The barebones have always worked and EA has gone by the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" idea and kept most of it the same. Instead, EA have thrown in a bunch of interesting extras that make a purchase worthwhile.

Whilst the game does have a few minor flaws, none of these take away from the overall experience which can easily keep you entertained for countless hours.

Everything about Sonic Generations oozes excellence and while some of the traditional annoyances remain, it is hard to deny the crazy speeds and pure enjoyment Sonic's latest adventures reveal.

With its stunning visuals, enormous substance and strong online community, it’s a fighter that comes easily recommended. You see, good things really do come to those who wait.

Dead Island may lack that top level of polish, and even have its own awkward moments, but it's a game worth playing, and easily worth your money. The gameplay is deep, the visuals can be breathtaking (at times), and every bit of it is fun. This game earns itself a spot in the ranks of the best zombie games and RPGs around. There's still plenty of fun to be had with zombie games.

New challenges keep you coming back for more.

So in a nutshell, a rather large one, that is Far Cry 2; a bustling and beautiful paradise which is held back by small conflicts of repetition and control.

WWE 13 might not have any real competition when it comes to wrestling video games, but nevertheless it’s a great wrestling game and any fan should have this in their collection. The Attitude Era game mode was so nostalgic I smile thinking about it. Reliving those moments is worth it alone.

In the end, Resident Evil 4 HD brings back one of the greatest games of the last generation and brings it back with style. While the graphical improvements could have been better, the game itself still plays and looks better than ever. And even with a slightly high £15.99/$19.99 price tag, it's a game that previous fans will be happy to re-visit and new players will be happy to experience.

Overall Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a sequel worthy of taking your attention away from other shooter out there.

Sure there are a couple Star Wars rip offs such as the beam sword and some of your enemies looking like they wear storm trooper helmets, but all-in-all this is a unique game, with just the right amount of motion controls that gives enough in cast, speech, game-play, and story to keep you wanting more.

Whilst Boom Blox may look childish, it will appeal to audiences of all ages.

Knowing that NHL 2K wouldn't be released this year, you'd think EA Canada would take a back seat knowing full well that they will win the title of best hockey game this year, mainly because there are no others. Luckily for us, they realised that would be a stupid idea and went all-out in delivering a fantastic physics engine that really adds to the game.

Unreal Tournament 3 is all about the action. It isn't deep, but it is immensely fun.

Something I was very pleased to note was the vast improvement in graphics and animation over previous Guitar Hero iterations.

A great game where many hours can easily pass by without you noticing.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is an exciting, challenging, single player and multi-player experience which will keep you on the edge of your seats.

The improved gameplay adds realism but doesn’t take away the user-friendly experience is a definite asset, especially to a beginner. Most Madden games don’t add much to the game to warrant a purchase every single year, but the amount of tweaks in Madden 10 is definitely worth a look at the very least. It’s safe to say Madden 10 is the best Madden yet!

To sum up A World of Keflings is a step up in class from A Kingdom for Keflings.

Comic Jumper is probably the most unoriginal of Twisted Pixel's titles, with it sticking firmly to its inspirations. But it's not like that's a bad thing. It's still miles ahead of a lot of the XBLA titles being released at the moment.

Overall Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a sequel worthy of taking your attention away from other shooter out there.

XCOM is something we don't get too often nowadays; a challenging, different, bold game that is not afraid to try new things and also a successful reboot. Yes it has some issues but not nearly any bad enough to stop you playing. And yes, it is hard but that should be commended. No one said saving the world would be easy.

Whether combat is fast and gruesomely beautiful or at a halt leaving nothing but the scenery to admire, Ninja Gaiden II is presented beautifully.

For those that are willing to give it a shot, The Undergarden is just a joy to be in. It's so peaceful and wonderful that everything else doesn't seem to matter. It doesn't rush you and it's not too challenging and is perfect for a little break from the hectic real life.

The environments themselves seem to be their own joke and each have their own additional personality, which really makes them fun to explore.

Even if you rush through the main storyline there is still a ton of Nazi clearing to do, as well as additional perks, achievement and trophies to unlock.

To fans of the series, particularly those that haven't played the PSP games before, there's really no reason not to pick up this well packaged collection. Chains of Olympus provides an engaging story for its six hours, whilst Ghost of Sparta has some spectacular set pieces over its lengthier ten hours, with both having the solid combat and strong item utility that has made God of War so popular.

