A simple facelift doesn't disguise the fact that it's still the same old game, so unless you're a newcomer to the series, you might be better off keeping your money.

The on-going appeal of NHL10's stats and progression system is something 2K10 simply cannot match, and couple that with the poor controls and slow pacing and you've got no decision on where your money should land.

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

The only players I would feel comfortable in recommending this title too would be existing hardcore Eye of Judgement fans (I know that they’re out there) who are looking to get their hands on a portable fix.

While it looks beautiful, and often immerses the player in a very effective way, some of the repetitive fighting sections really undermine the considerable work that has obviously gone into this game. I only wish that the controls had been tightened enough to create a more functional game.

A feature that is touted impressively then lets down over the course of the game is the animation and general cinematics.

It’s marred by a lethargic combat system, slow level grinding and general lack of polish. My hope is that they will improve it in future patches and expansions but I’m not holding my breath.

From Russia With Love had all the makings of a Bond classic. The story was already there, along with a number of cool set pieces. Unfortunately the game forgoes any subtlety in the film in favour of OTT action sequences and barely any stealth at all (it’s there, but like everything else in the game it is rudimentary at best).

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.

FIFA Manager has come on leaps and bounds the last few years. Once considered one of the worst in its genre it can now stand up and call itself one of the big guns. However, it fails to live up to the high standards set by Football Manager and your left with a game with bags of ability and potential, but no end product.

The only question is whether or not you like the sound of the track list, so take a gander, and maybe join me in a never-ending quest to collect noise pollution charges.

As fun and addictive as it is, though, it's still a basic shoot 'em up which you would be likely to quit were you handed any higher profile titles. The real-time ranking system is inspired, particularly for the stat whores amongst us, and multiplayer is of reasonable appeal, but Biology Battle is still only a time waster rather than a truly enveloping game.

Something of a one trick pony. It’s all done competently, and there’s certainly enjoyment to be found here, but it lacks character; that exciting spark or polish that distinguishes the truly great RTS games. Once the novelty of the dual layer system wears off you’ll pine for a fresher, less workman-like, experience.

Battle for Europe is a detailed and historically accurate look at the age of grand armies of Europe and the classic clash of Empires. While not offering anything particularly new or groundbreaking it succeeds in providing an entertaining and thoughtful strategy game for those tired of meaningless tank rushes.

The main success of Cities XL is that it has the basics right. The developer has created a solid city builder that's addictive and enjoyable. It's only hampered by the numerous bugs/crashes and the over-priced planet offer that mainly promises more than it delivers.

It’s just a shame that the resource model aspect didn’t pan out quite as I’m sure the developer envisioned, while the handful of other little annoyances ensure that the gameplay never lives up to the excellent visuals.

Madballs in... Babo: Invasion isn't going to blow anyone away. The name is fairly ridiculous and the whole Madballs fad is long-gone, but there beats an enjoyable shooter underneath the bland, uninspired exterior.

Playing other people really makes for some exciting tactical play.

This is one title that could have… should have… would have…. been better without its similarly irritating controls. Rent it if you’re a Jet Li fan, pass completely if you aren’t.

The satisfying conclusion does go far to wrap up everything brought up in the game and reminds you of things you may have forgotten.

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.

There isn't enough variation in the missions to keep any average gamer interested until the end, and what you will play is even that attractive.

A refreshing newcomer in the world of adventure gaming.

Only diehard fans and those looking to complete every aspect of the game will get the most out of it.

The story is overblown but actually engrossing as long as you set your expectations correctly.

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?

In trying to be both a realistic squad based game and an arcade shooter, Rainbow Six 3 has sub-machine gunned itself in the foot, making too many concessions to each style to play very proficiently in its own right.

It never even gets close to matching the presentation and gameplay of the PS2's Sly Raccoon and Jak and Daxter and even Voodoo Vince, the other Xbox exclusive platformer, knocks Blinx 2 for six half the time.

If you’re looking for an action/adventure game for your Xbox 360, which is what this is despite the pretense of an RPG, then there are a lot better ones available than this. But, if you can’t get enough of Harry Potter then this could well be just what you’re looking for.

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.

In spite of some minor ambiguity as concerns the control interface, it's a game that has a fairly shallow learning curve, yet promises much in the way of long term amusement for those who don’t like their 4X to be too taxing.

This version of Puyo Pop feels like nothing more than a last ditch attempt to squeeze some money out of a game that has been converted to every platform available in the last two years. It adds nothing - unlike the 8 player mode offered by the DS.

It is a shame that you can’t simply fight the standard troops well enough for your friends to flood the main enemy and help you out there, but it seems to be a one man band at each Shaman or Champion, your allies acting as background help rather than making a real difference to the battle.

But daylight racing is not enough to mark this game out from a crowd of games that while steadfastly sitting comfortably in their niches and not taking risks, ultimately are a lot more fun to play.

