Fable III is pretty much everything you'd want from a Fable sequel: more of the same and then some. There are certainly a few gambles from Lionhead this year, with some paying off and others not so much, but at the crux of it, it's pretty sublime.

Instead of being a case of diminishing returns, NBA 2K11 sees the franchise in peak condition. The inclusion of the sport's greatest player is much more than just a stunt for the cover and resurrects a time in basketball that we remember fondly. Nostalgia aside, NBA 2K11 is much like Air Jordan himself – the all-time greatest.

There’s no doubting that EA have delivered a knockout punch with Fight Night Round 4 and it truly is the closest we’ve come to boxing without strapping the gloves on ourselves. The physics are spot on, as is the visual appearance of the game, but the inability to map the punches to the face buttons leaves it just short of truly epic.

If you’ve spent hundreds of hours with Kazuma Kiryu over the years, then the conclusion to his sprawling arc in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life won’t disappoint. And if you haven’t played a Yakuza game before, you’ll still get a whole lot out of this. Yakuza 6 is a sensational game.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an impressive sequel to the brilliant Human Revolution. In the grand scheme of things, there are very few monumental changes, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? And everything that was broken in Human Revolution? It’s all fixed. Held back from true greatness by the odd grumble here and there, Mankind Divided is worthy of anyone’s time and money.

The weak and twitchy single-player - with many of the same old flaws - almost undermines all of the superb extra features and pretty much flawless multiplayer offering. Veterans and regular players still have the advantage over newcomers, but with Combat Training and the Zombie mode, there is plenty of fun to be had for even the most inexperienced players. Black Ops isn't perfect, but it's certainly getting there.

The Dead Space remake successfully revives a beloved survival horror franchise with gloriously gory aplomb. Nothing that made the original so good has been compromised, even with all the new additions. Bring on Dead Space 2!

Obsidian with Matt and Trey have created a little bit of magic here. Shame about the censorship issues in Europe and Australia, so if it’s possible, you’d be advised to import it. Otherwise, it’s an excellent South Park extravaganza.

Dance Central is as close to a killer-app that Kinect has to date and Harmonix has gone and proven that they're not a one trick pony. If you're looking for an excuse to get Kinect, ladies and gents, may I present to you, Dance Central.

This War of Mine: The Littles ones is a powerful, affecting game that covers an aspect of warfare not typically touched by the medium. Telling the stories of normal civilians caught in the middle of a war, it asks: what you would do to survive? The disturbing answer is: anything you have to.

A perfect evolution of the previous two OlliOlli games, OlliOlli World goes big with a uniquely appealing art style, fun character customisation, and a slew of options, without compromising what makes the series so addictive and inviting. It's good to be rad.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a stellar follow-up to MachineGames’ 2014 reboot of the franchise, one with super-satisfying combat and a wacky, engaging story. Sure, it might go a little too far at times, but you’ll have a blast with The New Colossus from start to finish, that’s a promise.

NetherRealm continues to evolve its fighting games with each one it makes, and as such, Mortal Kombat 11 marks the pinnacle of what the studio has achieved to date. A flawless victory, then? So very nearly.

Perhaps not as glorious as Lost Odyssey or Eternal Sonata, but it definitely keeps up with Tales of Vesperia and Blue Dragon. A unique, twisting story with likable, engaging characters and a deep, entertaining battle system. Highly recommended.

When you buy a Call of Duty, you have some idea of what to expect. Rest assured that Black Ops 6 lies at the better end of the series' spectrum, boasting a varied campaign that's well worth playing, a pair of robust and endlessly replayable Zombies maps, and multiplayer that remains immediate and immensely entertaining.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a harrowing journey into the fragility of the mind. It’s a masterpiece in storytelling, and while the game mechanics itself might not complement that throughout, they do a decent job of allowing Ninja Theory to deliver a mature story revolving around a sensitive subject matter. We hope that this opens up the door for more budget priced triple-A experiences, because this one was one hell of a ride!

There are so many clips and questions packed into this game that you’ll likely still be having fun long after your first game. The game also saves which questions each player has seen, making it much more difficult for a repeat question until well after seeing the majority.

After a bit of a difficult start, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth soon manages to hit the gas, its story proving an engaging affair amid an ocean of mini-games and other distractions. This is a massive game, but one you'll want to dive headfirst into.

NHL 11 is every bit as solid and playable as its predecessor. Broken sticks add very little to the game, despite being peddled as a key new feature, but the numerous refinements show in the physicality on the ice and the returning up-close and personal fighting system.

Let down by a few bugs and some questionable design choices, it's still one of the year’s best RPGs.

LEGO Batman 2 is the best LEGO title to date and one that uses all of the source material on offer to wonderful effect. Tightly constructed levels interplay brilliantly with the freedom of roaming the Gotham streets and that usual attitude of snagging all the studs, bricks and characters has never been so alluring.

More modes, more scary zombie madness, a totally different feel to how you romp through the campaign and so much more. Yes, it’s all very familiar, but you won’t regret paying the cash for what is the best co-operative multiplayer experience around.

Unique fighting styles, weapons and characters coupled with very fluid and technical gameplay is really the formula for success in an ideal fighting game. Soulcalibur IV hits all those right on the head.

The dedication to translating the finest qualities of the Ghostbusters franchise into a great video game shows through in every facet of the game, making it easily one of the best licensed games to arrive in years.

Someone, please send help. I can't stop playing Vampire Survivors, and I'm worried it might end up ruining my life. This is pure and unadulterated gameplay that will suck away hours of your life, but you'll be loving every bit of it.

Lords of Shadow is a superlative start for Castlevania on current-gen consoles and we only hope that developer MercurySteam has more in the pipeline. It might borrow from other hack-and slash-adventure titles of the same ilk, but Castlevania is entirely its own game. With an unforgettable Middle Ages fantasy setting and an epic narrative, Lords of Shadow is the complete package and Gabriel Belmont is the coolest vampire slayer since Buffy. He's not as hot though.

After countless sacrilegious efforts in the Need For Speed franchise, Criterion has finally done the label some justice by bringing the heart back to the franchise. It looks like that Criterion did lose their way ever so slightly at times, losing what makes Hot Pursuit so much fun, but as a Need For Speed package, this is the best title in nearly a decade.

DiRT 3 is Codemasters' finest attempt to totally obliterate the competition in the off-road racing genre, but it seems once again that the title suffers from a lack of direction and concentration at... Ooohhhhh, look! A rainbow!