With all the single-player blockbuster first person shooters on the market and even more to come, if you are looking to break away from all the loneliness and socialise with a friend or few in vast desert landscapes, Borderlands could be just for you.

Whilst some aspects are sorely missed, such as tag team battles, larger stages and no ability to fight the commentator (one more “ring out” and I snap the disk!); other aspects take the game to the next level with beautiful graphics, a deep and intelligent character creation and fantastic gameplay all around.

There is nothing quite like Tales of Vesperia on the Xbox 360, and if you like JRPG's you really owe it to yourself to check it out, and if you are new to the genre then this is a really good starting point.

In closing go and pick this game up. With the flood of FPS's we have seen and the huge amount of titles launched before Christmas, Agent 47's return should not be overlooked. There are two games I would recommend this year and Hitman: Absolution is one of them. A really enjoyable game that offers hours and hours of replayability whether through leaderboards and challenges in the campaign, or through the very awesome and cleverly conceived Contracts mode.

As a sequel, it can never be counted as being as innovative as the original, but Skate 2 has taken the very best offered in Skate and ironed out most of the creases.

With great graphics this fun and addictive game will provide hours of gameplay for any pinball fan and is definitely worth a purchase.

Carcassonne for the Xbox LIVE Arcade is a great conversion of the original board game, but certain aspects of the game are lacking.

Being an “achievement addict” when I first got my hands on the list, I was more-or-less drooling... OK, that was a slight over-exaggeration but they are one of the best achievement lists I have seen.

Whilst the game is not revolutionary in storyline progression and the issues with online play leave more to be desired, the game does provide a fantastic single console experience that is long lasting, unique and most importantly a thrill to play.

So if you own a Kinect, and you aren't playing Zumba seven days a week, The Gunstringer is a game you shouldn't pass up. With its lowered retail price and accurate controls, the game delivers on the Kinect's promise of an innovative and fun game experience. With the only flaws being the length and 'sitting' mode, The Gunstringer is a game all Kinect owners should try.

Of course Perfect Dark is going to feel outdated, it's 10 years old! But what we have here is one of the best remakes in a long long time.

It's everything I expected from a sequel to Butcher Bay and more. It's just that Butcher Bay just had that little something to make it an fantastic game. Luckily, it's included with Dark Athena.

Even if you rush through the main storyline there is still a ton of Nazi clearing to do, as well as additional perks, achievement and trophies to unlock.

With all the single-player blockbuster first person shooters on the market and even more to come, if you are looking to break away from all the loneliness and socialise with a friend or few in vast desert landscapes, Borderlands could be just for you.

With the lack of the customisation and overall support of the PC version, veterans may find the game a tad gimped, at least for the time being. But for newcomers, or strictly console gamers, The Xbox 360 version is the perfect time to jump in.

Red Alert 3 adds some welcome changes that really add to the C&C formula.

The Wii Wheel and the wide open online courses all make it a lot less difficult for first time karters.

The best vertical shooter on Xbox LIVE to date. Oozing compelling gameplay, sound and graphics with a learning curve so steep that you’ll be coming back for more until you complete it.

Overall, 2K has addressed most of the issues gamers had with the previous game and produced a quality game for both casual and hardcore gamers. If you are looking for a tennis game that delivers a unique control system, coupled with an interesting levelling based system for your created player, and have enough replay value for your cash, then its match point to Top Spin 4.

Overall, for 400MS Points you can't go wrong. Nowadays developers can get a bit carried away with DLC pricing but RedLynx have remained sensible and for any fan of Trials, it's a complete no brainer.

Ready at Dawn did a good job in creating a motion sensor game that focuses on art and the beauty of it. The story itself isn’t extremely original and that leads to the game feeling kind of bland.

Prologue is a superb game in general and if you can live without the online play as it’s a pain in the backside on most occasions, there’s no reason not to pick it up.

Whether you’re new to the Geometry Warsgames or not, it’s still an enormously fun and addictive classic shooter.

Ratchet and Clank is a game that makes the player feel empowered; it's not so difficult as to make things frustrating, yet it's not so trivial as to make the progress feel boring and achievements frivolous.

The new weapons, improved campaign and great Xbox LIVE game modes make Worms 2: Armageddon, like its predecessor, a contender for best Xbox LIVE Arcade title.

