We all need a Die Hard every now and then, and that’s exactly the kind of spirit Retribution evokes.

Nier is a twisting, turning journey of erratic quality. It's one of the best, worst, most broken, most perfect games I've ever played.

Learning, improving, mastering. Three tenets Super Street Fighter IV is built on, its greatest strengths and the reason for its existence. Without them, it’s a game that would have never been made. Without them the games industry would stand still. Super Street Fighter IV embodies that ethos. Another defining moment for Capcom’s world warriors.

Learning, improving, mastering. Three tenets Super Street Fighter IV is built on, its greatest strengths and the reason for its existence. Without them, it’s a game that would have never been made. Without them the games industry would stand still. Super Street Fighter IV embodies that ethos. Another defining moment for Capcom’s world warriors.

It's by no means a cynical cash-in and casual gamers and rabid FIFA fans alike will probably find it decent value for money. For the rest, it's a worthwhile stop-gap between FIFA titles, provided you have the funds.

Of course, a totally linear game is nothing without its plot, and The Whispered World doesn't disappoint in that respect. It's a relatively unique take on the 'reluctant hero saves the world' tale, with the kind of memorable ending that'll divide opinion straight down the middle.

The criminally short solo-player campaign... can be beaten in around five to six hours. However, for all its shocking brevity, the campaign’s story is utterly engrossing; it may be completely preposterous, but the story hits harder and resonates more than those of previous Splinter Cell titles.

No matter how big a Prison Break fan you are, no matter how forgiving you can be, The Conspiracy is an abject failure on all counts.

Just Cause 2 is not without its flaws, but it offers a highly satisfying, if hardly unique, open-world adventure in which players are encouraged to indulge in as much mayhem as possible.

Effortlessly likeable.

But despite God of War III being afraid of flying too close to the sun -lest those carefully crafted wings should melt- the journey is relentlessly exciting; a blistering spectacle told in blood and thunder. Truly epic, then. And I defy anyone to argue with the definition this time around.

Those who can look past such things and embrace Yakuza's very Japanese brand of oddity will find a game to make them laugh, make them cry.

Those who don't check their preconceptions at the door are missing the point. Novices and veterans be warned; Final Fantasy XIII demands your complete and utter surrender. Those willing to comply will be rewarded with a unique and compelling gaming experience accompanied by visuals that can only be described as completely out of this world.

The game's technical presentation is fantastic; aside from the aforementioned excellent voice-work, the soundtrack and music are top-notch and the visuals are varied, detailed and well rendered.

A quirky, delightful title. Calling it one of the best movie tie-in games we've ever played sounds a little like we're damning it with faint praise. So instead we're just going to go ahead and say it's one of the best games we've seen on the Nintendo DSi in quite a while.

Flawed as it is, Heavy Rain is a game that anyone with even the vaguest interest in its intentions should experience for themselves. While it’s not quite the revolution for storytelling in video games, its accomplishments should prove it a worthy vanguard. And its ambition should be rewarded.

The racing experience is zippy and robust, while its gleeful celebration of all things SEGA is wonderfully endearing.

Its good-natured feel and simple controls make it ideal for families, and though some of the wonder of discovering a new species will be lost on those who played the original, there’s plenty of new content to keep everyone occupied.

Ultimately, it lacks the action set pieces that helped to push the FPS genre to where it is today.

Ultimately, it lacks the action set pieces that helped to push the FPS genre to where it is today.

Perhaps the main obstacle facing BioShock 2 is that it lacks one of its predecessor's biggest trump cards: the shock of the new.

But these hopes were dashed in the final third where poor design, repetitive waves of enemies and button-bashing gameplay took all that my enjoyment and curdled into a numbing disappointment.

Chime as a whole is utterly mesmerising in the way that only puzzlers of its kind are. An aural treat for the mind.

Polly could use a new bow.

