For all its style and silliness, Dead or Alive 5 is a fairly conventional game. The ridiculous story mode is an enjoyable distraction for an afternoon – but it's not enough to keep you hooked. Unless, you're a fan of the fighting mechanics in general – which, aside from a few minor tweaks, are largely unchanged – there's not a lot to get excited about here. Well, certainly not from a pure gameplay perspective anyway.

WRC 3: FIA World Rally Championship has more than enough content to keep you busy with its 83 tracks, 50 drivers, and 37 cars. But, despite being the official game of the World Rally Championship, it has many issues that strip away its authenticity – the most problematic of which being poor track feedback. The title's more than competent as a casual off-road racer, but unfortunately for developer Milestone, Codemasters already has that genre locked up with its exceptional DiRT series.

007 Legends' greatest failing is that it cherry picks moments from Bond's illustrious history but fails to show why the character has engaged and fascinated for so long, all the while lacking self-generated value as its own game. Die-hard Bond fans will leave underwhelmed - if not peeved - by its treatment of these films, and the lowest-common-denominator approach to gameplay is downright bland. Thunderbore.

Resident Evil 6 steers Capcom's survival-horror series in an even more action-oriented direction – and comes up short in some places as a result. However, if you can forgive the troublesome camera and woeful partner AI, there's still a lot to like about this third-person shooter.

Derrick the Deathfin is a real heartbreaker. It's agonisingly obvious that Different Tuna tried really hard to make something special, and as a player you're rooting for them – but the base gameplay just isn't good enough to keep you hooked. If the graphics grab you, then the price is low enough to make this a worthwhile gamble, just don't dive in with any unrealistic expectations.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie is a compelling proposition for wannabe stuntmen. The distracting visual presentation can lead to some unfortunate mistakes, and loading times can get a little long – but overlook these flaws, and there's no danger whatsoever of you not thoroughly enjoying your time on set.

Even if you managed to play the entirety of Retro City Rampage without understanding a single reference, you'll still find plenty to like about the game. However, if you've grown up playing video games and watching cult movies, your enjoyment will be amplified. This is a difficult type of title to pull off, but Vblank Entertainment's debut is the perfect parody.

Sonic Adventure 2 offers the same thrills as its Dreamcast and GameCube predecessors without sacrificing too much. The online features from the Dreamcast title are unfortunately stripped, and the GameCube extras are only available as paid DLC – making this PSN download worth skipping if you already own either of the original titles. But for those who haven't yet experienced the fast paced adventure, this is a stellar port of an old classic.

The Unfinished Swan is the second generation-defining downloadable from Sony in eight months. Giant Sparrow's debut is a confident, creative tour-de-force – and it's one of the most imaginative adventures you'll ever play.

Dishonored probably could have done a little more with its narrative – but that shouldn't detract from its otherwise incredible achievements. The ability to elect different play styles is not merely a bullet-point here; it's the purpose of the entire game. And while you might not fall in love with the title immediately, allow Dunwall's rat-infested suburbs to crawl beneath your skin, and you'll eventually succumb to its charms like a plague.

If it's more of the same you want, with a few extras, some more polish and updated player rosters, have no fear – FIFA 13 scores effortlessly on that front. There aren't a whole lot of huge changes during this run out, but the substitutions across each mode, plus some smart new diversions such as Skill Games, the great integration of live team updates and tightened mechanics, ensure that it stays on top of the table for another year.

NiGHTS is an important game for many reasons. Perhaps the most prevalent is that it shows creative thinking and unique ideas can create a game that is not only well-loved at its release, but also stands the test of time for future generations to enjoy. It's been 16 years since NiGHTS was released and yet it shines as bright today as it did then, inviting players into a world that is still unlike any other game. The terribly impatient might take issue with the initial lack of direction, but those that cherished the game on their Saturn and anyone looking for an engaging testament to a simpler time are going to be overjoyed with this.

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is a portable powerhouse – a truly astounding experience that matches the ambition of its console counterparts. Tarsier has meticulously re-laid the foundations originally plotted by series creators Media Molecule, and constructed a pocketable planet brimming with potential. It's now down to the game's imaginative player base to furnish that virtual landmass with ideas and ambitions of its own.

