It's good to see Ubisoft completely rewriting history, rather than just slightly altering it, to spin one of the series' most absurd and intriguing yarns. Washington as a comical cartoon villain is entertaining, and the Wolf Cloak makes stealth less frustrating than it was in the vanilla game. Still, it isn't a vastly different experience, and if you've already bled Assassin's Creed 3 dry, you might find this add-on a little too familiar at times.

Sure, it looks like the film on the surface, but you don't have to dig far to find a game that fails to live up to the license. Surprisingly, it's the competitive multiplayer that impresses the most.

Looks handsome like Top Gun-era Cruise, but After Burner's fast-paced dog-fighting doesn't really work with iPad's touch-screen.

Dead Space 3's co-op mode ends up mirroring the single-player experience: slick, entertaining, with the occasional moment of brilliance, marred by a lack of tension, pacing and pant-filling scares.

A botched blend of XCOM and Tropico, which ultimately boils down to shallow strategy in a Goodfellas skin.

Solid iPad racer let down by a lack of content and poor weaponry.

A spook-tacular recreation of the Ghostbusters world, let down by dodgy spook-snatching and no-mark characters.

Picross e2 is another example why Picross is such an addictive series. While it's not the outstanding highlight of this 18 year-old series, it remains a brilliant budget option for those curious about its cult following.

There is fun to be had here - a lot of fun in fact, if you're prepared to dig and claw for it. For those people, anarchy will indeed reign, but everyone else will find themselves wishing for a little more law and order.

Should have been more inventive, more memorable and more important. After we were spoiled by the beautiful Epic Yarn last year, Adventure highlights the dangers of appealing to a very vocal minority.

All Stars proved that simple ideas could create a pick-up-and-play WWE title without sacrificing depth for the hardcore, and WWE 12 would have done well to learn from its arcade-focused cousin.

Some amazing moments... and some truly abysmal ones. Saints Row: The Third is wildly imaginative and frequently entertaining, but a lack of technical polish and weak combat overshadow its achievements.

Putting aside N64 loyalty, GoldenEye is not a great game. Not, at least, in the context of the current 360/PS3 shooting scene.

Business as usual for the Kinect Sports franchise. Season 2 packs fun new features but anyone who wasn't won over by the original will have little reason to love this.

Kinect has confused the gaming cosmos. Rise of Nightmares certainly isn't a good game - but just about passes for a good Kinect game.

Missions generally consist of bludgeoning your way from A to B; sometimes you'll have to retrieve an item, sometimes you'll have to flick a switch. Take away the specifics though and it boils down to walking across an island of hungry corpses and back again nine times out of ten.

An interesting game that's too-often a dog-egg to actually play. Sorry Duke, take fourteen years and try again...

Breathlessly imaginative in everything but gameplay. Only die-hards need to journey down this particular rabbit hole.

Might just be proof that racing games will never work with Kinect.

Eorzea is a beautiful world with huge potential for vast adventures, but it's just a shame that this first voyage into it is such a mis-step.

I'm also just very peeved at just how confined it makes you feel - and, most of all, how Activision didn't just port its own Blur into the Bond world for the driving bits.

Overly jaunty and a bit threadbare - but by no means an embarrassment for Microsoft.

Mikami has the basis for a gorgeous, thrilling shooter here. But the wooden narrative, stale mechanic and non-existent learning curve prevent Vanquish from ever reaching those heights.

For avid Assassin's Creed fans filling in the story gap might be worth the £3 asking price, otherwise Battle of Forli is an ungenerous and forgettable add-on.

Superb car handling is the only redeeming factor for GT PSP. It feels great to drive. But that driving needed to be packaged with an actual racing game and that game isn't here.

Potentially brilliant multiplayer romp hindered by PSN's lack of communication. Bundled headsets please, Sony.

A generic, below-average first-person shooter experience marginally cushioned by robust online options.

It's a classic case of being sucked in by a license; an average shooter resting heavily on the shoulders of an acclaimed movie license. It's not all bad, just don't expect it to be as good as you're probably expecting it to be.

