It's far removed from everything else on the system, and still just as mischievous and entertaining as it was a year ago. The dialogue is full of life, the missions make you laugh out loud and the whole thing is infused with wayward, playful charm.

An ingenious puzzle-platformer that takes players from a children's book and out into the wider world around it.

Disgaea 2 is a deep and flexible game and should it get its hooks in you will lose your mind to it. That fact alone begs the question: why reinvent?

Dust does many things well, but it doesn't do anything brilliantly. The combat's decent, the structure invites the revisiting of old areas, and the narrative stays interesting. Taken together, these things are enough to keep you plugging away till the end.

While platforming, rhythm, and navigation mechanics might clash at times, turning the map upside down reveals a game that puts all in service of nature and experience.

The acute sense of excitement and precision in combat of the "Halo" games is absent, likewise the intensity of being in a firefight delivered by "Battlefield 2." All the explosions and laser-fire feel a lot like window-dressing, even if the game does have some attractive scenery.

Great tactical fun nestled in a sweet-natured superhero dollhouse.

Grounded's charming, Honey I Shrunk the Kids premise is elevated by its uniquely welcoming approach to wonder. [Eurogamer Recommended]

Apart from mild annoyance at some automation hiccups (occasionally pioneers, ships, and wagon trains, seem to forget what they're supposed to be doing) and slight disappointment at the unit art (more could have been done to distinguish the four civs) I've been horribly content these last few days.

A beautifully structured, rich and thoughtful adventure with gentle but decisive RPG elements. [Eurogamer Essential]

The most innovative football title we've come across in many years.

The puppies are astonishingly realistic, and very easy to become attached to. This in itself makes for an incentive to keep on playing the game day after day, but there's also the fact that there are so many funky items (oh, how we long for the pirate hat) and different breeds (oh, how we long for the Shetland sheepdog) to collect.

Most importantly, the game never takes the devotion of these young players for granted, and seeks to reward and challenge them at every turn.

It's deep and complete in a great many of the right ways. It's just that it'd benefit enormously from having options to be friendlier. But once you're in you're in, and beneath that fusty layer of endless menus and cold numbers there's a strategy game of near-unparalleled flexibility.

Every time you think you've had enough, a spark of inspiration drives you on to the next one, and the next thing you know, you've missed your stop and you don't even mind.

Ms. 'Splosion Man may lack the impact of its predecessor and the taut focus of rival Super Meat Boy, but it nevertheless offers an explosive start to the summer season of Xbox Live Arcade releases, a game surprisingly freshened by lipstick and a bow.

The core of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a reminder that quality can be permanent rather than fleeting, and the new additions give us new reasons to take interest and - hopefully - another way in for people who are ready for something different.

With its insidious wit and gothic charm, Helsing's Fire is a joyously original instant classic that iPhone owners should buy immediately.

More sweet puzzley charm from the people behind LostWinds. [Eurogamer Recommended]

I've been utterly hypnotised by Harvest Moon: Magical Melody from the moment I laid my hands on it, even watching my girlfriend play it for hours on end (her time spent playing probably a tenfold increase on mine) and I still don't feel that we've even begun to scratch the surface.

It is a solid, and incredibly polished, RPG. It feels like a first-party Nintendo release, with all of the pleasing quirks and satisfying balance which that often entails.

Colossal in size, lavish in scope, Odyssey feels like a series landmark and Ubisoft's biggest ever game. [Eurogamer Recommended]

The likelihood, then, is that people who played DKC Returns will find Tropical Freeze a little uninspiring. It's a superior game - it looks nicer, it's easier to control on the GamePad than it was on the Wiimote, and there's slightly more to do - but like a lot of Nintendo's recent sequels, that doesn't feel like quite enough.

Valkyria Chronicles II remains exciting, its hotchpotch design ideas maturing for this sequel despite the focus on a younger cast and more immature surrounding story.

It's also rather obvious that the developers realised towards the end of the game that it was going to be far too short, resorting to the old trick of forcing you to backtrack across large portions of the game world (no less than three times!) to make it seem longer.

For fans of the first game, Maximo Vs. Army of Zin is a must-have, and if you like platform games with a slant towards combat then this is also an ideal purchase.

In the unlikely event that you're a newcomer, this is as good an example of the series (or indeed the genre) as any other, and not only well stocked but also the only thing like it on the PSP at the moment.

Artistically Odin Sphere is one of the most marvellous videogames we've yet played. The inimitable character designs, varied and exquisite backgrounds, glorious soundtrack, considered voice acting and engaging storyline pull together in a consistent way few other games manage. However the game they clothe fails to engage in a similar way.