As welcome an update as we could ever have hoped for. By expanding beyond the reach of the films, adding in the distinctive modes of play in the forms of the simple campaign and the more tactical War of the Ring and improving upon the construction elements, EA have done a splendid job of bringing an already solid RTS right up to date.

Despite the step-down in charm, the game underneath it all is splendid.

Despite its problems, BfME easily stands up to the extraordinarily high standard of RTS titles that we’ve been treated to this year.

Due to the fact that there are so many ways to eliminate the enemies on screen, there is a certain reply value to this other than unlocking the various movies, but the levels are quite linear in design and maybe once the novelty of the psi abilities has worn off this title may well start collecting dust a few weeks down the line.

One of the nastiest experiences you are ever going to have in a game, but in a good way.

For fans of rallying, who have been spoiled for choice in previous years, this is the first really good rally simulation on a next-gen system and as such is pretty much a must-have.

It appeals to hardcore RTS players with its historical accuracy, as well as newcomers with its ease of play and focus on putting you in control of what’s going on.

These are thankfully relatively minor criticisms when considering the enjoyable new multiplayer mode, and how impressively cinematic and fun the stronger single player levels are, but they should still be kept in mind if you’re considering giving UO a purchase.

Overall Warrior Within seems to be in something of a messy transition period, caught between the light-hearted fun of the original and some noirish violent action game that was probably more the result of mis-focused market testing than any kind of genuine developer decision.

Crystal Dynamics has finally made Lara into the female Indiana Jones she’s always threatened to be, and even managed to fill the game with memorable moments, such as an incident with a motorbike on the rooftops of Japan, swan diving off a high cliff into a lake, and even base jumping into the middle of a combat zone.

Red Alert 3 was never going to be genre-redefining game, but there can be no doubt that it has proved to be a damn good laugh.

One of the nastiest experiences you are ever going to have in a game, but in a good way.

For fans of rallying, who have been spoiled for choice in previous years, this is the first really good rally simulation on a next-gen system and as such is pretty much a must-have.

Overall Warrior Within seems to be in something of a messy transition period, caught between the light-hearted fun of the original and some noirish violent action game that was probably more the result of mis-focused market testing than any kind of genuine developer decision.

Stargate Online TCG is easily one of the most complicated games of its type in terms of the number of modifiers in play at any given time, but a thorough tutorial and well-devised interface actually make playing a breeze.

Once again Crystal Dynamics’ new Tomb Raider engine proves its worth, and while the PSP version lacks the graphical clout of its bigger cousins, the series is no less at home here.

Overall this is definitely a game for the fans and not a game that’s likely to convert non-fans. If you’ve never played a Myst game then it’s easy to see why Myst IV might be frustrating.

We can see what the developers have tried to do with Domination, which is basically make the game more accessible. Unfortunately it’s a move that has completely backfired, with the result being an excellent game buried under a lot of unnecessary and distracting fluff.

Racing that feels so fresh and sharp reminds of the sheer pulse-racing style of F-Zero GX. To get this kind of breezy, clean, no-holds-barred racing action on the PC is a delight, and implicitly suggests that Gran Turismo 4 should be made to write out “I must learn the meaning of fun” 5,000 times on a blackboard.

F.E.A.R. is a game that you’re going to like a lot or you’re not going to like at all, depending on your tolerance for genuinely challenging gun battles, genuinely unsettling creepiness and genuine-looking bland industrial environments.

It’s just not the revolutionary title we were hoping for. It doesn’t really set an adequate benchmark for future Xbox 360 titles and feels more like a stopgap while the true next-gen titles are being developed.

Crystal Dynamics has finally made Lara into the female Indiana Jones sheâ??s always threatened to be, and even managed to fill the game with memorable moments, such as an incident with a motorbike on the rooftops of Japan, swan diving off a high cliff into a lake, and even base jumping into the middle of a combat zone.

Would I rate it above the Advance games? Yes. Would I rate it above the Mega Drive games? No. And before you think it, it’s not nostalgia; this reviewer’s Mega Drive is still hooked up and in use.

