Whether you were burned by GTA 4 or not, GTA 5 remembers what the series is all about: emergent sandbox fun and a helluva a lot of murder. You need to play it.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 is an excellent puzzler wrapped in charming design, clever gameplay and gorgeous visuals through a lengthy campaign that (mostly) plays to 3DS’ strengths.

A brilliant game that retains the entertainment of the original Pikmin games but still feels as unique as ever. A Wii U must-play.

Expensive for an expansion pack, perhaps, but considering it comes with Gods And Kings and has some fantastic additions to vanilla Civ 5 then it feels totally worth it, especially for fans.

A super slick and highly entertaining side-scrolling hack-'n'-slash game. Your Vita needs this game.

It might look childish, but in so many ways this is a Platinum Games experience through and through. Deep and rewarding combat, entertaining characters and plenty of hours of gameplay - even without all the collectables and tougher difficulties. A must-have for every gamer, whether you own a Wii U or not.

A Machine For Pigs is an almost flawless exercise in lurking horror that’ll send shivers down your (wait for it) swine.

It's a brave move to delve into the mechanics of a classic, but Nintendo was right to do so. These changes can easily be forgiven, and as a result Nintendo has created a masterful recreation of one of its most cherished games of yesteryear.

The jump to 3D does wonders for a series that was starting to show its age, with a host of new monsters and revamped old ones pulling together to create a completionist's worst nightmare and a Pokémaniac's dream game.

Tried and true mechanics get a much-needed refresh in the most interesting and engrossing Pokémon adventure in many a year. Take Magikarp's advice and Splash out on this at once.

While Blizzard's attempt to evolve StarCraft II's gameplay is more successful in the multiplayer suite than single player campaign, this is still the most polished RTS experience out there and if you're passionate about StarCraft II it's simply must have.

Game & Wario’s a game, a label it wears proudly in its name, and it delivers entertainment in spades. Get it.

It’s easily the best third-party port on the console right now, and as a result, should be racing to the top of every Wii U owner’s most wanted list.

Far more than just a port or a re-release, Ultimate expands every aspect of Monster Hunter Tri to leap straight to the top of the food chain. A massively rewarding test of true skill and one of the best co-op games out there.

It's been worth the wait, as the eccentric Darkstalkers offers a refreshingly unique spin on fighting games while online play keeps up with the frantic speed of the game itself. Highly recommended.

Come for the Minecraft similarities, stay for Terraria's own sense of self-worth. Hours of exploratory gameplay, incremental improvements and just a handful of jaw-on-floor surprise deaths. It's Dark Souls put through a Minecraft filter.

Brilliant fun in both campaign and multiplayer modes, there's something here for those who want to push their platforming skills and those who want an accessible online smack-'em-up.

It certainly won't appeal to everyone, but ShootMania casts off the unnecessary reliance on perks and weapon loadouts for a multiplayer shooter experience that is considerably more involving - and rewarding - than any Call Of Duty game.

One of the best strategy RPG games of recent years, let down by a typically Japanese story and a couple of smaller niggles.

Diverse, stuffed with content and challenging, Soul Sacrifice might not be the game to save PS Vita but its attention to detail and stellar execution means it is one of handheld's best.

Blood Dragon shows what’s possible with a bit of creativity and imagination, taking Far Cry 3 fundamentals and twisting them into a glorious love letter to 80s action movies.

Zeno Clash 2 is a much bigger game than the original, although it’s not quite as open world as you’d have been led to believe, as you’re still confined to certain areas while you go roaming.

The accessible brother of the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue titles, ArcSystem Works has done a fantastic job twisting the Persona series into a fighting game spin-off.

A brilliant and evocative story, superb combat mechanics and an interesting multiplayer component, The Last Of Us is one of this generation's best.

A little too much of an emphasis on the emotional side of World War 2 detracts from the otherwise brilliant RTS game, regardless of whether you favour single-player or multiplayer.

If you've already played the PC version there isn't enough new to consider a second go - unless you really loved it - but it's an impressive port all the same and a fantastic coup for the PS Vita.

Rayman Legends is an excellent platformer that is more than worthy of your time. Tight controls, incredible art design, varied gameplay and some clever ideas combine to create an endearing world that is both pleasurable and satisfying to move through.

The next step in the ArmA franchise makes it slightly easier for newcomers to jump in and mods to create for it, without taking anything away from the hardcore.