It's the supreme joke, in a way: Syndicate is a game about huge corporations and has been published by one of the biggest in the business...and it fails because nearly every element of it feels designed by committee. The shooting is competent, the co-op fierce, but in a saturated market where consumers are spoiled for choice those two plus points aren't enough to recommend the entire game on.

Dear Esther definitely isn't a product which everyone will appreciate - the walking-talking pace tends to polarise audiences quickly - but those who are tempted to try it out would be much advised to do so. You won't be disappointed.

The only aspect of The Darkness 2 which doesn't carry a balancing good/bad caveat are the graphics, which are irrefutably extraordinary.

It's irredeemable and, frankly, I'm running out of synonyms to describe how utterly appalling it is. It isn't fun to play, it regularly breaks for those who persevere, it isn't as funny as it thinks, the graphics are bad and you can't even share the misery online; if you need more reasons to avoid this unsurprisingly terrible game then I don't know what to say to you.

Trine 2 is a fantastic game, just like its predecessor, and one which we feel we can easily and flatly recommend to gamers of all tastes and ability levels - no matter who you are, you can't help but love Trine 2.

In small bouts and when playing with friends, War in the North is not devoid of any redeeming features. Compared with the big RPG of the moment, Skyrim, it comes off seriously lacking, but by offering mindless multiplayer fun and split-screen, it manages to carve its own niche and save itself from being instantly consigned to the bargain bins. Give it time, though.

A brave game, trying new ideas while also staying fundamentally similar. There are weaknesses in the recipes that Rocksteady has created - we can't say we're personally won over by the open world approach - but a weakness isn't a failure and it can't be overlooked that Arkham City is still a very strong game.

Revelations does add extra features to the series' existing template of great environments, atmosphere and visual flair propping up weak gameplay mechanics, which helps offset the effect of diminishing returns. Players who didn't mind the limited platforming and simple combat of the previous games will likely come back for more. However, we're hoping for a more radical overhaul and refocusing of the series by the time the next instalment arrives.

It's unfortunate to see Nuclear Dawn suffer from such simple errors, as underneath these tiny flaws is an above-average game with some new, interesting ideas at its core. If you're playing with friends or get lucky with a random server, it can be a lot of fun - but often that's not the case and as a result Nuclear Dawn doesn't quite earn the recommendation it's otherwise capable of receiving.

The lack of humour is the real wound; Serious Sam 3's violence often made us smile, but it never made us laugh. So, while there's still gleeful carnage on an impressive scale, the game is still a little dimmer than it might have been if not for the sadly slightly straightened face that Sam wears.

While points have to be docked for the annoying QTEs, the rest of The Run is amazingly exhilarating. The set pieces left us panting for breath, unable to process what had just happened, and the excitement level only dropped to 'really exciting' in between.

Happiness and distraction; that's what gaming is all about really and it's something that Minecraft, for all its abstractions and division, delivers in spades. You can build cathedrals with your friends; create macro-scale machines on your own or simply drift, floating through impossible landscapes that can bend to your will - do anything you want! That alone gives Minecraft a little bit of magic.

The pacing does slow at points, undermining the constant destructive anarchy that the game strives to achieve to some extent, but there's loads to see and do. If you think you can handle, or enjoy, the crass tone and humour, then you'll have a blast with this; if not, best avoid it.

An incredibly fast-paced game, and that speed makes it an incredibly more-ish and enjoyable experience when it works. It's also worth mentioning that the developer has promised future fixes and free DLC to expand and improve the game. Unfortunately, though, because the current version of the game is wrapped in a mire of niggles and glitches, and because it hasn't secured the amount of content or popularity that might give it lasting appeal, InMomentum doesn't get the recommendation that may have otherwise been within its reach.

Neocore seems to have completely misunderstood what made King Arthur great. It's stripped out all the parts of the game that made it loveable and left a watered down, medieval Dawn of War II wannabe in its place. We just hope that Fallen Champions isn't an indication of what's to come from King Arthur 2.

Skyrim is a huge and engaging world to explore and it treats you with great moments, from your first dragon encounter to finally being able to craft dwarven armour.

Modern Warfare 3 is ultimately a zero sum game when compared to its predecessors, and the only deciding factor is the disappointing amount of time it's taken to change precisely nothing...Or, in other words: M'eh.

We can't knock the ambition of LA Noire, and the MotionSense technology certainly makes game characters look much more realistic without the need to install a rendering server in your home, but the game lacks fun. LA Noire aims to makes you feel like a real-life police office, but real-life police-work is actually quite dull.

While Double D's one-tone puerility won't appeal to everyone, the game does offer a refreshingly in-your-face scale of violence that will endear it to long-term Serious Sam fans. If you fancy a 2D action fix to help you wile away the hours until Serious Sam 3 arrives, then look no further.

Play Sequence well and you'll fall into Zen bliss, forgetting all your problems and applauding yourself after every victory. Fumble and you'll swear in grunts, hating yourself until you get it right. Perseverance is hard, but worthwhile.

Lume isn't going to be a game for everyone and will seem downright slow in the eyes of the YouTube generation. Those who can remember how adventure games are supposed to be played will find it to be a rare treat, however.

Battlefield 3's multiplayer is a triumph, and while the single player campaign isn't the most original, or entertaining shooter, it's the online modes that will keep us playing for months to come.

Payday: The Heist has a brilliant concept at its heart, and that's further rounded out by some great art direction and some solid level design that makes a few of the missions real fun to play. Unfortunately, though, budget production values are evident in the graphics and limited selection of levels, and these factors inevitably come into conflict with a higher-than-expected price point.

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record has problems - and that's compounded by the fact that some of those issues are inherited, rather than new. It's a game with strengths too though, and while Off the Record doesn't prove to be any better than Dead Rising 2 on the whole, it certainly isn't any worse.

FM 2012 is the first Football Manager in years which I've felt comfortable skipping in favour of returning to my ongoing tale from last year's game. The new interface can easily feel overloaded, and the altered tactical screen seems counter-intuitive rather than an improvement. The only standout feature is the new tone and dialogue system which, while long requested, doesn't make this a mandatory purchase, especially as it doesn't extend to press conferences.

Xotic still retains a moreish, arcade charm despite the excesses of the design team and patience is all that's really needed to unlock an extra level of fun. The fact that Xotic's primary appeal gets so lost is enough to take the score and accessibility down a peg or to though.

Forza 4 has great controls, interesting opponents, well-implemented online and semi-online modes, super smooth graphics, and can be customised to suit each player perfectly. The engines sound meaty and real - if your sub-woofer is good enough - and it even uses the Kinect in an effective, unobtrusive way.

Both an immensely enjoyable, and immensely frustrating experience.