While not as great a progression as it could have been, LocoRoco 2 still manages to squash, bounce and squeeze its way into must-have territory, and is as pristine a slice of portable gaming as one could hope for. Visually arresting, a pleasure to play and an aural triumph (we dare you not to hum along to the soundtrack!), the love and attention that has been lavished on its production veritably oozes from the screen.

Take Ultimate Collection for what it is – an inexpensive assortment of classic SEGA titles – and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better deal on the market.

With Overkill, Headstrong has delivered an inspired resurrection of both SEGA's decaying franchise and the light gun shooter genre as a whole.

The visuals and treasure-hunter plot (and the role that the tarantula and scorpion will play in it) hold just enough intrigue to keep you playing, but as a whole, it’s more a chore than an adventure.

What Afro Samurai has in visual style, it lacks in design finesse.

In essence, Operation Anchorage is everything that Fallout 3 wasn't; if Bethesda set out to surprise then they've succeeded.

Football Manager Live is a curious, audacious shot of adrenaline into a series that was bordering on stagnation.

Skate 2 highlights the premise of evolution excellently with its minor, yet impressive changes reinforcing its position as the best skateboarding game on the market today.

The excellent qualities of Second Evolution are always at war with its meandering, trifling aspects.

Amazingly, EA are still surprising us, but for all of the wrong reasons. Who knew that they still had the capacity to deliver such awful, creaky, shoddily-constructed software? Once a seemingly forgotten page in EA's coloured history, we can only hope that this disgrace to the near-legendary universe that Tolkien crafted is simply an anomaly.

From its ship-based hub to its mythological roots via its highly linear attempts at non-linearity, Rise of the Argonauts is very much a case of ’seen it all before, done much better’.

From the moment you set sail aboard Buccaneer you get the immediate sense of quality thanks to a deliciously crafted gameworld, where beautifully sculpted islands nestle amongst the oceans, themselves as visually impressive as anything else you'll likely find in any big-budget equivalent.

Never mind videogaming, Chrono Trigger is one of the great recent examples of storytelling in any medium. In short, it's everything role-playing games are meant to be, sucking you into a unique world until your identification with the game is inseparable from the characters and their goals.

Metal Slug 7 is what it is; a resolutely old school, unashamedly non-progressive and brutally tough side-scrolling shooter and, in many respects, SNK should be applauded for bringing an authentic Metal Slug experience to the DS.

Sadly, the biggest advancement of Football Manager 2009 - the 3D match engine - is also the most underwhelming. Without eye-massaging graphical capabilities, it's hard to see why any FM veteran would choose the 3D option, relegating the much-hyped addition to an intriguing novelty, yet a novelty which will surely be slowly improved upon year after year.

Left 4 Dead transcends the black and white of 'single player' or 'multiplayer' – suddenly there's a realisation that four players have amalgamated into a single, unified body during play. It's an incredibly exhilarating feeling, and other games offering co-op modes that amount to little more than running and gunning together suddenly appear a little juvenile. Left 4 Dead has indefinitely raised the bar for true co-operative play.

For anyone already enjoying Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria is a near-essential purchase. Not only in regard to progressing further through the Lord of the Rings storyline, but in offering a fresh style of play through the new character classes and presenting a lengthy boost to the game's lifespan.

It's not just that Need for Speed Undercover is a bad game; it's that it's a bad game with an incredibly erratic engine. The flaws, problems and issues that exist in NFS Undercover are virtually inexcusable for a popular franchise from such an affluent publisher.

There really is no denying that MK vs. DCU is a simple game at heart, which makes it ideal for playing with a few mates who don't really specialise in fighting games. But its simplicity ultimately proves to be its downfall as, after a week or so of playing, your fighting skills will have outgrown everything that the game has to offer. Competent but unessential.

Despite DICE's uneasy underhandedness to force players into more conventional situations that the game simply isn't built for, Mirror's Edge is an impressive experiment and a compelling title that revels in its unique mechanics.

Nuts & Bolts is a country mile away from being the instant classic that the original was, even though it can often be hugely charming, tremendously entertaining and filled with a bucket-load of humour. But it strikes us as having hit a brick wall midway through development, with its lack of ideas resulting in a clever concept falling somewhat short of the level it deserves.

Unfortunately a large shadow in the shape of last year's game hangs heavy over everything in World at War. Admittedly the feel is excellent, the visuals and audio work strong, but any overt enthusiasm is tempered by the knowledge that in twelve months time we'll perhaps be thinking the same thing about part six: that we've seen it all before, that in itself each Call of Duty is still one of the best rollercoaster rides outside of Hollywood's summer season, that Modern Warfare did it all better.

Though all the usual punches, grapples and reversals are present, the already weak SmackDown system crumbles under even the gentlest of nudges, a situation not helped after being treated to TNA Impact's impressive mechanics earlier in the year.

