The very best racing game there is on the console market. It’s a compendium of everything that’s been great about driving games over the past few years, tied into a community that can keep the experience fresh for some time to come.

One of the most refined, polished and compelling takes on the beautiful game – and arguably of any given sport. While this year’s improvements might seem slight on paper, each one is perfectly pitched and works together to create an experience that’s an improvement on last year’s game in every conceivable way.

One of the most refined, polished and compelling takes on the beautiful game – and arguably of any given sport. While this year’s improvements might seem slight on paper, each one is perfectly pitched and works together to create an experience that’s an improvement on last year’s game in every conceivable way.

With satisfyingly challenging puzzles expertly woven between engaging platforming and a thoroughly charming narrative, Winter of the Melodias represents an essential purchase. It's not simply the best WiiWare title on the market, but one of the best Wii games full stop.

It's unfortunate that the gameplay doesn't scale the heights of the production values, for while the gunplay is solid its relentlessness becomes weary towards the finale. But any misgivings aren't enough to derail the immensely enjoyable rollercoaster ride and Uncharted 2's wealth of character easily overcomes our gripes.

At its best, it's nerve-janglingly tense as you plot and then implement the next firefight – where decisions you make have very serious consequences. But be warned, it's not a game that gently welcomes those more used to running-and-gunning, and even for the hardcore, there are serious problems with awkward command menus for your squad and bland missions at the top of the list of minus points.

If you like playing co-op, or you don't mind trading moments of frustration for a smarter, slower war experience, this is recommended.

Taking the established genre formula and adding the core elements of the Dead Space experience has made for a shooter that's refreshingly relentless, delivering a hugely enjoyable action romp.

When it delivers, it does so with an excellence unmatched within the genre. Ultimately though, it fails to build upon the framework of Halo 3 in a way meaningful enough to put it on par with Bungie’s previous efforts, resulting in a game that’s merely great.

Need for Speed Shift gets the most important part of a racing game right and it does so with a flair that’s uncommon in a frequently po-faced genre, providing driving that’s genuinely thrilling.

Need for Speed Shift gets the most important part of a racing game right and it does so with a flair that’s uncommon in a frequently po-faced genre, providing driving that’s genuinely thrilling.

A peerless offering that blows any comparable 'band-only' music title out of the water. Doing justice to the greatest band of all time was always going to be a tough job, but The Beatles: Rock Band offers a beautiful tribute to an enduring act.

A peerless offering that blows any comparable 'band-only' music title out of the water. Doing justice to the greatest band of all time was always going to be a tough job, but The Beatles: Rock Band offers a beautiful tribute to an enduring act.

The dry subject matter will keep it well below a lot of folks’ radars, and while that’s understandable it’s a bit of a shame. You really don’t need death rays and power-armour to have a fine, shooty old time – rattatat and all that is more than enough.

Even those who might sniff at the game’s focus on the extreme end of off-road motorsport will find it hard to scoff at its rewarding handling model, its sense of atmosphere and its sumptuous visuals, all of which help make it a highlight of the Colin McRae series.

Even those who might sniff at the game’s focus on the extreme end of off-road motorsport will find it hard to scoff at its rewarding handling model, its sense of atmosphere and its sumptuous visuals, all of which help make it a highlight of the Colin McRae series.

It's soothing, compulsive and peculiarly thrilling all at once: a perfect little world where working hard brings its own tangible rewards and cows have huge happy faces. Even in this slightly butchered state, it's good to see Magical Melody finally on these shores.

It’s hugely atmospheric and engrossing, its blend of combat and stealth balanced superbly to deliver an experience that’s easily as engaging as the Metal Gear series.

It’s hugely atmospheric and engrossing, its blend of combat and stealth balanced superbly to deliver an experience that’s easily as engaging as the Metal Gear series.

Another excellent entry in Nintendo’s burgeoning hybrid franchise, effortlessly straddling the demographic divide thanks to its beguiling mix of approachable puzzles, gentle adventure and triple-A production values.

A game that delivers entertainment in massive, unbridled waves. It’s true that Resort doesn’t quite strike the balance between single-player and party appeal, but its compulsive score-based structure is a significant step up from its predecessor.

Disorientating, disjointed, over-stretched and largely charmless.

It's The Conduit’s beautifully tactile control set-up that proves to be the star of the show here. Take it away and you’re left with a single-player game that’s consistently bland but, more damningly, consistently boring.

Ubisoft has delivered a game that’s been thoughtfully designed around the strengths of Nintendo’s system, delivering an experience that retains the essence and depth of the long-running series while streamlining it to offer a pacier, more accessible twist on the familiar formula, replacing unnecessary complexity with gameplay breadth.

A blisteringly energetic, entertaining experience. It might lack variety on a basic level but it’s still engagingly solid, if not out-and-out spectacular.

It might seem slight, if not slightly ridiculous, but there's something utterly joyous about Let's Tap – from its deliriously captivating aesthetic (frankly worth the asking price alone) and stripped down arcade fundamentals to its immediately accessible, and surprisingly robust, control scheme.

Superb evolution for the franchise and an impressive, enjoyable game in its own right. EA has obviously listened to criticism and worked hard to create a title that prioritises goal-based gameplay over micro-management to deliver an experience that's constantly engaging and thoroughly immersive.

While not wholly original, the game's blend of open world ideals with superhero powers is done with a verve that’s unsurpassed, and the mesh of platforming and freeform combat is uniquely satisfying.