True to its billing, SimBin has delivered a driving simulator that offers depth and challenge on a scale unseen in any 360 game to date. And if that’s what you’ve been waiting for, then this is unquestionably the game for you. If you’re simply looking for a good racing game, there’s still enough enjoyment there to warrant further investigation – but only if you’ve grown bored of Forza 2.

Street Fighter II was great. Street Fighter III was great, but for different reasons. But Street Fighter IV… well, it’s great. Or, to be more specific, GREAT carved in 300-foot high letters into the side of a mountain for all to see. True, it’s taken over fifteen years for Capcom to get it right but now, finally, we have a beat-’em-up that truly lives up to the name it represents. Perfection achieved, Capcom – best quit while you’re ahead, eh?

Nowhere near as diabolical as last year’s two-fingered salute to its fanbase, and rendered so sweetly you’ll not see a prettier Sonic game on the 360, although you can sure play one on Xbox Live. Unleashed doesn’t upset or anger, and only really frustrates if you give a damn about high scores, but it doesn’t enchant either. It exists, and it does a fine job of doing so, but it rarely entices.

Winter Sports 2009 simply does the job. It is easy to play and offers a fair amount of entertainment – and at a welcome bargain price that will appeal to many sports fans. However, with poor presentation values and only a handful of really fun or challenging events, it’s a game you’ll be unlikely to dig out on a regular basis unless you’ve an unquenchable thirst for competition or a few mates up for some multiplayer action.

If you’ve got Xbox Live then Left 4 Dead is a definite 9. As it is, with the limitations and occasional annoyances, the lone gunman will find we’re obliged to keep the score down to cater for this offline review. However you play though, there’s nothing quite like slaughtering zombies and Left 4 Dead is one of the most intense, exciting, frantically paced and simply-good-old-fashioned-fun shooters on the market – and a game that you’ll find very hard not to love.

While the gameplay feels simple and easy to interact with, there’s plenty of options and a decent array of customisation for your vehicles. A combination of arcade fun gameplay and a massive playground of a city to do it in should have you entertained for weeks.

As a first-person experience, it’s wonderful. As an engine, it’s well above par. Yet as a whole game, it runs a hell of a lot but doesn’t really go anywhere. A disappointment maybe, but a unique starting point for a franchise that only leaves us hopeful for what DICE can do with the next instalment.

By blending high-end strategy with vaudeville spectacle it really does offer something special in a relatively weak genre and should not be missed.

When it works, it’s glorious. But rather poorly, it doesn’t work with enough consistency or regularity to reward the kind of extended play most users would expect to get from a new PES title. FIFA is better this year in almost every way possible and while it may grate on long-standing ISS fanboys to go into a shop and buy a FIFA game, there’s no shame whatsoever in simply wanting the best you can get for your money.

You know what to expect, so just take that expectation and make it a little prettier, a little glitchier and quite a bit shorter. And add more burning Japanese men. It’s Modern Warfare in period costume with the crusts cut off, which will probably work more in its favour online but results in a slight single-player downgrade from last year. World at War is a nearly-there title with some surprising gameplay niggles. But it’s still a step up from "Call of Duty 3."

We could be critical of Gears of War 2 simply offering more of the same, but the fact that it simply does everything better than the original in delivering a fantastic display of shoot-’em-up mayhem its quality simply shines through. With some awesome level design, supported by unsurpassed visuals and relentlessly entertaining action it is a compelling experience from start to finish. Forget the crack at putting emotion into the storyline; it’s almost irrelevant as Gears of War 2 is an allguns- blazing extravaganza and, as such, it’s just a glorious shooter that very few can match.

A game that simply doesn’t stand out from the crowd. Constantly spawning enemies. A lead character with no hands. Unskippable cut-scenes you must continually sit through. Solid walls that light can leak through. NPCs that can be shot at, but not harmed. Action sections that feel like a movie you just happen to be walking through, and not interacting with.

Relentlessly packed full of gunfire as well as requiring duck-and-cover defensive play Quantum of Solace blends a balls-out shooter with modern sensibilities to create a game that’s refreshingly fast paced and therefore swift to complete. If played on its highest settings you’d be better served by Rainbow Six and if played on lower you’re paying for just a few hours of entertainment. Thankfully multiplayer promises much, and we’ll tell you how it delivers once we’re all online and you’ve seen Mr Bond die several times.

