Here the developers have carefully pieced together something rarely seen in the industry – a considerably more substantial, meaty take on the saturated third person adventure genre, and one that surprises at every turn without wrong-footing a player ready to invest serious time and emotion into the project. A real achievement, and one that respects you as an adult.

A really good experience. There’s enough here for fans of action, stealth and survival to enjoy. Though the series seems to have moved on from being scary the majority of the time, it does this progression in a way that feels natural.

Remember Me manages to do something quite special – and rare – in big releases from major publishers: it innovates in a really meaningful way. The incredibly intuitive combo system takes a game that might be as frantically, impenetrably nuanced and complex as God of War or Devil May Cry and makes it as accessible as Batman: Arkham City.

There’s no way this could ever be a good game – there’s nothing about it that will impress you unless you’ve never seen a game before.

Pool Nation’s strengths lie in the multiplayer and Endurance mode. Both of these offer a good challenge and playing either with friends is a competitive joy.

Despite the somewhat flawed core gameplay and objectives system, Men’s Room Mayhem is a good bit of fun and a good distraction for the price – just don’t go in expecting a worthy rival to the brilliant Flight Control; while that game and the title song lingered in your head for months after, this will be much forgotten much quicker.

Penned by TV’s own George Poles, this charming sequence of interspersed brainteasers, point-to-go navigation and child-like exposition never really threatens to wow, but still manages to keep you hooked until the end, if only to find out where that admittedly brief storyline is heading.

I would have preferred it if the narrative arc and the game’s pacing were a little more measured but this isn’t the sort of game that leans too heavily on its storyline. Blood Dragon is all about loud, brash, silly fun and in that respect it achieves its goals easily.

When the curtain finally closed on Thomas Was Alone, I couldn’t help but feel touched. Despite being two-dimensional in appearance, the game’s cast of characters exuded more personality and depth than that of some games propped up by millions of dollars of development funding.

It’s Drinkbox’s best game so far (and I was a big fan of Mutant Blobs Attack on Vita) and it’s the best combo-brawler on PSN. It’s also one of the best platform puzzlers and one of the best Metroid-vania style games. Not content with that list of “bests”, Guacamelee! is also one of the best games for your Vita.

Although PLUS is a competent port of Dead Or Alive 5, it doesn’t add quite enough to warrant a re-purchase.

Terraria is a simple game that is hard to master, and one that can easily consume your time. The only stories here are the ones you create, either by yourself or with others, and there’s a chance to construct some real masterpieces.

Though Team Ninja has certainly spruced up a number of elements, they seem to have avoided the game’s most fundamental issues. The series’ trademark gameplay has always been challenging but never quite so obstructive and un-rewarding.

Aside from some superficial issues, there’s really nothing wrong with the game at all – it’s better than BioShock ever was; it’s fully realised and complete. It’s so, so near perfect and the first words Booker hear when he steps into the land of Columbia reflect my thoughts entirely: “It’s heaven – or as close as we’ll see until judgement day.”

Simply put, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is the best Naruto game yet. Whilst the length of the cutscenes may put some off, the presentation, story and fighting is top notch and the game is heartily recommend to all Naruto fans. Yes, it has some niggles, but the positives more than outweigh the negatives.

Those looking for an enjoyable platform romp will no doubt have a blast with the game, but those looking for something new may come away disappointed.

Frame-rate aside, Sigma 2 Plus is still one of the PlayStation Vita’s more recommendable titles. The story is nonsensical and there are a couple of minor issues orbiting the game’s presentation but it still plays well, and features a fair amount of content both in and out of the single player campaign. With that said, fans of the series should approach Plus with caution, unless they are desperate for their Ninja Gaiden fix whilst on the go.

It’s still definitely worth playing, but there’s a nagging feeling that it could have been better...Yes, it’s visually stunning – definitely a showcase for what Sony’s first party studios can do – but it simply doesn’t quite draw you in like it should and without that investment from the player it’s one set piece after another.

The tables are well crafted with some nice artwork and excellent graphics, and Zen offer some fine fan service to Star Wars fans.

