But GTA IV will never get old, or start repeating itself. It will always offer anyone who turns it on an experience to savour.

The genius of Super Mario Galaxy is that its basic game design solves every problem that’s ever existed with a platform or adventure game.

LittleBigPlanet is like a magic trick, and in that respect it feels less like a videogame than an incredible concept executed perfectly. LittleBigPlanet is like LEGO (the blocks, not the game), it’s like Monopoly, it’s timeless... it’s lightning in a bottle – and if Sony play their cards right it could well save the PS3, and propel the console into the stratosphere.

But at the end of the day, even the most vehement of MGS detractors will put their hand up and admit – Metal Gear Solid 4 is, by far, the most polished combination of presentation and gameplay this generation. It sets a new benchmark in terms of production values, and will blow your tiny little mind to smithereens on more than one occasion.

It’s obvious that developer Game Arts have put a painstaking amount of effort into creating this game and every time we play it we’re discovering new Nintendo references which bring back a rush of nostalgia. Brawl’s chaotic multiplayer sessions are some of the best to be had on the system, plus there are plenty of challenges and modes to amuse those ‘friend-impaired’ individuals out there as well. It’s a no-brainer, every serious Nintendo fan out there should score themselves a copy of this game, invite some friends/victims around, and have a smashing good time.

The game is also unashamedly adult in its content and we, for one, see as a breath of fresh (marijuana scented) air on the platform. Dealing drugs, hand making molotovs, chainsawing people in half, swearing up a storm, blowing people’s heads off with a sniper rifle – it’s all in here, and if you’re underage you had better check with your olds before getting it. Or don’t, and just hide it really well. Whatever works.

Street Fighter IV has returned from a nine year hiatus (man, that makes us feel crusty) to successfully wrest back the crown of ‘most awesome fighter on the market’. It is a shining beacon of quality and hope in an otherwise dying, largely forgotten genre of video gaming. Recognising this, Capcom has wisely kept it accessible to newcomers, sufficiently evolved for veterans, and chock full of the chess-like depth that made the series so infinitely playable in the first place.

It looks amazing, its immersion factor is second to none, and the whole experience is like a good book; addictive and impossible to put down. Packed to the gills with the incredibly deep Fallout mythos, you can play through the twenty odd hours of main quest but come back to experience the 50+ hours of side quests dotted throughout this freaky, radiated reality.

Gears 2 is a lesson in masterful pacing; whether it’s lulling you into a false sense of security, dropping you into an inescapable situation, or blowing your hair back with a ‘speeder bike’ vehicle section. It’s a ripping good yarn that is continually one-upping itself by belting you upside the head with yet another over the top action sequence that eclipses the last awesome thing you just did.

A phenomenal product.

It’s brilliant, inspired and will easily secure their supremacy as the leader in the MMOPRG market.

A PSP game you simply can’t live without.

Killzone 2 is a stunning game best suited for FPS aficionados, rabid graphics whores, and all proud Ps3 owners in general. Guerrilla Games have stepped up to the plate and delivered very comparable results to “that preview video” that blew our collective minds in 2005. Using Guerrilla’s proprietary ‘deferred rendering engine’ Killzone 2 squeezes a lot more juice out of the Ps3 than anything we’ve seen thus far.

It tells an intriguing tale, the very definition of value for money, and the environment of Liberty City is just as amazing as ever. That said, if you weren’t a fan of GTA IV in the first place (yes, all three of you), this DLC doesn’t reinvent the wheel enough to win you back to the fold.

If you’ve already conquered Liberty City on PS3 or Xbox 360, there really isn’t enough extra stuff to demand that you fork out more money for the PC version. But if you have yet to savour the GTA IV experience, this is a must have because of the unforgettable single-player experience and frantically fun multiplayer as well as the extra PC features.

If you’ve got the time and patience for it, there’s literally hundreds of hours of gameplay to be found in the single-player portion of the game (specifically, World Domination). This is also a game that rewards various play styles and encourages you to try new things, all the while becoming more and more addictive with each hour that passes.

The combat handles well, it’s visually stunning, the voice acting and musical score are brilliant, and the epic storyline doesn’t end before it begins (like the first game did). But the most appealing thing about it is that it delivers everything that Molyneux has promised, plus it is oozing with wit and charm - something sorely lacking from many games nowadays. At the end of the day, Fable II is a triumph and a must buy.

Gripes aside, Left 4 Dead is a well polished experience that is an absolute blast to play co-operatively with mates (or randoms for that matter).

Dead Space is a pearler of a horror ride. For fans that love gory adventure and classic flicks like the Alien series, Predator, or any other marriage of gore and suspense, this must be played. Just be sure to book in a recuperating massage for when it’s over.