Another must-have title to make wallets weep and players rejoice, Fallout 3 live up to expectations and only seldom stumbles, even then in expected areas where scale and scope get the better of it slightly. Regardless, it’s an undeniable classic and if you only plan on buying one or two games this winter, we couldn’t name a title that could give you value for money in the way that Fallout manages.

Guitar Hero World Tour is a superb game, on a par with Rock Band in so many ways, ahead in others, but we’re unable to proclaim it as a huge leap forward in game design. Factor in the slightly schizophrenic choice of music, the disappointment of the studio component and the layout of Band mode and it falls slightly short of Rock Band levels of genius, but it’s an unregrettable purchase all the same.

Few games can pull off such a complete world that is so endearing with characters, while nameless, managing to be so memorable. The lush world and level of detail are spellbinding and your pet dog feels as vital to play as your sword arm. The love, attention and effort put into the game shines through and makes it a true joy to play – as well as immensely challenging – whether you decide to be a good guy or a bad one. It's simply one of the 360's strongest exclusives.

Despite hitting many highs that are far beyond the ambitions of nearly every other game on the 360, Far Cry 2 is slightly hamstrung by its own ambition, some design missteps and a learning curve that rolls itself into a handy noose. Like Africa itself, it’s beautiful, complex and massive. However, less methodical or patient gamers may find themselves questioning where the line between ‘challenging’ and ‘pain in the ass’ is actually drawn.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is a solid and hugely enjoyable racing game but almost every inch of it covers ground we’ve seen several times already. There’s not a lot more to it than a checklist of gameplay and features we’ve seen in the series before or in the likes of Burnout, Juiced and Need for Speed. We haven’t had a street racing game for a while, though, so we’ve no problem recommending this to anyone look for those ‘high-octane/adrenaline fuelled’ clichés. Just don’t expect a new benchmark to be set for its successors to follow.

A rough diamond, only a few strides behind the best games on the PS3 and 360, Saints Row 2 is a bit like the kid with the best trainers who still hasn’t learned to tie their laces. It’s all over the place, and frequently opts to cram more in where it should be refining what it already has, but overall you’d have to be a complete snob to not get a kick out of playing through it. And to play through everything on offer would take a very long time indeed.

Gruesome. Visceral. Engrossing. Stunning. There are just so many words you can use to describe Dead Space and not one would be negative. EA has excelled itself on both technical and mechanical levels, pushing Dead Space up from ‘one to watch’ to ‘one of the best games of the year, nay generation’. Just go ahead and try not to be impressed by it. We dare you.

So FIFA – the series that has epitomised EA’s cynical ‘annual updates’ business model for so long – has suddenly turned the game on its head. No longer playing second fiddle to Pro Evo, the series now stands up brilliantly on its own merits and has set a lofty standard for Konami to match. Consider it EA’s way of saying sorry for churning out the same sh.t – year in, year out – for so long. And as apologies go, they really don’t come much more sincere than this.

The physics that enable you to make the earth move certainly work and will provide laughs in abundance for the first hour or so. However, when everything else about Fracture is a retread of shooters past, it’s hard to feel anything else but disappointment that the brilliant gimmick has been squandered on a brief, just above average shooter.

Things aren’t getting any simpler in EA’s sporting conquest, and new features tapping into resources we’d never dreamed of leave us dribbling. NBA 365 and the Dynamic DNA system are two such additions guaranteed to give you more basket for your buck and you’ll be hard pressed to find a slicker, more accurate representation of the sport anywhere.

Yeah, it’s alright, especially if you’re new to the series or just want to play something that spreads on your bread like ‘I-Can’t Believe-It’s-Not-Silent-Hill-2.’ The monsters are great, the combat is workable and the mystery is intriguing. But if you’ve ever played a survival horror game then chances are you’ve already played this, down to the last ‘put strange object in bizarre vaginal slot’ puzzle. As with Hollywood’s trend for remaking J-horror movies, fans may well prefer to fondly remember the original instead.

A brilliantly fun racer that feels more like a rollercoaster ride. An excellent mix of speed and tricks, along with some wonderful tracks, great scenery and cool music all brought together with rock solid controls, makes Pure a thoroughly entertaining racing experience.

