Although this doesn’t lead from the front in the horror genre any longer, it’s still a competent shooter that always entertains but never taxes the player's intelligence.

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.

MySims Kingdom is little more than old Sims in new clothing. That being said, it’s another strong release in the franchise and a sure-fire purchase for those suffering Simsism.

But despite all its flaws, Hell’s Highway should be applauded for all the work in the story and characters. It’s brilliantly scripted and even provides elements of survival horror as the terrors close in on Baker’s mind. Worth a look, even though the series appears stuck in neutral.

Although the online may not last, the single player campaign is worth the price of entry alone, and if you can ignore the cheap rent-a-Communist voice acting and the blatant similarities to other games, you'll find a solid eight or ten hours of play time here. There are twists and turns, multiple endings, and when the credits roll, the enduring feeling is a positive one.

A solid FPS, with ideas behind it that should have made it epic, but in practice, many of the grand ideas fail to translate into viable experiences. The fact that I didn’t experience any lag in over 50 games, regardless of the number of players on varied connections, is no minor feat. It’s very nearly there, and with some tweaking could be the future franchise to overwhelm them all.

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.

As a World War II strategy simulation, there really isn’t anything else on the market which compares to the sort of game the Battlestations series puts out. And although as a reviewer it pains me to make it this simple, if you liked the first then you’ll love the second. Everything has been given a coat of paint and has been given a lot more depth.

I think there is still life left in the Tomb Raider franchise, but rather than working on the unimportant storyline, Eidos would do well to work on the controls and camera angles if this series is going to survive. In a day when everything is about co-operative and multiplayer gaming, you can't just rehash out the same old game over and over and hope the fanbase won't dwindle.

This game won’t take you hours to complete but you will come back for more. It’s a game that’s worthy of renting at least once, but if pounding high and mighty superheroes into the ground appeals to you, then this is one for your collection.

A lack of polish and some awkward gameplay means that while many of the issues its predecessor suffered from have been removed, there's still just too much wrong with the game to make it stand out as being anything more than mediocre.

As a title, S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky presents an interesting challenge for the reviewer. The game tries to be many things, succeeding at some while falling well short of the mark in other areas. Are glaring flaws to be overlooked in recognition of genuine ambition, even occasional moments of brilliance?

Think of coming home tired and wanting to watch a movie. You have The Usual Suspects and Die Hard in front of you. You know that the former will provide ample action and plot twists, but that it’s easier to have someone mindlessly shout “Yipee-Kai-Ay” and blow things up. Well Lego Batman is the equivalent in gaming.

It looks like Mario Kart (ie: pretty bloody average), it plays (sort of) like Mario Kart, the colours are as bright and the soundtrack just as irritating as Mario Kart. “Well that’s great,” one may well say, “Finally we’ve got a decent kart racer on the Xbox360 and the PS3.” Sadly, no. The one thing Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing failed to rip off from Mario Kart is fun.

As it stands, Duels of the Planeswalkers is a really enjoyable game. It allows newcomers to learn the ropes while letting experts get straight into dueling. Should it receive extensive support in the future – buying decks online, booster packs, online trading of cards – it could be massive. We sincerely hope it will be expanded down the line, because after a few days straight playing, we’d like to see some variation or the ability to construct dueling decks from scratch. But for your Microsoft Points, it’s something that comes highly recommended.

It’s no must buy, but in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a half bad slash ‘em up. People uninterested in the story should enjoy the maniacal combat, fans of Wolverine may find that they really enjoy it.

Lifting an inspiring plot from one of the most popular Marvel graphic novels, Ultimate Alliance 2 just about avoids the pitfall of droll, worn gameplay that can plague most super hero games.

While Army of Two: The 40th Day is presented well, the reasonably impressive imagery is propped up on a bristling pillar of small problems, oversights, and clumsiness. The biggest problem though remains that as a co-op game - in a world which is paying more and more attention to that buddy mechanic - it’s often easier to get enjoyment out of the single player.

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.

The thing is that when I look back on the time I spent playing the game, and it was a longer play time than I expected, I don’t remember all the bad stuff. I very much enjoyed the journey and the superbly done story and, without any critical failings in the game mechanics, then that’s a great thing to be able to say.

From an entirely creative perspective, I’d recommend this just to see the interpretation of Hell, because the locations are often brilliant. Beyond that, there’s not much else here to go on, or to provide any enjoyment after the seven hours of play it takes to get through it.

One of the weakest Clancy games to date, although not because it’s broken in any way, it’s just so pedestrian it never grabs the gamer like most of the other titles in this stable. And, I know, it’s not a flight sim. What it is though is a middle-of-the-road arcade game.

Majesty 2 is a fun and addictive fantasy title, combining a familiar setting with some different and innovative game mechanics, but is unfortunately burdened by poor AI and design choices.

