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.

Ambiguity aside this is a fairly middle of the road follow-on to an ace series that'll still amuse endlessly.

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.

If you've got the time and patience for City Life, then you'll surely uncover an engrossing gaming experience that, despite its minor faults (including a still-lacking tutorial, a confusing interface and some awful accompanying shopping centre 'muzak') that does more than enough to stand proud in the company of Tycoon and Sim City.

It's a good few hours of decent, lighthearted action-adventuring, and some of the most brilliant Marvel fan-service you could hope for.

"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.

The Second Encounter was (and is) arguably the best entry into the Serious Sam series, juggling the right balance between flippant colourful whimsy and pelleting grubby monsters so hard they turn into a crimson paste.

The RTS foundations are in place and there are plenty of core and online missions to test player mettle (and patience), but, as with Battlestations: Midway, the control interface is still unwieldy, the action is still stodgy and unfulfilling, and the aesthetics are still hampered by distinctly last-gen failings.

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.

It really is good, old fashioned adventure gaming fun.

Those of the football mad persuasion will certainly relish the tangible sense of occasion, excitement and authenticity ingrained throughout EA Sport's latest.

Those new to the Suikoden series and RPGs in general, you could choose no better series or game to start playing, this one has it all.

For all the enhanced visuals, it's the activities that really make use of Move's location technology that make sense and are the most fun to play.

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.

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 a game, then, that so far stops just short of being excellent.

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.

While there is little new introduced to the series and the presentational side of the game feels a tad dated with hardly better than average graphics to show, the gameplay remains slick and highly pleasing.

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.

Overlord II is solid enough, but it doesn't go quite as 'over-the-top' as we'd have liked.

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.

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.

Spread across a progressively challenging 10 to 12 hours of game time, Darkside Chronicles is a genuinely decent thrill ride that, if your arms and eyes can suffer the mounting strain, delivers a worthwhile experience that sits somewhere between retro distraction and gory tour de force.

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.

Some might still feel that this is severely lacking in the challenge department though, so approach with caution.

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 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.

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.