I was never going to feel the same buzz playing Soul Calibur IV as I did the original: the core experience is too familiar. But the online play has been implemented impressively, and prevents this becoming a game that will sit on your shelf until your friends come round.

While DiRT certainly does offer the best traditional rally experience around at the moment, by including the chance to race directly against other vehicles in the CORR events it almost accidentally reminds you that racing that way is actually more fun. If you're a serious rally fan then this is easily the best game of its type, however, anyone just in the market for a decent racing game may want to stop and decide if this is really going to be their cup of tea before they part with their money.

Does it stand up to the uninitiated? Yes, to a degree, it's fun, playable and defiantly addictive.

It should appeal to both the veteran King of Fighters fan and the newcomer alike, although for a purer King of Fighters experience the fanatics among us may be better served by King of Fighters XI which is being released at the same time.

Where it excels, and where it innovates, all is rosy, and occasionally exceptional - but where it falls down it can chafe, and it still isn't as balanced and polished as it might be. That being said, Evolution do more than enough to make this a good purchase for fans of the genre.

We are offered up a compelling story, classically 'Lost' in fact, and fans will be more than titillated by this.

Donkey Kong Country Returns definitely has its faults, and we'd wager that the majority of players will never see it all the way through to the end. Yet while the difficulty curve is ridiculous and the multiplayer is quite broken, the game's charm and mystery prevails, giving us some of the same feelings that the original releases did. If you're looking for a serious challenge and don't get frustrated too easily, Donkey Kong Country Returns is worth a look.

The stern difficulty level might upset some players, as might the lack of 'safe' features such as crosshairs and medical packs. However, if you really want your World War FPS' to be real, like, really real, then Red Orchestra is just about your best bet.

It accomplishes what it sets out to do, but the Stimulus Package feels closer to a shot of caffeine than it does adrenaline.

Any hardcore DW fan will be ecstatic to find another billion hours of gameplay to wade through.

Anyone who found themselves enjoying the original, or any pair of gamers who fancy another fairly entertaining co-op shooter to get them through the first half of 2010, will find themselves suitably smitten by EA Montreal's competent return to the franchise: it's far more than an ersatz Gears of War, but is hardly an essential purchase.

In summary, Kingdom Hearts II might not even meet some definitions of what a computer game is, and for long sections it would probably be better described as 'next-gen interactive fiction'.

The control system might misfire and it might whiff of 'been there, done that', but when the FPS action is as accomplished and solid as MAG's is, there's plenty of enjoyment to be had especially if you're fortunate enough to assemble a crack team of mates to play with. 255 mates though? That's a bit of a stretch. Better get on Facebook now.

Choose to ignore the plot and the side missions if you like; the hidden races, the token hunts and the tremendous feeling to be had from simply exploring, swinging and crawling about the city are more than enough to justify purchase.

Anyone who is interested in the mythos of Silent Hill will do very well to buy this game, settle back, turn the lights off, and enjoy some good old-fashioned psychological horror.

Slickly presented and impeccably well put together, Beaterator is an incredibly accomplished piece of music-making software that will keep you occupied for as long as you're invested in creating your own tracks.

While Guns of the Patriots boasts lashings of in-game invention and creativity that's largely wrapped up in superb style and execution, it's all so unforgivably tainted by jaw-dropping gameplay brevity that it's truly difficult to raise the many, many good points above what is, for the most part, a succession of cut scenes that leave the player with an overwhelming sense of disconnection from one of gaming's most compelling characters and interactive franchises.

The boss fights showcase the game's weapons-based puzzle solving well, and no more so than the final boss.

But fight fans beware - this isn't Street Fighter IV or Tekken. This is as real as it gets.

Fans of classic RPGs will enjoy and revel in the experience just as much as those who are new to the genre. However, it does not offer much in the way of innovation.

It's perhaps not the ideal starting place for GH newbies (unless they're Metallica die-hards) but for the rest of us it's a lovely addition to our growing GH library.

We were hoping for a little more innovation from Brutal Legend beyond the standard sandbox set up and button mashing, axe-wielding action. But then again, if the Gods of Metal are pleased with it, then who are we to complain?

It's by no means perfect, the motion controlled combat can be a tad flaky and its pacing may be too languid for some, but those Wii owners looking for something a little more grown up would be well advised to put on their climbing boots give this a try.

