Bastion does plenty of talkin' for itself, and it's all worth payin' attention to. Been a long time since a game came along with a story this well told, too. For those who need it, the combat's smart and satisfying; sharp as a machete and firey as a mortar. There's a world out there to discover, rich and unique. Seems to me that should be something worth your while.

Whether you rent it, borrow it, buy it or visit a friend that owns it, you should play Child of Eden.

It is, however, a game with truly stunning production values. There's some great animation, fantastic voice acting, and the levels have jaw-dropping visual design. It's also painfully repetitive.

Aside from those minor complaints, The Adventures of Shuggy is a superb 2D platformer deserving of a much wider audience (the leaderboards paint a slightly depressing picture of the game's sales to date). Smudged Cat Games have created a game with heart, intelligence and a mansion-load of well-applied ideas.

Archenemy is a neat concept, but one which doesn't quite come off due to balance issues. So while DotP 2012 will provide an engaging distraction, it's unlikely to hold you spellbound.

Lucha Fury is a prime example of video game design gone wrong… very wrong. From the opening 'tutorial' to the repetitive, lacklustre levels that make up the rest of the game, there's almost nothing endearing, charming or enjoyable about this experience.

As I said earlier, Arcade Edition is the finest outing of the series. Capcom have said that this third edition of the game is to be its final outing which, is both a relief and a shame.

It's difficult to wrap my head around just who Dungeon Siege 3 is aimed at. It doesn't offer the depth that fans of dungeon crawlers have come to expect and, on the other hand, it refuses to incorporate enough modern elements to appeal to the new generation of RPG fans. The result is a game that generally functions as intended but largely falls flat and struggles to impose a sense of personality.

Crude humour, intricate design and a genuine sense of uniqueness make Shadows of the Damned one of the finest games 2011 has served up thus fa

When it comes down to it, Infamous 2 is not the game we were hoping it would be. It starts off fun but, due to a lack of personality, originality and complexity, soon feels tiresome and repetitive.

If you're after a stop-gap before Gears of War 3 comes out, this might well fit the bill. Take your time, root around for secrets, play sporadically, and chances are good that you'll warm to the game. It's just a shame that the wonderful ideas aren't pushed nearly hard enough and that the game, as a result, feels overwhelmingly generic.

But it is a game, and as a game Duke Nukem Forever doesn't succeed at being a good modern shooter, a good retro shooter, or even a worthwhile successor. The shooting is bland, the level design is uninspired, the jokes and ideas are old and tired, and the synthesis between old-school PC shooter and modern console shooter has resulted in a hideous chimera that rarely works as either. It's not utterly without merit, but it rarely manages to raise itself above mediocrity and often falls well below. Unless you're desperate to once more kill the aliens and save the babes with Duke, there's little here for you.

Ultimately, Armageddon feels like an opportunity missed. It feels like the series has taken two steps backwards after the promise shown by Red Faction Guerrilla, the focus moving away from destructible environments and coming to rest on generic shoot 'em up action.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is everything the first game should've been and more. Combat is swift and brutal. The graphics are gorgeous and the animations flows. The unfolding plot is well-written and compelling. It's shorter than its predecessor, but there's more replayability than in pretty much any other RPG in recent memory. Don't get me wrong – The Witcher 2 demands a lot of the player, in terms of both understanding the combat and understanding the plot – but for those willing to put in time and effort, this is a must.

While Honest Hearts didn't quite grab me like Dead Money did, it's another satisfying few hours in a fresh Fallout location. Once you get over Joshua Graham being an actual person rather than a myth, his character is expansive and refreshing (it's rare that to find a religious NPC this nuanced in RPGs), and the hiking trails of Zion make for decent exploration. It definitely favours players who will stray off the guided track though, as those who focus exclusively on the main quests will miss out on some of the add-on's hidden narrative treasures.

The First Templar is uneven, inconsistent in tone and, to be blunt, wonky in execution.

Granted, this is a budget arcade title, but that doesn't justify the attempt to get away with a bare minimum of content. Vehicle numbers and the variety of game modes are adequate, but the paltry five tracks are a grievous error that put paid to any longevity.

In combining traditional events with those (like Gymkhana) that videogames have not before attempted, DiRT 3 manages to feel both fresh and traditional. Codemasters have been churning out top-quality racing games for a long time now and their experience ring through in the way they've expertly crafted and balanced distinct modes of play into one cohesive whole.