The only thing that shocked us more was the fact that we instantly wanted to play it again from the beginning. With Mass Effect 2, BioWare have created an astonishing video game which is likely to entrance casual and hard-core players alike. The only requirement one needs to enjoy Mass Effect 2 is an inclination to become lost in its dark and wondrous universe. Oh, and perhaps a week off work.

While the quirky details aren't as well formed compared to its predecessor, Desperate Struggle's broad strokes are still joyously insane. Far from perfect, infuriating at times, but uproarious and unforgettable all the same.

A game we wanted to like more than we did. Its retro sci-fi concept is so appealing it initially makes it tempting to excuse some of the game's rougher edges. In the end, however, no amount of nostalgia can absolve the game of its ropy gameplay, patchy plot, substandard production, generic (and sometimes poor) level design and thin content; the campaign takes around eight hours to complete and that's the only mode on offer.

An all out co-op shooter that does exactly what it says on the tin. What it sets out to achieve it succeeds with style, even if these ambitions are firmly rooted in B-movie territory. Whilst this stunted ambition and some minor gameplay niggles hold it back from being truly great, this is a full throttle, adrenalin fuelled, macho-fest which is dumb, fun and full of guns.

It’s a very well crafted video game that entertains far more than it frustrates, and while it borrows heavily from several prestige titles, it weaves their characteristics into a cogent whole that serves Darksiders style, drive and narrative well.

Bayonetta’s unashamedly a video game, but it’s also unashamedly Japanese, a celebration of the unique exuberance that characterises the country’s long-standing approach to video game craft. What’s the phrase? “Only in Japan?” Sometimes that’s true, and the rest of the world can only look on in envy.

Whilst deep down I will always carry a torch for Guitar Hero, I just can't recommend the weakest offering in the series to date.

A highly enjoyable game in its own right and it succeeds at being pure, rollicking entertainment. Players who are prepared to look past its derivative gameplay, will find its silly characters, ridiculous plot and even some of its technical flaws may just be part of the reason they continue playing it long after the first couple of hours have passed by.

It’s one of the most innovative and enjoyable survival horrors for many a year.

Assassin’s Creed II rarely gets the blood-pumping as much as some of the more visceral games of this year manage, instead opting for an air of odd serenity. Rather than bludgeoning you with a frontal assault on the senses, the beauty and elegance of the setting and gameplay washes over you, holding your attention completely.

Valve has created a more robust version of its predecessor by offering a ton of new content while not losing sight of everything that made Left 4 Dead a sure-fire hit last year. The zombie apocalypse has never looked more appealing.

As good as all the new content is, however, veteran Lego game players may find hard to get away from the sensation that Lego Indiana Jones 2 is more of the same it may not appeal to anyone who feels that the core gameplay is in need of an overhaul. However, as family friendly titles go, it's hard to find fault.

For players who want to work up a sweat in front of their consoles it's one of the best titles available.

If you're willing to foot the bill then the sheer amount of new content on display is sure to make this a reunion to remember.

The odd balancing issue does threaten to undermine Mario’s first foray into co-op multiplayer and there is the nagging feeling that, perhaps, Nintendo were not entirely sure of its own focus. But these are quibbles oft forgotten when in the throes of NSMB Wii’s joyful, beguiling character.

Modern Warfare 2 crosses into the must-have category of video games effortlessly. It offers an unmatched shooter experience, a compelling story mode, a slick package of mini missions and a multiplayer which is pretty much unparalleled in depth.

Modern Warfare 2 crosses into the must-have category of video games effortlessly. It offers an unmatched shooter experience, a compelling story mode, a slick package of mini missions and a multiplayer which is pretty much unparalleled in depth.

The noticeable improvements aside, there are some very real problems with the core gameplay of PES that aren’t easily forgotten. The engine is well past its sell-by-date, its clumsy brand of football is given a real thrashing by FIFA in realism and too many aspects of the package remain disappointingly unrefined.

