The story campaign can be a little bland, at least when playing on your own, but otherwise this does a fine job of bringing Gears into the current gen.

BioWare really has saved the best till last with a downloadable expansion that not only justifies the expense but your faith in the Mass Effect franchise.

The story campaign is a mild disappointment but the multiplayer is a bold reinvention of the Halo experience, that should keep the series fresh for years to come.

It still seems bizarre there’s no console version but if you must play a PlayStation 2 era GTA game on a touchscreen then this is a good as you can ever imagining it working.

One of the best point ‘n’ click adventures of all-time still has much to teach modern gaming in terms of puzzle design and engaging characters.

Still easily the best sports management game around, and although most of this year's changes are fairly trivial they're all extremely welcome.

Even without any new content the portability is enough of a draw to enthral veteran players all over again, while anyone new to the series will wonder how they ever did without it.

More accessible and better value than the PC original, and with the same beautiful 2D visuals – Trine 2 sets the Wii U's eShop off to an excellent start.

The definitive example of the stealth strategy game and a worthy swansong for developer Mimimi Games, as they deliver a charming and surprisingly accessible pirate swashbuckler.

Metallica fans will be happy enough, but everyone else will lament the lack of evolution and poor value.

Metroid and Castelvania face a new challenger, as the bizarre world of Mexican wrestling inspires one of the most entertaining action adventures of recent years.

Still an excellent third person brawler, but not the subversive outsider the original was.

The turn-based battles don’t fully convince but the new protagonist and bizarre mini-games still feel distinctively and entertainingly Yakuza.

A fantastically well designed and presented roguelike, that makes your heroes’ mental health just as important as their physical well-being.

An unapologetically hardcore sequel that sacrifices accessibility to appease fans of Codemasters’ fledgling racing sim series.

An even more impressive mix of horror and personal drama than the first episode, with intelligent writing, crowd-pleasing gore, and… far too many bugs.

One of the best portable role-players ever made and a joyful mix of bizarrely inventive gameplay and surprisingly sharp comedy.

A successful blend of Need For Speed and Burnout that lacks a little in personality, but certainly not in terms of content or online action.

An impressively complex action role-player, where every problem has multiple solutions, but it’s not always quite as smart as it thinks it is.

A few steps forward and a few steps back leave this technically accomplished shooter exactly where it was: still searching for a heart and identity of its own.

The best Advance Wars game never made and while there are a few flaws there’s also plenty of new ideas and a mountain of extra content.

Double Fine's best game since Psychonauts is unique in both setting and gameplay, with an enchanting mix of absurdist logic and striking presentation.

The best new rhythm action game for years, with a perfect blend of gameplay, music, and a frighteningly oppressive atmosphere.

A worthy successor that is sure to please many and is easily the best option for any Formula One fanatics out there. It's not without its problems, but it has moved the series forward with a vastly improved handling model and a more engrossing race environment that will almost certainly have you believing you really are Lewis Hamilton for a split-second.

It spends too much time recreating the genius of Metroid rather than adding to it, but this is still one of the best examples of the genre in recent years.

Gaming's politest protagonist returns with another generously stocked portable puzzle compendium.

A vast improvement on the first episode and a suitably ambitious send-off for both BioShock Infinite and the people that made it.

Thankfully Alphabear 2 removes the ability to purchase unlimited honey, preventing you from immersing yourself to the exclusion of everyday activities, but its mechanics and gameplay remain just as riveting, alternating puzzle levels with ones played against the clock.