Galaxies is a fresh take on the concept, one where all the new additions are a genuine plus for the play experience and add so much to the overall game.

Fast paced and full of relentless action, Uncharted: Drake`s Fortune is a pleasure to play from start to finish.

Despite its quality it won't set the world on fire like it did back in the Eighties, but it's a poignant and subtle reminder of how games used to be written and how wonderfully brilliant games back then could be.

Being blunt, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men is a sickly mess of a game with the multitude of negatives undermining every positive.

There is a superbly realised first third of a game there, but the combat and linear mission structure, coupled with the awful storyline help to undermine the quality apparent elsewhere.

Umbrella Chronicles achieves greatness by being more than the sum of its parts. It takes the established Resident Evil genre, throws a dormant light-gun element into the mix, stirs it all together and still comes up with something that will amaze and thrill fans of both. This is an essential purchase for anyone who is a fan of Resident Evil, light-gun games or just action games in general. For devotees of all three, this is nothing short of gaming nirvana.

The King Of Fighters XI is as easy on the eye as any version yet, and benefits from a playability overhaul and the inclusion of a majestic tag battle system. It is as frustratingly difficult to beat as ever, thanks to the joypad-smashingly evil bosses, but remains compulsive and playable. [JPN Import]

Soldier of Fortune: Payback is not a bad game, it's just not one with universal appeal.

Mario has not grown older, but younger with time: more slender, more supple, more graceful. It is as if the boundaries of the genre have become transparent, allowing a unique light to shine forth. Super Mario Galaxy will influence gaming perceptions, sure to replenish any lost passion. It will frequently hug your inner child, evoke tears of joy and tug at the heart. It is everything we have always desired, more than we could possibly have dreamed.

Instead of creating the game they promised themselves in the design documents, the end result is a spaceship sized wreck of catastrophic proportions and with very little redeeming qualities to prevent it from being placed at the very bottom of the bargain bin where it belongs.

As a monster-collecting game, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker isn’t in the same league as Pokémon. As an RPG however, it’s a big success.

A great game with a group of friends, and one which could help shift a pound or two, but the necessity to unlock events for multiplayer and the near-vertical difficulty curve for later circuits are hard to overlook.

Quite simply, Call of Duty 4 is a stunning game and quite difficult to fault. It looks, sounds and plays brilliantly and offers an unrivaled online experience.

Those who’ve never experienced the story and fun on offer should take a look and owners of the original game still owe it to themselves to buy this game.

Add to that the fact that each level also has a set number of collectables and the overall result would require someone with the talent of being able to reduce their body state to near-hibernation in order not to die from the boredom of it all.

With the furore objectively moved aside, Manhunt 2 is left a game which has tremendous atmosphere but that unfortunately counts for nothing when hampered by sloppy controls and poor implementation.

Battalion Wars 2 is a good game with some minor issues that do not detract from its overall quality or enjoyment.

Arguably, Guitar Hero III has the best selection of music in the series so far, and although there are fewer slow-paced songs than before, there is a nice mix of modern and classic tracks within the 70+ licensed soundtrack.

Deep down, Jericho clearly has the right idea. However, the implementation - which feels half-hearted at times - really lets it down.

Obvious flaws and blatant plagiarism aside Conan isn’t a bad game by any stretch, offering a lot of throwaway entertainment and a real challenge on anything above the normal difficulty setting.

All at once it feels very familiar and yet fresh. Indeed the visual clarity really does help propel the game to new levels of artistry but on the other hand, it feels like a game played many times before. Regardless it never stops being anything less than great fun to play and hugely engaging.

While it’s great to see it on the newer generation of systems (and on a Microsoft system at that), it doesn’t feel like it’s progressed very much at all since its first iteration, a problem that dogged even We Love Katamari, but which feels even more apparent here.

While it won't take long to finish the game, and bar one or two extras there isn't much in the way of replay value, while it lasts, Folklore is a bedazzling, enchanting title.

When it comes down to it, there’s essentially nothing here to recommend this over any other game, for example, something like WarioWare. That game has character, is constantly funny and contains a great selection of fun minigames. Hot Pixel fails to deliver on all counts.

It may not be the definition of next gen, but it is solidly old school in its delivery. It’s not often that a title comes along so devoid of hype and once again many gamers may pass this by, but if you have yet to sample the delights of the series, you could benefit from effectively three games worth of development that has honed a rough diamond into something getting closer to perfection.