In combining traditional events with those (like Gymkhana) that videogames have not before attempted, DiRT 3 manages to feel both fresh and traditional. Codemasters have been churning out top-quality racing games for a long time now and their experience ring through in the way they've expertly crafted and balanced distinct modes of play into one cohesive whole.

I like you, Gatling Gears, you seem like a well intentioned fellow, and it's admirable that you're trying to build on the work established by your brother Greed Corp. But I'm afraid I can't just overlook some of these offences. The jury and I are sentencing you to six hours community service, which is about the time most players will spend completing you on medium difficulty.

If you're thinking about picking up a copy of L.A. Noire (and I recommend that you do), don't judge it as you would other third-person, open-world games. It's not trying to be a new GTA, Red Dead or Saint's Row. It's not about action, it's about investigating. It's not about changing the course of history, it's about experiencing a history. It's not about random encounters, it's about planning, watching and reading encounters. That may not sound like many people's cup of tea at first, but stick with it and you'll reap the rewards.

If you're thinking about picking up a copy of L.A. Noire (and I recommend that you do), don't judge it as you would other third-person, open-world games. It's not trying to be a new GTA, Red Dead or Saint's Row. It's not about action, it's about investigating. It's not about changing the course of history, it's about experiencing a history. It's not about random encounters, it's about planning, watching and reading encounters. That may not sound like many people's cup of tea at first, but stick with it and you'll reap the rewards.

As I said, this is still Fable III which means it's as divisive as ever.

It's the best Hydrophobia yet, and it's absolutely worth a look, but it still falls just shy of greatness.

If you're looking for an in-depth, engaging experience that rewards practise and team work, and represents a welcome break from the stagnate place the genre has found itself, then you can do a lot worse than Brink. If you're looking for a drop-in/drop-out, ten-minutes-a-night-and-I'm-done shooter then you could do a lot better than Brink.

WFaS still has the core of a Mount & Blade title, but it fails to distinguish itself as a standalone game. Everything feels too much like a retread of old territory, and it's questionable whether the addition of guns really benefits the single player combat system. The multiplayer side of things is as excellent as ever, but (Captain mode aside) unless you're eager to roleplay as a 17th Century Swedish musketeer, it makes more sense to just pick up Warband on the cheap and apply a suitable firearms mod.

Mortal Kombat is not a game that will satisfy beat 'em up enthusiasts for long – it doesn't have the required depth and there are too many momentum swinging variables that prevent skilled players from achieving the winning percentage they deserve. For everyone else though, it's a whole lot of fun. It's silly. It's crude. It's easy to learn. And, as a result, it's eminently charming and easy to like.

Cargo! is a little on the short side (I finished it in five hours and probably could've improved on that), but it delights and surprises at every turn as it propels you through its frankly baffling narrative. Much like Ice-Pick Lodge themselves, you'll never quite be able to predict what it's going to throw at you next.

Outland is fast, it's fluid, it's unbelievably gorgeous, and it's got some of the finest level and boss design I've seen in a long time. If you fondly remember the days of sitting down in front of your NES or Mega Drive or Amiga with a new platformer, or if you recall Flashback, Strider, Castlevania, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, or anything else I've name-dropped in this review, you shouldn't hesitate to pick this up immediately.

SOCOM: Special Forces was obviously designed to be a more accessible experience than its predcessors, but I suspect this will prove to be a mistake. Long-standing SOCOM fans are likely to protest against the changes to the mechanics, while those new to the series are going to wonder what all the fuss was about.

A brave and largely successful attempt to use the medium of videogames to depict environmental crises.

By concentrating on iteration rather than re-design, Valve have created a sequel that improves upon the original and yet stays true to its memory. The puzzles, the story and the expert way in which players are taught to use the new tools all combine to create what is very possibly the most absorbing game the puzzle genre has ever seen.

More focused than Total War has been in awhile, but still as strategic and deep as the series has ever been.

An intuitive and hectic burn-fest. But it may well cost you some friendships.

Crysis 2 is an exciting, slick, entertaining experience that puts most recent FPS releases to shame. It may not be the ground breaking experience some were hoping for but it manages to move the series forward enough to just about satisfy any Nano Suit cravings.

An aggressive, untamed racer that delights in depicting carnage as viscerally as possible. Pitched somewhere between 'arcade' and 'sim', Unleashed may lack a clear identity but it certainly doesn't lack excitement and, as a result, is an ultimately rewarding experience.

A fine version of Bejeweled that, as with other games in the series, is a surefire way to see those precious hours tick away.

