For new players, Riptide may well be a decent enough curiosity, but for everybody else, there’s little reason to return to Techland’s zombie-murdering vision.

Mars is a fairly interesting action RPG with a cheap price on its side, but in all honesty it could do with being even cheaper.

Wait for a better discount, or wait until they’ve made some improvements to it. As it stands, there are bigger and better titles to be excited about.

Surgeon Simulator 2013 is engagingly ludicrous. It’s neither a substitute for actual medical training, nor will it take anywhere near as long to complete, but it’s a good way to find out where you fall between squeamish and remorseless monster. Physician, heal thy self (and stay away from me).

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, expansion or no, is the game Duke Nukem Forever should’ve been – all ridiculous lines, over-the-top moments, glorious cheese all the way, with plenty of moments where you feel like the greatest bad-ass in the world.

The real winner here ends up being folk who never experienced the original Dragon’s Dogma. With this release you have an opportunity to experience one of the most refreshing, exciting and different Japanese RPGs of the last decade in its most complete form, and at a bargain basement price.

Fortunately by being just generally being more challenging for both stealth and action gamers Knife of Dunwall is a decent piece of DLC no matter how it’s sliced. There may be only two real missions over five levels but there’s so much packed in those levels that I spend a good few days exploring them, and was left fully satisfied.

Sacred Citadel, then, is certainly of interest from a game design standpoint, but more as a warning that sometimes what sounds like a good idea actually isn’t. RPG elements have become more and more common in other genres of video games, but in this example of the side-scrolling brawler, they just don’t work.

Defiance is an underwhelming MMO at best, but it does have one or two moments of distinction. The TV and videogame tie-ins largely fall short of the mark, and there are better online shooters out there to choose from. A curiosity in terms of media convergence, but it rarely troubles the definition of 'groundbreaking'. Average from start to finish.

As I said at the start. Motocross Madness is a whole lot of fun. It's not without its problems, and it is a bit rough around the edges, but none of that matters. It's just fun. If you can scrounge up some mates multiplayer is a great laugh too.

One of the best games to come to PSN in ages, Guacamelee! is one of those rare titles that bridges the gap between the familiar and originality perfectly with some of the most vibrant and stylish graphics of the year.

As a curiosity project for fans of the genre, I can only say that I’m glad Lords of Football exists; but as a full-price release it’s not something that can be readily recommended.

In the long term though, I think Cities in Motion 2 will turn out to be a far better game than the original one was. Once the team get rid of the rest of the bug fixes, and fix that problem with short-term gameplay to pull people through, then this should become one decent transport simulator.

Scaling itself back for a more "pure" co-op experience just doesn't work for this franchise that benefited so greatly from borderline parody. For that reason alone, The Devil's Cartel is an awkward one to recommend.

If Shootmania can gather creative types into its playerbase, capable of bringing it new modes, weapons and maps then it could turn out to be a varied and lasting experience. But for now it feels like a shell or wraparound for a game that hinges on players engaging with the myriad tools available.

It’s a fascinatingly engaging game, drawing you in with humour and charm, then keeping you hooked with its intelligent level design that guides you to the hidden treasures subtly, making you feel like you’ve achieved something without ever forcing you into frustration.

It doesn't do anything new or exciting, but nor does it offend in any great way. There are plenty of little mistakes, and just not enough to make them forgiveable. It's a pretty average game with decent presentation. For something a bit more time consuming or in depth, I'd look elsewhere. If you just want a distraction then maybe.

There’s fun, then, to be had with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, especially for those familiar with the original series, but in following a “see what sticks” approach to adding content rather than focusing on exploring and updating the franchise’s core mechanics, Sanzaru have ended up with a game that’s caught somewhere between the past and present and, no matter the nostalgia, that isn’t quite good enough in 2013.

Those who enjoyed the previous games should give Razor's Edge a chance, the improvements allowing the finer aspects of the series to shine through much clearer, but if it's a Premier Ninja experience you are looking for you might have to look elsewhere.

Bioshock Infinite is a game that deserves to be played, and then played again straight afterwards. It’s one of those games that you finish and just feel sad because you know you won’t be playing another game that good for a long time to come.

