Jolt 2008 Awards: Best Atmosphere/Immersion

Jolt.co.uk: "Video games are the most diverse form of entertainment there is, and in this age of next-gen visual effects, many are defined more by the ‘experience’ than the gameplay. That’s precisely what this award recognises.

Winner: Condemned 2 (PS3, X360)

Few games have caused us to stop playing, turn on the lights and go make a cup of tea – checking behind any doors on the way – quite as often as Sega’s Condemned 2, such is the intense nature of the game’s atmospherics. Part CSI crime thriller, part supernatural shooter, this first-person action game expertly combines aural and visual cues, murky environments and fearless enemies to keep you not so much on the edge of your seat, but behind it for safety.

Sure, the game can’t hurt you, but the combat is visceral, challenging and liable to leave your avatar in a freshly bloodied mess if you don’t keep your guard up at all times. Perhaps a little more Supernatural and a little less X-Files than the original, Condemned 2 nevertheless walks another fine line between the real and the unreal – just enough to leave you unsettled and with the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. Despite this, it’s still best experienced alone and in the dark."