Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light successfully captures the pure magic and essence of Final Fantasy. It is a game that is true to the heart and soul of the franchise, for better or for worse.

There’s plenty to unlock, the multiplayer is good and the soccer is rock-solid. Not to mention that the quick load-times make for the most faithful on the road console experience to date, though the lack of depth will not appease everyone.

FIFA 11 is still the best football game available right now, but it should have been so much better.

On the whole there is not much new going on in the world of Madden NFL 09, but the implementation of features that make it more accessible to casual gamers is a step in the right direction if the franchise is to flourish outside of the United States.

The game offers around 20 hours of play for the first time through, with several sidequests. Unfortunately, the mediocre story doesn’t have enough impact to keep players enthralled for the full playthrough, and it suffers from a linear, generic world-home-world structure.

A well done story, large set pieces and a new co-op mode are great, but aren't enough to make Halo 3: ODST as different as it was supposed to be.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary on the Xbox 360 may not be all that different from the PlayStation 2 version, but it's still a great game that should please those who enjoy their action games.

Whilst not a giant leap from its predessesors the game does offer some new online options that may add to its appeal for some.

A no-nonsense, old style first-person shooter – shoot first, think later. In that sense, it's brilliant fun. However, expect any more and you should prepare to be disappointed.

If you’re looking for something that’s different and is completely about exploration, then you’ll enjoy what Endless Ocean has to offer.

For the PC, Modern Warfare 2 is a solid shooter with an excellent but very short campaign, and an improved online multiplayer system hurt by the new matchmaking setups.

The best looking and playing rugby game of the year, but there's still a few things that need tweaking before it's a genuine classic.

Even with some annoying flaws, The UnderGarden provides a unique puzzle experience that will surely win you over with its charming visuals and beautiful music.

Lacks the lastability of "Eyetoy: Play 2" as once the twelve games are over and the Chao garden has been exploited that is the end. There is no playroom and there are only small novel unlockables.

Rivals comes in second place to Ridge Racer, but it does offer something different; plus, this game will definitely please those who like to modify their vehicles.

Motorstorm: Apocalypse is a highly enjoyable arcade racer let down by poor presentation and a manifest lack of focus on the part of Evolution Studios, who are in danger of losing track of what made the series so appealing in the first place.

It's easily the best of the three shooters on the Wii right now in every respect, and leaves the patchy Red Steel in the dust.

A more enjoyable game than its predecessor and a fun game for kids.

Although there isn’t a lot that’s new in LEGO Batman, fans will not be disappointed. The title retains the standard LEGO gameplay, has a wonderful cast of characters, and offers players tons of replay value.

While bringing nothing majorly new to the table, the budget price-point and new features are reason enough for newcomers to give the game a chance. Lost Planet veterans, however, need not apply.

Adding new careers, farming, fishing and seasons makes Seasons one of the biggest expansion packs yet.

Far from a perfect game, and far from being one that pushes the genre in the right direction. Suikoden V does however showcase some fascinating features and is worth checking out if you can tolerate some of the game’s shortcomings.

It’s technically fantastic, great fun for car fans, and will last forever (despite the lack of online), but we’ve seen the same flaws in the same game since the days of the PSX.

Although there are some niggles for both newcomers and pros, Magic: The Gathering is a great card game that translates well into a fun video game.

Sure, it's nice to see Gran Turismo eventually materialise and it plays great, but it would have been even nicer for it to have come fully fledged.

Ghostbusters offers some unique gameplay, an amusing story and a lot of fun for fans. Presentation issues hold back the PlayStation 3 version, but otherwise it's the best Ghostbusters game ever.

Bionic Commando is the surprise of the year so far. With a game that focuses so much energy on making the experience fun, it’s hard not to get swept up.

While better than 2005's effort, there just isn't enough different to make it a worthwhile purchase to last year's game. Everybody else though will find a thoroughly fun game of hockey.

From the evocative set-up to the satisfaction of stealing enemies move, those with an open mind and lenient expectation are likely to find a cool title that is perfect to fill the gaps between big releases.

The Sega Rally name may not command the same awe as it used to, but it's a fun racing package for fans of classic arcade racers.

Far Cry Instincts Evolution isn't really an evolution but more of the same which is good if that's what you're after.

It won’t win any game of the year awards, but for a piece of brainless action, you can’t really go wrong with Shaolin Monks.

Tomb Raider: Underworld is fun, but despite its best efforts, does not advance the series as much as it should.