Overall Warrior Within seems to be in something of a messy transition period, caught between the light-hearted fun of the original and some noirish violent action game that was probably more the result of mis-focused market testing than any kind of genuine developer decision.

It’s almost a shame that this wasn’t a launch title, because it may well have achieved a much higher profile, but if you are looking for something fun and engaging without all the cute kid-friendly trimmings, look no further than this.

It’s bold, brash, visceral in nature and for the first 20 levels it’s highly compelling. It’s also unfinished, somewhat unpolished and requires a fairly hefty PC to run.

Very close to being a near-essential addition to any Wii owner’s collection which we dearly hope will get a sequel.

Overall Warrior Within seems to be in something of a messy transition period, caught between the light-hearted fun of the original and some noirish violent action game that was probably more the result of mis-focused market testing than any kind of genuine developer decision.

By bringing forward all the great aspects of its predecessor that worked so well before, giving them a change of scenery to warmer climes and adding in a few new choice features, Codename Panzers: Phase Two has managed to maintain the quality of the first instalment.

For fans of rallying, who have been spoiled for choice in previous years, this is the first really good rally simulation on a next-gen system and as such is pretty much a must-have.

While more linear than the likes of the excellent Fahrenheit, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey is compelling enough to maintain your interest through to the conclusion, which itself is disappointing since the game comes to and end too quickly and fails to match the quality of the remainder of the story.

If it weren't for the somewhat unpolished enemy AI and placement, Ghost Recon 2 could have been a very realistic and engaging shooter. As it is, it feels a little out-of-kilter and more like a standard (but very good looking) shooter with some pacing issues.

Devil May Cry 4 is not the revolution that Capcom might have wanted from the series, but it’s their fault for lumbering Dante with lazy, repeated level design, and making Nero a far more interesting character to play as than to watch in cut-scenes.

The storyline, despite being written by former Hulk writer Paul Jenkins, isn’t particularly strong or well told, despite the fact that it’s more than faithful to the Hulk’s comic strip roots.

As great a game as Unreal Championship 2 is for the Xbox though, anyone who has played the magnum opus of the series that inspired it will have an inescapable nagging feeling that somehow, something is missing.

The storyline, despite being written by former Hulk writer Paul Jenkins, isn't particularly strong or well told, despite the fact that it's more than faithful to the Hulk's comic strip roots.

What it is though is a linear (and we don’t mean that negatively) RPG with an emphasis on tactical combat, more than a nod to the classic comic books, and a sizeable helping of fun.

Overlord won’t keep you coming back and again for more, but it’s a satisfying, amusing experience that’s fairly unusual in today’s games industry, even if it isn’t quite the bad boy it wants to be.

Devil May Cry 4 is not the revolution that Capcom might have wanted from the series, but it’s their fault for lumbering Dante with lazy, repeated level design, and making Nero a far more interesting character to play as than to watch in cut-scenes.

Balance and a few physics issues aside, guns are really satisfying to shoot, and the vehicles – including tanks, helicopters and planes – are great to take a joyride in.

Medal Of Honour: Airborne may well be as gung-ho as a cigar-chomping drill instructor and as shallow as the pool of blood left by one of your expendable buddies, but it doesn’t profess to be anything more than an exciting and enjoyable week’s worth of FPS action.

If you’re a fan of The Punisher, Max Payne or good old violence in general (and let’s face it – that list covers pretty much the majority of games players), there’s a good chance you’ll get a kick out of what’s on offer here.

Overlord won’t keep you coming back and again for more, but it’s a satisfying, amusing experience that’s fairly unusual in today’s games industry, even if it isn’t quite the bad boy it wants to be.

An ‘original’ title based on previous games. Think of it as "Burnout 3+."

Boiling Point is an amazing piece of work, but is like a piece of art that will never be finished. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it, despite its flaws, as it is the very definition of freeform adventuring.

It’s repetitive, a little on the shallow side, and probably not for your average twitch gamer, but it’s also highly original and extremely entertaining.

Interesting content, ease of use and the ability to remove huge chunks of your life combine to make one of the best historically accurate strategy games out there.

