Yakuza 3 does a couple of things quite well. The cutscenes are nice; it’s a atmospheric Japanese game and there’s plenty to do. Still, the game carries tads of problems along, despite / because its one year delay. In-game, the graphics and the depiction of the story are lamentable, especially compared to what recent games have accomplished. Some stuff needs to be re-examined so that the series is up to speed with the current standard in games.

If you're looking for a quick fix with plenty of challenge, then Max & the Magic Marker is something to consider. It's presented beautifully and with its combination of puzzle and platforming elements, it plays quite fluently. All in all, it's not that novel though. We have seen such elements in other drawing games before, but still Press Play knows to keep us tied to the screen and that's why this game deserves a place in your WiiWare collection.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 does what it does best: create a multiplayer experience which lifts it head and shoulders above the other shooters. All the pieces come together perfectly in an online that brings out the best of the Battlefields, with Rush as the pièce de résistance. Too bad that the sub-par singleplayer brings down the score quite a bit.

Essentially, Silent Hunter 5 is what it is: the fifth installment of a submarine simulation series. Graphically, it’s bounds and leaps forward and the new inside perspective adds to the realism. Sim fans will get what they want, with loads of options to make the game even more realistic if required. It’s accessible for those not particularly seeking realism. Sailing, simple manoeuvres, firing torpedo’s. The new interface adds to this ease. Everything is reached with simple mouse clicks and intricate menu’s are nowhere near this game. However, everything takes its time, which some people might not appreciate. Sailing from one point to another, searching for enemies, sinking them, getting new supplies, finding enemies again, etc. SimCity and Anno also require lots of time investment, which is what this title also has, and that’s how you discover the true strength of the game. That’s what makes Silent Hunter 5 mainly a game for those with patience.

Alice in Wonderland for Wii is a decent licensed game, with a few fun and original elements. Visually, it also manages to deliver. The boring fights, low difficulty and repetitive gameplay are a blow to its aspirations as a top game. Too much potential was left untouched. Are you willing to look past these flaws, then you’ll be getting plenty of fun to justify a purchase.

Supreme Commander 2 is actually a simplified version of the first game. Some adjustments, such as the way to upgrade, make the game better, but others – like the classic resource management system – make it lose some of its own identity. It’s not a revolution like Supreme Commander, but definitely something that fans of large-scale, spectacular RTS games should love. The story is forgettable, but the decent and varied missions make up for this.

Greed Corp has the appearance of a board game, but manages to survive perfectly as a video game. The game sucks you and in doesn’t let go easily. The destructibility of the playing field adds to the replay value and gives the player lots of tactical options. All in all, you get a game that’s tremendous fun and offers a great deal for the price you pay.

Echoshift is a puzzler of the highest level. If you get frustrated easily, don’t come anywhere near this game. If you love to torment your own brain, then this game will give you plenty of levels that won’t bore you anytime soon. Too bad that the creators didn’t add a level creator. That would’ve lengthen the game considerably.

Heavy Rain isn’t just a game. It’s the next step in commitment, a wonderful experience for whoever is open to it. Some moves are a bit heavy and there are some technical errors, but the perfect marriage of story, gameplay, sound and a proper use of quick time events make this a unique, unforgettable adventure that will make lots of games pale in comparison, considering its involvement. Heavy Rain makes you choose between some heart-breaking options, but to the question "should I buy this game?" the answer is simple: Yes.

Napoleon: Total War adds a few important changes. The new reinforcement system and the multiplayer definitely add to the game. The lack of freedom and different factions may detract from the replayability though. You wouldn’t be making a wrong decision to buy this game, but it’s stagnation more than revival after Empire. The next game will have to prove if Total War can be brought back to (new) life.

Adding a storyline was an attempt to meet the requirements of the action-oriented gamers. The essence is still reconnaissance of the ocean though. Varied locations, new objects, improved graphics and the possibility to go on land, give Endless Ocean 2 plenty of innovation compared to its predecessor. If you are not looking for a challenge, but if you merely want to study sea life, then this is the perfect to dream away on after a long and stressful day.

The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom is another unique puzzle game to the Xbox Live’s library. The well-done challenges and the moody style match perfectly and easily justify the purchase of this game.

SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 is an excellent shooter, with fluent controls, wonderful graphics and a smooth campaign. The overactive auto-aim and the immortal team members limit the challenge though and make tactical choices unnecessary. This is countered with ease in the online co-op and the custom missions. The competitive multiplayer is well-designed, giving you hours of fun.

Aliens Versus Predator offers a good mix of tension, horror and stealth, which fans of the series will definitely appreciate. Gameplay is fun and extensive thanks to the different play styles of the three races. Multiplayer matches are hectic in a good way and audio-visually, the game delivers. Single player is short though and the shady balance between the three races messes things up sometimes. Luckily, that doesn’t detract from the game too much. If you’re into hectic fights and if massive amounts of blood don’t deter you, then try Aliens vs Predator.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief can only be described as mediocre. Light variations on the classic turn-based concept won't keep your focus long. Hardcore turn-based RPG gamers will find this game too limiting and the fans of the books and movie will not get into this genre deep enough to create a massive buzz.

