If you played and loved it in 2008, then it's worth picking up for the power trip of playing as Lady. Alternatively, if you've beaten Ninja Theory’s faster, prettier DmC reboot and still have an irresistible urge to combo something, then, flawed though it is, Devil May Cry 4 will deliver.

It's a game that requires patience and immense commitment. If you know what you're getting into, or are at least patient enough to figure out everything on offer, Rome II is a worthy continuation of the franchise and an overdue update to one of the greatest strategy games of all time. It's every bit as vast and absorbing as you've come to expect.

Solatorobo is a carefree, fun experience, a portal directly to our childhood. There's something endearing about the characters and their growth that still holds a special place in our heart.

Gameplay aside, Bone: The Great Cow Race boasts pretty, well-animated visuals, excellent voice-acting and a great musical score, especially for an indie title. It's still a little short and none too replayable, but it's a fun little quest while it lasts.

There is no denying this Dead or Alive looks better than ever, but its improved fighting system is another step in the right direction. The game's story mode leaves much to be desired, however, but fortunately the game's other modes will keep you coming back for more once you finish. Ultimately, Dead or Alive 5's new fighting mechanics and flashy stage effects turn battles into an entertaining, over-the-top experience anyone can get into--with enough practice, of course.

Knights in the Nightmare isn't a bad game; the combat system is addictive as hell, and though the various elements of the game that might seem like an odd mix, together they make a lot of sense. It just tries to do too much, so instead of a historic must-play that changes the genre forever, we get a quirky, worthwhile oddity.

As the only baseball option on the 360, we’re relieved that MLB 2K10 is a genuine winner. There is still work to be done, but it deserves a spot on a major league roster.

While we’ve got a small list of complaints – you get no instant replays, pitches are tough to pick up in Home Run pinball, and the commentary gets repetitive really quickly – they don’t really impact the overall awesomeness that is The BIGS 2. In fact, it’s our favorite baseball game of the season, even if it’s really just an action game dressed up in pinstripes.

Just be warned: this game's for the fans, not necessarily someone looking for a quick bus-ride excursion. Gradius has never been easy, and these five selections are no different.

SoulCalibur 2 HD Online is everything the original was and more. Stunning full-screen, 1080p visuals and the inclusion of the full-fat single-player mission mode make this an essential download at $19.99/£15.99

Gunslinger offers an entertaining romp through a stylized Western world. The famous name dropping doesn't add much spice to Silas' revenge story and their gameplay implementation is even less memorable. But where Gunslinger falters with the legends of the West, it succeeds in creating a score-based shooter with an interesting, constantly morphing environment and charming narration.

Yeah, it’s pretty short, but those are some good five hours that’ll remind you of why you fell in love with Ratchet and Clank in the first place. Its $30 / £20 price tag makes it a great incentive to pick it up, and it delivers what you’d expect from the series.

Planet Coaster 2 is an ambitious sequel that expands sideways upon the foundation laid by its predecessor. The graphics are stunning, the water slide additions are fun, and the creative potential is immense, but it comes at a cost. The complexity of infrastructure systems interrupts the creative flow, making the impressively customizable experience feel unnecessarily convoluted at times.

EA and FIFA part company with a game packing fresh content both on and off the park – but FIFA 23 is ultimately hamstrung by a pair of longstanding frustrations.

Its handful of setbacks slightly outweigh its improvements, but Galactrix still offers an addictive, puzzle-meets-RPG experience that won’t disappoint most fans of the original PQ, as well as anyone looking for an accessible game that still packs plenty of substance.

Getting to punch, kick and burn things as a Pokemon is a delight, but it doesn’t feel fair when playing with others.

It's pretty easy to enjoy what’s here - smooth and intuitive gameplay with innovative controls and plenty of depth. Once you train your brain to use the sticks and love the "ping", you'll be joyfully rounding the bases.

Chessmaster Live doesn’t look like much. But it delivers exactly what it promises, and there’s not really much to complain about because of it.

All this enthusiasm leads us to the sad reality of the game's release. This would have been a glorious XBLA title at $10-$15, but Deathsmiles comes as a boxed copy and asks the uncanny price of $50. Sure, the game has replay value, but after a few playthroughs, only the ultra dedicated score chasers will have reason to keep going.

The Surge 2 offers the hard-earned pleasures of Souls-style combat, with less of genre’s signature sting.

Slime Rancher 2 may play largely the same as its predecessor but, between the beautiful new world and some key quality-of-life improvements, the future looks promising for Monomi Park's sequel. [Early Access Review]

A fizzy addition to the party game canon, Party Animals brings ample amounts of chaos and chuckles, with an uneven mix of modes highlighting the physic fighting shortcomings. Still, it's never not fun to hurl a friend off a speeding train and see them shrink into the distance.

Victorian London is the star of the show here, and although some old gameplay problems linger, it hasn’t been this much fun to wield the hidden blade in years.

While its character roster is smaller than previous games, and its multiplayer seems disappointingly basic next to its single-player campaign, Twisted Metal is nevertheless a compellingly badass game filled with fun things to discover and unlock. This isn't a perfect Twisted Metal, but as comebacks go, it's pretty strong.

While it's not Pokemon-killer, Yo-kai Watch delivers a delightfully simple and engaging experience that'll keep you coming back time and again.

If you’ve never played a Mario & Luigi game, this is the perfect on-boarding point. It’s got a hilarious script, near-flawless battling, and bucketfuls of charm.

Every individual component works so well that you might even wish the game would have focused more on a specific area or genre. This doesn’t hurt the game, but like its aerial controls, it leaves you wanting more. Still, Dragon Commander manages to combine all of its different gameplay elements and delivers one cohesive experience that's highly worth playing.

The biggest disappointment, though, is the sloppy online play.