2K Sports fully justifies the shift from budget to full-price for this NBA title with a deeper franchise mode, solid controls and much improved AI.

A smooth flowing basketball game, complete with a huge franchise mode and Live online play.

This 'expansion' manages to improve on the already excellent Ghost Recon 2, with extra mission and updated visuals, all at a new low price. Absolute bargain!

Although not quite the revolution in game play or visual aesthetics that "Super Mario 64" was in its heyday, Super Mario Sunshine still stands as one of the premier platform games of this console generation.

For all of the fans of the original Pikmin, or any strategy enthusiast, you need to go our and buy this game right away.

Although I will admit Fight Night Round 2 leaves plenty of room improvement, it still is an amazing game on its own merits.

What stands out about Top Spin 4 when it is all said and done is the amazing on court action. Whether your playing with a friend or the computer the game brings to life the game of tennis like no other game before it has.

I really thought fighting games were on there way out a couple of years ago. But with games like Mortal Kombat there is now proof that life still exists in this genre. In fact Mortal Kombat provided some of the most enjoyable gaming I have had in 2011. If you're a fan of the series or looking for a new game to sink your teeth into, Mortal Kombat is definitely worth a look.

There is no question that inFamous 2 is one of the most enjoyable experiences thus far in 2011. inFamous 2 is quite the epic experience and one that if you enjoyed the original you have to pick up this game and see what Cole has in store for himself this time.

Deus EX Human Revolution has been one of the more entertaining games I have played this year so far. Filled with a gripping story, interesting characters, and addictive game play Deus Ex is a game that would be a worthy addition to any collection. Fans of action or RPG games should find a lot of value in this retail title.

If you hated the previous games, then steer clear, but anyone with an Xbox 360 should pick up this superb third-person shooter right away, and without hesitation.

The steps forward for NHL 12 might not be as monumental as NHL 11 was, but at the same time they didn't have to be. NHL 12 is a must purchase for hockey fans or even those who have passing interest in the sport.

The steps forward for NHL 12 might not be as monumental as NHL 11 was, but at the same time they didn't have to be. NHL 12 is a must purchase for hockey fans or even those who have passing interest in the sport.

It's the kind of game that ends with someone punching a woman in the face. The kind of game where good guys don't look at explosions. The kind of game that results in an absolute, amazing sense of chaos when it can get all 4 players in and, despite a few flaws, it's the kind of game that reminds you that games don't have to be high art, philosophical ideals, branching paths and morality systems.

EA seems to have figured out what NBA Jam was missing last year and went ahead and fixed it this time. Though battling the AI is fun, it's centered so heavily around playing with people, comparing scores and just having an arcade-style experience from the comfort of your living room that they finally seem to understand it- and if they can fix some niggling issues and get online working right, this game runs very close to perfect.

That was the last game I played before I wrote the review but really it's not all that uncommon in the game. FIFA 12 is an amazing game of soccer. There were so many times that I would sit back awe struck at the action on screen. If you have any interest in soccer, do yourself a favor and pick up this game.

It is not a game for everyone, it is not even a game for most, but for those who want a challenging, deep, role playing game that doesn't pander to a mainstream audience and pushes you as far as you can go then you'll be in for a treat, but be prepared to die!

If sports franchises are wondering what they need to do for their next release they should pay a lot of attention to what Visual Concepts has done with the NBA 2K franchise. More than any other game on the market NBA 2K12 has managed to bring the sport to life better then we have ever seen before. Needless to say NBA 2K12 has gone back to back, and I can't wait to see if they can do a three-peat.

Batman: Arkham City is the best superhero game available, it is a perfect example of how a license should be used in a game. It's not quite as open world as I would have liked, but it is polished to near perfection.

It's a very fun game but it requires an open mind.

Battlefield 3 is a great game. The campaign comes off as dull and repetitive after a few hours, but multiplayer continues to be a thrill a minute

All in all, Battlefield 3 is one of the best multiplayer experiences around.

Dance Central 2 is by far the best Kinect game out to date. It is also one of the only games that actually make you feel like the actions you are doing are being properly scored and accounted for in the game. Whatever Harmonix is doing behind the scenes to get so much out of the Kinect other developers should take note because it truly is incredible and deserving the price of admission.

Aliens Infestation, while it may be a late entry into the DS library is one of the best games to ever grace the system. While it may seem like a title to get fans ready for next year's Colonial Marines, this game is no slouch. Infestation is some of the most fun you can have on a Nintendo DS. If you are looking for some great 2D action Aliens Infestation is definitely right up your alley.

