If wading knee deep in the dead to get at a piece of armour that’s 5% better than what you’re currently wearing isn’t the kind of adventuring that excites you, then you’re in trouble, because Too Human is exactly this type of game. Kill, loot, compare, equip, repeat.

Bar a few trivial issues, it’s a marvelously playable title.

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.

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.

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!

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

A game such as this is much like a big bag of mixed lollies. There’s yummy stuff like Freckles and Sherbies, but there will always be a big, yucky aniseed ball or three lurking in the bag to keep a nasty taste in your mouth.

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.

I’d like to say there’s a good game at the core massively rushed. But there’s not. Its only ambition is to be a God of War incest baby.

Loud and neon-soaked, it’s the quiet, subdued moments that truly capture the essence of WALL•E, a notion that is lost, for the most part, in this disappointing iteration.

Alone in the Dark clearly had the potential to be something nearer to a nine, or at the very least an eight, but it just didn’t turn out that way. It’s a curio though, and maybe worth picking up if it ever gets released at a more budget price.

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.

Casual gamers looking for a pick-up-and-play tennis game are likely to be disappointed by Top Spin 3. But for those who are willing to invest some time in coming to grips with the game’s controls, there’s a seriously good tennis game here that will deliver a lot of satisfaction.

The end result is a much paler, disappointing conversion that besmirches the good name of the series and sets the ‘Consoles can do Strategy games too’ campaign back a number of years.

Beyond that annoying [grip] inconvenience, On Tour is a surprisingly decent package - however it has to be said that the sound quality from the DS speakers is a bit weak (it gets better with headphones, though), and to complete Expert Mode you need to be Slash crossbred with Jesus.

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

Arkanoid was a sensation when first released in ’86, but its flaws are inescapable. Being a faithful adaptation of the original arcade experience, this hand-held version tempers nostalgia with frustration.

Clank is a bit of a 007 wannabe – suave robo-tux and all!

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.

The brilliant thing about these finishing animations is that they take advantage of the environment you’re in. These aren’t repetitive, pre-cooked animations. If you’re near a chair, Bourne might slam his enemy into it.

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 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?

The platforming and combat are both pretty straightforward; the game’s main challenge is its puzzles, of which there are plenty.

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.

Visuals are ugly and uninspired.

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

This game is versatile, and has tons of activities — it’s probably price-competitive with those huge jumbo books of crosswords you can buy down at the Newsagent. But it doesn’t have the same soul, and it denies you such simple pleasures as ignoring the rules completely and entering rude words in all the boxes.

This product is too crude for even the ‘mainstream’ demographic; it can only possibly appeal to the ignorant.