Drawn to Life is a great example of a game which uses the DS very well. Being able to create the look of the main character, and the environment around him, is a great feature, but unfortunately it’s the only exceptional aspect of the game.

For 800 Microsoft Points, Warp is a fantastic way to start the 2012 House Party, it will be bettered over the course of the year, but it is short enough that it won't take over your gaming time, yet engaging enough that you will have a great time with it.

A harmless game with classic standard platform gameplay, and classic 3D platform camera problems.

As for size, the game suffers because it lacks the depth of its competitors, but it still manages to offer more playable hours than the previous three EA Lord of the Rings releases.

Possibly one of the most underappreciated titles for the Wii, Excite Truck reminds us of why we started playing games in the first place - pure, unadulterated fun. If we get treated to an Excite Truck 2 we will be very, very happy.

It may take a while to click, but once it does H.A.W.X is certainly an entertaining ride. It may not have the variety required for multiple playthroughs, it will however entertain you through to the conclusion.

Although FEAR is starting to show its age, the twisted plot and strong gunfights overcome such obstacles, delivering a memorable experience to the PlayStation 3.

Rock Of Ages is a fine game, that offers up an excellent challenge, it mixes genres well without diluting any of them too far. However it is hampered by some control issues, but if that can be overcome then this is a must have for anyone, especially for the time-trial mode.

Overall, this is a game that will likely divide Castlevania fans. Taken on its own merit we can only recommend this to 3DS owners. It’s a dark and forbidding fairy tale told with skill and it conjures an atmospheric adventure which leads into the darker, more brutal side of the Castlevania universe.

A shocking game; a turgid stinking pool of primordial ooze that would take millions of years to evolve into something that is worth using as a doorstop, let alone playing.

For a first time developer, Remember Me appears highly ambitious. And while it’s got some neat ideas it never quite does anything substantial with them, instead providing an enjoyable, if forgettable experience.

chick chick BOOM does a lot of things right. It looks and sounds polished and attractive and the core mechanics have promise. It feels like it deserves better. But comparisons with luminary artillery games are foolish; there are too many imperfections to leave them unmentioned and any multiplayer game that leaves you celebrating the end for the end's sake is a failure. chick chick BOOM could have, should have been so much more: a tremendous shame that it is not.

Unfortunately during this gargantuan effort, someone along the production line forgot to say this: Fackin’ hell, these control’s ain’t ‘alf fackin’ dodgy, guvnor!

An excellent tactical J-RPG let down only by a slightly anti-climactic ending.

The extra content is appreciated but does little to expand what is already an enjoyable and offbeat experience.

Even after 12 years, Front Mission is a good game, and if you’re a fan of turn-based strategy games, it would be a great addition to your DS library.

Achieving high scores becomes incredibly addict[ive] and is a great alternative to standing placidly at a bus stop, while you await the no 37.

Two steps removed from the CCG it seeks to emulate, and is unlikely to appeal to anyone but Magic aficionados - and even then it has so cruelly crushed the freedom and essence of the licence that players of 'chess with cards' cannot help but shun it.

It doesn’t matter if they are given a lick of paint, or rebuilt from scratch, as long as the final game is something that can be enjoyed and it is clear that Munch’s Oddysee has had less attention than Abe’s remaster, but it is still a game that I am happy to play again and am thankful for the opportunity.

Somehow, against all the odds, the game still manages to be fun. Perhaps it’s the sheer over-the-topness of everything, Mercenaries 2 displays an exuberance missing from so many “realistic” games these days and it is this that will hold interest long after it should have waned.

Think of Sudeki as a trip to the Renaissance faire with your crystal loving anime fan friend from the new age bookstore. You can choose to either drink in the experience, enjoy it for what it is and not scratch too deep; or you can over analyze it, shatter the illusion and trudge around miserable all day.

The new direction taken by Amped 3 will not be to everyone's taste. Yet somehow this underdog has managed to dominate Gamestyle's available Xbox 360 playtime - leaving PGR3 trailing, PDZ quaking and Condemned hammered.

