This is a rare occasion when the hype can actually be justified; Super Mario Galaxy 2 is, quite simply, a masterpiece.

But when the flaws that have plagued the series since it made the move to three dimensions still have not been properly addressed and the core gameplay remains the same after seven years, it’s difficult to declare GTA IV as one of the greatest video games of all time.

It isn’t a game that will appeal to everyone, as it is an open world, violent game without a moral compass. But boy can you have fun without worrying about morals.

The bar has been raised...Good luck reaching it, let alone clearing it.

Whether you're negotiating platforms (made simple thanks to a camera that pans down) or involved in the final climatic battle with Metroid Prime, you always feel as if you're at one with the game. And surely that's what gaming's all about, isn't it?

The handling is excellent whether you are driving or on foot, the dual shock controller and control system sit nicely in your hands and the whole thing feels natural.

When you finally set down the controller the first time, and eventually hunger or exhaustion do force all of us to take a break, Halo has pulled you completely into its world and started one of the best sci-fi gaming adventures of all time.

Rapture is a beautifully stylised city that provides plenty of mystery and intrigue. Definitely a game of the year contender.

It's truly an adventure from start to finish, and something that every gamer should experience.

It's not just an achievement in technical design and visual prowess; it's an entire masterpiece of game engineering. This is one of the finest videogame experiences ever crafted.

When all’s said and done, and in spite of our qualms and nitpicks, Mass Effect 2 truly is an excellent game.

Skyrim, an absolute masterpiece, the more you invest in the game, the more you get out of it. A truly epic game that deserves all of the plaudits. It is more than a just game, it is an experience.

The game design and detail is far beyond what other games offer, in fact it puts almost everything to shame.

Truly astounding. Not tarnished at all by all the hype, and truly worth the wait.

The sound of GTA Vice City is glorious.

LittleBigPlanet is a must have purchase for a system that needs more AAA titles in its library. As a PlayStation 3 exclusive, it's almost worth buying a system to experience.

Red Dead Redemption is a strong entry in the sandbox genre and a promising opening chapter from Rockstar San Diego.

One of Halo 2 Online's best features - if not the best - is the statistics tracking system. [Online review]

By far the most crafted and exceptional driving game around, but something or even anything new wouldn't go amiss.

Although A Link to the Past represents some of the most fabulous game designs you're ever likely to see, it also suffers from some criminally unforgiving sections that today's gamer-on-the-go is likely to scoff at. Not quite the vision of perfection that it once seemed to be.

There was no violence for violence sake, everything felt like it was done with perfect context. The writers and those that acted in the game all deserve a lot of credit, it was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had with a controller in my hands.

The Twilight Princess is a triumph. Every dungeon reveals something new whether it is weapons, environments, brilliantly designed puzzles or bosses.

There is no such thing as perfection, no matter how much we strive for it, therefore a couple of minor niggles do not distract from a top score. Portal 2 is the Game of the Year so far, it will take something special for it not to take that accolade. Sometimes the anticipation of a games release can leave the final thing feeling a little flat. That is not the case here as Portal 2 lives up to all expectations and then some.

With The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear has had its arm removed and replaced with something technically far more impressive.

A masterpiece of an adventure game. For anyone not to fall in love with it would truly amaze me. Everything is set just right and you are drawn into the story right from the very offset.

Modern Warfare 2 offers you more of the same, but with enough new content and options to demonstrate just what a firm foundation Infinity Ward has built.

It's a big-budget, beautifully crafted slice of next-gen promise kept; on many levels it's one of the best first person shooters released in a year of strong rivals, and perhaps even the best PlayStation 3 game released so far.

Beautiful graphics, that wonderful soundtrack, the enthralling story and that damn annoying fairy, the 3DS version has it all and is easily the best port to ever be made of the legend.

Along with the balance issues, unrealistically high numbers of turnovers and frequent worst-moment-possible penalties shatter the illusion of simulating an NFL game.

If only more multiplayer modes had been created, Gears of War would be regarded as the perfect Xbox Live game.

When started, you’ll rarely look at another game for weeks if not months (thanks to the downloadable content) to come and beyond. Oblivion is without question a strong contender for the best game of 2006.

Halo 3 isn't perfect, but it's so close it's unnerving. There's very little to fault with this game, and the flaws that are there are almost completely overshadowed by the overall quality and incredible amount of content and features.

It is literally full of those 'classic' moments that are all too rare these days. Whether it's the first time your footprints are discovered, the first time you perform a stealth kill, finding out the identity of the 'Ninja', solving the method of defeating Psycho Mantis, obtaining the camera and seeking out your first 'ghost'... there are so many classic memories.

