An accomplished and well-crafted battle-axe wielding warrior of a game. Just don't expect anything classic, historically speaking.

Potential is a key word for discussing HAWX. There's a lot of hope within the engine, and the core gameplay is competent enough to secure its position as an emerging IP. It's still a bit rough around the edges, though, and Ubisoft should perhaps be a little bit ashamed for not allowing its natural potential to shine through.

A great fighting game that proves the same excellent home console experience can be translated to handhelds. And whilst the 3D aspect is lacking and even compromises the experience at times and the narrative is flawed in delivery and presentation, the fighting is exemplary.

In some ways Prinny succeeds in spite of itself.

A confident film-to-game delivery. Although, as we hinted at the start, there is not an awful lot for the more mature gamer, there is a lot of fun to be had if you are willing to dig in and get your hands dirty.

My only real reservation with Gish is the simplicity of the gameplay and the fact that, despite the unique physical properties of the character it is still a 2D platform/puzzle game...But if you do like this style of game then Gish really is a superb piece of work, and the talented folk over at Chronologic will entertain you for a very reasonable sum of money.

Championship Edition is super-realistic. Perhaps too much so for its own good. For F1 buffs it is ideal, but if you want an adrenaline-pumping ride on PS3, there's another game, with a big desert and mad vehicles, which does it all much better I'm afraid. One for the fanatics, then.

For those with the patience to stick it out and practice, practice, practice, there is a good single player game behind this. Biking fans and purists alike will find plenty to enjoy and keep them busy through the winter months while it's a bit too cold to go out biking for real.

Perhaps it's time that developers Neversoft go away for longer than twelve months and come back with something other than a glorified extension of a series that seems to be short on innovation.

Despite their continued lack of charm the Wii version of Rabbids Go Home is by far the fluffy maniac's best game.

Technical faults such as difficultly seeing where you're going and suspect frame-rates are serious issues when it comes to games of such speed requiring cat like reflexes.

It's definitely worth a look, if only to have something on the shelf that's gently mesmerising and a very nice break from the norm.

Death Jr. Root of Evil manages to convincingly sidestep the bargain bucket graveyard thanks to its character appeal, solid platform action, amusing and inventive weaponry, and a control system that largely succeeds in papering over any emergent sense of creeping mediocrity.

As for what was actually made, Transformers: War for Cybertron is a solid but unremarkable effort that occasionally shows glimpses of its true potential. It provides a complete, if a little too short, package of modes and features in a genuinely interesting setting. It just needed a little more spark.

Silent Hill Shattered Memories will probably feel like a shallow version of the series to veteran players. But as a standalone title it represents a niche that is intelligent, thoughtful and meaningful.

I still enjoyed playing Immortal Cities a good deal, yet I was content to help the Pharaohs out for a far shorter period of time than I would have given them in the past.

One of the best poker games of the year on PSP.

Playing HAWX 2 is still as accessible and arcade-centric as ever, meaning that it's uncomplicated, if slightly throwaway fun. Settling in for a long session with the game can be interminable stuff though, so we'd recommend tackling HAWX 2 in small sittings.

Ultimately, you have to admire Red River for at least attempting something with such a unique sense of character.

Accessibility is SingStar Dance's biggest drawback, in fact it's arguable its only one, as it's an otherwise fun and engaging package and at the very least it offers additional songs for SingStar fans.

Despite these few niggles, if you can overlook the moderate repetitiveness of the missions in Bladestorm, and conquer its slightly confusing initial battles, it's an extremely rewarding and fun game.

Initially, Pirates! feels extremely open ended and multi-faceted, yet its varied gameplay features soon lapse into the uncomfortable realms of repetition and borderline monotony - there's nothing on offer by way of expansion over its PC and Xbox counterparts.

If however you are considering what should be your first folly into World War action, then consider looking elsewhere.

A solid shooter in many ways and has the seeds of success sown into it, there are simply too many undercooked elements peppered throughout the experience for it to ably thrust forward from the shadow of much bigger and much better FPS entrants that have graced 2007 with genuine 'Game of the Year' wow factor.

Its enjoyably lightweight game play combined with a tirade of sickeningly clichéd narrative twists, fit snugly together to demonstrate another indication in the development of The Sims as a whole - and one which EA, love them or hate them, have moulded and managed with an admirable level of expertise.

The level of freedom offered may be a dream come true for some but will simply be far too much for others, thusly alienating this title from a majority of gamers.

