Along with the balance issues, unrealistically high numbers of turnovers and frequent worst-moment-possible penalties shatter the illusion of simulating an NFL game.

The biggest let-down though is that Soul Calibur 2 feels much more like a remake than a true sequel. [Import]

There's little point in buying this version. Gamestyle recommends either waiting for the upgrade or renting this for a solid weekend of tactical espionage action.

This is an average, generic experience. For all its lofty ambitions and hype it is an unbelievable failure, a real disappointment for all PlayStation 3 owners.

There is no doubt about the quality of the series and its playability, but I wish for more: invention, freedom, a camera that behaves and link up play for instance.

An overall improvement on the pitch but a game ruined by faults off of it.

Yet the final product has been injured by this ambition, by having too many options and locations, the quality is spread thin and the lack of restrictions can daze some players.

If you love hoops, then this is a great simulation that will last until the next iteration, but Gamestyle feels that the real fun is to be had out on the blacktop and not in the comfort of your La-Z-Boy.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit both disappoints and delights. The excitement and thrill of high-speed chases is marred by the bland and stale routes on which they take place.

It manages to deliver new ideas and concepts, but ultimately fails to make the classic impact; hopefully the sequel can build upon the good work here.

Perhaps the lack of anything new limits the impact of this sequel. The storyline isn't riveting, far from it in fact, but for players who reached the end in the original; you'll want to see what else is going on in the Dead Space universe.

While it feels like it falls short of its potential, it provides a solid enough foundation that can be developed on and improved in future titles, and is still one of the most wildly innovative and daring experiences to be released this year.

There is nothing to be learned or mastered, other than your own quick reflexes, and while it is unfortunate that so many of the games are too similar and don't offer enough gameplay variety, the actual experience of working through them is both challenging and original, with comedy value and lush visuals to boot.

Reaching the end of Wipeout Pure is certainly a challenge, but once the higher ground has been breached (without PSP owning friends) there is little reason to return to the game.

It’s not in the same league as "Jak and Daxter," but is it still head and shoulders above everything else currently available on the Playstation 2.

For some experienced Madden and NCAA players there is little challenge (or reason to sustain a long career with a small college team) due to an AI that at times is lacking. However, the commentary (when it does occur) is well handled.

Ultimately, the game is unique, imaginative, accessible and thoroughly refreshing... and perhaps the last commercial gasp for the ailing GBA; however it's no better or worse than its predecessors - it's just WarioWare... with a twist!

It’ll challenge you to the point of frustration but is saved by that just-one-more-go factor, and like a lot of music albums it is sometimes left wanting in the middle but starts and ends well. It’s above average, but falls short of greatness.

It is unfortunate that the solo experience feels uncompelling; despite every effort to do otherwise, it's not likely to maintain interest except to hone your skills for the next time you face a worthy opponent, or earning a few more gold points to buy yourself a silly hair-do.

Only the forced structure of progression and often frustrating punishments give rise to concern in an otherwise excellent game.

Offers very little above the original Playstation 2 version.

Dirt 3 is a fine game and the action is as quality as always, the introduction of Gymkhana is a welcome one and offers a new challenge. However some baffling decisions on content stop the game being a true great of the genre. It almost feels like a first in a series, rather than the third.

Levels are well-paced and in bite-sized chunks, full of variety and always coming up with unique set-pieces. It recaptures the spirit of the original games and adds a modern twist.

The soundtrack and the effects (towns are deadly quiet) are a missed opportunity, with the occasional repetitive dialogue heightening the failure to grasp what could have been achieved.

It’s undoubtedly a bold (if not brazen) attempt to entertain, and while Gamestyle found itself striving to collect every last item from the first title, it is hard to see the same happening with this one. Which leaves its technical achievements looking rather muted.

Bully's most negative technical aspect is the in-game camera, which lags behind action and just cannot cope with corridors or quick changes of direction.

Maybe it's indicative of Nintendo's current business model; making family friendly games that are simple, and won't rock the boat. Yes, they had a winner with Phantom Hourglass, but Spirit Tracks reeks of complacency.

WipEout HD may not make the huge industry-changing impact it once did, but this is the most accessible entry to date (delivery method aside), and easily one of the most impressive technical demonstrations on the PS3.

What you take out of Flower is really your own choice, as an experience it is highly recommended if you have become bored with the majority of releases today. If you prefer your gaming to be a little left of centre than the latest chart topping release then this is for you.

Now is a great time to jump in for new players, but established players will quickly tire of grinding the same content.

Those who enjoyed the original will again lap up everything this has to offer, but the unconverted will remain as such.

There are a number of good and inspired moments, but for each one, you can think of something else that would have been better.

