It's big dumb fun, Saints Row 2 isn't going to redefine any aspects of game design - but in doing so it does deliver on Volition's biggest promise: Saints Row 2 isn't Grand Theft Auto.

An adventure that, for all the self-important dialogue and forced morality, is unquestionably worth your time - particularly for fans that can differentiate between action/platformers and stealth/RPGs.

It's a game that prides itself instead on the glories of the chaos you create, the freedom of exploration and a goof-off action story to keep you in money, weapons and women. It's not for every gamer we wager, but if you're in need of a dose of true sandbox action, there are few better ways to invest your buck.

Drop in multiplayer campaign battles add a human element to proceedings. However, the freeform campaign mode feels limited in only offering four nations to choose from.

Gamers who invest time in trancing out to the rhythmic beats and understanding the intricacies of Hero Classes and Rarepons will find a lot to love about Patapon 2.

This is a game you have to own because it presents its brutal killing, incessant swearing and bleak world with such humour and such style. It’s tongue-in-cheek the whole way, and at times quite hilarious. Great fun, too.

It has as much depth as we can ask for a true real-time RTS based in Ivalice, with some of the best production values this side of a first-party Nintendo release.

Suffice to say, MCLA is the sequel we were hoping for; a ballsy, fast, challenging racing game set to a killer soundtrack. It may be a little frustrating at times, but it gets an awful lot right. Plus, it makes L.A. an appealing place, and that’s harder than you might think.

Ninja Gaiden II is not quite the sequel we were hoping for. It’s very good, and it’s still built for those with an iron constitution (aka those prepared to replay sections over and over again until they get them right), but it’s also lazily designed and far cheaper than the original game.

As much as we enjoyed our time as Prince and even gave into the somewhat forced love story, we came away wishing for a little more to do. Still it's by far better to do a few things really well than to try your hand at everything and succeed at nothing. Prince of Persia is arguably the best classic adventure game of 2008 – with a little room to improve.

It is slick in production, providing a lot of what one could reasonably ask for in a fighting game. The game is as accessible as ever, pretty to look at and arcade-perfect to a T.

Unique to a fault. It's adventurous, dark, silly, and it'll keep you up at night whether you want it to or not.

For Wii Sports diehards, Wii Sports Resort will be worth a look, but for the rest of us – especially those who’ve thrashed Bowling to death already, this is a patchy offering more notable for its missed opportunities than its successes.

Red Steel 2 really isn't a complex game. It doesn't need to be, of course, but it would be nice if it had better storytelling and more interesting characters.

The biggest demo you'll ever play. There honestly is more to do here than in many full-price titles, despite the fact it's merely a teaser. It's barn-stormingly beautiful and feels sublime.

The value of the game is really dependent on your passion and commitment.

Parents will love it; it gets their kids off their butts and into sports – even if it's still in front of the tube. Kids will go for the micro-games and competitive elements. Stay-at-home mums can work out pent-up anger and health-nuts might use this as the excuse they need to buy a Wii. Old people will still scratch their heads, though.

The game is thoughtful in design, mostly clever in its handling of pacing, upgrading parts and keeping you on track as you work your way towards the final encounter. But it's just not as fun or interesting as it should be.

While there are certainly limitations and frustrations, this is freedom in puzzle solving like we’ve never seen before. While we wouldn’t necessarily say the game is fun, it’s certainly engrossing, certainly important and certainly worth playing.

It is slick in production, providing a lot of what one could reasonably ask for in a fighting game. The game is as accessible as ever, pretty to look at and arcade-perfect to a T.

Infamous is more elegant and refined in design, with more of a focus on ranged combat, while Prototype is – truth be told - more frenetic and fun. Prototype is more of a spectacle and puts more power and choice in the hands of the player.

It’s great to play a game that – in many ways – is so pure. It’s not about collecting. It’s not about leveling up. It’s not about getting a bigger and better gun. It’s about movement, style and momentum. Combat aside, DICE has taken a significant step forward for the first person perspective with this game, and you should all check it out.

We just wish Monolith had produced a slightly more progressive or challenging backdrop for the horror that is this game's mojo. It's absolutely worth playing, but that's the difference between a game that scores 9+ and a game that scores 8.6.

