As the multiplayer is the only reason to play Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days and as the multiplayer is almost pointless without a group of people you know aren't idiotic yelping pre-teens, there is no point in purchasing the game - unless you can convince your friends to purchase it as well.

If you aren't familiar with the difficulty of the Castlevania games previous to SotN you will probably see Castlevania HD as nothing but an exercise in frustration. If you want to get into Castlevania you can pick up the excellent Symphony of the Night from the Xbox Live Marketplace - and while it doesn't have multiplayer you're much more likely to have a good time.

StarCraft 2 doesn't really do anything to grow the RTS as an actual game - much of what SC2 does better is in the area of matchmaking and social networking, which betters the player experience. The gameplay is very similar, with most changes existing simply to meet current RTS standards.

What the game doesn't skimp on is the variation in the puzzles - though primarily physics based brain teasers, the game features its fair share of mind-bending timed based and even AI exploiting challenges as well.

An outstanding game for the asking price.

Gameplay-wise there is a hell of a lot to do, with the focus primarily being on the endgame - you can still continue playing after beating the final boss and a lot of side quests even require it.

For a game to go to so much trouble to replicate its predecessor in so many ways it is downright amazing that it should fail so spectacularly. Co-op and competitive multiplayer adds an extra dollop of playtime, but if you've never played the first game you will have a much better time for a lot less money - and if you have played the original you will only end up hating both Crackdown 2 and yourself for wasting your time on this garbage.

Singularity is a game which uses the concept of time travel less as a game mechanic, plot driver or interesting concept and more as a distraction. This philosophy carries across the entire title - graphics, story and puzzles all seem to simply serve as filler to keep your attention between shooting things.

The game has oodles of charm however, so it won't feel like a chore for long - TT Games have done an excellent job melding the fun and cute Lego universe with the Harry Potter universe.

It could have piqued interest and numbed the pain of the incredibly dull gameplay. In the end, Naughty Bear gives you the bear necessities, and very little else.

Fans of Transformers - real fans, the people with the cartoon series and die-cast toys - will probably get a huge kick out of the story behind Transformers. They might even get enough out of it to overlook the insipid level design, borrowed gameplay elements and sloppy AI.

Though its fundamentals are starting to show their age, Earthworm Jim HD was really satisfying to knock out.

The biggest problem with Peace Walker overall, is that it would be an amazing console title. The controls have been well worked out, but they would have been flawless on a DualShock 3 with a second analog stick for camera control. There is so much stuff packed into the game, with the Extra Ops, Mother Base, Monster Hunter Island and all of the other bonuses that it seems a shame to cripple it with the limited hardware of the PSP.

If you can deal with the frustration of the stealth gameplay, and don’t mind RPG elements or the fact you have to play through it at least twice to get true value out of the game, this is a definite buy and if you have the option I would buy it for the PC.

An expertly refined, craftily created fighting game which builds on an already outstanding base to deliver an all-around outstanding experience.

An expertly refined, craftily created fighting game which builds on an already outstanding base to deliver an all-around outstanding experience.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a fantastically refined title, a worthy sequel to its predecessor and a must own Wii game. Gripes about difficulty only exist in the context of the title's own simplistic tutorial system - platformers should be challenging, and so SMG2 does right by gamers on this front.

What Alan Wake is then is an outstanding piece of writing. The replayability will come from your drive to find all the manuscript pages you missed previously - you’ll need to put together each element of the story. You’ll want to just get lost in Alan Wake - and if you decide to pick it up, you’ll find it hard not to.

The end of the game - and the outstanding epilogue - punctuates one of the most complete video game stories in a long time. The story will stay with the player for a long time afterwards - long after they get their hands on whatever the next 'it' game happens to be.

The end of the game - and the outstanding epilogue - punctuates one of the most complete video game stories in a long time. The story will stay with the player for a long time afterwards - long after they get their hands on whatever the next ‘it’ game happens to be.

Those of you expecting a return to the Prince's former glory may be disappointed, though this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Far from perfect, with a slightly unfair multi-player component for the cash or time impaired, Split Second is still tremendously fun and addictive.

So while World Cup South Africa definitely has some improvements, FIFA 10 is the better game.

Monster Hunter Tri is well worth a look for JRPG aficionados and a welcome new step in the right direction for the Wii, though casual gamers may not enjoy the opening grind.

The crescendo of the plot builds to a ludicrous point - the influence of (now canceled) 24 is extremely apparent, but as the one-man-army that is Sam careens towards his final goal the narrative goes a little over-the-top - not Metal Gear lunacy, but certainly a climax uncharacteristic of the series.

Just Cause 2 is one of the best sandbox games I've ever played. The action is absolutely insane, the plot ludicrous, the scenery breathtaking, and though there is a slight learning curve to get your funky fresh moves down pat, it's well worth the investment, as you find yourself drawn back to it again and again just to round out that last village as you edge closer to the massive task of 100% completion.

If you're a fan of games like Sim City, Tropico, Caesar or even the earlier Settlers games, this game probably isn't one you want to miss. The changes from the earlier games and from other games in its genre are almost all for the better, and it's just generally a well put-together piece of entertainment - whether you prefer to build sand castles or kick them over.

Once embraced and understood, I actually enjoyed the multiplayer more than SupCom 2, RUSE, and yes, even the Starcraft 2 beta. But singleplayer was like a tour of the worst parts of strategy games in the '90s, and hardly a fitting end to the Tiberium saga.