It's just a pity that when compared to the franchise's most recent successes, Band Hero comes across as both a bit of a cash-in and more than a little soulless.

There is much to love about FM2010. It is not a giant leap forward, but it does not suffer any for that. Veterans of the FM series will still love it, while newcomers will pick it up and never want to put it down.

As nice as it all looks and sounds, however, one can't help coming back to how lightweight this game is.

Whilst FM10 tries its hand at all aspects of football management, it isn’t entirely successful in all its pursuits and does end up lagging behind its older, slightly more mature brothers.

Despite the grim set-up, The Ballad Of Gay Tony is an altogether more upbeat affair than The Lost And Damned. The location is far more glamorous as most of the DLC's action forsakes Liberty City's dour ghettos and docile suburbs for the glitzy island of Algonquin (or Manhattan to you).

DJ Hero is an exciting and brilliantly realised package, and while it may not offer the fantastic co-op experience of some of its contemporaries, its slick gameplay and fantastic presentation make it a must-have title in an overcrowded genre.

DJ Hero is an exciting and brilliantly realised package, and while it may not offer the fantastic co-op experience of some of its contemporaries, its slick gameplay and fantastic presentation make it a must-have title in an overcrowded genre.

DJ Hero is an exciting and brilliantly realised package, and while it may not offer the fantastic co-op experience of some of its contemporaries, its slick gameplay and fantastic presentation make it a must-have title in an overcrowded genre.

With Forza Motorsport 3 Turn 10 have made great strides towards accessibility, but have managed to do so without compromising what remains the most open, detailed and enjoyable racing simulation on the market.

Its unusual, offbeat approach to the tropes of both its genres gives the blend that extra dash of flavour it needs, but the base ingredients are just as tasty and fulfilling. And then there’s those guns, those wonderful, wonderful guns.

While it contains some excellent ideas, the manager mode needs a lot of work, and it's not clear at this stage whether its list of problems can or will be fixed with a downloadable patch. It's really this that holds the game back from earning a higher score at this stage, and this is a real pity, because there isn't any football title that can compete with FIFA 10's superb core gameplay engine.

The enthusiasm and joy that was involved in crafting this game is evident in almost every single frame and it's an undeniably unique gaming experience.

The enthusiasm and joy that was involved in crafting this game is evident in almost every single frame and it's an undeniably unique gaming experience.

Among Thieves is not a reinvention of the genre, more a definition. A sumptuous adventure that enthrals from start to finish, a cast that you'll fall in love with and a tale that's better scripted, directed and paced than most Hollywood blockbusters. It is a testament to the extraordinary talent at Naughty Dog and a glorious celebration of what video games can be when they play to their enviable strengths.

With its beautiful presentation, well designed levels and two adorable titular characters, A Boy And His Blob is a game that rewards and appeals in equal measure. Would all curmudgeons now kindly leave the room on tiptoe.

Better than we expected.

Perhaps the biggest misstep Ju-on makes is that it ignores one of the most crucial elements in creating a horror title; the audience needs to have sympathy for the protagonist.

Fans of the film series may find the video game adaptation of Jigsaw's latest round of lethal morality tests diverting, but true blue console horror fans are better off waiting for something with a bit more bite.

Beyond the initial threat of difficulty there waits a remarkable combination of accessibility and challenge, of risk and reward, punishment and empowerment.

Wii Fit Plus is a solid entry in the fitness game genre. Despite its shortcomings it's guaranteed to make the act of exercising enjoyable and if you don't already own a game of this type, but are interested in trying one out, Wii Fit Plus is a no-brainer; as an entry into the genre, it is peerless.

For our money, it's the best portable eight-track available and one of the best reasons to put your PSP in your bag before the commute to work.

Dead Space Extraction may be short on scares, but it's one of the best 18-rated games on the Wii, and also one of the best rail shooters ever made for any console.