It’s difficult to be too hard on Spiderman: Friend or Foe because of its targeted age group. Even with its highly repetitive and simplistic nature, it ultimately wins out over the drivel of Spiderman 3 (the game) with its photography and bomb diffusing missions and boring plot.

Another disappointment is the often-clumsy ally AI. While the enemy units display proficient level intelligence, your marine companions often struggle to cope with the enemy onslaught. This is never more evident as when you’re riding alongside a CPU driver in a Warthog; they drive so erratically you half expect them to crack open a crate of Carling midway through the mission.

In the end, Eternal Sonata is let down by its failure to take advantage of the story it sets up for itself.

This is totally freeform: ride around with a pack, do your own thing whilst occasionally bumping into other people and saying hi, or just stand around watching; it’s all good. This is what the core and vision of Skate is about – freedom and choice.

Heavenly Sword turns out to be a short experience, and one that isn’t going to challenge even the cerebrally impaired.

The control scheme is still as intuitive as it was first time round, but it is now encased in a fun and rewarding experience that is a pleasure to play from start to finish. [JPN Import]

With games like "Final Fantasy XII" pushing the genre forward, it’s disappointing to see a game with so much talent behind it not attempt to try anything new. [JPN Import]

The final half of Wild Arms 5 is incredible. The story, dungeons and battles all come together to create a game that is as good as traditional RPGs will ever get. If only the same could be said about the initial slog, it’d be a classic.

The controls are heavenly but the game isn’t.

Flawed though it may be, it's one of the most atmospheric first-person games ever made and perhaps the standout title of the generation so far. Dazzling, thought provoking, compelling and engaging, it's an experience which refuses to lessen its hold until you've seen it through to the end, and in doing so, lodges itself in the memory in a way that few other titles can.

There’s no doubt that coming to this game from something such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea will prove to be too easy a ride for those experienced with the genre, but for anyone looking for a more portable Strategy-RPG, with a wonderful story to tell, Jeanne d’Arc will be a perfect fit.

The idea that More Brain Training will elevate anyone to Einstein intelligence is perhaps a bit far fetched, but it’s clear that working your brain regularly is as essential as getting enough exercise; more neurons, less flab.

Persona 3 is an RPG unlike any other, and one that really gets under your skin. When you’re not playing it, you’ll still be planning what you’d like to do when you are, and wondering just what your friends will get up to next.

A very good game, terrific fun, ideal for the purpose, and just a big winner in multiplayer online or off. It is not going to set the world alight in single player, but we hope that Nintendo can see how favourably it has gone down with the online crowd and plan for the future accordingly.

It retains the feel of McRae, but not the subtlety or precision. The car doesn’t feel different enough across the various surfaces, while the ability to stop almost instantly in the majority of cars on any track is a sign that they are not interacting with the ground as they should. They feel loose, almost distant.

Resident Evil 4 on the Wii has taken everything that was great about the Gamecube and PS2 versions and tweaked it just enough to enthrall even vetran players all over again.

It’s certainly fun in short bursts and does provide some interesting mental exercise, but this more of a GCSE than a degree.

Balanced control, evolved brilliance.

Underneath the hood is a well-honed, constantly surprising beast and one that isn’t purely for FPS fans, thanks to a generous degree of auto-aim that places much of the emphasis on tactics and intelligent usage of the tools at your disposal.

The control method and lazy design of the later levels threaten to dampen the early enjoyment, but Crush must be praised for trying to innovate, and is thus a worthy purchase for any PSP owner in search of their next puzzle fix.

A flawed masterpiece and one which will undoubtedly be as fondly remembered as its predecessor.

At World's End does pay tribute to the movie on which it is based, but it's difficult to find much here to make this game anything other than an average hack and slash adventure. PotC proves once again, that movie tie-in games are very rarely worth the amount of money thrown at them.

Granted the game looks and sounds great, but it has no substance to it.

This isn’t a high-def interactive movie or a massive leap forward for all things Marvel – but it is a fun distraction and perfect for a casual or younger, superhero-mad gamer.

Combining last-generation visuals with next-generation control is never going to result in a satisfactory outcome.

