Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin(Konami)

Another year, another dive into Castlevania's twisted world of monstrous bosses, innovative design and great playability.

Set during WWII, Vampire hunters Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin team up to fight evil forces trying to resurrect the dark lord Dracula. Both characters are controlled by the player and can fight side-by-side thanks to the very clever AI - or you can jump in and out of the battle fighting solo. Using both at once can allow for some devastating team attacks.

Dracula's castle seems small at first but within each of the paintings dotted around the many halls lies a separate world and this is what makes the game special. One minute you are fighting in an Egyptian tomb and the next you are battling demons in a ghostly town. The range of locations is superb, with each boasting brilliant design and appropriately atmospheric music.

The game throws in engaging leveling-up and combat systems, creating many weapon and magic combinations that you can experiment with to your heart's content. It may not appeal to those who have moved out of the 2D era but appearances can be deceiving: this is a full-on platform adventure designed to grab you by the ears and never let go. You will probably still be playing this by August – truly stunning. [Dave Cook]