Arguably the finest HOI game to date, as an expansion pack it’s probably best left to the hardcore fans and genre fanatics.

This game is a bit like an infomercial. Initially you’ll flick over instinctively, but given a chance, it will grab you and before you know it, you’ll be the proud owner of a manual food processor and a lateral thigh trainer. I’m glad I gave it enough time to settle in.

Comparing NFL Street to Madden is like comparing "Redcard" to "Pro Evolution Soccer," besides the fact that both games are played with an oval pigskin ball there is little else in common.

The game may look impressive, but given a play test we can't help but be a little disappointed.

Some intuitive additions to the gameplay save this title from being decidedly average, but on the whole it feels like a missed opportunity much like the Angle/Puder affair.

Overall, Tiger Woods 08 is a very enjoyable game that's brought (slightly) low by a few niggles and the fact that if you already own one of the previous T. Woods games, then you're not really going to find that much more for you here other than a few play refinements and tweaks.

RoboBlitz had the danger of being a tech demo but with a solid puzzle game behind it developer Naked Sky Entertainment has crafted a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

All in all then, it's almost there, but not quite: a good game, a good edition to the genre and a sound purchase - especially for driving game fans, but not an essential one quite yet.

All the zingy features in the world can't disguise the simple clear room, move on level construction that forms the majority of the game, and I can't help but think that Prey was designed by a big committee who were never really quite sure what they wanted to do.

All in all then, if you love the premise, you'll love the game - assuming you have the stamina to have a fair whack at it. If you don't like what the game represents, you'll be wondering why you've bought what appears to be a stuttering interactive cartoon and probably be put off RPGs for life.

This game is unlike anything you'll have ever played before. From the sharp dialogue to the memorable graphics, this is a refreshing challenge for the weary adventure genre.

It isn’t 2001 anymore and what once seemed fresh is now starting to whiff a bit; the play mechanics are beginning to creak with age and consequently you may ultimately find yourself more irritated than terrified.

It's surprisingly tactical and entertaining, but keep in mind you can't design your own plays, create an awe inspiring franchise or even win the Superbowl.

Striking the balance between playability and originality is one of the hardest things to achieve and I’m pleased to say Arena Wars performs with distinction.

The good is the über detailed physics accurate star systems, the bad is the interface and the ugly isn't visible because this is a good-looking game hampered by really small text.

Overall the differences between the two versions are slight and other than the inclusion of achievement points - usually rewarded for the successful completion of each level, as well as the completion of time trials and the collection of scattered artefacts – it’s literally the same game in a higher resolution with a few tagged on graphical effects.

Tries to roll driving and role-play into a neat little package, but through ham-fisted design and execution the game's faults continually blot out any true sense of immersion within the game's atmosphere.

Cross Rally Championship 2005 aims high and falls short, and whilst that's more admirable than simply creating a mediocre game for a quick buck, it's still not enough to garner our endorsement.

The ability to completely control the terrain may not appeal to everyone, but you have to admit it’s a great idea. Together with the nanomorphing, Perimeter has enough innovation to turn heads and sell copies.

A completely mediocre title, its only saving grace being the sheer complexity of its innards.

The game’s style and presentation stays fresh throughout. Hard to fault, as we said. One of the finest games of 2007.

Short, cute, enjoyable games created with simplicity in mind and offset by a few bugs and an ultimately empty feeling. As it is you will find much to like here, just don’t expect it to last.

Though be warned – after playing, you'll be sorely tempted to pop off down the local toyshop and invest in some of the ever-popular plastic brick kits for yourself! Now where did I put that curved end bit.

A lovely idea. There's a lot of fun to be had, but the game itself seems poorly executed, and the package provides little in the way of incentives to keep you playing.

A welcome break from the many killing spree FPS titles available, it will make you wonder why Valve bothered with a crowbar when they could have used an umbrella.

A bit of a mixed bag. A half-decent tennis sim crocked by middle of the road graphics and an infuriatingly stupid and poorly implemented career mode.

But sadly, with the advent with more realism comes the responsibility of not indulging in the arcade-style fantasy that made games like this so memorable in the past.