Bioshock 2 lives up to the high expectations and manages to surpass them. The small improvements in gameplay give you a smoother ride. The audiovisual style brings you an interesting setting; moral choices have an impact on the storyline and the addition of multiplayer options create a higher replayability. Fans of the first game will be enticed for hours, and newcomers looking for a new shooter won’t be disappointed by Bioshock 2. Highly recommended.

Dante’s Inferno borrows quite some gameplay from other successful franchises, but that doesn’t mean that this game knows exactly how to weave them into a fun and interesting game. The fights are fun and bloody, the enemies and surroundings offer enough variety and its gruesome atmosphere fits the game perfectly. Whoever is looking for a fun action game and doesn’t care about a pint of blood more or less, will want to take a look at Dante’s Inferno.

Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll is a fun game that will be appreciated by fans, but that doesn’t give much content for the casual gamer. You have to have tremendous patience to get through most levels, as they suffer from lousily handled controls. The multiplayer aspect does make up for it. Everything looks joyful and the soundtrack is pleasant. This doesn’t cancel out the lack of good controls and the measly content.

Despite the well designed battle system, the game doesn't manage to surpass mediocrity. Slow advancement, mediocre graphics, clichéd story and insanely difficult trophies will be a thorn in the side of many a gamer. Only crazed fans of JRPG's will manage to keep themselves busy for hundreds of hours. This part of the audience will definitely get their money's worth.

Chime is a surprisingly good game. The puzzle concept in combination with the rhythm is addictive and more complex than you would think at first glance. This alone makes Chime worth the purchase. Its low price and good cause are extra reasons to make this game a must-have purchase.

GSC Game World delivers the best game in the franchises with S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. For many gamers it’ll feel like coming home because the developer has finally shown ‘The Zone’ as it should have been all along. Despite bugs and flaccid textures, everything is used to create the atmosphere in and around Tsjernobyl again. Fans of the series will be able to sigh a breath of releief and enjoy the moody setting. Even gamers who haven’t heard of this series before will enjoy it. Welcome to The Zone.

The combat system is deep and manages to impress. The lack of classes is a downside, but luckily, the tactics and combat setup are able to overcome that – making it possible to create your own classes. The story pulls you along from the start and the cut-scenes are delicious. Enemies aren’t always unique or original, but the total package of small and humongous enemies gives you variety. The addition of multiplayer creates a whole lot more gameplay and fun. In that sense, it’s an important addition. Finally, it’s wonderful to become the White Knight while we wait for the next JRPG. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but definitely not a lousy game either.

Legends of Exidia definitely isn’t a bad in-betweener. It carries a retro-ish feel with it and with tiny variations in its gameplay, it manages to keep you busy. Unfortunately, there are multiple reasons to leave the game where it is. It’s not an engaging story and there are a few flaws in the gameplay, such as not being able to choose the magic you’re going to use. The biggest setback is that after completing the story, you can start all over again when you want to complete the side missions. Those that are in the game itself are not really worth it, but the Hero Mode can surprise you.

Hustle Kings is a excellent pool game with sublime graphics, intuitive controls and an extensive multiplayer. The degree of finishing and the amount of options are recommendable for such a cheap PSN game. Boredom quickly sets in in the single player though, making this mostly a game for pool fanatics who want to challenge others online.

All in all, Toki Tori is a wonderful puzzler, giving you hours of entertainment. Looking for something to play on your netbook or laptop while heading for school, work or friends? Toki Tori is a good choice, especially considering its 4 euro price tag. Also recommended as a Steam present if you have friends that love this genre.

Gamers looking for a beautiful action game with exciting storyline and an interesting setting need to look no further than Mass Effect 2. The improved gameplay formula creates a fluent experience and audio-visually the games goes all out. It may be a bit early to dish out “game of the year”, but Mass Effect 2 has everything to get that title. Highly recommended for every game lover.

We don’t exactly mind being ‘stuck’ with such a top-class game so soon in the year. The bar has been raised tremendously high for the RPG-shooter genre in 2010. If you want to dethrone Mass Effect 2, you’re going to have to pull out all the stops. If you’ve just begun your Mass Effect adventure, we suggest that you buy the first one cheaply, so you can continue playing with your own Shepard in part two. That way you can fully enjoy the spectacle BioWare has provided. We can’t wait for the third and final act of this trilogy.

It’s been a while since I’ve happily played a beat’em up. Tatsunoko vs Capcom struggles a bit with its matchmaking online, but even there it’s relatively fluent. It looks decent and everyone can create sparks on-screen by a very simple control set-up. Want to go back in time, then nostalgia will kick in when you play it with an typical arcade controller. Worth a shot? Definitely!