It’s an ugly game, both visually and technically. But for all that I hate the stuff under the bonnet (or hood), it manages to drive and lets you blow things up, lots. There’s a market of people who will love that, and doing it co-op in drop-in drop-out multiplayer might just clinch the deal.

An engaging single player experience that offers plenty of replay value, and a multiplayer component that has tonnes of upgrades, ranks and the rest, meld together into a AAA title.

By now, countless games have been made of various Games Workshop franchises, with wildly varying levels of success. As a full-priced game, Blood Bowl might not be for casual gamers, but the devotees are going to have a spike-studded ball. Where another developer might have taken the franchise and turned it another action-packed button-masher, Blood Bowl is the most faithful translation of the board game that you’re ever likely to get.

If you were a fan, even if you haven’t been in a decade, this should provide enough smiling moments to make it worth a look and then a trade in. It’s worth the investment is you know the origins of the WWE franchise. On the other hand, if you’re a stalwart of the wrestling genre on consoles then there are other, more rewarding, games to invest your time and piledrivers on.

Goddamn if I don’t look back at the time I spent on it and grin. It’s significantly longer than you’d imagine too, with perhaps 15 hours game time if you try and challenge yourself a little bit and put it on Hard. So really, what more can you ask for – reasonable physics, good soundtrack, loads of gaming, multiplayer, replayability? Believe me, nobody is as surprised as I am by that sentence. But I tell you, this is worth a go.

A fun exercise that needs continual updating to keep making it work.

You know what the biggest thing I got from Crackdown 2? A building excitement for Dead Rising 2. The Freaks that come out at night in Pacific City are generic, but the sheer numbers are really impressive. Driving a car through an ocean of undead is something I could really get into. So thank you Crackdown 2 for making me terribly excited about another sequel, although I hope it doesn't go down the same path as you did.

Ultimately, Tales of Valor is worth buying only as long as you’re going to make use of the multiplayer component. A few of the new units need some exploit fixes, and the direct fire system feels more like a gimmick than anything that is really going to add a lot to the game. Let’s hope that Tales of Valor is a stop-gap release to tide the fans over, before Relic announces that Eastern Front expansion we’ve all been waiting for.

Sacred 2 may do a lot, but it does it poorly.

Lego Indiana Jones 2 is probably the weakest of the series. It’s not a bad game, but more that the formula is getting a little old and if another title is due then some evolution is required.

This isn’t a bad strategy game by any measure – it delivers some solid missions, along with cinematic action and decent graphical performance. But after so many games using World War II as a setting, more of a personal connection to the narrative of the time would have been nice.

Lost Planet 2’s primitive control system, simplistic combat and numerous design flaws all combine to crush any enjoyment underfoot and rapidly turn it in to a pitiable, depressing title.

If my Spanish isn’t off, Samba de Amigo means dance your ass off. And you will—to songs at first infectious, and then plague-like. But do yourself a favour: buy the additional music packs.

For someone who has nothing planned for a weekend, this is a fun thrill-ride with cinematic action that delivers on many levels.

Square Enix’s 360 exclusive RPG is a colourful jaunt that should appeal to an audience beyond its Final Fantasy following.

Ultimately, the game just doesn't want to be liked. Like the emo kid at school, it dares to be different yet ultimately craves acceptance, meaning Nier struggles with everything it does, often showing its less than perfect innards to the player.

Web of Shadows unfortunately, while sporting some inventive features, has nothing else to detach it from its earlier predecessors and the fast paced combat and the nimble webslinging are just not enough to carry the game.

A grandiose-sounding title that never really manages to shake the feeling of being in second gear. Or second place.

If the massive game world and plethora of races and things to do were housed in something with proper physics and some reference to the real world, we would have loved it. Unfortunately, Codemasters have published a shambles of a game, so we’ll spend our time playing GRiD and waiting for Dirt 2.

Combining frenetic sword and gun gameplay against the backdrop of the gods sounds good, but ultimately Too Human shows how far the developers tried, and failed, to reach.

While it may only be a hack and slash, button mashing experience at its core, the art work, gore factor and voice acting means that for those who allow themselves to ignore the simplicity of its combat, and the usual problems like camera angles that games like this are burdened with, it's a refreshing and entertaining experience.

I begged /Aliens vs. Predator/ to be better but it wouldn’t happen. It had an opportunity to be an outstanding title but so many flaws with the characters and gameplay are present that even an ardent fan of both species. like I am, can’t ignore. The whole thing felt underpowered and half-hearted. Mediocre graphics, dreadful combat and an insane waste of assets and ideas leads me to believe that Rebellion must have thought that the species-popularity alone would carry the game. Devotees of both Aliens and Predators may want to check out the multiplayer but save yourself the letdown and don’t get too excited about anything else.