The story may be overambitious, inconclusive and undermined by some queasy sentimentality, but the fine-tuning made to the game's core shooting and cover mechanics make Gears of War 2 Epic's finest work to date.

The same flaws that have always plagued the game still persist, yet Exit is just too charming to be mad at. Its more fiendish levels are brilliant, and the visuals and general uniqueness produce a game that is simply enormously likable.

The glorious visual style in which the world is rendered is a long way from the bloody realities of war, yet the game still manages to present a challenging and believable conflict. Underneath its polished (and undoubtedly quirky) presentation is a confidently delivered and engaging experience that doesn't hold itself a prisoner to convention. It's tempting to think that SEGA may very well have delivered a cult classic.

There is a simple pleasure to be had if you leave all of your expectations at the door and, if you can overlook its painful neglect, the multiplayer may keep you occupied until the more prominent shooters arrive later in the month. But unfortunately, Quantum of Solace turned out to be a bit more George Lazenby than Sean Connery.

The latter part of Resistance 2 is altogether more successful than its opening, with some diverting puzzles, nods to Valve's storytelling technique and a well-considered balance between checkpoints. But the fact that its levels are so sparse and the production values so surprisingly low suggests this isn't a game in which every action should be savoured, rather one to plough through at full pelt. Look for revolution in Resistance 2 and you'll be found wanting.

Though it doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, the level of artistry is so far beyond anything we've played recently that it almost doesn't need to. Standing uniquely in the busy Christmas schedule and indeed within 2008 as a whole, Fallout 3 is an experience to savour.

Frantic, fast-paced and undeniably fun, Pacific Rift is a substantial enough improvement to win over doubters of the original, even if some of the track design and vehicle balancing still isn’t perfect.

The King of Fighters deserves better than this sloppy port.

It doesn't do anything particularly outstanding to persuade MotoGP virgins to dip their toes in two-wheeled waters, but to say the game does little right would also be doing it a disservice. This instalment of MotoGP feels like a new beginning for the sub-genre, and as such deserves sampling by most. The petrol heads amongst us, especially.

LittleBigPlanet is gaming’s equivalent to YouTube: an unprecedented channel of collective talent that offers a level of creative freedom never before seenin a commercial videogame. It does for the platform genre what Half-Life did for shooters and what Gran Turismo did for racers; injecting innovation into a rapidly-staling genre and paving the way for the future of the side-scrolling platformer.

Sadly Guitar Hero is starting to succumb to its heritage of being Rock Band's old man, and slowly growing out of touch with the gaming generation. Guitar Hero: World Tour doesn't offer anything of any substance over Rock Band, especially with its less than stellar selection of tracks and a disturbing lack of atmosphere.

An endearing tale of courage and responsibility, and one of the most delightful titles you’ll find on Xbox 360.

The worlds have a vibrancy that recalls the original PlayStation games, special effects are suitably dazzling and the whole affair is efficiently produced whilst making the most of the host hardware. It's close to being the sort of Spyro game that, judging by their PS3 Ratchet & Clank adventures, series creators Insomniac would have made had they still an active interest in all things purple dragon, and an appropriate way to mark Spyro's 10th anniversary.

As far as sandbox games go, it is pretty rudimentary, with an incredibly limited range of mission types. If, however, you slip on Spider-Man's famous skin-tight costume expecting little more than a high-camp, sandbox beat 'em up, you will not be disappointed.

The impressive vehicle handling, sky-high production values and conscious decision to refine Midnight Club for its next-gen debut rather than reinvent ensure that MC: LA is the best in its class.

So Rock Revolution isn’t quite the revolution it claims to be. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s a game that cuts every corner possible to create a soulless, low-cost venture that happily plays second fiddle to its competitors.

SOCOM: Confrontation is a game delivered with conviction and a clear sense of its identity, and that it will be embraced and loved by veterans of the series is without question. However, its single-minded pursuit of realism is also unfortunately its greatest downfall, making it at times more frustrating than enjoyable.

Saints Row 2 is as unremarkable as it is entertaining, but if you’re willing to forgive it for its myriad of flaws and technical vulgarities, there’s a fairly meaty game at the heart of it all that should, if nothing more, satisfy your criminal cravings until Rockstar's first wave of downloadable content.

There are so many moments throughout Dead Space that will have you frozen to the spot, either through awe or sheer terror, and each of the game’s twelve chapters are just as entrancing as they are horrifying. A spectacular sci-fi romp from start to finish.

As a heavily-tweaked version of last year’s game, FIFA 09 may not have arrived with as much flair as that of its predecessor, but nevertheless it’s a solid and impressive assertion of the ‘new’ EA’s intentions to be market-leaders, rather than simply settle for second-best.

