The mechanics could well help to rejuvenate the adventure genre, but the story and puzzles of The Cave are nowhere near as entertaining as they should be.

The Wii U could've enabled a mini-revolution in karaoke games, but that'll never happen with the minimum effort and budget at work here.

A fascinating experiment in alternative storytelling, filled with bold new ideas and some stunning visuals and music.

One of the worst video games of all-time, although to even classify it as interactive entertainment is to flatter this most appalling of Final Fantasy spin-offs.

Whether you know it best as Puzz Loop or Zuma this is an imaginative variation of the puzzle formula, even if it's a self-consciously weird one.

Its B-movie charm is beginning to sag and this revamp of the Xbox 360 hit fails to make the most of its enhancements – or charge an appropriate price for them.

Whether it justifies all 170 million of its downloads is open to question but there's no denying this sequel is prettier and even more addictive than the original.

One of the best Japanese role-players of the generation and a gloriously beautiful game by any standard, both visually and emotionally.

A slight step-down from the previous add-ons but sill leagues above most other DLC, even if the whole great white hunter shtick sometimes seems ill-advised.

There are some great ideas here, with clever use of the dual screens, but the game in which they find themselves is far less entertaining than it should be.

A near perfect segue from console to iPhone, and a game that understands the pros and cons of touchscreen controls a lot better than most.

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.

An inspired reinvention of multiplayer brawling, that carves out a whole new action genre for itself and those brave enough to learn its ins and outs.

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.

Team Ninja has done everything to please fans short of making a brand new game, but despite its successes this too often feels like an awkward compromise.

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

A staggeringly cynical clone of DayZ, which fails utterly on every level imaginable – and with only the most unreliable of promises that it will ever improve.

The mix of influences seems like they should work very well, but the limitations will frustrate both shooter fans and Minecraft addicts.

As a spiritual successor to Guardian Heroes this somehow manages to copy all of the flaws and leave out half of the positives, but it's still a fun beat 'em-up all the same.

Another inspired mix of Metroidvania and traditional puzzler, and certainly one of the best games on the 3DS's eShop.

As fascinatingly addictive as its premise is perversely mundane, but whatever the setting this is one of the best new puzzle games of the year.

A good value compilation for what remains a stunningly ambitious mix of interactive storytelling, compelling action, and sci-fi spectacle.

A daring experiment in minimalist gameplay and storytelling, although that doesn't forgive the repetition and high price tag.

Somehow this manages to be the best superhero team-up game of the year, even though its management style is fairly simplistic.

Such an old school role-player that most of its influences predate video games, and although an acquired taste it's clearly a refined one as well.

A minor effort from Suda51 and Digital Reality, but with some clever presentation and a peculiar atmosphere that enhances some fairly ordinary action.

This is not a perfect game, and it never has been, but Persona 4 has always been our favourite Japanese role-player and this is the definitive version of it.

One of the most interesting things to happen to both massively multiplayer online games and shooters in years, and already a hugely enjoyable game in its own right.