We're also pleased that Sony has released it digitally in the west at a reduced price point; while it might indicate a lack of faith in Tokyo Jungle's commercial potential (which is a fair point - this is the kind of quirky game that would sink at physical retail), it means that it should reach as wide an audience as possible - and it certainly deserves to. It's definitely not lacking in bite.

Despite its flaws, New Little King's Story is far from a bad game – but it certainly could have done with more polish before its coronation. If you can overlook its problems this is still a fun, often addictive, real-time strategy game that doesn't take itself too seriously and is pretty unique in the marketplace, but every issue is a gentle nudge that reminds you that this could have been a far more royal affair.

F1 2012 is heavily flawed gem. Visually stunning and eminently thrilling one minute, needlessly ugly and overtly annoying the next, it's a game that really doesn't do enough to improve over last season's effort. What's worse is that fans of the series have been voraciously pouncing on any chance to complain about these issues to the developer for two years now, and they – once again – seem to have been ignored. With that said, the game is just as good as it was last year – just not as good as we'd expect it to be by now.

Zen Pinball 2 is all you really need if you're after a decent variety of pinball tables to play around with; whether you're at home or on the move, your scores – and those of your friends, provided you have an Internet connection – are always there to be beaten. The tables are intelligently designed and not too costly, there are more than enough settings to fiddle with, and the chance to craft your own collection without being forced to pay for any unwanted tables is very welcome

Borderlands 2 doesn't quite recapture the same sense of wide-eyed wonder that made its predecessor such a commercial smash-hit, but it's still a dangerously addictive game.

This is a game that is massively enhanced by drop-in/drop-out co-operative play offline, with a future patch promising to bring the same experience to online players as well. Average players will probably complete the first difficulty level in 2-3 hours and disappointingly, the only real replayability here involves beating the game again on a harder difficulty setting. But even with that in mind, Double Dragon Neon is easily one of the most polished PSN titles available to date, and if you don't at least give it a spin (kick), then the joke is on you.

SunFlowers is a whimsical timewaster with a striking visual style. The gameplay is slick and simple, but it lacks the urgency and variation required to hold your attention over prolonged periods of time. As a distraction, it's certainly worth the asking price – but don't go in expecting Chelsea Flower Show-esque layers of depth.

The HD upgrade has given an already visually impressive title a fresh lick of paint, and the fact that Sega has been able to secure almost all of the original soundtrack means that it sounds as good as it looks. Fuse this effortlessly cool presentation with some engaging and challenging gameplay and you've got one of the few genuinely timeless classics of the past few decades.

There's a lot to like about the game's single-player campaign, but sloppy shooting and some technical issues detract from its cinematic achievements. Once again multiplayer is perhaps the highlight of the package, serving up a punchy competitive and co-operative experience that, while unlikely to consume your gaming attention for months on end, is a lot more than meets the eye.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD does not fail or slam; the ride may become a little sketchy when its game engine jolts or stutters, but its core arcade gameplay is as fun and fluid today as it was in 1999.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver. is tragic in a way, because while the game itself is still solid and fun to play, there's just too little on offer to justify the price tag.

Papo & Yo is not a technically perfect game, and is perhaps a little short for the asking price, but it covers a topic that is rarely discussed in the world of video games thoughtfully with an inventive style that provokes an emotional response at several points.

If you're looking for an innovative take on the rhythm genre, Retro/Grade is your jam.

Not top dog, but not in the land of nod either; Sleeping Dogs is a predictable but thoroughly enjoyable open world romp. Its undercover narrative and atmospheric Asian setting help to augment the title with an original identity, even if it's forced to sit a couple of places behind Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto franchise in the sandbox pecking order.

A short second half and some technical issues let it down, but Darksiders II is still a fantastic, ambitious action-adventure that does plenty right. The combat is satisfying, the upgrade systems are full of possibility, and at its high points it not only hits the right notes but slices them clean through. If you're after a large scale fantasy adventure that makes you think as well as fight, Darksiders II is where it's at this year.