Although the draw of online leaderboards and achievements is compelling, unfortunately for Pinball FX, the table designs all feel a little mediocre and lack the features of truly great pinball tables like The Addams Family and Star Trek TNG; maybe the future downloadable content will be better. That said, it is a solid pinball simulation that portrays the ball physics with some degree of finesse, and so it's definitely worth checking out the trial game at least.

A shocking effort, then, and one of the more memorable disasters in recent games history.

Despite its foibles, this simplified RPG is accessible to anyone, and remains as engrossing as it ever was.

Despite its foibles, this simplified RPG is accessible to anyone, and remains as engrossing as it ever was.

The most interesting feature though, has to be the inclusion of the "Double Play" mode where it's possible to play a 2P game whilst controlling both ships - a technique made famous by a skillful Japanese Ikaruga player, and now here it is entering the mainstream as a proper play mode. [JPN Import]

While the eight-player party mode delivers plenty of short-term fun with friends and family, the lack of traditional modes and tightened controls hurt Bust-A-Move Bash! in the long run.

Another excellent and approachable leaderboard-chasing romp through colourfully lit cityscapes with an upbeat tempo soundtrack. Though it's perhaps a little short-lived due to the limited tracks currently available, it's a lot of fun while it lasts.

If you have never tried a Paper Mario game then this is the most accessible game in the series to date and if you have tried one but did not find it to your taste then give this one a try.

However, the game ultimately stands or falls on its ability to remain fun and dynamic. For a two year old game, that to all intents and purposes feels like a poor man’s God Of war in places, it does still hold-up pretty well.

On the face of it Chocobo Tales appears to be aimed at a younger audience; however the game has a delightful charm that will appeal to anyone who’s a fan of the Final Fantasy series.

If nothing else, Vanguard serves as a pretty good indication of how well suited the Wii’s control setup is for this kind of game and one can only hope that future releases, most notably Metroid Prime 3, will succeed in adding what Vanguard lacks – a decent videogame to back up the inventive controls.

The clunky interface, numerous bugs, fractured story telling and underdeveloped ideas do distract from what could well have been a real classic, but the fact that GSC have come through development hell to produce a game as memorable as this is quite an achievement.

For anyone who is a fan of entertaining, no-brainer old-school arcade gameplay, this is essential.

The game can also be scored for a winsome budget price, which means that it isn’t too much of a kick to the nads if you fail to get to grips with the dodgy controls and limited wares on offer.

Puzzle Quest PSP does exactly what it sets out to do, masterfully combining the role-playing and puzzle genres into one game that is perfect for handheld gaming.

No game has gumption like EDF. No other game has the balls to make the most basic enemy an ant the size of a bus. No other game lets the player get away with such wanton collateral damage. No other game has the audacity to throw so much at you and fill the screen with such massive explosions that your neighbours will think aliens really have invaded and will hide in their cellars. The sheer spectacle is a sensory supernova.

Kororinpa isn't a massively deep game - we're talking more like swimming pool than Marianas Trench - and as such it certainly won't take most people very long to plough through to the credits, but when compared games of this ilk there's still plenty to come back for.

There isn’t much else to say about this stupendous game. It is among the very best games to have graced the console, indeed it is among the best of this or any other generation.

Even with the limited themes, Worms has a lot of legs, or at least a lengthy slimy belly, and it’s a worthy addition to XBLA, especially as a multiplayer game over Live.

Very little in GRAW2 is designed to convert those who steadfastly refused to get on with the first, something which Ubisoft makes no apologies for. Instead they have provided for the already-converted with a game that will thrill and engage for its duration.

Wario's a greedy so-and-so, and he goes to a lot of trouble to get what he wants. Master of Disguise is an enjoyable diversion which some will enjoy, but you have to question whether Wario's elaborate scheme was really worth bothering with in the first place.

As lacklustre as Vice City Stories is, there’s no denying that it effectively replicates the core genius of the GTA series in a way no other sandbox action title can. Presumably the last GTA on the PS2, you’ll leave it thinking that it was a missed opportunity rather than a poor experience.

Bullet Witch gets by on the fun nature of the physics and occasionally spectacular setpieces (the Up in Flames at 10,000 Feet boss encounter on the back of a jumbo jet, or downing multiple enemy Chinooks with a Tornado) but the incessant dourness and spartan environments can become rather depressing simply on an aesthetic level without bringing frustrating game mechanics into it.