Although they may not override the series’ fundamental shortcomings, Empires’ tactical nuances and approach to player agency make it the most refined spin-off to date.

It feels as though Creat are trying to emulate the success of PopCap with Germinator, but they can’t quite get there. It’s simply not as addictive, fun or as well presented as any of PopCap’s titles, no matter how hard it tries. Still, there are a few good features and if you’re a fan of the bubble popping genre this provides a unique twist on the classic formula along with a bit of a challenge.

Urban Trial Freestyle is a very good stunt game that has the potential to provide hours of entertainment, especially if you like trying to break records, be they your own or others.

On one hand the game has a load of technical problems, and is severely lacking in polish. However, it's almost impossible not to enjoy the game when you're knee-deep in dead bugs, taking on an alien spacecraft with a rocket launcher and an assault rifle.

Think of it as a modern-day underground refresh of Maniac Mansion with the wit of Guybrush Threepwood's adventures (with a much smaller inventory) and you're probably not too far off.

It's certainly not without its issues, and at this stage in a generation you feel like a game should probably be wielding more graphical clout, but the game's combat more than makes up for it. It's simply brilliant, and you can have a lot of fun trying out the different options it presents you. Once Dante's picked up every weapon there's simply so much available to you, and it's what sets the game apart.

On paper, Fuel Overdose sounds like the perfect arcade blast to dip into for half an hour whenever you feel the urge. Unfortunately, the reality is a lot less impressive, leaving us with a game that is deeply flawed in several key areas.

Big Sky Infinity has bags of potential, with a really solid gameplay core. There are occasions where this shines through and you have an absolute blast. However, there are a number of issues that, when combined, really do drag down the score. Here's hoping for a sequel where all this potential is fully realised.

ZoE2 is worth the price of admission alone just for being a fantastic standalone action mech game (and that's not including the extras included within like the special missions), though ZoE1 is a decent introduction to the series if you really want to invest yourself into the series and the backstory.

Exactly what a mash-up should be – not single game environments, not stories that only include the character of one specific game, but a fusion – a celebration even – of the brilliant PlayStation games that we all know and love.

F1 Race Stars could have been wonderful, with just a couple of tweaks to the handling. However, the stoic adherance to sim-esque cornering has meant that the driving needs to be approached with far more care than it should, something that's at odds with the presentation, track design and the fact that at any point you could be blasted with a weapon from behind – and they're not blockable either.

X certainly has its merits but when all is said and done only it feels like a game that is specifically tuned towards series veterans or those who are invested in the online community.

This game is clearly supposed to be played with friends and in those circumstances, it can be hugely enjoyable.

THQ have held the WWE licence for a long time now, so to put out a game that feels so broken, with poor collision detection and a large number of bugs are something I'm struggling to accept.

Generally, Assassin's Creed III delivers most of the things that fans want. It's a fresh new setting wrapped around the familiar core mechanics. We've lost the less engaging elements that they experimented with in Revelations while adding a couple of new tricks to the range of gameplay.

The game can be incredibly frustrating but this pays off with a huge sense of achievement when you finally nail a level.

Though there are issues with Killzone HD, it should be remembered that this is an HD port of a last gen title, not a complete remake, so some bugs should be expected. For fans of the Killzone franchise, or FPS fans on a tight budget, this is well worth playing.

Banana Splitz is a decent game, and it's certainly up there with recent attempts to get the Monkey Ball series back on track, but it's becoming a little long in the tooth now with the developers not really pushing the title forwards enough to really recreate the magic that the first couple offered.

Of Orcs and Men has so much potential and when you get into the game you'll experience flashes of brilliance, but those flashes are gone as quickly as they come, leaving behind a game that came out before it was ready.

NBA 2K13 is a brilliantly fun basketball game and one for all basketball fans to pick up. Casual sports game fans should also pick this up as it's good to play against others. Sure there are a few things 2K can improve, like the menu interface and the inclusion of a tutorial, but once you get a hang of it NBA 2K13 is a great experience.

The other key element in increasing that tension is the fact that each death is a real problem for the XCOM initiative that you're in control of.

