An old game in new clothing.

Gamers not used to the Hogwarts world may still be impressed by the novel approach to the gameplay, the magical graphics and the well-balanced learning curve.

It's a somewhat short game but there's a great amount of replay value and it is one hell of a ride a from start to finish.

While Darwinia+ may not be perfect, it’s great to see a game that’s not afraid to defy convention succeed so convincingly and remind us that it doesn’t take triple-A budgets and big name developers to produce a true gem.

The single player is fun enough for a while in short bursts, but it feels all too familiar, even with the destruction elements in place; the setting and story are well thought out and entertaining, but the repetitive missions will likely wear thin long before you reach the end.

It is limited in scope, but this makes it perfect for those with limited experience with similar products or gamers who are looking for a more casual baseball management title, while also making it a difficult recommendation for the more ambitious player.

NBA 2K8 is still far and away that best game of basketball you are going to find. EA might have got their act together this year, but they are still a way off challenging the almighty 2K series.

A great wrestling game, no doubt. The engine is solid and leans even more towards a simulation game like No Mercy than an arcade game like SmackDown and is a great alternative if you don't like that franchise. The graphics are downright incredible.

Altitude's simple premise hides behind a deceptively difficult game, but one that's easily learned and enjoyable to engage in. Although there's plenty of content here, more might have been better, but what is here does last, just so long as it's taken in the right doses.

It may not have the splendid story of BioShock or the incredible environmental detail of BioShock, or indeed the cool name of BioShock, but it's a real breath of fresh air in a gaming environment that has become stale with relentless shooting and violence.

The graphics are the best of any racing game bar none. The world is open in its architecture and you can drive anywhere, so you make your own destiny!

It's definitely a game to play casually when you need to pass a bit of time, but don't expect to be addicted to it like you may have been to "Animal Crossing."

It's not often we get a chance to review a game that delivers all it has promised and just a little bit more, but Buzz! Quiz TV is absolutely one of those games.

MadWorld is bloodthirstily entertaining, even if it is incredibly short lived. Whether it's a rental or a purchase depends very much on your personality.

Napoleonic Wars, while not really pushing the genre to new heights, succeeds because it manages to provide an experience that feels different from the majority of current strategy games on the market.

Still, if you're a fan of Eastern RPGs this is likely to appeal deeply to you, whilst the more westernized gamer will probably steer clear despite the obvious Western influences that Softmax has bravely taken on board.

What it lacks in innovation it makes up for with a level of fun not seen in the majority of cloned track racers of recent times - and those Nitros are just too cool.

Certainly it isn't with regards to single player content that just doesn't really justify the added expense when there are already plenty more varied single player missions available to you in the cheaper main game and its first expansion, but if your focus is multiplayer then the choice is a little clearer - and with three new game modes generously included, anyone with more interest in the online aspect will surely find Tales of Valor a lot more tempting.

It's seriously good fun, and whilst it may be very aggravating at times, it'll have you coming back for more until your thumbsticks are worn down to tiny stumps.

With a control scheme that feels so perfectly right, beautiful visuals and a delightfully simple premise, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is certainly worth both your time and money.

Despite the fact that online this game rivals even the most successful net play titles since its introduction some years ago, not everyone is as yet online enabled. Therefore, despite the single player campaigns being enjoyable, they would struggle to warrant the forty odd pounds needed to purchase this title.

By anyone's reckoning Portal isn't a long game, weighing in at around the three to four hour mark. Those of you who do see this game from start to end though are in for a very special experience.

If you're not expecting "Resident Evil" then I think you'll be impressed, particularly with the camera, which I found to be very good indeed.

Age of Empires: Mythologies is a deeply involving strategy with lots of multiplayer options that when mixed with a robust campaign structure and engaging battle mechanics produces a game of real quality.

Normally with a classics compilation that has no real technical deficiencies, my complaints would be focused on the handful of lackluster titles that drag the overall package down. However, the sheer amount of effort that's gone into the extras and multiplayer has distracted me from any negative feelings. The new king of DS burst gaming has arrived!

If you enjoy some side scrolling adventuring action and consider yourself a hardcore gamer then you should consider picking this up as well.