By far one of the most understatedly atmospheric games of the year, DefCon has cornered the market on the kind of strategy that tenses the buttocks to sphincter-alarming proportions. Death, destruction, brains and beauty – who the hell needs a nice game of chess?

With very little in the way of downtime and a seemingly endless stream of things to do and new things to see, the future is looking very bright.

Once you’ve got to grips with your stylus as Sonic manfully sends plumes of salty white foam splashing over the hot pussy pressed against you, you’ll forget the MegaDrive even existed [naughty, naughty – Ed]. For a while, at least.

Medal Of Honour: Airborne may well be as gung-ho as a cigar-chomping drill instructor and as shallow as the pool of blood left by one of your expendable buddies, but it doesn’t profess to be anything more than an exciting and enjoyable week’s worth of FPS action.

Playing through Ice Station Santa not only reminded us, as most of the Sam & Max instalments tend to, that there really aren’t enough good point and clickers around, but also that there aren’t enough games with a Christmas theme to them.

Don’t be fooled by the bright, cartoony exterior – RCT3 offers a detailed and sometimes complex package.

In terms of overall quality though, which is the aspect which really counts, Moai Better Blues is easily in the same league as Ice Station Santa.

Rise of Legends may not break new ground, but it certainly adds to what has gone before and presses all the right buttons along the way to becoming one of the more entertaining RTS games out there.

The lack of variety in the actual races and subsequently online doesn’t do much to justify the £50 price tag, but once you have a fast car and experience some of those intense police chases in glorious HD, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear.

Predictably Savage 2 has its detractors as well as its supporters, but there’s no denying that there’s absolutely no other game series out there that does what it does.

On the multiplayer side, things come together nicely, and the toing and froing that comes from the defender-biased jostling serves to keep possession roughly even between players who are similarly skilled, while giving more creative passers a definite advantage.

Railroads! is way more fun than the subject matter suggests it ought to be, which is a credit to its design team.

Overall Legend of Kay is a decent quality platforming title that successfully combines several entertaining ideas. It is let down a little by poor voice acting and slightly linear RPG elements, but at least benefits from a mid-range price-tag.

If only GTR had been more welcoming to casual racing fans, it might have found itself a bigger and deserved market. Unfortunately we just can’t find ourselves openly recommending it – and not for a lack of quality.

It looks stunning, isn’t shy with its explosions and pyrotechnics, and keeps things moving at a cracking pace.

It’s silly, elegant, strange, delightful, sometimes annoying, always cute, mostly easy (unless unlockables matter to you) a bit random, often clever and ultimately not that essential. It’s perhaps too whimsical for most people, and if you need meaningful story and immediate reward, it almost certainly isn’t for you. With the right mindset, though, it’s a real treat and something special for PSP owners to call their own.

Even if EA does use its nefarious in-game advertising system to find your precious information/porn/illegally downloaded music and movies and try to sell you similar items, Battlefield 2142 is undeniably a new and enjoyable step for a franchise that has so far not strayed away from historical or topical content.

It may be slow, but its atmosphere is convincing enough to immerse you fully into its world.

However, casual Tony Hawk fans should really think twice about investing, as there's not a huge amount to set it apart from the rest.

Lost Odyssey is a great JRPG that, while not without flaws, does a fantastic job of overcoming them and providing a superb adventure and storytelling experience.

The control scheme feels comfortable, albeit not quite as precise as a good old keyboard and mouse, and is paired up to an equally well-executed interface.

The stylish look and off-the-wall story certainly make up for a lack of hardcore role-playing depth.

As a whole, Bloodlines is, even with its faults, a very high quality product. The game world is well presented, and is immersive to the degree that you could easily lose yourself in it for hours at a time and not even notice.

But if you are happy to play the game online all of the time and don’t mind an initially steep learning curve, Warhawk actually proves to be an enjoyable and engaging game; it’s arcade leanings making up for a slight lack of sophistication, and an impressive sense of scale making up for the lack of visual ‘wow’ factor. Overall, a surprise hit.

What it lacks in overall content it makes up for by having damned enjoyable and addictive gameplay and enough variations on a theme for the game to last much longer than the four or so hours it takes to complete the main mode.

