It has some shortcomings and will very nearly frustrate as much as it delights.

Whichever way you choose to purchase Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, the majority of PlayStation 3 owners will be thankful to have the opportunity to sample what Polyphony Digital have been working on for the last four years. At least that is until the cars hit the track.

There are loading times that I wouldn’t have thought exist in this day and age, and the graphics are nothing exceptional. Dialogue is bad, the sound is bad 70’s pastiche but the guy who did the cut-scenes deserves a big fat raise.

Beyond the jaw-dropping visuals there's actually a fun and entertaining piece of 'soft' ware to be held, er... had. So what if it raises a few eyebrows? It's only a game.

On its own merits it is a steady adventure with plenty of content and modes making it an outside bet for any younger Nintendo Wii owner.

If you’re the kind of person who loves to grind then maybe, just maybe, Rainbow Moon is worth taking a look at. For everyone else though, there are sure to be better alternatives.

Do you want a no holds barred, no brainer and almost textbook definition of “old school” FPS to play? If so, go ahead and make the purchase.

There is an addictive quality to Monster Hunter as you push your character to new levels and wonderful weaponry. Yet it relies too much on management of items and combinations that take up more time than the quests themselves.

The first three worlds certainly are great fun and the boss design and different babies help add some invention. But as soon as you have seen the back of the third world it all becomes a frustrating mess of a game.

The first half of the game is certainly an edge of your seat horror fest, it's only in the latter stages where the game starts to come undone with a plot that soon falls into Evil Dead 2 levels of hilarity.

Carbon, to its credit, has made some changes to the formula, but it cannot hope make up for blatant omissions such as an online mode. The next instalment should be very interesting.

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.

Regardless of innovation, if you are looking for an adventure with plenty of action, this is a worthwhile candidate.

Once over the control issues there is a pretty decent game to be played. However, it is hard to get over the feeling that the game could have been better off removing the movement controls and having a story driven fully on-rails hack em up type game.

If Ham Ham Games had a stronger RPG element (a Mario Golf GBA level of involvement would have been fine) and the ability to record high scores by name (it just saves the score, not the scorer) and it would have scored a point or two higher.

Hole In The Wall will lack any real longevity past completing the the main Show mode and getting a good score on the Quick Survival, but for the short time that will be spent with it it offers up a fun experience and is another feather in the XBLA cap.

There is a lot to like about this trip down memory lane, but really Duke Nukem 3D just feels like a relic from a bygone era. While we would welcome back some of the classic FPS design traits, the rest is best left in the past.

On the one hand it has so many design flaws that Gamestyle should hate it. But on the other hand it's a fun experience with a number of memorable moments.

While it may not be the return of a golden genre so many people fondly remember, Sam & Max: Save The World is still a game that should be supported.

As far as console versions of Monopoly goes this is one of the better ones.

Trying to maintain that balance between strategy and traditional role playing is ultimately its undoing, as it fails to fully deliver on either front.

It isn’t a game with much substance, it isn’t one that will eat all your time, but it is a fun little time waster for when you have a spare five minutes.

Ordinary. That is pretty much the best way to describe this, it isn’t a bad game, but neither is it one that will live with you, you will play it, have moments of enjoyment and moments of annoyance, then at the end of the day, you will forget about it. It could have been so much more, but it just isn’t going to make any new fans of the genre, that is for certain.

Controls aside for a second: the breadth of detail is stunning.

The game camera despite offering several possible views is like a stubborn sheep – refusing to do as its told and turning slowly in confined spaces.

It is simply run of the mill, but that is fine depending on how much you like Zelda type games, or Adventure Time.

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.

The story might be terrible, but somehow it is still better than nothing and the wingman system does work, even if it is a bit odd.

To get any satisfaction from Primal takes a great deal of effort and compassion, and this price will be too high for some of us.

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.

Angry Birds Star Wars isn’t the greatest of games, it is a tried and tested formula that offers little new and is cashing in on both its own success and the success of one of the biggest movie franchises in the world. It does however do what it does as well as it does. If you enjoy the franchise as a whole, then you’ll get plenty of mileage out of this version, but it is one for fans of the series only.

It's not a better game all round than "Crimson Skies" but offers quite a challenge for the single player, with several nicely playable multiplayer scenarios thrown in.