Ultimately, this is an enjoyable and involving game, marred by an unhelpful interface and over-complicated controls. There’s a decent game hiding in there somewhere - if you’re willing to persevere.

The story does finally wrap itself up nicely, and the way you meet up with and fight against your former selves is a rarity handled well. Not a classic game, but very solid nonetheless.

The lack of an Xbox Live option is especially disappointing, as there will be no opportunity to correct outstanding bugs nor offer fans an additional planet or mission(s) to download.

The inability to take cover in multi-player is an odd omission and the AI in the single player is dreadful.

Overall Splinter Cell: Conviction is a let down for long time fans of the series, but as a game in its own right it is worthy of your attention.

Gamestyle would like to say NeverSoft have done the series proud, but the truth is everything that's great about this game has simply been taken from Harmonix's template, and the new stuff that has been added almost saps the enjoyment back out of it.

The graphics and overall feel of the game do not seem quite right.

It's a shame that the overall package can't be as satisfying as it is online because, while it still has many things we've always loved about the Splinter Cell series, it's hardly the next generation offering we were hoping for.

The laziness of the enemies, repetitive combat and ridiculous slowdown are all against it; but the clever storytelling, great boss fights, high-quality presentation and rock-hard challenge ensure this is a step above a lazy, licensed game.

Dead or Alive 4 may not be the holy grail of fighters, but Tecmo have still crafted an enjoyable title with plenty of reply value.

They've managed to dilute the entire essence of the extreme sports genre into a cheap, unsubtle and far too easy story-based adventure.

Like many zombie flicks in history, this is for a cult audience only. It's a genuine shame but it just isn't very good.

It’s still Halo. Only with more bugs than you remember.

Both entertaining and satisfying yet difficult and frustrating in equal measures, if you haven't already fallen out of love with the series or have never played a Fire Emblem game then there's an awful lot to enjoy.

It will undoubtedly prove enjoyable for those new to the series, but anyone expecting a fully-fledged sequel might be sorely disappointed.

Undoubtedly a good game, Infamous can be a very frustrating experience at times, mostly thanks to the overly-precise aim of the enemies and Cole feeling far too weak and vulnerable at times.

It works so well EA may have just have spoiled the chances of any other boxing title that harks back to the simpler time of button pressing to throw out your uppercuts and jabs.

Gamestyle found itself continually muttering "one more round" despite having completed our fifth one in a row. If it can make golf interesting, it must be doing something right.

World at War is for the most part a competently made and solid game.

Like an empty warehouse it may be huge and imposing, but once inside your options are limited - and disappointingly so.

UFC Undisputed has raised the bar in the cage itself but has really let itself down with a career mode that offers very little.

A solid framework for the future of online gameplay on the Wii and the strong multiplayer sessions are the only reason this game is getting an above-average score from us; if you’re not a fan of the series or can’t play online, deduct three or four points from our score and stay away.

NBA 2K7 is your typical update. It may not revolutionise anything, but the improved graphics and online mode are enough to win over fans of the series.

That doesn't change the fact that underneath the fireworks and glitter that the generation-jump brings DMC4 is a far less complete video game than its predecessors, and being new to the series will simply delay the realisation that the game just doesn't live up to the series' potential.

There's enough levels to provide a bit of variety to the single player modes but multiplayer is definitely where it's at, and always has been.

All in all, an improvement over the original, but not a huge step forward by any means.

While Gamestyle loves the on track handling, the pursuit of new vehicles and driving excellence, Gran Turismo 5 fails to achieve its goals or address its bad habits. Full of distractions and pretty eye candy, beneath the bonnet, the chassis is in serious need of attention.

All in all, Fahrenheit tries hard to be that truly interactive story game we've always wanted, but at some point collapses under its own weight, proving that we're not at that stage just yet.

The length may be an issue to some, but while it lasts The Mindgate Conspiracy is immensely enjoyable, and in retrospect ideally pitched.

Beaten to the ball. A frustrating but undeniably well put together package.

Tiger Woods 09 certainly has a lot of life in it. A good online mode and lengthy career will easily keep golf enthusiasts hooked until the next edition.

On balance, however, this is a great game that outperforms most others in the field, but it's also obvious - painfully so - that it could have been so much more.

Instead of well-written dialogue, we have semi-naked female characters with implausible breasts; instead of any sort of well-rounded lead character, we have a dislikeable chap with 'attitude'; instead of complex, beautifully-designed puzzles that continually flow from room to room, we have combat and decapitations at every corner.

Underneath the layers, there is some semblance of a good game here. It's very ambitious and we applaud that. But ambition doesn't always equal a good game, and while RE5 is nowhere near a disaster, the disappointment we felt is made worse due to our lofty expectations.