It’s great to play a game that – in many ways – is so pure. It’s not about collecting. It’s not about leveling up. It’s not about getting a bigger and better gun. It’s about movement, style and momentum. Combat aside, DICE has taken a significant step forward for the first person perspective with this game, and you should all check it out.

It's staggeringly gorgeous, and looks and plays like a Final Fantasy title. It rarely steps away from the origins of the genre – instead playing with the 'me too!' mentality of a company that desperately wants to show the world that Square Enix can be bested.

After putting significant hours into both games we’re more than happy to give Konami a nod of encouragement and to say ‘hey, that is more like it. Now we are getting somewhere.’ But that doesn’t change the fact that FIFA 10 is a superior soccer experience in pretty much every component and in a two horse race if you’re not first, you’re last.

Infamous is more elegant and refined in design, with more of a focus on ranged combat, while Prototype is – truth be told - more frenetic and fun. Prototype is more of a spectacle and puts more power and choice in the hands of the player.

It's more of the same, then, but it's great.

The old-school controls and clumsy menus are even more evidence that not a lot of thought went into this sequel.

Ghostbusters won't change the way you think about videogame design, but it will change the way you think about licensed games. The gameplay isn't brilliant, but this is a loving third installment to a cherished franchise, and we thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

It's really solid, though never mind-blowing or even particularly genre-defining in any one area. It is, in actuality, a fairly short and straightforward adventure that you'll either love intensely for a very short time - say, over a weekend – or you'll mildly enjoy it and take your time.

After putting significant hours into both games we’re more than happy to give Konami a nod of encouragement and to say ‘hey, that is more like it. Now we are getting somewhere.’ But that doesn’t change the fact that FIFA 10 is a superior soccer experience in pretty much every component and in a two horse race if you’re not first, you’re last.

On the one hand the new gameplay mechanics have been implemented really well, but on the other we just can't believe the team still hasn't got the risk/power shots right. Still, don't let that stop you giving this a try.

The environments are huge, the plane list is long plus it looks gorgeous and sounds great. The action is thick and visceral; aerial stoushes can go from tense, one-on-one affairs to grand, epic encounters against swarms of enemy fighters and bombers.

There was a lot of meat here, and most of it never played out as it should've.

This is not a title that will change your life or change the industry. It is, however, a heap of fun – a light-hearted reinterpretation of three iconic films that’s at its best with friends.

If you devoured it back then, be forewarned that there’s no extra meat on the bone – no extras, no real refinements beyond the Wii control scheme. If you never got into it, though, don’t let the cut-price Wii version slip through your fingers this time.

We just wish Monolith had produced a slightly more progressive or challenging backdrop for the horror that is this game's mojo. It's absolutely worth playing, but that's the difference between a game that scores 9+ and a game that scores 8.6.

The whole Trauma Center experience trends towards the sterile.

This is not a title that will change your life or change the industry. It is, however, a heap of fun – a light-hearted reinterpretation of three iconic films that’s at its best with friends.

Things like AI and cluttered controls will test your patience, but never enough to sour the experience or remove the sheen of quality.

It doesn’t do what it says on the tin, doesn’t break any barriers and is mildly dull as often as interesting but when you’re in the middle of crossfires, your squads do what they’re told and you know that you’re about to blow up a whole mess of Nazis, it’s pretty good.

LEGO Batman continues using a formula that has been tried and tested and proven incredibly successful time and time again. That said; it would have been great to see some of the problems encountered in early titles remedied or improved instead of perpetuated.

It doesn’t do what it says on the tin, doesn’t break any barriers and is mildly dull as often as interesting but when you’re in the middle of crossfires, your squads do what they’re told and you know that you’re about to blow up a whole mess of Nazis, it’s pretty good.

There was a lot of meat here, and most of it never played out as it should've.

Smooth controls, great combo mechanics, a variety of modes and decent level design all combine to create a game that’s about rhythm and flow. A little more vivacity in enemies, animations, environments and set-pieces would have been great, but at the end of the day The Club nails its concept and its gameplay.