A solid tennis game but underwhelming in most areas.

A clumsy and lifeless last-gen action game.

Too short and too late to be wanted.

It's no platform-defining blockbuster, but if you've got the patience to get along with the controls there's a good few hours to be found. Add on some decent multiplayer and it's a good day to be a PSP owner.

It's like Capcom was undecided in what it wanted RE5 to be. It breaks many of the series' traditions, yet tries to hold onto elements of its heritage that are either dated or don't fit with the style.

Hawx could do with a fair bit of polish before it (inevitably) comes around for a second flight, then - and a sluggish start to the solo campaign doesn't help much either. It's far from perfect, but the ERS formula does provide a small but much needed fresh idea to the tired genre, which means many Clancy and Ace Combat fans alike will be glad they played it.

It's just balls-out shooting from start to finish, with 50 Cent tunes to bop along to as you go. It's not too tough and not overly complicated. You just have fun with guns, and that's all there is to it.

Another example of a game that greatly underperforms on a perfectly capable console.

Should be called the "Sega Mega Drive Really Good But Not Quite Ultimate Collection".

Newcomers will get a kick out of it, but old fans will find the new Prince unchallenging and slightly shallow compared to the rest of the series.

Sticks to the Silent Hill formula like glue. But Homecoming feels clunky and looks old compared to today's horror games.

The polygon boost isn't enough to stop Bully looking dated. But there's still plenty of fun to be had here if you didn't play the original.

DMC4 kicks DW's face off all night long. But, for strategy fans, this could be worth a night's rental.

Shallow and frequently frustrating but the fast-paced gameplay makes for a fun multiplayer experience.

Great production values but the unforgiving gameplay and loose controls don't sit well in 2007.

As it stands, if only because this is a fantastic reimagining of a game everyone has played, Championship Edition is amongst the top tier downloadable games on Xbox 360.

The biggest disappointment in this otherwise fairly enjoyable shooter is the lack of content once you've finally grasped the formula. There are only nine similar-looking maps to choose from, with more expected down the line via downloadable content.

The biggest disappointment in this otherwise fairly enjoyable shooter is the lack of content once you've finally grasped the formula. There are only nine similar-looking maps to choose from, with more expected down the line via downloadable content.

Nowhere near as good as the full-priced alternatives - but you're still guaranteed a pretty good time.

If you don't already own a version, or have done in the past but got rid if it, then Worms on XBLA is well worth a punt for the price. To get the most out of it though, Worms is best enjoyed with mates over Live.

If you absolutely must have Shinin' playing on your telly then this could be worth picking up, if not the Xbox Live Arcade edition is a much more solid and prettier looking version of the visceral puzzler.

Novadrome packs it all in in terms of options and modes, but fails to capture any of the charm of classic car combat titles like Twisted Metal or even its less good rip-off merchant of a friend, Vigilante 8.

Wii Sports is neither bulging in features nor graphically impressive, but when you put everything together, you have a fun package that, although better in places than others, is varied enough to keep you entertained for a good while and brilliant in multiplayer.

A technically impressive adventure that sticks to the tried and trusted traditional FF formula.

But underneath the pretty graphics JetPac Refuelled is pretty much the same game we played a quarter of a century ago. We doubt it'll grip a new generation of gamers as much as it did back in the day but you'll get your money's worth.

Final Fantasy XI is an acquired taste, and one that was built for playing on the sofa rather than on the PC. It's a pity that Square couldn't have served up something more ambitious for our first online RPG, but at least it means we get an RPG that's had three years of being knocked into shape. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The mash-up idea's splendid and it offers real depth and innovation. In fact, once you get over the control hurdle, you'll find a very decent, challenging and rewarding game.

