The core gameplay mechanics are as good as ever, the presentation has been toned down for the better, there are some brilliant new multiplayer options, and everything feels more streamlined than before. Well worth adding to your playlist.

Danger fuelled TWD right from the start, but episode 1 of Wolf feels much more like a TV show pilot – setting up all the pieces it needs to tell a compelling neo-noir story. An initial lack of emotional connection left me feeling disappointed, but when given the time to shine, it does. Episode 2 can’t come soon enough.

Graphically, as PSN games go, Super Stardust HD is superb, and it nicely combines the neon glow of Geometry Wars with the detailed retro pixel work of the first Stardust. The difficulty level is spot on, providing a challenge without causing a headache.

Nothing but brilliant. But we're already looking to the future. Our minds are already spinning at what Ubisoft Montreal might come up with for the inevitable "Far Cry 3."

The story gets more mature with the solving of each puzzle, the puzzles themselves will have even the brainiest flummoxed and the art design is up there with anything, and I mean anything, on the console. It's the perfect DS game, it's the perfect puzzle game, it's what everyone should be playing on the tube instead of Brain Training, or some generic Sudoku clone.

Even with its problems, Dead Rising is a ton of fun to play, offers a respectable narrative, and come on, you can use a lawnmower for cryin' out load. Enough said.

Marked improvements in style and story, coupled with Bungie's always excellent shooting, make this continued space epic a winner. But that never ending grind, though.

It's not brave, it's not innovative, but neither should it be casually dismissed as 'more of the same'. That winning formula has been prodded and poked and buffed until it gleams, leaving us with a game that is, at the very least, the finest Mario Kart since the original. For some, it might be even more than that.

While the campaign, UI and added value of betas and TV shows give Halo: MCC a lot to shout about, shoddy matchmaking means one of the biggest talking points for fans is being discussed for all the wrong reasons.

Skate Story is an allegorical love letter to skateboarding that expertly captures the essence of skating’s humbling mechanical vocabulary like few other games do. Thoughtful and inventive in unexpected ways, Sam Eng’s boundlessly creative dive into an absurdist underworld is as nourishing as it is refreshing.

Boom Blox is the type of game that innocently eats up time, with you playing with a smile on your face until you realise you've been sat in the same position all evening.

The most realistic football experience on consoles. It also happens to be the most challenging Madden since as far back as I can remember.

And it's also through experimentation that you'll experience the magic moments you'll not find anywhere else.

To my mind, BattleBlock Theater is (a crude) Adventure Time to Super Meat Boy's Ren And Stimpy: just as crazy, but more forgiving.

With a combat system that cleverly overcomes button mashing, wonderful design work and a story that spans far longer than your average video game, Lords of Shadow is exactly what the Castlevania franchise needed to find popularity with a new generation of gamers - and us oldies too.

Regardless of such niggles, Diamond and Pearl are among the best Pokémon titles so far, if not the best. Visually the game is fantastic, ably juggling 2D and 3D elements, and the soundtrack is catchy, upbeat and distinctly Pokémon themed.

It's just a massive disappointment that this PS3 port is so bare bones.

A game that's best enjoyed with likeminded fight fans, on the same couch and with the same competitive spirit. There's still room for the perfect MMA game, one that's more organic, more convincing and probably even more violent, but for now, just strap those gloves on and enjoy the madness.

Despite this Rogue Legacy is an excellent game, and one that is certainly deserving of your attention. With Cross-Buy and Cross-Save functionality, it’s a perfect companion on the train, too. I just hope the Legacy family can forgive my exploitation, as once I (of course, I mean we) finally overcome Castle Hamson, it’ll all be worth it.

FM 2014 allows you to do more in less time, but it doesn't mean you won't spend as many hours as you do every year playing the game. Whether you're desperately trying to avoid relegation or win that all-important cup final, this year's entry will once again keep you invested for a long time.

Blowing things up is cool, and no game lets you see the destruction caused better than Volition's latest.

Ratchet & Clank is an easy recommendation. It's great fun, looks lovely, plays well and almost serves as a palate cleanser to the usual video game releases. Newcomers to the series will likely find a fresher experience (even though it's a proper remake, familiarity does creep in), but fans will love what Insomniac has done here. A remake done right in a series that rarely puts a foot wrong.

Capcom’s called it “the best fighting game net code ever created for consoles”. We’re inclined to agree. When all is said and done, if you’re a fighting game fan MvC2 is an essential purchase.

The action in F.E.A.R. is relentless from start to finish, and the AI of enemy soldiers is about the best you'll find in video games at the moment. Bar an ending that will leave you wanting a lot more, there's little not to enjoy.

A lot of games are about killing. Far Cry is about hunting. They're not the same thing, and it is as disquieting as it is enjoyable.

The only notable absence here is a multiplayer mode, but then Tetris always worked better as a lonely, consuming experience. At £3.99 this is one of the more expensive releases in the Minis range, but considering what you actually get, this still represents excellent value for money.

Ubisoft Montreal has come tantalisingly close to creating a real masterpiece.

The key is that you can get a hell of a lot of enjoyment out of Civ Rev without getting completely bogged down by the game's statistics.