A modern day gaming masterpiece. Simply put, it's one of the greatest games of the current era and serves as a high watermark that may not be surpassed for years to come. From the compelling plot and completely convincing atmosphere to the fantastic graphics and attention to detail, Bioshock is the total package.

Mass Effect 2 is the poster child for non-linear storytelling. With perhaps the finest cast of characters in gaming, and tons of replayability, Mass Effect 2 is an epic sci-fi adventure that shouldn't be missed.

Simply put, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has raised the bar in the RPG genre, offering a plethora of engaging and unique content in one of the most immersive and beautiful game worlds ever created. Plus, any game that uses the word "lollygagging" deserves eternal praise.

Red Dead Redemption is undoubtedly one of the finest open-world games in quite some time and easily the best western inspired game ever made. Rockstar San Diego’s production values are seemingly impressive, but for a large triple-A title, it doesn’t have the same polish that you’d expect from a publisher and developer of Rockstar’s calibre. With more glitches than Windows Vista and too much pre-mission horsey riding, Red Dead Redemption is an amazing adventure... but, and if you want to be a 90 plus title in 2010, there can’t be any buts. Well not that big anyway!

Valve has worked its magic yet again with Portal 2, creating a mind-blowing game that's simply superb in both single-player and co-op. In other words, it's hole-ly essential.

An outstanding sequel in every department, with stunning gameplay, an immersive world to explore and fantastically well-realised characterisation. The music and voice-acting is exemplary and the visuals are gorgeous. Batman: Arkham City is an incredibly well-crafted, labour of love and no mistake. In short, it's genius.

The story was excellent and the campaign was extremely exciting to go through. The online is awesome, although it needs some work on gametypes.

Modern Warfare 2 shatters the old standard of excellence and has raised the bar for what it means to be an epic shooter. With a mind-shattering campaign, superb co-op play, and the deepest multiplayer experience on Live, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the greatest shooters in gaming history, and a must-own for fans of the genre.

Not only one of the best story-driven games of all time, it’s one of the best games we’ve ever played full stop. With a fantastic chemistry between the game’s two central characters, one of the most stunningly realised game worlds, some excellent game mechanics, incredible production values and a frankly genius story, it’s a game that simply everyone and his dog must own.

Street Fighter IV is a more than competent fighting game, in fact, it’s great, but in order to have the package these days, you need to deliver on more than the fighting mechanism.

Fallout 3 masterfully creates a parallel universe for players to explore and lose dozens of hours in. No other game of this console generation comes close to offering the amount of content, freedom of choice, and level of immersion that can be found here.

Gears of War 2 is a fantastic game, with an epic campaign, incredible Horde co-op experience, and improved multiplayer; all in a package that promises to keep players entertained for dozens, if not hundreds of hours. Several issues keep the game from being all it could be, but it remains a worthy addition to any 360 owner's library.

The perfect ending to a masterful trilogy that's gone from strength-to-strength with each title. It's the conclusion you're hoping for, with each decision demanding that you think twice before pulling the trigger.

Picking up Rock Band and starting out is such an easy and enjoyable experience. You will feel like you are actually in a rock band, without playing thousands of dollars for equipment.

Easily the best simulator on consoles and is a simulation game that racing fans around the world can welcome with open arms. I mean everyone, whether you want to race with all the assists off and get the true simulation experience, or whether you want to experience fast cars and beautiful tracks but don’t know your clutch from your cam belt.

This is certainly not a game for just Batman fans, comic fans or action fans; this is a game that everyone should play and thoroughly enjoy. It looks beautiful, plays like a dream and has a superb mix of action, stealth and detective elements. The combat is intuitive, flexible and surprisingly deep too. Give this game a go and you will not be pleasantly surprise, you will be blown away.

The added online feature for the Band World Tour mode surely makes this the best music game on the market right now.

Few will find themselves longing for things to return to the way they used to be, and Super Street Fighter IV updates the already winning formula in a logical, progressive manner to create an end product entirely deserving of its superlative moniker. Others will eventually follow, but for now Super Street Fighter IV is the undisputed fighting game champion of the world.

Bungie wanted to go out with a bang, but instead, they've gone out with a nuclear explosion that not even a Spartan could survive. It's the end of an era, that's for sure, but the beginning of a new one. Step up 343, you have some big boots to fill.

