If you've had quite enough of your blockbuster Call of Honours and your World of Duty's, you might want to give the blossoming indie scene a try - it's full of some of the most inventive and entertaining games doing the rounds at the moment. If you've ever, ever, ever criticised games for being samey and repetitive then you are now contractually obligated to play at least four titles from the following list:
SpaceChem is a drug for puzzle fans. The idea is to create a circuit to guide elements from a spawning point to their destination, but with about a zillion other things to consider at any one time it's much more difficult. The puzzles are absolutely devious, too, and actually getting to the end of the game is almost a Herculean feat, but the satisfaction derived from finishing each individual circuit is virtually unmatched. We love it.
Dismissed by some as a weak Left 4 Dead clone, Killing Floor is actually more like Left 4 Dead mixed with a wave-based survival mode and a levelling mechanic. It's bold, rough, and silly, but there's hours of fun to be had. Don't expect it to pop up in any 'are games art?' features, but if you're looking to blast away hordes of monsters with a few mates then you should get stuck in.