Sure, it has some faults, particularly in the area of graphics and sound, but when a company decides to rather focus on making the game actually fun instead of making the graphics superb and forgetting all about the gameplay then I can't complain too much!

Indeed the whole game is just a bit lacking - it has a decent story and excellent battles, but there is little replayability.

If you don't complete it far too quickly, you may become bored of the missions or the story.

Civilization Revolution is great fun on the DS. It's quite refreshing to see that the developers weren't overly ambitious with trying to push the limited hardware too hard, and it's even better to see it all come together so well.

A strong sense of black humour is prominent in the gameplay, the excellent story and the in-game banter, which keeps your interest in what would have otherwise been a run-of-the-mill third person adventure.

Pocketbike Racer is in no way the next coming of kart racers, but as a wallet-friendly arcade game it more than serves its role as an amusing piece of gaming software for the casual audience.

More serious gamers and hardcore Tony Hawk's fans might want to look elsewhere but this is great as an introduction to extreme sports games and great fun for any Disney fan.

There are many good elements to Resident Evil: Deadly Silence, but it ultimately fails to excel on the two levels it attempts: it fails as nostalgia because the weaknesses of the original get in the way of the fun, and it fails as a new game because neither the environment nor story translate to a unique or very scary experience anymore.

Danny Phantom: Urban Jungle for the DS has higher value and comes in a prettier graphical package than its GBA counterpart.

Pac-Pix is the perfect remedy for the supposed lack of innovative DS games and looks to pave a smooth layer of concrete over Yoshi Touch & Go's rough job for new and unique DS games like Electroplankton, Ace Attorney and Trauma Center to glide right on in.

If only the missions required a bit more intuitive thinking from the player, this could be a stellar PSP title. As is, make sure you’ve played both the excellent Syphon Filters before opting for the lesser option that Fireteam Bravo 3 sadly is.

It's a fantastic shooter, there's no doubt about it, but for anyone who's sampled both of Max's outings on the home consoles there's little of interest left in this medley of the morose.

The ever changing campaign, which goes from gunplay to horseback and even skeleton crushing buggies, does a good job of offering new experiences to keep the gameplay fresh, which definitely makes Darkwatch one to spend some time with during the next gaming drought.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 is a very good golf title that's enjoyable to play and if you don't already own a copy of Tiger Woods 07 then it's definitely worth a look - even if you are not a fan of golf.

If you are a fan of 2D shooters then Omega Five certainly won't disappoint. For those previously uninterested in this classic genre of yesteryear, its unforgiving gameplay and old school sensibilities probably won't win you over.

An enjoyable conversion. Going through tombs and solving puzzles on the move is excellent fun, while the multiplayer time trials that have you running and gunning for the fastest time are a great little bonus for those after this handheld version.

The single player is very limited in terms of enjoyment, but open the game up to multiplayer, either online or with up to four players locally, and you will have a good time.

Interestingly, the senatorial concept has also been expanded to the barbarian tribes and other nations allowing you to more effectively subvert them to your cause. Assuming you're willing to get your hands dirty and do some assassination and smear campaigning, then you can sow seeds of malcontent far better than before.

Players limited to offline play most likely won't get a lot out of this game once they beat it, if they can motivate themselves to do so.

It pains me to score Assassin's Creed so low, as it is stunning in many respects and I want to convey the message that it definitely deserves to be played, even though it tragically falls short as a complete experience.

An above average online mode offers its true salvation however, delivering a genuine quality experience.

Despite the amount of complaints on the table, I still think World Poker Tour should be given a chance if you plan to take it online, because as far as I know, this is the only poker videogame that offers such an extensive online mode.

A bit of a missed opportunity. If it hadn't tried to be so cutesy and cartoon-like it would have been more gripping. It's by no means a bad game and it is quite endearing and strangely addictive in its own way, but with so many truly great console games coming out at the moment, this seems a little out of place.

Chicken Little is a fun little game for anybody who doesn't get easily frustrated and any kid who wants a challenge.