Whilst there’s little in the way of tactical depth to sustain the action beyond the initial rush, Rebellion’s sniping and killcam mechanics remain an interesting and satisfying prospect in the short-term.

A fantastic game of exploration and survival. You can occasionally feel lost in its open-world that lacks any real signposting, but the simple joy of digging and crafting means you’ll keep playing to discover the naturally-occurring progress.

It’s cleverly designed and brilliant - it just can’t seem to manage all of its ambitions within the rather tight, easy-to-run framework that Maxis has placed the game within.

Should you buy it? Maybe, as it is cheap. Will you be playing it in a month? Probably not, unless you really get into it. Is it good value if purchased and played with friends? Definitely, it’s at its best. Are there enough people playing to sustain it in the long term? Doubtful.

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm embodies an evolved RTS that shows Blizzard has taken on even more superior genes from other gaming greats, even when those greats coincidentally happen to be of their own creation. If this is what happened since Wings of Liberty, then we should be in for a real treat when Legacy of the Void drops out of hyperspace.

God of War: Ascension is a decent addition to the franchise. Combat remains sharp and puzzles are more intricate than ever. Unfortunately, a lack of interesting source material never shakes off the feeling that the stakes are lower here. This is easily the weakest God of War title to date, but when you consider the immense quality of the previous five games, it's perhaps to be expected.

The Campaign might only last around 6-7 hours, but there are plenty of reasons to go back, ensuring that Gears of War: Judgment feels more than just an expansion pack to its predecessors.

Flawed as its presentation of the young Lara story may be, Tomb Raider is a great game first and an interesting story second. The latter certainly stumbles frequently throughout, but I was never put-off enough to actually stop playing - chiefly because the gameplay I was indulging in was so persuasively fun. That’s what matters in the end.

Crytek seem to have this innate ability to forget what made their previous games liked and fail to address any complaints – so with Crysis 3 we once again see poor checkpointing, an abundance of non-human encounters, not so fun shooting, linear enclosed areas, and forgetting about human enemies altogether after the halfway point. Their best looking game yet, but also their weakest.

All in all, a fantastic effort from Critical Studio that reaches a climax when you've got three friends fighting against the toughest and most numerous hordes. If only it wasn’t for that damn AI.

The game time is shorter and the goals are more defined, leading to a more immediate need for diplomacy and warfare, and the stripped down nature of the game actually does it credit when playing with others.

Ultimately, we can’t help but feel that you’ll play through the rather short campaign, and while you’ll probably have a great time doing it, you’ll shrug your shoulders and either give multiplayer a quick blast, and/or go back to Call of Duty or something.

Bland, boring, and turgid to the last - look to Tropico 4 for a fine example of micromanagement, or instead XCOM Enemy Unknown for turn-based kicks: Omerta: City of Gangsters deserves to be thrown in a trunk and taken "someplace up state."

Impire does have an interesting approach to resources, with its above world raids (it’s a 2D map) and points system of dungeon upgrades based on performance but, ultimately, Impire is flawed, conceptually and technically.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is a slap in the face to anyone who put the game on their Most Wanted list at any point since 2007. It’ll be remembered for a long time, but for all the wrong reasons. What a shame. I just feel sorry for those who bought the Season Pass… since there probably won’t be a Season now.

Franchise aficionados will know how convoluted Metal Gear plots can be. Revengeance also stumbles into preachy territory and tries to provide comment on America, politics and terrorism. This is expected for the most part and doesn't become too overbearing until the final hour, where cutscenes take an even greater role in proceedings. If the sociocultural commentary becomes too much, Virtual Reality missions offer a direct chance to get down and dirty.

I tested the Xbox 360 version of Omerta, which controlled fine. The 360 versions of Tropico both had decent performance, and the same is true here. As well as working smoothly on a technical level, the actual control scheme is well-thought out. It’s clear that Omerta began life with both platforms in mind instead of console being tacked on as an after-thought.

As usual, all objectives revolve around causing mass genocide and protecting painfully annoying innocents. If you were looking to buy this game for the online multiplayer experience, don't bother. At the time of writing, it seems nobody across the world wants to punch with friends.

