They were there at the beginning of video games, now it seems adventure games are back. After all, with so many mainstream releases reducible to running down a corridor shooting, it's hardly surprising there's an audience for a more interactive alternative.

The news that Studio Ghibli were making a computer game was met with resounding excitement when it was announced way back in 2010. Right from the off the possibility of being able to adventure through the dark and mystical worlds of Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke was tempered with the fear that we might end up skipping through the candyfloss Disney/Ghibli worlds of Ponyo or Arrietty instead. Unfortunately with Ni No Kuni, it’s clear to see which school of Ghibli has won out.

Once upon a time (in the Nineties), Japanese game developers ruled the world. Now, with the notable exception of Nintendo, gamers seem to look more to the west for the most exciting and innovative interactive entertainment.

It’s been a rough couple of years for Capcom and their fandom. After the slating they received for rebooting their Resident Evil franchise, the storm has continued with their attempts to do the same with their much-loved Devil May Cry series. The fanboys were up in arms as usual, mostly concerning main character Dante’s hair, but Capcom were always prepared for a backlash, and Kudos to them for sticking to their guns, because they’ve rebooted DMC with a vengeance.

There’s nothing more off-putting in a game than a screen filled with awful and waffling text that just keeps on awfully waffling. It’s one of the reasons Final Fantasy and I don’t get along. It’s refreshing then to discover a game that is predominantly text-based, but which is absolutely gripping.

In a world populated by magical sprites, fairies, critters and (every now and then) a killer robot, a mute amnesiac sprite called Mi is about to have a really bad day. Her society - built below the wreckage of a long obliterated humanity - has selected her to carry out a ritual which legend claims will avert the end of the world. She must seek out the six bells of fate and ring them before an ancient clock runs out.

I’m sure we can all remember the joys of making collages and tissue-box houses/fortresses as children. And we all remember plasticine, right? Innocent childhood art materials that kept us busy while our parents and teachers put their feet up. Even as adults the most disturbing collages we’ve seen are those presented by Monty Python, and the most disturbing plasticine creation we’ve seen is Morph.

In the world of gaming there are many pioneers, but it is those uninhibited by the constraints of the uber-publishers who have the true freedom to experiment, excel and evolve their art form. It is from the PC diaspora that the most innovative games are coming, where game-makers are limited only by their imaginations. And RAM. And processor speed. And graphics cards.

Dreading a Christmas of teenaged tantrums and drunken debates? Keep the hell-brood occupied with one of the best five releases of the year, listed in ascending order of preference.

Thomas was alone. And then, he wasn’t. As story-time opening lines go, this one is on a par with "once upon a time" in its simplicity. Simplicity, however, can be misleading. Our eponymous hero Thomas may in fact look like a simple red rectangle with the ability to move and jump, but thanks to a mysterious "event" within the computer programme he is part of, he has also been imbued with sentience. And he is not alone.