If you see this game approach you, do not panic. Simply aim for the head, attempt a decapitation or set it on fire.

Big Game Hunt is certainly worth a play if you've got the Season Pass, but if you're buying it by itself then its numerous weaknesses make it harder to recommend. It's not bad, but it's not Campaign of Carnage.

Drox Operative shows that innovation in the genre doesn't have to be limited to twiddling around with how skill trees work, or crafting the perfect loot drop percentage; it can also be about introducing smart mechanics that give a renewed sense of consequence and purpose to a player's actions. If you can get beyond some rough edges, you'll find an aRPG quite unlike any other.

Fairly inoffensive and pretty, but not much fun to play and filled with characters more loathsome than sexy.

Amusing and usually quite entertaining, but let down by location repetition and some poor puzzle design.

Perfectly capable, and perfectly enjoyable. But... well, it's not quite Dishonored.

Putting aside nostalgia, and putting aside a genuine longing for more games in this vein - yes, Baldur's Gate really is that good.

So yes, if you can deal with some rather heavy themes which range through drugs/murder/prostitution/domestic abuse/slavery/rape, then Far Cry 3 is something you should absolutely buy. It's got flaws, but none of them change the fact that it's a fascinating exploration (both physical and analytical) of a beautiful environment that hides a rotten core. And if you're not into that, then hey, it's also a really good open-world shooter.

A series entry that puts pure stealth above silent slaying; afflicted by segmented levels and weak cinematic aspirations, but buoyed by an impressive Contracts mode.

Caught between game styles, it'll only make the podium for a very specific audience.

Cheap and fairly entertaining, but Primal Carnage needs to solve some rather large problems before it lives up to its sizeable potential.

Fresh enough to be relevant, traditional enough to remain nostalgic.

There's enjoyment in the game's mechanics, in the way it hones your abilities until you're a taut, efficient, angel of death, but little joy to be found in the unraveling of your subconscious and the consequences of your new-found talents.

For just over a tenner, I'd say it's absolutely worth a punt.

It's not easy to identify with specific characters as a result, meaning (despite their historical origins) they can feel throwaway because they don't stick around long enough to grab your attention and tickle your curiosity. That's not to say they're poorly written, there are just too many to make things feel cohesive. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sequences in Assassin's Creed 3 tend to feel like episodes of a TV show, rather scenes from a movie.

As enjoyable as it is reverential, Enemy Unknown is a superb reimagining of a favourite series from days past.

A heartfelt love letter to gaming's past that's sometimes a little more smitten than is healthy.

A brilliant example of how to blend gameplay, narrative and setting. Highly recommended.

Resident Evil 6′s main achievement is that it makes me worried about the future of the franchise. I was looking forward to Resident Evil 6, I'm not looking forward to Resident Evil 7.

The best the series has ever been at welcoming newcomers, but veterans might find the improvements lack impact.

Still the best game of footie around and the one the vast majority of people are going to be playing until this time next year.

An ARPG with something for everyone, and at this price, you really have no excuse.

Bigger, crazier and more diverse than original. A role-playing shooter that raises the bar for both RPGs and shooters. Wonderful.

A tense and engaging spaceship command roguelike, FTL's only real flaw is that it doesn't differ enough after multiple playthroughs.

Accessible but sophisticated, whacky yet charming. Best Tekken of this generation.

Another brilliant package, once again. A very serious contender for sports game of the year.

An exquisitely designed MMO that contains something for everyone, without charging a monthly fee.

The best Madden of this generation and the only one to have made genuine progress. Some new features still need work, but at least there finally are some new features.

The best episode so far and easily the most emotional, personal and affecting.

A perfectly decent game that lacks variety. It's worth a look now, but if we see some new maps and game modes in the coming months, those should buoy Ghost Recon Online up significantly.

A bare-bones port can't sully one of the outstanding titles of this generation.

Arguably the best of this year's crop of Summer of Arcade games. Dust is a visually stunning love letter to gaming's past and a great Metroidvania game in its own right, and you shouldn't hesitate to pick it up.

On a conceptual level Hybrid stands out as an above-average shooter in a packed genre, but its reality is dogged by inconsistent matchmaking, server problems and an inessential devotion to some contemporary multiplayer fads. Seeing its true potential one match in every three just adds to the frustration.

As attractive in motion as it is in design, Unmechanical is a majestic 2.5D puzzler.

The nature of the title means repetition (both in the reuse of assets from the original and the game's mechanics getting a little over-familiar) will burn players out eventually, and for OMD veterans this may be accentuated by the short gap between releases.