There are dozens of ready-made missions and most of them can be tackled in radically different ways, which adds even more longevity on top of the mission editor and slew of multiplayer modes.

One of the better RTS games we’ve played that at least tries to avoid the clichés that have riddled this genre for so long. Kudos goes to the developers, if not huge profits.

However, casual Tony Hawk fans should really think twice about investing, as there's not a huge amount to set it apart from the rest.

However, casual Tony Hawk fans should really think twice about investing, as there’s not a huge amount to set it apart from the rest.

Still, despite the game's poor multiplayer and control issues, Conker: Live and Reloaded still retains the classic gameplay of Bad Fur Day, giving it just enough spit and polish to be a great remake, even if there's little in the way of extras.

The Xbox 360 is no doubt the best format to play the game on, with sharp visuals and a surround-sound crowd that really draws you into the action, but it just doesn’t have that made-for-next-gen feel, and if you aren’t using HDTV, the difference is even less spectacular.

V. With its beautiful fantasy graphics and huge amounts of depth, Heroes is back from the dead and ready for the next generation of RTS role players.

However, casual Tony Hawk fans should really think twice about investing, as there’s not a huge amount to set it apart from the rest.

Kohan II: Kings of War is a good quality RTS that manages to stand out from the RTS crowd.

The Witcher is actually one of the best RPGs we've come across in a long time. It may not quite be Oblivion in scope and all-round greatness, but it earns the right to call itself a must try RPG that will immerse you in its dark and mysterious world.

Five years ago Yakuza 2 would have been a system seller. Today it’s just enough reason to wipe the layers of dust off of a shelved console and give it a final send-off.

Rock Band is so close to being a must-have game for any self respecting, music-loving gamer, but unless you’ve got money to burn and friends on tap, Rock Band isn’t half the game it could have been for half the cost [Say again, Bilbo - Ed].

At least if you do take in everything the game has to offer on the first sitting, you’ll easily feel like you’ve had a fulfilling experience, but unlike a GTA game, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll come back for more once you’ve finished.

Galaxies is certainly a perfectly enjoyable and natural evolution for the Geometry Wars series that’ll provide hundreds of hours of fun to gamers with lightning-fast reactions, but it’s perhaps not enough to make it really worth it.

Overall Ridge Racer has proven to be a decent, though not essential purchase for the system, and one that you at least probably won’t go wrong with.

Even though it has open-ended free roaming aspects, it feels far more like a short linear game supplemented by hidden areas and bonus missions.

If you're a Penny Arcade fan then Episode One is an enjoyable if overpriced and short-lived experience.

If you're a Penny Arcade fan then Episode One is an enjoyable if overpriced and short-lived experience.

It's odd, but Modern Combat is a much better single-player game than it is multiplayer.

As far as it goes, Men of Valor hasn't really exceeded expectations, but nor has it failed to live up to them, assuming your expectations were a Medal of Honor clone set in Vietnam.

The tweaks to the existing feature set and gameplay have certainly raised its game and will make you feel like you are close to experiencing a real football match.

The dual screens provide a perfect medium for the genre, and the inclusion of the rumble pack, which is compatible with the likes of Mario & Luigi at the moment and should feature in future releases, is a neat and thoughtful inclusion.

Overall UFO: Afterlight provides a very worthwhile time investment as the reward you reap is a deep and intriguing strategy game with the kind of RPG elements that add a less geeky feel to it - a surprise hit with us.

For anyone with the inclination to be educated in how games used to consist of pure gameplay magic, or for those who wish to revisit their gaming pasts, Taito Legends is a superior collection of titles, some of which are truly classics in the absolute sense of the word.

For anyone with the inclination to be educated in how games used to consist of pure gameplay magic, or for those who wish to revisit their gaming pasts, Taito Legends is a superior collection of titles, some of which are truly classics in the absolute sense of the word.

Yes, technically it’s a port of FlatOut 2, and a pretty belated one at that, but just because it’s the least visually impressive version of the game doesn’t make it the least technically accomplished.