LHP seems to indicate that the franchise has got its Mojo back, but whether it keeps it or not is another matter. Still, for the time being, Potter's superiority should ensure that old fans will be cheered up and new devotees welcomed into the fold. There is not much here that can be called fresh and inventive but enough minor adjustments have been made to the formula to revive the waning gameplay and provide a decent story and a welcoming return for the classic Lego game.

Transformers: War for Cybertron doesn't break the mould, but it does offer wonderfully tight gameplay and a respectable online component. Overall, it's an entertaining shooter to play, but for childhood fans of the subject matter, it offers that little bit more.

It's polished, sharp, enjoyable, and there is plenty of fun to be had over months and months. If you enjoy games for games sake – and if you have kids – then this is pretty much a must own.

MGS fans rejoice, the bang-for-buck ratio has never been higher than in Metal Gear: Peace Walker, and those of you who are new to the series, or gave up when it all got too ridiculous, give this one a go, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

The problem people will have with Alpha Protocol is that it takes a lot of effort to get to see any of the good stuff. By halfway through, when you're calling in help mid-mission and can move around the map like a shadow, there really is some fun to be experienced. Clunky implementation aside, Alpha Protocol offers a glimpse of what a game based on the world of espionage could be like, and it could be good, with some hard work.

The arrival of a new Mario title is as unpredictable as the sun rising tomorrow. It's equally probable that the game will be absolutely, unflinchingly perfect, and guess what? It bloody is. Almost.

Alan Wake is a fun jaunt across a variety of stereotypes and offers some new gameplay ideas. Unfortunately it’s just not entirely scary, and I find it hard to see where the five years went in making it. Good, but not stellar.

While other Rockstar games have delivered experiences that have often been frenetic and hectic, Redemption inversely succeeds by replacing a bustling, breathing city with the bleakness and emptiness of the old west. Don't confuse the terms bleakness and emptiness with lacking content, because Redemption has the potential to deliver an almost endless list of things to do and see.

The definite arcade nature of play sets this up to be experienced with friends or online. Everything is so simple – the screen is uncluttered with trivialities like a speedometer or map, and the controls are limited to just a few buttons. It really should do well as a casual title to play with mates. Restarting a level takes only moments, allowing players to retry levels in a snap, and the awesomeness starts right from the minute the level loads. As a single player experience it may not have the longest lifespan, but it could become the most popular arcade racer out there.

If you love your football, and plan on having lots of people over for World Cup parties, then this could be a perfect addition to your library.

We’re not here for the story, we’re here to be wowed, challenged, infuriated, awed, and rewarded for our brute strength and cunning. In spite of the technical limitations of the Wii, Monster Hunter Tri does all this, minus the pretension, and it does it in spades.

Splinter Cell: Conviction is a fun game to play for most of the time, frustratingly disappointing at others. It’s far too easy, has some poor AI, but above all it’s just not expressive enough. Cool as it may be, visually and conceptually, you can only get excited about infiltrating another warehouse or mansion in the dead of night so often.

It’s fair to say I was more than impressed with Just Cause 2. After 26 hours I had completed the core missions, but had only found or completed 25 per cent of things to do on the island. It retains an appeal to jump in and keep searching for those missing crates, completing locations, and causing havoc. One of the best open world games ever made.

So here's the problem, exactly how much do you get out of waving your arms around? For me, especially with the Wii Motion Plus, the answer is: Quite a lot. It's probably the most motion-control fun I've had with the Wii yet.

God of War III is an exhilarating tale, and one which showcases just what a good development team can do with some predictable mechanics. Most of the other games that exist in the genre have been blasted if not into obscurity, then certainly into irrelevance. Although God of War III remains unapologetically a hack 'n' slash title, just about everything has been improved, tweaked, expanded, polished, and refined.

If Dawn of War II was Relic’s attempt to reinvent the genre, Chaos Rising is an evolution of the ideas they previously put forward. It’s fun, atmospheric and over-the-top in all the right ways. Those with reservations about the first title would do well to check this one out – it does everything the previous game did, and does it better.

The unique Battlefield experience returns and is bigger, better and more destructive than anything else in the series, or on the market, and will be a massive success online. Bad Company 2 had a lot to live up to, and despite some small issues, it has. A more stable and genuinely engaging single player campaign is bolstered by the most engaging and complex multiplayer in the genre.

If ever there were a sequel for a sequel’s sake, this is it, a stable, hectic shooter that has developed through a variety of tweaks, but never scales the heights of our first trip to Rapture.

The two halves– the rewarding combat and the massive role playing element – will provide something for everyone. If you’re a fan of both camps, then you really need to get this. A wonderful, immersive tale that sets things up superbly for the finale, which, based on the evolution Mass Effect 2 has showed, should be magnificent.

This is a game to be played with one eyebrow raised, because that's how the game's looking at you. But for all its snide Gen-X affectations, its often puerile humour, its sarcasm, and insults to gaming and gamers alike, it never insults your intelligence. That's a precious, rare thing in games.

This game is about brutally beating your opponents into unconsciousness with your fists and feet, shooting them, burning them and electrocuting them, over and over and over again. The title music sounds just like my little sister’s 10th birthday party. We’re in for some fun here.

It’s easy to overlook the flaws because there are so many good things to pay attention to, although it’s still not perfect. Having it a little shorter and not repeating the enemies so much would be a start. Still, it’s hard not to recommend because there is just so much here for the player to do and doing it all is awesome.

A rip roaring tale of urban warfare in Paris in the 40s against the Nazi war machine owes as much to cinematic storytelling as it does the variety of gaming styles utilised. Despite the complexities of weaving so many styles into a cohesive whole, this is a game that has surprised greatly, and on that basis, it’s worth investing in.

King Arthur is the kind of title big game companies just don't make anymore. Challenging, ambitious and quirky, this is certainly a game that deserves a look, particularly if Neocore continue the fine job they're doing with addressing a few of the game's issues.

By being better in almost every department than its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed 2 does exactly what a sequel should.

In short, this is a frantic thrill-ride, as fast paced as anything you are likely to endure. Even for those that were not fans of the original, I’d suggest giving this a try. For those that loved the first, this game is a must-have, polished and refined in every way, infinitely re-playable and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Although it follows exactly the same formula as most other Mario games, that's exactly why we love it. Adding four player co-op is just the icing on an already amazing cake.

This is a leader in the genre and a must own for anyone who enjoys online combat, and although a longer solo campaign would always be welcome, you can’t accuse what does exist of being underwhelming.