live or die by its community, which at the time of writing is in dire need of a sonic boom in terms of both users and quality levels. With support, it'll grow into something glorious. But even without, it's yet another novel and wholly entertaining reason to get a Vita. But you probably still won't.

Whereas the first game dragged, Darksiders II offers loot, side quests, an engaging skill tree, and a world four times bigger than the first that constantly keep you engaged with the experience. What's more, its various inspirations and genres feel more solidly packed together, robust and stable like a diamond formed under the pressure of the earth. It's a rough diamond, certainly, lacking the sharper, polished facets that make a real gem like Zelda so irresistibly good, but there's a dull gleam there nevertheless.