As a single player game, Dead Island delivers a meaty experience that lasts absolutely ages, and the first person zombie adventure is an excellent pastime. However, the overall enjoyment is slightly marred by the fact that the online coop is infested with bugs.

Grasshopper Manufacture manages to both astound and repulse in this pseudo sequel to the monumental Killer 7. With a rather strange story written by Suda51, clever and quick combat designed to actually challenge players on the higher difficulties and a distinct visual style - Killer is Dead is a unique, well-crafted game. Unfortunately, much of it falls flat due to a clearly misogynistic worldview. It's a shame, since Killer is Dead is one of the technically finer products from the studio.

The numerous little swarmites are a joy to control as a swarm and manage to entertain even when they die - which they do a lot. Yes, there is more than a hint of Lemmings in this game, but then again there's nothing wrong with that.

New Art Academy is a good tutorial for aspiring artists, or for portable drawing. With well-presented, educational tutorials, it's a good pick up that features a comprehensive journey through multiple disciplines and art styles, although with a very small screen.

Puzzle Dimension is a beautiful puzzle game where you guide a marble around in a three dimensional labyrinth. The gameplay is good but perhaps a bit too repetitive to be truly great. The PSN version surprisingly lacks online leaderboards, an omission that also subtracts from the overall impression.

Mario will always be Mario, but the constant coin-chasing has ironically enough led to some inflation. It's a great game, but we won't remember it as one of those immortal Mario classics.

Starvoid manages to offer that quick and sweet multiplayer-RTS fix for those of us that lack the time or dedication to go for the more hardcore alternatives. What it lacks in game modes and levels, it compensates for with a deep customization system, but what seems to be a very small player base may in the end render the game more void than starlike.

The game bravely follows in the steps of XCOM and quite successfully mixes economic management with tactical turn based combat in a well-made mobster setting. Although without any real problems, Omerta: City of Gangsters still manages to come off a bit bland due to its excess in variation and lack of depth.

Despite being priced as an expansion, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Retribution delivers a full experience with a solid campaign. However, at the moment the multiplayer leaves much to be desired, with poor architecture and weak matchmaking.

Last year I raved over Madden NFL 11 and loved most of the features in the game. This year is either a transition year with small adjustments or my great score from 2010 was a product of my absence from the series for over ten years. If you are a hard core NFL fan that craves every small adjustment Madden NFL 12 may be for you but the rest of us can wait for a price drop or just go and play Madden NFL 11.

Blacklist feels like Splinter Cell Conviction 2.0, which is not necessarily a bad remark. A few bugs and a less-than-interesting story chases away the top score. Nice split screen action and a sound that makes for a thick atmosphere keep it above average even though Sam Fisher himself is boring beyond belief for a character with at least six game titles to his name.

Rift is probably the most stable and solid MMO ever to launch, and includes most of the functions you've grown accustomed to during the evolution of World of Warcraft. It's polished, has a lot of content and rich lore, but yet doesn't manage to feel unique or for lack of a better term, good.

As an unusually cute twin-stick shooter, Gatling Gears offers a lot of fun despite a general lack of originality. Co-op adds to the fun as always but there are enough smaller annoyances to make the 1200 point pricetag feel a bit high.

Burning Skies has many flaws, make no mistake about it. But despite all these flaws I've had quite a lot of fun with the game and I'll probably return to it many times, especially for the multiplayer.

Stoked: Big Air Edition may have been deleloped some time ago, but it's still a good game. And even though it took closer to 18 months for it to arrive in Sweden we're still having fun with it, thanks to its size and low price.

Taking inspiration from games such as the Call of Duty-series, this is less of a flight simulator and more of an action game played in the air, and is all the better for it. The somewhat tedious flight missions are mixed up with much more entertaining helicopter-missions and the online modes for both competition and co-op work well.

The single player campaign is not the strongest out there, and lacks intelligent AI and an abundance of tactical options. Coop and multiplayer has a satisfying focus on teamwork, which is refreshing in a genre where most players only aim for a high kill/death ratio. Zipper Interactive haven't forgotten their core fans, and the Pro-mode is a good way to please long time SOCOM players.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem delivers exactly what it should, and is yet another challenging puzzle games for the Nintendo DS. Fun and well made, but without much innovation.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an ambitious and good looking game, and if you're into more action packed role playing games you'll find a lot to like here. The sense of freedom is a bit of an illusion though, and the linear layout is a bit of a shame. But as long as you're aware of this you'll have a good time in Amalur.