My real problem with Quantum, though, is its lack of coherency. It tries to do so much, but everything slides into the ‘meh’ basket, right beside so many prior Bond games.

In conclusion: If you want Spore, buy Spore. If you don’t mind wading through hours and hours of the most basic, linear, join-the-dots repetition for the sake of a stripped-back creature creator on your DS, then why not? Knock yourself out. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

In the end, it appears that The Godfather II was rushed out the door and as a result it fails in many areas. The actual framework here could have made for a great title – it has all the key ideas – but by making it so easy to bypass elements of the game, and having it so criminally easy, then there’s little to encourage you to play through again, if you bother completing it the first time.

Having to order Baja: Edge of Control from overseas might have been a sign that it wasn’t going to be a killer title. How true.

Frustrating, boring and ordinary ... three words that should not be associated with Ferrari.

The source material is wasted, with the end result being nothing more than a shoddy runabout broken up by, for the most part, mundane mini-games.

You know, it’s not the end of the world, but it seems aimed squarely at people who have either never driven a car or like the cut of Vin’s jib. I’m neither, so I found it a difficult thing to appreciate in any way, shape or form. It’s too easy, too simple, too contrived. People who demand very little from their time on a game might disagree.

Moving away from the track and back onto the roads may have returned Need for Speed to where it belongs, but things aren’t perfect yet.

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.

All promise, no pay-off: In Wii Music, a great gaming idea hits the skids with a bum control scheme, weak song selection, and mediocre graphics.

Aside from the terrain-altering powers, nothing about Fracture is new, it’s all been done somewhere else and done better. But does that make Fracture poor? Not really.

This game has its good points, and while enjoyable in places, unfortunately lacks the appeal and polish to make it a long-term favourite.

Sure, it could have been executed better, and yes there are better shooters/fighting games out there. But for something which came out of left field with little announcement, it’s got a good 10 hours of play in it, and I can think of a worse way to spend that amount of time. Uninspired, but respectable for being what it is, unashamedly.

A half decent storyline and inspired source material do little to conceal the miserable effort Weapons of Fate turns out to be. This is not primetime playing or even pastime stuff, its B-side gaming best left on its own to die an unimportant death. Fans of the movie or the cult comic series by Mark Millar may want to try it, but approach with caution.

Sonic Unleashed brings the SEGA icon to the 360 and although there should be masses looking to get a handle on it, it quickly becomes apparent that technology has left our little hedgehog behind.

Essentially the game has far too much fluff and not enough substance for anyone but the dedicated millions. Sales figures for the two titles are very high, which indicates Pokémon is still going strong, but if you are not a fan I would suggest trying another game.

HellBored staffer Finn wishes he spent those long, dark hours cooped up with the other Warhammer release of late. The good one.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest follows in the same tradition of so many other games based on Tolkien’s world: full of promise but lacking in execution.

NBA Live 09 All-Play marks another step back for EA on the Wii. In short, this means unflaggingly offense-heavy gameplay, dull visuals, and uninspiring features.

Unreal III engine. Check. Monsters. Check. Guns. Check. Then why does it feel like a soggy chocolate biscuit?

To break up the monotony of smashing hundreds and thousands of the same enemies to bits, interrupted only by the chance to restart levels because of something out of your control, you get to fight some mega mechs. These don’t necessarily require any skill, only speed, because if he latches onto one of your team you have to finish him quick as no doubt it’ll be game over shortly, and your fingers really can’t take 15 minutes of X bashing to get back here to fight him again.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement. It’s an insult to anyone who plays games for more than an hour or two a year. Grin should be tarred and feathered in public for this, for failing in so many basic areas, and making some of the most feared machines in the world as impotent as cross-eyed rabbits. Avoid at all costs, and because it lacks any form of incentive to replay, I will, most definitely not, be back.

It looks good – the game world and the models fighting in it, despite some lacklustre opening cutscenes – but the means to get anything done is too painful to recommend. This has been, without a doubt, one of the times I found it hard to face going back again for another go. Which is a shame, because how this game design went through Creative Assembly’s processes and came out the other end mystifies me, and on that basis, this is almost impossible to recommend.

The focus on a comic book landscape instead of a celluloid one doesn’t save Ron Perlman’s work from being murdered by the simplest of mistakes.

Despite being a fun action game in the vein of the GameCube’s much superior Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, The Incredible Hulk follows in the footsteps of the majority of movie-to-game adaptations, and lacks any substance.

It really is just another slice of the Iron Man pie chart, another means for a massive corporation to squeeze more money out of the general public. To Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen, that appears to be all that matters.

If this had been a modern take on the Bitmap Brothers' Speedball then it could have had some retro merit, but as a football game it's rarely anything more than stupid.

The PS3 version fares no better than last year's abysmal 360 release.