Overall, NHL 09 is a worthy purchase for ice hockey fans and an improvement on previous NHL titles. Non-hockey fans may enjoy the game for a short period before switching back to familiar territory – possibly a rental for them.

NHL 2k9 is nothing to be shunned as there is certainly enjoyment to be had, however, EA managed to step their game above the competition this year around with NHL 09.

EA advertised the game as a balanced fighter using a ‘rock, paper, scissors’ format. Unfortunately the game isn’t balanced, it’s not much fun to play for anything more than a few minutes at a time, and the computer AI is evil.

Despite the great looks and fantastic “Create-a-fighter” ability, FaceBreaker is a pretty shallow experience that comes across as more frustrating than fun.

The overall feel of the gameplay is average, bordering on bad.

Personally, I think Generic Japanese Role Playing Game # 23 would be more suitable for it. It's average at best and one that should be avoided. Let's hope some of the future Square Enix produced titles turn out much better.

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise is – quite embarrassingly – one of the best titles I have played this year.

Really enjoyable to play, especially when playing online with a friend, and should be purchased by any destruction loving fan.

Strong sound effects and some great background music make Castle Crashers a great game to turn up the speakers for, despite no audio within the story mode.

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.

A serious contender for the best golf game of all-time and rightly so.

Overall Tiger Woods 09 is a fantastic update in the franchise and continues to show that EA Games aren’t just about churning out games year after year, but more about improving them to the highest standard possible.

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.

Ferrari Challenge is not a great game, nor is it very good, it’s more of your average racer.

All in all, if you are a fan of the series you will no doubt be impressed with Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty. And you absolutely know what to expect: gadgets and guns are this franchises staple. If you are new to the series this is not a hard game to pick up on.

Whilst there doesn't appear to be much to Galaga Legions on the surface, there is a level of tactical skill in placing craft in the right place at the right time, as well as a memory game for the swarm patterns. As a twitch shooter, there's a definite addictive quality that is perfect for the arcade high-score chase.

Too Human feels unfinished and broken. After 10 years in development, you'd think that maybe it would have a lot less bugs and problems that it actually does. Unfortunately that's not true.

With a frustrating serve and volley AI and a sluggish player reaction/ movement system I wouldn't be surprised if SCT3 doesn't make its way to your gaming collection.

Bionic Commando is not as amazing as the recently released Braid, but it is up there as one of the best Xbox LIVE Arcade titles available.

The games don’t provide enough entertainment and will bore many players after an hour or two due to the games being luck-based.

EA have this year won the Superbowl this year by providing the best NFL experience to date.

Madden has gotten better, but it hasn’t progressed much in my view.

Braid is a stunning title which provides an experience which flows fluently from start to end. The simple concept, the complex puzzles, the beautiful presentation or the magical story.

As nice as Monster Madness looks, it cannot make up for the lack of fun on offer, 90% of which is mashing the X button.

Feels like Geometry Wars but with more great game modes, multiplayer and improved visuals.

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.

If you like beat 'em ups you can't go wrong with Soul Calibur IV.

Way too short.

Transition between puzzle and rhythm is bad, can get pretty tedious after a while.

At 800 points it’s difficult to recommend Coffeetime Crosswords to anyone but the super bored Crossword obsessive, who desperately needs those extra gamer points and achievements.

The game is lifeless, dull and has no real goals. You can dodge your way to victory by dodging this one.

Overall, despite the poor AI in single player, lack of game modes in multiplayer, weak audio and poor graphics, We Love Golf! is more like We Like Golf! and is a major improvement on the golf game within Wii Sports.

The ultimate fun family friendly golf game.

Not much replayability.

Civilization Revolution is how all console strategy titles should be. Fun, easy to pick up with a good degree of difficulty.

With the many events available to you, in both male and female types, along with the lengthy and challenging Competition mode, there will be plenty on offer here to keep you coming back to tackle your personal best.

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

It’s one of the greatest fighters to grace the digital screen.

Whereas the Flash series is known for its over the top gore and unbelievable injuries caused by and to the cutesy animals, False Alarm will be known for its poor controls and short length.

The multiplayer is the best I’ve seen in an XBOX Live Arcade title.

Whilst WALL-E might be the most adorable robot you’ll ever see, the game certainly isn’t. The game feels rushed and is a very poor use of the license.

What we have here is the definitive edition of Overlord. It is however, kind of annoying that it has been released at a full retail price, especially when you consider the time the game has been out on the 360 already.

AITD is one of the more difficult games to review that I've looked at recently, because it does so much right, but then it also does so much wrong as well. It truly is a hit and miss affair.

The most important aspect to fans of the series is obliviously going to be how the game performs in multiplayer, which rest assured is fantastic.

It might not re-invent the wheel or “wow” you, but it’s consistently worthwhile.

Top Spin 3 is actually one of the better tennis games I have played in some time, however its ridiculously weak tutorial system will completely put off the potential gamers before they even have the chance to see the same kind of admiration I have.

There's no doubting that Sea Life Safari is a relaxing and calming experience, some may say mind numbing. It's difficult to see where the claimed “unlimited replayability” enters the picture.

The gameplay is short and shallow.

There's just moments of absolute genius that make this game probably the best video game I've ever played - and I've played quite a few!

