Rail Simulator will immerse you in a world that, if allowed, has the potential to convince even the most hardened outdoor 'trainspotter' to fire up their PC rather than head down to their local station.

Sure, many of the bonus features could've been beefed up a bit more, but considering you're getting the same brilliant Devil May Cry 3 experience with new content at a bargain basement price, there's absolutely no reason not to go out and treat yourself to this action classic.

Rocksteady really have delivered here in the authenticity stakes. The game is entirely self-referential, with lots of fan-baiting namedrops and a slew of villain profiles and inmate recordings to be found, you will be on fanboy cloud nine here.

Whilst Deception is much better than "Deadly Alliance" and the inclusion of online play is done flawlessly and is great fun, the main single player attraction is just so dumbed-down and chore-like that it's not a whole lot of fun and I couldn't imagine ever going through it again.

My biggest concern is that the performance and system requirements will turn potential players - and module developers - away from the game, and it won't have the reach and long life of its predecessor.

The story is deep and intriguing, with very enjoyable and addictive gameplay.

The RTS gameplay may be different to the standard RPG found in the most Japanese entry in the series, but the light-hearted nature of the game and the fact that it is so different to the original, while still retaining many key elements, makes them feel identical.

A definite must play!

While the game may alienate some players, anyone interested in the Capcom back-catalogue or indeed Japanese animation would do well to seek this game out.

Well worth the pricetag and, frankly, essential for fans of the original.

There are not many reasons not to buy this game – it’s a bit difficult to get used to at the start and the graphics aren’t as high quality as they could have been. Ignore these minor issues and buy this game – you will not be disappointed!

Some people will hate Splinter Cell Conviction just because it’s different – you know what, it’s there loss. Bar a few pacing issues and a little too much emphasis on gunplay towards the end of the game, Conviction nevertheless delivers a fantastic experience that is great when played alone and nothing short of terrific when played with a friend.

Put simply, there's nothing quite like Fable III on the market, and if you're willing to look past the game's simple combat and limited quest interaction, you'll find Lionhead's latest to be one of the most unique and enjoyable games this year.

Bioshock 2 is another epic piece of story-telling laid over a set of core mechanics that, for now, still feels fresh and ahead of the curve.

On the surface, Pacific City is bigger and more vertical than before, the enemies are thicker and quicker, the Orbs are more plentiful and the controls are far tighter, but on the whole, Crackdown 2 ain't no revolution.

Highly recommended for lovers of action and near essential for Spider-Man and comic book fans, Shattered Dimensions is amazing, spectacular and a damn good game.

If you’re willing to look past the look and feel of a shooter that’s past its heyday, what you’ll find in Pripyat is GSC’s magnum opus – an undeniable masterpiece built from years of trial and error, building and adapting new elements and ideas into the original STALKER template.

Sure, it has its share of faults; the visuals are a bit hit and miss and its long term value is dependent upon a required penchant for time attack chasing, but my God, give in to Hurricane's OTT aesthetics, its arcade handling and its complete disregard for the laws of physics and you'll be in for one hell of a ride.

All in all there’s plenty to like here. It’s a very cool, very grounded game that’s been built to give all who play her a great sense of satisfaction.

It’s a solid package overall then, despite the let down of the rather limited single player.

It's a high-quality game and a very successful reboot of a failing series – it's just not as good as it should be.

Overall, Greed Corp is a highly enjoyable title, but one that needs your devotion in sticking it through a few plays before you truly appreciate it.

Darkside Chronicles is definitely the best Resident Evil themed Arcade Shooter for a long, long time.

From its solid controls, crisp, user-friendly menus and huge array of customization options to its emphasis towards player progression and large scale teamwork, MAG might just become the serious contender to the genre heavyweights that Zipper and SCEA hoped it would be.

In every sense Split/Second brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "prime time".

Half-Minute Hero is the most entertaining pixelated panic attack you’ll find on your PSP, and a game where time is very much of the essence.

