The soul will burn forever. Soul Calibur V plays superbly and is ideal for multiplayer and personalisation. It probably could do more to build and coerce the player, but fans of fighters will have a blast.

A superior game to its predecessor, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is the game that probably should have been originally released. Even if it doesn't quite achieve everything it sets out to do.

It's not dead on arrival, but it never reaches its true potential. It's not enough to stand out, but Neverdead will satisfy those willing to try something different.

Boom Street is a pleasant and surprisingly enjoyable board game for those who have the time and patience to actually be able to sit through a few games.

A magnificent homage for the 25th anniversary of one the biggest franchises in gaming, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword provides a compelling gaming and artistic showcase for the indefatigable potential of the medium as a whole, and a reason to have gaming as a hobby.

Excellent presentation, compelling story and gameplay and value for money, Professor Layton and the Last Spectre is both a fitting sendoff for the DS and a great new beginning for the Layton series.

Solatorobo is a title full of great ideas, which were wasted with shoddy execution. Nevertheless, those interested in games with great stories should check it out.

Hunter's Trophy is a competent hunting simulator, which when you get past the rifle accessory doesn't have much to offer.

Sonic CD is one of the more robust examples of quality nostalgia and how developers should handle their distribution in the modern age.

With a greater sense of gameplay fun than ever before and a true evolution in controls, WWE '12 is an excellent wrestling game, but visual inconsistency and its overabundance of DLC hamper the game experience as a hole and hold it back from truly being a Great One.

A fitting end to the stories of Ezio and Altaïr build on a high standard of gameplay fitting for the series, ultimately held back by a lack of true gameplay evolution. Fans of the series won't be disappointed, but may find the wait for Assassin's Creed III made just a little bit harder.

Despite some clever uses of the Move controller, Medieval Moves is let down by its low difficulty and at times shoddy presentation.

Strong racing foundations let down by a weak single player are quickly made up by some of the best multiplayer components found in any Nintendo game. Best played online and with friends, this is Mario Kart for the socialite.

Tekken Hybrid a package that contains a graphically-updated version of a game that was released 12 years ago, a game demo and a movie. Most gamers are going to find the $60 price tag hard to swallow, so only hardcore Tekken fans need apply.

In Rayman Origins, Ubisoft and Michel Ancel have crafted both the best platforming game of the year and a striking monument to the giddy joys of the medium's heritage. Fun, funny and frantic.

Inventive, beautiful and dangerously addictive, Super Mario 3D Land is the 3DS defining game, capitalising on the system's strengths and value of portability, while recalling the best qualities of both 2D and 3D iterations of the franchise. Not to be missed.

The Run sits squarely in the middle of the franchise pantheon; its tentative steps into storytelling are often ham-fisted, but represent something of a unique avenue for the development of the racing genre, while the core racing model is just about good enough if one forgets that its Criterion-developed predecessor was released just one year prior.

On 3DS, Sonic Generations is a more half-hearted anniversary affair which somehow misses the point of the whole exercise.

A competent mini-game collection, with some nice nostalgia for Mario & Sonic fans and plenty of waggle.

Rabbids: Alive and Kicking is a collection of party games that's worth picking up if you plan on playing with others, but if not, only hardcore Rabbids fans need apply.

Just about the finest example of core, yet accessible, Western RPG and open-ended gameplay. In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda have realised the game they wanted to make since the inception of HD gaming.

It's by no means perfect, but Lord of the Rings: War in the North is still one of the better games to come out of the franchise, particularly if you play co-op. If you've been missing middle earth you're bound to get some enjoyment, just be prepared for it to be a little rough around the edges.

Football Manager 2012 exercises the same sheer depth and freedom that have seen the series leave other football management titles in its wake.

Goldeneye 007: Reloaded is a workmanlike game which does exactly what it says on the tin, but little more. Solid then, but utterly inessential, especially for those who have sampled the Wii iteration.

It might not deal with terrorists or modern combat, but Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remains a downright enjoyable experience from start to finish that most gamers should experience.

Saints Row: The Third takes everything your teenage self found awesome and distills it into a single, outrageous game.

Some moments of Jurassic Park: The Game evoke the atmosphere of the films quite well, but unfortunately it's a game where the player ultimately feels unnecessary.

Proving that old school can still be cool, Shinobi makes a welcome return on the 3DS.