2010's been a memorable year. There's been disappointments galore, from Final Fantasy XIII and Gran Turismo 5's collective failures to live up to expectations to the broken promises of Fable III, but they've been counterbalanced by the surprises - unheralded gems such as Game Dev Story or Pac-Man Championship Edition DX and unexpected treats such as Vanquish or Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Across the board these games have thrown up a suite of memorable moments, and IGN UK's Matt Wales and Martin Robinson present a handful of their own personal picks.

BE WARNED! SPOILERS BELOW!

Red Dead Redemption: Crossing the Border

Rockstar's games have often been defined by their soundtracks – whether that was going on your first glorious killing spree to the strains of Verdi in Grand Theft Auto III or hitting a jump just as the chorus of Dance Hall Days kicks off in Vice City – so it was always interesting to see what its approach would be for Red Dead Redemption. After all, horses don't have radios – at least they didn't the last time we checked down at the pony club.

Red Dead Redemption's solution was artful. Its soundtrack alone, performed by ex-Friends of Dean Martinez members Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, was the perfect accompaniment to the many lonely hours spent trekking with your horse. It was commendable for not reverting to sub-Leone parody but instead feeding off more contemporary Western fare such as Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's backing for both The Proposition and The Assassination of Jesse James.

The masterstroke, however, came when Jose Gonzales' 'Far Away' gently washed over the soundtrack as John Marston made for Nuevo Paraiso, undercutting a pivotal moment in Red Dead Redemption's epic tale. It was smart, subtle and affecting, showing a team that's at the top of its game.