Dead Space 3 is a game that looks sleek, is polished to the last minute detail, and is full of some stunning set-pieces. But beneath those shiny distractions, it lacks any real sense of soul, slotting in among a raft of other third-person shooters, never causing you to feel anything other than short bursts of panic and relief.

What saves Dungeon Gate from being a total frustration-filled write-off is the one innovation the game has: Dysan’s ability to scan and turn himself into every single person, animal or creature in the game, and then use their powers and even upgrade each form.

While the original model, texture and animation work of these three Hitman titles hasn’t held up all that well, the actual technical work done on this HD collection is solid. There’s widescreen, a higher resolution and undoubtedly a better frame rate than the original titles - and that’s the best you can expect without stretching to be more of a remake than a straight port. Three games in one place for a budget price is pretty good, too.

Things feel like they're going to start hotting up in Cognition, and while nothing's blowing me away in general I am enjoying the series. However, certain things definitely require a strong polish, and I hope Phoenix Online has time to make improvements before the next episode.

Overall if you've got the rig and a game controller plugged in then DmC: Devil May Cry is great start to a new direction for the series, and hopefully one that will get to keep exploring this new, grittier Dante.

For its budget and decidedly indie status, maybe that's a bit of a harsh criticism of Strike Suit Zero, but the feeling of repetition was overwhelmingly strong as I made my way through the latter half of the game.

There are a fair number of things to like in Cognition and it certainly represents a promising start to the series. While it's not quite up to the "modern adventure" standard set by The Blackwell Deception at least Phoenix Online are trying, and I was pleased to see and feel how much thought and effort had gone into all the components.

Given the pedigree of Ron Gilbert and Double Fine Productions' past works, a lot of people will be understandably excited by the prospect of The Cave. On paper, it sounds appealing, with its variety of characters and plethora of reasons to replay. It looks charming and, at first, the humour hits the spot. Problems lie with its inability to give you any great reason to replay it. It's just all too disappointingly shallow.

Ubisoft are to be applauded for grasping, as Hi-Rez Studios did with Tribes Ascend, that the secret to a successful free-to-play title is building a healthy player base first and foremost and watching the income flow from that, rather than nickel and diming gamers for even basic content. It also helps if your core game is any good to begin with, and Might & Magic Duel of Champions is most certainly that. In fact, I'd heartily recommend it to fans of the Might & Magic series or online trading card games in general even if it had a price tag attached.

Despite a battle system that has the ability to irritate, Ni No Kuni should be experienced and enjoyed by all types of gamers.

DmC does a fantastic job of being immediately recognisable as a game belonging to the franchise, while also providing an experience that will introduce those unfamiliar to it. It's sleek and cool, providing a frantic and flowing combat system that underlies and defines it from the get-go. Dante doesn't just look cooler, he plays cooler, and this may well be the series' finest hour.

Fortunately TT Games are not content to rest on their laurels as they've managed to pack in an exciting, thrilling and funny adventure with lots to explore and hours of gameplay to make the whole package feel not only fresh but epic to boot.

Really, it costs nothing to give the game a go, so if you're a PC Gamer who likes shooters and wants to try something truly different, you owe it to yourself to drop onto Auraxis. You won't regret it.

There's a lot of content on offer for the reduced price, and Lucius will certainly appeal to puzzle enthusiasts who want a darker edge to their adventuring, or murder enthusiasts who'd like to give their brain a work out rather than their stabbing arm.

Should you buy Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition if you own it on GOG? Probably not. A few optional characters, a Horde mode, and a few built-in modifications do not a Really Special Edition make. You should absolutely play Baldur's Gate if you don't mind isometric RPGs that give you a real challenge, since the writing is still amazing and both the world and combat system are still really deep and engrossing.

Zone of the Enders ultimately doesn't offer much, but then it didn't really promise much either – it's a great, if short ride for any mech fans, and even those who just enjoy fast paced action games should get a good kick out of this as well. Here's to Zone of the Enders 3.

Epic Mickey 2 is like a wonderful celebratory book of Disney lore where 80% of the pages have been torn, ripped, doodled over or spilled coffee on. On a base level there are numerous things to love, but the actual playing of the game turns that joy into hard, bitter anger.