It is playable, but only just for a few minutes.

It’s quite an enjoyable career for The Kid, but once that’s done, that’s practically the end of the game. Sure, you have the Exhibition mode, Training and Online, but there’s nothing more to it.

Overall, NASCAR 09 is not for the casual racing fan and will only be enjoyed by NASCAR enthusiasts.

Overall I enjoyed NASCAR 09 for a fair few hours, but I got bored after around 6-8 hours of play.

If you are looking for a great fighting game, stop looking--you've just found it. Whether you are a fan of the TV show, or have never even heard of it, DBZ: BL is quite simply brilliant.

Simply put, there is no reason that anyone should pay money to play this game.

Aces of the Galaxy is certainly not for everyone. Whilst the level of quality is clear and fun is certainly to be had, the game will scare off many with its fast and confusing style of gameplay.

Roogoo is an addictive puzzle game with very simple controls and enjoyable multiplayer.

Sadly the game isn’t as spectacular as I was hoping and the repetitiveness will soon set in during your first trek through the levels providing very little replay value, however while it lasts, you will no doubt love whacking people time and time again with a few sequences, while also testing your timing and even driving skills.

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

GRID is ultimately the fun and enjoyable racing game that many people have been waiting for. With beautiful graphics and an amazing flashback feature, who wouldn't buy this game? With so many different game types, GRID really does cater all thrills that drivers seek.

Whilst the game is certainly not a must-purchase due to its length, it is definitely a must rent for younger and casual gamers.

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.

The problem that crops up with Buku Sudoku is a matter of value. There are literally hundreds of sources on the web where you can play Sudoku for free. Why would you pay money to play something that you can play for free?

If you don't have Xbox LIVE, steer well clear of this because the AI simply doesn't cut it. Still, if you have LIVE, and are looking for a fun online shooter to tide you over, you could do a lot worse than ET: QW.

Fantastic story, genuinely funny, great comic feel.

Whether you are working on a Yoga pose, stretching your thighs, or going for that perfect down hill run, there is a quality and a depth to each of the activities. This speaks volumes about the investment (and commitment) Nintendo has to their causal gaming approach.

The audio in UEFA Euro 2008 is also extremely great.

Prince Caspian isn't really bad, like many other movie tie-ins, but it does have some major flaws such as the camera and reptitiveness which really let it down.

Ultimately the game dies due to the problems with the multiplayer, and so here lies the paradox: it would be great to see more people playing this online, but online is so crippled it doesn't make buying it worth while. Go figure.

Despite having some great gameplay, SR: TVG is ultimately let down by its serious lack of depth.

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

Whilst the game has some nice features in it, the overall gameplay is far too repetitive and boring.

Let me put it this way, there are times when I’m playing GTA IV and I forget that it’s a game. It literally is an immersive experience.

It offers depth of experience unlike any other.

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

If you have a few spare and want a nice mix between strategy and card games, then go ahead, but Lost Cities will not be for everyone.

A half-decent title.Midway have brought in a few interesting ideas to spice up street basketballand whilst a few of the ideas work, a lot of them let the game down.

Overall Battlezone offers little life span and just feels outdated.

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.

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.

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.

Disappointing single player, poor character models, awful sound, and the online portion of the game is hideously broken.

It doesn’t have the lifespan of other XBOX Live Arcade titles and your 800 Microsoft Points could be spent on a better title.

Dark Sector is recommended to any gamer looking for a gruesome fix of body slicing action, and whilst the game is not near as bad as the media has perceived, it is undoubtedly going up against a strong line-up of first-person shooters currently on the Xbox 360.

The controls are a brilliant crossover from the PC version, but there are too many issues that make this game verging on the unplayable.

For a hack and slash it is good, but for people wanting a good story and a reason to play, they should stay away at all costs.

It doesn’t have a multiplayer mode and the audio is only average, but Viking: Battle for Asgard executes what it set out to achieve - fun and addictive gameplay, even if short-lived.

Despite the small selection of courses, and minor gripes with dialogue, the game really is addictive, both off and online.

If you are a SEGA nut like me, you will adore many aspects found in SEGA Superstars Tennis. You will also leave the experience however wanting more in both single player and online.

It’s definitely a fun game to play with vast amounts of mini-games to keep you going. The single player does lack depth however and there’s not much replayability for those looking for a solid single player game.

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 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.

It is quite a poor game, mainly due to the longevity though being a budget title – I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece.

It’s squarely aimed at children yet a frustrating change in difficulty for each game will see you trying or just turning the game off after loosing a few lives.

Not only are the environments detailed and fitting the style of gameplay, but the character models are superb and show a great range of emotion, especially during the many cutscenes placed throughout each level.

PES2008 brings nothing new to the table. It’s the same old gameplay (which isn’t a bad thing), with subpar visuals and just passable sound. There’s nothing to keep you from sticking with PES6. It’s still good enough to play and enjoy, but not even having a reasonable online game is pathetic.

If pointing at the screen and shooting is missing in your life and you are craving a killing Zombie romp, these classics now available on the Nintendo Wii seem the perfect choice to fill this void.

It truly is a unique game because it’s simple, and yet the concept will last you not only for hours or days, but weeks and months. If you can’t enjoy this game, stop playing video games.