Even though it might be over too quickly for platforming veterans, those who like action from the word go will find their long lost pal in Kao the Kangaroo 2. With an enormous and linear breath of fresh air feeling, this game puts the cool back in old school and will have most gamers jumping for joy for as long as it lasts!

Perhaps not varied enough from the standard Age of Empires clone, Empire Earth 2 still manages to impress in both terms of scale and the amount of challenges it offers up in its trip through the ages.

NBA 2K8 is this year's version of an already very accomplished basketball series with an updated roster and some additional enhancements that, whilst not court shattering, add to the overall experience. I would recommend it even if you have NBA 2K7, but you need to realise that it's a game that needs a lot of time and effort put in; make that investment and you'll reap dividends of enjoyment in return.

Sonic Riders doesn't boast too many tracks, nor does it have an online mode, which is a shame, but a bit of unique futuristic racing with familiar faces is what I'm after these days, and Sonic Riders delivers on that front hands down.

Dungeons is an odd game that wears its inspiration from the Dungeon Keeper games with pride yet still manages to be unique.

Open Season is one of this gaming season's most pleasant surprises - a game of a kids' CGI film that isn't a total sell out.

To be fair to them its not like they Plaxico Burressed themselves, and it's tribute to the solid product Madden has become over the years that 10 is held together by its depiction of the nuts and bolts of real football and the Online Franchise mode.

It is better than the original in terms of content and extras, the controls and graphics are better than many other PSP games and the overall experience is great fun.

I think some more innovative and radical changes are needed if a fourth in the series is to materialise.

There aren't many multiplayer options either, really, just the quick match and there's no online mode, which could put off those who enjoy the convenience, challenge and socialising that online gaming offers.

A good contender for the PSP football crown.

Overlord II is in many respects a breath of fresh air in a sea of samey shooters, racers and high octane action games. Seamlessly blending elements of puzzle, RPG and real-time strategy with a decidedly old-school action adventure foundation, it succeeds in providing a gameplay experience that while certainly not perfect, is a lot of fun, with landscapes that are a joy to explore.

It is undeniably the best of the series and it has more than enough content to offer. However, the problem is that the difference in price between the 06 and the 07 edition of the game does not correspond favourably with the number of improvements that have been made.

You'll definitely enjoy the On Tour mode for a good while, but don't expect to love the entire game like you might have loved the previous titles in the series; it feels more like an odd but amusing experiment for the series that won't be back for the next iteration, which will most likely return to the roots that the series was most successful with.

TrackMania DS isn't a revolution; it brings nothing new to the racing genre, no ideas that we haven't seen many times before. This isn't a bad thing though, because everything it does, it does really, really well.

For this price and this level of quality, it is an absolute bargain - it isn't one of the very best PSP games, but it's not far off either. It does an excellent job of being many things at once - a movie tie-in, fighting game, mission-based open exploration game and more. And it provides compelling gameplay throughout.

With Pariah, as long as you go into it with an open mind, not even trying to compare it to Halo 2, there's a real fun blast of action packed entertainment to be had.

Had this game followed through with more of its new features other than with the dual characters, it would have set itself apart from Dawn of Sorrow. Instead, it simply falls in line behind it as well, letting many of its individual traits fall short of their full potential.

I feel in about a year's time, when they have this new engine perfected, FIFA might be a serious contender, but at the moment it's not quite realising its full potential.

While perhaps lacking in real variety, base and resource management are at least handled in a way that prevents dragging the game down into tedium.

Yes, the gameplay often involves derivative platform jumping, simple puzzles and basic fighting - and apparently the camera can be a bit of a nuisance - but the variety of game-parodying levels on offer, the authentic graphics, the wonderful voice acting and the diverse soundtrack help it rise above mediocrity to become greater than the sum of its parts.

If you can pull yourself to look past its clunky interface and occasionally sporadic dialogue, there really is quite a lot to love here.

The benefits of upgrading to Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 may not be immediately apparent, but spend a little time with the game and those subtle nuances, incremental details and understated new features soon begin to pile up.

If you can deal with Lost style cliffhangers and a bombardment of continual turn based battles, then there is certainly a very unique, often very enjoyable experience to be had with Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, one that successfully continues the traditions of the series while adding something new to the genre as a whole.