The visceral thrill and sheer, white-knuckle intensity of Burnout remains untouched. The game looks, sounds and controls as well as it ever has. Online play is excellent, if currently somewhat limited. There are only two real downers (the lack of event restarts and Crash mode) and we’re big fans of the open city design, though it does have a learning curve.

The campaign structure, the selection of events and vehicles, even the damage modelling and Flashback systems are all of a piece, and all intended to achieve one goal – to keep you on the racetrack, pedal to the metal, chasing the win. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Pro Evo, for me, is a better single-player game. FIFA is a better multiplayer game, and also, this year, a better football game overall.

Just enough strategy to balance the combat. Loads of fun.

A word of caution however, don’t get fooled by the kiddy visuals presented in Zack & Wiki because some of the puzzles contained within require a fair degree of lateral thinking to beat. With that in mind, older gamers seeking an enjoyable challenge should definitely pick this up.

It succeeds because it doesn’t just try to throw more humans into the same old environments and gameplay. It offers a smart three class system that encourages savvy team-work, an experience meter that builds to enable special attacks and uses levels designed specifically for the mode to maximise the resulting gameplay. It also dynamically shifts the action to take into account the number and skill of players in each game, making for near endless replayability. It’s a hit, pure and simple.

Epic Games has done a more than admirable job of transporting the game from PC onto PS3 and further refined their genre-leading gameplay. Offline gamers, however, should just rent it.

We can’t recall the last time we frothed over sweaty topless men, or were so engrossed with slipping the jab. As expected, Fight Night Round 4 is the best boxing game available, and fans keen to get their uppercuts on with other fellow humans should bulldoze their way into the nearest game store and pillage a copy immediately.

This is a niche product. It has an anime look, and a novel-like pace. Yet the biggest difference from your run-of-the-mill WWII shooter is that you have to think very carefully about what you are doing. The combat system is straightforward, yet merciless. You will make mistakes, and you will be forced to learn from them. But if you're into this sort of thing, you will get your rocks off — and that's what matters.

Frustrating, but fascinating. Music with a twist.

Punch-Out!! is still a stellar classic that is guaranteed to hit casual and hardcore Nintendo fans fair in the face with fun.

This is officially a must-have product.

We’d usually advise waiting a month or two with MMO titles, for major patches to fix any foibles, but WAR actually feels very stable and polished at launch.

Intelligent Systems put an awful lot of thought and effort into Dark Conflict. The result is that the series has been rebooted and revitalised. If you’ve had Advance Wars fever in the past, prepare for a relapse.

By incorporating gameplay mechanics not because they’re new, but because they work, they have created a game that is different enough to warrant taking notice, and familiar enough that anyone who’s played an RTS in the past 5 years can jump in and play without worrying about the learning curve.

It’s outrageously awesome entertainment that forgoes taking itself too seriously to ensure you’re grinning ear-to-ear throughout, smiles gleefully lit up by the biggest explosion-fest in gaming history. And we have no problem with that, whatsoever.

It looks gorgeous, it has an addictive ‘one more turn’ feel to it, and it has a truly awesome soundtrack packed full of some seriously phat beats. At the end of the day, Pure is a shinning example of an arcade experience done right and it delivers on this with big air, big thrills, and a whole lotta dirt.

SC: IV has seen some much needed tweaks to the fighting mechanics, the game looks as beautiful as ever, and the customization options available for of your characters opens up a lot of avenues strategy-wise.

Guitar Hero 5 focus more on gameplay rather than new plastic features and that´s the right way to go. The career mode has never been better, the versus mode is great and the design is fantastic. Now what we lack is just a good setlist with more hits.

Perhaps the best puzzle game for the DS to date.

Tries to cram WAY too many styles in, but multiplayer is tops.

It’s outrageously awesome entertainment that forgoes taking itself too seriously to ensure you’re grinning ear-to-ear throughout, smiles gleefully lit up by the biggest explosion-fest in gaming history. And we have no problem with that, whatsoever.

Rest assured, Prince of Persia is every bit the game you wanted – it is the game you were promised and a whole lot more.

A fantastic, frantic combination of pretty much all the highlights of previous Civilization titles rolled into one single package. Finally, a worthy way to experience Sid Meier's legendary franchise on your console!

While it certainly isn’t the graphical revelation it has been hyped to be, this is a game that is very much deserving of any PS3 owner’s hard earned cash. Or, to put it another way, Infamous can successfully generate 1.21 Gigawatts of fun, without the danger of setting anybody’s eyeballs on fire.

As it stands, Space Invaders Extreme is a well priced, solid game that is a shining example of how the classics should be remade.

The combat feels haphazard, reckless. The voice acting is flat and emotionless. There is a shallower sense of progression, and far fewer opportunities to make meaningful choices. Granted, it is unfair to compare an action game and an RPG too closely. Yet with "Fallout 3" still fresh in our minds, so many of the design decisions in Far Cry 2 seemed off-balance.