Boasting unrivalled visuals, an engaging career mode, fluid, responsive gameplay, and plenty of features to boot, the only real criticism we have is that they possibly haven't advanced the series as much as we'd have liked them to have done for the fourth iteration.

An unmitigated triumph for Epic, not only finishing off the trilogy in style, but doing so while expanding upon already sturdy foundations. It's a game that tugs on the heartstrings at times, raising more than a few laughs, offering undeniable value for money and boasting production values of a Hollywood movie. Gears of War 3 is the very definition of a killer-app.

Brilliant. The last big release of the year, Far Cry 3 may well top them all. Almost unfalteringly entertaining, it's a game that will have you coming back for more long after the credits have rolled, in order to seek out every nook, cranny and secret of the game's tropical island. Chuck in a decent multiplayer suite, a fun co-op mode and staggeringly impressive map editor and you've got a winner. A must buy.

Assassin’s Creed 2 does exactly what we want a sequel to do. It improves on the original vastly and corrects all the errors, it adds a ton more depth and content, yet it still manages to encapsulate the charm of the original.

It has been a while since a game of this quality has kicked off the year, but Bayonetta delivers on every front, even managing to draw in players that would normally give this genre a miss, thanks to the superb presentation, humour and charm. The game pretty much lures you into multiple playthroughs too, thanks to that ‘one more try’ mentality to surpass yourself, which is a rare feat indeed. It may be that Japan will not make them like this anymore and that would be a tragedy, so do yourself a favour and enjoy this game.

To insinuate that The Lost & The Damned is downloadable content is almost an insult to the depth and content that is packed into a tiny 1600 Microsoft Point punch. The Lost & Damned ($20, €19 or £13) is as big a bargain as you could possibly ask for and can offer you a hell of a lot more content than your traditional budget titles and even fully blown retail games, but with 50 times the quality.

Another flowing, fun, feast of football which most fans will lap up. FIFA 12 is not a great leap over the titles from recent years, but is still one of the very best sports games on the market.

This is still a great game of football and has a few neat improvements over last year's offering. However, the 360 degree control hardly seems groundbreaking and the rest of the package seems amazingly familiar. For all those that picked up the game last year, it will seem like very little has emerged to justify another full price release.

Dead Space 2 is a worthwhile sequel to its predecessor, delivering the same brilliantly foreboding atmosphere, outstanding audio and peerless lighting. Despite the somewhat tedious final sequence that far outstays its welcome, fans of the original won't be disappointed by Visceral's latest instalment. Everything else that comes before moment though is pure video gaming gold, which is both fantastically paced and an unreserved joy to play.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is not just the best strategy game this year, it's the best strategy game this generation and possibly the best ever strategy game on consoles.

Retaining its position at the top of the league, FIFA 13 shows us yet again that EA Sports is the daddy of iterative improvements. It may not be a huge leap over FIFA 12, but it remains the very best football game available on consoles. An easy recommendation.

Don't be put off by the NBA lockout causing a lack of rookies in the game, NBA 2K12 is still a massive basketball game with unfathomably deep gameplay and an astonishing array of game modes that'll easily last you until next year's instalment.

A fantastic sequel full to the brim with colour, verve and personality, excelling as an enjoyable shooter with involving RPG elements despite more fetch quests than several dogs will experience in a lifetime. It's all wonderfully well-executed and fun to play.

Hugely original and imaginative.

Achingly beautiful to behold and incredible to play, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood will be the best Roman holiday you'll ever have.

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.

Without a doubt this is one of the best multiplayer experiences you will find on the 360, however anyone wanting to go it alone will quickly tire of playing the scenarios over and over again. Repetition is kept to a minimum thanks to the A.I Director but unless you have LIVE and a solid squad of friends then you should probably give this a miss.

Dark Souls makes no bones about being unrelenting in its difficulty though, although it's by no means insurmountable. It's a rare game that's unlike anything else, refusing to pander or compromise in any way, shape or form. In this day and age, Dark Souls is hugely refreshing then, and well worth the time and effort.

