So, Paradox have done it again – learning from the design of Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis is an excellent starting foundation.

Creative Assembly has been a busy studio in these last couple years between the releases of the first Total War: Warhammer and its downloadable content, but they did not rest on their laurels with the sequel. Total War: Warhammer 2 is one of the most engaging and awesome marriages of turn-based and real-time strategy out there. Whether you’re sitting on your high horse among the elven factions or unleashing primal fury as the bestial races, there’s a great deal of enjoyment to be had that will keep you busy hour upon hour through multiple campaigns, skirmishes, and battles. Total War: Warhammer 2 continues to hoist the bar even higher for both Total War and Warhammer.

Iconoclasts is a kind of game that no AAA studio could ever have made. It has all the mechanics, visuals and other easily judged elements that a video game needs, and nailed down really well too, but it also has a less tangible feel to it that just endears it to the player. Even among other nostalgic pixel-art metroidvania games, this one stands out, and ought to be remembered as one of the indie greats.

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 improved upon the previous Ratchet and Clank platforming formula, and has excellent pace and a lot of secondary games to play, from finding all the Zoni to competing in a galactic tournament. Adults may find it a bit slow, though I’m fond of the title because of its wholeness. Few titles these days share that quality.

In every way, DJ Hero 2 is an exceptional successor, and a great rhythm game for this year.

Supreme Commander is not without a few hitches, mainly AI orientated, but it is plainly a fantastic ride and has had a lot of passion poured into it from Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games. Honestly this is one of the big A-list titles for the RTS genre, any self respecting gamer who’s into the real-time strategic scene must, MUST, have this war behemoth among their collection.

A decent addition to Shogun 2's content library, although we still think a slightly missed opportunity to do something truly special.

Still, for those who take the time to persevere, New ‘n’ Tasty proves to be as delectable a treat as Abe’s original Odyssey all those years ago.

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.

It’s the best game to bear the Tomb Raider name, and the best action-adventure title I’ve played in ages.

It’s a sequel that plays it safe, but in doing so provides a polished, refined take on the series’ formula that caters to both veterans and newcomers. It offers hundreds of hours of monster slaying at release, while also providing a sturdy foundation on which Blizzard can build as it revs up its post-launch support.

Despite performance quibbles and a repetitive endgame for the campaign, Total War: Warhammer is an exciting strategy game that stands on its own. The four factions offer unique playstyles with compelling strategic options, and the hero units, fantastic creatures, and monstrous enemies make for spectacular battles that are almost as much fun to watch as they are to command.

As the name suggest, expect more enemies, and a harder fight for survival.

Dragon Age: Origins is much more than a game – it’s the glorious revisiting of Bioware’s past and a look at where they are going in the future.

Death Stranding is a masterpiece of game design which surpasses your every expectation.

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.

Overall, the quality of the tables is extremely high, and you'll most likely need to play for hours on end before you discover everything each has to offer.

I’d recommend giving the tactical puzzles a go before you begin a campaign, they’re fun challenges giving you a specific task and only take a single turn to achieve them. To me they really highlight the tactical diversity of Panzer Corps 2, a game where order of movement and positioning can turn a certain defeat into a grand triumph. If you love maneuvering to cut off an enemy and softening them up with artillery or a strafing run then you’ll enjoy the intense small scale actions you’ll find in every mission.

A bold take on the long-forgotten FMV adventure genre, Her Story might be old-fashioned and light on what some might describe as traditional gameplay, but its sophisticated narrative and entertainingly novel take on detective work both allow it to soar far beyond the zenith of its seemingly outmoded remit.

Nioh 3 is a fast, relentless, and tough thrill ride that maintains a great sense of progression while rewarding exploration and player freedom. The sheer amount of options is overwhelming, while opening the door to the souls-like genre for newcomers with its Ninja Gaiden-inspired action.

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.

It may feel like just more Dishonored, but Arkane have improved everything they could’ve and made a truly satisfying sequel. We just hope it’s not the last.

A very rewarding game, it provides hours of simple fun, and with all the extra content to unlock you might be immersed in this game for a long time. However non-fan gamers might find LSWII to be somewhat repetitive and eventually even boring.

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.

A brilliant homage to the 2D fighters that birthed it and brilliantly plucks features equally from more modern fighters as well as adding a few new ones of its own. Definitely brilliant – just not quite perfect.

The additions that change the gameplay do make enough difference to those schooled in the ways of hockey, and the goal tenders being made more real is a big boost to how 'authentic' the whole thing feels. But is it worth it for those who like it but who don't know their Jarome Iginlas from their Sergei Samsonov? You've got to say no, even if it is, yes, still a great game.

3rd Strike Online Edition provides a lick of paint that improve the dated visuals considerably.