Only a few clunky systems, a couple of irritating puzzles, and a brief playing time let the game down, and none should put you off buying. Between this and Machinarium it seems post-apocalyptic adventures in robot civilisations are a safe bet for excellent puzzling.

Despite lacking multiplayer and having an insane distaste for newcomers King's Bounty: Warriors of the North is a fun, compelling game with good value for money. On the other hand, veteran fans of the series will feel like they're merely getting a Viking-inspired expansion pack to The Legend, and so really have to ask themselves if that's what they want.

The Walking Dead: The Game won't just go down as one of the best examples of gaming as a storytelling medium, it isn't just one of the best licensed games ever made, and it won't just be known as one of the best games of 2012 (if not the best). It'll also be the only game ever that made me think, made me laugh, made me jump out of my seat, made me cry, and made me want to vomit. That's Telltale's real achievement in my view.

A decent choice for any PS3 owners looking to get off the sofa this Christmas.

Despite a few technical quirks (seriously Ubisoft, patch the save system), a slight shortage of non-cutscene NPC interactions and the occasional lack of constant threat Far Cry 3 is a triumph that stands out from every other shooter released this year.

To be honest, Absolution is a bit of a weird game in general – if you take various components individually, there are a lot of fun and unique elements to the game. Start to look at it as a whole product though, and you can't help but feel as emotionally detached as the people you end up killing. It's way more narrative driven than any of the previous games, and that has a natural effect on where you go, and what you do when you get there.

If it wasn't for these frustrating moments, Pid would be a lovely mix of puzzles and platforming, making you challenge and engage your brain. Missing the bus should be the most frustrating thing you experience, but unfortunately it's not, meaning Pid is just one stop short of something great.

Codemasters has produced a remarkably upbeat karting title that puts the feel-good into a license that is often bogged down by its own intricacy. Throw in a few friends and an evening of online multiplayer, you might just have yourself a starting grid worth gearing up for.

007 Legends is rushed, short, frustrating, and wastes several interesting scenarios. It's at best slightly above average (several bits in Moonraker), but largely painfully average or excruciatingly below average.

It's unfinished, it doesn't communicate vital information to the player very well, and – let's be honest here – it's all more than a little repetitive. Every level just feels like you're doing the same things over and over again. There's fun to be had certainly in the building and exploration departments, but it could've been handled with a lot more care. This isn't a game, it's a tomb.

Though this title is flawed, shallow, and often bland, it does have fun moments.

With ridiculously long loading times, poor graphical design, and repetitive gameplay it's hard to recommend to anyone but the biggest RPG devotees.

There is no single-player, only a handful of maps, and a relentless focus on deathmatch. There are no modern bells and whistles, no character customization, and no real thought past the concept of dinosaurs vs humans.

The combat hits an enjoyable, if uninspired, rhythm at times, but really, Clan of Champions does nothing new, confining you to small, cookie-cutter environments and not even having the good grace to polish your loot.

I could say a lot of technically bad things about Painkiller – mindless, stupid, old-fashioned, bizarre… but it's been given so much care and attention that none of it really matters. It does the mindless, oddly pointless single-player campaign extremely well and the re-done levels are both visually diverse and interesting; great homage to the original game.

For 2013, there's more than enough to keep fans happy, and while it sometimes seems worth it to skip the latest version of Football Manager, the overhauled multiplayer and game mode variation makes this an essential purchase as ever.

Yes – the campaign is probably the weakest element of the game on balance, and one needs to look towards future Spartan Ops episodes to see what will become of that mode, but taken as a package this is a game that Halo fans, including this Halo fan, can seriously enjoy. Plus, it looks amazing.

Right now the small player population is seriously harming what makes Ravaged stand out, but even when you do end up in a big battle on a fresh map, its best attributes are lost underneath layers of niggling issues that just prevent it from being an enjoyable experience.

An unforgettable, beautiful experience.

After last year's encouraging switch-up, the developer hasn't done enough to iron out encounters in the ring. A little imagination would go a long way with WWE's next installment.

Zombie Driver HD's relatively low price point and reasonable replay value make it easy to recommend, so long as you aren't expecting something of full retail quality.

