The horrible feeling that creeps over your skin as you play makes you want to stop, but the gameplay is good enough that you’ll keep going regardless. If you’re fed up of where Resident Evil is at, then The Evil Within might be the foul-smelling breath of fetid air you are craving, even if it might have benefited from being a tighter, leaner affair.

If a straight-up South Park table wasn’t great enough, imagine our shock and delight at finding out that there’s also a second table based around everyone’s favourite little guy – the one and only Leopold “Butters” Stoch.

If anything, the additional DLC has added more to a game that was already offering so much, and I’m personally glad that we finished on the high that this franchise deserved – although, the real Souls fans know that we never truly finish.

Intense, gorgeous and thrilling to play, this is Platinum’s best game so far...A non-stop climax of excitement from the moment you start the Prologue, this is one of those games that demands to be played.

Futuridium EP Deluxe is a cracking little arcade game, best for playing a set of levels when you have a moment rather than a long gaming session, and while later levels can be a bit frustrating, playing it in small bites makes it much more enjoyable.

Combat is the traditional RTS “smash into each other experience” but it works well (despite the questionable unit AI), and building your castle is incredibly pleasing despite the dodgy interaction with terrain. Irritating moments such as the enemy Lord fights and generally high difficulty detract significantly from the game, but it’s still an enjoyable romp for any RTS fan.

Definitive Edition is not quite an essential purchase – especially if you already played and finished the original release – but it’s definitely worth picking up if you’re hankering after the kind of open world criminal action that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

It’s weird to think that with the fourth game, Skylanders has fully earned my trust.

Hardcore strategy RPG fans may find a decent experience here. In fact, it may simply be the case that Natural Doctrine’s blend of punishing difficulty and simple presentation don’t gel with everyone. One thing that is certain is that Natural Doctrine us not designed for the casual crowd, and unless you’re prepared to invest time and energy into learning its systems inside out – and then are still prepared to try and try again when you do know what you’re doing – you’d be advised to away from this one.

Chariot is up there with the best of them: its take on puzzle platforming is unique enough and challenging enough to keep you engaged for some time. It won’t capture the attention or admiration of everybody, of course, but for those of you who yearn for days gone by, Chariot is a must see.

Dark, compelling, and occasionally unflinchingly brutal, Shadow of Mordor is Lord of the Rings for grown-ups. It’s not just a good game based on an established franchise, but a fantastic game in its own right and one that deserves to be judged purely by its own merits, and not by what has come before.

One thing that is certain is that Natural Doctrine us not designed for the casual crowd, and unless you’re prepared to invest time and energy into learning its systems inside out – and then are still prepared to try and try again when you do know what you’re doing – you’d be advised to away from this one.

The bright visuals pop and sing thanks to the increased power and the game runs as smooth as butter at all times. Addictive and entertaining, CastleStorm’s mix of fairytale whimsy and challenging strategy – as well as its mishmash of play styles – makes it a solid and enticing prospect whatever the platform.

This is another classic end-of-an-era title, the sort of thing that would have surfaced with regularity during the dying days of the PlayStation 2, albeit with a wildly inferior focus on quality control. Instead, Namco Bandai have produced another solid title that is an ideal distraction for the younger gamer, yet not insulting enough for an old timer to switch off and escape into for a few hours.

It’s the style that shines through, though. I said it when Persona 4 Arena came out and it stands true for Ultimax; Persona 4 Arena is the most stylish fighting game ever, and a gem of the genre to boot, thanks to its combination of appealing and genuinly cool aesthetics with ocean deep gameplay.

It’s comfortably the best Alien game ever made, and delivers authenticity along with a new story that is worth seeing, experiencing, and fleeing from into the darkness. Never once allowing the immersion to be broken, Creative Assembly have done it. They have actually done it.

It’s not a classic of its genre, but it is ultimately a beacon of hope for a certain style of RPG – the video game pen and paper style – that many thought had been lost in more recent years.

Perhaps Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments’ greatest achievement is how guilty you feel when you punish an innocent person – even just being able to get it wrong is a superb idea.

The relatively gratifying story and straightforward puzzles aren’t the real reasons to visit Red Creek Valley. The location is a good enough reason itself. More often than not people look to graphics as an indication for this medium’s progression and even though that’s somewhat of a falsehood, it has to be said that this spirit story’s looks are otherworldly.

Defense Grid 2 may not be the most original idea, and lacks any real character in its story and presentation, but it is the unique gameplay ideas that make it a success.

Kickbeat is a fairly generic rhythm-action title, hampered by loose core gameplay – something that really needed to be solid when there is so little in the way of content. It’s hard to recommend it when there are better examples of the genre out there.

It would be easy to sit and reel off a list of things Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS doesn’t have, but it’s better to focus on what it is. And what it is, is a functionally excellent, portable version of Super Smash Bros.

Its breathtaking take on the world of cars is a petrol head’s wet dream.

If you want a break from continuously chasing the so-called “next big thing” and fancy getting your teeth into a reliable, enjoyable and regularly funny RPG, then jump off the hype train and hang around with Fang and his gang of Fury hunters. You won’t be disappointed.

It’s a shame Career Mode has seen such little love this year, but regardless, there are enough changes overall that FIFA feels a very different game this year. They’ve not reinvented the wheel, just put shinier trims on it, and perhaps this isn’t the year that the presentation needed to take centre stage.

There is a real richness of content and back-story that has been invented, and despite the feeling that you don’t really make much progress in solving the case in question, I really wanted to press on and find out what was going on.

Rain Games have created something beautiful in Teslagrad. Its opening scene alone should win some kind of award. Its mix of mind bending puzzles and unforgiving boss battles, not to mention some pretty hit and miss platforming, make it a game that will really split opinions. Fans of the genre will find a new hero in Teslagrad – but casual gamers should be wary.

The controls are responsive and it takes no time to get the hang of what you’re doing – though mastering each course will take considerably longer.