"Dead Space 3." (HO)

From dismembering aliens to outflanking horsemen, here's what we're playing this week.

Dead Space 3 (Visceral Games/EA, for Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

The third instalment in the sci-fi horror series adds co-op play for the first time, but just because you can team up with a buddy doesn't make the game any less pants-poopingly scary. That said, Dead Space 3 has a slightly more action-centric feel this time around, especially compared to the first game's tense and slow-paced dread.

Antichamber (Alexander Bruce, for PC)

This years-in-the-making indie gem is intended to provoke, confuse and challenge players at every turn by messing with their minds and twisting their preconceptions about games and game design. It's an puzzle-platformer with a striking visual aesthetic, uncomfortable and infuriating in the absolute best sense of the words.

Fire Emblem: Awakening (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo, for Nintendo 3DS)

I'm not a fan of most Japanese role-playing games but I'm a complete sucker for turn-based tactical warfare. And with the latter being so solid in this exceptional 3DS title, the former is somehow a lot less annoying. Come for the challenging battles, and stay for the wonderfully drawn (figuratively and literally) characters.