More a missed opportunity than anything else, The Unfinished Swan is a pleasant fairytale story with a some good ideas and one or two magic moments. In the end though it is easy to come away with the feeling that this was a brief and very linear experience that just hinted at something that could have been truly great.

Q-Games latest release, PixelJunk 4am, is a masterfully crafted visual music painting tool. At best, it's an interesting experiment, meant for chilling out on the sofa. At worst, it's just a tech demo. Baiyons music is good and well suited for the activities, but buyer beware – it's nowhere near a game.

The concept in Rock of Ages shows a great potential, but humour and polish only takes you so far. After that the game mechanics really have to shine through, which happens quite frequently. But it could absolutely do more.

The shift mechanic is the real star here, and transforms even the most ordinary sequences into thrilling race experiences. But there are flaws, such as logical mis-steps in the storyline and generic presentation. They don't matter too much though, especially in the multiplayer mode.

Thieves in Time resembles a mini game collection made for PlayStation 2. The rough graphics, ridiculously long loading times and at times tedious platforming moments are justified by a well told story and lovingly created mini games.

Capcom has made a flawless emulator for the 80’s arcade games where you can choose for yourself which games you want to include in the collection. If you have fond memories of any of the games in Capcom Arcade Cabinet I recommend you to buy that title individually though, as some of the games haven’t aged well and are way too hard and monotone to be worth your time. Also the price is a bit steep.

If you're playing alone you probably will be disappointed with Darkspore's storytelling, all grinding and the enormously slow start of the game. With some friends it'll be much better, and with a lot of configuration possibilities, over 100 monsters to collect and entertaining action battles which requires some strategic planning, this is an excellent adventure while you're waiting for Diablo III.

ShootMania is a difficult game to rate. The pre-made game modes that come packed with the game are kind of disappointing and not that fun to play. At the same time, the tools for creating own content such as new game modes, maps and weapons are fantastic in every way, and gives us players everything that is necessary to create splendid game-play in an entertaining way. If you like creating or modifying things, this is the game for you. If you just want a good shooter game on the other hand, you should probably wait and see if the community will create any amazing game modes before you buy ShootMania Storm.

Despite being a fun game, it's obvious that Kinect Sports: Season 2 contains both good and bad sports. Hopefully Rare will actually learn from their mistakes in future and have activities that are optimal for the motion controls, instead of just glancing at their competitors.

An adventure game with a unique design and shows promise for the upcoming chapters, despite some flat dialogue.

A nice mix of a handful different genres, where tower defense and Angry Birds are the most prominent ingredients. As you can probably imagine, the use of so many game mechanics at the same time can get too messy from time to time. The game is still worth checking out, though.

A fun and well written prologue to last year's adventure hit. This game tells a smaller and a more personal story that is somewhat hurt by really awful puzzle-design at certain places.

Insomniac has tried to create something different compared to their previous games. But in doing so, they created a third person shooter that lacks personality, and therefore looks and feels like every other game in the genre. It still offers a lot of fun, though.

Despite trying to act as a gritty tale of survival, Resistance 3 is in essence just a regular shooter, with far more action filled firefights than lurking tales of humanity. Thankfully it's a well made game and has an impressive arsenal of excellent weapons, and the multiplayer - including a much-missed co-op mode - is a lot of fun.

Lego City Undercover is a bold new direction for the Lego series. In many respects it is a successful first try, but there are quite a few technical mishaps. The open world concept needs some work, the load times are horrible and the lack of co-op is very disappointing. The game-play is still as simple and entertaining as ever though, and some of the missions and puzzles are among the greatest in the series.

Diggs Nightcrawler is a really charming story presented in an awesome way. Though some game play elements are kind of bad, the funny characters and a smart integration with the Wonderbook makes up for most of the flaws.

I'm impressed by the magnitude of new content that Nintendo has packed along with Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and the way that this is distributed over time and progression. At the same time, I cannot help letting out a loud sigh due to the fact that I have to do the same things all over - just to enjoy all the new goodies.

Dragon’s Crown is a beautiful side scrolling 2D beat ’em up that mixes in loot chasing elements of action RPG’s like Diablo and the grinding aspects of a Japanese RPG. At times a frustrating game, but in the end a rewarding experience that should be enjoyed in small chunks at a time.

Inazuma Eleven 3 has its fair share of highs and lows. The game will punish you for making mistakes, but at the same time it motivates you to trying again.

A competent, skillful attempt at a non-fantasy dungeon crawler game appears, courtesy of Wayforward. Unfortunately it's ultimately dragged down by the franchise attached to it - Silent Hill. Other than a few thematic nods and well-known enemies the franchise usage is handled sloppily and without any benefit.