But amidst all this dispensable extra substance is the core mechanic of Mario; the one thing that holds true to the series, and one thing that ensures Mario is leaps and bounds ahead of its platforming peers - inertia. The faster you run, the higher you jump. It's a brilliantly simple concept that works perfectly.

Not only does Sam Fisher dethrone Solid Snake, he snaps his neck when he's not looking. Now that's a sign of greatness.

Racing games have now changed forever, and entirely for the better - for that there can be no higher recommendation. It's that good.

As a document of the series past, present and future, it stands tall, and will prove essential for many. But for those without access to online play, especially those players unconvinced by the almost monotonous pace that the main game develops, there may be few reasons to return.

For all that, though, Guns Of The Patriots is a magnificently entertaining game.

Don't miss out on this at any cost. If you need a bit more convincing, just remember: you get to have a threesome.

It's a luminous use of an indelible vehicle, and it deserves to be held aloft; suitably accorded the very best nomenclature in Gamestyle's vocabulary. A Ten, then.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a modern classic, but it isn’t without faults.

It's an astonishing achievement for a handheld that nobody thought could hold this much content, or present it in such an effective way.

A game you can lose yourself in for hours, only looking away to wonder where the time has gone. It is one of this generations great games, as simple as that.

And all this carnage is rendered beautifully through the game's graphics and sound. It's hard to deny that God of War II is one of the greatest looking and most epic games on the Playstation 2, but it wouldn't be much of a stretch to call it one of the best looking games on any console.

A mastery of games design, Super Mario 3D World shows that Nintendo are still on top of their game. Blending the old and the new into platforming gold, this is everything we could’ve wanted and more. The reason to own a Wii U has arrived.

WOW the game is fast, furious and most importantly fun, for the first time in ages a game has reminded me that I'm scarred of heights and BOY this game throws you from some heights.

Street Fighter IV is everything we could have hoped for and more, and we haven’t even mentioned the glorious visuals and excellent music.

Persona 4 Golden isn’t just one of the best games on the Vita to date… Actually scratch that. It is THE best game on the Vita and it is one of the finest games you will ever play. It is a lesson in craftsmanship, there is no weakness at all, at no point is there a moment where your interest falls away. Persona 4 Golden is a system seller, you must own this, even if you need to still buy a Vita to do so.

It's hard to imagine how EA can possibly top this one.

Okami is a thing of beauty, and although it treads one or two too many familiar paths, it never fails to follow its own as well.

Fallout 3 is an incredibly well-accomplished game that lets players explore a rich, diverse and interesting landscape however they see fit.

Gears of War 2 is, simply put, an improvement in every aspect.

There's nothing wrong with the video game as such, the sound and presentation are both exemplary and the graphics are crisp, but as the sport is inherently complicated it doesn't go out of it's way to make new friends.

Put in enough time and you will find you are able to block, sidestep, counter, throw and special move your way to an impressive amount of “perfects”, without ever reaching the ridiculous heights of some games whereby a newcomer has no chance whatsoever.

In conclusion, this game has not let the series down. Opinion will differ with the actual story, but with the amount of different options available in the game, that is bound to happen. It just can't be stressed enough that this game will only give half the pleasure if it is played without prior Mass Effect experience.

The whole package offers a weird, unique, fun, original, stylish and difficult game which, unfortunately, can be all too hard to find these days.

How can Rockstar follow this? San Andreas is a masterpiece; the outstanding gameplay from the first two games has been extended, tweaked and applied to a fresh, original and fascinating setting. There's more than enough meat to keep you going for months, and the sheer variety of gameplay is bewildering.

Pretenders and rivals to the throne take note: a new standard by which all adventures shall be measured has been set. And it doesn't include a big set of 'guns'.

The game is probably the most balanced of the three, but excitement wise it never quite reaches the heights of it's predecessors.

A major factor in the addictive and fun nature of Guitar Hero II is the excellent learning curve.

It is one of the finest 3D games ever produced; nay crafted. At last, this is the 'third place'... this truly is the third dimension. History has just been rewritten.

Bloodborne is a sterling example of what can be achieved with the latest technology while also recalling an older, simpler time, where a game’s actual structure, gameplay, and content took precedence over its potential profitability.

Voice acting throughout is superb, and again really gives the whole game an impressive cinematic feel.

A great game and worthy of every racing fan's collection. It's no quick-thrill arcade ride, however, and those looking for something more along those lines should think twice before considering Forza.

The blend of presentation, visuals, sound, animation and commentary combines to create a believable and hugely enjoyable experience.