You need this game. Trust me on this; it’ll be one of the best adventure games you can get.

Savage is the best online all-out-action game since "Quake 3." Set in a rustic past setting, yet with modern tech influences, the battle between humans and beasts will be one of the greatest you have ever taken part in.

A good all round game. If your games shelf were a loaf of bread, Blitzkrieg would be the 17th slice down. It may not be as fresh as the others, but it’s great for toast or frying.

The graphics are stunning, the sound is incredible - this is definitely Metal Gear, just with cards. Whatever you do, don't ignore the importance of this game to the early life of the Playstation Portable. [JPN Import]

It’s a mystery how two such very different games manage to share so many things in common. In away it’s almost a relief that Maximum Impact 2 is so poor, as it allows XI to bask in its own glory, an example of how the 2D fighting genre isn’t dead and hopefully an opportunity for younger gamers to appreciate the concept of gameplay being greater than eye-candy.

What needs to be taken into consideration with Chili Con Carnage is that despite its lack of substance, and tendency to milk the ridiculous for all it's worth, it's the kind of game that can be turned on for a quick burst of action and then thrown aside until the next time it takes your fancy, something which a lot of PSP games have failed to do, and something that encompasses the whole concept of handheld gaming.

Accessible to newcomers and seasoned gamers alike.

It’s not failing to reach dizzying heights of sophistication or refinement; it’s just going straight for the jugular and makes no excuses for doing that – so it can’t really be criticized for not being sophisticated or refined as a result.

The gameplay is built on a system that will initially frustrate those used to more immediate rewards, but players willing to stick it out can easily become engrossed in the mechanics at work. It’s a lumbering, slow beast of a title that won’t ever invite you in and if you’re up for a real challenge, it will give you one. It is also, as said above, the finest title based on the American Civil War yet seen.

There are elements of this game that no one other than testers should have to sit through, and the fact that it has been released in this state is a great shame.

Though there’s supremely little that the developers have brought to the genre in Ankh, merely having the guts to present to us something in a genre that’s seen as ‘boring’ by the vast majority, means that we have to heap praise upon Ankh’s talented developers. But the way that everything has been put together outweighs the lack of originality in the gameplay and pushes Ankh towards classic status.

There are a few bugs (of the game engine kind) and it’s far from perfect (it’s very short and slightly repetitive), but to experience something completely different that hasn’t been tried before or since is always worth the asking price.

Couple the ropey gameplay to the lousy load times, endless splash screens, mediocre graphics, repetitive nature of the sometimes awful levels (parts of the Vegas-esque one look like you’re driving through a giant lower intestine) and game mechanics straight out of 1996, and I’m afraid we have a real turkey here.

Though it's not that hard to get entangled in an addiction to experience gain (and, at the level 10 "endgame", start participating in endless strings of loot runs), the quest supply is embarrassingly finite, the world is far from immersive, and as soon as the addiction is broken, Stormreach becomes instantly forgettable.

It’s a tried and tested formula with a slightly sinister twist, set to a familiar yet refreshingly different backdrop. Its characters boast a true individuality and the story is an involving – if not a touch slow to begin with – affair, that is let down only by an imbalance in gameplay and minor camera issues.

Even with all its letdowns and bugs it’s still an enjoyable and addictive game that you’ll be going back to again and again.

The game is still plagued by most amateurish of design blunders, being less than adequate in every aspect save for its "depth" (and even that is put to shame by most of the stat-based Nippon Ichi titles released in the past few years).

The additional bells and whistles of FlatOut 2 suggest enough difference to legitimise its existence, but ultimately there is nothing substantially new here.

A title that by nature seems much better suited to the PC - on the Xbox it never really endears enough for players to persevere and get past the initial awkwardness, and the strategy control schemes are just a bit too long-winded and cack-handed to pull off well on a joypad.

I like this game. It’s solid RTS and the graphics are fresher than ever. Aside from the odd typo, misnamed texture (did the testers get to the dwarf caves?) and sprite collision, it’s all top quality stuff.

