It's stylish, slick, appealing and wouldn't look all that far out of place dancing itself silly in an Austin Powers film. Everything is clean, pure cut and concise.

An enchanting tapestry of stylistic design, a deep and unconventional battle system, and fifty hours-plus of rewarding game play.

Whilst none of the levels quite match up to the stunning quality that was Phendrana Drifts, it is, as a sum of its parts, wonderfully evocative as a playing experience and induces the same level, if not more, of internal satisfaction that Prime achieved.

No single level in Halo 2 is as good as The Silent Cartographer (though the second level does come close), and there are moments that are just as repetitive and lazy as The Library.

Like the game’s aiming, Killzone misses the mark by a mile. Afflicted with so many niggling problems it has ended up a shambles of game which barely delivers on any front.

Between its towering mountains and vast waters there are surprises, in-jokes and events in San Andreas to fill at least a hundred hours. Should "GTA4" be any more involving, there’ll be no one left to see how GTA5 turns out. Half of us will no longer have the jobs to afford it; the other half will be motoring back and forth in the neighbours’ stolen car, endlessly prowling for prostitutes.

AC5 ups the ante once again for console dogfight games, combining the tight, exciting gameplay and gorgeous visuals and atmosphere of AC04 with added challenge and a superb story tied together by some brilliant cinematic cutscenes.

For those willing to spend the time to discover the subtleties of the handling model, lower their record times by milliseconds, attain Triple-A standard in all the mission modes, they will find a game which will satisfy their craving for a good arcade racer for quite some time.

Whenever the player is required to utilise aerial combat within an enclosed space the camera blithely decides to exhibit erroneous behaviour, and offers no rhyme or reason as to how it can be controlled in its new form. This is utterly catastrophic for any kind of action game because it inhibits the player from interacting with the in-game environment, and means having to battle with the game system instead.

Neo Contra isn’t a terrible game; it simply fails to get the balance between running and gunning right, resting far too much emphasis on the latter. It’s fun for a quick blast, but doesn’t offer enough depth or difficulty to warrant extended play.

It does, however, have a certain charm to its style and quirks, and those lightgun fanatics looking for something extra to test their abilities on would be well served by this offering. Anyone else is advised to look to Time Crisis 2 or Vampire Night, as both are much better showcases for the genre.

Whilst not suited to tournament play in the slightest, there’s plenty of scope for having fun juggling opponents and letting rip with massive combos. Let's hope The King of Fighters: Neowave will take up the tournament reins sometime soon.

What Nocturne does provide is an atmospheric and refreshing change to the angst-ridden-teen-saves-the-world, bread and butter adventures we’ve come to expect of the genre.

The shortcomings of the RPG exploration is made up for by the endearing characterisation, and splendid battle system. It is curious, then, that Mario himself is the least charismatic character in the game; his black, empty, beady little eyes betray his empty in-game personality. [JPN Import]

A rather inconsistent experience, in difficulty, enjoyment and general polish, but one that is saved by the core arcade simplicity that is occasionally given a chance to truly shine.

Cute and the Mario theme is well applied, with lots of familiar elements from games throughout the series, but fun soon gives way to pure frustration and the whole affair is over far too quickly. [JPN Import]

Looks as if Tony has survived to skate another day, but that shark is still snapping at his heels.

Whilst Nexus is most certainly an Armored Core game, and very good with it, a lot has changed on how the game fundamentally plays. Is it the best in the series? Well, it comes stunningly close. [JPN Import]

It is ideal fun for both the serious and casual games player, and entertaining for those not taking part to watch the participants flinging their hands over the place.

A must have for those with an interest in online gaming, especially the type of gamers who simply do not have the time to spend hours upon hours finding a party in an MMORPG. The pick-up-and-play formula works very well here and will no doubt keep you addicted for many months. [JPN Import]

A quirky and lovable puzzle-action hybrid that is totally satisfying and wilfully unusual. Despite its glaring eccentricity, it has a stable camera and excellent controls, meaning it's technically polished as well as beautifully and inimitably presented. It's mood music for the eyes. [JPN Import]

With a tweaked combat system and more balance to the boss battles Blood Will Tell could have been a magnificent game. However as it stands the core mechanics are too regimented to elevate it above an enjoyable fantasy romp. An opportunity squandered.

With the amazingly rich heritage that Star Wars has, it's confusing that the music isn't used quite as effectively as it should. Without the context-sensitive moments of the cinematic Star Wars the impact is lost, replenishing health to the dramatic rumblings of the Imperial Death March doesn't really do it and sometimes the music just disappears.

As it stands, it's a short-term adrenaline spike that sometimes lags under the weight of its enhancements. [JPN Import]

Balanced, tuned and counter-weighted to within a pixel’s distance of perfection, Treasure have masterminded a game both technically adept and visually astonishing. Revel in this pean to the art of destruction. [JPN Import]

Easy mode is far too easy (granting you unlimited magic power) and Normal mode far too tough. Treasure really ought to have found a happy compromise, which may have added to the title's replay value. [JPN Import]

The interaction of your character with the world of Albion and its inhabitants is its most enduring and enjoyable quality; it's important this aspect of the game is understood and explored.

Ultimately, The Room comes across as a game afraid of its own potential; not only afraid, in fact, but petrified. For what it achieves the game pays a heavy cost in bad calls, misjudgements and, above all, an uncharacteristically blunt edge.