As an introductory to the world of simulated games it does an exceptional job, and even for hardened veterans of the genre there's still fun to be had, yet without the depth of its predecessors or the hook to keep you playing for any length of time, it falls short in providing the long term enjoyment that sim games usually pride themselves with.

NBA Street: Homecourt isn't quite the show stopper I thought it would be, but it's hardly a disappointment either.

When judging Wii Fit overall, you're very conscious of the fact that it doesn't achieve anything for its users that couldn't be managed with a little willpower. Worse still, the most entertaining 'games' in the package are the ones that improve balance rather than promote weight loss or muscle tone, which potentially damage its 'good for you' fun credentials further. With that said, it's true that any exercise is better than nothing.

At the end of the day, it has quite a compelling story and where else are you going to hear Sean Connery in a videogame?

Had the single player been up to scratch and had the online functions been open to all instead of the select few willing to pay the extra costs, Universe at War could very well have been one of the year's first great strategy games.

Actionloop offers up a good amount of modes for fans of this format - more so than Zuma by far - but the setting really pales in comparison to similar titles out there.

The ever changing campaign, which goes from gunplay to horseback and even skeleton crushing buggies, does a good job of offering new experiences to keep the gameplay fresh, which definitely makes Darkwatch one to spend some time with during the next gaming drought.

A decent enough game in its own right; inarguably flawed but offering up a decent enough challenge and more wisecracking, wall-crawling, web-slinging, redhead-snogging action than you can shake a genetically altered spider's web at... in other words, it's worth checking out.

It has enjoyable missions, lovely graphics, great sound and is fantastic for kids. However, I think it lacks the depth needed to please the older gamer and it doesn't really offer a lot of challenge.

Many gamers and young girls in particular, who dream of having their own horse or indeed actually do have one, will really enjoy the simulated feel of owning and taking care of their very own faithful companion, and Horse Life does this better than any others out there at the moment.

This is one of those 'perfect for the kids' games you'll want to keep handy for road trips and such.

On the plus side, what's there is competently done and is flecked with powerful moments of brutality. On the downside, these spots of overt anguish aren't dealt with particularly well and lead to a reduction of the overall effect.

It is like a beautifully handmade plasticine set with cameras lined up, musical and vocal talent at the ready - and then Arnold Schwarzenegger stands on it, comes up with a cheesy one-liner and ruins the whole experience.

The characters are going to be recognised and enjoyed by fans of the Darkstalkers series, while newcomers are going to find an interesting and unique bunch of opponents, wrapped up in twisted visuals and some nice sound.

A fun little game for anybody who doesn't get easily frustrated and any kid who wants a challenge.

The fact that it's relatively short and complimented by weak visuals and mixed audio detracts from the experience, sure, but the gameplay manages to prevail nonetheless, eventually offering you one of the most stressful, tactical and overall entertaining experiences on the PSP at the moment.

It's also fantastic to see that the developers have realised that the environments in the films played a passive but important role in enhancing the action and have created a game that doesn't limit the pain you can dish out just to the bad guys, but also allows you to give your surroundings a damn good pasting too.

Quantum of Solace really feels like a Bond game, combining elements from both of the recent movies and using tried and tested gameplay mechanics to create a fun (if flawed) shooter experience. It's not going to win any awards and it isn't likely to attract new fans to either 007 or the FPS genre, but it's very likeable, entirely inoffensive and highly playable.

There're no stunning next-gen visuals to be found, and it doesn't help that it has such strong competition to live up to from its own predecessors.

Regardless of its shortcomings, the key selling point of ColorZ is the challenge it offers to the gamer, which, I hope I've already stressed, is present in considerable scale. So, if you're looking for a kick-back-and-relax experience, you can forget it.

The attention to detail and faithful levels of realism are impressive, the audio and visual components are effective and the challenging gameplay is rewarding for those who can persevere through being thrown in at the deep end and getting defeated time and time again.

If you're the type of gamer who still has fond memories of the 8- and 16-bit era, plays a broad range of genres and doesn't scoff at the idea of playing non-triple-A games then Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is an absolute blast - pun intended.