The more you appreciate Star Wars in general the more you’ll get from this occasionally inspiring run-and-slasher. True, the touted technology is never really used to do more than put on a fine electric show, but what a show it is. But as for Anti-Force Fields? Well, they’re one way of making Jedi and Sith characters somewhat redundant, and just one example of how Force Unleashed goes against 30 years of lore in order to shoehorn a game together.

A sublime blend of old and new, Battle Fantasia has both the hardcore mechanics and depth to attract devout beat-’em-up fanatics and the style, polish and approachability to rope in the less devoted gamer. It could use a few more characters and perhaps a little more substance but still, BF is easily one of the better fighting games to grace the current generation of consoles so far. [JPN Import]

RB2 improves on the original and does enough to distance itself from main rival GH, although uncanny similarity to the first game might leave a sour taste in the mouths of those that already bought one Rock Band game this year. Still, it’s the most refined and thorough example of the genre so far and for that alone must be applauded.

Appealing to a wider audience, Infinite Undiscovery replaces methodical, inventory management and turn-based pondering with action – and is all the better for it. There’s no time to explore, what with all the running and slashing, but there’s endless depth in the game once you’ve got to grips with it.

Trouble in Paradise only suffers in that it feels like more of an expansion pack to the previous game. Yes, many of the improvements help the overall experience and it still offers the same incredibly addictive gameplay, but there’s the niggling feeling for piñata experts that we’ve seen and done a lot of it before. Of course, if you’ve never played the original, then bump that score up to a nine.

Exactly what you’ve come to expect; the best golf game available on any format, with a few tweaks and cosmetic touches, and perhaps just a tiny bit of dumbing down for the newcomers. Until this time next year no gaming/ golf enthusiast is likely to want for more, though we can’t see the annual updates carrying on for much longer – there isn’t much left to improve without changing the formula altogether. EA: one point docked for taking away our stats. We want them back next year.

Feeble and misjudged in as many ways as a game can be, we simply can’t bring ourselves to recommend Too Human to anyone. There will be those that love it, as there were with the horrible demo. But we just hope this minority has fun, because we sure as hell didn’t.

Chunky, colourful and smooth it may be but Rearmed is about as retro as modern games get. With new challenges and pickups to spice up the action and round off the package nicely, it exudes an air of quality seldom seen in remakes.

Beautiful, engrossing and addictive as hell, Retro Evolved 2 is among the best XBLA has to offer right now. It plays just as well as you remember the games that inspired it used to (although Mr MAME would recommend you remove the rose-tinted specs) and for the asking price, you simply can’t go wrong.

Visually stunning and wonderfully tight, SCIV is an unquestionably accomplished brawler. Questions still linger over just how much attention it will command for the solo gamer beyond simply rounding up weapons, characters and costume parts. But as far as multiplayer games go, IV triumphs in being that rare breed of fighter that can entertain casual and hardcore players alike.

The difficulty of events varies wildly and it’s hard to accept that inconsistency, but if you absolutely must know if you can ‘virtually’ run faster than your mates it can prove a reasonable diversion, and a fair way of spending a few summer evenings slumped on the couch.

Despite being low on solo content, UTIII manages to escape the usual pitfalls this presents with some wickedly intense action whether you’re alone, with company or getting your ass handed to you online. It’s like a constant onslaught of the infrequent thrilling bits of many other FPS games, only with absolutely no respite. If your heart is up to it, then you really can’t go far wrong.

Aerosmith’s presence works impressively well with a decent mix of GH-friendly tunes and some great animations but without the band this is simply a scaled-down version of Guitar Hero III with fewer tracks and no option for DLC to add some of your own favourite anthems to the playlist.

Science Of Evil sits comfortably among the worst games we’ve played this generation. It’s so mind-numbing and monotonous that if you’re not careful, you can almost zone out entirely white playing it and not take in how amazingly poor it is in every single respect– you’ll come to several minutes later to find you’re still tapping the X button (Square on PS3, unless you love jumping), still winning and the top and bottom corners of your telly will have melted to make it look a bit like a sad face. Okay, so the last one didn’t actually happen to us, but at least it would have made things vaguely interesting.

Taking apart buildings bit-by-bit is a game in itself and the gigantic, varied and incredibly realistic landscape provides the perfect setting for some spot-on warfare that’s let down, only slightly, by a health system that wouldn’t make anyone fear the reaper. Watch Bad Company in action and you will be shell shocked.