A solid game, with a few minor port issues, but at a budget price one you should be at least flirting with the idea of playing.

The Saboteur held much promise, which unfortunately never materialises whilst playing.

Fans of the genre will find plenty to enjoy, from the spooky setting to the non-stop action. Live users can also enjoy the excellent lag-free games that it offers, which certainly makes Area 51 a game to consider.

Gamestyle does still love Theme Park just as much as when we first played it in 1994, it is still disappointing to see that EA Japan haven't added anything apart from having a little helper guide you through the game.

By merging two franchises Midway is being quite clever. Mortal Kombat and DC fans will lap this up and for the uninitiated it’ll still provide ample enjoyment.

Quite frankly, even long time Dragon Ball Z fans will get limited fun out of this. Burst Limit isn't necessarily bad and can be quite fun at first, but you'll get bored of it after a few days because of the above mentioned issues and go back to playing something else.

But with this much constant repetition, sloppy enemy and level designs, artificially-prescribed deaths, lack of bonus GBA-connectivity and even some glitchy overlapping voice samples, it's really a matter of how much the player is prepared to tolerate.

Pid isn't going to stand out as an all time classic of the generation, it won't find itself mentioned in the same breath as a Limbo, or a Braid, but what it does, it does generally well. It is a fine game to pick up and play through, but despite its wonderful understated presentation, it isn't one that will stay with you once finished.

State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition is a game that I can easily recommend and for me it is one that will last a long time, with the original game, plus expansions in one packages, there are hours and hours of content to enjoy and it is worth every penny.

If SEGA can continue to produce re-releases of this quality, then they are on to a winner. NiGHTS is a dream, it plays as you remember and thanks to the HD enhancement, it invokes your best memories of the original. It is complete fan service, possibly not one for newcomers, but certainly for those who enjoyed the experience in 1996.

LEGO The Hobbit is another LEGO game, with yet another skin. But it still retains that all important fun factor.

Whilst The Red Star might lack the polish of newer titles and suffers from some design flaws, the gameplay at its heart is absolutely rock solid and will conjure up memories of games gone by for the more discerning and mature gamer.

But the Defence phases and the length of a match (count a good 40 minutes with all the tactics selection screens) prove to be a bit tedious and repetitive and will demand perseverance from the player.

Not the best Final Fantasy you’ll ever play, but still very enjoyable on the whole.

It makes you laugh and frustrates in equal measure and that is surely the games main problem, for every yin it has a yang and never reaches the sum of its parts.

As it stands, like its predecessor this game is by no means horrible, and definite attempts to improve the formula have been made, but the control issues and various other bugbears mean that this is still only worth a rental at best.

With a rather lovely soundtrack in addition to everything else, The Next Chapter may not be as ambitious as 5th Cell's other game, Scribblenauts, but it is a nice little platformer that may get your artistic juices flowing. Just don't go expecting anything too deep and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Major League Baseball 2K11 is a fantastic game, a wonderful representation of the sport, if you know your stuff, then you will be in your element. It can be a daunting experience for newcomers, but if you do happen across a copy, then stick with it and you will be rewarded well.

A nice try at an RPG – it has a nice fresh plot that can both bore you and enthral you at the same time.

Get past the inherent limitations and you'll find a surprisingly good rendition of the beautiful game.

Kung Fu Rabbit is a fine platformer that is a welcome addition to the Vita library.

A cracking puzzle game, but the lack of level sharing lets it down a little.

We'd recommend the first On Tour as a better starting point and a slightly better game overall, which relegates this to a worthwhile expansion if you can find it cheap enough.

The absence of online play stops Pangya obtaining the score of a great game, but if you want an interactive golfing experience, it's hard to be beaten.

The Splatters is a game that from first view feels like it should have been made for iOS rather than XBLA, but from the moment you start playing you will not regret your purchase. Game play is challenging but without ever become dull or too complex. It is only 800 Microsoft Points too and very much worth every penny you will pay.