It's inevitably going to be lumped together with other "zombie games" in the minds of some, but it actually does something fresh and unique both with the theme and with the inspirations it pulls together from games as disparate as Another World and Mirror's Edge, and it puts them together with enough aplomb that – for my money – it's certainly worth the asking price.

Flawed, but does just enough right to be worth a purchase if it sounds like it's up your alley.

Not just another indie platformer, Thomas Was Alone is a unique narrative-driven experience that succeeds in combining its many different elements.

A unique, compelling experience that will reward your sense of adventure if you indulge its charms.

A rather good multiplayer first-person shooter which can be enjoyed without the need to plonk down any hard cash.

Wreckateer offers some chaotic catharsis, but it's got too many problems to be easily recommendable.

Impressive tech undermined by generic level design and a complete disregard for providing something unique.

It's more Zuma, and little else.

Veterans of this game type will rightly nit-pick at aspects of the combat, lack of espionage diplomacy options (this one does hurt a bit) and certain AI behaviours, but there should be no argument that Endless Space is one of the best 4X titles to appear for a good long while. It hasn't quite delivered the incredible potential it offers; but it's tantalizingly close.

The Secret World is different enough that it won't be for everyone even when its plethora of bugs are fixed, but when that happens, a lot of people are going to get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

A surprisingly successful effort at wrapping an RPG around a rhythm game. Come for the Final Fantasy name, stay for the music.

Offroad racing never felt so mundane.

Once the game picks up speed, it does broadly provide the kind of high-speed explosive thrills promised; but it sure takes its sweet time getting there.

Tiny & Big is at its strongest when it focuses on this semi-freeform puzzling approach.

A very good example of why point-and-click adventures still deserve plenty of notice.

A well executed game lacking much in the way of original gameplay. Play it for the story, grind it for the interaction.

Solid, enjoyable, and cheap. Duels 2013 gets Magic going on your computer with aplomb, although it lacks the flair to stand out.

An intelligent and rewarding puzzler in the Portal mould, highly recommended for genre fans.

Fray is a promising plan that never quite comes together.

It's full of problems, but it's also full of charm and ambition. Undoubtedly some of you will fall in love with it, viewing even the input issues as the latest in a long line of challenges thrown at you by From Software. Others will regret their purchase nine deaths into the first mission, unable to even think about how difficult the rest of the game could be.

There's no denying that Game of Thrones will test your tolerance. There are so many negative idiosyncrasies and cost-cutting measures in place that you'll probably start to wonder when the game will just fall part entirely. But it never actually does. In fact, it stays on course to deliver a compelling parallel narrative to the opening book and HBO series, with characters as morally ambiguous and events just as horrific as any from Martin's pages.

Mad Riders is Nail'd with better stunts, disappointing tracks and a fresh set of inconsistencies.

A decent effort at a difficult genre. More polish and more charm would have improved Dragon's Dogma enormously, but it's still worth a trip for genre fans.

A largely successful spin-off for the series, and one that thrives in multiplayer.

Not quite the sum of its parts thanks to awkward level design and a reliance on repetition. Technically sound, but the overall experience fails to hit the high notes.

As with most things from Blizzard, Diablo III is a masterclass of game design and polish, and I suspect it's going to eat the lives of many, many gamers for some time to come.

An expert blend of cinematic storytelling and flamboyant action, weaved together by a team with a clear passion for the genre and the content. Payne never felt so good.

In short, Minecraft 360 is a slightly older, self-contained version of Minecraft. It has a deftly handled new user-interface and control scheme, a guided version of the crafting system, a handy tutorial and split-screen co-op; none of which the PC release can offer.

A diverse and well balanced multiplayer game, given extra value and intrigue through its single player mode.

So yes, Warlock is a streamlined strategy game, at a cut price, and that is absolutely no bad thing. It has a few unfortunate quirks, but if you fancy something a bit lighter and a bit more combat-focused than the usual fare, then you'll get at least a few dozen hours of entertainment from this rather enjoyable title.

It's a fun, frivolous sci-fi narrative with just enough strength of writing to provide some memorable moments of dialogue; satisfying combat and set-pieces; and a competent grasp of pacing. After some bad experiences with the genre, Binary Domain has convinced me that there's still some value in cover shooters.

Slow at first, but incredibly rewarding over the long-term. Just make sure you play with real people, not bots.

An enjoyable pirate adventure for those who can tolerate its innumerable flaws.

The focused free-roaming through procedurally generated realms (now there's a sentence for people unfamiliar with videogame terminology) is a very successful formula for drawing the player into the title, and I've found myself being lured back to the game a fair bit in my spare moments.

