An absolutely essential landmark title for the games industry. In terms of the sheer scope, emotion, ambition, and the stupidly high fun factor it offers, there is no better available in the genre today. In fact, no one else comes anywhere near.

It is not a game that tries to shock with new exciting gameplay twists, nor does it confuse with new fangled control methods. It just takes everything most gamers have grown to love over the years, wraps them up in a beautifully realised world, and refines them to near perfection.

It's the amalgamation of years of action games, adventure stories and box office smashes rolled into one ten hour action sequence. It's Indiana Jones meets Broken Arrow, meets Cliff Hanger, meets Bad Boys – and then some. The production values are through the roof and the level of polish that's gone into this game are something else.

But it all boils down to the fact that you need to play this game. Because once this trilogy is done, we might well be looking at one of the greatest science-fiction works – in any medium – of all time. Mass Effect 2 is an utterly absorbing, satisfying and rewarding journey that you absolutely will not want to end, ever.

The developers should be applauded for creating a profoundly personal work that still overtly appealing to the audience at large. But even though it is not the best platformer out there, the game can quite easily be classed as something entirely original for the genre, casting off a brand new tangent filled with wondrous sights and provocative ideas that are enchantingly imaginative and creative enough to be considered truly exceptional.

If you like the idea of a sandbox western then this is money well spent. In what other game can you earn a ‘dastardly’ achievement by saving a damsel in distress, then putting her on the rail road tracks to meet her fate?

In conclusion, Portal 2 is a textbook example of how to make a great game, but nothing more.

If you like the idea of a sandbox western then this is money well spent. In what other game can you earn a 'dastardly' achievement by saving a damsel in distress, then putting her on the rail road tracks to meet her fate?

If you’re reading this review because you have never played a Bioshock title before or didn’t like the previous games but like the look of this one, then please, go play it. I am certain you won’t be disappointed.

World of Goo falls into a special category that only a select few games fall into. Do you remember when you first got your hands on Super Mario 64, the excitement that oozed out of you when you picked up the pad and controlled Mario around in 3D for the first time? Or when you were pulling out the Master Sword from its stone placement in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? These were special moments in a gamer’s life and playing World of Goo deserves to be placed alongside such events.

Whether you loved the previous game, or have had no experience with Rocksteady's Batman series up until now, Arkham City belongs on your shelf, in your console, and in your life.

But it all boils down to the fact that you need to play this game. Because once this trilogy is done, we might well be looking at one of the greatest science-fiction works – in any medium – of all time. Mass Effect 2 is an utterly absorbing, satisfying and rewarding journey that you absolutely will not want to end, ever.

Street Fighter IV is not just a top notch next-gen version of Street Fighter, it is in essence what Capcom always wanted the Street Fighter franchise to be.

Four different control options as well as an as-deep-as-you-want-it combat style mean that whether you’re a parent looking forward to seeing Mario and Sonic have a punch-up, or a Nintendo fan wanting the Nintendo Chronicle (of love), Brawl can offer you an outstanding game.

No-one else but Rockstar could’ve made Chinatown Wars what it is, because no one else has that kind of commitment and finesse to pull it off. It’s been a while since such a must-have game has come to the DS.

It is just that good, an incredibly fun game to both watch and play, and one that fills a thirty year old franchise full of life once again. It is hard to think of a more exciting and inventive way Pac-Man could have been re-envisioned in 2010.

The fact is, Braid is art. There, I said it. Not only can it be appreciated aesthetically, but it was clearly created with the intention of the finished product being a work of art.

Street Fighter IV is not just a top notch next-gen version of Street Fighter, it is in essence what Capcom always wanted the Street Fighter franchise to be.

It’s worth it as it is the best game on the system – Persona 4: Golden is a must play, even for fans who have already previously completed the game.

It’s a game that provides action, adventure, exploration, interaction and excitement in a beautifully realised Armageddon that provides so many unexpected moments, but somehow manages to remain consistent and believable.

Gears of War 2 is almost the epitome of a videogame sequel. It offers essentially the same gameplay experience as before, and yet at the same time it has been improved and expanded in almost every aspect.

I've never been privy to a game that caused me to wonder, question, and embrace humanity's place and purpose as greatly as Mass Effect 3. It is worth noting – BioWare attempts to tailor the game for new players, yet the experience is undeniably deeper and more rewarding if you have already played Mass Effect's previous games.

What Nintendo has done to celebrate 25 years of the franchise is make one of the best games ever.

It's a close call between Among Thieves and Drake's Deception to the crown of best game in the franchise, however I think the unpredictable twists that are woven into the fantastic story let the newest episode reach a new pinnacle and I recommend everyone to play it.

Rocksteady have proven that they’re a company that really care. They actually ‘get’ Batman, they’ve looked at the character from every conceivable angle and strived to make this everything anybody could possibly want from a Batman game.

On the whole, the game is still full of fantastic little touches that you can’t help but love, all presented and executed in a simply timeless fashion. You can’t ask much more than that.

There is nothing to keep you coming back for more besides the absolutely exquisite environments, the very-clean interface, solid controls, and Triple-A camera cutscenes.