A few less than spectacular extra features complete the package. Worth mention only for reference these include annoying celebrity matches, and a frustrating ESPN 25th anniversary mode, where the top 25 plays in football are reenacted by the player.

Seeing the ducks from "Duck Hunt" or the 2 dimensional Ice-climbers (also featured as playable characters) will have you praising Nintendo for their kindness in bringing back some long forgotten gaming moments.

It is fair to say that on the current generation we have a perfect racing package.

Simply put, you have to play Batman: Arkham Asylum to be reminded why you love games in the first place.

It features playability by the bucket full, a superb main character and some of the most amazing graphical effects seen on any next generation system so far. It pulls you towards it like a moth to a flame and just like a doomed insect you can do nothing but succumb to it.

If you've got "Tricky," you'll find more of the same without the clarity of the level design and structure - but if you're new to the series and just want some fast action, you'll probably love everything there is about it, so enjoy!

The biggest let-down though is that Soul Calibur 2 feels much more like a remake than a true sequel. [Import]

Near the end of the game... the game loses all balance and a high proportion of cheesy twists and one boss fight after the other thrown at you all at once.

Smash Bros shows that despite the Wii U’s constant struggle to gain mainstream acceptance, Nintendo are still ploughing ahead, producing the most fun content you can find. Gather some friends together and there really is nothing better.

Casual players will notice very little difference and probably resent the soundtrack, favouring the more varied original. Experts will savour the focus of the new tracks and find the tweaked mechanics to be an absolute godsend, placing this high above the original.

You can play the game time and time again. Always finding something new, from a new piece of materia to a new place, to defeating the ultimate weapons. The story twists and turns all the time always keeping you guessing as to what will happen next.

It gets better as it goes, and perhaps even better with age, and still puts most other RPGs to shame.

To match such thrill-a-minute environments, the level design, puzzles, and boss fights are all insanely original.

Simply the best adventure game currently available on the Gameboy Advance. It's tough, but rewarding, plays extremely well and is not a simple port like so many other of Nintendo's releases before it.

Rock Band 2 really is the game Rock Band should have been in the first place, but it's nothing more than that.

Bayonetta 2 is an outright fantastic game. It’s another very good reason to own a Wii U and it outclasses practically every other game of this type by a considerable margin.

However it's all about balance, and Insomniac know how to keep players busy long after the main story has been completed, which is good, as it does feel a little short.

There's little point in buying this version. Gamestyle recommends either waiting for the upgrade or renting this for a solid weekend of tactical espionage action.

An epic piece of gaming.

RE4 is still a fantastic game and one of the best games of the last generation, but a few extra play modes wouldn't have gone amiss. Still, if you missed out on the horror the first time then this is the perfect way to catch up.

It manages to enlarge its scope from being something which entertains on a functional level to becoming something that emits enchantment and appreciation on a purely 'emotional' level.

What the original Borderlands did so well has been grabbed and near perfected with this sequel. The comedy may be hit and miss, but it thrives on its shooting and loot grabbing. Many hours of fun will await you in Pandora.

God of War: Chains of Olympus is a fantastic game and a worthy addition to any PSP owner’s collection.

This is an average, generic experience. For all its lofty ambitions and hype it is an unbelievable failure, a real disappointment for all PlayStation 3 owners.

Halo: Reach is far from the classic that many would have you believe, it's all too easy to bask in the hype and become bludgeoned by the praise. Time will show that it falls short, but nevertheless online is Bungie's masterpiece.

There is no doubt about the quality of the series and its playability, but I wish for more: invention, freedom, a camera that behaves and link up play for instance.

Better graphics, sound, story, gameplay and style all add up to a brilliant action adventure with a touch of RPG about it.

The story, however, is an area where Golden Sun refuses to go above and beyond the clichéd characters and typical save-the-world plot.

Link Between Worlds ran the risk of being nothing more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane, revisiting one of the most beloved games in the series, thankfully Nintendo have manage to couple the LTTP memories with some of the best, more unique design seen in the Zelda series in quite a while.

Far Cry 3 is not only one of the games of this year, it is one of the games of this generation. There was nothing about it that ever came close to ruining the fun, it is a true sandbox experience and all the faults from the previous games have been ironed out. Simply put, you must buy this now!

Dark Souls II is an ideal refinement, it maintains all of the original game’s qualities, but opens its doors a little to allow a whole new audience to experience it. It is the perfect sequel.

A general mish-mash of the best bits of Mario Kart combined with a slew of new features in one overwhelmingly complete title.

After learning the control regimen, it only takes a few adjustments to drive each model with aplomb - all the way up through the mighty 660-horsepowered Enzo (albeit one that appears to have Colin McRae at the wheel).