If destruction and mayhem are your thing then there is enough here to warrant a purchase. But with a few tweaks here and there, Overlord II could have been something a little more special.

A solid game set in a beautifully-created world brimming with life and atmosphere. While it begins unassumingly, the game soon finds its 'furry' feet.

Overall, this is an attractive and amusing game that is pleasing on the eye as well as the ear that is great for a fun quick blast in the middle of the day, during your commute or simply whenever you feel like it.

It's innovate, it's fun and it shows real determination from Nintendo to show exactly what makes the DS stand out from the rest, and for that reason alone you should show your support. DS game of the year? No doubt. Electroplankton is simply an essential DS title.

If you’re looking for a good FPS game on the DS, it’s a recommended purchase.

Few titles nowadays grow in stature yet almost a year on from its original release, Scarface: The World is Yours remains as strong and potent an experience as you’ll find.

Whilst extremely generic, it offers huge amounts of fun for the first few hours. Get past that however, and you soon realise that beneath the low brow gags and goofy gifts, there’s not a lot left to make it stand out from the crowd.

An average carnage based shooter, despite the strong designs and Star Wars origins. The improved multi-player options give this release a fresh impetus that raises it a notch, but no more.

Dead Island is described as a first person action-adventure game, whilst it is definitely first person, the latter two descriptions are misleading, it is action in as much as raising your arm is an action, it is adventure in as much finding toilet roll is an adventure. They should have called it a first person battle of tedium, because it would've been a lot more accurate.

Undoubtedly a fun game. Anyone who has played a Kirby title before will not find anything particularly new here but everything is done in a very inventive and fun way.

There is nothing in the game to be particularly dismayed by, nor anything that gives the sense that this could be the definitive spin-off fans and non-fans alike could get behind.

If you want a handheld shooter to play online (an MP-PSP-FPS, if you will) then this is a good choice. PSP controls are never going to be perfect, but they aren’t terrible here. If you want a single player game do not touch this with a barge pole, it's uninspired, boring and unbelievably dated.

You have the atrocious commentary which is worse than ever in this game.

Ultimately Sega Superstars Tennis is yet another frivolous entry in the Wii Catalogue.

There's no incentive to save the Leopold and her crew from destruction, and playing through the game feels more like a chore than a challenge. It's a valiant attempt at reinvigorating an old franchise, but one that ultimately fails to make an impact.

It follows rather than leads, but Soldner-X 2 is a decent if unspectacular entrant in the genre.

WWE '12 is simply the best wrestling game ever made. THQ promised big changes and they have delivered. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, with Road to Wrestlemania, online issues and the odd glitch to name a few faults, but they have done enough to justify both themselves and the WWE itself.

Time will no doubt address its faults but for a quick blast with friends or for fans of ragdoll physics it may prove to be an interesting diversion.

Fans of the genre will lap up the space age conflict, yet some people may be left wanting more.

Completing Shinobi is not an issue, but doing it with the style deserving of the series certainly is. Achieving those impressive A rankings will keep the dedicated occupied for the foreseeable future. Given the lack of alternative modes and the shortness of the main game, this fact will probably be lost on those who prioritise completion over mastery.

It's sad to say that it's just not worth persevering through the tortuous controls. The story is not particularly gripping, and the decisions that affect the progression aren't provoking.

Despite its flaws, and perhaps a slight over-reliance on gravitational nuance in order to bolster sales, Flat Out is not entirely a 'flat' racing experience; it's always entertaining, and never less than appealing.

While not a bad game, Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits just feels like an easy cash-in among the other music games flooding the market.

Call of Juarez is an odd game that manages to mix two distinct gameplay styles, failing miserably in the process.

The effort that has gone into this game is clear from the start. This game was made by a very small team, and mostly by one man, so tip your hats to them. In terms of playability though, it is basic, and even tedious at points. But that is what it is trying for. Old games were repetitive, and painfully difficult, and RCR is just trying to replicate this.

The attention to detail and responsive handling make for a thoroughbred racing experience, with plenty of challenges for the dedicated Ferrari fan.

