It is a great game, and I am inches away from giving it a higher score than I am doing, but with the potential the Playstation 3 has, I don’t think we should set the bar too high too fast, despite my full recommendation of the game.

With the new tutorials and the improved interface, the game is very inviting for new people to the genre, but the complexity, possibilities and atmosphere is preserved and expanded.

One disappointment is that no new classes have been introduced, and there's no denying that the scales are probably tipped slightly in favour of newcomers and/or those looking to start a fresh alt, but it's also undeniably a well rounded and substantial package that deserves a look from anyone even remotely curious about the game.

It gets annoying at the end and it isn't a long game by any stretch of the imagination but it works well.

This is no mere cash-in update to appease gamers with little knowledge of what makes a decent game.

What we have in The Battle For Middle Earth 2 is a good title, very good at times, that could become rather great with some patching.

GT4 has more limitations than previous games on what you can and can't do, too many menus locked until you'll reached certain criteria.

Though it might appear a little dated, the game offers some innovative features, such as the addition of the Dreamworld, combined with a good story.

It’s something worth experiencing even if you end up coming to the conclusion that it isn’t for you, your gaming perspective will have been broadened.

One hell of an addictive golfing game. If you played any of its incarnations on the PS2, you will know what to expect here.

No substitute for the Orange Box, in short, but without peer on the PSP. And there’s that free Combat Ops multiplayer demo, of course.

Halo: ODST is very much a traditional Halo game at heart but distinguishes itself from the second and third games in the series by having much more personality and a more engaging campaign.

If you fully explore the world, and don’t use game guides to find all 100 Ingots, you have more than four hours of game time here. The storyline is much better, and because of all the choices that can be made throughout the game, the replay value alone gives this game extra score. In my honest opinion, any Fallout 3 owner must get this DLC.

You can climb to the tip of the cities tallest skyscraper and look out over the whole city, take a sniper rifle up there and look through it’s scope and you can even see some of the smaller details, the draw distance is immense.

It's hard to imagine this is the story Gearbox has always wanted to tell, but judging by the craftsmanship behind all of its elements, from the crisp visuals to the hilarious writing, you'd be forgiven for making the mistake. With a greater duration and improved AI it would've been damn near perfect.

Its learning curve is fair instead of gleefully obstinate and that's what marks this series' major step forward.

Buzz Junior: Jungle Party has all the fun of the buzzer in a much more child friendly game - and if they ask you to play along it really isn't the end of the world, it is quite good fun. Until they beat you, of course.

I really enjoyed playing Dawn of War II and If you're considering taking the plunge into realtime strategy this is a good place to start.. It is very accessible and Relic has obviously worked hard to release a very polished product that’s immense fun and has a multiplayer side that is entertaining to play and varies enough from the main game to give great value.

Though it may not be the best example of whip-cracking fun in Castle Dracula, it’s got a damn sight more in its favour than a great many other games out there at the moment.

It’s not going to break any records or receive any awards, but in this early content dry PS3 time, I’m more than happy to play a game that seems to embrace the nostalgic simple level gameplay of old for less than the price of a "Guitar Hero 2" song pack on the 360.

With ample moves, special attacks, dozens of characters and a couple of extra good modes to boot, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything that matches the level of quality seen in SNK’s latest release.

In Ankh’s case, the gameplay’s spot on, the story is funny, and it looks and sounds great. It’s nothing new or special, but what it does, it does very well.

The only charge that can really be brought against the game lies within the the aesthetics of the environment.

There's clearly a bright future for the franchise, though it's perhaps time EA let the team take a few risks - let more folks than just Americans play - perhaps give us a choice who we want to play as.

It's good, and will hold your interest, but with some slightly frustrating controls that aren't customisable, driving Duke owners to desperation, or a new controller S (effectively making it into a £55 game) it's only really slightly improved over the PS2 version.

It would be difficult for me to say Mirror's Edge reached its potential as a fresh take on the FPS genre because it's held back by a shallow story and dubious combat mechanics. However, you won't find another game like it.

Wolfenstein is not going to set the world on fire with anything new but what it has done is reaffirm my faith in the fact that old ideas can still be brought up to speed and used to create a fun experience that is well worth the money spent on it.

Infinity Ward has created a solid shooter which raises your adrenaline to dangerous levels in a number of places with some of the best set pieces I have ever seen in any game. If only it had changed the pace here and there and made it longer, MW2 would have been a classic.

The changes made could have easily spelt a disaster in the GR series, but they've been skilfully handled and form the basis of a good, solid shooter that's entertaining and tough without being overly difficult.

A worthy successor in the Far Cry franchise, the small single player game reflects is budget price, but the awesome multiplayer makes it more than worth the price tag.

I really did enjoy the experience, as unchallenging as it felt (whether because the puzzles rarely required timing threatening death beyond falling, because the enemies even have visible health bars or due to the friendly checkpoint system) but felt that it was too quick to get through to justify a full £40 purchase.

The variety and quality of songs is the finest Sony has given us, though of course that sort of judgement comes down to personal taste.