The main criticism though is that there simply isn't enough of it. You almost get the impression that Sonic Team ran out of ideas toward the end, so they repeated some of the boss battles again and then went home.

The level of freedom offered may be a dream come true for some but will simply be far too much for others, thusly alienating this title from a majority of gamers.

It has issues, sure, but it's an ambitious game with a character all of its own. My only hope is that next time Eden put a little more thought into that tasteless narrative.

Overall I became quite fond of the violet dude, probably more appealing to the younger audiences but nevertheless fans of the series should not be disappointed.

Ignoring the annoying so-called 'geographically appropriate' ads , Battlefield 2142 is a title bound to please fans of the series.

The problem is it's a one trick pony. The shock of the violence and the speed of the gameplay initially grabs your attention, but it lacks the spectacle to keep itself feeling fresh and inventive, then before long a sense of banal repetition sets in. And you're not even a third of the way through the game. I can't deny that it gives you quite a lot of game for your money, but it also outstays its welcome.

While there's no denying it looks great and there's huge fun to be had with it at least to start with, there will be those that fall in love with its ultra repetitive just-one-more-go high score setting nature while others will find the need for such continual repetition too off putting enough on its own.

The familiarity of Vice City Stories also breeds a clawing sense of stagnancy, and the lack of a second analogue stick - while patched - does leave a rent in the application of the gameplay control.

It's a saga that only insatiable hardcore genre addicts will garner any real fulfillment from.

Like a certain other sequel David Braben was involved in RCT 3 is a good game hidden underneath a fiddly interface and stricken by numerous minor flaws and bugs.

Now more than ever if you haven't already started to look at "Pro Evo" perhaps you should, it plays much better and feels like more a game of football than FIFA 06 ever will.

Now more than ever if you haven't already started to look at "Pro Evo" perhaps you should, it plays much better and feels like more a game of football than FIFA 06 ever will.

Children might not be too critical of the game's smaller blemishes such as the mind numbing collecting of coins and an often unfair camera that is completely fixed in position.

Ultimately, only true hardcore arcade fans prepared to look beyond the relative gameplay brevity and sporadic online hiccups are likely to revel in the revamped iteration of 1942: Joint Strike.

A good game but is flawed most garishly by its awful loading times. It is both more expansive and more entertaining than its closest competitor Need for Speed Underground Rivals but lacking the intense thrills both Ridge Racer and Burnout Legends offer.

It boasts much originality and despite the unimpressive sound and graphics, there is plenty of fun to be had with the game.

But why is Medal of Honor: Airborne so difficult and unforgiving? Well, that's a debatable point, but this reviewer would hazard a guess that the distinct lack of single-player mission content likely has some bearing on it.

It delivers a solid gaming experience that will at no point blow you away but will chug along nicely for about ten hours, and so will probably deliver your moneys worth.

Investment has been made on the aspects that really matter: control and gameplay. The resulting game is one that will stay with you for some time after you have finished playing.

It's just a case of proportions - too much storyline and too much random battling - and if we're going down the route of size comparison, hands and shoulders need attention too.

The Hustle had such an opportunity to finally bring something fresh to the sports genre, especially for pool, something to sink your teeth into, really get involved in. However, as is usually the case, developers seem to cock up, make hideous technical errors and destroy whatever amazing concept for the game that they first had. Waiting through horrendous loading times to play what seems to be a choppy, half-arsed experience is not worth the wait.

The sedate gameplay does not induce sleep but a feeling of tranquillity similar to the buzz from opium. The Case of the Silver Earring is not going to revitalise the adventure genre but it is well coded and written and acted with some flair and passion.

Ultimately Battlefield 2: Modern combat gives PC gamers another reason to feel smug. Despite their best efforts the current generation of consoles can't compete with the capabilities of today's high-end PCs.

Children might not be too critical of the game's smaller blemishes such as the mind numbing collecting of coins and an often unfair camera that is completely fixed in position.

If the creative forces behind Fracture had been willing to truly believe in its inventive gameplay mechanic then the end result could have reached well into the gaming industry's higher echelons. As it is, the rather languid presentation, rinse and repeat battle formula, and lack of A.I. variety mean that the appealing deformation elements come off as cobbled gimmickry designed to add a little gloss to a solid but staid third-person shooter.

It might not add anything new to the genre but it's still reasonably entertaining, especially if you're keen on the period it's set in.