It's cheap, it's easy, there’s no death, severed limbs or even blood, it's great for wowing hammered friends with a motion sensitive controller. In fact, it's simply ornamental.

Unshackled from the limitations of ‘vertical-only’ movement, this update is more intuitive than its predecessor and turning the DS ninety degrees is a wonderful touch too.

While it is true that the twenty-one bosses won’t take long to dispose of, everything in the game is of such high quality that it does not matter. It’s easy to spend hours without even bothering about the main objectives, just blowing stuff up and admiring the physics at work.

Trioncube’s mesmerisingly spartan yet compulsive gameplay, married to the charming presentation, indelible soundtrack and reward trail, often confect to make this feel like a honeyed breath of fresh air. [JPN Import]

Forget what you have heard about this being a title that will “train” you how to use your new hardware - it doesn’t. You can learn much more with the in-bundle magnificence of Wii Sports, or the genuine innovation offered by Wario Ware. Let’s hope that more consideration is put into future first party releases of this ilk.

Whilst "Super Puzzle Fighter" is still a great game, the poor multiplayer options mean that you are better off with one of versions previously released on the home consoles, or one of HD versions making their way to PS3, 360 and PC later this year.

They need to elevate PES to the next stage of its life that it so deserves, and the only way they can do that is to give players more of what they want rather than take from them.

Further hampering the dungeons is sheer repetitiveness. Most contain only a few combinations of enemies to fight and the battles are such that you can use exactly the same strategy, for exactly the same result, every time.

Diddy Kong Racing DS is still a compulsive challenge and for sheer content and variety, it wins outright. But it’s not a fully convincing reinvention, and equally it’s changed too much to feel like a reassuring old friend.

The game itself is compulsive and addictive until the point at which it sadly has to conclude.

The fact the game continues to expand, with a new patch on the way which will include more Outland endgame content - including the chance to fight the Big Bad, Illidan himself - only makes it that much more exciting and World of Warcraft’s continual evolution will ensure its continuing popularity for quite some time to come.

For those fans captivated by the first instalment, buying this is an absolute must. [JPN Import]

There are a large number of games for Nintendo’s new console that employ mini-games, lazily or not. It is to Intelligent Systems’ credit that in terms of utilising the new control method, whilst retaining the feel and strong standards of their excellent franchise, this is easily the best current example of the genre available.

Lost Planet is an arcade style shooter divided into small(ish) chunks, designed to be played again and again. Whilst this might disappoint those who expect a sprawling, epic adventure, it still offers up some superb set pieces and excellent boss fights.

What could have been little more than an extended tech demo has actually turned out to be one of the finest Wii games to date and certainly the most novel and interactive.

But the moment the opening symphony plays until the concluding credits, all fear and doubt quickly vanishes like the cool whispering of an autumn's breeze. Though not flawless, Nintendo have once again demonstrated masterful craftsmanship, challenging design and imaginative artistry.

The core mechanics have barely changed since the days of Symphony of the Night and as we pointed out in no uncertain terms when we reviewed Dawn of Sorrow , the format is growing stale now.

Unfortunately Vegas continues the spiral of descent for the franchise, and moves the series further away from what made it such a success in the first place.

Most importantly, ExciteTruck is massive fun to play, which is still the most vital of aspects in any game.

A massive, massive success as a launch title. Ignore the negativity you may have heard, and embrace this marvellous new bit of kit into your home.

Again the game features multiplayer over Live, but suffers from very few people playing online and is solely populated by prepubescents with limited vocabularies that consist of nothing but insults.

Despite the limited number of tracks, the combination of different game modes and difficulty ratings make PocketBike Racer entertaining when it's taken for what it is - an unashamed Mario Kart clone intended to advertise Burger King.

Sneak King is undeniably fun for a while and certainly a guilty pleasure, but its main failing is that it quickly becomes repetitive.

Unless you can afford to have your own backing band or cough up for a proper karaoke machine and CD-G discs, SingStar Rocks represents the best you can do if you like (mainstream) rock music and want to sing along to it, it is that simple.

A solid FPS, elevated above the mundane by its sublime weapon set and some excellent enviroments. Whether it convinces the masses who might pick it up at UK launch is another matter entirely.