It’s just a great game tying to be even better. In some cases it works, in other cases it doesn’t. But, ultimately, if the idea of playing a superior version of one of the best games of all time appeals to you (and why wouldn’t it?) then this is a more than worthy excuse for a double-dip.

GTA V is funny, genuinely laugh out loud funny – and not in a ’shoving a ten-inch purple dildo up your arse’ funny – the humour is told through situation, through incredibly clever writing and wonderful sense of place. Really, that says everything you need to know about GTA V. Rockstar has spent five years, and an insane amount of money, building a game that is not only bold enough to step away from expectation, but brave enough to revel in its combined history as well.

BioSchock is amazing. Not only are its visuals, music, sound, gameplay and plot superb, but it's highly polished and runs beautifully on the 360 without any noticeable drop in frame rate. [Issue 23, p.70]

The Orange Box offers more value for money than any RPG package in history. Valve and EA could have charged through the nose, but wisely kep it honest. It's the best ?50 you'll ever spend. [Issue#25, p.39]

Both an astonishing RPG and confident shooter, Mass Effect 2 is daring, shocking and often awe-inspiring in its use of choice. This is the future of storytelling in videogames. [Issue#, p.85]

Easily in line for a game of the year nod and one of the finest adventures this generation has seen. [Issue#79, p.64]

RDR isn't perfect: there are some control issues to navigate, and sometimes it is unclear what exactly you have to do next...But these are minor quibbles. [Issue#59, p.82]

A truly spectacular sequel that reaches previously unthinkable heights. Portal 2 is an experience to be cherished and already a strong contender for the best game of 2011. [Issue#72, p.78]

A fantastic stealth action game that offers an insane amount of ways to play, just don't expect it to feel like your typical Metal Gear experience.

A Batman game like never before. Fans will feel like they're dreaming, whereas everyone else has an incredibly large and in-depth world to enjoy and engage with. It doesn't get much better. [Issue#78, p.80]

Unsullied by over-complication and masterfully focused, Gears of War aims to offer the most bang per buck yet seen in a videogame, and we're glad to say it does just that. [Issue 14, p.72]

An absolute triumph that shows how ambition and verve combined with next-gen technology can create an absolute monster of a game. The one game every Xbox 360 owner must try. [Issue#5, p.76]

The game is bloody marvellous, but we'd rather have a finite number of enemies if it's all the same to you. [Issue 26, p.70]

Single-player is too similar to what has come before to earn perfect marks, whereas all other aspects are worthy of such commendation. [Issue#25, p.72]

A must-have game for more than than the multiplayer. [Issue#53, p.82]

Quite simply another brilliant title in concept and design. [Issue#67, p.100]

Ultimately, though, no matter what you read elsewhere, its perfection, or lack thereof, will boil down to your own ability either to forgive, or to be blind to a few inarguable flaws: a slow start for an FPS, an ending that doesn’t feel earned, and too big a contrast in your behaviour versus Elizabeth’s reactions to it.

You can't put a price on innovation. [Issue#34, p.116]

Don’t let the lack of a third dimension fool you. Street Fighter IV is possibly the best beat-’em-up ever made. A must-have.

Vast, epic, engaging, absorbing, terrifying, horrific, amusing and thoroughly brilliant. Fallout 3 is easily one of the best games ever made and one that deserves and needs to be played.

A masterclass in design. Brutal, epic, beautiful and harrowing in equal measure, Gears Of War 2 announces Epic’s reign as the king of the action videogame. Absolutely essential.

Mass Effect 3's job is one of refinement, and BioWare polishes its ideas to a mirror sheen. [Issue#83, p.72]

Despite our concerns, Rock Band 3 amazes through its sheer potential. [Issue#66, p.74]

Trying disgracefully to squeeze every last penny out of 360 gamers, but nonetheless close to the most fun you can have by playing a videogame. [Issue 18, p.90]

A dream come true for music fans and gamers alike. If you've recently won the lottery, it's a must-buy. [Issue#29, p.88]

Lacking a little in polish and bizarrely ordered though it may be, Forza Motorsport 3 nevertheless delivers gaming's most authentic racing experience. Fact. [Issue#52, p.76]

A well-made and mostly fun interpretation of hte Batman universe, Arkham Asylum lacks evolution and can wear thin, but it stands up admirably in a very competitive genre. [Issue#50, p.84]

A masterclass in how to tell stories in games. [Issue#94, p.80]

Rock Band 2 includes substantial improvements and a better setlist over its predecessor, making it the must-own music game for the 360. [Issue#39]

SSF4 raises the series' game again and continues its quest to be crowned the greatest beat-'em-up of all time. And extremely worthy and credible update. [Issue#58, p.90]

Only for the bold, Dark Souls II delivers a fearsome challenge, while dispensing with the complexity that bogged down its predecessor. A true triumph of game design.