Another one of those games with a lot of good ideas and solid gameplay which just lacks that extra layer of polish needed to make it an A class title.

Monster Hunter Freedom is an improved experience over its PS2 single player counterpart but you won't get the most out of the game until you can find some hunting buddies and really give the multiplayer a proper workout.

Metal Gear Ac!d 2 is unquestionably a title that is better than it's predecessor. The combat is a lot faster and there are more cards, but some of the problems that plagued the original title (like the annoyance of equipping weapons and the dodgy camera work) are still present. Metal Gear Ac!d 2 is an okay title if you're after a turn based strategy game, but PSP games have come a long way in nine months; this game has only made short steps.

The gameplay is solid, but there are far too many mistakes and flaws that really hurt what could’ve been a solid sequel.

More content and substance would have made for a better package, but it's hard to deny the polish and potential for addiction that exists regardless.

Singstar ABBA will only appeal to ABBA fans, but anyone with even a passing interest in ABBA should have no hesitations in picking this game up.

While Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 gives us more new features than last year's outing, the franchise is in need of an overhaul. We want more roar from the Tiger Woods series, and less meow.

High Tetris quality at a high entry price that ultimately comes down to disk versus digital.

The game hasn't changed that much, but it didn't really need to. Pure arcade fun.

Tough but flawed, Tenchu is still an enjoyable mature experience on the Wii.

Guitar Hero: On Tour is a heck of a surprise, it works rather well on the Nintendo DS and while the console versions are undoubtedly better, those who prefer portable gaming are getting a solid alternative with On Tour.

As a port from 360 and PC, Overlord: Raising Hell has some things going for it, and some things detracting from it — more or less creating equilibrium. As a game, though, there's something forgivably enjoyable about Overlord: Raising Hell.

It's a solid collection of some of Capcom's best, if you can get over the various emulation issues, however minor they may be.

Project Sylpheed fits the bill for anyone who is looking for some solid flight combat action, and doesn't mind some anime inspired storylines.

The same Guitar Hero that we all know and love combined with Aerosmith, who we're sure many have a love-hate relationship with. Still fun, but definitely tailored for fans of the band more than anybody else.

With a wealth of options and a large variety of mini-games, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Game is a great partnership for the former rivals.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies is a fantastic game and easily the best Geometry Wars title yet. Any shooter fans should have no hesitation in picking this title up.

Rogue Galaxy does many things right, and changes up the tired fantasy settings of the genre, but is still held back somewhat by convention. But if you're after a solid RPG, Rogue Galaxy will fit the bill nicely.

It may have been the prospect of high-definition Pro Evo that created the most buzz amongst fans, but it's the superior PS2 version that comes out smelling of roses.

The Sims 2: Castaway might have a few issues, but it's the most enjoyable console entry for the franchise thus far.

Theme Park on the DS is essentially just a port, but the game has aged well and is still a fantastic title for those who like sim games.

An ambitious game that hasn't (yet) fulfilled its potential. There's brilliance here, but it's currently being smothered by technical issues and an unfortunately wobbly multiplayer component.

A faithful adaptation of Magic: The Gathering that offers something for players old and new, hindered only by design and presentation inconsistencies. Good value for money.

This HD remake of Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes offers the same great puzzle RPG action with superior graphics and online play, but at the end of the day it feels more at home on the Nintendo DS.

If you’re a fan of High School Musical, you’ll enjoy Makin’ the Cut. Otherwise, stick to Elite Beat Agents.

Still an incredibly addictive game but there are a lot of racing games out there for the launch and this is just a port.

FIFA Street 3 would be a great game if it could manage to find some depth. As it is, the game is immediately pleasing, but runs out of puff too quickly, especially in solo play.

Chocobo Tales is more than just a bunch of mini-games, but sadly this feather powered adventure lacks staying power.

Genji: Dawn of Samurai has plenty of potential appeal and a fair amount of fun. There's just too much of the former and it skimps on the later.

MotoGP 06 is a game that really could have done with 6 months more work, but you can’t deny that MotoGP 06 is still the best of its type, even if framerate problems, online bugs and graphical complaints spoil what should have been a successful debut for the series on the 360.

GrimGrimoire is a game that could have been great had it had a little bit more variety and a few minor tweaks. That said its gameplay is definitely one of the best implementations of the RTS genre currently available on consoles.

Sonic Colours is Sega's first step in the right direction towards making a great Sonic game, but they're not quite there yet. This isn't the second coming of Sonic, but it's fun enough for kids and fans of the series.