While American Conquest: Divided Nation is sure to have civil war buffs drooling over its adherence to historical accuracy, from a strategic gameplay point of view, it's not exactly going to give the more established and, let's be honest, more technologically advanced RTS games like Rome: Total War or Cossacks II a run for their money. [PC Zone]

Unfortunately, the conversion to PC is a sloppy affair, leaving it with a number of issues, such as a frame-rate that's at times slower than a bed-ridden sloth, a bizarre lack of sound effects, an option to change resolution that doesn't work and the fact that the game defaults to running in a small window.

Despite the weak selection of modes, Pokemon Link remains an enjoyable puzzler. The arbitrary veneer of the Pokemon license doesn't seem particularly misplaced and offers the ever enjoyable task of collecting all 380 of the little marketing wonders.

Tycoon City: New York may be big and colourful, but under its ostentatious, shiny surface and character-driven tasks, it's ultimately just another by-the-numbers tycoon game. [PC Zone]

In terms of customisable play, varied and never-dull multiplayer along with a decent co-op mode, there's no doubt that Lockdown remains an attractive and enjoyable package - but it just feels old.

Megaman is straightforward and the exact sort of game that works on PSP. Fast and simple, bright and colourful. [PSW]

The appeal of button-bashing power bar games wore off when we put "International Track & Field" to rest years ago. Torino 2006 looks nice but we can't see you lasting long before slamming the pad down at the difficulty of the speed skating or nodding off from the monotony of the cross-country hobble. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Fritz Chess 9 is designed to teach and train chess players, and should be treated as such. If you're looking for an authentic chess xperience, we suggest getting a real chessboard. [PC Zone]

Retro purists will like it but most will find the gameplay too basic. The graphics and technology behind the game have obviously improved and grown over the years; it's just a pity the same can't be said of the actual gameplay. [PSW]

Thankfully, nothing's been fiddled with (except the addition of Wi-Fi support), and the inclusion of Marble Madness and Championship Sprint in particular prove that quality gameplay is timeless. [PSW]

Exhilarating because you're tasked with turning the tide of the conflict by hacking through scores of enemies with an array of combos, projectile attacks (including bows and bombs) and some superb special Musou moves that first need to be powered up. Infuriating because the abysmal camera makes it virtually impossible to face the enemy for any prolonged period, meaning you're soon being flanked faster than a bitch on heat in an all-male dog sanctuary. [PC Zone]

While Chaos League: Sudden Death is an intriguing take on fantasy tactical sports, the effort required to get going coupled with the repetitiveness which starts to creep in after a tournament or two will dissuade many. In all, it's a bit of a missed opportunity to polish up a flawed, but novel, piece of entertainment. [PC Zone]

The thing is, it could have been a great one if only the developer hadn't assumed we'd all like lots more mindless hacking and slashing at the expense of some of the joyful exploring and leaping. [PSW]

Avoid this one like you would an elderly relative at a wedding reception who's suffering from the plague. [PC Zone]

The combat is stupidly easy and as badly designed as MC Hammer's trousers - timing kill moves or complex combos together is rendered fun-free, as you're held by the hand all the way through by giant yellow 'Y' icons that flash over an enemy when he's ripe for a kill move. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

In essence, the game mechanics are as rough as a butcher's dog, yet it remains a game that will make you smile, and one that you'll finish - not least because it's so damn short.

Fifty quid is a lot of money to ask for a title that any competent gamer can pound through in six or so hours. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Bulletproof is one of the darkest video games around, with its combination of gritty storyline and moonlit night-time setting. [PSW]

The lack of car customisation options, the constrained three-lap race limit, the irritation of having to win each race in World Explorer to progress to the next, and the overly predictable format - even right down to the stereotypical announcer who hollers banalities at you while you race - smacks of by-numbers development. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Not exactly groundbreaking and there are very few noticeable play alterations, but it plays well on the Xbox 360 controller thanks to the repositioned Black and White shoulder buttons (the buffers). [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It serves as a good addition for those who enjoyed the main game, but in its own right it's too shallow to sustain much interest and gets xtremely repetitive xtremely quickly. [PSW]