Its playable, its easy, its simple, its entertaining, and its got a bit of good multiplayer; but it wouldn't challenge an amateur gamer and it'll most likely be back in the box and filed away as "done with" faster than a day in the office.

GoldenEye doesn't tarnish the original and doesn't try to be a carbon copy either, but it is hindered by problems which were always going to be hard to surmount. If you're panging for a bit of Bond and something to play with friends round, you could do a lot worse than what is a fine revival of a classic.

The additional material in Venice gives the impression that it should have been part of really great enhancement patch, rather than a fully featured and fully priced expansion.

When push leads inexorably to shove, there are probably two good games here. The problem is that you have to play them both at the same time. Those of us that would have preferred a pure platformer, or indeed a pure RPG experience, will suffer the most. Those that are happy to live with the combination will find a compelling experience, with well written dialogue, innovative play dynamics and bucket loads of Nintendo charm.

Champions Online holds a lot of promise and is the type of game that brings a smile to your face as you play despite its flaws, but it does still need some work.

It has the players, the courses, the intuitive control system, the amusing commentary and loads and loads and loads of options. But, to put it in simple terms, "Hot Shots Golf" is better.

An enjoyable game, if a little shallow. It is nothing particularly innovative and almost feels like a portable game, owing to the lack of real depth. However it is an exciting and fun diversion, and definitely worth the budget online price for a racer with something a little different to offer.

Is it better than "Call of Duty 3"? From my point of view, no. Simply because of its style-over-substance approach, inherent in the beautiful presentation overlaying slightly above average gameplay and not-quite-right controls.

What it does provide is a gaming experience that's the closest you're able to get to truly feeling part of the magical Harry Potter universe. For that harmless escapism alone it deserves praise, especially from anyone who wishes their childhood was just a little bit closer in the rear view mirror.

We'd get rid of power-ups completely, or at least, implement them so they don't murder the flow of each race.

Cities XL lacks any notable innovations, though, and those additions it does have are under-developed and certainly over-priced, insufficient to differentiate itself or to make its mark on the genre made by SimCity. Yikes - someone hold her hair, would they?

It's a real shame that Legends of WrestleMania turns out to be such a slight affair as otherwise it's quite possibly the best wrestling game that developer Yuke's has made in a long time. The control system is a genuine improvement over previous efforts and the strong roster of legends is highly appealing. Had Yuke's fleshed out the WrestleMania Tour portion of the game into a fully-fledged story mode, this could have been something pretty special. As it stands however, Legends simply feels like an incomplete experience, which is a real shame and a major missed opportunity.

PES 2011 3D is a great first attempt on the 3DS, with the slick controls carrying over swimmingly. For next year's inevitable release, we're hoping to see some online features, single-cart local play, some stat-tracking and a few extra modes that use the 3D capabilities to their fullest.

Much like its PS2 and PS3 siblings Buzz Master Quiz isn't going to appeal if you don't like quiz games and played on your own it becomes dull quickly. But, the enjoyable multiplayer modes make it the ideal travel game and while it's not the ultimate handheld quiz it does the job well enough while we wait for something better.

It's a gigantic, beautiful game, but it's one that irreparably hurts itself with an unforgivably slow introduction.

You have an accomplished, if a little generic, arcade aerial fighter that will please those already in love with the franchise. Equally here's a game that doesn't move the genre forward or in anyway justify the full price tag when you can buy Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for cheaper - essentially what you get is a new narrative.

Deadly Creatures is an interesting concept that is commendable from a technical point of view, and is only let down by a few niggles.

It does progress into an average platformer and a good attempt at a new direction for the series, but average it still is. There are better PSP titles to be bought and played first.

Still, when it all clicks in place it's quite easily the fluffiest, most lovable experience you're going to get on Sony's black monolith.

While it remains very much an acquired taste, Forever is ideal for newcomers to the series, but perhaps a roll too far for Katamari veterans. As fun now as ever, we still think that only truly dedicated rollers or Katamari newbies need apply.

Overall this is not a game to take too seriously - but in a good way. Go with the carnival atmosphere, get some friends over, add some snacks and drinks and you are well on your way to a great evening in.

It would have been nice if staying on a slippery metal pole without falling off was rewarded via points like in the Tony Hawk games but I guess you can't have everything. Enjoy the delights of this delicious winter warmer now.