If you're looking for an enjoyable hack-and-slash epic to relieve a little tension running quests for idle NPCs and nailing Zombie Trolls with a 90lb Mechanical Warhammer for an ultimately fairly hollow reward then this may just be the game you're looking for.

Overclocked: A History of Violence is an excellent game - if you're looking for a mature adventure that will get your heart pounding then this is definitely for you.

A refreshing experience that ends all too soon with an online mode that just doesn't capture the same magic the single player mode creates. With a bit more variety in commands and freedom for the player, Republic Commando 2 could be an incredible game.

Despite its shortcomings, The Simpsons Game is actually pretty good fun. At times it's frustrating and at times it's so funny that you just don't care.

This is definitely a title to show off to your mates - however, while it is easily one of the most original games I've seen in a while, I don't think it is the best the DS is capable of. It's a barrel load of love and laughs but I just know there's better to come!

Meanwhile, the other kids, with their super accurate Casio watches and Dunlop trainers, will take one look at the Wayne Rooney adorned menus and go straight back to "Pro Evolution Soccer 5," smiling quietly, knowing that they, yet again, have the better game.

FUEL is a huge game in every sense of the word, but all too often the quality just can't match the quantity.

It's a shame that Capcom have just lazily ported the original across to PS3 without addressing any of the problems that existed in it.

With modes literally bursting from the seams of its UMD casing, exceptional AI, well integrated online play and all the razzle-dazzle of many a licensed game, you could do far worse than to shell out 20 notes to sample 2K's latest.

The thing about Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony is that it's the same as every other hack and slash RPG.

It has interesting features and plenty of action and intense shootouts to keep you entertained (especially when you get your grubby hands on the gatling gun) but between these parts you're left wandering around a dull environment with very little to keep you occupied.

With more thought put into a deeper control system for the combat, and more effort in the sound department, Key of Heaven could have been one of the best handheld RPGs to date. As it stands however, it's best suited to those with a lust for Anime and a craving for a hearty adventure with a typically Japanese storyline.

It seems that for every minor flaw that can be raised against LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the game has a positive point to counter it.

If you want to try and recreate the sort of fluid, graceful runs you see in skate videos and don't mind putting in the practice it takes to achieve them then skate is obviously the title for you. On the flipside, if you don't care so much about your skating lines looking good and want a score attack game that bears very little resemblance to reality but gives you a million tasks to plough through, then go with Proving Ground.

That rare breed of game that stands up both to quick bursts and extended playing sessions, making it ideal for a handheld.

Like the PS2 and Xbox game from last year, 50 Cent: Bulletproof G-Unit Edition still has some snags in its design, but in the process of completely revamping the gameplay structure with the PSP in mind, Vivendi and High Voltage have more than capitalized on the 50 Cent/G-Unit license to create an enjoyable gameplay experience.

Bad writing, average graphics, poor sound and gameplay with seemingly no direction and little resemblance to the Bikini Bottom world combine to bog down a really good storyline concept and what could have been a good platform adventure game, but instead feels like sections of platform adventure jumbled with poor flying and racing.

The real problem with Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power doesn't lie with its handholding and linearity; it's with its reluctance to really push any boundaries.

If you don't complete it far too quickly, you may become bored of the missions or the story.

If the game ran as smoothly and perfectly as I am sure it was intended to then it would have been superb, worthy of an eight or nine.

A balls to the wall action game with little need for subtlety. This is big, brash and dumb as a bag of hammers, a relentlessly violent, uncompromising adventure that's fun from start to finish with a combat system that packs a visual punch as well as a technical one.

Frustration creeps in at points when the camera goes AWOL and you can't target anything for toffee, but once you get on top of the not-too-intuitive control system, life in the gloomy future becomes easier and you can get down to enjoying Redemption for what it is - a solid title that belongs firmly in the brighter, more affluent world of Above.

The thing that stops it short of the perfection it's aiming for though is that it's like a magic trick. Initially you'll stumble around, stunned and trying to take in how it all works, but as soon as you get it, you cross that invisible line from audience member to magician, and, while the pleasure of the ingenuity remains, the magic is gone.

When compared to other Square-Enix remakes of late, such as Final Fantasy IV and Star Ocean: First Departure, Dragon Quest: The Hand of the Heavenly Bride just feels far too archaic.