Halo 3 ODST may feel a little thin in may places, and some of the bonus material may seem a little like padding, but there's more than enough here to recommend it to Halo and FPS fans alike.

Shift doesn’t pull off that tricky balancing act with the finesse of Bizarre’s urban racer, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had here for petrolheads after a lighter introduction to the world of sim-racing. If nothing else, it’s certainly a shift in the right direction for the series, with a solid base for improvement.

Its core template may be showing its age a little, but the overall package offers enough new content gameplay tweaks to keep the faithful happy.

What Harmonix have crafted here is a quite exceptional piece of work, raising the bar for single band releases to almost unreachable heights. It’s a gorgeous, reverential and respectful celebration of The Beatles. It is an event that transcends video games, it’s The Beatles finally stepping into the digital world.

Mini Ninja’s toybox is generously and imaginatively stuffed but, unfortunately, the same can’t be said of its playground.

With a series of combat and stealth challenge rooms with online leader boards rounding off the package, Arkham Asylum is a brilliantly polished and wholly engrossing prospect. Few licensed titles have captured so authentically and completely the ethos of its inspiration as Arkham Asylum.

It still has more charm and character than most and –despite the hiccups- provides a challenging, fun and satisfying puzzle experience for players young, old -and everything in between.

On a technical level, then, Wolfenstein is a game that swings wildly in quality on an almost minute-by-minute basis, and a rather vanilla multiplayer offering doesn’t do much to quicken the pulse.

An unashamed definition of its host console; simple, colourful, accessible to all, but with a hidden depth for those who wish to explore it. It’s unlikely to convert many that are lost to the Wii cause, but for those who have already embraced it, a trip to Wuhu Island will be some of the most fun you’ll have all year.

An intelligent, charming and utterly addictive video game. But its crowning achievement is its unerring dedication to its own imagination. CiNG throw ideas at it from every angle and nearly every single one sticks. The result is a delightfully crafted adventure, that will pull you into its magnificent fantasy world and refuse to let go.

Crucially, it left me wanting more. If Telltale can mix their own identity in with the old Monkey Island magic they've conjured up, we're going to be in for a real treat over the coming months.

It's the overall lack of challenge and depth which proves to be the major sticking point.

With a comprehensive class-based multiplayer rounding off the package, Bound in Blood is an altogether more polished prospect than its predecessor. At the very least it’s a hugely enjoyable parade of satisfying shooting galleries. But when it finds its stride, it’s a thrilling, wild ride down a road that remains surprisingly less traveled.

You’ll feel every punch, grimace at every brutal knock-down and celebrate every win as if it were your last. It’s a heart-thumping, nerve-jangling gaming experience and, as a sports game, is agonisingly close to perfection. A little more finesse in its Legacy Mode could have made it an all-time classic.

You’ll feel every punch, grimace at every brutal knock-down and celebrate every win as if it were your last. It’s a heart-thumping, nerve-jangling gaming experience and, as a sports game, is agonisingly close to perfection. A little more finesse in its Legacy Mode could have made it an all-time classic.

A gleefully amoral riot of a game shot through with a devilish sense of humour. It's not perfect, and it's certainly not as immoral as it pretends to be, but it is consistently enjoyable throughout and more than guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

A gleefully amoral riot of a game shot through with a devillish sense of humour. It's not perfect, and it's certainly not as immoral as it pretends to be, but it is consistently enjoyable throughout and more than guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Essentially, Point Lookout feels more like an organic extension of Fallout 3 rather than a collection of missions bolted onto a new environment. A couple of technical glitches aside, this DLC is sure delight players who want to test their mettle in a great new locale.

Essentially, Point Lookout feels more like an organic extension of Fallout 3 rather than a collection of missions bolted onto a new environment. A couple of technical glitches aside, this DLC is sure delight players who want to test their mettle in a great new locale.