A more realistic tennis sim you will not find anywhere. Top Spin 3 brings proper simulation to the sport. The arcadey fun play is gone and a serious sporting challenge has emerged from this series to mark it out from the other tennis games available.

Although significantly streamlined compared to the last wave of DBZ titles and perilously confusing at times, Burst Limit looks and feels at home on today’s meaty hardware. Mechanics are generally tight and far more intricate than you might expect from a game like this so while more traditional fighters may still have the edge for all but the most devout anime fans, this is a surprising treat for those with the patience to get to grips with it and the good nature to overlook its relative lack of content.

Bullets and punch-ups flow together with a level of zeal and if you accept that you are in for a dumb action movie of an experience you’ll be served with something special. This is easily the most exciting tie-in title for a long time but some may find its constant action tiring and repetitive.

No matter what your skill level, you’ll receive constant gratification from the mainstay slice ‘n’ dice gameplay on offer here, but then you’d have to be a fool to not notice how ‘unfun’ its boss encounters really are. Add a camera system that doesn’t even make geometry translucent when it’s in the foreground and you’ve got a beautiful arcade experience that’s marred by some obvious but not insurmountable flaws.

GRID may not do anything dramatically new, but what it does do, it does phenomenally well. Challenging enough to push you, yet rewarding enough to keep you going when things get tough, the sheer amount of variation and the immensely satisfying handling model make this a triumph of a game.

Lego Indiana Jones has three main areas of appeal: those who liked Lego Star Wars, those who liked the movies and those who want a fun and utterly charming gaming experience. If you match one of those criteria it’s definitely worth a look. Match all three with a taste for its much-needed replay value and you should have bought this already.

Some may dislike the shocking pace of Quake Wars while for others, it might just be that step too far into the land of confusion. But if your reactions have been honed in the more uptempo shooters of our day – TimeSplitters and UT to name but a few – rather than trudging around in Halo or Battlefield, this could well be the blend of speedy action and team-based mechanics you’ve been holding out for.

Okay, so it’s basically just a streamlined version of FIFA 08 with new trimmings but look beyond this and there’s a world of ball-kicking goodness to be enjoyed. Its decidedly stunted nature makes it a far more appealing choice for the multiplayer gamer but even so, it’s still one of the better footy games of this generation.

Iron Man only just scrapes itself above being a typical movie tie-in title by virtue of some nifty flight controls and the excellent suit. The missions are fun but repetitive and with a lack of a proper checkpoint system and muddy backgrounds, this fails to take off into the stratosphere of a top-quality 360 experience.

With so much to see and do that even months of play won’t cover it all and some of the tightest mechanics seen in a modern game, GTA IV is every bit as good as you could ask for it to be. You quite simply will not need another game this year.

Dark Sector is constantly impressive and tighter than most triple-A releases, with only a few tiny niggles and its decidedly basic structure holding it back from taming the genre altogether.

No RTS fan could fail to be impressed by the massive choice in tactics and strategy as well as the intuitive and fast control system. A lacklustre story and limited story mode only slightly mar an otherwise excellent strategy game.

Although initially slovenly and unresponsive there’s some fun to be had taking on multiple opponents and enjoying the resulting spurts of viscera. There’s some fun in sneaking around watchtowers and exploring caves, too, but Viking’s problem is that what fun it provides is heavily watered down to give it a fake epic feel.

As winter fades away and blues skies appear, Sega Superstars Tennis will brighten up even the most miserable of days with solid gameplay, fun characters and great courts to play on.

Grow up, take your time and employ tactics and you’ll be rewarded by the most tense and rewarding tactical shooter available. You’ll have to breathe through your nose, though, since your heart will be filling your mouth.

The first-person mêlée combat is just downright exceptional as is Condemned 2’s often overwhelmingly grotesque atmosphere.

We’ve been beside ourselves with excitement about this finally arriving at GAMER towers, and it hasn’t disappointed. Great fun in two player, a decent challenge and lots to do in single player – and we haven’t even taken it online yet. Fan-bloody-tastic.

There are far worse games out there, sure, but few that tackle such big issues in such a blinkered and cringeworthy manner.

Bully is an absolute joy and the perfect warm up to Grand Theft Auto IV. In fact, compared to some entries in the GTA series, we’d have to say Bully’s story is more engaging and, overall, it’s got a charming sense of fun that’s often missing in the car-jacking, prozzie-shagging world of San Andreas or Liberty City.

