Finally, football is back to where it should be on PS3 – at the top of our mostplayed lists. But FIFA 09 still has the capacity to annoy beyond all reason, especially when it’s playing in goal.

It's simply not worth 7.99. [Issue#88, p.89]

Fracture supplies the recommended dose of excitement, and not a drop more. While its puzzles come close to rescuing matters, that feeling of half-hearted exploration and only just adequate gunplay never quite wears off.

While this will probably be embraced by the fans, it’s just a little too realistic for its own good, and as such isn’t as fun as it could be. Anyone considering looking for a change could start this year.

It's a real step-up from last year's version of NBA Live, which felt stilted and robotic by comparison. [Issue#170, p.81]

Ultimately you're left cursing at almost every turn. [Issue#174, p.88]

HD is the most polished WipEout game so far, but doesn’t offer many new features. The single-player campaign warrants the low cost, but fans and newcomers alike will spend the most time seeking multiplayer thrills.

Its gameplay is undeniably pure. [Issue#172, p.92]

A strictly two-player affair. [Issue#175, p.89]

Hell’s Highway would have been better received had it made its original street date, but the multiple setbacks have caused it to be overtaken by other games. A disappointment to say the least.

Pure is an addictive, accessible blend of MotorStorm and SSX. It is well made, looks good and is excellently structured for beginners. However, some slightly less outdated animation wouldn’t have hurt.

The wireless buzzers are great, the price is unbeatable and it’ll always have new content. Buzz! is a brilliant, funny family game that doesn’t rip you off with costly peripherals. Great stuff.

So very much like the Lego games before it that it just feels like a palette swap. All the destruction, missiles, and making cannons out of Lego doesn’t seem very Batman-like. Plus Clayface looks like a turd.

Fast paced and never deviating from its solid format, this arcade adventure, where limited in parts, does boast some superb visuals and addictive gameplay.

The twitchy mechs and boring battles combined with the blandness of the graphics makes For Answer a difficult game to recommend. So we won’t. That section in Metal Gear 4 was more fun than this.

If first impressions count then TNA is likely to win over plenty of fans. But for those who want more for their money, TNA Impact! 2 is likely to be more up your street. Is it better than SmackDown? Tune in next month to find out.

A breathtakingly well-made sports game, with almost nothing to fault and everything to enjoy. Accessible, deep, attractive and brutal in equal measure, and highly, highly entertaining.

There is a huge amount of fighting in Yakuza 2. [Issue#171, p.91]

EA has made some great changes this year, much the same as with its FIFA franchise. 2K9 doesn’t seem to have taken it far enough, and the small additions just leave us wanting more.

It’s so well-presented that you’ll want to like it, but there’s no disguising the fact that this is one of the most annoying games ever made. It’s impossible to find printable words to describe how much it upset us.

It’s a game with great intentions, but one that never lives up to its full potential. Nothing feels of suitable quality to really make the game world feel fantastic, and as such it falls short of all expectations.

Supremely stylish, cleverly designed, fiendishly addictive. [Issue#171, p.92]

Honestly, who doesn't love jetpacks? [Issue#171, p.93]

With some major tweaks to an old formula, Tiger is back to his best. As ever, we wonder what on Earth EA will do next year, but for the time being we have one of the best golf games in some time.

Disgaea 3 is probably the most hardcore and uncompromisingly complex tactical RPG you’re likely to play. If you’re familiar with the genre then it comes highly recommended – if not, then try Valkyria Chronicles first.

At four hours long, Quest For Booty doesn’t outstay its welcome, but it’s devoid of ambition, as is customary with the series. Ratchet & Clank is beginning to feel like a licensed franchise, but without the licence.

A great retro update that may even prove to be better than the next-gen re-imagining currently in the works. [Issue#169, p.91]

Another positive step forward for EA’s Madden and one which stands tall against the PS3’s other offerings, including 2007’s entry. No one does gridiron quite like the guys at Electronic Arts. Brilliant.