If you enjoy F1, there really is no excuse not to pick up F1 2011 - it's a wonderful balance between simulation and fun, although the learning curve is still relatively steep which may frighten off some gamers.

Rayman Legends offers a surprisingly diverse 12+ hours of gameplay - an admirable feat for a platformer of this type.

Beat Drop is a superb puzzle game with loads of depth, excellent accessibility and more modes and options than you can shake a stick at.

The best part about Wolfenstein II however, is a combination of the story and the cast. This game is truly BJ’s story. He’s coming up to 50, having spent most of his life fighting, and he wants nothing more than to stop – except he’s such a stand up guy that he can’t. He’s incredibly likeable, and incredibly easy to root for. It’s constantly touching. with a range of funny, quirky and believable characters just trying their best in a harsh world. Most of your bad guys seem to be a little bit over the top, and while well written, come across as caricatures. Then again, they are literal Nazis.

Revelations deserves to be a full, numbered iteration in the series, in recognition of the excellent (and important) part it plays in filling in the Resident Evil story. It's every bit a fully-blown Resident Evil game and is absolutely worthy of a place in any fan's collection.

I like Digimon World: Next Order better than Pokémon Sun and Moon.

Midnight Shadows is a bit more plot-driven than Night Alone (which was deliberately vague, for the most part), but there’s still a lot of room for interpretation. It’s never quite made clear how all the different pieces fit together – again, deliberately – and even the chronology of events and the reality of what the girls experience is up for debate. At face value, there’s a simple but moving tale of a struggle for friendship, but like any good horror story there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. Everyone will have their own take on it, and that’s a wonderful thing.

Arkham City, despite its squalor, is fantastic to look at.

Another remake, but a damn good one. The perfect place to begin if you’ve never played Yakuza before.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is as great today as it was nine years ago. Now it’s back in semi-HD and, best of all, they have saved you hours of fun unlocking every character and scene; now you can play as any team you want from the start, online or off.

This game is a great use of the Wii's technology, and combined with Disney characters, art and music themes we know and love, this is a charming game, and it's not too cutesy for the older kids in your family - although your emo teenager will probably turn their pierced nose up at it.

Those that sold their originals, or are just wanting to play some of the games on here will get great value out of the disk.

Whatever you're into, Disney Infinity has something for you.

It's sad, scary, kooky, weird and wonderful: everything that we love about the Fallout universe.

The sequel possesses hours of extra activities, a more complicated plot and still manages to maintain a great gameplay engine while adding some much appreciated tweaks to expand the controls slightly.

Everything you loved about Bravely Default, but with more interesting characters and a more captivating story."

Although it’s disappointing that New Zealand isn’t one of the twenty international teams included in the game, that disappointment is greatly outweighed by all the positives.

With so many vehicle parts, places to go and people to see, Nuts & Bolts is going to be a game you keep going back to. Just getting to the end will require hours of commitment, but, it’s not like you need an excuse, right? Apart from a confusing premise (the story is a little bit weak) and the small text, this game is a massive success.

If you've been hoping for a hardcore, mega-challenging, controller-tosser, this probably isn't for you. But if you like the idea of exploring an incredibly well realised world, with loads of variety and gameplay that won't rule out the very young (or very old...), Kirby's latest adventure is a rare treat - doubly so if you've got friends or family to enjoy it with. Highly recommended.

A charming platformer. It comes loaded with a sense of style and humour that only developer The Behemoth possess. An incredibly funny narrator, adorable creature design, and cut-scenes that look like paper-doll puppetry all amount to a stylistically cohesive game that has tight platforming to boot (albeit with a few mechanical hiccups).

Bound is an ugly game, but it’s the most powerful, most enchanting kind of ugly. It dares to reject videogames’ obsession with “looking good” and instead focuses on using visual design to complement the core themes and emotional hook of the game.

Played through quickly, Patapon is an eight hour game which - when played correctly - can be as long as 15 to 20.

If this is to be the Vita’s swansong, it’s a fantastic one.

Ultimately, you have to weigh up the cost against the replay value – which is low, unless you're into collecting trophies or DLC. For us, this was the only downside to an excellent overall package, and a truly worthy sequel to one of the most engrossing and popular puzzlers around.

Lots of places to go, lots of enemies to see. The bosses are a joy to battle, and you ought to take a great deal away from these enormously fun interactions.

Aside from the challenges, truly mastering the controls of this game and really exploring the available environments will keep you busy forever.

One of the best survival action adventures you’ll come-across. To be experienced with dimmed lights, the sound cranked up and a pair of diapers handy.

PS4 power and updates have made a great game, even better.

Football games have never been better than Madden 15.

The car models are fantastic, essentially moving the graphics of the arcade racer into the realm of the driving sims.

A fresh, compelling take on the “cabin in the woods”-style teen horror.

If you have a 3DS, Fire Emblem Fates is a must-buy; if you don’t, it’s yet another reason, on top of so many others, to get one. Just be sure you do your research, and stick to Birthright unless you’re absolutely ready for the challenge Conquest has to offer.