Certainly the ability to punch a hole through the wall of a building to get access to the Ruski vermin camping inside is a great step forward for the acclaimed series as it looks to motor its dominance from PCs onto consoles. The world destruction on show is suitably ‘next-geny’ and thoroughly enjoyable, there’s no doubt. But despite developer Digital Illusions spirited attempts, Bad Company doesn’t quite reach the rarely tapped heights of dual-radness, and is just a really good game.

Call of Duty: World at War has had a lot of time spent on it, it takes full advantage of (and in some places improves upon) one of the best FPS engines there is, and its unflinching approach to the mature subject matter gives the immersion-factor a kick up the guts. Does all of this make Codwaw worthy of a purchase? Hell yes.

It may be a different beast, but it’s still a whole lot of fun. Resident Evil still has the chops to rock our world. However, if Capom do decide to continue down this action-packed path they’ve begun, they’d better get their sh.t together when it comes to “run ‘n gun” gameplay mechanics.

The camera, a hybrid of both fixed perspectives and occasional manual control, frequently fails to focus on an enemy when you’re locked-on and attempting to attack, leaving you vulnerable to unseen counter moves.

It’s an almost perfect example that any other similar projects in the future should follow ­ a game that creates a gaming experience that Metallica fans will cherish.

Old diehard fanatics will no doubt shake their fists at the slight console-friendly tweaks of the original formula and the light-hearted nature of the graphics – but hey, it’s successfully infecting a whole new generation of gamers with Civ love, so get over it.

Yes, several radically different gameplay styles are presented in Spore, but it would be unfair to call the game a Jack of All Trades — it's closer to a Queen or a King of All Trades.

A solid title that manages to be a helluva lot of fun, despite the lack of an abundance of new stuff.

A brilliant game. For the most part it takes the brilliant template laid down in the original and injects it with a smartly integrated new move-set, an exciting world to rip to shreds, and the same addictive, unquestionably stylish gameplay which saw the Tony Hawk series bolt for the hills.

A brilliant game. For the most part it takes the brilliant template laid down in the original and injects it with a smartly integrated new move-set, an exciting world to rip to shreds, and the same addictive, unquestionably stylish gameplay which saw the Tony Hawk series bolt for the hills.

The best feature of NMH has got to be the visceral combat system.

It’s a simple pick-up-and-play style of game, but there are 20 deceptively involving stages to draw out the experience. The hand-drawn graphics are charming, and the management of your economy and overlapping fields of fire is engrossingly complex. You can lose yourself in this world for hours.

If you want a 2D fighting game for your DS, then it would be tough to think of a better example than this.

The play balance is sublime.

We were both literally and figuratively gob smacked by UFC Undisputed. The nuances to the hand-to-hand/fist-to-face/foot-to-face combat were ridiculously deep, and far from the realm of button-mashery. Top it off with some of the most sexified graphics we’ve seen, and an intricate leveling-up system, and there’s little wonder it’s…undisputed.

Nintendo has put on the DJ Phones and taken a firm hold of MS Paint and somehow managed to create pure madness on your NDS. If you previously didn't find it enjoyable to have shaolin monks hit you in the face with different dishes, all to the rhythm of techno beats, then you definitely will love it now!

So while it’s a nice nostalgia trip and makes for an interesting twist on the Meier formula, it’s people who have either never played Civlization IV before (we’ve been told they do exist) or those who have played it to death and want a bit of a change who will get the most out of this title.

Daring, dazzling, and different. Divine.

Beyond those minor disappointments, Tiger Woods 09 has proven itself to be a very decent sequel that manages to bring some meaningful upgrades to the table – most notably the performance coach, the Club Tuner, and the faster multiplayer.

Unfortunately the final experience feels exclusively created for folk stuck in a confined area with a lot of spare time on their hands and few other recreational options. Like, say, in prison.

Epic Games is onto a winning formula and UTIII does deliver just what online console gaming needed: accessible, frantic, and endlessly enjoyable old-school gameplay. Just switch on your console, get in there and blow sh.t up.

It hides its flaws gracefully.

A must-own Wii racer that pays multiplayer dividends.

The game is also a visual feast with striking environments, meticulous vehicle models, and adrenaline enhancing post-production effects. While its true the series hasn’t made a massive evolutionary leap forward in terms of gameplay, it still offers up plenty of unforgettable racing moments where you’ll get P.I.T. maneuvered by an opponent on the last corner but manage to desperately slipstream turbo your way back to win by the span of a diamond encrusted hood ornament. In other words; it’s got fun factor out the chrome-plated wazoo.