Not quite the technical masterpiece we hoped for, but the mild disappointment soon melts away. The Witcher 3 is a huge, engrossing time-sink of a game that you'll happily spend dozens of hours on. [Issue#125, p.74]

Epic beyond what we'd expect from a Halo game, typically well-polished and boasting impeccable shooter design. [Issue#64, p.80]

A game of such rare emotion that we became attached to our characters to the point of missing them now it's all over. [Issue 27, p.76]

About as close to the pinnacle of the racing simulation genre as you could reasonable expect to get. [Issue#78, p.72]

Right now, it doesn't get any better. [Issue#77, p.78]

Far Cry 3 has strong, albeit a little forced, RPG elements. And during its better moments it feels more like Skyrim than it does a typical FPS.

An ambitious, immersive experience that somehow manages to revolutionise every key flaw in its predecessor. [Issue#53, p.78]

Tough for the many but heaven for the few, Bayonetta soundly trumps the Devil May Cry franchise as the Xbox 360's prime hack-and-slash action game. We eagerly wait for more. [Issue#54, p.74]

As visceral and genuinely 'on the edge' as they come. [Issue#5, p.86]

Great value, incredibly addictive and fun no matter what your skill level, Trials Evolution deserves to be another multimillion seller for one of Live Arcade's flagship names. [Issue#84, p.102]

Lost and Damned is an absolute behemoth of an expansion, providing a fresh perspective on the same city and setting a devilishly high standard for DLC in the future.

The major additions show real promise, but right now they're doing more harm than good. [Issue#77, p.84]

The undoubted king of videogame football, but beginning to stagnate just a little. [Issue#51, p.80]

It's easily the best puzzle game to come along in quite some time and arguably up there with some of the best we've seen within the world of videogames. [Issue#38, p.114]

A videogame as intelligent and self-referential as it is macabre. [Issue#63, p.100]

Gameplay has a wicked flow to it. [Issue#91, p.90]

A near-perfect mixture of frustration and joy, covering similar millimetre-accurate ground to N+, it's not entirely without problems. [Issue#66, p.105]

Not a revolutionary sequel, but still one that improves and enhances the formula in countless ways, only a small few of which prove slightly misguided. [Issue#68, p.76]

The daddy is back. [Issue#37, p.116]

It's like The Sims, but with much shorter life expectancies. [Issue#91, p.66]

The perfect racing game for all levels of ability, Forza Motorsport 2's deep customisation options give it an unrivalled lifespan among its genre stablemates. An essential purchase. [Issue#20, p.80]

It would still be worth it even if it was just Metal Gear Solid on its own. [Issue #81, p.86]

There's work to be done, unquestionably, but for the first time, FIFA feels like it's going to capture the essence of football along with the mechanics. [Issue#90, p.82]

One of the most innovative and fun platformers of the generation. [Issue#102, p.82]

Basketball done right. [Issue#78, p.89]

It's probably one of the best co-op games you'll ever play. [Issue#90, p.72]

Buy, kiss your life goodbye. [Issue#64, p.103]

The simple creativity it showed in blending the player's virtual action into the fabric of each level's trance soundtrack was a breath of fresh air in a world where 'rhythm action' mean "PaRappa" or "Dancing Stage." [Issue#30, p.120]

Beautifully paced and with the sort of gothic visuals that would scare Marilyn Manson. [Issue 19, p.116]

Peter Molynuex was recently quoted as saying, pre-release, that he felt Fable II is a nine out of ten game. You know what, Pete? You’re spot-on mate.

Not only the best Assassin's Creed yet, but one of the meatiest, most engaging games of this generation. [Issue#66, p.78]

Zombie perfection. [Issue#53, p.86]

While it’s easy to say that it’s not so great offline, Left 4 Dead is supposed to be played with friends and when you do it’s hard to find any flaws. Very fun, very slick and very dead.