It all makes for quite a competent basketball game, but ultimately there’s little to draw in anyone who doesn’t enjoy the sport in the first place, unlike EA’s brilliant Fight Night Round 3, which was one of the best early Xbox 360 titles.

It's seeing how players make the most of such limited tools in a constrictive environment that hints at what could have been for Inversion.

Overall Armored Core 4 is heading in the right direction, but there are many issues that need to be addressed.

SP:TR is not a bad game, but it also isn't good enough to be considered a classic either. It's so close to being a really enjoyable game, but the levels just aren't exciting enough to warrant making a player replay them over and over again. The story is good, and fans of South Park will enjoy it, but SP:TR has such a poor user interface that means that most gamers will not return once it's finished.

An annoying camera, repetitive structure and short replay value all add up to a slightly above average game that will only have lasting appeal for younger gamers (or indeed Star Wars fans).

Paperbound has a lot holding it back but at its core it’s is an inventive, feverish multiplayer game that has in it the magic to inspire the same kind of cursing and joy as the best multiplayer game – it is the magic of the formula.

A charming game, as you’d expect from Natsume but one that won’t attract anyone new to such a bizarrely implemented concept.

A terrible map system and dated graphics are only just outweighed by the classic gameplay that lies underneath. This is for die hard Mega Man fans only.

A title for the fans to be sure, but anyone else seeking that graffiti buzz should look to the Dreamcast (or Xbox) to really understand, understand the concept of (Jet Set Radio) love.

Even with the tutorials WCP2 is still quite dense if you come to it as a poker virgin (there’s no glossary of terms, for example) and for that reason, along with the drab, sometimes thoughtless presentation and subsequent lack of glitz and glamour, WCP2 can be thought of as little more than above average.

Pocket-sized foibles aside, what keeps Origins out of the big-leagues that its brethren inhabit is what saved the title from disaster in the first place- it's simply too conservative by far, with none of the occasionally misplaced inventiveness found in the other titles.

Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge answers the very question that it poses: N64 into GBA doesn't fit.

A solid JRPG with an addictive battle system which is let down by the repetitive plot, minor technical glitches and generally being way too easy.

The randomness of the battles and the lack of replayability let the Japanese Ghostbusters down from an otherwise well written story.

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

Quantum of Solace is by no means a poor first person experience, its just rather bland and decidedly average.

Whilst there’s plenty here to keep fans of F.E.A.R. happy, it’s telling that the game from which both of these titles derive is still significantly better in terms of design and playability.

The humorous parody, satire and carnage of Destroy All Humans is enjoyable, but the experience is significantly lessened by far too much repetition, some frustrating sections, a lack of proper sense of destructive scale, and free-roaming areas that are too small and don't contain that much of interest outside the main story.

It does lack that touch of genius that Nintendo brought to its Pokemon series, but for what the final product represents and whom it will appeal to, the match is ideal.

While it represents a modest improvement over Enter The Matrix, it still shares a vital similarity in that it feels unfinished and rushed to market to meet a deadline.

It features a huge amount of wanton fun, a massive sprawling challenge and plenty of items to collect and skills to improve. The only downside to the game is that once you’ve played for a few hours it all starts to get a little stale.

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.

Banjo-Tooie is far from being a bad platformer, though instead of taking what made Banjo-Kazooie great and improving on it, the Rare philosophy seems to be throw everything into the mixing pot and see what comes out.

In the end, it's only the star billing of Alba (by proxy) that can wilfully will a player to continue. Even her character model is unconvincing, with the obligatory "Lara mode" (ie, face player to camera, stand rigid and inspect geekishly for blemishes) and de rigueur costume change throughout levels, doing little to assuage.

On the whole, 4 Elements HD is a welcome break from any intense action and/or time consuming narrative games and can be enjoyed by both competitive and casual gamers of all ages. Unfortunately, it has arguably failed to capitalize on where other 'match three' games also fell short and that is an entertaining storyline to warrant 64 levels.

Midnight Pool is a welcome purchase on the Wii Ware system, representing decent value for your Wii points.

Feels like an add-on pack which has been stretched too thin between the cracks of a cracking good yarn (see: "Disgaea").

There is a lot about Criminal Girls: Invite Only that is good, but as usual, it is hard to dig beneath the needless sexual content.

The sensation of speed and power is immense and the graphics are as good as anything the PS2 has produced so far. The problem with Ace Combat 6, then, is simply that it does nothing new.

