But MCLA does everything right, and has plenty of longevity packed in.

Saints Row 2 is to GTA IV what egg and chips is to a Michelin-starred meal - no substitute, but still a salivating prospect. Worth your time and money.

"Resident Evil 4 in space" doesn't cut it - Dead Space is neither as ambitious nor as engrossing as the Gamecube Goliath. But it's still an expertly realised, slickly implemented survival horror experience.

Fracture has staked its reputation on one main mechanic of making the earth move and for that, it doesn't deliver.

Not so much Silent Hill returning home as Silent Hill rooting through its own garbage. A polished but utterly complacent slab of survival horror.

Sony has taken an unforgivably long time restoring WipEout to our living rooms, so it's just as well the results hold up under scrutiny - and then some.

A diverting tactical shooter curbed by ageing design principles, flawed story-telling and run-of-the-mill tech. Easily the best Brothers in Arms title so far, but after three years in development we were expecting something more evolutionary.

At worst, this is one of the best rental options this year. It doesn't have the depth or longevity of the big simulation racers but for sheer hair-raising off road action, a new franchise is born.

Half Val Kilmer, Half Christian Bale, the formula is looking a tad trite and jaded. Too apathetic for many but fans and kids alike will still find its cute and simplistic ways endearing enough.

It's not what I wanted, it's not what I expected and it's fundamentally broken in many different ways. It's a callous cheat of a game, it's shallow, short and has a man doing a crap Darth Vader impression.

A significant enough step up from the original to warrant your renewed attention this year.

Spore was meant to be everything to everyone; casual, hardcore, old, young, fat, thin, ugly, uglier. But it isn't.

It may not stray far from its roots, but thanks to a cornucopia of on and offline treats Rare's one-of-a-kind garden sim gets our recommendation once again.

A big brash bully of an open world shooter which rarely shines.

It's Disgaea again and it's bloody wonderful again. As complex as you let it be, as overwhelming as it wants to be and as great as it always has been.

Geometry Wars 2 is a better game, not just because of the new modes but the emphasis on fun and novel ways to enjoy an otherwise linear experience.

A good title, but not great.

Blood Curse may lurk within the shadows of convention, but those shadows have seldom seemed more oppressive. And damn good value for money, too.

If I had the option, though, I'd still prefer to simply buy the songs I like rather than buy the full retail disc.

Wall-E is a much better game than many could have hoped for.

Even though there are flaws in the game and there could be more variety in its offerings, I enjoyed the online play so much that I only grudgingly played through the singleplayer mode.

Yep, it's a fun game. Nothing earth-shattering, but more of the same fun and frolics you would associate with a Ratchet and Clank game.

It's stupid, it's nonsensical, it's over the top, it's full of awful dialogue, it demands long sittings and it hasn't changed much from the first game ten years ago. But then, it's Metal Gear Solid, so who cares? It's undeniably brilliant, captivating, exciting and downright fantastic, definitely worthy of at least a few furrowed brows throughout the experience.

It's great fun, charming and surprisingly witty.

Ninja Gaiden II is not perfect but it's one of the best action games since the original and an absolute joy to play.

What could have been so good and what - according to the hype - was going to be so great has proven to be nothing more than a complete and total let down, tied together with some decent ideas but coming out as nothing but totally, completely and utterly shonky.

At first, GTA IV was sort of feeling like a 9/10 game to me. There were a good few moments where I shook my head and jotted down another negative. But as the experience sank in, as the story captivated me, and as the pace quickened, I was very quickly humbled. It would be ridiculous to factor these minor gripes into even one point of a percentage in terms of scoring, because of the magnitude of the game as whole.

There's no real need for repeat playthroughs, nor will the urge be there once you've finished it the first time. Multiplayer is a great addition, but it surely won't attract the crowds that Halo and CoD consistently pull in, thus making it a (most likely) unfortunate dud.