This was always going to be good, it is Mario Kart after all, but I think Nintendo has exceeded expectations this time. The additions really do add to the game's format, and the improvements to the online system make it a joy to play. Best Mario Kart yet? Well that's a matter of opinion, but it's certainly up there near the top.

If you enjoyed the puzzle nature of Portal and the action of Shadow Complex, there is no reason why you shouldn't play Rochard. Even if you didn't particularly like those games, I feel that you should give it a shot. Not only is Rochard fun to play, it is incredibly well built and glistens with polish.

In closing, I'll say that Star Wars: The Old Republic is a game I never knew I wanted. Years ago, I was upset to discover that there were no plans to continue Revan's story after Knights of the Old Republic II and instead continue exploring the Old Republic universe through an MMO. After experiencing burnout with World of Warcraft, I had resigned myself to no longer play these types of games. However, I couldn't be happier with what BioWare has done with The Old Republic and the experience continues to be enjoyable. The bottom line is, after 42 hours, I'm still having a blast.

The Nintendo 3DS has had a slow start, but I feel this marks one of the first important games to come out on this system. I can't say it's a must buy, but is really close for those who have already picked up a 3DS. The amount of content in this game along with the varying degree of gameplay makes this one of the best Mario games I've played in a while.

Resident Evil: Revelations is a great return to form for the Resident Evil franchise and a wonderful start to 2012 in terms of gaming, if you're looking for something to play on your 3DS or something to play in general, do not hesitate to pick this up.

This is a $15 download, and it packs more than enough content into its frame to balance out the relatively meager 5 maps and 3 modes. Make no mistake, however, Gotham City Impostors stands head and shoulders with every other big-box multiplayer shooter out there.

Despite it's poor pacing during the second act and its less than satisfying end, Final Fantasy XIII-2 can hold its head up high as a large improvement over its predecessor in the places where it counts.

In the end, with Metal Gear Solid HD Collection you are getting 3 games in a classic series that will last you a good 30 hours, maybe double if you partake in all of the side activities and extras that the games have. It comes close to the value of the Orange Box, especially considering that it is being sold for less than most retail games.

Happy Action Theater is more of a gadget or a tech demo than a game. But it's a great example of what the Kinect can do.

Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and an even greater achievement upon the landscape of video game that is only held back by some small gameplay issues and its own grandeur. Honestly, the worst part of the game is knowing that there will be no Mass Effect 4 to import my Shepard into. It's like saying goodbye to a friend and it is an experience that, while sort of heart aching, every single person who plays video games should have. But it's nothing without its predecessors. So do yourself a favor, start with the original Mass Effect and see this story through to the end. There is nothing else quite like it.

Journey is an amazing achievement for thatgamecompany and it shows just how far Jenova Chen's studio has come since since flOw. The game controls like a dream, is startlingly beautiful and will be one of those games people will talk about for months.

I'm usually not a huge fan of games like Sine Mora, but this one is really amazing. While it is a little pricy at $15, especially considering its length, I think that it is certainly worth the money. The story is also shockingly poignant, the graphics are beautiful, and the gameplay is challenging but precise and fun. Most importantly, it makes an intimidating genre open for new comers

If you have a 3DS, pick this game up. It's especially a great deal when you consider that it's just the pack-in game for that amazing stand peripheral.

It's a gamer's game. Little in the way of panache or hand holding and very rewarding to the dedicated. Those who can overcome a few technical issues and a steep mastery curve should reeve their engines and pick this one up from Xbox Live Arcade as soon as possible.

Ultimately, my only mark against The Walking Dead is that there aren't a lot of places where players get to use their noggin. With the exception of a scene where you must determine the right sequence in which to dispatch a group of zombies in a parking lot, the game proceeds forward in a linear fashion. Sure, you can mess up and die, but the game isn't difficult, and doesn't have any unconventional puzzle solving, like those found in Telltale's Sam & Max or Monkey Island games.

With a lengthy campaign and a multiplayer full of leveling and unlocking Max Payne 3 is a title that will hold your attention for a while and show you one hell of a ride in the process. With only a few minor hiccups keeping it from being a perfect game, Max Payne 3 is unquestionably a must have.

The bottom line is, if you want to play an action-RPG that is easy to get into, rewards skillful play in higher difficulty levels, and lets you easily play with your friends, Diablo III is a game that you absolutely cannot miss. But its narrow design makes it a game that I can't recommend without caveat for those who prefer single player experiences.