The great combat system is paired up with tight controls, while superb graphics, audio, and storytelling will keep players rapt from beginning to end. Horror fans will have a blast with this game.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution has happily been worth the wait and is a game that can hold its head up high next to the first game. Jensen isn't the most charismatic character, and the story is a tad patchy in places, but the game's world and its characters more than make up for it. Deus Ex: Human Revolution heralds the arrival of the cyber-renaissance, and it's pure gold.

On paper, LA Noire sounds like an open-world sandbox fused with an interactive movie, but in truth, it's so much more. It's groundbreaking, effortlessly engaging and utterly sublime. To miss playing LA Noire would be a heinous crime. Simply put, it's a work of unbridled genius.

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.

A well produced title that will give you another slice of entertainment, whether you choose to go it alone or head online to kick ass and take some names. It's nothing new though, and single-player feels especially lightweight this time around, so there is still room for improvement. More of the same next year then – which is both great news and a bit disappointing really.

Dishonored is this year's must-have new IP, with fresh ideas, plenty of charm and inventiveness, and tying them together in a stylish fashion. Who said creativity in the games industry was dead, huh? Dishonored says hello. Your free time says goodbye.

This is still the best NHL game on the market, but one that seems to be running out of ideas. It is still a hell of a lot of fun, especially if you can get a full club of people up and running online. For those that have yet to sample an NHL title or skipped last year's, then this should be an essential purchase. For the rest of us it may well be a rental at best.

While this game may not be as strong as the original in terms of suspense or plot, it does make up for it with some neat innovations and a multiplayer mode that can be a lot of fun. For anyone in the mood for a good slice of storytelling then this is the game for them... and for those of you yearning for a return to Rapture, then this will be the perfect tonic.

Once again this is the best ice hockey game around, with flawless presentation and a sublime playing experience.

Bad Company 2 took the solid foundations of the original and built a skyscraper on it. Improving in pretty much every discipline, the sequel boasts a much more robust and comprehensive set of online tools, a pretty engaging campaign and one of the most immersive battlefields in the history of consoles.

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.

It may feature kings, castles, elves and wizards, buts its approach is fresh and vital. It has a character all of its own. This is due in no small part to the quality of the source material.

FIFA 11 is almost as perfect a football game as you could ever expect to play and it does pretty much everything right. The passing requires a more deft touch and fine aim than previous, which can throw you off a bit at first, but other than that, FIFA 11 is the beautiful game in every sense. Personality+ seems like a far too subtle addition from our uneducated football perspective, but Be A Goalkeeper, Be A Pro, Career and other modes will keep you irrevocably hooked for months on end. It's a cliché, but FIFA 11 hits the back of the net, every time.

In a day and age where the value of map packs and expansions are closely scrutinised, BC2: Vietnam is the epitome of value for money, offering the same exhilarating gameplay as its boxed counterpart, but with a fresh twist in an entirely new era and stunning environment.

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.

NBA 2K13 scores big once again, although it fails to offer little in the way of sweeping changes or innovations. It's still the undisputed daddy of basketball games, but we'd have liked to have seen more ideas being brought to the hardwood.

Halo 4 represents a bold step forward for the franchise that feels both fresh and familiar. Boasting Halo's trademark multiplayer, a gripping campaign, an experimental co-op mode and the usual gubbins, Halo 4 like all the other Halos that have come and gone, represents incredible value for money.

A very pleasant surprise and one that finally appeals to football fans of any ability. This game is simple to pick up and play but offers enough depth for veterans to still find something new. With plenty to do both on and offline it’s a real turnaround for a series that has had its share of criticism down the years.

With a tantalising story with some truly gripping and edge of the seat moments, new gameplay elements and some more of that previously promised deeper character interaction, The Lair of the Shadow Broker is what we call in outer space, a doozy.

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!

Undead Nightmare might not tie-in to Red Dead's overarching story, but as an entertaining journey into an alternate tale set within that rich and compelling universe, it's an add-on that proves utterly indispensable for any self-respecting fan of the game.

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.

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.

A definite step up from the original in more ways than one. Immersive racing, jaw-dropping visuals, an extensive career and a vastly improved online mode make up for the game's few minor annoyances... like riding in vehicles that just aren’t that fun.

