Gamers who enjoy sneaking around and going bump in the night should get some enjoyment out of Cold War.

The development team should perhaps be reminded that players tend to take it personally when their progress is halted by poor design.

Intolerable loading times certainly detract from enjoyment of the game, but putting this aside for a moment, the developers have failed to imbue their creation with a soul. Devoid of any discernable character, during the most dramatic moments of the story Suikoden feels like it is simply going through the motions.

Without a gripping story line you're more likely to come back to this every once in a while when you feel like a quick zip around in a magnificent flying machine. Worthy of a look if you own a joystick or have played this type of game with your trusty mouse.

Each one has its flaws (with linearity being Lonesome Road's biggest drawback), but overall they're a fantastic, collective achievement by Obsidian and should make the (surely) inevitable New Vegas 'Collectors Edition' a must-buy for anyone who hasn't yet sampled these expansions.

If you're hankering for some PS1 platforming of old but can't find the console in the clutter of the attic, this title should fulfill that need for the day or two it takes to complete.

By stretching the years to 24 turns, adding seasonal weather and (all but) removing sea battles and internal politics, Caesar in Gaul proves to be an effective, though not exactly revolutionary, expansion to Rome 2.

There's nothing actually wrong with Core Combat, but as it fails to offer a significant improvement over and above the original game itself, then there is no reason to recommend buying it.

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

A competent story, challenging gameplay and a good blend of several genres make it a game that should please the crime-game fan.

Unlikely to live in infamy. Quest for Infamy is a reasonable attempt at making a Quest for Glory game, but it's let down by dull combat and puzzle design.

Each one has its flaws (with linearity being Lonesome Road's biggest drawback), but overall they're a fantastic, collective achievement by Obsidian and should make the (surely) inevitable New Vegas 'Collectors Edition' a must-buy for anyone who hasn't yet sampled these expansions.

I can’t see any compelling reason to buy this over any competing product. And if you are male and in a stable relationship, just forget it.

Latency and optimisation issues hamper what is otherwise a weighty multiplayer melee title. War of the Vikings could do with more modes of play, but the ones already here reward the skillful combatant.

SpecForce isn’t a terrible game, but it isn’t terribly good either. It’s a competent shooter, but the absence of everything that made its predecessor interesting is mysteriously gone. The graphics are virtually the same and the gameplay has been taken down a notch.

Putting a solid score on a game whose overriding ideology is a rejection of certainty is an act of high absurdity. But it’s also somewhat appropriate for The Old City: Leviathan’s other persistent theme of reconciling incompatible truths.

If you like to eat your dessert before your meal, this is not the game for you. However, if you are a patient gamer, you may find something satisfying in the end.

Pretty, very pretty but PvE gameplay is one long level grind.

A whimsical Roguelike(like) that’s as dangerously addictive as it is addicted to causing danger. To you. And all of your precious hats.

Marred by some awful path-finding. The problem isn't in the units ability to find their way around the map, in fact they are very good at calculating routes through some very tricky terrain. No, what LoE suffers from is the inability of units to move out of the way of each other, to allow troops at the back to pass.

Caught between game styles, it'll only make the podium for a very specific audience.

Like its name implies, Contrast is a game with a sharp difference between its highs and lows. There's a lot to like here, but it doesn't make it all that easy to do so.

Given its derivative premise and simplistic styling, Future Tactics was never going to do great things. Even so, the execution is awkward and lumbering, and falls short even of the limited vision.

For a contemporary take on the Sim City formula, CitiesXL 2012 is probably the best option around. Just be aware that it holds this title by virtue of being pretty much the only option around.

More stuff crammed into cities that are too small still makes the game frustrating despite Maxis' best effort. Only pick this up if you're a fanatic.

If you’re looking for single player, "Call of Duty 2" is a better choice. If you prefer multiplayer, "Day of Defeat: Source" or "Battlefield 2" are better choices. If Pterodon Software does some patching this game has potential to excel.

StarDrive is a collection of solid ideas and features waiting to be unified by the necessary finishing touches.

You quickly realize that Death Jr. is the right character in the wrong game. The erratic camera control and the resulting difficulty factor stop the game dead in its tracks when it comes to the fun factor.

Ryse is a little better than its reputation as a tech demo in search of a game. But not much beyond a mediocre combat system in want of something more than its predictable, opulent story.

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

An extremely promising beginning is squandered in a mess of awkward puzzle design, structural dialogue oversights, and a truncated conclusion which, sadly, suggests Perils of Man simply ran out of time and money.

