That aside, Dead Space 2 is a fantastic shooter. It's a marked departure in mood and gameplay from the first, but these design choices have paid off enormously. A must for horror or shooter fans.

SouthEnd has produced an endearing experience that deserves to be judged on its creative merits alone, and one that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the month's high profile releases.

At its heart, LittleBigPlanet 2 is a suite of development tools wrapped up in a user-friendly, child-like aesthetic of yarn and cardboard.

The result is an enjoyable action-oriented MMO but it leads one to wonder if there is enough here to keep a player paying the monthly fee. With just 30 levels before end-game content and only two major questing zones it begs the question: Will people stay around after their 30 day free trial is over? For large swathes of the playerbase, we're guessing the answer is 'no.'

It lacks the kind of personality you'd expect with titles like these, but does offer the occasional serious challenge to those able to overlook the clumsy controls, annoying camera issues, and fairly average graphics.

New Carnival Games is a rainy weekend hire at best.

If you've played any previous version of Bejeweled, then Bejeweled 3 consists of exactly the mental image you're formulating right now. PopCap know they can't fix something that isn't broken.

Whether you have an hour to sit around and knock off 30 levels or just a few minutes between trains, Ivy will feel like a worthwhile purchase.

It's a charming little create-a-platformer that will endear itself to you even if – like the real article – it never truly takes flight.

Being released just a year after the first Saw game has resulted in an uninspired and recycled title, bringing with it the sense that this is just another shameless tie-in rushed out to capitalise on the license.

Without the pro instruments Rock Band 3 is a strong rhythm game but nothing extraordinary. With Pro Mode, and the new Pro instruments this game is a shining light in a genre that had become happy with mediocrity.

If you really feel the need to be a giant monster armed with lasers and missile launchers rampaging through an innocent city, then I suppose you could do worse than picking this up. If you've got controllers and friends to spare, the co-op mode can be a good time-waster, or an alternative to the usual party games.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But don't overdo it to the point that it starts to feel dull either.

Super Scribblenauts isn't so much a sequel as a successor to 5th Cell's innovative DS game. Adjectives allow for more creative solutions to puzzles and a tidier interface make for an superior experience, but one that players of the original may feel too familiar with.

Whether you are a casual player looking for some new levelling experiences, a manic PvPer looking for the next challenge or a PvE progression player, Cataclysm has something for everyone. Like the expansions that preceded it, Cataclysm is growing and evolving.

Those not yet completely jaded by zombie movies and games will find Dead Nation a very agreeable game, especially those looking for a reasonably challenging top-down shooter.

The Force Unleashed was a great concept and a better narrative let down by a handful of mechanical faults and poor design decisions. A sequel was always on the cards but unfortunately what we're presented with fails to meet the high expectations expected of the license.

The different modes have enough variety to add a measure of replay value, with minor changes in the gameplay and some new mazes to chomp your way through.

The combat system isn't the best, but it's not really trying to be, and everything is implemented in a way that fits the storyline and character development. It's a rare game that makes players care not just about a character, but about the relationship between the characters, and Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom has achieved just that.

This remake of an '80s arcade classic is a flawed yet intermittently enjoyable bloodfest with some nice touches but too little polish.

Ultimately, all you want to know is whether DJ Hero 2 is better than the original (which was by all accounts a fantastic game) and if you should buy it. Quite simply, the answer to both is, as the mighty Flavor Flav would say… YEEEAAHHH BOYEEEE!!

In spite of speculation that EA MMA would be dead on arrival there's a very satisfactory entry here, one worthy of any fighting gamer's consideration and one EA would be remiss to abandon next year.

This is a game that feels like an expanded tech demo.

End of the day, it's a must for fans of Golden Sun or indeed any fan of portable RPG games.

Is it the best FPS on the Wii? That's a tough question, but even if it's for the splitscreen offline multiplayer action – then GoldenEye 007 is a must-own for any Wii gamer.

Hot Pursuit has overdosed on the adrenaline, providing gamers with some of the fastest action this year.

Black Ops is a competent shooter that comes packed with compelling multiplayer modes and additional content.

Treyarch has hit back at detractors with a comprehensive take on the Call of Duty mantra.