There's plenty not to like here, but equally, if you've got a couple of friends and a few hours to spare then Phantasy Star Zero will serve as a great time multiplayer RPG.

While it features many flaws in terms of originality, and the content on offer is frustratingly limited, it still presents a wonderfully playable portable title.

Art of Murder: FBI Confidential is a decent point and click adventure, with good longevity and an engrossing story to match.

Whilst it isn't as good as the other traditional Zelda games and lacks many of their features, this is the one that started it all and it is indeed a very enjoyable game. The graphics hold up well but are not incredible, of course.

Then there's the mostly drab level design, the 'who cares' story and the often repetitive gameplay.

The graphics are functional when it comes to the large playing areas but exemplary when it comes to the rather bone-crunching despatching of the opposition.

It's not a bad game, but casual gamers, and possibly hardcore-traditional-football fans, may get bored of pulling tricks rather than pulling skilled corners back on the real pitch.

FIFA multiplayer matches have always been great fun and this new instalment is, thankfully, no exception.

The main problem with Wanted is that it basically only has one mode, a single player campaign that really doesn't last long.

For now it feels too much like a single player game with some nice multiplayer options, and there's no real incentive for you to invest much time or money in it once the free trial has ended.

Of the 22 titles that this collection boasts, only a handful of them are worth shelling out your hard earned cash for.

There are definitely moments of triple-A brilliance to be enjoyed here, but they're occasionally overshadowed by the game's shortcomings.

Turok Evolution is certainly a decent enough game, yet it does feel a little bit short and lacks in replay value.

While there is plenty of polish to F-Zero: GP Legend and you do get a good feeling of speed, there isn't that much that's new.

Despite some bugs, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes still remains instantly accessible for those with some patience, and you will need a great deal of patience, because although WoW showed everyone how fun MMORPGs can be once you design them to be accessible to all, Vanguard is a game geared towards the hardcore players who crave more of a challenge.

It's more of an upgrade than an evolution, but the American high school setting feels fresh and is very well put together, with smooth graphics, a nice balance of shooting and exploration and a story that, while very generic, just about holds your attention.

Despite its shortcomings, Condemned 2: Bloodshot is a good game by all accounts.

Should you be a casual fan of ice hockey then I just can't recommend NHL 2K8 as a game to pick up; the new control system and the maddeningly deep franchise mode are only for the most hardcore of fans. With this said, those of you who love everything about hockey will like this game, control problems or not.

What you've got here isn't so much a game of football as a game of funball. The game is stripped back to basics and taken to the streets, the emphasis moving away from carefully practiced plays and detailed managing, towards looking cool and scoring goals as flamboyantly as you can.

The fighting system lifts elements from all the right games and the new PSP style level selection helps stave off some of the monotony that curtailed the fun of the PS2 version.

If you're in the market for American-style speed and weeks of tough round the track action, this one has your name all over it.

Despite some faults, Pipe Mania is a fun game that will keep you going for a while, as long as you can cope with the repetition.

It has the potential to be marvellous, and it's still a cracking, deep strategy that deserves your attention, but until some new content is chucked into the mix it's best to leave this for a while and let it pack itself out with new stuff to make your online adventures that little more worthy of your money.

I enjoyed quite a few lengthy gaming sessions on this title; the online ranking helps you quickly team up with fellow elite Seals and you can easily while away the hours negotiating the many maps available.

At best a thunderous thrill ride of nervous tension and insane speed and at worst a frustrating graft through endless laps of samey left-hand turns.

Stands on its own as a weird hybrid between RPG and puzzle games. Although the morphing process is not without its flaws, the final result is highly interesting.

If it wasn't for the frustrating, limited camera view, Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command would have been a must-have PSP purchase for all. As it is, it's recommended for Warhammer fans and turn-based strategy gamers alike, with a warning that you'll have to put up with the camera to really enjoy yourself.

The essence of Spider-Man is captured well; his acrobatic skills, his amazing talent to clamber around walls and of course his dashing flights through the sprawling concrete metropolis.