Still one of the best survival horror games of the generation and one whose thick atmosphere and surreal sojourns work surprisingly well on the PS Vita.

A solid slice of DLC with an interesting story to tell and some notable new gameplay extras, although the fate of the protagonist is unfortunately fudged.

There’s a lot of downtime at the start, but another shock ending does little to dilute what is the best piece of interactive storytelling so far this year.

It certainly looks the part, but although this never plays quite as well as F-Zero GX it’s close enough that most fans will forgive its lack of refinement.

It can be a little inconsistent in terms of both actions and puzzles but late entry or not this is one of the funniest and best-presented adventures of the year.

Wonderfully presented and impressively imaginative 2D action puzzler, that almost seems too good for DSiWare.

Gearbox’s venerable looter shooter has finally developed a modicum of maturity, with improved gunplay, a proper open world, and some half-decent storytelling.

Another excellent compilation of forgotten Capcom fighters, with the revival of Power Stone and Capcom Vs. SNK being especially welcome – even if it’s a shame these aren’t the Dreamcast versions.

No matter what it says about the potential usage for the Switch’s touchscreen this is a beautifully presented and enjoyably novel rhythm action game.

Completely charming and wonderfully presented stealth puzzle game, that turns a horrible goose into one of the year’s most endearing video game stars.

A largely satisfying ending for what has been a frustratingly uneven season of graphic adventures.

Easily the best toys-to-life game so far, with a great new gimmick that makes for one of the best family friendly titles this year.

The level of whimsy may seem artificially high but this is an inventive and fun puzzler - and a great opening salvo for Xbox Live Arcade in 2011.

A fast-moving and savagely difficult 2D platformer that draws equal inspiration from Limbo and Soulsborne games, with its own restless sense of invention that never falls short.

Perfectly judged adaptation of the PC series, with just the right level of complexity and challenge.

Utterly charming on (literally) every level, it may not offer much in terms of fast action but this is just as imaginative and engrossing as any Super Mario game.

The perfect jumping on point for both new players and those wanting to fill in the gaps in Fire Emblem lore, although the game lacks the depth of more modern entries.

A heartbreaking ending to a fascinatingly ambitious interactive story, that handles the build-up to its final dilemma with impressive confidence and heart.

A step down from the masterful Bowser’s Inside Story, but still a wonderfully imaginative and dryly funny mix of platformer and traditional RPG.

The closest thing to Ikaruga on a smartphone and despite the psychedelic presentation one of Jeff Minter's more lucid shooters of recent years.

One of the most acclaimed games of the '80s gets the modern makeover it deserves, with an experience that still feels as daringly ambitious now as it ever did.

Far more than just a match-three puzzler, Clash Of Heroes is a unique strategy role-playing hybrid that has a massive amount to offer in terms of both its solo campaign and multiplayer.

An impressively successful follow-up to Vampire Survivors, that features entirely different gameplay but a similarly deceptive sense of depth and nuance to its charmingly low-tech action.

Not the best entry in the series, but it does have some of the best puzzles. As well as a bombastic, if slightly confused, story that will leave both new and old fans wanting more.

A slight improvement on the first episode, but still basically just plot set-up for a story that too often feels out of your hands.

The best 2D shooters of the retro era return once again, with a good value package that has plenty for new fans and old.

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

Clever, funny, and beautiful to look at, but this is a game of two halves and the second one is such a peculiar tonal shift in terms of gameplay that even the story suffers as a result.