It's not perfect, the unbalanced nature of the maps, the spawn camping and a fairly harsh learning curve for newcomers may put off a lot of people, but for those who put the effort in to get past that there's a deeply nuanced shooter to be found.

Delivering an effective blend of physical interaction and scalable challenge, More Workouts is an improvement over its predecessor, a vastly superior option to the onrushing crop of perennial celebrity workout DVDs, and easily the most convincing gaming exercise package on the market.

Ultimately, fans of the tabletop game will be delighted with Cyanide's videogame translation.

A wonderful achievement both technically and, more importantly, in the level of historical detail that it contains.

A top tier PSP game that provides an immersive and enjoyable tactical shooter experience in the palm of your hand. It's just a little frustrating to see it being held back from true greatness by things outside of its control.

It again edges closer to Pro Evo, without quite managing to crack that magic formula. Whilst there will be proponents for each game, it still feels like EA is trying to catch up. That said, their decision to make FIFA more of a footballers game than a gamers game is an excellent decision.

Naturally the pimping side of things have been expanded to a maddeningly complete degree.

As far as social Wii games go, Let's Tap is a great addition to the immense stable already available for the console and more than worth a punt. Bold, colourful and smile-inducing, it's a work of unique tapping genius, which is definitely something you don't hear everyday.

The main complaint I would have about this game is that it doesn't push the boundaries technologically; it could feasibly have been done on the DS or the GameCube even, as it does not make any real use of the Wiimote and the graphics are decidedly last-generation.

Infinitely playable and any fan of the series will find it a greatly rewarding experience.

Only Valve's Orange Box trumps it for sheer value and quality. For that reason alone, Assault on Dark Athena is nigh on essential.

Underworld is impossible to actually dislike, as at its core you know this is what games should be about, pure escapism, discovery, immersion. This doesn't stop Lara's latest failing to be greater than the sum of its parts, however, and while this is unquestionably a step forward for the series, Crystal Dynamics could perhaps have gone a few inches further still.

Naturally the pimping side of things have been expanded to a maddeningly complete degree.

Whether you get the most out of GT on the PSP will ultimately depend upon how much you enjoyed the rest of the instalments in the series. If you're not already a fan of the slavishly exhaustive self-confessed Real Driving Simulator, then this will do nothing to change your mind.

If you like your Japanese RPGs and have a lot of time to spend to get the most from the game, it comes highly recommended.

With a challenging campaign and four mini games to unlock, by itself it offers an enjoyable experience that will keep a smile on your face for some time. When you then factor in the editor, and then add BlastWorksDepot.com to the mix, that smile may become permanently attached to your face.

The online multiplayer is addictive and fun too, thanks to the context provided by the evolving world, and although the game is marred by weak singleplayer narrative and lacklustre AI, the lasting impression is still well within the positive.

In a sense, it seems that FIFA Manager 09 is more a lifestyle than a game - to get the most out of it you need to put in some real time. A season, if played thoroughly, will take as long as most full games these days. This makes it an absolutely incredible management simulation, but simply too much for all but the biggest fans.

Unfortunately, despite many good bits, the idea behind Invizimals promises more than the reality delivers.

But, all the problems aside it's still great fun when it works and for that reason, had it been released bug free, we'd be looking at a score in the 90's. As it is the painfully obvious nature of those bugs make it impossible to ignore them entirely however much you may want to.

Like an unexpected kick in the plums, it's a genuine surprise that this is actually rather good.

A more than competent and enjoyable real-time strategy experience.

It's a quick game which uses its brevity as a lure with that one-more go factor scoring very highly. Its rich visual style and strong core gameplay put many other monster titles to shame.

Still, it feels like there's something's missing, and that's because Ruffian has opted to produce the safest of safe sequels. It's the exact same city, for a start, and if I was to take off my glasses and squint I could probably fool myself into thinking I was playing the original. But its problems run deeper than just the environment: it often feels like exactly the same game, albeit with dilapidated buildings and a greater reliance on orange and blue hues.

Paraworld is more than worthy of getting hold of, certainly if you fancy a taste of dino action but don't quite know where to start the search for time-travelling warp gates.

Overall, this title has bucket loads of quality and a game structure that should keep you happily driving for many hours. It is a shame that multiplayer didn't make it in somewhere (even in online, it's all time trials).

As a standalone football game without all the World Cup-related fluff and filling, EA have provided something which is actually good fun to play (both off and online), certainly not like their frustratingly average efforts over recent years.