The gaming family will refer to this game as a slightly deranged aunt who need only be humoured. It¡'s quite entertaining, no doubt about that and a bargain for what you get out of the box but you'd be better off spending your time looking for travel insurance or something similar.

You need this game. Trust me on this; it'll be one of the best adventure games you can get.

The poor loading times make the player wish he was stuck in a jungle, at least then he would have a machete to take out his frustrations with.

An addictive game, with superb gameplay, technically solid, and extremely accomplished. The icing on the cake is that every month, Nicely Crafted (the developers) release a new client. This adds new features - new ships, new play mechanics.

Earth 2160 uses every trick in the strategy book to great effect. If you can think of a feature, it’s probably there. We can expect a sequel because of the way the last campaign ends, but I won’t spoil it for you.

Our advice is this - snap up this underrated little racer, because you won't regret it. It might not offer a billion options and a trillion tracks, but for the time it lasts you'll be playing with a ruddy great big grin on your face.

A game that tries many things in a small space.

Certainly playable, but the majority of gamers will be turned off by the complexity that sucks the fun out of a game that otherwise promised a riotous experience.

With its blend of combat and fantasy Sudeki has certainly cast its spell on me, RPG fans rejoice – a new era is upon us.

You get the feeling that the programmers enjoyed making it, enjoy gaming themselves, and just “get” what makes a game good.

Issues of graphics aside, Wild Earth: Africa’s strengths lie in the way it manages to convey information in a friendly and intelligent manner, while still holding onto a solid (if very unremarkable) gameplay system.

I'd suggest you treat The Red Star like you would a dead dog full of lovely cream cakes: ignore the stench of old mank and dig right in to the deliciousness!

Everything about Dark Messiah oozes quality and there are multitudes of ways around every obstacle.

Like its predecessor, X2 is still lacking in cohesion. Its scope has vastly improved and this is a very immersive title, but it doesn’t invite you in. You have to work for its love and get past its many ugly points – just how can you willingly subject a player to those cut scenes?

A well-executed and polished game marred by the fact it is so, so generic and (with the exception of the game save feature) everything is lifted from somewhere else. It’s also tough.

Others, and I include myself in this group, will love it for being new, unique, different, and just a wholly enjoyable experience that offers something original every time you come back to it.

At its worst, Scarface is a clumsy, angst ridden and self indulgent idea with a game tacked on as an afterthought. At it’s best, it is tired, clichéd and derivative.

For 99% of the game, each and every puzzle feels absolutely wonderfully worked, giving you the right amount of pleasure, for just the right amount of thought and work required. But this concentration on the puzzle aspect has only served to the detriment of the storyline, which is alarmingly simplistic and lacking on that depth that the likes of Still Life and Fahrenheit have in abundance.

If this had come out 3 years back it would have been a top-scoring revelation, but that’s its main problem – it just feels like an older, less refined, game. There are some sound ideas in here, but simply not enough polish to really rate it.

Kult may shake up a few areas but doesn’t change the formula, it’s like using a slightly deeper shade of purple and nobody notices. There’s a good storyline in here and if you’re up for some RPG action, Kult should be on your mind. Just don’t expect anything new.

It’s good to look at, the humour in the script actually works, it’s fun to play for the most part and it will bring you back for more...but probably only if you’ve nothing much better to do.

A great all-round package. Replayable, original, and overall, great fun.

The graphics are superb and has audio to match but is let down by dodgy path finding and to a lesser extent the humorous voice acting. As it stands it is a competent if somewhat flawed RTS in a very competitive genre.

It won’t start a second coming. What it does is showcase what the DS is capable of for this genre, and does it very well indeed. It’s also a very fun, if short-lived, experience and a very satisfying one. Just don’t be disappointed when you finish it in less than six hours.

Could have been brilliant, the plot makes it merely great.

Although the levels have been extremely well designed, and variety has been added, there's only so much variety that you can add to an arcade style air shooter and sometimes playing one mission feels very similar to the last, save for the difficulty and the added storyline.

Trimming the unnecessary features and focusing on a very specific style of gameplay, it appears to be aimed at a slightly more sophisticated audience than GTA - the oft mentioned "we know what we want" crowd.

