You’d think GTA V had been purpose built for the PC, and that’s because it has been – from the generous array of graphics options, to native keyboard and mouse support – Grand Theft Auto V isn’t disguised as a PC game; it is a PC game.

Gameplay mechanics have been smoothed out greatly, and Uncharted 2 is one of the few PS3 games that both requires no installation and loads quickly. Maps are very large, and several levels have high-speed chases, helicopter attacks, and has players jumping from rooftops.

Arkham City is stuffed to the edge of the disc with content and replay value (in addition to the gigantic campaign there's an expanded Challenge Mode and New Game Plus), is incredible amounts of fun, is polished to perfection, has had real love poured into every aspect, and most importantly, it makes you feel like Batman.

But, assuming you're fine with that, then Skyrim is, in a word, amazing. Sure, it has its problems, it's oddities, and again some of these are just down to how the game is made and others just need some extra patching or work done to it. There is always a danger with games like these that you'll get bored, or you'll lose your drive - Bethesda have done a wonderful job of staving off that feeling in this game.

Rockstar's latest feels like an actual location rather than a movie set, and it's compelling, cohesive, at once familiar and yet imbued with a sense of slack-jawed wonderment. It's also absolutely unmissable.

Much like the adventures of Drake, if you own a PS3, you need to own this game.

Never before has a review embargo had us screaming inside so badly that our mind eventually goes hoarse. We've wanted to shout from the rooftops about how Portal 2 not only betters the original Portal, but completely annihilates it...If you thought the original Portal was a masterpiece, prepare to have your mind blown.

Rockstar's latest feels like an actual location rather than a movie set, and it's compelling, cohesive, at once familiar and yet imbued with a sense of slack-jawed wonderment. It's also absolutely unmissable.

Never before has a review embargo had us screaming inside so badly that our mind eventually goes hoarse. We've wanted to shout from the rooftops about how Portal 2 not only betters the original Portal, but completely annihilates it...If you thought the original Portal was a masterpiece, prepare to have your mind blown.

Never before has a review embargo had us screaming inside so badly that our mind eventually goes hoarse. We've wanted to shout from the rooftops about how Portal 2 not only betters the original Portal, but completely annihilates it...If you thought the original Portal was a masterpiece, prepare to have your mind blown.

I may have hated Oblivion, but I utterly love Skyrim. It's fixed every problem I had with the previous game and don't think I'll be uninstalling it for a good long while.

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.

Arkham City is stuffed to the edge of the disc with content and replay value (in addition to the gigantic campaign there's an expanded Challenge Mode and New Game Plus), is incredible amounts of fun, is polished to perfection, has had real love poured into every aspect, and most importantly, it makes you feel like Batman.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best games ever made and an entertainment experience that should be unreservedly celebrated.

Elden Ring is a walking example of a 10 out of 10 game that isn’t perfect. No game can be perfect but there is just so much in here to love that it becomes hard to pay attention to its mistakes. Every handful of hours had the game open up more and, every time, I was desperate to keep searching, exploring, conquering. Now, over 100 hours later and two playthroughs, all I want is to discover more of what Elden Ring has in store for me. This isn’t just one of the best From Software titles but one of the best games I’ve ever played and I would be shocked if this didn’t have reverberations on the entire games industry.

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.

Those niggles aside, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an absolute triumph and the best open-world RPG around, maybe even the best altogether.

This human quality and depth of gameplay is what sets CoH apart from RTS games where your units are all expendable. In CoH nothing is expendable.

As far as 2010 goes, it's mightily difficult to recommend a downloadable title more than Pac-Man Championship Edition DX.

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.

In the end StarCraft II didn't go changing on us in the fundamentals, and that's perhaps the greatest feature Blizzard could ever have included. What works, works and StarCraft nailed it back in 1998 and StarCraft II: Wings if Liberty nails it here and now in 2010.