There is plenty here to justify the purchase. Provided you haven't splashed out for the Xbox Live game and you already have a Classic Controller for the Wii (guess that leaves a good five of you!) then this is well worth the mullah.

While not as significant as many of the other games in the series, Ridge Racer 6 does a supreme job of being the arcade racer many have known and loved for years.

As a standalone football game without all the World Cup-related fluff and filling, EA have provided something which is actually good fun to play (both off and online), certainly not like their frustratingly average efforts over recent years.

If the idea of having complete control of every aspect of your squad and planning the action down to the last detail floats your boat then the PC version is ideal, if you'd rather feel like you're in charge of a team of real people surviving moment to moment on your instincts alone then you'll have more fun with the console version.

As a standalone football game without all the World Cup-related fluff and filling, EA have provided something which is actually good fun to play (both off and online), certainly not like their frustratingly average efforts over recent years.

Remapping of the control system has improved the flow of the game.

If, however, you already own one of the previous versions, then the reasons to consider an upgrade are negligible.

Rise of the Apocalypse could suitably have been named 'X-Men Legends II: More of the Same +', for that's what it offers.

Worms Reloaded is a pretty and engaging game that, while light on the single player replayability will charm and endear with its quirky weaponry and unique brand of multiplayer carnage. There is no other game series like it and the gaming world would be diminished without the presence of the endless warfare of Worms.

If Hellgate: London had appeared on shelves with no hype and no known links to past gaming glories then we'd probably be sat here at the end of the review chatting about how it was a bit of an undiscovered gem that fused FPS sensibilities with Diablo-esque loot collection and character customisation to provide a thoroughly enjoyable, if slightly unpolished, experience. Unfortunately we don't have that luxury and the game's high profile throws niggles like the repetitive level design, the often dull quests and the stability issues into harsh relief.

Although there is nothing wrong with the gameplay (which is rock-solid), it's as good as FIFA 2008 - if not ever so slightly more fined tuned. My only concern is why any football fan would want a version that is not as complete as other versions already on the market.

The most impressive thing here is the restraint shown in the amount of Sega branded bedlam and power-ups. What results is a kart racer that offers something unique on 360 and PS3 and a strong alternative to Mario fatigued Wii players.

In the case of SSX Blur and snowboarding, the console's motion controllers really do succeed in adding a sense of freedom and, if it's applicable to a videogaming representation of a sport, a certain naturalness to proceedings, unconfined by long-established methods of control.

It does what it does very well indeed providing a version of football that while not hugely realistic plays the kind of fast exciting all action game you wish you watched week in week out on the terraces. Put it this way, my England vs. Croatia game this morning ended 7 - 1 (4-4-2, Beckham on from the start and no untested young keeper), hands up who'd have rather watched that on Wednesday night.

A solid addition to the series, and provides plenty of action, interaction, evolution, and entertainment. Game splitting annoyances apart, it's an impressive journey from its start (almost) to its finish.

Graphically Gun is as pretty as a peach. The motions of both man and beast are well captured and even close up, they look beautifully textured, very tangible.

There's bound to be plenty of cynics, but it's a lot better sitting around with your family and playing this than other Christmas staples, especially some dodgy DVD 'game' of Deal or no Deal your Mum picked up two years ago.

Fans of The Godfather will be pleased to hear that the game based on the film hasn't trodden down the same path as disasters such as "Enter The Matrix"; but isn't quite up there with consensual videogame classics such as the Nintendo 64's "GoldenEye."

While the Wii version undoubtedly ends up a slightly less ambitious game, the overall package across both DS and Wii more than makes up for this shortfall.

If you've not played a NFS game recently then this is worth a look and if you have and enjoyed it then this isn't going to offer any surprises, but just like a turkey dinner it will probably more than satisfy you.

Okay, so it's not got much new under the bonnet and you can probably find loads of very similar free browser-based games if you feel the need. But the fact its portable, is sporting an attractive budget price, and doesn't charge you by the hour or leave you without hot water for days means it still seems like a bargain to me.

Ultimately, if it weren't for an oddly skewed sense of gameplay balance that offers two separate genre types (action and puzzle) rather than a comfortable mixture of both, Overlord would be a thoroughly impressive experience that delivers something a little off the beaten track.

Absolutely crammed with speed and thrills, though perhaps a little light in terms of content and longevity without the inclusion of multiplayer, Burnout Dominator is still as impressive as most of the series editions, and certainly equally as appealing as Burnout: Revenge in all the right gameplay places - but that is also perhaps its one defining fault.