I can guarantee you will be flying over Hogwarts evading the snapping Hungarian Horntail or swimming underwater in search of your best friend Ron, all the time getting rid of the pesky Merpeople. It is worth all the repetitive gameplay, and questing for Triwizard Shields in order to unlock these levels.

It’s a fun game and the new ways to control the game are nice, but Table Tennis on the Wii has an air of missed opportunity about it, and the game fails to set itself apart or improve on the 360 version.

It's fun in short bursts, which ideally is exactly what I’m looking for in a handheld game.

Eidos and Beautiful Game Studios are getting there. It’s a slow process yes, but they are getting closer. If they can concentrate on more of the basic stuff, team talks and being more interactive with players, rather than on the fancy stuff such as the 3D matches, then next years match could be a close one.

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.

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.

The real meat and potatoes of the game lies in the championship mode. Hardcore fans of the sport will be delighted to know that it is an exact reproduction of the real life version.

Nier is potential squandered. It has some great and not so great characters and enemies placed into an inconsistent world where large portions of your time are spent yawning as you travel through an RPG that has stagnated in a pit of ten year old Japanese RPGs and tries nothing new to make it a worthy purchase.

It fails as a boxing sim and it fails as an arcade fighter. It succeeds excellently as homage to the Rocky films and should please fans of the movies.

I loved Still Life. It wasn't perfect but it was enjoyable for me at least. Still Life 2 could have been so much more. It had potential but is bogged down with so many unruly issues I find it hard to recommend to any but the staunchest and most patient of point'n'click adventure fans.

Manhunt 2 isn’t a bad game as such, and had a lot going for it, if it had been released in the PS2’s heyday. It wasn’t, and a year later, those polygons aren’t looking any smoother.

The game play is where it’s at with TU and while it can be slow paced when on foot, the battles are an absolute blast.

So Sabre Squadron is preaching to the converted, playing on the strengths of its predecessor but without trying too hard to smooth its rough edges, edges that are starting to look a little rusty now.

It will grab you, but you'll have to make an effort to reach out and hold its hand for a while through the rough spots. The problems are the times when it lets go, leaving you lost without a hint of what to do. Or when it just turns on you and beats you down after hitting the same boss twenty times straight.

Its playability may be assured simply because of its clone status to "Resident Evil," but the overall package just isn’t that well put-together to warrant more than an average recommendation.

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.

The main fault in this game is the poor attention to detail and the PS one graphics it sports.

There's definitely a market for this type of game, it's easy to get into, easy to play and you get a good sense of achievement from it.

There is some fun to be had with East India Company but not everyone will have the patience to stick with it.

A step in the right direction. It's just plagued with mistakes that make it an uneven ride of missed chances. What makes it all the more galling is that it's presented so beautifully and uses the touch-screen in enjoyable ways.

For anyone curious about the Sims phenomenon that wants a nicely accessible entry point, this will certainly do the job; but avoiding the structural elements and heading straight for the sandbox mode would serve a much better initiation.

One of the Achievements to nail in Epilogue is to complete it in under two hours. So, you’ve paid 800 points for two hours of additional content that, on balance, isn’t really all that good, and does little with the narrative save to clumsily set up Prince of Persia 2.

The ending is abysmal, although it is nice to see that the crew decide to have a party to ensure that they feel that enough has been accomplished for one day.

The game is good, the editor not so good, but there doesn’t seem to have been any real development from the original. The game hasn’t taken a step forward; it’s where it was when it was first released.

I can’t help but think that if Microsoft had worried less about putting PC gamers on Xbox Live and more about giving us 360 owners a complete game we could have had something special here, but it just hasn’t happened.

The most telling point about the game is that it quite often made me want to throw the controller-S out of the window with anger due to missing shots I reacted well to.

Coming from an adventure game fan, I found it a very fulfilling addition to my collection, and from a relatively unknown German game developer (Fusionsphere Systems) I can offer only congratulations to them for a decent brain testing continuation of the genre.

So, £25 or thereabouts for some reasonably entertaining times (and a few real stand-out sequences) over about 10 hours, 500 or so easy Achievement Points, and that’s about it. If that seems worthwhile to you, then go for it.

Unless you happen to be a die-hard wrestling fan or a female equality activist, I’d go and play a more sincere wrestling game that doesn’t try exploit the good ol’ sex sells idea and is considered less of a gimmick for the deprived.

Is it worth purchasing the PC version of Lost Planet if you already own the 360 one? Not really, no. You’ll only play using your 360 controller anyway, so there’s not much point in owning both copies.

The challenges and free create mode are more likely to be where experienced city builders will spend their time and I just don't think there's enough of that to keep them coming back.

After playing these games for what feels like an unholy amount of time (even just in the past week) I have to wonder what it is with all of the retro feel that games companies are instigating merely to show off their back catalogue.