The best XBLA game available today. A wonderful accomplishment that you shouldn't overlook.

For the price, it's an admirable effort. Expedition mode alone will keep you occupied long after Euro 2012 is over.

Sure, you can dig out your old Tribes titles to fulfill the same craving, but Hi-Rez has provided a contemporary alternative that's free at the point of entry and not exactly costly to pick up long-term. That's something of a triumph.

NWAC is a little clunky around the edges and could do with some mission-creation options, but it's worth two tentative periscopes up.

Absolutely one of the best linear RPGs available on any platform, and it's now on your 360.

Gettysburg: Armored Warfare is a broken, bleeding mess. Do not buy this. Not even to laugh at it.

Full of personality with a lot to offer beat 'em up newcomers and veterans alike.

A well constructed core, in need of more finesse and better editing.

Gameplay-wise, this is the best golf game you can buy. It's just a shame that the aggressive DLC structure constantly attempts to suck your wallet dry.

Podracing is decent, but nowhere near enough to save the entire package.

A re-tread of Mashed's multiplayer, with reduced tracks and a superfluous single player mode.

Overall, MLB 12: The Show is another solid installment of the baseball franchise that any fan of the sport will love. Sony took some risks in the gameplay department, which I particularly didn't care for. However, after switching to the ones I prefer it was just like last year's version.

While it's inarguable that Ridge Racer was very much in need of a makeover, Unbounded's formula is far from the required antidote. The focus on destruction has overshadowed everything else to the point where other elements are merely along for the ride. It's all well and good designing a game with a specific focus in mind, but not when that focus renders everything else pointless.

An ambitious narrative, with some uneven characterisation and halfway successful puzzle design.

Visually engaging and packing enough variety to see you through to the end and beyond. Proof that, in right hands, classic side-scrolling shooters are far from dead.

Raccoon City isn't really Resident Evil as we know it, then. It's trying to be something else, which is fine in theory, but it doesn't quite manage to pull it off. The campaign is sloppy, repetitive and devoid of narrative intrigue. When playing as a group of four it's fun to the same extent that most co-op games are, but there are much better alternatives waiting to take your hard-earned cash.

If you're desperate for a competitive tower defence game and have between one and three friends who feel similarly, Defenders of Ardania might give you a few evenings of entertainment, but that's about the only way I'd ever recommend this. The single-player campaign is just plain bad, and when you compare this to the solo offerings of Defense Grid, Plants vs Zombies, or any of the other good tower defence games out there, it's hard to think of a reason why you'd want to shell out for this.

It's a title that will appeal to the adventurer, the explorer and the builder; not to mention those who appreciate a substantial amount of player freedom. If you happen to be all of those things, Terraria is a lightly tarnished treasure.

The new direction works; it's brilliantly fun and nicely diverse. Easily the best Fifa Street to date.

Big guns, big explosions, big waves of enemies, and full co-op support. A bit like a side-scrolling Serious Sam, then, only with more guns and more fishnets.

A sizeable free slice of casual flying.

Good old-fashioned fun that never takes itself too seriously, but packs a surprising level of depth and complexity.

I Am Alive is a brave experiment, and one that works more often than not. In terms of creating tension through a scarcity of resources, creating combat that relies on something other than twitch action, and creating an atmosphere so thick you can taste it, it's a total success. It's a shame that it doesn't do more with all of this, and that the mechanics in question are never really pushed, but if you're interested in spending a few hours with a very unique game possessing a very unique atmosphere then it's certainly worth your while. Even at its absolute worst, it remains... interesting.

The less-than spectacular combat does little to diminish what is ultimately a spectacular experience. As a finale to Shepard's quest it's fulfilling, engaging and packing enough depth to keep you very much on the edge of your seat and wanting more from the universe.

After plenty of hype, I'm pleased to say Street Fighter X Tekken delivers spectacularly. Capcom continue to evolve the fighting genre by installing original gameplay mechanics, all of which welcome newcomers and series aficionados alike.

There's no discernable ironic enjoyment to be gleaned from this game, and it's certainly not fun-bad like Deadly Premonition. It's just plain old depressing bad-bad. Like drowning.

A brilliantly executed piece of interactive design that never fails to entice and engage. Thatgamecompany's best work yet.

Instead of playing on former glory, EA have done an exceptional job of ensuring the series continues to evolve. New accessories, cleverly designed mountain ranges and an addictive multiplayer mode make this an attractive investment.

A brilliant port of the home console game that arguably works better on the Vita's screen than it does on a TV. One of the best platforms in years.