It may not quite be the masterpiece I wanted but if you're looking for an excellent puzzle game which you can jump in and out of at will then Mercury's definitely a PSP launch title to take a butchers at.

Personally I loved its retro game in modern clothes feel but I can imagine some will find its unashamedly dated design sours their trip down memory lane.

A great retelling of the classic Tomb Raider game.

A very solid, if slightly unspectacular title. It's not amazingly long, but unlike some of its contemporaries it hangs together well.

If you already own previous Maddens then take a moment to think before buying this one, if you haven't dipped your toe into the Madden lagoon for a while then now is as good a time as any to take the plunge.

For the most part though, Alice: Madness Returns bazaar setting and imaginative design does a great job of immersing you, and whilst the repetition can grate slightly, its still a unique experience that is well worth your time.

If the PC is your gaming platform of choice and you've been itching for a bit of skateboarding action, then American Wasteland isn't a bad choice at all, (until the next inevitable Tony Hawk's game, of course).

Somehow, despite capturing the anarchic racing action of its PS3 sibling pretty well there's still something about Arctic Rift that feels a little underwhelming.

Lips still isn't quite the SingStar beater Microsoft wants it to be, it's simply not slick enough yet and lacks the huge library of songs SingStar fans will be used to. However in terms of fresh ideas and when viewed purely as a game it's edged it's nose ahead with relative ease.

Blur has plenty of the Project Gotham spirit in it, as well as a slew of impressive new ideas. But it all feels quite tame next to the competition.

Midway finds some fairly uncharted waters in which to lay-anchor, even if the game could be a bit more expansive.

While our stay in the city of sin has been an enjoyable and occasionally engrossing one, we won't be needing to revisit anytime soon.

High def graphics aside this could almost be five or even ten years old in terms of game design but it matters not a jot because its also genuinely fun to play.

As no-nonsense arcade thrills go Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice is something of a flawed diamond. Behind the wheel its huge fun and the jumping from car to car idea works so well you wonder why it's not been done before. The on foot sections however are awkward and frustrating enough to wipe the smile off your face every time they appear.

Gun is simply fun, allowing you to live out all your cowboy fantasies (no, not those ones) and feel like you really are an old west gunslinger.

Graphically Gun is as pretty as a peach. The motions of both man and beast are well captured and even close up, they look beautifully textured, very tangible.

The track list is certainly strong enough to recommend the game for even the most casual of Green Day fans, but Rock Band virgins and those that detest the pop-punk trio will undoubtedly be better served by Rock Band 2 or the forthcoming Rock Band 3 and its keytars, due later in the year.

Fans of The Godfather will be pleased to hear that the game based on the film hasn't trodden down the same path as disasters such as "Enter The Matrix"; but isn't quite up there with consensual videogame classics such as the Nintendo 64's "GoldenEye."

It's clear this is Visceral's first jab at the genre, though, and with a bit more confidence (or time and money, perhaps) they could have definitely made more of their excellent core mechanics and the well-implemented license. It might be an unashamed God of War clone, but there are certainly worse games to try and imitate.

"Underwhelming" is a word to describe Heroes of the Pacific as a whole. It's a game that is definitely competent but it just doesn't do anything special.

GrimGrimoire deserves to be noticed and played if for no other reason than it dares to do something different and very nearly carries it off, a quality often in short supply in a world where reliable safe bets, win out over genuine innovation a lot of the time.

As a game its certainty one for the good pile, and will provide hours of solid well made driving entertainment on and off line, however having created such an open and immersive world so impressively it fails to build on that potential by not offering the player any real sense of progression or involvement in it beyond simply moving from race to race and buying more cars.

More a SOCOM 3.5 rather than a full-blown sequel, Combined Assault both improves on what the franchise has always done well in its execution of multiplayer action, but highlights the shortcomings with the single player mode as a result.

Much like the original, it has a charm about it that makes you want to like it yet it is hugely flawed, with its many reported bugs and performance problems. It doesn't quite deserve the term 'flawed gem' but nor does it deserve to be discarded either.

Sure there's frustration and flaws to be found if you go looking for them, and they're definitely enough to stop me slapping a huge score at the end and recommending it to everyone, but if you can accept it for what it is and don't look too hard at the ropy bits there's a hell of a lot of fun to be had here if you give it a chance.