If the game's not fun, nothing else matters either: no amount of flying drone cameras, techno-gadgets and female curves designed by teenage boys can make up for it.

Fun enough in its own right, but lacking in a number of ways when compared to its predecessor. There isn't much in the way of new stuff for Naruto fans to squee over, and as this is a game based around making Naruto fans go "squee", that's a bit of an issue.

An expansion of Zeno Clash’s fantastical world and inhabitants, at the cost of some of the original game’s brutal tactility in combat.

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.

If you are bored with the current crop of samey sport sims or bland RPGs, then Trapt can provide you with some light relief and faith that there are original ideas out there that can be utilised.

Taking into account that All Zombies Must Die! will set you back only about £8, it's not a terrible purchase. But it isn't one that is easy to recommend, even at that price. If you're desperate for something to play while you wait for new post-Christmas content to hit for real then give it a shot.

A very mixed bag, but one that's certainly worth a look if the Polis Ranger scenario intrigues you.

The gags are often obscene, the women exaggerated in all of the important areas, and there were a few sexually explicit poses we had to look up in our well thumbed copy of the Karma Sutra.

I hope if they make a sequel or a similar game they include more ‘real’ puzzles and make it a genuine scare. Helping an old lady ghost find her ghost cat hardly pushes the terror buttons.

Offroad racing never felt so mundane.

I can't really recommend Okabu to anyone who plays a lot of games or who fancies a real brain-teaser, but those wanting to introduce a younger non-gamer to your favourite pastime may have a way of doing so.

It's a cruel irony that the one major change made to the Worms formula over the years only serves to erode the fun of the original incarnation. Implemented differently, perhaps 3D could have worked. Yet when its presence adds camera issues, reduces the power of weaponry to destroy scenery and elevates water-deaths to an art form, it's only reasonable to conclude that it is a failed experiment.

The fact is that nutmegging an opponent a couple of times can solicit a quiet smile of satisfaction. But after the zillionth time, you will find yourself getting pretty bored with the whole thing.

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.

Impressive tech, uninspired game.

Let's not beat around the bush (no pun intended), it's the so-called titillation factor that gamers will go for. Remember, when you start looking deeper than the brand and packaging, there's little substance. Oh, the irony.

Coded Arms nails the controls and graphics but comes up short where it really counts and that’s in its gameplay.

All the fun elements of a are present: wave after wave of enemies, boss characters, various weapons etc. but some people will find it repetitive. There's no real variation from start to finish other than different enemies and areas to move through.

Cuban Missile Crisis will only appeal to hardcore RTS fans or anyone who has a strong interest in playing a hybrid RTS/Turn-based title.

Once the game picks up speed, it does broadly provide the kind of high-speed explosive thrills promised; but it sure takes its sweet time getting there.

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.

The stupidly executed barriers would not be such a problem if the AI made up for it. Unfortunately, it appears both your allies and enemies are capable of doing only three things: run, shoot, stop.

In the end, it works fairly well. Unfortunately, once you get the hang of "making" relationships, there is no reason to keep playing. If you are a diehard sims fan looking for something to tide you over until the sequel is released, you may want to give this a try.

Urban Trial Freestyle’s big problem is not its similarity to the Trials series, but the inability to offer anything that casts it as a credible alternative.

Offers the full-package of challenge, entertainment, and reward. In its own unassuming way it delivers on the promise of a fun, family-friendly platformer. While this is no "Jak & Daxter," it’s no "Vexx," either.

The vehicles look and sound good, but I would have preferred an update to the sirens used in the US version of the game.

There's no denying that Game of Thrones will test your tolerance. There are so many negative idiosyncrasies and cost-cutting measures in place that you'll probably start to wonder when the game will just fall part entirely. But it never actually does. In fact, it stays on course to deliver a compelling parallel narrative to the opening book and HBO series, with characters as morally ambiguous and events just as horrific as any from Martin's pages.

City management was never meant to be adrenaline-invoking, vein-busting excitement. On the other hand, we’ve seen the genre served so much better, and look better, too. Make no mistake, madam: this here Medieval Lords is cut from very ordinary cloth.

As an affordable, accessible leap back into the shoes of a space fighter ace, Sol: Exodus is a success.

If, however, you enjoy tongue in cheek sports spoofs, scantily clad girls and, ahem, volleyball, then you’re in luck.

Little more than a routine, seen-it-all-before FPS. For all the imagination, originality and excitement on offer it could have been written by a robot.