A short, but sweet little game with quirky writing and simple combat, Costume Quest is yet another charming treat from Double Fine Productions and a very promising sign of things to come.

Ultimate Spider-Man has an excellent comic book style presentation and a great story, but the gameplay seems to hold it back from being one of the better titles released this holiday season.

A fundamentally good, yet rather disappointing experience. Players looking for the real next generation boxing title are just going to have to wait until next year; while Fight Night: Round 3 looks great, it moves like a set of rusty gears, and has far too many balance issues to be an enjoyable experience online.

Superb application of the Transformers license and story help, for once, make the gameplay issues in Transformers: War for Cybertron worth rolling through.

Total Overdose doesn't take itself too seriously; and you shouldn't either. It's a fairly solid action game that puts the emphasis on style.

Hyperballoid HD is meant for the casual gamer, as it's a fun, accessible and very affordable piece of gaming.

Bomberman Live: Battlefest is only worth getting if you missed out on the original and are craving for an addictive multiplayer experience that only Bomberman can offer.

If you can get past the potential motion sickness, you've got a simple but lengthy and engrossing adventure with Marathon: Durandal.

If you've never played any other titles in the series and like a good racing game, this is an easy 8 - higher if you’re a big MotoGP fan.

An incredibly weak update to last year’s title. Virtually every new feature in the game hasn’t be implemented anywhere near as good as it could have been, and it damages the game as a result.

While not as well tuned as other Mario sports titles, Mario Superstar Baseball achieves exactly what it set out to do - provide a good arcade-style baseball game.

Delivers what the DS promised – originality. It’s just a shame there isn’t more to it.

The game itself won't last as long as we hoped it would. Yes, there's wireless multiplayer and yes, it's a nice addition to the game, but without this, this game would only really be worth a rental.

You really have to wonder how long Yuke’s continue to push out the exact same game with minor changes each year when there are so many issues – even EA’s games feature bigger alterations than what we’ve seen from Smackdown over the past few years.

Even with Street Fighter IV currently being the best fighting game in the market, Battle Fantasia is still a solid fighting game that has some interesting Japanese RPG elements as well as fantastic visuals and art.

On the one hand, it is weaker then the mass of counterparts in the genre and doesn’t quite know how to ‘honour’ its heritage. However, on the other hand, it does a couple of things much better and allows you to take on cold mercenaries and dinosaurs with dual wielding shotguns and a knife that makes Rambo look like a boy scout.

The game now leans more towards "run and gun" game play rather than sitting back and plotting your path. The hot swap feature is great though, and isn't just a gimmick.

A perfect port of one of the most popular in the Street Fighter series, sadly let down by the PSP hardware, slow loading times and an unforgiving AI.

Not a huge improvement over previous versions, with only a few minor additions, a few new vehicles and a new setting.

Whilst it's not your traditional survival horror the addition of high-suspense action is a welcome breath of fresh air. If you're looking to be scared it will do the job.

More of the same, the enemies still aren't any smarter and the environments are still a little repetitive, but fans of the previous title should be well entertained with the game.

Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow is a well-made 3D action RPG, but unfortunately, it ends up feeling like a poor man's Dragon Quest IX.

Homefront does enough to be an enjoyable and memorable ride, and enough to distinguish itself. Given everything that it had going for it though, Homefront could and probably should have been much more.

A highly competent – if not flawed – snowboarding game with a style comparable to no other.

Hotel Dusk hangs somewhere between a game and an interactive story. While we would have liked to see a little more interactivity thrown into the mix, its storytelling elements are nevertheless fantastic.

An interesting 2D action title that borrows elements from Contra and Metroid, while adding a couple of nicely implemented twists of its own, but it could have been something remarkable if it weren't for its lacking design and substance.

A decent game suffocating under a crust of hard plastic cheese.

Tiburon have added a reasonable amount of new material for the 2006 edition of Madden, but we really feel as though they could have done more.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is an intense and enjoyable shooter with enough unique features to set itself apart, but we would have expected more polish from this port.

Crackdown 2 is just as fiendishly addictive and recklessly enjoyable as the original, but the single player game has been unwisely compromised for multiplayer and a lack of evolution.

Empires is an enjoyable game, but we'd like to see it become part of the main game, rather than continue to be a standalone add-on pack.

Sonic Rivals focuses on the speed of Sonic, there is never a dull moment.

Purr Pals is a great alternative to Nintendogs and is a game that is a lot of fun for kitten lovers.