Without a doubt, rest assured this is the best game yet for this generation. The only reason we've resisted giving it full marks is that in the same way GTA III’s template was blown out so much further in "Vice City" and "San Andreas," we're confident the next GTA on this generation will up the ante considerably.

A momentous gaming experience; one that marries artistry with supreme design rarely seen. If there's a textbook on how to be referent to a classic genre while always pressing forward, Red Dead Redemption is the byline. Wonderful.

Without a doubt, rest assured this is the best game yet for this generation. The only reason we've resisted giving it full marks is that in the same way GTA III’s template was blown out so much further in "Vice City" and "San Andreas," we’re confident the next GTA on this generation will up the ante considerably.

A hugely impressive achievement. It takes everything we loved about the original game and improves upon it.

Rapturous. There is simply no better word to describe this game. It’s a joy to play from start to finish; jam-packed full of both inventive new ideas and nods to Mario past, with a difficulty curve that climbs slowly and steadily.

Playing co-op with other humans truly brings the game to life. Whether your hunting squad is running like a well-oiled machine, or you're all screaming abuse at the one guy who keeps dying, the unpredictable nature of play always make co-op feel like an occasion.

As DLC, The Ballad of Gay Tony is an incredible offering, but when combined with The Lost and Damned in 'Episodes From Liberty City' at retail, it's irresistible.

Like the game's maniacal entrepreneur himself loftily aimed, Irrational put art and intellect above and beyond schlock of the common game. They accomplished something wonderful.

But where MGS4 really succeeds is in delivering an experience unlikely to ever be surpassed by Kojima ever again, providing fans everything they want to see, twists you won’t expect and more raw, lavish creativity than the video gaming medium probably deserves.

There are few flaws. It's incredibly addictive, sure, but that's not a bug; it's a feature. Likewise, you can't save, or even pause the action mid-mission. Thus the stakes are raised, and the experience heightened. Each new challenge is maddening at first, and a cakewalk in hindsight — and each hunt is a thrill.

Damn you Valve. That's what rival game publishers must be thinking.

It's a staggeringly impressive achievement; a rollercoaster ride of shoot-outs, action set pieces, compelling traversal sequences and light puzzle solving. It ups the ante in every respect from the original, and while it may be all about the action and the stunning vistas on the surface, the reality is that it's the game's personality, and the game's heart, that is its driving force.

If you can put in the time and commit to exploring this detailed and carefully designed wasteland, then Fallout 3 can't help but satisfy and engage you in ways that very few games ever have.

Absolutely one of the most rounded gaming packages of 2009. The single player campaign – while not long – is well-paced, with plenty of variety in settings and gameplay, and will definitely be a steep challenge on the harder difficulty levels. The multiplayer component is fully featured, with an expansive set of modes and maps, and it’s great to see persistent stats returning. Rounding it out is Spec Ops, which is very much the icing on the cake.

It might not have the lengthy feature list of certain other shooters, but there’s no denying that COD4’s strength is KISS – Keep it Simple, Stupid. By not trying to reinvent the wheel, Infinity Ward has done what it does best – build a shooter that is unrivalled when it comes to the sensation of being in a real warzone.

Absolutely one of the most rounded gaming packages of 2009. The single player campaign – while not long – is well-paced, with plenty of variety in settings and gameplay, and will definitely be a steep challenge on the harder difficulty levels. The multiplayer component is fully featured, with an expansive set of modes and maps, and it’s great to see persistent stats returning. Rounding it out is Spec Ops, which is very much the icing on the cake.

Even if God of War III isn't going to cause a massive rethink on the way you play action-heavy platformers, Kratos has earned an enviable position at the head of his genre's ladder - and we don't think there's going to be another hero quite like him, in a series as consistently outstanding as this, for a very long time.

Charming and clever in equal portions, Brütal Legend is a classic example of cohesive game design...In an age of ever-increasing monotony and creative stagnation, a game like Brütal Legend is brash, proud, subversive and triumphant - and it deserves to succeed. Get on board, crank it up and make it so. Two horns up.

With simple to use but tricky to master controls, a useful handicap feature and a staggering variety of great characters, Brawl is the perfect competitive party game.

Charming and clever in equal portions, Brütal Legend is a classic example of cohesive game design...In an age of ever-increasing monotony and creative stagnation, a game like Brütal Legend is brash, proud, subversive and triumphant - and it deserves to succeed. Get on board, crank it up and make it so. Two horns up.

Mass Effect 2's greatest strength once again falls upon the beauty of its universe and the carefully interwoven character dramas underpinning the action. It's a fascinating and hugely enjoyable experience that serves not only as a reminder of how wide the valley between a 'great and an 'excellent' game actually is, but why BioWare is still one of the most vital and important developers out there today.

For Nintendo-only gamers out there – and these days, there are more of you than ever – this is an authentic Grand Theft Auto experience. It isn't watered down; it's as fun and foul-mouthed as any series-proper installment. While not perfect, it'll suck you in and keep you up at night like a chronic addiction. Hook it to our veins.

A game of impressive depth and considered content, with A-grade presentation and production values and only a handful of quirks that prevent it from significantly pushing the genre forward and propelling the game straight to the top.

We're confident in saying that the flight simming genre has been given a second lease of life almost singlehandedly by this one developer. Kudos to Eagle Dynamics and its beautiful rendition of Kamov's deadliest chopper.

An incredible package. It’s claustrophobic and sinister, yet utterly action packed and arcadey at the same time. It’s completely gorgeous, yet the visuals serve the gameplay at all times, whether that’s through subtle changes to the presentation to alter the mood, or the fact that you’re playing so much of the game at the end of a flashlight.

There’s just so much to collect, so much explosive firepower to wield, and so much charm to the environments and characters that you’d be crazy to let this game pass you by.

The creative options on offer here live up to the three-and-a-half year hype, and Spore genuinely revolutionises the way user created content is implemented on a global scale.

For all its flaws, Fable II is still a masterful piece of game design, and utterly compelling.