After more than 55 hours spent playing, I’m still awed by just how great God of War is. This is the result of a clear, determined vision, its separate elements harmonizing almost perfectly to deliver an experience that understands the series’ blood-soaked origins but is also not afraid to push it into a more mature and nuanced direction. Kratos and Atreus’ relationship develops naturally as does their understanding of the foreign land they’re journeying through. The story takes its time, never rushing its satisfying reveals, and making way for a set of surprisingly personal boss fights, while the continuous camera shot used throughout the game is a masterstroke in terms of presentation. All this is built around a snappy and responsive combat system that has more depth than you’re initially led to believe. There are more jaw-dropping surprises I didn’t touch upon simply because it’s best that you experience them for yourself. Looking back, aside from the port’s few performance flaws, my only real complaint has to do with Sony taking this long to bring the game to PC.

To put it plainly, there is an odd disconnect between this game and Mass Effect 2. In fact, there are more ties between this game and the first game than there are between 2 and 3, and sometimes we can't help but feel Mass Effect 2 never happened.

Although Resident Evil 4 is a superb remake, it still exists in the shadow of what made the original so important. However, the parry system stands out as the most welcome change to the largely familiar proceedings. At its core, the game remains the same stupendous spectacle of action horror it always was, but with arguably even higher intensity.

God of War 3 is fantastic, and has at least three scenes that are utterly magnificent. Design and gameplay-wise, it's absolutely stunning. The downside is that it doesn't have that clear cut perfection that its predecessor had; the polish shine that brilliantly lit up our eyes when we first enjoyed God of War 2.

Although the action in the final scenes is some of the best the title has to offer, the delivery of the narrative's closing stages is rushed and ultimately seems rather weak.

Resident Evil Requiem is one of the series’ best outings in recent years. Delivering on the action and scares, the game shows what makes the franchise so special. It can fall into the trap of fan service, but never falters much in what it sets out to do. Yes, it’s February and, yes, it is cliché, but Requiem is already one of 2026’s best and an experience that fans and newcomers won’t be able to get enough of.

It's no incremental upgrade and brings more than just character balancing to the table, managing to improve, fix and surpass the original Street Fighter IV in every way imaginable - and they've done it at less than full price.

It has certainly laid down the marker for Gran Turismo 5 to surpass; a task that now looks incredibly daunting. At this stage in Forza’s lifespan, it doesn’t feel like we could ask for much more.

Rewarding and engrossing in equal measure, the entire production reeks of quality from the stellar voice work to the jaw-dropping visuals and intuitive control system. Truly this is the Batman game that everybody’s been waiting for.

Blood and Wine is an incredible send-off for an excellent game.

It's no incremental upgrade and brings more than just character balancing to the table, managing to improve, fix and surpass the original Street Fighter IV in every way imaginable - and they've done it at less than full price.

As far as 2010 goes, it's mightily difficult to recommend a downloadable title more than Pac-Man Championship Edition DX.

Though there hasn't been much of a technical improvement in the graphics and sound, the whole game feels much more vibrant. The colourful environments of the single player levels extend into the levels from the community too. LittleBigPlanet is just a joyous world to be a part of, even the menu screens have that extra sparkle of creativity poured into them.

Will it have the legs that games like Team Fortress and Counter-Strike have had? No idea, but Blizzard certainly has an impressive track record when it comes to supporting their games over time. For now, though, I can say that this is the most fun I’ve had with a shooter in years, and if you’ve got even a passing interest in team-based shooting, you should absolutely be playing it.

Not only is FIFA 10 the best EA has ever produced, it’s also one of the best football games we’ve played, period. It’s not without its niggles, but setting these aside, FIFA 10 does just about everything else exactly right.

Not only an unreservedly brilliant and compelling follow-up, but one of the finest games we’ve ever played. Boasting a suitably grand soundtrack, majestic aesthetics and masterful level design, Assassin’s Creed II is everything we could have ever wished for and so much more. Forget Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed II is without a doubt this year’s biggest and best.