Buzz! Junior: Monster Rumble is a strong game that's perfect for the holiday season - provided, this is, you don't already own a Buzz! Junior title. You see, as playable as Monster Rumble is, it's essentially a rebranded version of the last release (something I grumbled about when reviewing that game, too).

There's little more that can be said without ruining the fantastic story and the events within this latest expansion to the game's ever growing universe, but it stands that The Pitt is an absolute must buy for anyone who enjoyed Fallout 3 and a smashing return to form from Bethesda after their first lukewarm offering in Operation Anchorage.

While the mini-games aren't great and there are still a few niggles when it comes to trial and error gameplay at times, there is finally a real reason to be optimistic for the future of Sega's mascot for the first time in a long time.

At a cost of only £15 for an online download, it's an absolute must for any PC adventure gamers out there.

The Wrath of Set not only stands out amongst its higher-profile peers but actually surpasses some of them in terms of its simplistic addictiveness.

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! -- A Reckless Disregard for Gravity's is a game reliant on skill. You'll either have a blast, whooping with delight as you skim buildings and gesture rudely at people, or be majorly fed up, roaring with anger at the constant flurry of failures: it all depends on how lucky you are.

The refinements and tweaks made to the already exceptional game engine have resulted in the best Madden game to date, while the new additions of My Skill, Play Style and Rewind make it a surprisingly accessible introduction to the series for newcomers.

At first I thought it was fairly menial and uninteresting, running around looking after crops, but you get drawn into the tactics behind making enough money to marry a lass and raise kids, while enjoying the great character of the title.

While a certain blue hedgehog has pretty much stagnated over the years, Ty is like a blast of cool air that hits you on a steamy summer day then goes away, leaving you wanting even more.

Though it plays second fiddle to its old rival, Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing shows that there is still a place in the gaming world for kart-driving monkeys, plane-flying turtles and hovercraft-steering tigers.

More disturbing than seeing a clown in your infant years, Silent Hill 4: The Room is the best of the series to date and if you have the guts then it's definitely worth a look.

If you're sick of the slow and sometimes boring pace of Mario Party then you'll absolutely love this, as it makes a great multiplayer game for you and your buddies, just as long as you're quick enough for it.

Robo Jam is one of the most amusing and pleasant games on the PlayStation 2, and its reams of mini-games ensure that the fun is delivered by the bucketload. It's absolutely fantastic!

All riotous fun to play with friends at parties and gatherings but guaranteed to split the fan base clean down the middle or somewhere close.

With enjoyable characters and a story that's great fun, along with a host of things to see, do and find that will take you hours and hours to fully discover, Bully can definitely stand up to some of the bigger boys on 360 and is the perfect way to while away your time until the ever-nearing release of "Grand Theft Auto IV."

It's easy to get to grips with, satisfying to play and provokes some pastime thinking with its well-told story, complimented with old-fashioned clips.

Ironically for what is essentially a farming sim, what some will find most off putting about Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon is the very nature of the game and its slow paced, limited action approach. Consider it a story wrapped around a non-aggressive resource management game and you'll have a good idea of what to expect.

It looks great, plays great, sounds great and works well online, yet never pretends to be better than it is. It will slip under the radar of many gamers, but for those who are a fan of the genre it comes highly recommended.

Grand Adventure manages to outstrip the occasional chug in favor of all-out wild brawling action that's guaranteed to get even the crankiest face grinning; this is one Grand Adventure that you don't want to miss if you're a One Piece fanatic, and even if you're not, there's certainly more than enough pick up and playability to warrant a rental or purchase.

An excellent gaming experience. Sure the load times are bad, and that is reflected in a lower score for this than I gave the PC version - but this is still an excellent game that owners of the PSP should definitely try.

Final Fight was a classic and Streetwise is a long way from some of the crummy remakes that seem to be springing out lately, so if you're the type to go into everything fists flying, then Travers is the perfect character for you.

The promises of fully destructible environments and John Woo signature shootouts just seemed too good to be true. But Midway stepped up to the plate and proved all the skepticism dead wrong, producing one of the most viscerally appealing videogames to be released in years.

Nothing has changed on a technological front, sure - but with a cracking set of songs covering a broad array of genres, generations and a satisfyingly eclectic range of artists, you'd have to be The Grinch himself not to find any joy with this when the big day comes.