Bar a few flaws and annoyances along the way, it's geeky, funny, genuinely spooky in places, packed with blistering, ghost-catching action and beautifully captures a unique charm and atmosphere that has bewitched audiences for 25 years. Simply put, it's The Ghostbusters.

Although far from perfect, Prototype offers an action-filled experience that few games can match, and the array of attacks on offer is almost unparalleled in both its variety and its easy accessibility. The pure adrenaline-boosting entertainment value of the finished product is enough to push most visual and gameplay niggles far enough into the background so as to eradicate them as concerns in all but the most snobbish of gamers.

The game is marred by badly implemented controls, poor design and a highly forgettable plot.

The satisfaction felt at the end of a hard-fought point is all the greater for the knowledge that you’ve guided that perfect shot with a deft flick of your wrist as opposed to a well-timed button press. Though ultimately lacking the precision a truly great tennis game needs, EA should be commended for a superb Wii effort which amply demonstrates the publisher’s commitment to the format.

With Motion Plus control proving a roaring success, Tiger Woods 10 is comfortably the most realistic golf sim out there. At times, it feels like this is precisely what the Motion Plus peripheral was made for and is a stunning demonstration of its potential. And for many sporting types, this will finally be the game that they bought a Wii for in the first place.

The game's chief appeal really is wrapped up in Alec Mason's capacity for devastation and whether or not the endless opportunities to cause widespread mayhem (albeit in a good cause) are worth slogging through some of the game's drawbacks is down to the appetite for destruction of each individual player. Those who demand in-depth plots, revolutionary gameplay and a twist around every corner won't have much use for Red Faction: Guerrilla. But if you enjoy blowing things up, this well may be one of the best video games ever made.

The game's chief appeal really is wrapped up in Alec Mason's capacity for devastation and whether or not the endless opportunities to cause widespread mayhem (albeit in a good cause) are worth slogging through some of the game's drawbacks is down to the appetite for destruction of each individual player. Those who demand in-depth plots, revolutionary gameplay and a twist around every corner won't have much use for Red Faction: Guerrilla. But if you enjoy blowing things up, this well may be one of the best video games ever made.

The sheer scope of possibility is a little daunting, so it’s really to the game’s benefit that it is just so instantly addictive.

From the beautiful storyboard cut-scenes, to the outstanding voice-work, to the stunning soundtrack (courtesy of the highly talented Amon Tobin), to the compelling plot, the classic gameplay, the incredible environment; you start to become overloaded by the praiseworthy content. It is by no means flawless, but inFamous is a compelling, incredibly enjoyable video game and an essential addition to any PS3 owner's game library.

Irritations aside, there’s rarely a dull moment and a delightfully ludicrous storyline with high-camp villains frames the action nicely. As such, Bionic Commando at its best is a macho, cheeseball 80s action movie that Arnie or Sly would have been proud of.

It’s an ardently old-school video game, big on simple, challenging fun and wonderfully overblown, colourful caricatures. A gorgeous, gleeful tribute to how video games used to be.

Like its central character it's a violent, ferocious beast which more than makes up for its lack of perfection by being brutally entertaining.

Essential for those who haven’t experienced Butcher Bay, it’s also well worth a repeat visit for those familiar with the hulking prison. The new campaign, on the other hand, doesn’t have the same velocity or finesse but at its best, will still be one of the smartest, and most satisfying, games you’ll play this year.

The film truly is a millstone around the game's neck. If this game was called Cosa Nostra or Organised Crime 101 (or something similar) it would feel like a far stronger title altogether. Its open-world game template may be well worn but The Godfather II contains some excellent ideas, and the way it integrates them through a smooth control system is admirable.

The film truly is a millstone around the game's neck. If this game was called Cosa Nostra or Organised Crime 101 (or something similar) it would feel like a far stronger title altogether. Its open-world game template may be well worn but The Godfather II contains some excellent ideas, and the way it integrates them through a smooth control system is admirable.