SHIFT is an odd beast. Happy to straddle that middle ground between simulation and arcade, it doesn’t necessarily master either.

Sitting uncomfortably between "Rallisport Challenge 2" and "Richard Burns Rally," in terms of visuals, game length and handling integrity, Colin McRae 05 is too fussy to be an arcade game yet far too simplistic to be classed as a true simulator.

It's just a shame that the online service is so 'imperfect' - because the game could have easily scored an extra point (or two) had it worked properly.

There's replayability in Crush in the way of time trials and perfecting scores, but it relies on you wanting to play it in the first place.

Online the whole package is backed up with statistics, lobbies and the option to take part in ranked, or unranked matches. These for the most part work efficiently, although the number of players who decide to disconnect when things are not going their way is disappointing.

The Dolby Digital soundtrack is somewhat disappointing, as despite having utilised many elements from the film it lacks the power and punch one could have hoped for – even the city sounds a little too quiet at times.

They say the show must go on and in the Resistance world there are still questions to be answered, but the disappointing nature of this third instalment and its failure to deliver at retail most likely means this is the last release in the series. Perhaps such an end is the best option all round.

Length and audio issues aside, this is a solid re-imagining of one of gaming's most iconic series, and far and away the best 3D Castlevania game ever made.

"One for the fans" might be a lazy summary of any game, but it's quite an apt one here. Without the emotional connection of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core is a somewhat half-hearted game lacking in substance, for all its polish and production.

Considering the resources at EA's disposal, the practised excellence of their programmers and artists, and the experience of well over a decade of development, there should be more put into the game.

Ultimately, Battlefield: Bad Company is a game that promises a lot but struggles to deliver more than a slightly above average FPS experience.

Not NetherRealms finest, but still a solid fighter.

Whilst plotting strategic job changes remains as fresh and engrossing today as it ever did, the grinding and sometimes repetitive combat can't help but detract from the overall enjoyment of the title.

The move to third-person is bold and different, but in order for it to succeed an effective auto-targeting system is essential; unfortunately, the lock-on provided is patchy at best - and just as likely to target the guy at the back over the guy who is inches away from ramming an Uzi up your rectum. Compounding the problem is the relative uselessness of shooting when not using the lock-on.

Alan Wake himself is a cold, moody and clinical character, so much so that Gamestyle felt no affinity with his onscreen presence. We however, warmed to the actual gaming experience, but still left short changed and disappointed, especially after such a long gestation period.

This episode is the most amusing yet, but again, comes with the same problems.

Vegas 2 could’ve done with a few months more development time, at least, maybe then would we have got the Rainbow Six game we all wanted.

SingStar virgins and hardcore fans could do a lot worse than start here, but for everyone in between, it may be worth waiting for the SingStore to fill before making the jump.

If only that trademark familiarity didn't breed contempt at the annual updates - still less of a leap and more of a step. The embarrassing stumbles that once blighted EA Sports' flagship are a distant memory.

If this is your first foray into the VP world then you’ll love it, but for those of us who were waiting for a true sequel, we’d best be more patient.

Whether it deserves the hefty price tag is certainly questionable, but if you feel that FIFA 10 doesn’t satisfy your World Cup cravings, you you’ll be more than happy with the offerings available through 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

There is certainly a lot to keep anyone occupied here, even if the main game is a little un-balanced, simply firing up a game of monkey bowling whilst sitting on the train makes it a worthy purchase.

Doesn’t do anything to attract new followers to the genre; it knows its market and is more than likely content with its piece of the pie. Those who love such themed releases will be satisfied with Gradius, but some of us wanted more, or at least a new plateau in shooters.

Fans of the Marvel universe will no doubt lap it up.

All in all, The Darkness is a decent fifteen hour single player experience, featuring a brilliant story and even better presentation. However the enjoyment is slightly tainted by the under utilisation of its best features, sluggish movement and horrible multiplayer.

As an overall package, there is a lot to love about TDU; the concept is sound and exploring never gets tiresome, but the laziness evident in the current build is inexcusable.

The Walking Dead on PS Vita isn’t the definitive version, which is a shame, as the personal experience of the Vita itself could have added so much to the overall experience of the game. Instead what you get is a decent enough port that maintains most of the game’s charms, but just falls a little short on previous releases. However, that still makes it better than most games on the market.

A game that manages to deliver an online experience which completely overwhelms the single-player mode.

Overall, Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is a real surprise.

Brutal Legend is a great game to visit and experience but the gameplay doesn’t make us want to stay.

Stumbles just shy of greatness.

An average game that lacks the spirit of the sport.