And while it’s a solid enough shooter that’ll largely cure the itch for frag-heads, it just fails to do anything to particularly excite.

Unoriginal, unexciting and uninspired: a cheap collection of poorly conceived mini-games and show references, held together by a script resembling bad fan fiction. If a good use of a license appeals to fans while spinning its successful elements into a game, then Lost: Via Domus is the opposite of this.

The Club takes a somewhat tired and overused genre and genuinely does something new with it. Don’t let the lack of a full-blown story mode put you off giving it a try, even if it is sadly the one thing you’ll miss the most.

It’s good, harmless fun and the strategy side of things is still pretty tight, albeit without the wonderful management of the Empires games.

Despite the undeniable popularity of the series, this third game would do well to take time off to reinvent itself for the inevitable sequel next year. While it doesn’t shirk on the number of game modes available, the actual substance of these offerings doesn’t add up to much.

The multiplayer seems to work well enough and we hope for some tasty downloadable content to coax us back in later in 2008. However, it’s a tough market out there right now for average fantasy fayre and as a single player game, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements just doesn’t quite have the spark to stand out.

While a touch reluctant to get going, Lost Odyssey soon builds pace and lavishes the player with its wonderful blend of familiar elements, unique concepts and genuine emotion. With solid mechanics and some top-notch presentation, this one comes heartily recommended for those with plenty of time on their hands.

Turok isn’t just another below average shooter. It’s slightly better than that. While it may seem a little short and over-familiar come the end, its positive points are at times excellent and it does come with an extra layer of polish that's often lacking in other games. Plus, you can stab dinosaurs in the neck. And that’s awesome.

Replay value, self-improvement and the challenge of later stages are what really make DMC4 a classic and if you’re unwilling to succumb to these, you’re not getting the most out of what is a truly special gaming experience.

A barely passable movie cash-in that shoehorns the film’s plot into a simplified adventure game and offers little to nothing beyond this.

By taking you down to an open city Burnout Paradise has just hidden its sublime greatness behind what really could be regarded as an interactive menu built into a city. If there were an option to just line up races we wouldn’t bemoan this padding at all, but there isn’t and so we have. Regardless, Paradise is yet another elegant foray into the world of Burnout and the tightest experience yet. It’s two steps forward, one step back and one to the side.

If only Blueside had maintained the game's strategy element, rather than trying to make this too action-heavy. It's definitely a missed opportunity, but at least the developer is trying to do something different for a change, we suppose.

This could be a standard Xbox release.

Mass Effect is a rare example of a game that shouts about how many things it can do well for years and then actually delivers upon its promises on release. Every bit as good as it ever could be, this is right up there with the best of what the Xbox 360 both is capable of and has to offer.

Well, it’s pretty much everything we expected it to be. And given the massively high expectations we had for Rock Band, that’s damn good going. Not only are the individual parts a joy to play but the sense of camaraderie, of accomplishment and of ultimate success you get when it all comes together is just incredible.

There’s just no way to justify spending seven-odd quid on something that wouldn’t be out of place on a mobile phone and that’s exactly what this is – a decrepit and distinctly dull few seconds of gameplay repeated ad infinitum, failing entirely to cash in on what is a potentially brilliant concept. Keep your points in your pocket for now.

Kane & Lynch promises much more than it actually delivers. It’s still a fine game, but is let down far too frequently by a number of minor issues that could have been corrected with more development time. It’s got some great elements, just not enough of them.

Combat is largely optional, as is fitting an assassination game. But then so is actual assassination. It’s as entertaining as having a balcony with a beautiful view, hence the score.

It’s a perfectly sound release but with so many top-notch shooters to choose from already, this is barely going to factor on the radars of many people. The shame.

Additional features, from on and offline co-op to the new playable characters and revamped classic levels give it a wide appeal, meaning every type of gamer should at least give it a go.

We made the mistake of playing Mandate first and were really shocked by how average it looks in comparison to any other FPS game currently available - character animation is excellent but the environments are dire. Thankfully Extraction Point, though still not top-notch graphically, looks more like a 360 game and plays sweetly.

With its sights set not only on being the first for fast-paced military action offline, but also on being a strong contender in the online multiplayer scene. The verdict? A stunning success on both counts.