A triumphant comeback for the series, Rayman Origins sees the influence of creator Michel Ancel at work once more, and a strong showing for Ubisoft's hand-drawn UbiART Framework, giving the game a unique and stunning style that's entirely its own thing. Rayman Origins is addictive, entertaining and quite possibly the best 2D platformer money can buy on Xbox 360.

This is the premium driving title out on the 360 at the moment, and a must own for any fans of the racing genre. When buying a car in real life, it isn't about the miles per gallon, but about the smiles per mile. This game will definitely make you smile.

This is undoubtedly one of the best RPG games to emerge in recent times and has a perfect balance between out and out fun, mixed with action, romance and comedy.

There is a platform here for Crystal Dynamics to take Lara’s shenanigans to a new level, but a reliance on fairly bog standard shooter mechanics just doesn’t do the franchise any justice and as a result, means Tomb Raider falls short of being a truly great game.

Mortal Kombat is a great return to form for the franchise though and a veritable gore-laden treat for fans. A joy to play in any mode, MK simply needs its multiplayer refining to make the experience smoother and more gratifying to play. Its roster could have used a new character or two, but the 25 on the disc and two unlockable pugilists will keep the hardcore players happy.

A bright new beginning for Dante, Ninja Theory's DmC is a triumph and a positive first step towards things to come. Capcom's most successful collaboration with a western studio to date, DmC is also Ninja Theory's finest game. SSSensational.

Harmonix has made some great innovations and additions in Dance Central 2, but the lack of competitive gameplay over Xbox Live is an oversight that stops the dance-tastic title from breaking that much sought after 90+ barrier. Still as much a killer-app for Kinect as before, but still missing that one key ingredient.

Fight Night Champion is a triumphant return for EA Sports stalwart boxing franchise that still has one of the best simulated fighting systems around as well as some great visuals. Champion Mode is a surprisingly involving new addition that actually makes you care about what happens to its protagonist, as he embarks upon his Rocky-esque journey. Ultimately then, Fight Night Champion is still the undisputed king of the ring.

A better game than the first one but not by much and it never really convinces you that it is a full blown sequel rather than a mere upgrade.

A true cinematic gaming masterpiece, Max Payne 3 is not just another triumph for Rockstar, but it's also testament to what the developer can do when it turns its hand to linear storytelling. Max Payne 3 might be a stylistic shift for the series, but it's also a raw and brutal portrait of a man pushed to the edge that deserves a place alongside Rockstar's superlative open-world efforts.

NHL 12 is yet another great ice hockey title that will appeal to new fans of the sport as much as it will to the old guard. The only quibbles tend to be minor ones, but the main issue is that this game is yet another in a growing line of updates rather than sweeping revolutions.

A series that has reached the height of its powers and shows exactly why dance games reign supreme on Kinect. The ridiculous, quirky story is a wonderful diversion and, as ever, partying and shaming your friends is the way to play. Subtle tweaks and changes have helped to mould Dance Central 3 into the definitive dance experience so pull on your flares (or equivalent gear) and hit the floor.

Unfortunately for us, DJ Hero seems to be going the same way as the rest of the Hero brand, with little to no innovation upon the last iteration. The freestyle sections are a great addition, the new track list isn't as inspired as the original's and the Empire mode is a complete waste of time. Don't get us wrong, it's still fun, but it's starting to wear a little thin already.

There's no doubting that Splinter Cell: Conviction is a great game, but it's a game that ultimately loses its way towards the end. It's almost like a 200m hurdle champion falling at the last hurdle, but still bumbling to his feet to make the finish line in a more than respectable time.

Nobody does presentation like EA and the menus, rosters and feel of ice hockey are superb. The various leagues and teams are all well catered for and offer anything that a fan could desire.

Pure delivers on the promise of fast thrills and fun, so the very few minor issues seem non-existent. A definite recommendation for fans of both racing and arcade-style games.

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.

A breath of fresh air for the series and one that should appeal to fans old and new, Forza Horizon may have toned down on the realism but the open world environment and host of quirky ideas more than make up for any discrepancies. This is a racing game that has plenty under the hood, and leaves you wanting one more shot at racing glory.

Although Marvel vs. Capcom 3 isn't quite the perfect fighter that they'd tried so hard to create, it's not far off, and thanks to 8-player winner-stays-on lobbies and a plethora of bonus content to unlock – that doesn't include the majority of the game's characters! – Capcom's latest fighting game is set to burrow its way into your hearts for many months to come. If only they could have got the online connectivity up to scratch, it would have been a 90+. Shame.