We gave it time, but it still isn't the game we'd hoped for. It may get there one day, just not right now.

The voice-acting meanwhile features a variety of accents and the sound effects adequately portray the stark reality of a strange world.

As a solo game, Guitar Hero On Tour is a worthy addition to the series.

Juiced 2 is hampered by the lack of tracks, unrealistic tuning and some bizarre design choices.

There's a lack of scope to Draglade that makes repeated play-throughs an easy and unrewarding chore, something that a sequel should aim to address in the future.

No-one was expecting a heavy, lengthy platformer, but neither the puzzly-jumping nor the fighting has been nurtured enough to shine through, and as it stands Wario World is a missed opportunity; not particularly bad, but certainly not what we'd expect from two of the finest developers in Japan.

It isn’t a well rounded at Trials, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still a good game. It is a fine addition to the Vita library and one that should be picked up instantly.

On the whole Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a game that does the basics well enough, without ever really setting itself apart. It is a nice conclusion to the first game but nothing more, nothing less. Worth picking up if you enjoyed the original, but hardly essential at the same time.

At a budget price you get exactly what you pay for. It is the original NBA Jam given a lick of HD paint, while retaining all the charisma of the original. If you want a Basketball fix but find the likes of NBA 2K11 too complicated and complex to pick up an play then you can't go wrong with this.

Easily the most distinctive and unusual title exclusively available via the PS Store. For £3.49 you receive 128MB of something rather unique and eye opening but others will thoroughly hate the lack of structure and goals, as many play to win or obtain the highest score.

Doki Doki Universe isn’t going to appeal to everyone, it isn’t a game that pushes the limits of what is possible, but it is a nice family friendly game that you can go back to time and time again.

It is shallow, but it is plenty of fun and a fine debut for Kinect on XBLA. It is one that can be played on your own and be fun and one that will be a success at parties or when fried and family are around.

Unrewarding, derivative, insulting and just plain dull, and worse of all, shamefully ignorant of the huge leaps forward in level design, characterisation and game structure and in the last decade, and as such is best avoided.

Grand Slam Tennis has a fantastic engine, it plays an amazing game on the court, however it is surrounded by an uninspiring career mode and a sterile feel to the whole thing. It is a great base to start a new franchise but there is still a lot of work to be done. Going to a fifth set against Rafael Nadal can be a real tense affair, mistakes start to creep in and there is a fine line between winning and losing. It really does capture the drama of professional tennis. Well worth picking up as there is plenty of fun to be had, despite the flaws.

If you have enjoyed golfing releases previously then this warrants your time, so make it your next purchase and get involved online.

Chromehounds is an excellent online game, but the single-player suffers because of it, making it no use for anyone without a Gold Live account.

ScreamRide is a decent game that could have been much better, but it is still worth owning just for the sandbox alone.

While other games have moved onwards and upwards ("Ratchet & Clank", "Jak" etc), Miss Rayne is treading water.

What Crackdown 2 lacks in depth, it makes up in destructive fun.

From the dazzling introductory sequence, right the way through to the cliff hanger ending, there's not a single section of gameplay that feels it hasn't been smothered with love.

At the bargain price it is hard to fault Ghost Recon Jungle Storm because, for the money, it delivers across the board; and the additional missions are welcome. Those waiting for notable improvements will just have to be patient for "Ghost Recon 2."

If you are a fan of the likes of Thief and Hitman then Styx: Master of Shadows is well deserving of a play. Goblins may be foul, disgusting creatures, but you won’t help but like this one.

Basically, Timeshift is a decent game marred by a massive amount of already used ideas and not enough unique appeal, even with its time travelling mechanics. Customers who see this on a shelf, which also contains the likes of Halo 3, The Orange Box, and Call of Duty 4, will probably leave the game out in the cold this winter.

Demon Gaze is what it is and it is fantastic at doing what it does. One for veterans of the genre only though.

This game is too hard for little gamers to earn their platformer wings, and too annoying for the rest of us, who will have seen all the worthwhile bits before, to grace with our time.