Inazuma Eleven 3 has its fair share of highs and lows. The game will punish you for making mistakes, but at the same time it motivates you to trying again.

Arma 3 is as much a tool as it is a game, and it is by far the best tool Bohemia has created so far. Its not perfect though, and it's still a product for a very specific audience. I wish a few compromises had been made to make it more accessible and fun.

Even thought it's a frantic and hypnotic shooter, Galaga Legions DX fails to live up to the brilliance of Pac-man Championship Edition DX. It is not difficult to get through – in fact it is perhaps too easy and definately too short – but the difficulty in posting a good score makes you come back for more.

Rome II is bigger and more than its predecessor on all fronts but more is not always better. While the battles are more cinematically grand than ever, the strategic map is bogged down by more illusion of choice than previously. There is lots of fun to be had here but several annoying design decisions do their best to try and keep me from having it.

If you've played Dead Island and want more of the same - Riptide is the game for you. It's smoother, better looking and less buggy, but in the end it's pretty much the same experience all over again, albeit an improved one.

This HD remake offers a lot of bang for your buck with hours upon hours of gameplay. Although it's just the main game that truly delivers a good combination of story, fan service and combat. The other two titles doesn't even come close to the level of the original, which is a shame.

F.E.A.R. 3 has a few misses here and there, but when it hits the mark it becomes incredibly entertaining. Considering the improvements compared to the second game we're really looking forward to another installment in the series.

Kickbeat offers a fun variation on the classic rhythm game and provides a very good soundtrack to go with it. The option to import your own songs extends the playtime beyond the two available story modes and although the result of the imports are a bit hit or miss it generally works fine. Rhythm games may not be back in full force but Kickbeat shows that they can still be fun.

It's Ridge Racer racing as usual with a couple of improvements. The lack of online play and Download Play game sharing is disappointing, but the steroscopic 3D is impressive. Perhaps not the strongest 3DS launch title, but well worth your while if you're after arcade racing.

Fight for Fortune is great in shorter bursts, but when I play it for longer sessions I quickly get bored. With the low price tag I see no reason for fans of Uncharted to skip this entry.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation feels like a celebration of how first person shooters used to be and The Farm 51 manages to do a lot of things right. However, the short campaign coupled with the multiplayer issues I had keeps it from going all the way.

Resident Evil: Revelations is a beautiful game and a welcome addendum to a series that gradually has turned away from its roots. If the story hadn't been chopped to pieces - this game, with its narrow spaces and scarce ammo, would have been able to compete with tense horror titles like Dead Space.

Julian Gollop is back with yet another masterful turn based strategy game, and if you can see beyond the weak story and the gimmicky 3D effects - that don't to much to enhance the bland graphics - you'll find a spiritual successor to his old games. Laser Squad: Shadow Wars would have been an equally good name.

Even though all the new functions don’t always work that well, the core karaoke experience you get in Sing Party is very satisfying. But the game is in great need of an online song store if we’re expected to keep playing it instead of SingStar or Lips, so that we can customize our karaoke nights to our preferred taste and variety.

The game holds me down with its vampire-like claws from the start and all the way until the end when the credits roll. But it never manages to sink its teeth into me and fully win me over to the other side. Afterwards, I break free without any trouble and wander out into the sunlight, while leaving the game in the darkness as I get ready for my next adventure with something else.

A repackaged version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with added characters, gameplay balancing and slightly improved netcode. For newcomers to the series, getting into this will be a harsh and unforgiving journey, but for fans it's a must thanks to the added characters and slight balance tweaks.

A good take on the dead adventure genre, and fans of Homestar Runner will love this. For the rest of us Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People will bring us a blast from the past with its point/click/combine gameplay, that includes frustrating backtracking and a hint of stress inducing puzzles without logic. Good times.

Despite originally being a PC game, Torchlight still manages to make the transition to Xbox 360 with pride. The frame rate is a bit rough, but apart from that it shines brightly and is well worth its asking price.

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars offers exactly what you expect – no more, no less. Despite new game mechanics, such as RTS-parts and more spaceship battles, this game clearly shows that the LEGO franchise is in desperate need of something new. It's the visually most impressive LEGO-game of them all, but then again – we say that every time, don't we?

Sniper Elite V2 made me watch enemy soldiers getting penetrated by bullets several hundred times and still I didn't get tired of the game. That is a feat in itself.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 is the most accessable version of Magic to date. Experienced players may feel limited by the premade decks and the slightly flawed single player modes, but it's still good fun and well worth its price.

Nathan Drakes first portable adventure is equally as impressive as it is disappointing. Bend Studio have created a visually impressive adventure with an excellent control scheme, but the haphazard use of some motion controls and the lacklustre story are a small let-down.

