As you'd hope from the series, this is faster than Usain Bolt with rockets on his feet and a perfect showcase for Vita's technical heft. Avoid the new dumbed down controls and this is as pure and addictive a racer as you'll find on any handheld.

Solid shooting and a handful of suicide-inducing party tricks can only get you so far, and it's this absence of atmosphere and lack of connection to your surroundings that holds Syndicate back from becoming a fulfilling experience.

Fun in parts, but Prime would destroy this for breakfast. [Feb 2012, p.115]

A happy surprise. [Feb 2012, p.115]

Perhaps when this arrives for Vita it'll feel less like a watered-down potion and play like a charm. [Feb 2012, p.113]

Tedious. [Feb 2012, p.112]

Point and click in the other direction. [Feb 2012, p.112]

It's ace. [Feb 2012, p.107]

Fighting fun. [Feb 2012, p.107]

A dire, one-dimensional bum-biscuit of a game. [Feb 2012, p.107]

While the story at least tries to play on reality, the gameplay lurches back and forth between sim and arcade. [Feb 2012, p.107]

There were questions over whether the Undisputed series would be another journeyman fighter, occasionally shoring up weaknesses but never quite improving enough to beat the best. Instead, this addresses virtually every criticism of the last game, then throws in a load more that nobody even thought to ask for. Champion.

Between the travel sickness, the lurid colours and the nightmare-inducing soundtrack, one level is the playable equivalent of food poisoning. Another over-used puzzle has you rolling around collecting stars as time ticks away in a manner horribly reminiscent of a smartphone app that would cost around £17 less.

This does so much right, in fact, that if the controls didn't make our thumbs sad that score would be higher – as it is, this fighter comes oh-so close to a flawless victory.

It's a simple story: if you like tennis games, buy this. It's a brilliant, if unoriginal, on-the-go version of an already solid game. If you don't like tennis games… well, you might enjoy this anyway, providing you're not allergic to them like Andy Murray is to smiling.

At least there's four-player multiplayer to alleviate the hollow AI racing. There's an even bigger spanner in the spokes than dim-witted drivers: it looks perplexingly terrible. The tarmac's shine and rubbering still pleases, but tracks themselves are super-low detail.

Although it's enjoyable from start to nearly finish, the game's 11-or-so-hour running time (told you it was fully-fledged) is about two hours too long. The last sections just recycle the same set-pieces and environments, dragging out the run-up to a conclusion that, although fitting, comes more as a relief than a busting great climax.

The genius of Unit 13 is it doesn't try to take that glossy, cinematic action experience of a console shooter and give it to you on a handheld – instead, it takes all the best parts of mobile gaming and gives them to you in a shooter.

There are esteemed shooters to draw loose comparisons with, but The Darkness II essentially exists in a field of one – no graphic novel has been bought to life in such a deliciously gory manner, with offing goons turned an art form. It's the game your inner darkness has waited years for.

Niggles with the art style and slightly sub-par storytelling mean this isn't a classic, but with a few minor tweaks there's no doubt it could have been. Roll on the sequel.

Never Dead might be a scrappy mess in places – it's blighted by severe screen-tearing and dialogue so bad it makes the original Resi look like Citizen Kane. Yet it's a game about throwing a man around who's usually missing 75% of his torso, meaning it's impossible to be too scathing of its faults.

It all adds up to the perfect environment for a game that rewards timing, perception and strategy in a way that just about any gamer can understand. But don't be intimidated by the good looks and graceful moves; shimmy on over and get to know Soulcalibur V. You've got nothing to regret but the shakes.

FF XIII-2's reliance on recycling locations and reluctance to indicate the next course of action hold it back from scoring as highly as XIII, despite its improvements – but its grand ideas, bigger monsters, and bigger still haircuts make it an adventure worth getting lost in time for. Lightning can strike twice after all.

This sequel's main addition is that you can now play co-op online as well as locally. If you manage to get a good trio together the game is best enjoyed in threes, so it's definitely a good addition – although snapping between the characters (using the trigger buttons) is so instant that nothing gets lost if you choose to go solo. Beyond that it's an extension of the old formula, but when that formula involves some challenging gameplay and this much prettiness, that's no bad thing.

If Just Dance 3 was another girl on a nightclub dancefloor, I'd probably be a bit intimidated by her. I can practically feel her derision seeping from the TV as I awkwardly flail my limbs, Move controller in hand, in an attempt to emulate the steps shown on-screen.

I wanted Amy to be good. It's a small developer trying to do something different, and a quality PSN survival horror game would have been perfect. But this is technically shoddy, poorly designed and unbearably frustrating. There's the odd moment when you care, but a dose of pure anger is never far behind.

A Move interface would have worked better. [Jan 2012, p.114]

The gameplay is addictive as ever. [Jan 2012, p.114]

A painfully slow and aged Millionaire quiz. [Jan 2012, p.114]

Just a tad overpriced. [Jan 2012, p.114]

The mechanics are nothing new and the shooting's oddly twitchy. [Jan 2012, p.114]

A slightly strange fit. [Jan 2012, p.114]

The biggest problem here is the minimal interaction on offer. [Jan 2012, p.113]

It's lovely for a brief trip down memory lane. [Jan 2012, p.111]

Put yourself in the - presumably Velcro - shoes of someone in single digits and it's not nearly as bad as we feared. [Jan 2012, p.110]

It's also nicely balanced in gameplay terms. [Jan 2012, p.101]

It's an enjoyable and surreal experience. Smart dialogue and pointed cultural comment make this no different from its Oddworld predecessors, and a very welcome addition to PSN.

The whole package is, of course, fugly and cheap. But whether it's surprisingly enjoyable dogsledding sections or physics gaffes that often see dead animals inadvertently do the splits, I had a smile on my face throughout.