This is a worthy sequel with a look and feel that are more polished than last year’s effort.

This is a worthy sequel with a look and feel that are more polished than last year’s effort.

Whilst LittleBigPlanet 2 doesn't quite ascend to such heights, that fact does not make the game any less brilliant.

Compared to expansions for other games I would say that WotLK has a lot more content and this content is of a consistently high quality.

To say the least, Assassin’s Creed II is a disappointment – not because it’s bad, but because we were promised so much more. Everything Ubisoft claimed they were changing has stayed the same, and what little new touches they’ve included fail to impact in the long run.

Regardless of the sometimes-weak combat, this is role-playing at its finest.

Guerrilla has generally lived up to the crazy amount of hype surrounding the development of the game, and in the end, has offered us a very competent First-Person Shooter, with confident execution on all fronts.

Rocksteady have proven that they’re a company that really care. They actually ‘get’ Batman, they’ve looked at the character from every conceivable angle and strived to make this everything anybody could possibly want from a Batman game.

To say the least, Assassin’s Creed II is a disappointment – not because it’s bad, but because we were promised so much more. Everything Ubisoft claimed they were changing has stayed the same, and what little new touches they’ve included fail to impact in the long run.

Bayonetta is a completely OTT game with singular vision, containing ideas that make sense only in the mind of Hideki Kamiya – the game’s creator. It’s an insight into what he thinks games should be about, and a love letter to the uniqueness of the medium he works in – with no misgivings to end-users that do not share his mindset.

World of Goo falls into a special category that only a select few games fall into. Do you remember when you first got your hands on Super Mario 64, the excitement that oozed out of you when you picked up the pad and controlled Mario around in 3D for the first time? Or when you were pulling out the Master Sword from its stone placement in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? These were special moments in a gamer’s life and playing World of Goo deserves to be placed alongside such events.

Guaranteed however, is a game that will now act as the benchmark for downloadable content, an engrossing and emotional supplement that augments the original in every way possible, essential for any GTA fan, and a damned good investment for anyone else.

It's a game that provides action, adventure, exploration, interaction and excitement in a beautifully realised Armageddon that provides so many unexpected moments, but somehow manages to remain consistent and believable.

Persona 4 is the Playstation 2’s new king of JRPGs and is awesome sending off for the system. Every single man, woman and child who has any interest in the story or has even the tiniest interest in the RPG genre has to check it out.

But that doesn't stop LIMBO being an entirely worthwhile experience, drenched in misery, pathos and loneliness. It's also really bloody scary.

Dead Space 2 simply adds more to that already excellent foundation, and in doing so, it has become the survival horror franchise to beat. An absolutely brilliant video game, and certainly the best survival horror game since Resident Evil 4.

Nintendo have given us something for everyone, an easy game for the youngsters and newcomers, which is hiding a serious old school hard platformer behind it for all us old grizzled gamers.

Fable 2 would be a superbly accessible entry-point into action RPG’s for any casual gamer, but more experienced players may feel let down by the concessions to simplicity that have been made.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

Visually, the port doesn’t do much that the 360 version didn’t - but then the game looked pretty incredible to begin with, so that’s hardly a criticism.

Game of the year? Probably.

Despite these few annoyances, Guitar Hero 5 is still an excellent example of a band-based rhythm action game done right. This is a true evolution of the Guitar Hero phenomenon, simple but devastatingly effective changes that really bring the best out of the genre.

Immersion is one of Dead Space’s top specialities and the sound follows suit. Exploring the Ishimura is a pleasure to the ears in a sort of freaky way.

If you're a fan of atmospheric games, espionage or FPS games in general, you should definitely give this one a try.

I look fondly at XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It's the kind of game that gives me a glimpse at what games should be. It's a $50 title that has already burned 20 hours of my life, and refuses to be satisfied with that much.

Human Revolution is an engaging and compulsive piece of work that'll find itself nestling near the peak of many a top 10 chart. With Mass Effect 3 postponed, this'll be the one bit of interactive escapism that the fella in the Battlestar Galactica shirt can rely on for his kicks this year.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

A few ill-judged action sequences, occasional leaps of logic during the interrogations and some gunplay that just about scrapes through on the positive side of functional prevent this from being a stone cold classic in the same way Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption are. But if they're A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, this is surely Rockstar's Return of the Jedi – not the best of the bunch, but still loads better than most of the other stuff out there. Highly recommended.

Peggle is unique among puzzle games though, in that despite never being particularly challenging, it’s still great fun to play and is the very definition of that ‘just one more go’ feeling that some games evoke. A very pure, fun experience that appeals to gamers of all ages, and a great example of simple, but effective, gameplay. Top draw.

Well, there’s no question Paradise takes Burnout to a whole new level. Is it better though? Personally I’m inclined to think not.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

Immersion is one of Dead Space’s top specialities and the sound follows suit. Exploring the Ishimura is a pleasure to the ears in a sort of freaky way.

While the new additions to the game vary in usefulness and value, NHL 10 achieves what some expected it couldn’t, and improves on NHL 09. However, it’s with lots of small touches, rather than revolutionary new features and modes.