I’d suggest opting to playing with a friend, although if you have a friend to play the game with, you might as well stick to the main collection as they are significantly more enjoyable.

SingStar Vol. 2 is, in many ways, a good idea streamlined and polished to a fine sheen. It’s tough to pick faults in a game that does exactly what it says on the tin and more. As a package, it’s brilliantly executed – from the song choice, to the overall presentation, everything is done to a high standard.

This should be a much slicker product. Still, it’s good fun for the most part, and at the end of the day that’s why we play, right?

This should be a much slicker product. Still, it’s good fun for the most part, and at the end of the day that’s why we play, right?

TrackMania DS is a decent attempt to bring a treasured PC title to the DS, and while two of the three modes are pretty playable, it never rises above ‘competent’.

LEGO Batman continues using a formula that has been tried and tested and proven incredibly successful time and time again. That said; it would have been great to see some of the problems encountered in early titles remedied or improved instead of perpetuated.

A deeply flawed game, where the story is the highlight - and far more engaging than most. I certainly enjoyed my 11-12 hours with Mafia II, and those looking for an authentic-feeling mob tale should definitely check it out. This one is more than the sum of its parts.

As longstanding fans of this series, we're partly very impressed with Top Spin 3 and partly let down. On the one hand the new gameplay mechanics have been implemented really well, but on the other we just can't believe the team still hasn't got the risk/power shots right.

If you're not fussy, like your button-mashy beat-em-ups and are addicted to either Wolverine or Hugh Jackman's tank-like physique, you'll get the most out of this. It's God of War with claws and an equally bloodthirsty attitude; flawed, fun and fairly brainless gaming.

A deeply flawed game, where the story is the highlight - and far more engaging than most. I certainly enjoyed my 11-12 hours with Mafia II, and those looking for an authentic-feeling mob tale should definitely check it out. This one is more than the sum of its parts.

While it’s a little rough around the edges we enjoyed this game more than we thought we would. It’s far from perfect, but it’s great to see Pandemic going out with a bang.

If you're not fussy, like your button-mashy beat-em-ups and are addicted to either Wolverine or Hugh Jackman's tank-like physique, you'll get the most out of this. It's God of War with claws and an equally bloodthirsty attitude; flawed, fun and fairly brainless gaming.

The environments are huge, the plane list is long plus it looks gorgeous and sounds great. The action is thick and visceral; aerial stoushes can go from tense, one-on-one affairs to grand, epic encounters against swarms of enemy fighters and bombers.

Some overlong levels, repetitive enemies and the inconsistent effect of your powers stop this from being great. As it is, it's a lot of fun but once you've played through it a few times it's hard to imagine dusting it off years or even months down the track.

The real story of Storm of Zehir is the tall tales you’ll be telling in the tavern afterwards.

It's as addictive and amusing as it ever has been, so if you can put up with the quirks and shortcomings, take The Prince for a roll.

Unbounded may not have much to do with the things that defined Ridge Racer, but if you can get over that, you'll discover an energetic, entertaining racer, with gratifyingly destructive environments, challenging gameplay and interesting online. Ridge Racer was due for a reboot, and here it is.

Unbounded may not have much to do with the things that defined Ridge Racer, but if you can get over that, you'll discover an energetic, entertaining racer, with gratifyingly destructive environments, challenging gameplay and interesting online. Ridge Racer was due for a reboot, and here it is.

A heap of fun.

While it’s a little rough around the edges we enjoyed this game more than we thought we would. It’s far from perfect, but it’s great to see Pandemic going out with a bang.

It looks absolutely fantastic, and is leaps and bounds ahead of previous title in the franchise. However, the age old balance issue of depth vs accessibility ultimately rears its ugly head, and the balance is tipped a little too much towards the casual player – to the extent that even fans may find themselves getting bored quickly.

A heap of fun.

Pardon the bad pun, but this one left us cold.

This is great mindless fun, with a huge head-nodding Fiddy soundtrack, highly competent visuals and a high score aesthetic that clicks enough to keep you playing.

On the surface, Saints Row is an easy game to hate. Actually, I have a feeling that a lot of players and reviewers will write this game off for the sheer stupidity at play at all times. But to do so would be a big disservice to a game that tries hard to do a lot of things and show you a good time. Did we have a good time? Definitely.