Of course, it’s impossible to avoid the fact that the omission of the myriad of domestic club sides and competitions that form the spine of normal FIFA titles will mean that interest in the game is sure to wane once the Soccer City stadium has emptied for the last time. But the fact that 2010 World Cup is better on the pitch than FIFA 10, combined with the diversity of its modes and its host of official content mean it’s the best piece of tournament merchandise you’ll buy this side of Brazil 2014.

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces may well be short, but that doesn’t stop it from being the greatest and most electrifying flight sim on Wii. And for that reason, it deserves your attention.

NHL 11 isn't a headline grabbing advance on NHL 09 or 10, it's an extension, the next logical step in a yearly franchise that brings something to a sport many thought they would ever see – sophistication.

Once again then, Madden has produced a highlight reel of new features which, while including something for everyone, still probably won't make it anyone's perfect American Football experience.

All in all, Dead to Rights: Retribution is a solid action title, elevated above many others by dint of a canine companion who finally manages to make having a dog in a videogame completely worth it.

Although home to some of the longest load times since the Commodore 64, ModNation Racers is nevertheless a hugely entertaining kart racer and certainly the first major threat to the Mario Kart throne since Diddy Kong racing way back on the N64.

While it may upon the surface seem like a backwards step for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wards to revert to its decade old roots, it’s really nothing to be scared of; the game is fun, amusing, over the top, and perfect for playing on the go.

The story might be forgettable, the cut scenes are unimpressive and the first few hours are extremely slow. Get over these faults however and Ruse reveals itself to be an intuitive, complex but nevertheless accessible experience.

Still Life 2 is a well thought out game with lots of action to keep a player engaged and want to come back to solve the mystery. What I don’t understand is how after four years, a game this good could have so many avoidable bugs?

Although it still posses many of the same problems, and it's difficulty spikes range from mildly difficult to insanely impossible, with a strict attention to historical detail and missions designed to test you strategic skills to their maximum, Red Tide can be an immensely rewarding game, but one that does require a great deal of patients and discipline.

It’s SR2, but with more awesomeness. It’s still cute, it’s still funny, and chances are now you can even run it on your netbook. If you think you might like it, chances are, you’ll love it. You’d be missing out otherwise.

Obviously it’s not for the faint hearted, but anybody who wants an intense shooter with a twist should really consider taking a trip down to the Metro.

Supreme Commander 2 is a much better venture than I originally expected, and overall it’s a very enjoyable RTS, despite the odd problem or two that crops up.

Buzz! Quiz World continues the high standards of the series so far, the timing making boring New Year parties a thing of the past. For those who never quite liked Buzz, there are no major changes to the formula, but for anyone with a taste for quizzing, this is yet another essential purchase.

Blur is very much a straight forward welding of the kiddie Mario Kart style racers with adult-friendly realism. The result is something that is far beyond expectation. The action is fast, unrelenting and 'on-the-edge-of-your-seat'.

There's allot I like about the game, it looks pleasing to the eye, sound and music is of a consistently high standard and there are some features that prevent the whole thing from feeling like a tired retread of other games before it. As a hybrid however it occasionally missteps and fails to fully succeed in blending two different types of genre's into one cohesive whole.

Appealing to a multitude of fans, including those of Marvel, action-RPGs and multiplayer, most gamers should feel little hesitation in giving Marvel: Ultimate Alliance a try.

Despite a lack of online play, Project Sylpheed is as good a space shooter as you are likely to find. Its perfect balance of depth and accessibility really pushes the game to the forefront of the genre.

A marvellous title that'll have the kids enthralled from start to finish. It's loaded down with quality and a brain-stretching depth that most games in the genre fail to manage.

Smooth animation, a fantastic soundtrack and plenty of variety in the use of combat and force powers make this a game that's engaging and fun to play through.

Online issues aside, Colin McRae: DiRT is a fantastic driving game in so many ways.

MLB '08: The Show is everything you'd expect from a handheld baseball title.