While it has a few missteps and lacks the semi tongue in cheek humor of the original games, I found that the experience of Max's journey to be far more engrossing than I initially expected.

It's a campaign that merits multiple playthroughs, and a story as strong and daring as those of Bioshock, Shadow of the Colossus and Dead Space 2. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that it achieves this in spite of mechanics that are noticeably dated and bereft of innovation. For that reason, the game is best taken as a whole, and not as something that can be played simply on the strength of its mechanical composition.

All of these little changes go a long way to help make the game feel different. It's still that same great Civ experience, but it adds a lot more and does some smart things to change up the balance.

Giving you a reason to come back to the wonderful world of Skyrim is what ultimately matters and at the end of the day, if you can stomach the cost, it will give you hours of fun and may spark your interest to carry on playing a simply fantastic base game.

Orcs Must Die! 2 perfectly combines the strategic thinking of tower defense games with the frenetic action of an old-school shooter, with plenty of laughs along the way.

Combat is near perfect, puzzles are varied, and the world of Darksiders II is ready for the taking.

This is a PSN title that shouldn't be missed.

Although the concept of Symphony is simple, it is one of the most fun and addicting experiences I've had in a good while. Much of the enjoyment comes from the title's ability to incorporate personal music files. Great controls, fun upgrades and a level count that is matched by the number of MP3 files in your collection, Symphony offers a fantastic thrill for a great price.

Now that Telltale Games' zombie epic is more than half done, I feel confident saying that The Walking Dead will stand as a shining example of how narrative can be used creatively in games to create a strong emotional reaction. Rather than abiding by a moral code that the game suggests, I am having a blast playing through each episode of The Walking Dead and just doing what I feel is right.

Blitz is a game that gives as much as you put into it. Keep an extensive music library and group of leaderboard rivals and its longevity is potentially massive. The packaged 25 songs definitely won't be enough to sate your fill, and once you get the hang of its complex systems you'll be chasing down those high scores in a fervour that you haven't experienced since the rhythm game heyday.

For all the ire thrown in its direction on forums, consider this rebuttal: Dark Souls has never looked better, ran smoother, or had more to offer than it does on PC. And for one of the best games of this generation, that's no mean feat.

There's no doubt F1 2012 is the best game in the series, in both content and execution, but it still feels to me like this franchise needs a year off.

Torchlight II is great fun and it won't be long before you're playing the game late at night muttering the famous gamer mantra, "Just one more quest." This is a how a sequel should be: it reintroduces concepts and mechanics that made the game popular while making a few useful tweaks and changes to parts of the design. Although it doesn't stray too far outside the original game's shadow, it is no less wonderful for it. As the saying goes, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it."

If you value a ton of top-quality content for a not a lot of money, then Guild Wars 2 is the game to play. It's approachable, addictive, and immersive and above all refines MMO's in every conceivable way. While the gameplay and graphical glitches are disappointing, they aren't big enough to negate the impact of this wholly amazing online role-playing game that will keep you occupied for months on end. If anything, World of Warcraft can safely retire and instead pass the torch over Guild Wars 2.

Now that Telltale has captured my attention with this entry, they've got the difficult task of keeping it. This episode is so full of smart character moments and interactions it seems impossible for them to continue it any further, but we'll just have to see what they have in store for us next. Of course it's a lot of pressure to keep the momentum going, but the series is starting to look more cohesive and it feels like it's actually going somewhere, which I appreciate after the second episode felt so aimless and one-off. For the first time since it started, though, I'm looking forward to the next entry in this series, and can't wait to see what happens.

Gaming can be hit or miss when it comes to getting what you pay for. Sometimes, though, a game comes along that not only provides a good value proposition, but well exceeds what's expected. As one of the first of the crowd-sourced games to come out of Kickstarter since Double Fine ran the table with donations for Double Fine Adventure, FTL begins to show that as a viable way to finance games. While having some small issues, like no compatibility with Steam's Cloud service, I have no problem recommending this.

Borderlands 2 is full of hilarious writing, is a blast to play with friends, and promises hundreds of hours of content. But a lack of gameplay innovation will disappoint fans looking for more than just "more Borderlands".

There isn't a better sports title than FIFA 13 out right now, and I include any and all varieties of sports in that claim. There isn't a single release out there that has the depth, variety and longevity to match it.

The Walking Dead delivers a dramatic and emotionally exhausting experience that few, if any, games have achieved. Forming a close bond with the characters over 12 hours of game play makes the countdown clock for each decision even more stressful. As the psyche of each survivor has slowly been reduced to tatters, every choice has positive and negative impacts for all.

