Whether the game is just poorly thought out or a cynical cash-grab to prey on children and their parents' wallets is debatable, but either way The Croods demands far too much time for too little reward to be worth a download.

With a darker location, additional powers and more varied selection of missions, Assassin's Creed 3: The Tyranny of King Washington: Part Two furthers the potential of Connor's episodic adventure.

With some truly breathtaking battles, great online play and the promise of free challenges to come, Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate is just what Nintendo's fledging console needs.

Gears of War: Judgment is not a bad game, but one that very much stands in the shadow of its more illustrious predecessors. It is a bit like going back to a favorite restaurant, only to find that the management has changed and it's just not quite the same anymore...Sure, you'll still have a pretty decent meal, but you'll also leave yearning for days gone by.

The Showdown Effect isn't a bad way to kill some hours, and the developer is clearly intent on supporting the game with new content. We also didn't have many problems finding matches. But while this is a promising start, the game doesn't quite scratch that multiplayer itch just yet.

Nano Assault EX is a solid upgrade over the original game, but the shortcomings remain unaddressed. That said, it's still very much a decent experience filled with enjoyable moments, and if you're intent on playing Nano Assault, you should get the eShop version.

While it remains to be seen whether or not Ascension's multiplayer mode will receive the backing of a sizeable community, we can safely say that after eight years of making God of War games, Santa Monica Studio still knows how to craft an epic and enjoyable single-player experience unmatched in scale.

Rotolla is an interesting take on puzzle games, stressing reflexes over strategy. The minimalist art style may stray a bit on the bland side, but once you get going Rotolla's puzzling gameplay will keep you hooked.

Mini Ninjas has a unique approach to microtransactions, but finicky collision detection brings down what is otherwise a fairly average 2D infinite runner game.

The slim amount of content is more tolerable for an iOS game though, giving leaderboard chasers an action-packed shooter that is fairly unique among smartphone and tablet games.

It's a bit pricey for an endless runner, especially considering that there is only one environment to run through, and it's mostly interchangeable with just about any other Temple Run clone out there, but this is also the best Sonic has played on a smartphone yet.

Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow - Mirror Of Fate is an ambitious title with great boss battles, wonderful visuals and intuitive combat, making it a good fit for the Nintendo 3DS. But it won't be to everybody's taste.

That said, Splash or Crash is very much a decent addition to the eShop, and provides enough enjoyment and replay value to be worth its low price.

Even though a watered-down version of the game is available to play for free, Super House of Dead Ninjas on Steam is a great time-waster and comes recommended.

Ragnarok Odyssey is a polished offering with tight controls and nice graphics, but a little innovation would have gone a long way. In terms of both style and gameplay, this is little more than a generic RPG offering that fails to build on solid foundations.

There is a fantastic racing game core to Real Racing 3, but it is hiding behind a restricting free-to-play model. If there was a one-time purchase to eliminate upgrade times and increase the amount of cash earned per event, Real Racing 3 would be far more balanced and recommended without hesitation.

Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno is ultimately a mediocre side-scrolling action game that could have been much greater had it actually tried to invoke its predecessor instead of just referencing it through the art style.

Everything is presented with a whimsical charm befitting of the Toy Story name. The levels can get quite challenging, requiring actual planning instead of rewarding random shots, but the simple pleasure of knocking down block structures is so rewarding that it is a difficult game to put down.

Even when everything does work properly, which is rare, AVP: Evolution is little more than a straightforward brawler. The movie license is about all it has going for it, and it uses that license poorly.

It's an enjoyable fantasy strategy game, mechanically not unlike the Advance Wars series if you boil it down to basics.

Flaws like these show that, while Urban Trial Freestyle is a decent addition to the PlayStation games library, the game struggles to match who they're trying to imitate in pretty much every department.

The enhanced visuals and local and online co-operative multiplayer are welcome additions, but everything else feels a little bit outdated, with a distinct lack of variety in enemies and objectives in particular making the levels bland and monotonous by today's standards.

Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have re-awakened the Fire Emblem series in top form, merging its story and tactical combat as a masterful accomplishment for strategy RPGs.

Between its eerie atmosphere, creative puzzles and clever use of an oft-ignored area of folklore, Year Walk is a brilliant game that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

The fast swipes also compliment the game's frantic pace, making Worm Run a joy to pick up for a few quick rounds as you race to try and beat your high score.

While it's pretty to look at, The Gods: Rebellion offers an inconvenient control layout and relies too heavily on lengthy arena battles. At moments it shines, but those moments are few and far between.

Cyto is ultimately yet another physics puzzler for iOS, though inarguably a highly polished one, with puzzles that offer some fun, but feel more like going through the motions.

With a well written cast of characters, mightily impressive production techniques, sumptuous visuals, tight platforming and surprisingly enjoyable combat, Tomb Raider is most definitely a release to be treasured.