If you are an ABBA fan then SingStar ABBA should be at the top of your list this Christmas - it's an essential addition to your collection. There hasn't yet been a game in the series that has been this focused and downright fun for people who enjoy the artist in question, and for that ABBA deserves as much praise as a karaoke game can get.

A great bike racer; with fun gameplay, sharp visuals, good sound effects, rock & roll music and enough adrenaline to keep you pumped, this is definitely one game that stands out from the crowd - and if you make a space for it on your games shelf, I'm sure you'll agree.

Lumines is taking over my life, but this is where the main flaw lies; the better you get, the longer it takes to complete one round. It's not unusual now that I've cracked the 100,000 points mark for one play to last an hour, which kind of defeats the whole quick blast of gameplay on the bus quality that games of this type usually have.

A groundbreaking title and surely a genre-creating one at that. It takes the immersion and realism of first person games to new levels and weaves the action into one of the best science fiction storylines yet seen in a game, with plenty of big twists before the end.

Sure, it's not one of the three things I'd take with me to a desert island - those three spaces are reserved for a helicopter, a trained pilot and a good flask of Yorkshire Tea for the ride home - but Castaway is something that I'd look forward to playing upon my safe return from the island.

The gameplay in D-Day is tactical and challenging but remains fun throughout and this is a satisfying combination. RTS fans will pick it up easily but there are some great additions to the genre too, such as your troops' range of special abilities, the interactivity with the environment that allows you to destroy or occupy (and fire from within) buildings and the bonuses you receive for adding differently skilled men to vehicle crews.

Worth a purchase for sure. 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.

And as a repeated plea to skeptics, don't pass this up just because it 'looks like Metroid' - pick it up because it's as intriguing, and in some ways more so, than Nintendo's excellent franchise.

It may not have the best graphics or story, but it's still great because it shines in the area it really cares about - tactical realism.

Very few games allow you to jump right in and experience everything it has to offer from the start if you want to. Those looking for a superb and exciting adventure can't go wrong here, especially if you're into pirate simulators or Sid Meier titles.

While Crystal Dynamics have quite clearly produced a competent package that will delight the previously melancholy fanbase, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend doesn't endeavour to innovate the genre that its predecessors laid down the foundations for, which strikes me as being rather odd.

The controls are so easy to grasp that you'll rarely find any need to look in the manual for anything other than general hints; this is a game you can really jump into and get on with right away, with none of the hassle of dull stat screens with useless information bothering you.

There is nothing fundamentally new with Paraworld, but there is also nothing significantly wrong.

You really shouldn't even think about picking up American Wasteland before you've got "Amped 3" proudly displayed on your games shelf, because it eclipses Tony Hawk's in every conceivable way - graphics, music selection, story and cut scene presentation, and even gameplay, plus there's even more to do.

Worth a purchase for sure. 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.

For Dead Space fans, it’s a must play, but any Wii owner on the look-out for a game built for gamers and not the casual market should pick this one up. Would it be more fun as a full-fledged First Person Shooter? Probably, yes, but on its own merits Dead Space: Extraction is a huge success and perhaps the savior of its genre.

An unwieldy control system and restrictive camera view initially frustrate, but once you are used to it a whole world of deep and engaging gameplay opens up.

Basic controller requirements, repetitive presentation and an incredibly satisfying multiplayer mode add up to a sporting title that fares far better as a party game than a single player experience.

Fed up because your mum and dad or girlfriend never take an interest in gaming? Get them on this - even my granny played it and loved it.

If you fancy living a similar life to Jonny then you can't really go wrong. With quirky graphics, familiar sounds, a nice variation in missions and tasks, a high level of interaction where jobs are concerned and some great new power socials, The Urbz is a worthy addition to most peoples' collection.

The absence of the Missions Mode is disappointing and online play would have been a blast, but the weapon-based fighting system is still a lot of fun. The characters and levels are all there, the game looks great in HD and let's not forget this is a Live Arcade release; it sure isn't a bad way to spend $10.

Roogoo won't tax your brain with its puzzles, but it's certainly satisfying to play and offers a good, reaction-based challenge.