A lazy, irritating, muddled mess of a package. Despite a degree of enjoyment to be found in the serene arena of Sega Bass Fishing, none of the four games on offer have any right being here.

Clever in oh-so-many ways and almost endlessly replayable but, the level of frustration on offer might pose a health risk to those with blood pressure problems.

What seems promising at first soon devolves into a monotonous chore of timed reversals and little else. All Stars' take on the WWE is a charming one but, it ultimately falls flat thanks to a lack of depth to both the gameplay and the game modes.

Not a game that's best suited to the PSP but, if you can look past its refusal to adapt itself to a handheld console, The 3rd Birthday is a rich, engaging experience.

Sanctum of Slime is a bad top-down shooter with problematic co-op elements that makes terrible use of a beloved license. The game design is banal, the online co-op has issues and the single-player is an exercise is pained frustration.

Great class skill customisation options, the rift element, the game play mechanics, all these make RIFT one of the best fantasy MMOs on the market. Play it.

Fantastic. Probably the finest tennis game ever made - combining flair and accessibility with a level of depth that the competition has come nowhere near matching. Thanks to Top Spin 4, tennis games are relevant again. Very relevant.

An accomplished racer aimed squarely at fans of the sport. Despite the high speeds and death-defying leans into the corners, MotoGP 10/11 is a game that's about precision and technique first, thrills and excitement second. If you've got the patience to master it, there's a deep, satisfying experience to be had.

Two Worlds 2 is disappointingly flawed and frequently clunky but, if you can tough it out, can also be extraordinarily rewarding.

Torchlight is a brilliantly crafted RPG that has survived the PC-to-360 porting process incredibly well. The usual awkward console-RPG menu systems are present and correct but the game's charm, depth and sense of fun more than make up for any such issues.

With some new areas, some new enemies, a great new main quest, and a welcome spike in difficulty, Traitor's Keep provide hope for any Fable III DLC to come.

A competent shooter but one that fails to innovate, expand or better what we've already seen from this genre. The multiplayer is a bit of a diamond-in-the-rough but, due to its 'me too' similarities to the competition, it's unlikely to win over fans of the established franchises for long.

A fun ride while it lasts and an interesting take on the standard arcade racer formula. The story-based campaign mode can feel limiting and immature at times but, once you get out on the track, the sheer amount of action taking place at any given moment generally makes up for up.

Falls just short of the oppressive tone it's aiming for but makes up for it with a satisfying and well-written narrative.

While the gameplay is far from perfect, Dragon Age II is an absolute must for anyone interested in the world, the lore and a good story - but anyone hoping for something that feels and plays like Origins might want to adjust their expectations accordingly.

de Blob 2 is hardly going to set the world alight but it's a fun game that doesn't take itself at all seriously. It's simplistic, it's repetitive, it's primarily aimed at kids but, if you're looking for a silly, entertaining, easily digestible experience, you could a lot worse than spend a weekend with de Blob 2.

Brain-achingly clever and hypnotically fascinating, SpaceChem is a must for any puzzle aficionado or anyone with a passing interest in programming.

It's not without its quirks but Cities In Motion is a dependable heir to the transport sim genre's throne.

Wacky characters, inspired design and engrossing gameplay make Beyond Good & Evil HD as relevant today as it was eight years ago. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy.

A visual feast that's a joy to play in multiplayer but fails to impress to the same degree in single player. Its campaign is competent and technically impressive but ultimately forgettable. Get it for the multiplayer.

An exceptional, unique strategy title with near-endless customisation and unparalleled post-release support.

A fast, flashy, exhilarating fighter that largely manages to combine aesthetic wizardry with technical gameplay. High-level SFIV players are unlikely to be won over but everyone else should be suitably impressed.

If you're not bothered by the prospect of paying £12 GBP for something that needs a few more months in the oven, you'll be rewarded with a fun and unique arena battler.

The spark of a fine idea, extinguished by fussy mechanics, jumbled ambitions and tonal inconsistencies.

Pretty much what you'd expect if PopCap made a shooter. Who's That Flying?! is a quirky, amusing, and hugely replayable shmup at a wonderfully low asking price.

Starts out fun but soon becomes a tedious exercise as one 'extreme' jump, boost or corner leads blandly into the next; the lack of variety quickly muting the initial pleasure.

An accomplishment for a downloadable title and absolutely worth a look, but don't be surprised if you find yourself pining for Nuketown or Arica Harbour before long.