The game may not have many redeeming features, but at least with a friend you can laugh together at the AI or attempt to make your own fun. Army of Two isn't terrible, but we're hard pressed to find a decent reason to recommend it.

A flavourless affair with a personality like an R&B’ing Joaquin Phoenix.

It's got so much potential that, when you kick into hard mode and start noticing the touch screen's inaccuracy, the awkward hand contortions needed or the ill-conceived Duel Mode controls, you'll shake your head and wonder where everything went awry.

This is great mindless fun, with a huge head-nodding Fiddy soundtrack, highly competent visuals and a high score aesthetic that clicks enough to keep you playing.

A trifle repetitive and brief, The Bourne Conspiracy is a diamond in the rough. Well worth a look but it’s not going to change your life.

Some overlong levels, repetitive enemies and the inconsistent effect of your powers stop this from being great. As it is, it's a lot of fun but once you've played through it a few times it's hard to imagine dusting it off years or even months down the track.

Unbounded may not have much to do with the things that defined Ridge Racer, but if you can get over that, you'll discover an energetic, entertaining racer, with gratifyingly destructive environments, challenging gameplay and interesting online. Ridge Racer was due for a reboot, and here it is.

A trifle repetitive and brief, The Bourne Conspiracy is a diamond in the rough. Well worth a look but it’s not going to change your life.

It's sad, then, that Wet never really comes together nearly as well as it could've.

It's sad, then, that Wet never really comes together nearly as well as it could've.

We found it helpful to think of this as a first-rate tech demo with a fun multiplayer component.

Like Heroes of Mana before it, Blue Dragon Plus is mostly a solid affair, with great production values but a few significant flaws. It's surprising that the pathing and AI is still so poor this long after Brownie Brown's last game – but if it didn't bother you before, you can make the concession in this one.

Unrelentingly mediocre and unrelentingly derivative. Turok is not a bad game, but almost every element, from the visuals to the weapons, the AI and the level design are regressive.

Pretty average in most respects, failing to stand out in any one category. It's kind of boring, poorly structured, mostly linear and, shock, it still reeks of cash-in, despite moderate production values.

A game with split-personality disorder, aiming to please everyone with elements drawn from a raft of sources, but in the process it never excels in any one area.

Tenchu is a fun PSP effort so long as you think of it as an all-new take on the franchise. The levels you play through are self- contained puzzles and not wide-open ninja-filled action-fests. If you prefer stealth to pure swordplay, you'll surely appreciate this approach.

A game with split-personality disorder, aiming to please everyone with elements drawn from a raft of sources, but in the process it never excels in any one area.

Web of Shadows is, despite good intentions and some cute ideas, pretty average in most respects, failing to stand out in any one category. It's kind of boring, poorly structured, mostly linear and, shock, it still reeks of cash-in, despite moderate production values.

Sega Superstars Tennis just screams missed opportunity. With a strong selection of classic Sega games to draw inspiration from and such a charming cast of characters on hand, it's depressing to find the core mechanics so shallow and the overall game design so slap-dash.

The automatic nature of the combat almost mirrors Too Human's approach to gameplay as a whole: this is autopilot gaming: routine revival, hand-held progression, a loot free-for-all and a microwave dinner storyline.

Afro Samurai isn't awful. It's just awfully average.

Quantum of Solace is pretty much what youýd expect from a movie-licensed shooter. It ticks all the boxes on a purely surface level, but fails to allow the player any kind of expression or creativity during actual gameplay.

Take it for what it is: a hardcore niche Sim, and you might just fall in love with it.

It's sad – there is still a lot of potential here, so hopefully someone can nab the rights and do this series justice down the line.

Ultimately, Battle March has added a new single player campaign, a little meat to the multiplayer, and two new factions to take control of.

Quantum of Solace is pretty much what youýd expect from a movie-licensed shooter. It ticks all the boxes on a purely surface level, but fails to allow the player any kind of expression or creativity during actual gameplay.

Sadly, the positives don’t outweigh the negatives, with the clunky gameplay, poorly structured missions and woeful AI making this game more of a chore to play than a joy.