Tragic, powerful and thought-provoking, but also intelligent, witty and beautiful - Giant Sparrow's debut is begging to be played.

Mugen Souls is the very definition of a 'good' game. Whilst it'll never blow you away, and there are certainly a number of issues, there's also plenty to do and a varied cast of characters to escort you on this bizarre adventure. If you're after an RPG that isn't quite the norm, then Mugen Souls is worth a look.

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise is a much better effort than its predecessor. By adding in the costumes system, 505 Games have managed to give the game a layer of depth previously missing. However, whilst repetition doesn't entirely spoil the party, it certainly takes the shine off after a while.

Perhaps the most striking thing about Dishonored is the way the later stages of the game change, depending on how you've approached earlier missions. If you go through killing everyone and blowing things up, you'll invoke a lot of chaos in the game world and later missions will be darker and more difficult to navigate stealthily.

A joyful experience, full of humour and character. It manages to walk the fine line between silly base humour and a more intelligent wit too, which is something almost unique in videogames. With a narrative that expands on the original storyline in every conceivable way and so many ways to play, different characters to build and so much cooperative fun to be had, it's hard to see a downside.

PES 2013 has made huge strides forward in how it plays over last year's game.

That the lead character is a Pomeranian in a baseball cap ceases to be an issue once the compelling gameplay hooks you. Even when you're randomly eaten by a surprising tiger eight generations into an animal's lineage, you'll still be watching a tiger eat a pomeranian in a baseball cap. And that's brilliant.

We're not saying that the story mode here is any worse (or better) than previous titles in the series – it's easily on par, but it's also rather stoic in its mechanics and a few more diversions would have elevated it beyond its PS3 contemporaries. But as a platform for your own imagination (and one generously compatible with much of LittleBigPlanet 2′s DLC) it's unmatched, and as limitless as you'd want it to be.

Retro/Grade is a stunning take on both the rhythm and the space shooter genres – both of which haven't had much innovation in recent years. With solid mechanics, fun gameplay and excellent presentation, this could just be the best, and certainly the most unique, downloadable game this year.

It's fun, cohesive and meaningful yet suffers from a lapse in replayability and all-round polish.

Whilst Death's entry in the Darksiders series certainly has better gameplay mechanics and a better style than War's, the story fails to make a mark and the game, for as big as it is, can soon become monotonous at points.

Sleeping Dogs isn't original in most of its mechanics and narrative but the little things that differ from genre staples are enough to warrant your attention. The combat system is a joy and the focus on unarmed combat, rather than firepower, is quite refreshing.

The lack of balance between platforming and tower defence coupled with a handful of under-featured game modes and unstable online multiplayer prevent it from being a "must have."

Functional yet heavily flawed, No Man's Land is certainly a step forward for PlayStation Home though, regrettably, a step in the wrong direction.

Sound Shapes has emerged as one of the Vita's finest games, seemingly out of nowhere. It's deep and complex enough for the hardcore whilst remaining accessible and fun for those that just want something a little bit different.

LEGO Batman 2 may have suffered from the series' collective fatigue in a few places, yet still stands as one of the best, most enriching puzzle platformers to grace home consoles.

It's not clear what really happened here. Ice Age: Continental Drift the videogame is a poor reflection on the series, feels underdeveloped and – given the limited amount of actual game on offer – overpriced even at a 'budget' rate of thirty notes.

For most of the time Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles fails to impress. Whilst it's certainly not the worst game out there, it struggles to rise above average, and I wonder if it would sell at all if not for the Resident Evil name behind it. If you're a fan of the franchise there's a good chance you'll get a kick out of this, but for everyone else I struggle to recommend it.

Graphically the game looks very good, and the devs have created some nice loading screens inspired by the London 2012 logo. There are also commentators in the game and though voiced well enough they quickly become repetitive, sometimes looping through the same lines during an event.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is exactly what fans of the series will have come to expect: a clean-cut refinement with very few barriers to entry.

Such is the fickle world of gaming that the game can be found – one week after release – for £19.99. At that price, despite its flaws, the game is well worth a look, so the score's a cleavage heaving, upskirt looking, foul mouthed...