It’s no surprise that Forza Horizon puts itself right into the mix with 2021’s Game of the Year contenders. Playground Games has been getting it right for a decade now. This is the definitive experience in the series so far, one that excels both on PC and the Xbox Series X. Minimal issues, such as server connectivity, fail to spoil the party that is just crammed with happiness and adventure. A number of small improvements across the board elevates the racer to being best in class; a huge plus for Microsoft with Sony’s impressive-looking Gran Turismo 7 flashing its headlights not too far in the distance.

Crysis is a truly evolved first person shooter, both in terms of just how photorealistic the whole immersion becomes and the gameplay its highly attuned physics simulation brings to the player.

It’s teeming with new loot, better opportunities to stick it to your fellow players and has even richer music to fit the mood.

Everything has been enhanced and improved so much, that Bungie at least deserve kudos for all the effort they put in. This is definitely the most complete Halo game to date, and well worth the money. Hell, It may even live up to its own hype.

If you’re a fan of Dread Lords, then this expansion should absolutely be on your list to pick up as soon as possible. Go download it, I’ll wait.

It's unreservedly brilliant.

It's faster and more intense than ever before, with tangible improvements to every facet. The word forza is used to cheer competitors at sporting events: it's about enthusiasm and passion. Forza 4 succeeds because it distils automotive passion into a form that anyone- not just petrolheads- will find enthralling.

As much as it remains a numbers-driven grand strategy game, Crusader Kings III masterfully paints a complex medieval world teeming with living characters that have desires and ambitions. Its mixture of familiar and evolved systems enhances its roleplaying and emergent storytelling potential. The actions that you perform always feel like they’re the result of a process or skill your characters have naturally gained and there’s always something to grab your attention. And so it did, as for 70+ hours we were completely absorbed by warfare, realm management and court intrigue, which, it turns out, we haven’t had enough of just yet.

Being a gamer who puts story almost equal to gameplay, personally I was kind of annoyed at the tangent the third game seemed to go off on. Gears 2 asked more than a few questions, and whilst Gears 3 answers some of them - mainly relating to the lambent - it leaves other's painfully un-answered.

Rewarding and engrossing in equal measure, the entire production reeks of quality from the stellar voice work to the jaw-dropping visuals and intuitive control system. Truly this is the Batman game that everybody’s been waiting for.

Although Resident Evil 4 is a superb remake, it still exists in the shadow of what made the original so important. However, the parry system stands out as the most welcome change to the largely familiar proceedings. At its core, the game remains the same stupendous spectacle of action horror it always was, but with arguably even higher intensity.

Without a doubt the best RPG adventure of the decade.

Not only an unreservedly brilliant and compelling follow-up, but one of the finest games we’ve ever played. Boasting a suitably grand soundtrack, majestic aesthetics and masterful level design, Assassin’s Creed II is everything we could have ever wished for and so much more. Forget Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed II is without a doubt this year’s biggest and best.

The presentation is absolutely sensational, providing a television feel that eclipses anything I've seen before.

Blizzard has been bold and their gamble seems to have paid off - while this latest add-on doesn't achieve a flawless encore it feels pretty darn Zen. Cataclysm fixes up an already deep game with more flair and substance than ever before.

Bayonetta is an assured, impeccably well-crafted game overflowing with enough offbeat ideas to fuel a million action games, and if we were doling out medals of our own, we'd award Platinum Games with the highest possible accolade. Simply put, Bayonetta is worthy of nothing less than pure platinum.

It's very difficult to adequately score or sum up FIFA 12, simply because it's taken such a risk with an established formula, one that's turned out – eventually – well indeed, but also one that requires a lot of effort to learn and get used to, something a lot of people might not want to do.

Evolution's main strength comes from ambition. It's definitely a fully-fledged, weighty sequel. With a superb array of courses, newly-introduced multiplayer and a limitless track editor, 1200 MSP remains an absolute steal.

It's very difficult to adequately score or sum up FIFA 12, simply because it's taken such a risk with an established formula, one that's turned out – eventually – well indeed, but also one that requires a lot of effort to learn and get used to, something a lot of people might not want to do.

Not only is FIFA 10 the best EA has ever produced, it’s also one of the best football games we’ve played, period. It’s not without its niggles, but setting these aside, FIFA 10 does just about everything else exactly right.