PoPoLoCrois’ main downfall is that it really doesn’t bring anything new or original to the RPG arena.

With over 40 characters to master, there’s a fair lot of classic brawling to be had here. Had it actually included a more substantial experience, rather than feeling so empty, it’d definitely be worth recommending to both fighting fanatics and casual goers alike. Instead, it feels more like a relic of a past age, thrown together to into an exceedingly demo-like affair.

Along the way decisions were made to cheat the player and in doing so this is one racer robbed of most of its fun. That really is a crying shame.

A deeply flawed game. From the terrible image tearing to the offensive voice-overs, it’s as big a failure as I’ve seen from a major Publisher for some time.

Survives on the good will generated by its predecessors. But compared to those previous games, this new game lacks the same charm, the same childish appeal and its unique humor. Maybe the console versions look much better than this PC version, but Travelers Tales' otherwise very quirky series has not survived the jump from Playstation 2 to PC very well.

Mafia looks, sounds and feels dated on the Xbox, maybe because we’ve been spoilt and we know what the machine is capable of this just doesn’t satisfy.

After all your patient waiting, in about four or six hours you will finish all that Knothole Island has to offer, Box of Secrets included. After that, you’ll be left with buyer’s guilt because you’ve just spent 800 points on something worth half that. You’ll feel silly, and your Fable 2 experience will be tainted accordingly.

Arguably, the dress code is the highlight of a game that desperately needs some kind of distinguishing string to its bow, for otherwise it’s as bland and culturally distant as clichéd manga template design can be.

The game does, basically, offer lots of variety, a flat learning curve and a decent story mode for those that aren’t just looking for the latest in car physics.

Shattered Union's problem is that it tries to cram far too much in, and instead lacks and kind of real depth in any area. The enemy AI is weak, and far too unwilling to take advantage of the many errors you'll make early on.

Chipping in a shot from the rough on the far side of the green, and watching it sink really does come with a sense of achievement, you feel like you earned it. However the number of small glitches and design issues really hinder the enjoyment.

This is a great game for kids, adults and families and makes a refreshing change from some of the stuff in the shops at the moment.

Quantum of Solace is a pretty slick, well presented and polished product. The gameplay is rather simple, but the game is aimed at the simple end of the market. Yet I feel that James Bond deserves more than this, more than a cheap and very short punt into the cheap seats.

To cut to the chase, this is more a new episode than a new series, with what little changes there are related to updated graphics and a slightly modified search system.

Blade Warriors could have been a simple guilty pleasure, if it didn’t insist on constantly reminding us that there are better games to be played.

There are 10 basic levels, plus a bunch of challenge-style bonus levels that can be unlocked if you can bear the plodding, outdated gameplay, unresponsive controls, uninteresting graphics, and average sound. Otherwise, frustration and boredom are likely to see Operation: Vietnam being traded in very quickly indeed.

It's funny, I had a feeling all that development time would've given us something more.

Personally for me, the learning curve is a bit steep and the commitment too large. But that’s me – this is a great game, polished and well worked. If you have the time and the inclination the rewards on offer are great, and it’s highly unlikely to become a repetitive experience.

It capably provides its gun and grenade ridden action entertainment, but disappoints only because of the massive marketing campaign that led us all to believe we were in for something extra special, rather than the adequate but ultimately not stand-out shooter we have here.

This may be little more than a last generation game with upgraded visuals, but it does what it’s supposed to, it’s a fun platformer that‘s not too taxing on the brain.

Somewhat tellingly, there isn’t much more to say about NHL 08 – it’s a very good game, but the genre’s moved on and once again PC gamers haven’t been given the chance to see how.

It’s not the best DLC pack released for Fallout 3, but it’s certainly not bad.

Is the game a kid's game? If it is, that's no excuse for such a shoddy piece of work.

The gameplay itself is pretty average for the genre, and the graphics do make it a bit difficult to spot some of the objects you are looking for, but it's plus points more than compensate. The games storyline holds the average gameplay together well, the overall presentation is pretty good, and to top it all off is the games budget price.

The gameplay, graphics, multiplayer, sound and everything else are all okay.

At some stage during development, either the money ran out or everyone just decided they couldn’t be bothered. Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper absolutely reeks of sloppy work.

The game isn’t perfect, in-fact I would be pushed to avoid calling it a poor version, but the mere fact that I am still addicted to it, and playing it must count for something in this world.

I found Phantasy Star Portable to be nothing other than a disappointment, it has redeeming features but too many flaws to make it enjoyable.

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

While the game itself isn’t too short, the lather rinse repeat style gameplay is only rarely challenged and you’ll never get stuck wondering what special gadget to use next.

But good sound isn’t going to save the game. There’s wasted potential here in Devil Kings, perhaps a sequel could bring that out. As it stands it is a flawed game thanks to repetition and some technical issues.

Mostly resembles a "Dead or Alive" version for the poor.