So, to summarise, Mugen Kouro is an odd and unique mix of elements. The story holds the interest of the player even if the mundane battles don't. The customisation aspects provide a refreshing break and a more immediate goal. And the spaceships almost look like they're straight out of Star Wars! [JPN Import]

With Final Fantasy XII being such a revolution to the series, creating the series’ best battle system in the process, Final Fantasy XIII feels like a massive backwards step.

Toy Soldiers just tries too hard to be different, in the end.

In summation, it looks great, the music is wonderful and no matter how frustrated the player gets with any one puzzle, it's an enjoyable enough experience that they won't want to stop until they've finished it.

The game is truly epic and makes the first game feel like a prototype for the sequel. It is a deep and wonderfully involving game that is often breathtaking and constantly rewarding.

Left 4 Dead 2 is a superb multiplayer game providing a great level of variety and replay value.

God of War and its sequel were two of the best games on the PS2. They exist now as an example of streamlined, entertaining and challenging games.

Infinity Ward has made the wise choice of not padding the game out to satisfy angry internet comment posters but has instead provided a completely satisfying experience that sits beside the vast multiplayer components perfectly.

Children will manage it, and Super Easy mode (where hitting any note counts) makes Rock Band accessible to the youngest generation yet.

The level of enjoyment derived from the game in single player proves that this is a game best played in co-op, which is where Borderlands shines.

In terms of its game mechanics Duels of the Planeswalkers is a great conversion of the card game with an excellent interface in place, but unfortunately the heart and soul of the game have been torn out. What’s left is just a shell of the Magic experience; it looks and sounds like Magic, but has little of the depth, challenge and satisfaction that the physical version offers.

The developers have played it safe to some degree and because of this Uncharted 2 doesn’t feel like it has an identity of its own.

Hakuna Matata is a unique title and as such will no doubt attract a cult following. There is a lot to offer those who can find the required time and patience required to gain the best from it.

Demon's Souls asks much of you. For some it may ask too much, but, if you are prepared to rise to the challenges it presents you will be rewarded with one of the most satisfying gaming experiences of this generation.

Wet has a great story with some excellent voice acting from the main players – the people behind Pelham, Ackers and Rubi all manage to carry off that dark, menacing vibe without straying into comic book territory. It’s just that the game lacks any real staying power – the scoring mechanic isn’t strong enough and the inconsistent pacing will fail to draw many players back after the initial playthrough.

Squeezing so many items into the game and having each one act how (and beyond how) the player expects is amazing.

Mini Ninjas is an utterly cute and charming game that may not have the complexity and amount of content ‘hardcore’ gamers look for, but anyone who disparages Mini Ninjas for its simplicity is missing the point.

DiRT 2 is a superb celebration of rallying as a sport, with a mixture of new events, which deserves to be played and enjoyed by any gamer with even a passing interest in the genre.

Diabolical Box is proof that the success of Mysterious Village was not a fluke, and that the DS is the perfect platform to render such an adventure.

Put simply this is one of the best games of 2009 and arguably the best game yet released on XBLA.

Battlefield 1943 is technically very well made, with high production values and a solid online infrastructure that can easily host 24 players without any problems. Great as this is for the first 3-4 hours, though, it’s not long before the monotony sets in. There simply isn’t enough variety here to keep you coming back, and being an Xbox Live Arcade release is no excuse.

The game is by no means great but is also certainly not bad.

Buy this game if you want a challenging title that will eat up long journeys or quiet evenings in darkened room; it’s a great take on the franchise and it’s made for us, for the fans.

Red Faction: Guerrilla knows it is a game about making buildings fall over and it doesn’t purport to be anything else.

It's almost like the time-space continuum ripped open and farted out a title from years ago which, by rights, should never exist and only does so because of some unholy pact with Satan.

While not perfect, Infamous has enough excitement and vigour to see the player through to the end, and crucially leave them wanting more. The real hope is that that there will be another instalment of the adventures of Cole and the inhabitants of Empire City.

Bionic Commando is a flawed game that suffers at the hands of engine limitations and tacked-on multiplayer. The game is immensely enjoyable for players who put the effort in to master the swinging and combat, but sometimes the frustrating sections threaten to overwhelm the rest of the experience.

Velvet Assassin is a primitive and basic game even by last-gen standards.