This is the finest available version of an excellent, atmospheric game. It's still not perfect, but the Redux version irons out a significant number of weaknesses, adding some of Last Light's improved mechanics while also providing a welcome layer of visual polish.

Limbo is a fine example of how you can create a masterpiece, yet sell it through the Xbox Live arcade at a budget price. It may not be the longest game, but to capture the imagination of any player is something that is a rarity in gaming.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is one of this year's finest releases, and improves on everything we loved about the previous title, while adding plenty of its own excellent features.

Dead Space 2 is a more than worthy successor to the original, adding plenty of oomph to the series and a solid multiplayer experience to boot. We would have preferred more puzzles and a little less linearity, but that doesn't stop us wanting a third Isaac outing.

An unforgettable, beautiful experience.

It is glorious.

A fast, slick and beautiful community-driven MMO experience featuring all the content and mechanics you'd expect from a game with a monthly fee, and a good deal more besides. With that in mind, I cannot recommend it enough.

The only thing one might criticise is that it can get a bit samey after a while. Around two-thirds of the way through, you may well be feeling a bit fatigued by the whole yellowness of your surroundings, and be yearning for something to change, even just for one level.

A game that demands your total attention, it will consume it, and you’ll need to refine your skills in order to get anywhere. If you don’t think you’re up to that kind of challenge then you may want to pass, and seek something a little more forgiving. For the real racing fans, and gear heads among the gaming community, you’ll want this – want this bad!

This is the most fully featured Total War to date, and a great homage to the game that launched the series.

The presentation is absolutely sensational, providing a television feel that eclipses anything I've seen before.

The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone may skirt the line between DLC and Expansion Pack by merely adding more of what was already in Wild Hunt, but gets away with it by being sizeable and awesome.

Without a single doubt, Remedy Entertainment is both proud and aware of its past accomplishments but also eager to look ahead while embracing creativity and consistently revealing new facets of its memorable and unique brand of weirdness. Even in a year as stacked as this one, Alan Wake 2 is one of those increasingly rare games that isn’t just an exceptional experience on its own but makes me curious about what its developer has cooked up next.

Resident Evil 2 Remake is a triumph of clever, polished game design, and is quite possibly our favourite game in the series. It leans into terrifying close encounters more than epic action setpieces, but that’s really what the series is about, and RE2 does the terrifying perfectly. Enemies are superb, and the game boasts the best zombies in any game ever - unrelenting and mostly unstoppable, they’re just creepy. Then there’s Mr X, the game’s own Jason Voorhees, continuously stalking you throughout. We loved every moment of Resident Evil 2, and even if you know the first game inside out, you won’t know the Remake at all. If you’ve ever loved a Resident Evil game, or wished that RE7 was third-person, want to go back to RE2 and its great horror design, or just want a horror-action game… get Resident Evil 2 Remake. You won’t be disappointed.

If we were to level any specific criticisms about Borderlands 2 it would be the whole guns thing. Yeah, we get it, the game has all the guns ever, but to be honest a lot of them are pretty samey, with maybe a new adjective or stat change here and there.

Devil May Cry 5 is a stellar return to form for the series, capitalizing on all the elements that make it great. Charismatic characters and stylish, over-the-top fighting mix together into an experience that keeps you hooked to your seat for the initial 15+ hours, and possibly more as you delve into higher difficulties. With very little beating around the bush, and a combat system that’s easy enough to grasp but takes a while to master, the title successfully pushes you to learn its combos, while providing an awesome power trip. Gorgeous and intense, Devil May Cry 5 is an unbridled serving of the purest form of action that few other titles pull off quite as well.

If you’re a Souls fan, you should play this game, and if you haven’t yet dug into this nightmarish world, Dark Souls III is an excellent place to start.

All you really need to know though, is this; Pillars of Eternity is a triumph.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is one of this year's finest releases, and improves on everything we loved about the previous title, while adding plenty of its own excellent features.