The Legend of Kage 2 pays homage to its 22 year old father extremely well, with a traditional feel that should really excite fans of the side-scrolling genre.

The orchestral score is decent, the physics are impressive if not revelatory, and the whole affair is certainly competent, if utterly uninvolving. Is that really good enough though? No, of course not. The one attempt at uniqueness – the Entrencher – is a flop, and the whole enterprise lacks any finesse or charm to transcend influence.

Crash's latest iteration ultimately feels strangely empty and sadly devoid of any real soul outside of its delightful cutscenes.

More Game Party is a casual game aimed at a casual audience, for whom the insipid, dull and unengaging mini-games might provide the type of minor distraction they were looking for. For everyone else, it's best avoided.

Homecoming is an assured and welcome entry into the series that will be appreciated by fans of survival horror, though to gamers unfamiliar with the ways of Silent Hill, it may come across as slightly anachronistic in the face of such efficiently tooled thrill-rides as Dead Space.

BioWare has created a rare beast with Sonic Chronicles; a beginner's RPG that is pitched perfectly for the hedgehog and handheld’s younger followers to identify with, while still possessing its developer’s unmistakable sheen of quality.

While it might not bring anything particularly new to the formula, the wealth of features and enhancements ensure that WipEout HD is the best iteration in the time-honoured series so far. For the incredible price, it’s an unmissable package.

The astounding visuals and deeper deviations from a simple arcade game keep Pure fresh, and while it isn’t perfect, it'll certainly take you for an exhilarating ride.

As polished and as faithful to the source material as Samba de Amigo is aesthetically, the lasting impression is of a missed opportunity. A tighter game would have made a massive difference, though the essence of the license is so strong that an impulsive purchase won’t be a complete mistake - especially if a games party is on the agenda.

It’s arguable that the PSP version is still the definitive PAL release, but the DS version doesn’t lag far behind. Such a niche title is a rare treasure on Nintendo’s handheld, serving as a meticulously hardcore game on a device where such games are becoming increasingly scarce.

Luckily such design oversights are quite rare, but an overall polish doesn’t change the fact that this 10 year old remake is suffering from an identity crisis. If the charm and appeal of Cornet’s world gets its claws into you, you’ll be hooked. If not, you’ll be bored before the end of the third chapter.

De Blob's wickedly funny story gives the game a wonderful charm. It may have its flaws, but De Blob is exactly the kind of game we’d like to see more of on Wii - bright, playful and gosh darn fun.

Multiwinia has a ton of longevity to offer. The game will surprise you constantly, while the formidable AI and exciting variety of match types means there’s plenty of manic multiplayer fun to be had.

Being let loose with the Force and given some spectacular scenarios to work with makes for an excellent game in premise, but LucasArts just haven't nailed the basics. Disappointment of the year? Quite possibly.

The Chapters of the Chosen is a deep, well conceived, measured and expertly delivered title that is as rewarding to play as it is aesthetically pleasing. A title that is both a fascinating glimpse into the past and a wonderful vindication of the importance and durability of solid game design.

With the solid wrestling system at heart, TNA had potential to be one of the better wrestling titles out there, but there just isn't enough content offered to recommend a purchase.

Many will be put off by Yakuza 2's lengthy cutscenes, or bored by the lack of variety in the gameplay; but for those for which the game clicks, it is a title that will be hard to forget. The boldness of its narrative and the confidence of its mechanics make Yakuza 2 a slice of Japanese gaming that is well worth experiencing.

By removing any sense of strategy and skill EA has broken the two most fundamental rules of a fighter. Instead, FaceBreaker is nothing more than a mere exercise in button-bashing.

SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 ticks all retro-gaming boxes admirably, offering a satisfying and varied selection of authentically emulated games that deserve to be played, rather than left to gather dust in SNK’s vaults!

The 3D makeover does a solid job and there are enough effects and functional animations that nod to the title’s origins, balanced by an elegant presentation and a superb score.

Chocobo's Dungeon does what it does best in one area only, the Mystery Dungeon area, and people unfamiliar to the formula will more than likely struggle to get into things. Having said that, it's the only game of its kind on Wii right now and by giving it a lot of time, Mystery Dungeon fans will get a lot out of it - given they don't mind the cruddy presentation.

The hidden object aspect of the game is solid and never falls on the side of frustration, but the minigames could do with being more varied and taxing. Ultimately, Death in Scarlet comes highly recommended for those looking for a game light on difficulty but heavy on intrigue.

In spite of some medium-sized annoyances, there are no game-breaking problems here, and there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had for players who like a sprinkle of terror on their gaming pie.

It’s not for everyone; if the idea of a tribute to hard-as-nails adventuring turns you off, then walk away.