Fans of Dead Space or F.E.A.R. will find plenty to enjoy in Metro 2033 and while it doesn't quite tick every box it's a very strong blend of survival horror and shooter.

It looks and plays fantastically well and recalls the days when flight sims were something fun and accessible as well as requiring intelligence.

It may however still end up being my game of the year; 8/10 for a £180 game is still a pretty incredible recommendation.

In actuality, in spite of these congruities, all of its parts are tailored toward the shooter genre, so it's not an RPG at all really, it's just a multi-layered FPS, which, to be honest, is brilliant.

The lack of structure here is a bit disappointing but hardly a deal breaker. There is a wealth of content on offer and Gran Turismo is a very well crafted game which is definitely worth the price.

The delicate grace of the gameplay and the equally elegant music create a rather moving experience unlike any other. It's up to you whether or not it's art or simply a pretentious tech demo, but I'm all for the former. Flower is a very unique game indeed. Put this and Ico next to each other and I'll cry my eyes out.

Lots to see and do, although I doubt there’s any replay value there.

If there is to be a sequel, and I join the rising chorus of voices demanding one, it is going to have to properly develop the core (design) gameplay that Tomb Raider: Legend gets back to.

A very pretty game, gorgeous in fact, with plenty to do and see. But ultimately it just doesn't quite seem new enough. It's an example in safe game development and taking the easy path, but while it lasts, it's a fun path.

If nothing more than an interesting footnote in the evolution of gaming ideas, it would be a real shame to let this game fade into obscurity without at least coming to your own conclusion.

Narnia is a slay ride with Santa Claus level of novelty for big fans of the books and/or movies, but a simplistic, repetitive but sometimes fun fantasy-action game for anyone else. Who are you gonna be?

The single, or should that be double, player campaign is a bit on the short side, but it’s quite replayable due to being fun with a friend, and the multiplayer is good for a blast, just hope some new maps turn up for it pretty soon.

While it’s a great game, if you bought your 360 to see high definition graphics and all new gaming experiences, N+ won’t satisfy your modern hunger for High Definition. But if you liked the flash game, rate gameplay over graphics and don’t mind paying just over a fiver for some old fashioned entertainment, buy it… but be prepared to destroy the odd controller at certain difficult levels.

The nagging doubt about Multiwinia is that it is possibly too simple and short term – fun to drop into in the odd quiet half-hour, but with no visible form of progression, nothing that you will stick with in the long term.

Despite some glaring issues with this game I still enjoyed it immensely. It's fun, addictive and relaxing.

A budget game being sold at an inflated price, likely to fans of the genre only. But I’m still really looking forward to Orcs & Elves II on the DS.

If your nerves are shot to pieces with the glut of zombie gore 'em ups out there Osmos will do a sterling job of rubbing those aching temples and making the nightmares go away.

Not to say that it isn’t fun, but Pain is clearly a victim of its own hype.

There have been many games of this type, but Samurai Warriors is undoubtedly the best.

Square have tried to give us a chance to tell our own stories through this game, but their rules and prerequisites are often too restricting and the rewards not always enough.

I found World Racing 2 a huge letdown having been looking forward to this sequel for so long. I expected it to be a step forward, not seem like a step back.

It's a family friendly fun romp that's inoffensive and visually interesting with a nice quirky style. Just don't expect a great co-op time unless you can work together within a tight camera angle. This is one Wii game that's better to play on your own.

And when atmosphere is the only new thing that you bring to the table, it had better be damn near perfect to make a good impression. Hitman: Contracts is just short of that, but is more than enough if you haven’t played Hitman 2.

The series has had a good run, but it just hasn’t really evolved much from it’s initial outing and unless they can do a complete reinvention on the next installment then Actvision should just call it a day.

What we've been given is a game that looks like rallying, but the cars have so much grip, so much power in the brakes, that in the rally sections there's no feeling of driving off road at all.

A decent, side-scrolling action romp, with admirable multiplayer offering and enjoyable gameplay. This, comrade, is well worth an investment.

If you can get past the problems or are fortunate enough not to care you are going to find a great biking sim with amazing depth and longevity. It’s one of the best loved games on Live, and this release shouldn’t do too much to change that.

While the formula is solid, I think it was a missed opportunity for Pandemic to just churn out practically the same game. However, if you're looking for a no-brainer with big guns and lots of explosions, it rarely gets as fun as this.

A shamefully small amount has changed with each game apart from graphical upgrades, new characters and some abilities, but it's still an entertaining formula, and DMC4 is proof of that.

Geo Wars offers you the same, basic and fun gameplay but with the added twist of a level structure. However, it really is all about shooting and avoiding getting shot. After a few hours play I found I was just stuck in the same groove and the game doesn’t offer much in the way of variety.

If you do decide to pick it up you’re unlikely to be disappointed, but it’s also unlikely to set your gaming world on fire.

Technical shortcomings do mar the experience though as does the lack of multiplayer.

