Starcraft 2 : Wings of Liberty [Mac/PC]

Play it for:
* RPG elements make this the best and least linear single-player campaign from Blizzard.
* Best plot and characters of a Blizzard game too, and a couple of goosebump moments.
* Revamped Battle.net mode is kinda awesome.

Avoid it for:
* Long load times, and greedy for RAM/processing power.

Sam & Max - Season 2 [Mac/PC]

Play it for:
* bigger & better episodes than season 1.
* puzzles are much more innovative (time paradoxes!) and less frustrating too.
* all ties up into a fantastic finale with tons of great moments!

Avoid it for:
* still buggy as heck.

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time [PS3]

Play it for:
* satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
* best weapon system of the three.
* best puzzles of the three.

Avoid it for:
* nothing radically new.

Secret of Monkey Island HD [PC]

Play it for:
* very witty and silly characters, dialogue, puzzles, and plot.
* some of the best gaming moments ever.
* new graphics, voice acting, and hint options make it better than ever.
* piratey goodness, yarrrr!

Avoid it for:
* if you have an underdeveloped/dull sense of humour.

Toki Tori [Mac/PC]

Play it for:
* remorselessly cheerful graphics and music.
* ingenious level design and game mechanics.
* the wonderfully bad Toki Tori rap at the end.

Avoid it for:
* if you are hateful, a moron, or a hateful moron.

Age of Zombies [PSN]

Play it for:
* it's actually quite fun.
* post-modern zombie slaughtering.

Avoid it for:
* short and mindless (though that's also a positive!)

God of War 2 [PS3]

Play it for:
* God of War but better.
* God of War but more awesome.
* God of War but superior.

Avoid it for:
* The occasional sight of bare breasts.

Indiana Jones & The Fate of Atlantis

Play it for:
* Indy atmosphere & humour.
* Surprisingly decent scholarship on the Atlantis myth.

Avoid it for:
* Somewhat dated gameplay.

Loom [Mac/PC]

Play it for:
* unique and smart control system.
* has a certain enigmatic charm.

Avoid it for:
* unresolved, underdeveloped, and incomplete.
* short (see above).

Machinarium [Mac/PC]

Play it for:
* beautiful art style.
* you can't help but love the rustily cute world and characters.
* great combination of "point n click" puzzling and more Layton-esque brainteasers.

Avoit it for:
* despite the great experience, it's a bit on the short side for its full price (£15).

Portal [Mac][PC]

Play it for:
* Old school science fiction atmosphere.
* Unique and memorable gameplay experience.
* The song at the end.

Avoid it for:
* The game only reveals its full majesty in the last couple of chapters - though the ones leading up to that point are thankfully short and sweet.

Super Mario Galaxy [wii]

Play it for:
* pure AWESOME, pure FUN.
* amazingly creative level design.
* wonderful controls.

Avoid it for:
* voice acting, though thankfully sparse, is awful.

Mirror's Edge [PS3]

Play it for:
* pretty unique 1st-person parkour experience.
* real adrenaline rush when you're being hunted down and have to run for your life.
* genuine feeling of accomplishment.
* the heroine is uber-cool.

Avoid it for:
* some bits are very frustrating.

God of War [PS3]

Play it for:
* EPIC visuals and story
* seriously cool combat and battles
* devious puzzles

Avoid it for:
* pretty brutal if you don't like that kinda thing

Batman: Arkham Asylum [PS3]

Play it for:
* brilliantly fluid combat system
* the awesomeness of the Batman universe
* suitable for the thinking gamer

Avoid it for:
* no catwoman

Prince of Persia [PS3]

Play it for:
* phenomenally engrossing dialogue between the main two characters
* lush, LUSH visuals
* super duper acrobatic feats

Avoid it for:
* occasionally frustrating combat

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty [PS3]

Play it for:
* Rusty Pete the pirate
* moves the story on

Avoid it for:
* NO CLANK!
* Inferior in every way to Tools of Destruction

Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction [PS3]

Play it for:
* MASSIVELY varied and fun gameplay.
* the awesome weapon system.
* wonderful comedy value.
* plenty of destruction without being violent.

Avoid it for:
* not exactly challenging.

Professor Leyton & the Curious Village [DS]

Play it for:
* atmospheric, claustrophobic story.
* great animated cutscenes.
* sense of achievement.

Avoid it for:
* tricksiness gets you wrongly second-guessing some ambiguously worded puzzles.

Sam n Max [wii]

Play it for:
* episodes that escalate along an insane story arc.
* wickedly offbeat humour and characters.
* great game to play with a friend.

Avoid it for:
* buggy.
* occasionally frustrating puzzles.