Overall, Monday Night Combat is yet another gem to arise from the Summer of Arcade promotion. The brilliant development of the game and the unique concept sets the bar for future Xbox Live Arcade titles. Even at 1200 Microsoft Points, this is a must purchase.

An intense, realistic, first person shooter that will bring gamers as close to war as they’ll ever want to experience. It’s been an Eight year wait for Dragon Rising, but man was it worth it.

Those wanting more from Ezio, and to revel in the period set in Assassins Creed II for a little longer, will find fond memories in Assassins Creed Brotherhood; however I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen it all before and was being dragged along for the same old ride.

Solder-X 2: Final Prototype is a very novice friendly entry into the shooter genre, yet at the same time it is able to cater to the veterans of this type of game.

Those wanting more from Ezio, and to revel in the period set in Assassins Creed II for a little longer, will find fond memories in Assassins Creed Brotherhood; however I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen it all before and was being dragged along for the same old ride.

Despite its fairly short length, it’s a significant improvement upon Fright of the Bumblebees, mostly because of its more believable storyline and, once again, the typical Wallace and Gromit humour displayed throughout.

The Sly Trilogy marks developer Sucker Punch at its hilarious best, and even if you've only a modicum of interest in platforming games, there's no getting around the fact that this is a must-buy.

SEGA has served up as a great sequel, fixing problems with Virtua Tennis 3 though going that step further with an extended SPT Tour.

DJ Hero is the breath of fresh air the Guitar Hero series needed in order for the long-lasting appeal to be reignited.

My man-crush for Al Michaels notwithstanding, Madden 08 is the best entry into the series since it made the leap to this current-generation of consoles.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a remarkable title that takes three types of racing genres and somehow successfully combines them in such a way that your heart will vigorously pound with excitement, while your adrenaline enriched soul will never tire of the lush environments and epic races.

Sound Shapes is a refreshing change of style and pace for the PSN. Although not perfect it does a lot of things that have not been seen (or heard) before and should be commended for doing so. Add to this a small price tag and cross-play features and you have a great package that no PS3 owner should ignore.

Defense Grid provides all that is great about Tower Defense games and suffers from none of the pitfalls.

Brutal Legend lives up to the hype. The combination of a humorous action-adventure story with music and gameplay to match, makes the game one of the most unique titles on the market at the moment.

Whilst there may not be a huge amount of content available in MvC3, it doesn't seem to suffer too badly for it. There's still a lot to the game, such as learning to play each and every character to perfection, or if that's not you thing, then sticking the game on very easy along with the simple control system and just enjoying the amazing and impressive animation and artwork on offer.

With a gripping solo campaign, its depth of online modes and its passionate following of online players, SOCOM 4 has enough ingredients within its makeup to keep its disc firmly locked inside your PS3 console. Even if you are not a fan of the online element I recommend that you still check out its solo campaign. You might even be surprised that after you have beaten the single-player mode you might transfer over to its online side. At least that is what its developers hope you will do.

Although some of you may not want to spend you're hard earned cash on a game that may only last twenty to thirty hours, I'd urge you to give Lollipop Chainsaw a chance. With so many sequels coming out these days it's fantastic to see a refreshing and unique game hit the shelves and let's be honest, how can anyone reject a game that is filled with lollipops, chainsaws and short skirts?

It is another great addition to the LEGO game franchise and a real progression from first LEGO Batman.

Valkyria Chronicles is a wonderfully presented game which is easily accessible to all. It's not without its quirks, but these can be overlooked simply because the game is so enjoyable to play and watch.

If you enjoy platformers, cats or fun and laughter, then pick up this game and you won’t regret it.

What is on offer is probably a series high and it begs the question as with many of EA’s titles right now, what can be done next?

Overall, Split/Second: Velocity is a fantastic arcade racing title.

Fable III, as with the games before it, reaches for the stars with its ambitions, and for the most part manages to achieve them, even though the finale is somewhat weak.

Overall the Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice DLC does exactly what it was supposed to do; provide new life into an excellent arcade game. Even if it is a little short, at only 320MS Points it is considered a bargain in this day and age. If you enjoyed playing A World of Keflings, you really should pick up the content now.

Through the evolution of the series, Nippon Ichi have refined the TRPG mechanics to the levels of Royal Brackla Single Malt Whiskey. Disgaea 3 is a game to be savoured one tantalising taste at a time.