It blends a brilliant story with strong characters and gameplay mechanics that rival much more established franchises. Yes the difficulty spikes can be a grind, but push on through and you'll find one of 2012's best games.

Table Top Tanks really isn't the killer app for AR gaming, but to say it's a disappointment would be unfair. Despite being simplistic in most respects and offering little replay incentive, it also happens to be one of the cheapest games available on the Playstation Store at a surprising £1.59.

Yes, fatigue does set in the further into the Trilogy you get, but it's hard to argue with a package that represents such good value with three quality games.

Dragon's Dogma feels like the start of something big. It thrills and frustrates in equal measure, and whilst it's not up to the level of those at the top of this genre, one can't help but wonder what a Dragon's Dogma 2 could be like if Capcom act on all the lessons learned from this game. An exciting thought indeed.

This effort has a few interesting ideas and a reasonably accomplished plot, fairly well progressed but it stumbles mechanically over every good idea it has and douses it in some genuinely shocking presentation.

Perhaps the best thing it does though is really hook into your emotions. You might not start off enjoying crushing workers or priests at the start of the game, but by the end you'll hate them and want to hit them with as much elemental power as you can muster. In fact I could do with squishing some right now.

I love this game, and have easily clocked up seven hours plus on it. Velocity is easy to pick up, yet provides plenty of challenge for those wishing to seek out every little secret it has to offer. It looks good, sounds sublime and will satiate those will enjoy shooting the hell out of things whilst also engaging their brains a little bit. Not only is it the best mini I've ever played, but it could also stand toe to toe with some of the PSN's big hitters.

This game is beyond broken and almost entirely not fun, going from bad to worse as it progresses; it's nowhere near worth the asking price of £15 or so, nor the title of the series it is based on.

Inarguably one of the finest portable fighting games to have ever been released. Boasting at least twenty hours of single-player content to kick and punch your way through. It's also one of the system's most convincing ports with a platter of mini-games and exclusive features, organically worked into the overall package.

Hardcore Resistance fans will no doubt like what Nihilistic have managed to get the Vita to do, but for everyone else this is little more than a competent, hard working game that ticks the right boxes but never really pushes the boat out. The graphics are hit and miss, the sound generally terrible and the controls need some work. But it's not a bad game.

DiRT Showdown is very much a game of two halves. The single-player is enjoyable and frustrating in equal measure, but it's the online mode that swoops in and saves the day with the combination of RaceNet, Showdown Challenges and lag-free mayhem.

If you don't care about narrative, don't need the latest and greatest game engine powering your HD shooters and can live with the confused juxtaposition of stealth and over-the-top action braggadocio then you'll love it. If you want a tense, tight, stealthy experience then you'll probably love around half of it and loathe when it robs you of that pleasure.

Sniper Elite holds just as many pleasant surprises as it does disappointments. Despite the well-done gunplay and unique aesthetic flares, there are simply too many areas in which the game feels underdeveloped.

Sorcery is truly a game for people who want to get the most out of their PlayStation Move peripherals. And if it's just that you want, you'll no doubt love the eight or so hours of gameplay on offer. If you're more interested in a deep, magical experience then you might feel somewhat short changed – throw away the motion controls and you're left with a good, though not brilliant, and quite linear romp through this mythological, magical world.

Sonic 4 Episode II feels at times dangerously close to being a great Sonic game, but there are elements throughout that let it down and leave you feeling distinctly underwhelmed. The Homing Attack is far, far more of a hindrance than an aid of any sort, and whilst the presentation is good you don't really get the feeling of a classic Sonic game with Episode II.

Bleak, sometimes frightening, always powerful and quite often shocking, Max Payne 3 takes the third person genre about as far as it can go, and most likely does the same this with this generation's now ageing console hardware. Polished to near perfection, with just a few minor sticking points that dent – ever so slightly – what is overall a wonderful slice of gaming. Enjoy.

Whilst never breaking any new ground, MUD offers a good chunk of challenging content, coupled with an official licence and solid online mode. It won't convert those who have never played Motocross before, and it does have a few issues, but fans will find lots to like.

