Challenging, addictive, immersive... provided you like stealth-based action – there hasn't been an action/RPG this good in a long while.

Challenging, addictive, immersive... provided you like stealth-based action – there hasn't been an action/RPG this good in a long while.

It's faster and more intense than ever before, with tangible improvements to every facet. The word forza is used to cheer competitors at sporting events: it's about enthusiasm and passion. Forza 4 succeeds because it distils automotive passion into a form that anyone- not just petrolheads- will find enthralling.

But, assuming you're fine with that, then Skyrim is, in a word, amazing. Sure, it has its problems, it's oddities, and again some of these are just down to how the game is made and others just need some extra patching or work done to it. There is always a danger with games like these that you'll get bored, or you'll lose your drive - Bethesda have done a wonderful job of staving off that feeling in this game.

I may have hated Oblivion, but I utterly love Skyrim. It's fixed every problem I had with the previous game and don't think I'll be uninstalling it for a good long while.

Whilst the subject matter and the set-up may not be to everyone's liking, Crusader Kings II is definitely the most impressive Paradox game to date. The game mechanics are an interesting twist on a well-known genre, the code itself is highly polished, and it's just a really fun and interesting game to play.

It's an absolute must-buy and, despite it still being early in 2012, a strong contender for indie game of the year.

With all those dungeon randomisations, boss events, challenging difficulty, co-op play, loot gathering and the general mayhem of monster slaying, Diablo III is a ride that may tire if binged on religiously but one that'll haunt your dreams long-term to get back to it, just like its predecessor.

A fast, slick and beautiful community-driven MMO experience featuring all the content and mechanics you'd expect from a game with a monthly fee, and a good deal more besides. With that in mind, I cannot recommend it enough.

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm embodies an evolved RTS that shows Blizzard has taken on even more superior genes from other gaming greats, even when those greats coincidentally happen to be of their own creation. If this is what happened since Wings of Liberty, then we should be in for a real treat when Legacy of the Void drops out of hyperspace.

This is the latest and most outstanding title in the Total War franchise, any history RTS buff or fan of the series would be psychotically imbalanced should they choose to pass on this.

It’s teeming with new loot, better opportunities to stick it to your fellow players and has even richer music to fit the mood.

Supreme Commander is not without a few hitches, mainly AI orientated, but it is plainly a fantastic ride and has had a lot of passion poured into it from Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games. Honestly this is one of the big A-list titles for the RTS genre, any self respecting gamer who’s into the real-time strategic scene must, MUST, have this war behemoth among their collection.

Dragon Age: Origins is much more than a game – it’s the glorious revisiting of Bioware’s past and a look at where they are going in the future.

Dragon Age: Origins is much more than a game – it’s the glorious revisiting of Bioware’s past and a look at where they are going in the future.

DiRT 2 is without doubt the most comprehensive and utterly playable off-road racing game we’ve ever played. The overall racing experience is never anything but pleasurable, the depth and range of challenges on offer lending massive longevity and the presentation is also nothing short of exceptional.

DiRT 2 is without doubt the most comprehensive and utterly playable off-road racing game we’ve ever played. The overall racing experience is never anything but pleasurable, the depth and range of challenges on offer lending massive longevity and the presentation is also nothing short of exceptional.

DiRT 2 was superlative stuff on Xbox 360 and PS3, and on PC it remains one of the most comprehensive and utterly playable off-road racing game you can buy.

God of War 3 is fantastic, and has at least three scenes that are utterly magnificent. Design and gameplay-wise, it's absolutely stunning. The downside is that it doesn't have that clear cut perfection that its predecessor had; the polish shine that brilliantly lit up our eyes when we first enjoyed God of War 2.

Its freshness shows just how stale a lot of the industry is and it's what's needed in an era of grey, modern shooters.

Its freshness shows just how stale a lot of the industry is and it's what's needed in an era of grey, modern shooters.

I am truly spellbound by the splendor of this game.

This human quality and depth of gameplay is what sets CoH apart from RTS games where your units are all expendable. In CoH nothing is expendable.

You can do anything you want with this game, the limits being only your time and imagination. If any of you budding warmongers, strategy fiends or history buffs out there are looking for complete control, world domination and a great wargaming experience, look no further.

Mass Effect is a superb game for its story, its breadth of characters and setting a new bar of standard for cinematic videogaming.

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.