Starhawk is a very basic but entertaining MMO shooter with a strategic base building twist - jet fighters turning into battle mechs is rarely a bad idea. The single-player experience is almost laughable, but the online multiplayer experience is addictive.

A joyful and intriguing experience. I love how the developer trusts my instincts and completely lets go off my hand right from the start. Super cute creatures and wonderfully warm environments makes it a particularity good choice for the younger audience.

Picross e2 is an excellent adaption of the addictive nonogram puzzles to the 3DS format. It barely offers anything new though, and lacks innovations like the awesome Picross 3D did offer some years ago. But it’s still one of the smoothest and best ways to solve picross puzzles, and at that very low price point it’s a no-brainer to buy for anyone who has ever enjoyed a griddler.

The dark fantasy world of Soul Sacrifice has a wonderful tension to it and the game has a wonderful narrative, however it’s core mechanics are not what they should be. For a game that focuses so much on fighting it’s also kind of disappointing that only the boss fights are worthwhile.

A well-made conversion of the incredibly popular PC-game. The lack of features and modes is made up by a great interface, very good controls and the awesome possibility to play four player local co-op.

While Ezios final chapter is a fun romp through Istanbul, it could just have well been incorporated into Brotherhood with a bit of editing. The saving grace is the fleshed-out multiplayer modes and the interesting effects the bombs have on it. With a bit of luck the series will get back on track after the two latest interim-games, so fingers crossed that Assassin's Creed III dares to evolve the series as much as the second game did.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted for the Vita is basically the exact same game as the PS3-version. The problems I had with that version still remains, but the fact that Criterion managed to squeeze the entire game into the Vita is remarkable and it really does offer you the same experience, with the big advantage of being portable.

Mario Tennis Open is surprisingly entertaining and the tennis mechanics entail more depth than what is apparent at first glance. The first four cups are ridiculously easy, but open up the Pro-mode where AI opponents are much harder, but Mario Tennis Open should be played against human opponents to lure out the most fun in arcade tennis.

Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force continues the Star Wars pinball saga that Zen Studios set out to create with the first game. Available either as an expansion to that, or the core Pinball platform, this expansion delivers three imaginative tables. All three feel solid, different and in their own ways - challenging. Filled to the brim with Star Wars fan service, it's hard not to like it, but there's already a hint that Zen is starting to run out of ideas.

The Vita does not shame Street Fighter x Tekken, but the game is harder to control with the smaller buttons and the lack of two shoulder buttons. Despite that, this is still a good game with great online capabilities.

The Chase Begins is a technically impressive game that shares the Wii U game's pros and cons. The humor, the simple but entertaining gameplay and the overall charm are definite strong points while long load times and weak open world elements drags the experience down somewhat.

Tokyo Jungle is an interesting wild-life simulator in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, void of humans. Choosing one of the many animal races available, the race is on to take over territories, form a flock and survive the dangers of the urban jungle. It's a nice concept that unfortunately falls a bit flat due to its inherent repetitiveness – eat food, procreate, eat more food, take over more territories. But in smaller doses, it will deliver unique and interesting experiences.

A suggestive, atmospheric, physics based puzzle game where you guide a variety of liquids through progressively harder environments. With a lovely soundtrack, a nice visual style and solid, tricky gameplay this is a ride worth taking. Ever wanted to guide a virus through the human body, or some coffee along a lab table? Then Puddle is the game for you!

Payday 2 is a real gem of a cops and robbers game when everything clicks. Overkill manages to capture the atmosphere of classic heist movies and the gameplay is about a whole lot more than just shooting cops. Artificial intelligence is a joke though and the game is pulled down by quite a few bugs that can be anything from annoying to totally game breaking.

Beautiful design and flawless presentation make SSX a hard-hitter this season. Unfortunately, its lack of local multiplayer and thin singleplayer experience doesn't quite make it live up to previous games in the series.

StarDrone Extreme is a game that most people will beat in a couple of hours. But I think many will return to improve their high scores. If you get used to the controls and the tempo it's a real bargain and very entertaining, despite its flaws.

If you are a The Sims-fan this is a no-brainer and you probably already playing this. For the rest of us, not already commited to this game, the expansion adds to the already massive micro management of The Sims 3 which in turn disturbs the flow of the game and at times becomes rather tedious, almost a chore. Don't let the cute furballs fool you, this is The Sims 3 and if your not into this game before then this expansion, solid as it may be, will not make you a believer.