Dark Souls' world is dense with something new around every corner. [Issue#78, p.76]

Slightly less satisfying than last time around, but only to the tune of being the second-best piece of downloadable content ever created for a console title. Not bad then. [Issue#52, p.84]

Its hidden depths might be too obscure for some, but this is the kind of title XBLA was made for. [Issue#85, p.91]

It's still one of the best RPGs out there at the moment, but the NPC invasions and enemy placement felt a little unbalanced this time around. [Issue#124, p.79]

A slow start soon gives way to some exciting action. [Issue#5, p.90]

There’s very little to denounce Dead Space with. It captures you completely with chilling suspense and leaves you feeling thoroughly thrilled. What can we say? Bring on a sequel!

Atmospheric, mature, detailed, classy and intriguing, but let down sorely by short-sighted design and sloppy mechanics, the worst of which is the feeble AI. [Issue#76, p.84]

A wonderfully crafted, artistically perfect interpretation of The Beatles' music, oozing with love from every pore. [Issue#50, p.80]

We wanted to start it again as soon as we'd finished it, which should tell you a lot about L.A. Noire's quality. In the ways that matter it's genuinely excellent. [Issue#72, p.74]

It's just a shame you'll lose all interest in friends or sleep when in Peggle's inescapable grasp. [Issue#45, p.101]

The most accomplished, perfectly balanced and dazzlingly polished fighting game ever made - but watch out, it punishes infidels unwilling to invest the time to learn the 'art.' [Issue#25, p.88]

With EA's NBA Elite 11 now canned, there's no reason not to pick up this effort if you're a basketball fan. [Issue#66, p.90]

Repetitive and relatively simple perhaps, but when it's fundamental gratification you're after, Burnout Paradise doesn't go far wrong. A worthy challenger to the likes of "Forza 2," "PGR 4" and "ProStreet." [Issue#29, p.82]

Fallout 4 is a genuine achievement, an awesome wasteland survival simulator that suffers from familiar Bethesda problems. Clear your schedule, Fallout 4 will demand all of your spare time.

A throwback to an almost non-existent genre on 360 and a superb addition to the list of great titles on XBLA. [Issue#50, p.93]

This is easily the best Call of Duty campaign in quite some time. [Issue#79, p.68]

What is there is so compelling that the lack of additional stages can't help but feel like a disappointment. The game's strengths are a double-edged sword. Regardless, this is still one of the best games of this year. With a bit of work, a potential sequel could be one of the best games of any year.

We may have to wait until FIFA 15 before we get to play a truly next-gen game of football, but EA still went above and beyond here. An Xbox One essential.

Master it, and you won't be disappointed. [Issue#51, p.91]

Rarely less than magnificent. [Issue#56, p.80]

The biggest surprise of EA’s 2009 American sports round-up, and the most likely to appeal to non-fans.

A considerable leap forward in enemy AI, regardless of concerns some might have about tactical depth and how see-through it occasionally is. A more tense experience on 360 there ain't. [Issue 14, p.76]

A huge crowd appeared the second we turned Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix on. [Issue#40, p.115]

Point-and-click gaming at its very best. Ignore it at your own stupidity. [Issue#49, p.102]

An accomplished shooter that just fails to capitalise on the groundwork of its predecessor and offers a shallow and stilted campaign that feels, unfortunately, a bit dated. [Issue#57, p.92]

While only minor additions to the game, Enemy Within somehow manages to make the greatest console turn-based strategy game even better. [Issue#105, p.88]

Fun, frantic and an absolute joy to play through. [Issue#114, p.76]

It seems pointless praising a game everyone knows is great, but this version provides a much more stable gaming experience.

NHL 11 plays a fine game of ice hockey, and it never ceases to surprise us just how much fun every installment of the series is. [Issue#65, p.91]

A beautifully presented, wonderfully designed game that spins an emotional yard and will challenge every gamer instinct in your body. An essential exclusive. [Issue#123, p.70]

Engrossing and rewarding. [Issue#85, p.88]

Improved in some areas, diminished in others, FIFA is still this year's toast but could be dethroned with committed effort from the competition. [Issue#64, p.87]

It's a brighter, more entertaining version of Trials HD, and a game that you simply need to download. [Issue #81, p.102]

Hot Pursuit's campaign combines a variety of modes with gorgeous graphics and a sublime driving experience. [Issue#66 p.77]