It's nice to see something different being attempted with a sequel and R-Type Tactics is a success on so many levels. I loved it, yet I can't help feeling that, if only it were on the PSP's big brother or one of the other 'under-the-telly' machines, it would be so much better.

The imagination present in the levels is striking and the game is crammed with charming details, from the likeable characters and the exceptionally pretty cut scenes that bookend the gameplay to the satisfying swing of Ratchet's ratchet and the atmospheric music.

Those who have laptops and not a lot of time to invest into virtual lifestyles should definitely check this out - with easy to use controls, a more causal gameplay style in the sense that it doesn't take all day to refresh your Sims and teach them new skills, and two stories to play through, The Sims Life Stories is an interesting experiment that ticks the right boxes for the right kind of people.

With the lovely graphics comes lovely sound.

A fantastic game that serves to not only pay tribute to Bomberman's proud heritage and introduce a new audience to the old classic, but prove that there's a new lease of life for Bomberman in 2008 and on the Wii.

An old game in new clothing.

A great game and a big success. The sheer variety of mini-games on offer and their usage of the touch screen in a multitude of ways makes the single player fun and the multiplayer mode a real joy to play, locally or online.

Although condensed into portable form, Kojima Productions' immense production values, characterisation and narrative style has been carried across flawlessly.

It could have been a bit longer, maybe lasting more than fourteen days to represent The Fourteen Stations of the Cross, and the combat system could have been better, like the outstanding fight between Jesus and temptation for forty days and forty nights in the desert - but this game could be the closest thing to witnessing the turning a good film into a good game miracle, much like Jesus turned water into wine.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a better game for Ishimoto's reassuring work and, despite its faults, the overall experience is well worth your time.

It's easy to pick up and play, but very difficult to put down - some of the levels will leave you with a big grin on your face, while others will have you coming back with a fresh approach to try and try again, and the amount of replay value in this game should have you coming back months down the line, just to beat previous scores, check for new downloadable levels online and maybe have a wireless battle with your friends.

Even though it's not quite a stunner, Heroes is an engaging and interesting addition to the PSP's expanding library.

While it's essentially a puzzle game, some of the challenges are very tough and will require a lot of trial and error if you're not careful, but some intense music, good gun sound effects and your squad screaming at the top of their lungs to move make for a fun experience.

I am prepared to overlook the rather predictable storyline in favour of the beautiful landscapes and masterful sound, each capturing the very essence of every science fiction fantasy martial arts film on the planet.

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is without doubt the most comprehensive Mortal Kombat game ever.

I have absolutely fallen in love with Destroy All Humans! 2 - it's fantastic fun to play, even when you're not engaged in missions but just wandering the streets messing with the humans.

Tropico 3 definitely shines out as a polished, well designed example of management simulation. While the campaign itself is a little short, the real appeal is in establishing your own personal benchmarks, beating other players’ scores online and earning in-game accolades through achievements.

For such an excellent game, a great deal of Overlord II is strikingly average.

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.

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.

Whether or not you're a hardcore gamer or a casual one, you will find some form of entertainment from Geometry Wars: Galaxies.

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."

Quite possibly the most pure arcade racer I've ever played - nothing hearkens back to the simplistic racing fun of arcade machines like this does.

There's still plenty of room for improvement in terms of atmosphere, but EA Sports are going in the right direction and Tiger Woods 10 is easily the best of the series to date.

This new Legend is one you'll enjoy immensely while it lasts and crave once it's over.

It's doubtful many will come away under the belief that Mafia II is in any way a better game to Mafia, but fans will find little to complain about over the efforts 2K Czech have poured in to this sequel.

An ambitious sequel (and possibly conclusion) that refuses to allow you to get bored - so much so that it ends up being more of a bad thing than a good thing.

Purely as a game, it's one of those titles that takes a little time getting to grips with the controls and the basic plotlines, but it is time well spent that can result in hours of inside-out pant-wearing hilarity.