An entertaining comedy adventure, but too many of the puzzles in Randal's Monday are too far from even its own internal comic logic to really make sense. It's a fun ride, but it's also liable to frustrate if you refuse to use any outside help to solve this time-travelling puzzler.

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.

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

More of the same from KOEI; mindless hack and slash action that is fun in short bursts.

It's difficult to work out exactly who Little Deviants is aimed at. The system is too flash and fragile for kids, but the games are too simple and irritatingly cutesy for adults. Further work on each of the games would improve this no end, as would a cast that packs a bigger punch.

A re-tread of Mashed's multiplayer, with reduced tracks and a superfluous single player mode.

While it’s far from a gaming masterpiece, UberSoldier does have its strengths that make it enjoyable.

Remember "Jungle Strike" and "Desert Strike" for any of the old school consoles? Make the game prettier and add control that is much more involved and you will have a good idea of what to expect.

Bet on Soldier would have been a great game had it not been for the poor computer AI, lack of variety in the models and the abysmal loading times/lag. Great levels, a smart presentation and immersing sound coupled with the betting aspect makes the game stand out in the crowd.

Oh, and whatever you do, don’t do the tutorial. It’s a punishment from God or some other cosmic being.

When you look at the poor quality graphics, short gameplay and relatively empty environments, it becomes rather obvious that King Kong for the PSP was rushed to coincide with the theatrical release of the movie.

Broken gameplay, shoddy graphical and sound work, and terrible combat all combine to make this title a little more than bearable.

A solid RPG experience offering everything you'd expect - but not enough surprises. Many enjoyable features but feels like playing part one of a two parter.

Podracing is decent, but nowhere near enough to save the entire package.

The overall single-player campaign of I of the Dragon will leave you under whelmed. In the 15-20 hours it will take you to finish you'll end up doing the same tasks over and over again.

Flawed, but does just enough right to be worth a purchase if it sounds like it's up your alley.

Digital happiness push all the right buttons with a game that will make you think and possibly even be a little scared.

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 War of the Worlds is absolutely not for everyone – those with high blood pressure or weak wills need not apply - but if you fondly remember the games name-checked above, or if you enjoyed Limbo but want something less artsy, less creepy, and less spider-y, this is certainly worth a shot. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't have issues or that it didn't drive me half-mad with frustration, but equally I'm not going to hide the fact that I had a lot of fun dying my way through a ruined London.

This is definitely a game for hard-core Scooby fans. Or children under the age of ten. Or children under the age of ten with a short attention span. Or, ideally, all of the above.

Not without its flaws, but very few of those flaws matter too much: Moebius is, on the whole, a well-written and interesting investigation.

A big disappointment for me. The control was unreliable and I could not configure it to my liking. In addition, a game of this type should be easy to pick up and fun to play. Instead, Battle of Europe is uninspiring, boring and ultimately very frustrating at times.

As more was revealed, however, numerous bugs caused the game to become unbearably frustrating.

One step forward, two steps back...

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.

A reasonable 3D platform game which is occasionally let down by a slightly un-responsive control system. There's enough to keep you coming back for more and with the arcade games to play there's something to do when you're getting frustrated with a level.

Omerta is not a title I have plans to revisit, but the single player campaign had a definite spark to it that kept my attention. My advice: keep an ear to your digital download platform of choice and wait for it to make you an offer you … well, you know.

The focused free-roaming through procedurally generated realms (now there's a sentence for people unfamiliar with videogame terminology) is a very successful formula for drawing the player into the title, and I've found myself being lured back to the game a fair bit in my spare moments.

Overall, it is difficult to find a reason to recommend this game over, say, "Age of Empires III." A higher learning curve, more micromanagement, dated graphics, and an interface that could use a bit of fine-tuning make this a mediocre game.

War Times is not a bad RTS. However, when you consider that other games are available that better do what War Times tries to do, it is hard to justify purchasing.

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.

Impressive tech undermined by generic level design and a complete disregard for providing something unique.

So while single player is pretty much a write-off, and none of the game modes really do the Game of Thrones license justice, multiplayer House vs House offers a relatively original take on medieval power struggles. Pray that enough of a multiplayer community sticks around, because this is a title where you'll want to wait for a sale.

Speedball 2 HD plays worse, looks worse and is far, far easier than the Amiga version from almost 23 years ago.

Some "Diablo" fans might find it to be an okay diversion but most gamers will find the respawning issues and limited game save feature a bit too frustrating to deal with.

Cy-Girls may pretend to offer a path through interesting virtual worlds, but delivers nothing like that. The choice to play as Aska or Ice, or both, is just like having to choose being punched in the face or in the gut. Or both.