In the event of an alien invasion it really is important to learn to prioritise. And to juggle. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown you are plunged into the middle of just such an invasion. As the commander of an elite anti-alien unit you are responsible for the building, running and expansion of your XCOM base and its operations.

Resident Evil ****

There’s a war going on in the world of Resident Evil, and it’s not between soldiers and zombies. In one camp there are those who long for the good old days of horror-filled fixed-perspective wanderings through zombie-infested mansions, while in the other are those who are more open to the fact that franchises have to evolve to survive.

It’s been a good month for lovers of bootylicious action games, where the swag is plentiful and the guns are ridiculous. With its novel Grindhouse aesthetic, Borderlands 2 comes hot on the heels of last week’s similarly loot-obsessed Torchlight II, replacing that game’s swords and skeletons with sniper rifles and caterwauling midgets. It also has one of the best, most stylish opening sequences I’ve seen in a game for a long time.

It’s all about the smash and grab in Runic Games’ new adventure Torchlight II, which offers up more booty than you can shake a rune-encrusted staff at. Forget story and character, the aim of this slickly designed action RPG is quests, exploration, and killing copious amounts of enemies with a plethora of weaponry.

Ruinous is a harsh word to wield against any artistic decision. However, the Russo/American voiceover chosen by Igor Rezenov to accompany his new PC game Fibrillation, no other printable judgement is strong enough. The game itself is a brief but beautifully atmospheric horror designed to be played in a single sitting. Your comatose character wanders through the grainy and confusing landscapes of his hypoxic mind, attempting to find a way out of the various catacombs, and to flee a terrifying entity which stalks him.

Science gone horribly wrong. Paper trails as long and arduous as the Northwest Passage. Rogue detectives, ruthless reporters, treacherous geeks and doctors plagued by recurring nightmares. With the end of the world at stake it’s all to play for in Resonance, the new point-and-click adventure game from Xii Games.

Welcome to Lafcadio Academy for Troubled Young Ladies. In this environment of blood-soaked walls, spinning blades, spikes, ghouls and HP Lovecraft references, the curriculum is simple: play if you dare, and survive if you can.

Darksiders II ****