More problematic is that neither game feels as accomplished as the genre's best. SFIV is deeper and more technical, and there's more fun to be had in MVC3's frantic tag action. But there are worse ways to spend £25, even if the whole thing would actually be more valuable without the movie – the poisonous, horse-leg doner of the bunch.

In isolation, Reloaded is a serviceable Bond shooter – although there are better options out there. But when judged against its highly acclaimed ancestor, the kids are only just alright.

It's essentially a third-person hack 'n' slash with an RPG film laid over the top.

There's a Hollywood sheen spread over The Run that occasionally makes it sparkle, from the Frostbite 2 engine's environmental effects to the action-movie score. But peer beneath the gleaming veneer and you repeatedly encounter a stomach-lurchingly shallow experience – not unlike any movie you can name by the aforementioned Mr Bay, ironically.

Persona 2 isn't for everyone. The esoteric style and ageing looks will see off many a curious gamer, but persevere through the niggles and you'll uncover a stylish, incredibly written, charismatic experience.

As solid as the combat is, there are numerous contemporaries that offer as much challenge and fun with much more visual flair, and without horrendous loading times.

With beautifully designed environments, the game looks and sounds fantastic – and there are some genuinely lovely added extras. It's a treat to play a movie tie-in that's truly worthy of its source material, and Years 5-7 is calling you right now.

If you were already in, you'll stay in. But if you want to join the club, it's only worth it if you're going to put in the hard yards to get your member's card.

This solid scrapper is let down by jagged edges around each character, vexing loading times and poor sound quality. [Christmas 2011, p.115]

There's nothing amazing about this Spidey. [Christmas 2011, p.115]

Unresponsive controls. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

Constant hesitation blunts what could be a sharply enjoyable romp. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

These updates aside, it's hard to ignore the spectacularly half-arsed mentality on show, despite the budget price tag. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

There's a huge selection of activities. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

The interactivity is erratic, but it's got enough personality to justify the purchase if you have kids. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

Does a tidy job of recreating familiar sideshow attractions. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

The repetitious enemies and rail-line progression make this occasionally thumping adventure little more than an aerobic ghost train. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

Like the periodic table? You're in luck, because Mercury HG is flipping obsessed with it. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

Only cumbersome controls steer[] this shy of a more eufloric score. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

An evolution of last year's game rather than an overhaul. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

A glorious AK-47 blast form the past. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

Very difficult to complete. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

Sometimes you'll want to hit yourself hard in the head with your controller, jus to break up the monotony. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

The only game I've ever reviewed that I've awarded an extra point for having a nice soundtrack. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

It's rare to see a piece of DLC that's crafted with such care and attention to detail, and given that it's a standalone title, there's no reason why you shouldn't sink your teeth into it. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

Controls are awkwardly mapped and the music is unbearably repetitive, but exploration is rewarded and the mechanic is neat enough to keep you playing. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

Overpriced and shallow. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

While it's entertaining at first, the lack of variety leaves a sour taste. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

The delightful mood means you could never hate this pretty little slice of whimsy. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

Feels like Rambo for poultry. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

Oddly immersive. [Christmas 2011, p.104]

Bizarrely, Disney Universe offers up no incentive to not die. [Christmas 2011, p.103]

A well-executed game. [Christmas 2011, p.98]

An off-season overhaul is required. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Doomed to averageness. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Just a competent arcade game and a dire soundtrack. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Everything this kind of expansion should be. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

For all its ideas, Hydrophobia feels like a missed opportunity. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Has some almost crippling gameplay issues that'll have even casual rugby observers weeping into their Guinness. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Pretty offensive, truly disgusting, and in utterly terrible taste. Making it one of the best excuses you've ever had to buy a Move controller. [Christmas 2011, p.94]

I love this game, I really do, but I can't give it the score I want in its current state. That would be unfair to anyone forking out £40 for a something that might work. It might not. The most amazing game of the year is in there somewhere. I really hope Bethesda can get it out.

As an overall package, the quality and quantity on offer here is irresistible. Slightly smudgy textures and some framerate issues mean these HD upgrades don't match the lofty restoration work seen in the Ico/Shadow Of The Colossus HD combo – yet when it comes to supreme stealthy fun, Snake's collection remains Solid gold.

If you stripped away the beloved license and were left with the barebones mechanics on show here, this would be a [twenty]. It's only the appeal of the iconic leviathans and John Williams' wonderful score which push Jurassic Park ever so slightly above awful.

However good this trilogy was, it feels odd bundling it together because the games are such incremental upgrades of one another.

Still, the actual wrestling is terrific, and breathes new life into WWE gaming.

As a conclusion for Ezio's chapter, Revelations proves an utterly brilliant swansong.

A vicious challenge that might suck your sanity dry. [Dec 2011, p.115]

By far the biggest blot on WRC's copybook is the lack of variety on display. [Dec 2011, p.114]

Quirky. [Dec 2011, p.114]

Too technically deficient to get a high score, but the over-the-top voiceovers, evolving combat and ripping yarn make this worth a look anyway. [Dec 2011, p.111]

A satisfying difficulty curve. [Dec 2011, p.108]

It's addictive stuff. [Dec 2011, p.108]

Worth every penny. [Dec 2011, p.108]

Moments of horror glimmer among the frustration. [Dec 2011, p.108]

I can't imagine that many people will want to read their games these days. [Dec 2011, p.103]

It's a bit jerky and a bit slow. [Dec 2011, p.103]

Reasonably playable. [Dec 2011, p.103]

Unquestionably one of PS3's finest sports games - but also one of the most impenetrable to newbies. [Dec 2011, p.103]

Absolutely abysmal. [Dec 2011, p.103]

A fascinating and absorbing game. It's also infuriating and chaotic. [Dec 2011, p.97]