It's the carefully judged pace and variety of Gun that tightens your grip on its pommel and adds the real beauty to the sunset you'll pause to enjoy after a grueling shootout. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The whole package is undermined by the same problems that afflicted our RoboJordan. It looks stunning and has all the moves, but if you're in the market for a long-term basketball experience you're better off with the old Xbox version. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It may not be the next-gen golfing revolution we were hoping for, but it's still a hugely enjoyable round that captures the ambience of the sport better than any other current-gen game. Just don't expect it to knock your plus-fours off. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Accept it for what it is - the best (and only) single-player and Xbox Live footy game you can buy for Xbox 360 until "FIFA 07" or "Pro Evo 6} shows up. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Half loose arcade racer, half tight tuner epic, Need For Speed Most Wanted gets caught in a rolling roadblock between "PGR3"'s graceful racing and "Burnout"'s burning intensity, neither of which it can begin to match. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It's a shame then, that the Franchise mode omits goals, mini-camps, morale, and spring training. Want even less? You can't challenge calls after a play, and the promised 'hard-hitting' animations during a tackle turn into a weird and glitchy dance. And tragically, there's no Superstars mode. Once you've done feasting on the visuals, you've got a bargain-basement Madden at a real-world price. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

There are redeeming features, a few nice touches of scripting here and a cool boss there, but generally the fabled shitty-stick of non-touching is going to have to make another one of his increasingly common appearances. [PC Zone]

It's definitely a step in the right direction for a series we were getting well and truly bored with. So if you can forgive it a slight feeling of wooden-ness, Need For Speed Most Wanted is a really slick racer with stacks for you to do.

If you're a die-hard and quite old Sonic fan, Shadow the Hedgehog will probably disappoint with its weird mish-mash of styles and the same awkward and flawed 3D play of "Sonic Heroes." [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The four Narnia kids all have skills which complement one another, and they can be upgraded by exchanging the many tokens that can be found around the levels.

But if you're looking for an entertaining postwork action/adventure romp, this simply isn't worth the moolah.

Looking past the nostalgia, you realise a lot of the games are a bit wank by today's standards, but Taito Legends scrapes being worth it for the first games listed alone. [PC Zone]

'Lightweight' probably best describes Suikoden Tactics - it's not without a fair bit of excitement and some clever moments, but it's not particularly memorable either, and it certainly won't make strategy lovers break into a sweat. [PSW]

The film's distinctive environments are employed to great effect - hills and ridges mean characters with different specialities come into their own when used properly, and the buildings and natural obstructions add to the game's surprising depth. [PSW]

The main problem with Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is its sheer monotony. Most of the levels, although graphically sumptuous, barely vary as you progress through them. But worse than that, the core gameplay itself becomes immensely tedious as you find yourself battling exactly the same set of limited creatures over and over again. [PSW]

There's no denying what unabashed, volatile fun Without Warning is. But blowing people and stuff up over and over again soon gets tiresome and it's precisely then that the early promise evaporates. [PSW]

Unfortunately, the cut-scenes throughout the game just rub salt into the wound, their slick animations contrasting with the clunky in-game action. Yes, From Russia With Love creaks like the 75-year-old Connery's knees, but it still has style. [PSW]

Underground and underwhelming, it's a shame none of that Pixar magic rubbed off on this. [Official UK XBox Magazine]

It's a refreshing premise, but it isn't executed as well as it should be. Approach with caution.

So take a chance, stop with this utterly average scripted nonsense and dare to be different, EA. You owe it to the nation. England expects... [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Sniper Elite could well have been a terrifically good simulation of being a wartime sneaky fella had there been a greater sense of ambition displayed in the design process. As it is, you're left with a game that doesn't really offer a great deal more in terms of ammo delivery that we haven't seen done equally well in more popular, less subject-specific shooters. [PC Zone]

With some lacklustre mission design (shoot enemies, find keycode, go through door, repeat) and an even flatter multiplayer mode, Ghost in the Shell feels like a wasted opportunity like "Coded Arms" before it. [PSW]