Tense, intense, and surprisingly replayable: Dead Space 2 is in every way a worthy successor to the excellent first game, and probably the finest game in the genre since Resi 4.

A great game let down only by some missing lobby features.

Brilliant.

Good-looking and intelligent game with GSOH but bad temper seeks high-caliber players for many hours of fun. Those with high blood pressure or without significant platforming experience need not apply.

In many ways this feels like a total conversion of Bad Company 2's multiplayer, which changes the way the game plays a surprising amount. Not everyone will welcome this, but there's certainly a lot to love.

One of the absolute best fighting games on the market, catering to button-mashers and league competitors alike.

It's amusing and playful but Little Big Planet 2's clunky controls still ruin what could have been a wonderfully whimsical experience. Catered more to the creator than the platformer, Sack Boy is still a delight to play with.

Far more competent than it has any right to be, Splatterhouse is an entertaining brawler that's over-the-top in its tackiness that you really have to fight not to grin.

Great (and funny) writing, well designed quests, respect for the player's intelligence and an open approach to character creation make The Dragon Knight Saga an outstanding.

A beautifully crafted game that more than lives up to the expectations that arise with any Castlevania release. This is an epic, stylish and enormously entertaining adventure that deserves to be played by anybody with a passing interest in the genre or the series. Applause is in order.

Shallow but entertaining gameplay tied to a staggeringly disappointing plot renders The Force Unleashed II a weekend's worth of popcorn entertainment.

Namco Bandai once again shows us how to take your old properties and make them relevant and fun for modern audiences. Top notch.

Wedged between survival horror and arcade shooter - but succeeding at neither - Descent is a poorly designed, camera-hampered end to an already weak trilogy.

Visually and aurally stunning, and delightfully clever in places, but marred by repetition and frustration.

I'm not sure the Understone Quest Pack counts as content in any but the most literal interpretations of the word. Or does DLC stand for Downloadable Cynicism?

An incredibly slick, enjoyable game and one that places the franchise right back at the peak of the genre. If you like arcade style racers you're going to love this.

Another perfectly reasonable entry into the franchise, brought down by a mixture of being very similar to past titles, loading and framerate problems, and – worst of all – a lack of players.

Super Meat Boy ScreenTight controls, a fantastic cartoon presentation, a huge amount of stuff to do, a difficulty so well-judged that it rarely feels unfair, and a speedy respawn that gives an intense one-more-go feel add up to make this an absolute must-have for anyone with a 360 who doesn't mind a challenge and who enjoys platform games.

If you're buying for the single-player, you'll be satisfied. If you're buying for the multiplayer, you'll be happy. If you're buying for both, you'll be moreso.

Uncompromising in design and steeped in car loving snobbery, GT5 is a petrol head's dream. For gamers it's good, for car enthusiasts it's quite brilliant.

Another solid expansion for The Sims 3 that, while not changing any fundamental aspects of the game, provides yet more charming ways for your little computer people to fail or succeed in their virtual lives.

With plenty of top-quality content to indulge in, this is far from the lazy sequel many were expecting.

Inferior to the PC version and lacking in a number of ways, but well worth a look for anyone who only plays games on console.

If you've finished Red Dead Redemption and want more from the single-player, you are absolutely in the right place.

Many more teams and some minor improvements under the hood, but not enough to justify a full price re-release.

A bold mod-turned-full-game with inventive ideas and dubious pacing.

An engaging, if niche, trading sim. Hampered by some obtuse user interface choices and unwieldy combat sections.

Despite the uninspired combat system Fable 3 still ranks among the best titles available on 360. What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in warmth, humour and fun. A wonderful cast, setting and plot make it a hugely entertaining game that most players will fall instantly in love with.

One of the most amusing and cheerful games I've seen since... well, Psychonauts. Easy to play, but very, very hard to put down.

Medal of Honor is a rollercoaster. It's fast and exciting and over all too quickly, and although you're on rails, you'll want to ride it again and again...My heart wants to rate this so much higher for all the enjoyment of the first ride, but my head doesn't quite agree.

If it were possible for Marmite to return from the grave, Dead Rising 2 would be that game.

A joyous return to form for the series that makes us very excited about what's in store for future episodes. It's great to have Sonic back, it's just a shame it's all over so quickly.

An excellent example of storytelling, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a journey well worth taking.

Fun in the early stages but quickly becomes a grind as clumsy, derivative level design and a lack of creativity completely overshadow any enjoyment to be had from controlling a giant, badass robot.