For some it will become too repetitive, as you can only shoot down so many opponents or destroy so many targets before it all becomes a little boring.

For something a little different, Outlaw Golf 2 is certainly worth considering, and the retail price certainly won’t break the budget.

It's a shame that the [movie] actors did not assume the speaking parts, but there's always a next time.

Heavily reliant on survival, Konami have stripped the game of fun and presented you with something that's too realistic for its own good.

It is easy to see that the gap between Playstation 2 and Xbox is beginning to stretch. Rainbow Six 3 is a solid game, but in this shape and form a sense of disappointment is hard to avoid.

If you see it cheap, it's worth picking up; for anyone expecting a long-lasting game, however, you'll be disappointed.

Interesting diversion. Yet for all this novelty, one realises that the linearity and the lack of player freedom (and opportunities) really puts a dampener on what could have been something gloriously different.

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.

Strictly a single player event and with no additional modes outside that of the repeating chapters or limited mini games there is no reason to return.

The concept means that technically MySims could last forever, but realistically you’ll be bored within a couple of weeks. Not that this is a bad game per se, it's just that it has already been beaten by Animal Crossing: Wild World.

Make no mistake: within moments of the disk-tray closing, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II weaves an intoxicating spell that compresses hours into minutes with shocking efficiency. A most pleasurable enthralment blinds the eyes to any shortcomings for a time, but with each successive break from play the cracks begin to form.

Front Mission Evolved is an interesting experiment from Square Enix. It is far from a success and at times feels far too removed from the key components that made the series popular. Double Helix Games have attempted something new, which is commendable, albeit considerably flawed.

Ultimately it’s a game that feels like some of the mechanics are a little bit too wonky to be truly great, but if you have a knack for real time strategy you’ll get a good deal of enjoyment out of it.

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.

The ability of the handheld to throw around smooth graphics like these can only bode well for a fully-miniaturised 3D Mario Kart - another title we're truly gagging to play.

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.

It's a great game if you like the genre, but it won't probably won't win any new fans to the puzzle style of play. Their loss.

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.

Yet the only reason to buy this (unfortunately) is the X-Files license, and because of the strong scripting (and characters) these are the only redeeming qualities in the cold light of day.

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.

A great game if you can stomach the bugs, but that’d be like trying to ignore somebody choking you from across the room.

Its sheer difficulty will put off all but the most hard core of gamers (and even then it’s gonna take a lot to convince.)

Aaru’s Awakening is a competent if unspectacular game, that with a little more time in the oven could have been much better as an overall experience.

Jet Car Stunts shows a ton of promise, but much of the game is locked behind some pretty awful criteria for progression.

The single-player game lacks longevity, and having more than fifteen mini games would have helped negate this.

A competent HD upgrade, nothing more, nothing less.

Zombie Tycoon may have just resurrected our flagging interest in the PSN Store.

It’s not exceptional enough to demand your time or money above the billion other games vying for your attention, but nowhere near being awful as to want to stomp into paste and fire into the sun, never to darken your door again.

Perhaps the first Sonic game that had Gamestyle reaching for the instruction manual. It starts a bit vague in regards to how it should be played, but it soon clicks into place.

Far Cry Instincts: Predator would be something special on the Xbox (the original was given an 8, after all), but we've seen it all before and Ubi-Soft have clearly forgotten that we are now entering the next generation of gaming.

Players who put in the time and effort will receive a stimulating and demanding experience.

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.

For those expecting a triumphant Mario title, you'll have to wait until Mario Party 8 for the next opportunity.

Ultimately though it is one long drawn out cutscene cut up by little bits of gameplay that do not seem to fit in as well.

This is a challenging game to say the least, but it's the lack of a decent learning curve that really hurts it.

After completing Beyond: Two Souls it’s understandable why this is one of the most divisive games around. Even now it’s difficult to say whether we enjoyed it or not, it’s certainly an interesting game, and does have some nice ideas. So despite a story that feels disjointed, tonally uneven and a mid-section that feels completely out of place, it’s something that is different enough from the norm that maybe, just maybe it’s worth picking up.

A decent translation with much to enjoy (primarily the sport itself); as a videogame, despite its problems - but hampered with the ruck to individual control flaw - the game seems more unfair, and less sporting.