Awesomenauts is surprisingly accessible, offering plenty of depth for those seeking it, the overall package being one that looks sublime and plays out with such a rare degree of fluidity.

UEFA 2012 is what many of us have been asking for since DLC became a major part of console gaming. Unfortunately, the desire to deliver it as an expansion, rather than a unique product has meant that corners have been cut. While that has made the end product less expensive than in previous instances, it still appears quite costly when measured against other items on the relevant stores.

It would have been nice to see a few more trophies, skins or treasure sets thrown into the mix but, as it stands, it's still a solid expansion with Naughty Dog teasing even more content in the months to come.

It may be a visually sound package that throws a few unique spins on the Silent Hill template, though the sometimes awkward puzzles and irredeemably abysmal combat are enough to drag Downpour down the gutter and towards mediocrity.

Yes, the visuals are dated and the story isn't the best of the franchise, but the gameplay still sparkles and is perfectly suited to the Vita.

At its core A-Men is a clever game. The idea behind controlling multiple characters and using so many different skill sets is a good one. In my opinion, a lot of the enjoyment the game provides is often negated by the trial and error nature of the gameplay.

It seems to add just enough to make it worthwhile for owners of last year's game, while still feeling very familiar. The Pins, Country Clubs and Legacy mode are all welcome additions, although they offer differing levels of appeal.

It may be technologically succinct but in neglecting the needs of solo players and bypassing what makes the car combat genre so engaging, Wheels of Destruction leaves an unmistakably sour taste. If you're gagging for another arena-based car game post-Twisted Metal, we'd strongly recommend hanging around for Psyonix's SARPBC 2.

Yes, there are certain areas where the graphics look dated and the lack of camera control can be annoying, but past these complaints you have a collection of games with the frantic gameplay that inspired the likes of God of War & Bayonetta, and it offers a lot of fun.

My main concern is with recommending it to people who already own Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, as I really don't know if enough has changed to warrant spending £40.

It's tricky to see how large a market there is for a game like this but if, by some chance, you're a fan of vintage air combat from the WWII era then this is likely to have great appeal.

Wrecked: Revenge Revisited simply isn't a battle racer. Yes, there are elements of the battle racing but this is more a time attack mode with few actual battle racing events. The multiplayer does have some fun in it, but it's only really good if played in short bursts.

Please don't take this review as the ranting of a moody Ninja Gaiden fan. Remove the franchise name and the score would still be the same. Despite promising much at the start, Ninja Gaiden 3 misfires at almost every turn, and whilst it's not a bad game, it struggles to rise above average.

The dialogue and voice acting is also well done, though can get repetitive. What lets the game down is the camera, which is a big problem as it can hinder progress and leave you frustrated.

By no means a bad game. The chance to face off against Resident Evil favourites such as Nemesis is a really interesting idea, and the constant threat of zombies will always have you on edge. Saying that, I can see the multiplayer modes becoming repetitive fairly quickly. Whilst differing slightly, the modes on offer are too similar, and all play out on the same handful of maps.

Hungry Giraffe is a fun game. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's a compulsive, replayable game in which you'll always be aiming to beat your high score. If it were an expanded game, it would be much better, though for what it is – a minis title – it manages to do what it set out to.

The systems are well explained, the controls are perfect for the pace and style of gameplay and the presentation is as great as you'd expect. One or two minor niggles aside, FIFA Street is a very enjoyable game, even though it's not the game I expected.

From Ashes is easily the best character-centric DLC the series has to offer. Unlike Kasumi or Zaeed in Mass Effect 2, Javik is a persistent personality, his integration a lot smoother and substantial. With that said, From Ashes is clearly at aimed at those who want to dig deeper in to the rich sci-fi universe. If you're only in it for an extra mission, forking out £7.99 is steep by anyone's standards.

Whilst there's some issues with writing, some of the mechanics and various other glitches, the epic scale and relatively strong narrative push these aside, giving Mass Effect 3 its rightful place amongst the great, sci-fi epics of our time and acting as a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend is a brilliant fighting game that will take an absolute age to master.