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.