The decaying splendour of Rapture loses some of its impact due it being your second visit there, but the gameplay is still rock solid. If you enjoyed the first game or like your first-person shooters to have a strong single player campaign then you can’t go wrong with BioShock 2.

In the end, probably the best remark I can make about the game is that it is one of more accessible available from the selection of EA Sports branded titles, and as a result of this, it’s probably one of the most fun to play.

Virtue's Last Reward is a quality game that will surprise you. It will make you want to speak about it to people months after you have finished it. They aren't many game stories that make you do that, but the ones that do are normally exceptionally well-written with stimulating plots and shocking twists.

In the end, probably the best remark I can make about the game is that it is one of more accessible available from the selection of EA Sports branded titles, and as a result of this, it’s probably one of the most fun to play.

While the new additions to the game vary in usefulness and value, NHL 10 achieves what some expected it couldn’t, and improves on NHL 09. However, it’s with lots of small touches, rather than revolutionary new features and modes.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

Even with Rayman Origins being a port from the consoles, it sets a high standard for platforming games on the Vita. I have strong feelings that it won't be beaten for some time on the handheld. Rayman Origins is simply a game studio's love and joy moulded into the conventions of platforming. It delivers precise controls, beautiful graphics, an ear pleasing soundtrack and simply some of the most exciting platforming since the older 2d Mario games. If you've not played Rayman Origins yet, you need to get on it because you're missing out on one heck of a videogame.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

Even so, Torchlight II is one of the best examples of a dungeon raiding, isometric loot game, and should be in everyone's Steam list if you even have the slightest urge to play an action RPG.

The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition dishes out additional content on a game I already loved so much. Gamers who don't play games on the PC have a chance to play it on their Xbox 360 without that much of a compromise. If you've haven't played The Witcher 2 yet and own a 360, you have no excuse not to buy one of the best RPGs the genre has had to offer for some time.

A must have for any iOS gamer, I just hope that Ubisoft add more content in the near future.

It's deep, highly contagious and contains unlimited amounts of fun, and Diablo III opens its palms to welcome anyone to dabble in its addictive gameplay.

It asks a lot of the player, but if you can hack it, you’re in for a truly unique experience.

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is a craftsmanship that promotes the features of the hardware it uses, a selling point for the Vita and what it can do. Now if only more games were doing that on the system.

If you like your racing arcade than you really need to buy this. It's not NFS exactly, and it's not quite Burnout, but it takes the best things from both and melds them together into an intense racing experience.

In many ways, yes this is a definitive improvement over previous Burnout games, the online mode is fantastic and the open world environment has many perks that reward players who make the effort to learn its small nuances. The game is let down by the lack of a proper Crash modem, the irritating sat nav and the lack of a retry button.

FIFA is the new home of the hardcore football gamer.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

FIFA is the new home of the hardcore football gamer.

Overall the game plays well, looks fantastic and whatever slowdown is caused by the huge space battles can be simplified from graphics card chugging render fest, to a simple set of logo’s flying about simply be zooming out.

This game does not cheat, it simply requires pixel perfect shooting and dodging skills.

Regardless, Heavy Rain is a fascinating project. It takes away much of the control featured in traditional videogames, yet is no less engaging because of it.

Undead Nightmare is exactly what good DLC should be, something brand spanking new added to an already feature-filled game.

The reboot is a complete success. I enjoyed every second of the single-player campaign, from the huge sequences to the little moments that are integrated perfectly with the gameplay.

Minor quibbles aside though this is a fantastic game, Retro Studios have once again, like they did with Metroid, revived a long dead franchise successfully.

Great production values from EA, which hasn’t rested on its laurels and has gone all out to make a great game. Cracking.

It may be somewhat lacking in old-school racing challenges, and can prove daunting for newbie racers, but the sheer volume of content far overshadows the game’s faults. Until Gran Turismo 5 arrives to challenge the crown, Dirt 2 stands as king of the racing mountain on the PS3.

As great as it is, there are too many irritations with the combat (and too many unnecessarily drawn-out combat sections) to hail it as a true classic.

Few gaming series can steal as many hours from me, no questions asked, quite like Pokémon. I'm currently clocked at 28:37, which was enough to beat the Elite Four but not enough to lose interest. Is this the strongest entry to date? Probably not, nor is it the innovative leap that some gamers expected but you can cogitate all you like; there's a consistently enjoyable adventure to be found here, and that's all that matters.

All said and done, I would happily pick up WipEout HD as a full priced game from any store, as it is just that damn good. So for a paltry £11.99 it should be considered a absolute steal.

Simple, fun, addictive.

Bayonetta is a completely OTT game with singular vision, containing ideas that make sense only in the mind of Hideki Kamiya – the game’s creator. It’s an insight into what he thinks games should be about, and a love letter to the uniqueness of the medium he works in – with no misgivings to end-users that do not share his mindset.

If this is truly the last Ratchet and Clank release then rest assured that the series goes out with a bang. It’s one of the games of the year and an outstanding exclusive for the Playstation 3.

The gorgeous visuals and music, along with the finely tuned motion controls and cheap price point make Winter of the Melodias a guaranteed purchase that is anything but a load of hot air.