UFC Undisputed 3 is a triumphant return for the ultimate fighting champion, with more modes and options than you can shake a clenched fist at. In the octagon, the action is tighter, more fluid and still fun to play, but the submission system seems like a misstep and overall, we can't shake the feeling that deep down, it's essentially more of the same.

A seemingly generic third person shooter that is suddenly lifted up to greatness by the superb destructibility and explosive nature of the gameplay.

In order to truly appreciate it, you’ll have to look past all the monotonous traveling and the repetitive missions and get sucked in to the immersive world that Ubisoft Montreal has created.

Overall it’s hard to see what Treyarch were aiming for here, as the story retreads old ground and most of the set-piece moments seem to have been lifted directly from the previous games. Coupled with dodgy A.I and the ever present endless rush of foes and it’s just not that great.

Crysis 2 is a sterling follow-up to the benchmark setting original from Crytek, boasting an epic campaign in terms of scenarios and mayhem, and a multiplayer arena that is satisfying as long as you can get over the anti-newbie barrier. Perhaps we expected more of the plot itself from Morgan, but you can't knock the campaign in terms of sheer scale, ambition and flair.

There is no other game like it and probably never will be which is a shame. It’s perfectly simple to pick up and play but also has enough depth and wonderful energy to keep you interested too.

Top Spin 4 is a great sports game and one that depicts tennis as if you were playing the real thing. Every aspect of the franchise has been tweaked almost to perfection, and only the relative speed of progression and ease of the career hold it back from perfection. Tennis fans should certainly pick this up, and it will certainly hold its own against most other sports games out there too.

To put it bluntly, Battlefield 3 has one of the best online multiplayer components out there, blending some of the most interesting maps and intense combat moments with one another to create the best full-scale war simulator out there, and it's one that promotes tactical gameplay. Stunning stuff… And the campaign and co-op ain't bad either.

A supreme effort, but one that can get a tad repetitive over longer periods of play. It tends to be a bit too close to last year's effort to provide much in the way of new fangled entertainment for veterans. That being said, this is ideal fodder for fight fans and quite simply one of the best fighters around right now.

Assassin's Creed III is a fantastic game that's marred only by a glacial few opening hours, a surfeit of history and exposition, and the odd glitch. That aside, ACIII is a triumph and the perfect way to say hello to Connor.

Devil May Cry is simple to jump in to and hack for hours or simple to jump on to for quick slash. All in all, its simple setup and pick up and play action is great, but making a game by reusing the levels for the second half of the game is almost unforgivable!

Fun, simple and addictive, this game is a worth-while addition to the 360 roster, but is a little light. Hardcore Civ fans may want to stick to the PC versions, but newcomers will feel right at home.

Another podium-worthy effort from Codemasters that deserves to be doused in expensive champagne once more. F1 2012 is the best Formula One game Codies has made to date, welcoming newcomers with open arms, while refusing to dial down the realism for the established fans. A tough balancing act that F1 2012 pulls off with aplomb.

Codemasters Birmingham has excelled in improving upon F1 2010, resolving some of the issues that held back its first effort, with a game that offers the definitive Formula One experience.

Decent game modes that really aren’t that complicated. The annoying 2K menus are back but the options are numerous. Statistic lovers will enjoy the amount they get by looking at player cards and overall season stats. Easy enough to get into a game and flows well enough throughout.

A fantastic racing game at its core, Need for Speed: Most Wanted is let down by too few race types and a multiplayer mode with somewhat limited appeal. Joyriding around Fairhaven can be fun in its own right, but there's simply too little real meat on Most Wanted's bones. Most Wanted? Nearly, but not quite. Criterion can do and has done better.

The truth of the matter though is that beneath Bulletstorm's bravado and crude exterior beats the heart of a shooter that will challenge how you think about and play shooters, possibly forever.

Not really a major leap forward over Fallout 3, but certainly not just more of the same either. The variety of missions and random tasks will keep you entertained for hours and the few new additions serve to provide a welcome distraction in terms of crafting, gambling and reputation management. Jump in, but make sure you come up for air now and again.