Trials of Obi-Wan doesn’t lay out any new framework for player cooperation, competition or any kind of interaction apart from grouping to kill a tougher opponent, and it fails at bringing real immersion in the Star Wars universe to a game where this feeling is already very scarce.

Cyanide (the developer) has won an environmental award for recycling but I’m not sure if this is a good thing. Given time, Sudden Death is a game you’ll grow to like but the initial learning curve and interface issues might throw a lot of people off before the game can demonstrate its unique charms.

Move over "Silent Hill" and "Resident Evil," there's a new kid on the block - and they supplied me with a spare set of boxers too. It's really that horrifying.

The programmers seem to have assumed incredibly hard and geologically slow pacing equals realism, yet have completely ignored any attempt at realism in other areas like e.g. being able to completely heal a marine who's been shot mutiple times with the contents of a bathroom medical cabinet (clearly, the brands of elastoplast and aspirin they have in Beirut are a lot more potent).

Could have been an excellent point and click adventure, instead it leaves a taste of unfinished development work in your mouth. Regardless, a mostly enjoyable romp and probably one of the best adventure games this year ' genre fans will love it.

Naturally, nothing can currently compete with the current industry leaders, but with a little time and a lot of bug spray, Vanguard will surely rise far enough through the ranks to challenge the titans for their crowns.

Don’t bother buying this game, it's nothing you haven't seen before.

If you like your puzzlers and/or have a soft spot for Japanese/English curios, then you'll probably quite enjoy this. But as a full-price PSP game it does leave a bit to be desired.

Short, cute, enjoyable games created with simplicity in mind and offset by a few bugs and an ultimately empty feeling. As it is you will find much to like here, just don’t expect it to last.

UFO isn’t perfect, but it does breathe enough life into a genre that hasn’t seen enough action recently. You could do a lot worse.

There is technically nothing wrong with Galactic Assault, it just lacks so much that it quickly becomes frustrating.

What this game lacks in manners it makes up for in depth, what it makes up for in depth it almost gets taken away from in the AI’s incompetence. Almost. As is, Space Empires V is terrifying in its scope and utterly absorbing if you can get through the maze-like issues it comes with.

If you loved H&D 2 but are wondering if there’s any point buying this – the co-op feature makes this well worth the purchase and will see you take up your addiction once again.

A very pretty title, one of style over substance. It doesn’t even try particularly hard to have substance; the objectives are there to provide some vague structure.

Overall, there’s no doubt about it, for original thinking, sheer enjoyability and taking steps that any developer would do well to follow, Blood Will Tell gets a comfortable must-buy rating.

Aside from a few minor flaws in gameplay mechanics and AI, which Ubisoft is rectifying, Faces of War is a fresh take on an old classic.

The humour is immature and unfunny to anyone over the age of 13 (which negates the game's 15+ age rating). The tennis is frustrating and flawed, and simply not up to the standards of the best of the genre.

It has a fine mixture of humorous moments, special effects and seemingly random solutions that are sure to make it a cult classic. All you need to get through it is a few old episodes of MacGyver, a spare mouse and a Nancy Drew mystery novel.

You’ll need a very forgiving attitude to begin playing Sword of the New World, because it still needs quite a bit of work.

It’s a mystery how two such very different games manage to share so many things in common. In away it’s almost a relief that Maximum Impact 2 is so poor, as it allows XI to bask in its own glory, an example of how the 2D fighting genre isn’t dead and hopefully an opportunity for younger gamers to appreciate the concept of gameplay being greater than eye-candy.

Mission objectives are the standard “find this” and “hit switch” variety and almost feel like an afterthought to break up the mindless slaughter.

With so many other exciting games on the horizon, this series as a whole requires a serious overhaul before it truly falls into a pit of mediocrity, something that this latest versions misses by a few inches.

The concept feels fresh and the idea of using formations of tiny robots to solve puzzles is in some ways inspiring. It’s such a shame that the game's potential was never fully realised and that the overall experience should be spoiled by silly camera problems.

I think the real problem here is not that anything is bad per se, but that it really has all been seen before.