If you can get past the shortcomings of the single-player experience and buy into the hammy humour, you’ll enjoy this game. But the cover says it all really; a sexy Russian commando in hotpants, flanked by a Big Daddy-rejected concept design on one side and an armoured bear on the other. If you’re going into this game expecting to take it seriously, you’re missing the point.

As is to be expected with such a realistically-driven simulator, the learning curve is huge and if you don’t regularly frequent the genre, be prepared to invest large quantities of time before determining whether it’s for you.

While hardcore fans will recognize and love the references to the early novels, everyone else may be underwhelmed with the lackluster story and characters on offer here. In terms of getting its strategy on, Halo Wars won’t wow the space boots off of Command and Conquer veterans, but it is a recommended purchase for anyone seeking to break out of their vicious first person shooter cycle.

The game makes many improvements over the original – it’s just hard to now recommend this title over the many superior racers that arrived in the wake of the first MotorStorm.

With such complete attention to the teensiest of details, it’s obvious that de Blob was more than just another project for all those involved; it captured their imaginations and became a labour of love.

One of the most fun golf games we’ve played in years.

Though it does have its flaws, Saints 2 still manages to feel like a Van Damme action movie - a very, very guilty pleasure. Sure, the production values aren’t up to scratch, and the over-the-top action scenes are a bit seedy - but it can make up for most of these shortcomings by being chock full of big dopey fun.

But the gameplay is still as hard as nails and importantly, uses the same excellent cover system.

We’re left with something that’s entertaining in small doses, but doesn’t really offer us anything more. This is sorely disappointing when you consider that these were the same guys that brought us the sublime arthouse videogame Okami - which, ironically, didn’t sell well at all.

The best RTS on DS!

So no, Ninja Gaiden II hasn’t remedied some of the oddities that plagued the Xbox original. It has, however, completely refined, waxed, polished, and shined its peerless combat engine. Along with its trademark difficulty and balls-to-the-wall ninja action, it’s an essential buy for fans of the original and anyone else willing to put their hands up for a stiff challenge.

The beauty of Civilization Revolution DS is that it’s just so damn addictive.

At this point in time, we’re confident in recommending Age of Conan if you love MMOs and are looking for something completely different to what’s out there. It admirably manages to present a massively multiplayer experience while at the same time forging its own path with an added emphasis on single player story and real time combat.

There really isn’t another game quite like it on Xbox 360, full stop. However, if you’ve already spent a year at the Bullworth Academy on the PS2, then you needn’t bother repeating – it’s time for you to graduate to "GTA IV."

Not quite as special as the original, but still impossible to ignore.

It isn’t yet the game it will become, but it’s still damn fine.

A simple, yet timeless addition to any collection.

Whichever way you slice it, Trauma Center: Second Opinion on the Wii is the definitive ‘doctorb’ experience – the ‘b’ is for bargain!

A brilliant shooter.

This may seem like a dumbing-down, but if memory serves the ninjas in Naruto’s world never had to use seals to perform those feats in the first place. Authenticity wins the day.

There’s a staggering array of moves to be done here, many of which you’ll apparently discover quite by accident while waggling sticks with a dim optimism.

No other Japanese PS3 game to date provides quite such a vivid game-world in which to play. [JPN Import]

It breaks our Rare-loving hearts to type it, but Banjo Kazooie is a game that is best rented and demoed extensively first, rather than bought on an impulse.

Despite a disappointing lack of online multiplayer, Sega Ultimate Megadrive Collection is one of the best old school compilations that money can buy. It’s well presented, sports interesting behind-the-scenes unlockables, and all the games have been converted so that they play as good as we remember them (except for Alex Kidd, which has aged like a 19th century milkshake).

As far as we know there’s no other game on the market that allows you to swallow a human for health, while being chased by a mutant twice your size, hurl a car at a helicopter, hijack a tank, cleave a soldier in twain with an enormous biological blade, transform into an invulnerable steel behemoth, tear apart vehicles with your bare hands, stealth consume and mimic any NPC in the city, and run up the walls of any building in Manhattan. Surely that’s got to count for something, right?

Digital Illusions has made revolutionary inroads on perspective and the relationship it shares with movement and combat, but simply couldn’t build the levels to allow it to unfold in a consistently engaging way. It deserves to be seen, played and experienced by any discerning gamer with an interest in the progression of the industry, but is unlikely to resonate with the majority of consumers.

As far as we know there’s no other game on the market that allows you to swallow a human for health, while being chased by a mutant twice your size, hurl a car at a helicopter, hijack a tank, cleave a soldier in twain with an enormous biological blade, transform into an invulnerable steel behemoth, tear apart vehicles with your bare hands, stealth consume and mimic any NPC in the city, and run up the walls of any building in Manhattan. Surely that’s got to count for something, right?

A major improvement over Blue Dragon.