Whether you were burned by GTA 4 or not, GTA 5 remembers what the series is all about: emergent sandbox fun and a helluva a lot of murder. You need to play it.

The next step in the ArmA franchise makes it slightly easier for newcomers to jump in and mods to create for it, without taking anything away from the hardcore.

It’s a shame the plot and enemies ruin things a bit, because Outlast is a truly effective survival horror for the most part.

Bright, bold and beguiling, Puppeteer reinvigorates the humble platformer, with its unashamedly honest and engaging design. Problematic physics and sluggish story aside, we think you could do a lot worse than pay to see this show.

A Machine For Pigs is an almost flawless exercise in lurking horror that’ll send shivers down your (wait for it) swine.

At its most basic, shooting guys in the face in Killzone: Mercenary can be enjoyable but never gives the player any credit in any other facet of the game. Not to mention a repetitive, uninspired mission structure and pocketfuls of missed opportunities, the campaign length coming in at just under four hours.

And if there’s one thing you can say about Dead Or Alive 5 Ultimate that you can’t say about another other fighting game, this is the only game where you can counter a punch, snap someone’s neck and boot them clean off a cliff in one swift move.

A comprehensive reworking that does its grand legacy proud, bringing it up to the date in blistering fashion and polishing it for a new generation is all Creative Assembly could ask for, and it's precisely what they've done.

It’s a big game too, and once you find yourself hooked, it’s eminently replayable...Of course, with length comes tedium, and there are times where Diablo’s relentless grind can become mercilessly wearying.

Whilst another sturdy entry in the series, and Clan Wars will be the quintessential Worms game for the near future, we're thankful for Team 17 taking a break from the series.

Lost Planet 3 gets the hard stuff right and is ultimately likeable, but its gameplay just isn’t capable of sustaining any warm feelings you might harbour for it.

Killer Is Dead packs the style and swagger that's defined Suda 51's output to date, highlighted by the smart, well-designed boss battles. It's only really let down by awkward pacing and the padding between those boss battles.

Rayman Legends is an excellent platformer that is more than worthy of your time. Tight controls, incredible art design, varied gameplay and some clever ideas combine to create an endearing world that is both pleasurable and satisfying to move through.

Undoubtedly a game that has been through development hell, but nonetheless a surprisingly entertaining - if flawed - Mass Effect style shooter.

Pokémon Rumble U is a crushingly basic and boring game, even by Pokémon spin-off standards.

It might look childish, but in so many ways this is a Platinum Games experience through and through. Deep and rewarding combat, entertaining characters and plenty of hours of gameplay - even without all the collectables and tougher difficulties. A must-have for every gamer, whether you own a Wii U or not.

Those who play the game stealthily and/or replay levels to experiment with different solutions will get more from The Brigmore Witches than those who rush through with a combat heavy approach, but that’s always been the case with Dishonored.

Saint's Row 4 is a game that is greater than the sum of its parts. While its systems are lacking in depth, the game provides so much variety and so many tools to play with, that it's hard not to have fun.

Payday 2 is the best multiplayer game you'll play this year, but as a result should be avoided if you love to play single-player.

Laidback and enjoyable compared to the frantic and difficult nature of the original, DuckTales Remastered is a textbook example on how to pull off an HD remaster with love and care.

A fantastical journey that's equal parts Dungeons & Dragons and Streets Of Rage. Play it.

It doesn't always follow through on its intriguing ideas but even so, Tales Of Xillia has enough spark, invention and content to keep most JRPG fans happy.

Due to its mature, breathtaking narrative, perhaps we sometimes forget that BioShock Infinite is, at heart, a true FPS. Clash in the Clouds, on the other hand, will shoot you in the face if you try to forget it.

An unsubtle, explosive idiot of a game, that's actually far smarter for knowing it's so stupid. Lovely labyrinthine levels, huge guns and even huger guts, it's a bit of a corker.

Cloudberry Kingdom stands a tier below Super Meat Boy, Ms 'Splosion Man and N+. It's good fun but multiplayer aside, it lacks the spark needed to really make it stand out among the competition.

A super slick and highly entertaining side-scrolling hack-'n'-slash game. Your Vita needs this game.

Expensive for an expansion pack, perhaps, but considering it comes with Gods And Kings and has some fantastic additions to vanilla Civ 5 then it feels totally worth it, especially for fans.

Not quite a classic, but not too far off, Stealth delivers something the Vita hardly has in abundance and does so with the kind of smart game design that makes for an addictive ride.