The fact that Rock Band 3 is both easy to pick up and play while offering an intricate learning tool is a remarkable thing.

If there is a complaint to be had it is that, currently, there is perhaps not enough to it. The four game types are a variation on two themes, the 12 maps quickly repeat, while competitive ranked play is yet to be included. But Blizzard has made all the right noises about being committed to building on Overwatch, providing new heroes, maps and gametypes for free across the game’s lifespan.

It is a suitably bonkers introduction and wastes no time getting to the nub of the game: that glorious combat. It hasn’t lost any of its shine. A system of extraordinary layers, the combat begins as a thing of simplicity with buttons for punch, kick, shoot and dodge. It then unfurls itself as you play, teaching through action.

The fact that Rock Band 3 is both easy to pick up and play while offering an intricate learning tool is a remarkable thing.

If you haven't played Broken Sword before, its delightful -if occasionally idiosyncratic- puzzling and terrific script should send it hurtling to the top of your 'must download' list.

While it contains some excellent ideas, the manager mode needs a lot of work, and it's not clear at this stage whether its list of problems can or will be fixed with a downloadable patch. It's really this that holds the game back from earning a higher score at this stage, and this is a real pity, because there isn't any football title that can compete with FIFA 10's superb core gameplay engine.

A feast of driving that sets out to sate whatever vehicular desire you may have from minute-to-minute. It can’t be perfect, perhaps, but it is a real pleasure.

In 2005 Shadow of the Colossus was a masterpiece and that remains so in 2018. This is one of the greatest games ever made and is an accolade that shows no sign of being detached from its monumental presence.

Killzone 2 is not a revolution. It was never intended to be. However, it would be folly to disregard its importance, both to the PS3 and the console FPS. It’s a refinement of the genre, distilled to its purest and polished to a glittering shine.

Halo is their story, and with Reach you feel they have just closed the book. It may not have the lasting impact of Combat Evolved, but as a refinement of the idea --the essence-- of Halo, it is their finest work yet.

Welcoming, slick and meticulously built in order to give its audience what it most desires. Because whether it's the feel of the road, the fury of competition or good old fashioned wish fulfilment, Forza 4 really does have you covered.

This is a game of refinement, not reinvention...Gears of War 3 has nothing new to say to its audience, only more lavish and breathless adjectives to throw our way. It is, at times, nothing short of spectacular, and there is a robustness and polish to every aspect of the game that makes it consistently enjoyable. But for the series and the studio that crafted it, it's time to pursue novelty once again.

Another terrific, if overly familiar, entry into the Zelda canon. It may not always match the epic sweep of its home console brethren —this is the leanest Zelda that I can remember— but its compact dungeons and fat-free exploration are perfect for a handheld. This is the best portable Zelda yet.

This is a remarkable, progressive, absorbing game, one sure to prompt fervent discussion among its players, no two of whom will have shared the same experience. Your actions and deductions may not lead to a virtual arrest or conviction, but the curiosity of your inner Columbo will surely have been sated.

The silliness helps tie together Resident Evil 2’s combination of genuine terror with baroque puzzles and excessive action, making sure that it is frightening but always fun. It has always been the ethos that has made Resident Evil such an enduring survival-horror success for over twenty years. This remake captures it perfectly, but makes sure it has plenty of fresh tricks up its sleeve to ensure it has as much of an impact on the here and now.

While Vaas is one of the best video game baddies in some time, with fabulous dialogue performed with unsettling verve, he is not the star. The island that lies behind him is...Rook Island is a magnificent creation.

Assassin’s Creed II rarely gets the blood-pumping as much as some of the more visceral games of this year manage, instead opting for an air of odd serenity. Rather than bludgeoning you with a frontal assault on the senses, the beauty and elegance of the setting and gameplay washes over you, holding your attention completely.

With a game this broad and lengthy, there’s more to discuss than I could fit in one review, but suffice it to say, this a game that Nintendo have clearly worked incredibly hard to get right. It shines at every moment, from the wind rustling through the trees, to the sunset glinting off the water to the jaunty tunes at the start of the day fading into more relaxing melodies in the evening. Add dozens of much needed quality of life features (hello player customisation, autosave, couch co-op, and eight-player online play) and it all adds up to the perfect DIY recipe for the most chilled out, relaxing, and engaging life simulator ever.

Bayonetta’s unashamedly a video game, but it’s also unashamedly Japanese, a celebration of the unique exuberance that characterises the country’s long-standing approach to video game craft. What’s the phrase? “Only in Japan?” Sometimes that’s true, and the rest of the world can only look on in envy.

Trials Evolution is a must-have for Trials die-hards, and a perfect, comprehensive starting point for the uninitiated.

It's probably the most brilliantly conceived and well-executed expansion pack of its type and it sets the bar amazingly high for all future DLC. The sheer volume of content is staggering, and while cynics may argue about whether it was worth $50 million, we are delighted to report that it's a steal at the paltry 1600 (£13.60) points required to download it from Xbox Live.

There may be teething problems in adjusting to its nuances, and there's certainly room for refinement, but FIFA 12 is unquestionably a change for the better. There's still potential for an even more improved game of football then, but this is a huge stride to fulfilling it.

This is an accomplished remake of a great game, but it doesn’t necessarily shake the cobwebs off in the same way that Resident Evil 2 did. But perhaps that’s because it didn’t need to; retaining the ghoulish sense of place and suffocation that makes the Ishimura such a horrible place to visit.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a terrific and affecting bout of escapism. Its ‘Metroidvania’ roots reach deep - those that remain unmoved by this style of 2D action aren’t likely to find anything revelatory. But its aura and execution is a thing of beauty.

Limbo is a game that cheerfully deals in oxymoron, its awful beauty framing macabre humour. But for all its disparate elements, for all the varied puzzles and shifts in tone, there lies a game of a single, unwavering vision.

Both more terrifying and more fun to play than its incredibly impressive predecessor. Dead Space 2 is not – and never could be – a game to suit everyone's taste, but if you're a player willing to risk a few nightmares for the chance to immerse yourself in pure terror, it's one of the best horror games available for this generation of consoles.

A fantastic port of an already exceptional game. With Independence FM making it unique and a price tag that is less than a third of its hand-held rivals, there is no reason not to get downloading this app which is sure to keep you entertained far beyond your journeys to and from work.

One of the best strategy games released all year, and once it's installed be prepared to lose many hours of your life to the quest of global domination.