The worldless storytelling is some of the most compelling of the year and the purposefully frustrating control system an outrageously daring experiment.

A heartwarming adventure about growing up, packed full of imagination and 90s snark, but its main strength is the way in which it manages to expertly capture what it feels like to be a young, bored teen on the verge of adulthood.

A great version of one of the best fighting games, and therefore one of the best multiplayer games, of all time - assuming you have the dedication for it.

One of the best Final Fantasy games ever made, elevated by its innovative battle system but let down by weak storytelling and focusing on the wrong protagonists.

Time has been surprisingly kind to Ghost Trick, with its bizarre plot and gorgeous graphics, and while some old problems remain, they’re very easy to excuse.

A near perfect remastering of a classic strategy game, that succeeds not just because of nostalgia but because there’s never been anything else quite like Homeworld.

A great sequel to what is still probably the best Tower Defense game around, and a shining example of how to do free-to-play properly.

An almost entirely successful reboot that still offers deep and flexible combat but in a more accessible and approachable form – and really, the new Dante's not that bad.

Not much of a sequel but no matter how small the refinement this is still one of the best portable strategy games currently available.

The plot may have gone off the deep end but thankfully the puzzles remain perfectly logical in what is Layton's biggest and arguably best adventure yet.

Disturbing yet thought-provoking survival horror sequel, that stumbles slightly in terms of the repetitive combat but is easily the best new entry in the series since the PS2 era.

Far more interested in fixing the flaws of the original than most sequels, this is probably the best, or at least most accurate, use of Kinect so far.

An inspired ending to the Warhammer trilogy that rather than just adding new factions makes a host of clever additions and changes to the gameplay and structure, in what is one of the great achievements in modern strategy gaming.

The combat might never feel as clever as the visuals and narration but this is still an engrossing and distinctive action role-player.

PC purists may still scoff but this is an excellent version of one of gaming’s most open-ended and creative experiences.

One of the best survival horror games of the generation, that’s frequently terrifying but also surprisingly nuanced and intelligent when it comes to its storytelling.

One of the best PlayStation exclusives of recent years is an inspired mix of bullet hell shooter and roguelike dungeon crawler, that somehow still feels like nothing else on console or PC.

A touching, and highly playable, labour of love by fans that understand Sonic The Hedgehog better than Sega ever has in the last 20+ years.

A cheerier, more versatile alternative to Trials HD, that manages to make trial-and-error fun.

One of the best remakes ever, but also a puzzle platformer that defies its age to offer an enjoyable challenge to gamers both young and old.

A big budget recreation of the Indiana Jones cinematic experience, that is both a loving homage to the movies and a complex, ambitious action adventure in its own right.

A fantastically clever deconstruction of video games and the people that play them, as well as a hugely entertaining action puzzler that’s not really about ponies.

An impressively full-bodied Japanese role-player that’s good enough to attract non-Monster Hunter fans, with the Pokémon style collection process making up for the flaws in the storytelling and combat.

Clever puzzles, immersive presentation, and an intriguing plot combine in one of the most ambitious and original smartphone games of the year.

One of the best PC to console ports ever, with the strategy great working impressively well on the Switch and opening up the series to a whole new audience.

As polished a product as Rockstar has ever produced but the action and storytelling are rigidly one note, and neither is sustained for long enough.

An inspired mix of old school Resi game design and modern presentation, and the best VR options so far in a major release.

The old style Tomb Raider is never coming back, but this is a more satisfying compromise than the reboot and a fun alternative to the Uncharted series.