Camera issues and the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay won't appeal to everyone, plus the release price doesn't quite fit with the length of the game, but fans will be more than pleased with what's been accomplished here as it's almost entirely for the good of the franchise.

If you’ve already been won over by last year’s instalment though, THQ and Yukes have delivered a solid sequel that serves a strong warning to any would-be competitors – two rounds are down and they have no intention of giving up the fight.

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.

Developer Mitchell Corporation has approached the task of reinvigorating a 22-year-old game with intelligence and verve and regardless of the presentational shortcomings (which are easy to forgive when considering the low RRP) Pang: Magical Michael is an engaging and consistently entertaining experience.

A treat to behold for fans of the zombie genre or otherwise, this add-on comes recommended to anyone looking for a macabre twist on the Red Dead formula.

Mortal Kombat is back and this time it's pulling no punches.

Whether or not you'll warm to it depends largely on if you enjoy the game's maniacal atmosphere: if you are, or ever were, a slightly juvenile adolescent male with a penchant for videogames and movies – and I think that covers most of us – there's a very good chance it'll go down a treat.

Mortal Kombat is back and this time it's pulling no punches.

MadWorld may well be a highly nuanced comment on the role violence plays within our entertainment, as well as a gleeful two fingers to the Wii’s so-called casual audience.

The action is fun, fast and varied and makes for an enjoyable romp fans of the genre would be foolish to pass up.

On the whole however, it’s hard to resist the basic level of fun that Blur’s overall design attributes bring about.

There’s nothing else out there quite like it, and Darwinia+ will absolutely delight anyone who fondly remembers the arcade games of the seventies and eighties.

So despite its promise of fast cars and buxom blondes suggesting otherwise, OutRun Online Arcade isn’t quite the game our dreams are made of, but it’s damn near close.

Dimensions is a consummate example of the handheld fighting game. It's packed with content (the highlight of which is a Chronicle mode which recaps stories from past DOA games), and brings back fond memories spent playing the Dead Or Alive games across previous generations.

There is a wealth of content growling under the proverbial hood, but the game comes perilously close to lacking any real enthusiasm to show us exactly what it is that makes it so special.

As a package, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron's lack of ambition is countered by an obvious fondness for the Transformers themselves and the amount of polish that has been lavished on its presentation and mechanics. Gamers looking for something new will find little here to draw them in, but as a celebration of Hasbro's iconic cast of characters there is much here to be recommended, and plenty for High Moon Studios to build on should it get another chance to work with the robots in disguise.

You're getting a short yet solid single-player mode that demands a love for the 'combat evolved' formula – it's a first-person shooter that is linear to the core, though we hope to see this change in future instalments. The story could have used some tweaking, but fans will still find an enjoyable experience with challenging gameplay and vicious enemies.

It is suitably complex mechanically to be challenging on a level beyond simply long fights with tough enemies, and tells a solid story reminiscent of the older Final Fantasy games from which it draws design elements.

A treat to behold for fans of the zombie genre or otherwise, this add-on comes recommended to anyone looking for a macabre twist on the Red Dead formula.

Like Limbo, Flower and Braid before it, Tales From Space: About A Blob is the type of release that makes you thankful for the existence of downloadable gaming and the freedom that it gives developers to create lean, punchy and engaging games that would have no doubt been doomed to obscurity had they been launched full-price at retail.

Watching the cute little characters cutting down cute little enemies, using familiar abilities and items, exploring old themes… It's done something I never thought possible. It's made me nostalgic for Final Fantasy games. Even Final Fantasy XIII. Again, I love the idea of the Final Fantasy saga, and this allows me to explore it and remember all the things that made it great, all while having a great rhythm game, to boot. There are enough unlockables to keep you going back for 'just one more song'.

By the simple virtue of being a more cleverly designed game than those from recent history combined with the clear love and appreciation for the source material, Lego Harry Potter firmly stands out as the most accomplished title in the Lego series yet.

It's been years and Max Payne has aged both as a character and as a series. It's visually impressive and spins a compelling yarn, featuring a protagonist who walks the line of insanity yet remains likeable due to his inner humanity. That said, it goes to show that there's still only so much that can be done with a third-person shooting game set in the real world, becoming limited by the endless mobsters and hired guns. It's anything but perfect, but as what amounts to a gritty and playable action flick, Max Payne 3 could be just the ticket for those empty summer months.

Whilst not the best instance of DLC we’ve ever seen, The Pitt serves as a faithful expansion and further raises hopes for the final instalment of the series, and for post-release content in general.

The best thing to do when you put on Dance Central 3 is to embrace shame, put your dignity aside and get dancing. Oh, and then there's the latest DLC, which includes Gangnam Style. You know you want to horsey dance. Oh yes you do.

So, there's enough of merit here to warrant a fourth outing, but Guerrilla will have to step up their game if Killzone is to be remembered as one of the truly great FPS series.

CastleStorm represents the best of its muses’ ideals – namely those belonging to the tower defense genre and Angry Birds – and fuses them into something specially made and distinctly enjoyable. Minor quirks don’t leave a damaging impression, either, which can’t be said for every joyously destroyed playhouse castle you’ll come into contact with along the way.

When you finally take the key out of the ignition, step out of your hotrod and observe all the carnage that Split Second has wrought, the overriding impression is that this is one slick game.