Sure it won't challenge the big boys in the gaming industry, but it's up to indie developers to push unique ideas further. Hermitworks Entertainment should be proud of their game because it shows a lot of potential.

As it is Tekken 6 comes highly recommended to those who can play it regularly with friends, or to those that are prepared to wait to see if the soon-to-be-released patch really does sort out all of the online issues. Just stay away from the Scenario Campaign mode. It’s six hours of your life you’ll never see again if you don’t.

If you liked the world of the original, buy it, you’ll get a kick out of everything, but if you’ve not even played the first one, then buy The Longest Journey and see what Dreamfall should have been; like its predecessor, focussed on the puzzles.

If you’re a Tomb Raider completist or reckon you’ve great dexterity then you will find a very pleasing game here. I enjoyed my time with the PSP version of Tomb Raider Legend yet I knew it could have been a hell of a lot better.

A rewarding endeavour for those who share a passion for this type of sport, though in all honesty will feel considerably flat to those who prefer to spend their time doing more than taking a hard left.

It won’t set your gaming world on fire, and FIFA might even be the better option (it’s a close call, much closer than on the PS3/360) but if you do have the PS2 version and fancy carrying on with your Master League on the move (and are prepared to put up with the control foibles), or just have to have the latest version, PES 2008 is unlikely to disappoint.

The game is just too ambitious for the aging PlayStation 2. The frame rate, control and save game issues make the game a hard unforgiving slog rather than fun at times. But despite that there's a lot to be admired about the game.

It's about being scared out of your wits one minute and then bellowing with laughter at something gruesomely humorous the next.

It’s also an excellent introduction to the RPG genre for Sonic fans or those that usually find them too overwhelming and don’t want to spend hours levelling up their characters.

This is a slice of simple fun, and a better one you’ll be hard-pressed to find, but it’s simplicity is just a little too basic to hold your attention for long.

The camera, for instance, is more often than not pointing in entirely the wrong direction. It points in the direction that you were last moving but rotates very slowly.

The level of destruction you’re capable of is phenomenal. If you’ve ever played "Burnout" and wished you could do as much damage to the scenery as you can do to cars, then this is the game for you.

It's a real shame the full potential of the franchise hasn't been realised here.

A game fraught with problems but recommendable nonetheless. When a game makes you smile this much it ‘s easy to forgive it its misgivings. And when the smile is as big as the one on my face, even more so. Now...high five!

It tries so hard to be all things to all people but for me it tries to walk before it can run. Oh well, no invite for me next year then!

There are lots of great elements to the game, but nothing that stands out as being worthy of a purchase alone.

If you’ve never seen the draw of Harry Potter, then perhaps this game isn’t for you, although with nothing too complex to get your head around and the ability to out-magic Malfoy and his troop, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban spells more fun than a lot of movie-to-game conversions.

If you’re the patient and careful type it’ll suit you. Otherwise, you’ll have to put in a lot of effort.

The question remains as to whether any Vietnam based game can be actually highly entertaining and satisfying as a game, while keeping true to the spirit of conflict. Men Of Valor provides us with a little food for thought in this regard, at least.

SvR as a series is the MVP of videogames. It’s upper-midcard rather than Main Event status, but is destined for greatness if only it can be nurtured and refined in a few areas.

If you’re after a simple and enjoyable hack and slash game, with lots of violence and blood, Blood Rayne 2 will be ideal, and yes, it’s worth playing, if only via a rental.

At its worst, Nexus is painfully ponderous and distantly detached. At its best it's visually stupendous sci-fi spectacular with depth as well as style. The 2001 of Real Time Strategy if you will.

I can now safely say that I've started to see the attraction of NASCAR.

A solid, well put together RPG that has quality where it counts. It will not appeal to everyone, but existing fans of Star Ocean as well as RPG fans in general will not be disappointed.

Although it doesn’t offer anything new, Sacred wields a metaphorical mace of monster mash with pride and panache. This is slick action adventuring with a lack of ambition but no shortage of charm.

It will extend the length of an already long game, and the 100 points are easy to get. I do however think it is slightly over priced.

A good game without the substance to make it a great one.

The action is very well done, sometimes enthralling, but never progressing beyond the 'shoot him, find key, open door, shoot him...' formula makes the game just a tad too empty to proficiently prosper.

Amped 3 brought lots of smiles to my face, but these were down to the wacky presentation rather than anything else.

Beyond Divinity is like a rigged slot machine; you always win the same amount you put in, but the jackpot never comes. You’ll continue to play because you have nothing to lose, but it’s not as exciting.

There's nothing new to see here and given the effort that Rockstar seems to have put into this title it seems that it knows it.

Fairly shallow as racing games go but provides upwards of 40 hours of single player action and a never ending supply of online entertainment.

Playing other people really makes for some exciting tactical play.

A solid third person shooter, the control system could be a bit better, and the multiplayer is decidedly lacking, but it makes up for it in other areas. It is quite possibly one of the best looking games out there, production values all round are high, and the gameplay itself is a lot of fun, despite the flaws, but the short length of the game means the fun is quite short lived.