This game has graphical beauty but in many other areas it fails to excel. On the other hand, it is still a good game, but it's just a few levels below where it really needs to be to compete with the reborn version of "FIFA."

A strange double edged sword of a game, as a collection of mini games it's probably the best on the PSP, so good in fact that the theme park management elements you're forced to keep an eye on actually become an irritation after a while.

Medal of Honor certainly has some great elements and ideas but they aren't brought together in the most convincing way. The campaign lacks widespread appeal due to aspects of its realistic setup and narrative, and the multiplayer is too focused to draw a substantial crowd from the established shooters already out there.

The game still feels a bit light on content at $10, but Sonic fans will still find it a worthy investment.

It's not that Dark Mirror is a bad game; it's not. It's just that it's not as good as the PSP version that's been sitting on shelves for over a year now, which begs the question: why bother bringing it to the PS2 at all? The whole thing has a real air of pointlessness about it.

It's blatantly not for everyone, and you need to be conditioned to even begin to enjoy it, but there's certainly something deep and rewarding underneath all the layers of trifling bureaucracy.

Ultimately, considering the overwhelming strength of recent FPS arrivals, Clive Barker's Jericho is likely to sink into the gaming Abyss with God's diabolical Firstborn... never to be seen again.

In some areas (like the moveable furniture) it adds interesting enhancements, whilst less successful innovations can simply be ignored. But what it fails to do is to keep the momentum of the first game.

Sure, a challenge mode, time attack and many more bells and whistles would have been welcome, but like the endless waves of retro compilations out there at the moment, there's something endearingly simple about Neowave that everybody can enjoy.

If you've always fancied the idea of having the genuine OutRun arcade cabinet experience with added online support then OutRun Online Arcade does exactly what it says on the tin while managing to be a lot of fun to boot.

It demonstrates a welcome change of direction for the now infamous series and definite inroads into future potential for the future of similar racers on Wii. No, it's not without its faults (the less said about the unfulfilling multiplayer, the better), but viewed as a shamelessly simple arcade racer, it offers a surprising amount of longevity and fun.

This is more of a distraction until a proper Wii Sports game appears on the scene. There just isn't enough substance here to keep the committed player coming back for more.

There's little reason anyone but a NASCAR fan will buy this game when there's things like GRID, Forza, Gran Tourismo and so forth flying about.

This game could only really be suitable for Sonic fans and younger gamers. Sonic aficionados will love a change of pace and a slight return to form for the blue spikey wonder. It also forms a fantastic introduction to the RPG world for kids as it is lightweight enough that they won't get bogged down by statistics yet it'll still introduce them to the basic concepts of RPGs before they move onto some of the true favourites on the DS (such as the Final Fantasys and the forthcoming Chrono Trigger).

Mirror's Edge is an impressive feat as a realistic first-person simulation of parkour across the towering roof-tops of a dystopian future. Unfortunately it's also fairly dull and frequently doesn't do enough to motivate the player to continue, this is not a game I was thinking about when I wasn't playing it.

This is a decent online shooter with a fairly bland and mildly repetitive single-player component added on.

The Combat Mission games are not for the faint-hearted or action RTS fan. If the prospect of flipping back and forth between the game and Acrobat for a few hours doesn't phase you, then Combat Mission could be right up your alley.

Mark of Chaos is disappointing. More disappointing that the game itself really deserves, as it is a perfectly respectable RTS that has nothing to be ashamed of on your local game stores shelf next to its peers.

Arcade nuts that simply cannot live without Ghost Squad in their collection should be prepared to receive nothing but a strictly shallow gaming experience, while everyone else would be well advised to consider spending their hard-earned cash on Capcom's far superior Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

The truth is that as a result of Splatterhouse design, its real strength is the combat and the humour lose their appeal with repetition. And the platforming sections... well, it's hard to be kind about them. Not without appeal, Splatterhouse is a disappointment.

Black & White 2, while enjoyable for a while, just isn't full of enough gaming nutrients to make it taste as appealing as it looks in the picture over the counter.

The result of this attention to detail and commitment to develop an ongoing Wii version of the game is a great little experience. If you have even a slight inkling towards darts and a smattering of patience to persevere for a few hours with the controls you will find a lot of fun here.

In the end though you have to consider that when it's good its very very good and when its bad... its just a bit rough, never terrible.

I guess at the end of the day, the new Beetle just served as a reminder of what a good car the Golf is. Content over style is the decider again for me.