With a satisfying campaign, backed up with a truly unique multiplayer experience, TimeShift certainly isn’t a run-of-the-mill title anymore, and for sci-fi fans this may be one of your most rewarding titles this year.

While not miles away from "VF4: Evolution," the new features, characters and possibilities here propel this to the top of the genre with style, poise and unending potential. Once you get a taste, you’ll never want to go back to the simplicity of DOA or the retro charms of the XBLA fighters – the finest fighter known to man is here in one definitive 360 package.

A compelling introduction to next generation consoles, and a break from the normal formulaic anime genre, if you don’t like the game, you’re asking too much of it. Great action and good fun throughout with a multitude of missions and mini-games, Rise of a Ninja is a delight for both anime fans and casual gamers new to Naruto's great adventures.

Worth it if you’ve got a gaggle of screaming kiddies to keep quiet or you simply want a quick 1000 Gamerpoints (the game is very generous), Party Animals certainly won’t be cut the mustard with anyone who’s gaming habits extend beyond the casual.

Capturing the feel, if sometimes not quite the look, of the universally loved animation, The Simpsons Game displays momentary glimpses of ‘the game that got away’ before falling back on tried and tested design and easy laughs to carry it through. It’s a generic romp, albeit one guaranteed to tickle you on at least a few occasions.

By failing to cater for one-off coop songs and leaving the boss battle songs out of multiplayer altogether (until you get the DLC pack at least, which is something PS2 and Wii players won’t be able to do), Legends of Rock doesn’t come across as quite as huge a step up from II as that in turn was from the first game. Don’t get us wrong, though – it’s clearly amazing and the new guitar is to die for.

Jericho works really hard to build up a tense and involving game environment, but then can’t quite deliver the game to match. Confusing at the points where it needs to be clear and, only sporadically showing glimpses of what should have been, Jericho is a perfectly reasonable experience, but hardly essential.

If you want something more than that, you might find that this is a little shallow and over too quickly, but if you are looking for nothing more than some dogfighting craziness, this could just be a match made in the clouds.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a solid title whose next-gen credentials are offset by a concept that’s starting to show its age. Those with a penchant for all things Croft will relish this overhauled blast from the past, but ultimately this alone isn’t quite enough to make Tomb Raider: Anniversary a must have title for most other people.

Mad as a brush and all the better for it, Katamari’s combination of a very simple concept coupled with some wonderful physics, brilliant level design, challenging objectives and charming visuals gives it a goofy charm that’s hard to dislike.

This is a definite improvement in the series, but not a particularly large one as it’s very much as case of sticking with a successful formula. Better visuals, a few new tricks, features and more career options are all great for the franchise but Skate has laid down a new challenge that Proving Ground hasn’t quite risen to.

The Orange Box is a fantastic package and the best deal you’ll find for a long, long time. We’d happily pay full-whack just to play Half-Life 2 on next gen, so to get another two Episodes, albeit shorter ones, plus another two full games and The Orange Box becomes the kind of gift usually reserved for sick kids on TV Christmas specials. If you’ve ever liked a single shoot-’em-up, you absolutely have to put this on your most wanted list.

A near flawless combination of old-school Sega magic and exciting new track deformation technology, Sega Rally effortlessly delivers a fast and accessible, yet deep and competitive arcade racing game that should appeal to both diehard Sega fans and newcomers alike.

A brilliant blend of visual perfection and gameplay finesse. PGR4 merges both to create a wonderful racing game that is involving, deep and immensely rewarding to play. If you’re even remotely interested in racing games, then this is essential.

The single player campaign is not anywhere near as compelling or as epic as is billed. Anyone new to Halo probably won't see what all the fuss is about, completely confused as to why this third installment is so important to so many people. It's good, and there's enough here to make for a memorable game, but how memorable depends mostly on how invested you are in the franchise already.

Burnout is a better arcade racer, but Juiced 2 has other qualities including Driver DNA. It is a gimmick, but it works and it adds that element necessary to make spending money on a game of the like you may already own reasonable.

Keen to push forwards and revolutionise control, NHL 2K8 bafflingly manages to take a step backwards over previous incarnations. It’s still fun enough but it’s a shame, as with a little more time to perfect its core ideas, this could have been great. The franchise isn’t going anywhere though, so it’s still one to watch out for a few more years yet.