It's the great bump in visual quality, the diverse and engaging campaign that never lets up, and a universe that finally catches your interest that impresses the most.

A severe lack of additional game modes and revolutionary new features means that many of the tweaks will only really be noticeable to hardcore fans. Casual onlookers can rest assured, however, that Madden NFL 12 is one mighty fine football game and worth checking out if you've been on the bench for a few years.

Full of multiple themes that probably shouldn't work, but do. The end result is a solid hack 'n slash title set against jaw-dropping visuals with more than its fair share of eccentricities.

The game moves along nicely, eliminating potential problems with repetition; the graphics are great and the multiplayer is enormous fun, despite a few technical problems. OK, so Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine isn't the most original of games, or the most innovative, but it is finely polished and paced, and offers enough entertainment to overlook any shortcomings.

Doesn't exactly rewrite the book on first-person shooters, but it offers thoroughly enjoyable gameplay, with a low learning curve, set against a strong narrative. Fans of the previous games will find much to love here, and even newcomers will find it a good jumping on point thanks to the intuitive controls.

The game lacks the sophistication of other zombie games such as Left 4 Dead and Resident Evil, and has enough design gaffes to sink a battleship. But as long as you have a bit of patience and don't expect a true survival horror experience, you will have oodles of guilt-free fun mashing away at zombies on this twisted beach paradise.

Xenoblade Chronicles doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does add a stylish new body and a slick new engine.

Fans of the series will be delighted at just how much Eidos Montreal has gotten right with this prequel, from the dark cyberpunk visuals to the open-ended puzzle solutions. It tells an epic story full of twists and turns, set atop an incredibly challenging gameplay experience.

It's a bold attempt at marrying real-time strategy values with MMO elements, and although it's difficult to judge the game until a community has built up around it, the early signs are very positive.

Simple enough that anybody can play, incredibly addictive and offers short bursts of fun in both a single and multiplayer capacity, making it perfect for groups of all ages and skill levels. Quite simply, Fruit Ninja Kinect has all of the ingredients of a classic party game.

There is oodles of fun to be had in tackling the tracks alone or even more so with friends playing locally.

The stylish visuals compliment the well-executed action, resulting in a game that resembles past SOA favorites Limbo and Shadow Complex.

From the tiniest trickle of water to the largest tidal wave, or the smallest grain of sand to the biggest mountain top, every element combines to make From Dust one of the most beautiful and compelling games available on Xbox Live Arcade.

Caddoc and E'lara are OK but largely forgettable characters, and the muddy graphics and frequently questionable design choices make the campaign sometimes feel like a chore.

Everything from the graphics to the gameplay has been amped up significantly and the end result is an excellent sequel. This could easily have attained classic status with a little more refinement, specifically where the level creation mechanic is concerned.

Whether revisiting Hyrule for the umpteenth time, or paying your first visit, prepare to be dazzled by one of the finest gaming experiences ever created.

Quite simply, it's an incredibly stimulating and strangely provocative shooter, which is not something that you hear every day.

The quests and upgrades feel poorly applied, meaning the game struggles to establish its true purpose and identity. Stripping away all the extra elements brings just a pretty standard JRPG that offers little really to get excited about.

The lack of specific co-operative mechanics is something of a missed opportunity.

Not as scary as the likes of Silent Hill or Resident Evil, not as funny as No More Heroes and not as original as Killer7, leaving it stuck in video game limbo.

Despite the flaws, Alice: Madness Returns is still a really fun game to play. The combat is on the whole fluid and satisfying, making the most of the range of abilities, while the platforming and exploration rolls along at a decent pace. Spicy Horse has done an admirable job of continuing the legacy of Wonderland, but it's just a shame that some of the madness seeped into design choices.

One of the most disappointing aspects of Dungeon Siege III is the seemingly pointless restrictions imposed on co-op play.

While it may suffer from a few technical issues, it's still largely trouble-free and among the more reliable Kinect games available at this point.

The influence of horror legend John Carpenter has helped create a really spooky and often atmospheric world that may not look great, but it certainly delivers the goods.

A frustrating and unremarkable video game experience. The game never really goes above and beyond the call of duty, offering only mildly attractive locations, bog-standard third-person gameplay and a relatively insignificant plot.

While Resident Evil's gameplay is a little on the clunky side today, it's still wholly enjoyable and packed with thrills, and it's just a shame that it's short-lived and awkward to get to grips with.

The gameplay remains a weak imitation of a third-person shooter and the enemy A.I. is extremely poor. The lack of variety in the set pieces and the sheer number of dopey Death Eaters makes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 a tedious experience, riddled with repetition.

Even fans of the sport will find the lack of game modes and the absence of multiplayer difficult to overlook.