Submerged won’t be a game for everyone, in the same way that the likes of Gone Home and Dear Esther aren’t for everyone, but that doesn’t make it any less remarkable. But if you can hear the music that this game is playing - and I’d urge you to give it an earnest go - you’ll find something that may just take your breath away.

When I sit back and think about Smash Bros I think about how amazed a gamer from the mid 90s would find it.

If you have a 3DS, Fire Emblem Fates is a must-buy; if you don’t, it’s yet another reason, on top of so many others, to get one. Just be sure you do your research, and stick to Birthright unless you’re absolutely ready for the challenge Conquest has to offer.

It has taken all the boring bits of the genre, reworked them and delivered a well polished game that continues to surprise and delight.

This game is superb and although there are some still slight glitches, offers the most comprehensive and realistic football games on the market.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, when I first played Magic the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 I was expecting the same experience as last year, simply with new decks. The fact that Magic the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 brings a new game mode, in the shape of Sealed Play, to the table (excuse the pun) really adds to the Magic the Gathering feel.

Watching a robbery go down with detached movie-convention-predictability and suddenly realising you have to intervene can freeze you up like Paul Henry spotting a mustache on a lady. It adds the third dimension that makes this game a game. In any case, it's an entertaining variation on screaming, "Don't go in there!" at a flickering screen in the dark.

No matter which way your see it - 2D or 3D - Dead or Alive is one of the best titles on 3DS and, potentially, the best handheld fighting game ever.

Bastion is a fun and engrossing ride, and I highly recommend grabbing the demo to see if it's your kind of thing. Allow the soothing (well, gravelly) voice of the narrator to wash over you, and go find out just what happened to this destroyed, understated, beautiful world.

Forza 7 is the best looking and most comprehensive entry to date. It drives like a dream, and with the stable and well populated multiplayer, DLC car packs, as well as ongoing custom events from Turn 10, you’ve got a game where you can collect the cars you like, paint them, customise them, look at them, and race them for months to come.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is, quite simply, a superbly polished game that benefits to no small degree from having 25 years of amazing material to draw from.

Whatever small missteps that Uncharted: The Lost Legacy does take, are drowned out in the fiery explosions of its set pieces. They’re forgotten, amidst the humour and humanity of its cast, and the witty banter they share. Chloe and Nadine are proof that Uncharted can exist – and thrive – without Nathan Drake.

A great experience. Those who have had the joy of playing it on the PS3 or XBOX360 won't find anything new here, but for everyone else, this is one fantastic little portable title.

Five fun slices of an extremely delicious pie. If you’ve never played Half Life 2 before, this package will keep you occupied for some time to come, and rarely makes a wrong move.

It’s an understatement to say Gears of War 2 is the epitome of action. This game defines the genre.

An amazing looking game with amazing gameplay.

Stunning visuals and tight combat make up for a lacklustre story mode.

There is something to be said for the thrill of thinking you could feasibly put hundreds of hours into this game and still have new cars to unlock. Replay value here is through the roof, but if you didn’t get that into playing it the first time, it might not be for you.

The mixture of over-the-top action, outrageously powerful weapons and cinematic presentation ensures that the non-stop thrill-ride action keeps the adrenaline flowing throughout.

Thankfully the combat controls are simple and intuitive.

The Last Guardian does show the battle scars of its long and troubled development. It has problems maintaining a stable framerate, and the controls can be stiff and unrelenting. But the game also shares a warming, heartfelt tale of friendship. A tale so strong and confident in its telling, that most of its negative elements fade away.

Even if this is your first taste of the franchise, if you like horror, violence, severed limbs and bodies crushed into seeping bloody pulp, then the dark depths of dead space is just the place for you.

It's not perfect but, instead of the faults (little things like visual glitches, etc) piling up to become an unbearable thorn in your side, they're more like the eccentricities of a favorite uncle. It's whacky, weird, and wonderful.

Sure, there is still room for improvement with Skate 3 with regards to the customisation and off-board controls, but it looks like the days of the Tony Hawk reign might be finally gone. Whoop!

This is definitely one of the better episodes of The Walking Dead: Season Two, and the best chapter of a Telltale game in a good few months.

A gripping story and simulative combat combined with a fantastic multiplayer system makes Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare a must-have on your Christmas wish list.

While it lacks in a few areas, Smackdown vs Raw 2011 has raised the bar with the unpredictable WWE Universe mode, Road to WrestleMania and Match Creation system. This is like a sandbox wrestling title; the WWE is your playground, do with it what you will.

The improvements - while not always immediately in your face - add up into an extremely tight, polished gem. Very few people will regret buying FIFA 12.

When all the elements work in tandem, this game is extremely immersive - particularly if you have a 5.1 system (or at least a subwoofer) and an HD TV.

If you’re up for a challenge, MH Generations is an incredibly rewarding and satisfying experience.

It's the tracks themselves that are the star.