Connor's adventure is an excellent one. His story is methodical and meticulous, much like the land his people inhabit. A slow build-up may deter players, but plenty of memorable moments are worth sticking around for. The game is so rich with content and minor activities that it's almost impossible to tackle it all.

While Ubisoft may have fundamentally failed to grasp the commitment behind learning actual guitar, the product behind it is sound. It may be a steep initial outlay to play, but if you're serious about learning guitar, this one will put you on the right path, while entertaining you in the process.

Port Royale 3 is not a bad game, not by any means, and I'd say on the whole it does a better job of things than Patrician IV did – it's still not fantastic though. Definitely one to pick up cheap if you can find it, but still worth picking up all the same.

Dare I say it, Forza Horizon is arguably the most attractive and all-encompassing racer of the generation.

Trials Evolution's first batch of DLC is exactly what the game needs. A decent amount of extra content for 400 MSP will rejuvenate interest in those who have moved on. Upon returning you'll notice a richer, more diverse community to enjoy.

It's dumb, it's crass, and it's not all that good, but it's shocking. If you fancy playing a real oddity of a videogame that will both revile and amuse you: look no further.

Sonic Adventure 2 might technically be Sonic but it doesn't have any of the classic spirit of the cocky hedgehog. Instead, Sonic Adventure 2 offers a bunch of nice concepts that feel a little disjointed and muddled.

It's just a little too similar to previous iterations that it's hard to recommend fans rush out to buy it.

I have no idea where the story is going next, and I'm itching to find out.

Is it as successful or as ambitious as something like the original Fable? No, not quite. It still manages to be like nothing else out there, however. It's a game that, unlike other Kinect titles, can be enjoyed alone, just as much as it can be enjoyed with the family at Christmas time. It's a rough beginning and the horse riding does grate after time, but Fable: The Journey offers just enough variety that in the end, you'll be smiling. And aching.

Fans of the Frogwares titles will be satiated, even with the lack of Creepy Watson shadowing your every move. Inconsistencies and plot, er, 'quirks' aside, this is a pretty solid adventure with some neat ideas and a dog jumping onto a series of wooden pillars.

Four expansions in, it finally feels like World of Warcraft is slowing down. Unless you're currently sitting at 85, even pandas aren't going to bring you back into this one.

As long as you enjoy action, sci-fi and a rich amalgam of gaming styles, there's loads to enjoy right here.

The plot may be straightforward but the level of detail in the world could inspire countless fan fiction stories.

If you're likely to be playing without kids, you're not going to be hooked by this loosely connected mini-game compendium and should deduct a point.

Dodgy AI, a horrible story, and a frustratingly steep learning curve are all obstacles to enjoyment, and even when you do hit the height points, it's still nothing special.

Resident Evil 6 is the disfigured spawn of a generation that is best known for Call of Duty. We've got Resident Evil 4's atmosphere spliced into the body of Operation Racoon City's action. Moments of brilliance clash with sections of irritation.

Double Dragon Neon is evidence. Evidence that my misplaced obsession with a classic coin-op wasn't misplaced after all. It's proof for those who weren't there – or weren't even born – who believe themselves gaming experts because they remember when the first Deus Ex game came out.

It isn't the greatest, but it keeps making strides to reclaim its former glory.

It's definitely going to be punishing to casual players or people who simply aren't that good, but if you do manage to get to grips with it, it's very rewarding. It can sometimes feel a little grindy, especially early on as you're trying to save up money to perfect your first load out, but other than that this is one good looking and well-made man stabber.

Rather like last year's Amy, Lexis Numerique have created in Red Johnson's Chronicles: One Against All a game that appears to hold much promise, only to be let down by a ham-fisted implementation of the game mechanics. While it's nowhere near as bad as that game, One Against All's annoying puzzles and clumsy interface too often suck the joy out of progressing through its pulp plot, making it impossible to recommend to even the most committed of adventure game fans.

It's interesting, baffling and - at times - bizarre whilst it lasts, and if the community ultimately flocks around it during the coming weeks, you'll likely have a few hours' fun delving into multiplayer matches and figuring out your best build queues before moving on.