Fishing, kissing, catching fireflies at night, building snowmen, wishing down the well and socialising around a campfire singing songs when the sun is setting is the back to basics gameplay that we were after this time around.

If you have any sort of enthusiasm for Ghostbusters: The Video Game then you can be sure that Terminal Reality have done nothing so wrong that you should be in the least discouraged from checking it out.

It presents a solid, fairly streamlined experience that's accessible to console players while still providing an engaging layer of depth.

I really enjoyed Eternal Sonata. There are dozens of hours of gameplay available with numerous quests to embark upon, fantastical items, weapons and armour to collect and a genuinely thought provoking and accomplished story that I don't dare to reveal any more about for fear of ruining it for everyone.

A few technical glitches aside, it's a pretty great turn out from EA, and were Fight Night Round 3 to be a boxer itself, it wouldn't win by total knockout, but would definitely go the twelve rounds and come out on top.

Quality visuals, engaging storylines and intense action give this FPS the power to rip open the genre's ribcage and pump life into its formulaic heart.

SCi have done a marvellous job with the high detail, which comes across well in both the audio and visuals. In fact it's so detailed that it feels real.

Those who remember the days of the rollerball and paddle controller and have a deep yearning to return could happily fork out ten to twenty quid for this, but anyone with less than a burning desire to revisit their youth may not feel that their reddies went in the right direction.

But you can't deny that Crash Bandicoot's graphical qualities are one of the best we've seen from a game of this genre.

And so the problem, it's an online game without much of an online community. Section 8 might be a rather unimaginative game, it may very well borrow many of it's ideas from more established franchises but it's not without it's own merits.

An absolute blast to play from start to finish. Despite what I said about the rather basic gameplay underneath the destruction, I think the game should get a once over by any self-respecting gamer, fan of the genre or otherwise, as it's nice and simple, easy to play and yet difficult to put down.

Final Fight was a classic and Streetwise is a long way from some of the crummy remakes that seem to be springing out lately, so if you're the type to go into everything fists flying, then Travers is the perfect character for you.

Obviously younger audiences are going to enjoy the game more than older players, but for any self-respecting Incredibles fan, the story and the teamwork gameplay is enough to warrant a look.

The unique melding of realistic golf simulation with MMORPG-style character progression, online community interaction, micro-payment economics and periodic tournaments and special events amounts to one of the most fun and rewarding videogame sports experiences I have played in a good while.

Aside from a few minor grievances, Metal Slug Anthology serves up one of the finest videogame compilations ever created and is without question worthy of a place in anyone's collection.

Burn Zombie Bun isn't big and it isn't clever, but this sums up the whole concept of a game centred around a zombie apocalypse and the developer knows it.

Dawn of War 2's greatest accolade is something that it actually does share in common with its predecessor; it's a game that once again takes the Warhammer 40,000 license and does something truly great with it. As for the rest, time will tell if Relic's gamble pays off or not.

It doesn’t happen very often but a hidden gem has slipped under the radar with Scorpion: Disfigured. On first inspection you might dismiss it as ‘just another shooter’. I implore you to look a little deeper as you will find that this game blossoms.

While Final Fantasy XIII is ultimately an enjoyable experience, the change in pace will throw off fans of turn-based battles or those who enjoyed the immediate grandeur of the twelfth installment.

Resonance of Fate, like so many eastern RPGs before it, is not in any way a bad game. In fact, it's actually quite a good game, and if it was the first of its kind or even a member of a rarer breed, it might be considered something of a masterpiece.

It’s a rare luxury that not many films have, and if you, like I did, feel compelled to play the game after seeing the film then I can happily tell you that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with what is on offer.

Undead Knights is a surprisingly playable little title. It’s innovations, such as making zombies allies rather than enemies and the things you can order them do make its gameplay refreshing enough to warrant a high amount of playtime.

Alien Breed Evolution is a blast from the past, and for all of its graphical splendour and next gen licks of paint, it still feels ever so slightly dated.

Anyone who is a fan of the original Resident Evil can overlook these issues as a great game experience is guaranteed. For anyone else, there really isn’t that much of interest other than the opportunity to delve back into the ageing, but still awesome Resident Evil 5.

The art style and overall production of the game reeks of class, even if the mechanics aren't as responsive and enjoyable as they were in echochrome.