Small victories will have you grinning from ear to ear in the face of ever greater hardship.

A refreshing genre piece, which plays on expectations to explore the humanity of its cast.

Quite simply the definitive version of Twilight Princess.

Its presentation is some of the best on the Wii and will silence those who feel that Nintendo doesn't know modern production values. However, at the same time the gameplay remains the simple and accessible stuff that has sold the console to the masses.

The same loveable Fallout formula far outweighs bugs and directionless new systems.

By wiping the slate clean and beginning again, Capcom have gained perspective. With Resident Evil 7, they’ve identified the core tenets of the franchise – the building blocks of terror that captivated and inspired a generation of fans and creators alike. The first-person perspective isn’t Resident Evil, but the feelings it elicits certainly are.

The game that lucky little boy’s Dad created is dark, charming, and wildly varied, with a merge of English and Japanese imagery.

The game is worth experiencing for the atmosphere alone – it's a great world to get caught up in, yet at the same time it's very easy to simply dip your toe once in a while.

Easily one of the most jam-packed, visually impressive launch titles that has probably ever been released.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is an excellent game, taking everything that was great about the first game and doubling down on it. It’s still fundamentally a Warriors game, but now there’s even more focus on the Dragon Quest heritage with deeper RPG systems and increased focus. Dragon Quest Heroes did a fine job of combining the two franchises, but Dragon Quest Heroes II takes that to the next level.

Radiant Silvergun is a triumph and arguably one of the best (if not the best) game of its type available - on any platform.

Guild Wars 2 can be what players want to make of (and take from) it, which is pretty much what every good MMO should aspire to. All up, it's been a resounding success.

Sine Mora is a unique take on shoot 'em ups and if you're a masochist, the arcade and challenge modes are perfect for you. It's a welcome addition to the genre, and somewhat of a surprise title - especially this late in the console cycle.

Ultimately there's less micro-management in Cities: Skylines than in SimCity, but it in no way feels like something cut-down or "cloney." No, Cities: Skylines is its own game - an impressive feat considering the lineage of the genre.

That small gripe aside, MLB The Show 15 is an excellent game and the franchise still rivals FIFA and Madden for the best sports simulation game.

Hilarity underscored by humanity - a winning formula.

Politics aside, Blizzard have done what they do best: produced a great online multiplayer game.

It’s - once again - the best version available, and the updates really are significant this time around.

It won't be to everyone's taste, but if you can find a way to try it out before buying, then you may be surprised at just how much you get into it.

The lack of game modes and other such bells and whistles might put off some people, but I think it’s pretty much moot. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is a pure arcade experience, and to be honest, I think that’s Project DIVA at its best. The massive track list, fantastic music, clever beat maps, and sky-high difficulty ceiling make this one of the best rhythm games available. When you’ve got that, you don’t need a story mode.

Not so much a sequel, as the second episode in an epic saga.

The lack of game modes and other such bells and whistles might put off some people, but I think it’s pretty much moot. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is a pure arcade experience, and to be honest, I think that’s Project DIVA at its best. The massive track list, fantastic music, clever beat maps, and sky-high difficulty ceiling make this one of the best rhythm games available. When you’ve got that, you don’t need a story mode.

Some directionless new systems and pandering historic tie-ins can’t undermine its achievements.

'Splosion Man is about the most fun I have had with a platform game since New Super Mario Bros, or Sonic Advance 2.

I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with any other game so far this year, it’s been a true highlight. I can’t wait to jump back in and replay my favourite sections, compete for higher scores and have some fun in the Chaos Squad mode.

There’s a careful balance between sticking to a series’ roots at the risk of getting stale, and pushing boundaries at the risk of straying from what made the series great to start with – but that’s a tightrope Kirby’s been walking effortlessly for 25 years.

If I had children I would be playing this game with them (probably in co-op mode). It felt like Labyrinth and The Neverending Story were distilled down into a wonderfully simple adventure game. There’s nothing too heavy and the fairytale-ness of the game is handled so damn well.

It’s cute, it’s gorgeous, it’s addictive, and most importantly, it’s fun.

Halo is an experience worth repeating and CEA is the treatment that the original deserved. Highly recommended.

It’s not without it’s flaws, but all is forgiven between the start and end of each round.

Horror, and actual consequences makes for an enthralling game let down only by the slow beginning.

The combat is sublime (even the dodging is fun), the environments are bizzarre and the action incredibly intense. Bosses are spectacular, many and varied and there's lots of it to go around.

Bound in Blood has a lot to offer. Great, fun gameplay mixed with likeable characters, an unpredictable plot-twisting storyline and jaw dropping visuals makes up for a high-quality title.

Players looking for a pure stealth game will be disappointed, but everyone else will find in Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena a healthy mix of action, stealth and heavy weapon gameplay.

From the moment the game begins, to the moment the credits start rolling, it’s obvious that Moon Studios were crafting this out of love. While most may play a second time to earn every achievement, many will just want to experience the fantastic presentation one more time.