If you can look past the generic space-robot visuals and lackluster combat, Fractured Soul is a fantastic idea for the multi-screened device. The dimensional swapping is a cool way to bring life to some old platforming concepts, and the controls and gameplay are so polished you can feel the dedication the team had to making the game challenging, yet still playable.

It is hard not to be impressed by 343 Industries. This is their first full game, for a series as popular and well thought of as Halo and to improve upon Bungies' games in almost every way is nothing short of astounding. Let it be said, Halo 4 is another Halo game, it feels very familiar and tries very little new, but then again, there is a reason the series is as popular as it is and it isn't as though we see a new one every single year.

Criterion has proved themselves as the first developer to really figure out the Vita and what can be done with it. Need for Speed Most Wanted is a must have for any Vita owner or any fan of racing games.

While Okami may never have sold the numbers it deserved, it was as worthy than, as it is now, of all the praise that was heaped on it. Upgraded visuals, and a stellar $19.99 price point added on to that already complete package makes this the version of Okami to own.

Hero Academy on PC might not be totally necessary, but it remains a great bit of asynchronous warfare. What it boils down to is the best of strategy gaming- a title that's light and welcoming for players who want a quick tactical fix, and also an involved, sometimes hellishly meticulous war of wits and attrition.

Episode 3 of The Walking Dead finally put interesting characters into a plot that I was actually interested in.. After that, Episode 4 started creating a series of gameplay moments that not only influence the game, but are set up in such a way and smartly enough to influence how the player feels at that moment. While it would have been a better series if they'd had this in place from the beginning, the way that the series has picked up as it nears its conclusion is great, and has me waiting for the end excitedly.

Take those Legends of Wrestlemania or other attempts at wrestling nostalgia and throw them away because WWE 13 is all you need "and that's the bottom line cause Stone Cold said so."

Sine Mora is one of the most beautiful shmups I've ever had the chance to play. It's also a solid action title with a surprisingly deep story about the lengths someone will go for revenge. Purists will find it a fresh addition to their collection while casual observers may be turned off by the short length and the game's masochistic delight in punishing players with nearly impossible odds.

On the execution side, Pool Nation is all hit. I absolutely feel that there is no more accurate representation of the game of pool, and was really impressed with all the extra features Cherry Pop Games added to the overall product.

Far Cry 3 was a really late game for this year but maybe it's better that way as it has nothing to compete against and gives everyone the chance to see this great game for themselves. This is a nice way to wrap up a questionable year in gaming and Far Cry 3 actually stands out as one of the best games of this year.

Sine Mora is a quality title, from the look to the feel of it, and there could be a lot of useful comparisons between it and other members of the bullet hell genre.

If it wasn't for a few duds, this game would be incredible, but even still, it's the best game to show off your WiiU and a great experience to play with some friends.

For as fun as the experience is, not being able to scale it back to something a little more manageable is a shame, but it's a game that gives a great experience if you're able to deal with the challenge.

Kentucky Route Zero is a beautiful and artistic piece of of work and I haven’t felt so strongly about a game since Silent Hill 2. After The Walking Dead made a case for powerful episodic narratives I found myself wanting something similar. I’m incredibly excited to see what the next four episodes will do.

Forza Horizon is not simply a great racing game; it’s a great game in general. From the handling to the visuals and sound, from the tweaking to the reward system, Horizon has everything it needs to be an enjoyable time. It may lack the challenge and depth that fans of the core Forza series know and love but if you’ve admired the Forza Motorsport games from a distance (like me) then do yourself a favor and play this amazing game.

It’s a near flawless narrative experience wrapped in a bog-standard but necessary adventure game.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken was a genuine surprise. I wasn’t expecting much outside of a silly romp that pitted chickens against penguins for world supremacy. What I got was a game that had contained the plight of child soldiers, guerrilla warfare and redemption all wrapped in a near-inappropriate layer of silliness.

I don’t know what else they have up their sleeves, but these three tables were more then enough to get me absolutely salivating at the idea of more Star Wars content.

Those with any love for the genre should play Gemini Rue for the story and to delight in the nostalgia of a simpler time before eye-popping HD graphics, light bloom and the Unreal Engine.

The great thing about Star Wars Pinball is that you don’t have to read instructions in order to get something out of the game. My fondest experiences with it were spent during short, impromptu sessions that didn’t accomplish much outside of listening to the sound effects and watching the table light up.