Whichever you prefer, playing versus with friends or cooperatively against the improved Director, there is almost no fault to Left 4 Dead 2.

Mass Effect is a superb game for its story, its breadth of characters and setting a new bar of standard for cinematic videogaming.

This game preys on your feelings, and is very skilled at manipulating them. Make no mistake, it takes a certain kind of person (never mind gamer) to stick with and possibly enjoy this game - we believe they are sometimes called Masochists - but Dark Souls does what it does extremely well, and it's to be applauded for that at least.

Inertial Drift is an espresso shot full of arcade-y goodness. Its approach to drifting isn’t just intuitive, but it encapsulates that Initial D fantasy wonderfully. It might be shorter than other games coming out, but that time spent is enthralling and well worth it. If you love arcade racing, you can’t go wrong with Inertial Drift’s “easy to pick up and tricky to master” style.

Excellent gameplay, superb storytelling, a ridiculously open world and the best damn writing you’ll find today.

It boasts some of the most imaginative levels out there, and they’re backed up by platforming and combat that feels very familiar yet also surprisingly fresh. Its story has a more personal note, yet fleshes out not just Raz and the characters around him, but the game’s universe as a whole. Simply put, Psychonauts 2 is a triumph in all the ways it needs to be, and this hopefully means that it won’t be the last we see of the series.

It's an absolute must-buy and, despite it still being early in 2012, a strong contender for indie game of the year.

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.

To many it'll still seem ludicrous that sports games are worth the purchase every year, but for anyone who's ever kicked a football in their life, this is the definitive choice.

Challenging, addictive, immersive... provided you like stealth-based action – there hasn't been an action/RPG this good in a long while.

It's engaging, thoughtful, mature and currently one of a kind. Unless you're the type who only looks for quick, dumb action from their video games I'd recommend this to just about anyone.

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

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is an essential purchase, and more content worth experiencing than just about any other game released in the past year.

Dead Space 2 is a more than worthy successor to the original, adding plenty of oomph to the series and a solid multiplayer experience to boot. We would have preferred more puzzles and a little less linearity, but that doesn't stop us wanting a third Isaac outing.

Challenging, addictive, immersive... provided you like stealth-based action – there hasn't been an action/RPG this good in a long while.

If there’s one music-oriented video game to buy this holiday season, it has to be The Beatles: Rock Band. Harmonix and MTV Games have created an exceptional representation of The Fab Four that needs to be lived by all music aficionados.

DiRT 2 was superlative stuff on Xbox 360 and PS3, and on PC it remains one of the most comprehensive and utterly playable off-road racing game you can buy.

It's engaging, thoughtful, mature and currently one of a kind. Unless you're the type who only looks for quick, dumb action from their video games I'd recommend this to just about anyone.

NBA 2K11 is undeniably the best game in the series yet, pushing forward just enough without leaving behind the fans who fell in love with this version of NBA in the first place.

While in many ways superior to Origins I’m giving it the same score because it’s a little bit too similar in places, nevertheless Rayman Legends is one of the best platformers of all time and you should definitely buy it if you want to have a smile on your face.

NBA 2K11 is undeniably the best game in the series yet, pushing forward just enough without leaving behind the fans who fell in love with this version of NBA in the first place.

A sprawling medieval RPG that notably refines its predecessor’s formula by taking aim at many of its rougher edges, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has plenty in store for both series veterans and newcomers. A lot of its slower simmer – whether in terms of narrative or progression – is intentional but, while it does ask for more patience than its peers, it makes sure to always repay those who stick with it for the long haul. Although there still are sore spots, with its directional combat remaining a bit unwieldy when outnumbered and its lockpick minigame a bit too wobbly for my liking, the exhiliaration felt when killing foes in full plate armor and thieving my way into shops for the medieval equivalent of a great heist always outweighed any frustration I might have felt. Pair this with a story whose twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat despite a few pacing issues and a gorgeous Bohemian countryside that makes fast traveling feel like a crime, and it’s easy to see that Warhorse Studios has successfully delivered an all-time great.