It’s far from a perfect game, but it is extremely entertaining and Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable is proof that the joy of playing a game is far more important than graphics and physics. If the developers had put just a little more time in fixing some of the bugs and the presentation it would have been an instant classic.

The Showdown Effect offers fast paced and fun multiplayer action for a low price of admission. Unfortunately the price point is also evident in the amount of content. However it clearly succeeds as a bite-sized game of frantic, skill based killing.

Kinect: Disneyland Adventures is a very entertaining game, even though it sometimes just feels like a big product placement with waving and jumping, and despite the fact that the quick game option only works in games you've played before. It's hard to not get sucked into a nostalgic daydream and just smile your way through the game.

Dragon Age II continues the tradition of being a solid RPG in the spirit of the original game, but fails to fulfill its true potential due to sloppy quality control and incessant corner-cutting. This is a game that truly could have outshined Dragon Age: Origins with its many improved mechanics, but instead leaves us slightly disappointed.

Off the record is hard to recommend to anyone who has already played through the original Dead Rising 2 campaign. There are however quite a few improvements and it is surely the definitive version of an already very entertaining zombie adventure. Anyone who missed last years effort has a nice opportunity to experience it now at a nice low price.

H.G. Wells fantastic science fiction novel is interpreted as a retro-feeling action platformer reminiscent of Flashback or Another World, with fantastic voice acting by Patrick Stewart and music by the legendary Chris Huelsbeck. It draws upon its inspirations quite well, and delivers a moody, atmospheric experience.

I’ve had fun with Crysis 3, but not as much fun as I had with the two games that came before it. This is not a bad game by any means, but it is the least good in the series so far.

The game mechanics are even better than the third game, but it still lacks quality in the story and this time even in the AI. Play this with your friends or get ready for gears of frustration.

Capcom offers an abundance of content. Some of it good, some less good. If you and a buddy take on this game at a very calm pace, it will give you loads of entertainment. If you only want the really good parts – play the Leon and Ada campaigns.

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes is a point and click-adventure, cast in a modern third person adventure, featuring the greatest detective of them all. Through a wild adventure through the rougher parts of London, an immense conspiracy needs to be cracked open. With decent atmosphere, a real page-turner of a story and clever puzzles, this is a must for fans of Sherlock Holmes or classic adventure games.

The game is, simply put, harmless. PokéPark 2: Wonder's Beyond is made for kids and has a lot of flaws, but it still has enough good sides. The cute design and great music makes up for the repetitive nature of the game.

Tekken 3D Prime Edition is a classic example on how a portable game manages to keep the core from the console big brothers, but that fails miserably when it comes to offer that extra something that makes it stick in your memory. The game mechanics are as good as always, but it soon becomes too repetitive and boring to make any lasting impression.

A mix of Tetris and Super Smash Brothers may sound strange but describes Slam Bolt Scrappers surprisingly well. Since it's frantic and surprisingly complex, this isn't a game for everyone, however multiplayer can be a brief but hectic delight.

If you're in the mood for some brain dead action and have a good friend to share it with - Serious Sam 3: BFE can be fun. As a single player experience it gets very monotonous after a while.

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance is a good piece of entertainment for a willing hero and their buddy. And it's equally bad entertainment for players who game alone, though the Move gimmick might keep you interested for a while. Hack and slash games of this sort have a strange notion of keeping you in front of the screen even though you know that it's neither rewarding nor especially fun.

The new physics engine and split screen gameplay are nice additions, but only the real fans will apprecitate the other new features. If you have an older version then it ought to suit you fine for now.

Visually Sine Mora is stunning, when it comes to gameplay it will wear you down. I can only recommend it to hardcore shoot 'em up fans, the rest of you ought to be a bit more careful. However, this game is a good reminder of how good it is that games has become so much more forgiving during the last 20 years.

Way of the Samurai 4 places a lone samurai straight into the conflict between the local Shogunate, a British trade attaché and a local extremist faction near the end of the Edo era. Through five very busy days, the fate of a small town may be decided. What could have been an interesting period piece falls a bit short due to shallow combat, a reliance on repetition and relatively low production values.

This latest expansion does exactly what says on the box. The new city, jobs and items are fun, but it feels as if Maxis are running out of ideas, and need to borrow things from previous parts of the series.

Mugen Souls tries to take a few stabs at making fun of games such as Disgaea while itself committing the same atrocities – i.e. needless grinding, relying on stat maximization and an insane amount of battles. A tactical RPG at heart, filled with equal measures of gothic Lolita fetishizing and wicked humor, Mugen Souls is a quirky little gem that will satisfy the most hardcore number crunchers, while leaving the rest of us slightly bored after the first hours.