All of the narrative and story-driven dialogue is beautifully pitched throughout, making the plot meld seamlessly with the gameplay.

Hopefully this proves to be a massive success because with this solid a framework to build on, a sequel could be more addictive than crack!

As the plodding narrative progresses, these repetitive fighting and stealth tasks grow quickly tedious.

If you've still got a 14" monitor or are looking for something to play on your GeForce 2 equipped monster of a PC (this would probably work well on a netbook), Din's Curse is a pretty addictive way to flit away the winter hours.

As the plodding narrative progresses, these repetitive fighting and stealth tasks grow quickly tedious.

As the plodding narrative progresses, these repetitive fighting and stealth tasks grow quickly tedious.

Disappointingly, there's not a hell of a lot you can do with a completed game, aside from play it yourself.

If you're at all into shooters and like the idea of something bitesize you can consume whenever you feel the need, there's just no reason to leave this on the shelf.

Despite being a few early hiccups and almost being put off by the controls, I pushed through like a good reviewer. And the game did start to charm me.

Although it's not an original game, Just Cause 2 takes standard ideas and pushes them to the extreme. While it might be lacking in originality and flair, there is no doubt that it's fun and at times thrilling, in a violent and destructive kind of way.

Red Steel 2 has a fantastic control system, finally delivering on the promises made by the original, and the Samurai and cowboy sensibilities make for an interesting mashup and a fun premise.

This might be one title that is best left in the past, where rose tinted glasses and time itself can protect it from the games that it no doubt inspired. Those which have long since (and far) surpassed it.

This game feels like a shadow of its predecessors and is only saved by the phenomenal impetus this series already has.

If post-nuclear apocalyptic thrillers are your thing, then Metro 2033 should be on your “must buy” list.

But if you're looking for a narrative driven experience that is going to shock, scare, perplex and amaze you, then Metro 2033 might just be your next stop on the line.

God of War III is polished from (severed) head to (bloodied) toe, and is an enjoyable, ridiculous experience perfect for the moments where you just want to switch your brain off.

Shatter is a solid little number, with loads of features to guarantee replayability, and the sort of manic speediness that you would naturally expect from a game where you smash things into little bits for fun.

Pokemon games are getting deeper, more complex and ever more exciting with each iteration. The only thing to do is keep catching em all. It would be rude not to.

Final Fantasy XIII is a fantastical foray into a magical imagination. Ably supported by gorgeous visuals, the gameplay ramps up at a rate than can only be described as perfection as you fall in love with the characters in your party and the environment in which they adventure. It's not perfect in every way but the imperfections that are to be found are like dust on a diamond - there, certainly, but utterly irrelevant.

Yakuza 3 has more depth to it than the Titanic and although this strange combination of gameplay elements might deter a lot gamers, you just can't help but admire it at the same time.

An essential purchase for any Tower Defense fan or anyone who just likes good games. It has that "Crimson Skies" feel, eloquently executing a combination of presentation and gameplay that outweighs the sum of its parts.

If you're a fan of military shooters like Modern Warfare, and/or are looking for an extremely solid multiplayer game, look no further.

Diehard fans of the franchise are going to be disappointed with the way that Gas Powered Games has dumbed down the game mechanic. But while this results in a game that is in many respects a shell of its former self, it’s still a fun and exciting title that has a compelling narrative and solid game play.

Watching a robbery go down with detached movie-convention-predictability and suddenly realising you have to intervene can freeze you up like Paul Henry spotting a mustache on a lady. It adds the third dimension that makes this game a game. In any case, it's an entertaining variation on screaming, "Don't go in there!" at a flickering screen in the dark.

The cannon may be the final argument of kings. But the Total War series is undoubtedly the king of the real time strategy genre - and Napoleon: Total War could very well be Creative Assembly’s crowning jewel.

Of course, it’s more fun in multiplayer.

I'd say it was a pleasant experience, but forgettable.

If you consider Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels to be the pinnacle of platforming and want something with that level of difficulty combined with similarly challenging puzzles to solve, this is the perfect game for you. It looks great and is as hard as hell - that alone should tell you whether or not you should buy it.