While it's fair to say that Mortal Kombat is flawed, it's also fair to say that we all expected it to be – and because of that it's actually far better than we could have imagined. It isn't particularly clever or sophisticated, but it's slick, sick and gruesomely entertaining. Complaining that Mortal Kombat is all style over substance is like complaining that Michael Bay's films have a lot of explosions in them – if it's not your cup of tea, go drink somewhere else. But if you want your action loud, colourful, exciting and unpredictable, you know exactly where to kome (last one, I promise).

It may not be winning any awards, that's not to say that this is one of the most captivating shooters currently available to Xbox 360 users. The morality of your choices has never been so well presented as they are in Spec Ops: The Line and for that reason alone it's a game that everyone should experience, if only for a few short hours.

F1 Race Stars is a great little game, perfect for those F1 fans who don't want the seriousness of Codemasters Racing's top dog F1 2012.

For the princely sum of £4, Flight Control HD is a title you can pick up on a whim, it's worth taking the risk that you might not like it at that price, but I guarantee the chances are you'll have a fun time on the cheap. If you have a Move controller it's an essential purchase – the game comes highly recommended.

If you are a hockey fan then you need this game. It’s as simple as that.

Dead Space 2 is a title that insists you to turn off the lights, whack up the sound and grab your comfort blanket as you walk the creepy infested corridors with gore at every turn. Don't feel diminished in any way though if you resort to a little illumination to calm the nerves as Dead Space 2 will shock you, stab you and slaughter you at every turn.

Madden 2012 is a considerable upgrade to Madden 2011 but there are still areas that EA need to improve in the next installment. Both online and offline the game has enough to keep American Football fans occupied for another year and with a new stat system in Superstar mode you will find yourself immersed as an RB, QB or whatever position takes your fancy. The commentary is without a doubt the game's biggest flaw, but when you get past that you will realise that Madden 12 will simply eat up the hours until EA announces Madden 13.

What is on offer is probably a series high and it begs the question as with many of EA’s titles right now, what can be done next?

The control system is what stood out to me the most on PES2008 Wii. At first, it can be confusing, as players are pointing the Wii-mote and shaking the nunchuk all over the place but the superbly created in-game tutorials are there to help you understand.

If you love playing team-based shooters with strong team elements and multiple objectives, plus you have the patience to work through some clunky game choices and technical issues, Save Brink. If you're the exact opposite from above, Escape while you still can.

That said, MotoGP 09/10 is a solid game, it plays well, it looks good and has everything contained in the one package that any fans of motorcycle racing will enjoy.

While there were a few graphical issues within the game, World War 2 has never been told with such passion and quality.

Brutal Legend lives up to the hype. The combination of a humorous action-adventure story with music and gameplay to match, makes the game one of the most unique titles on the market at the moment.

Of course, if you are interested in poker this game will certainly interest you, but for those of you like myself who have hardly played poker and don't understand the rules, I can assure you this is a whole lot of fun!

It's amazing to look at, the music and rhythm of the game is second-to-none and the game's compatibility with Microsoft's latest peripheral makes for one of the better Kinect titles.

It may be only a slight improvement over FIFA 10, however it is hard to ignore the magic that an event like the World Cup can bring to the title.

Faithful port from the original arcade version that will have you in stitches while competing against your on or offline buddies.

All-in-all Crysis 3 is a great package, despite burning bright half as long. It may have not been exactly what all the fans wanted, but it does a great job of trying to appease as many as it can without sacrificing too much. Add to this a decent, if not groundbreaking multiplayer suite and you have a solid FPS that is more than worth a look.

Overall, Assassin's Creed III is an excellent addition to the series. While there a number of bugs and the protagonist isn't someone players will feel particularly attached to, the lengthy campaign, the range of objectives and the well thought out multiplayer ensure there is plenty of replayability to keep gamers occupied. This is a title that should be on every Christmas list.

Overall Shift 2 is an excellent racing game that really tries to throw you behind the wheel of a professional driver. With great graphics minus a few debris issues and impressive car mechanics, Shift 2 will challenge the best of drivers during the single player campaign and online. Fans of Forza Motorsport 2 and Gran Turismo 5, or just racing games in general, should definitely think about getting Shift 2 to keep you busy.

Greatest of all, this is a game that's easy to relax with, as a wind-down to the more usual murder-death-kill of many modern games. Bejewelled 2 really is a gem of casual gaming.