A triumphant survival horror blockbuster with strong replay appeal, but some players will lack the patience to cope with its considerable demands.

More new elements would have been welcome, but The Sith Lords is another epic and fascinating Star Wars adventure.

One of the best new features is the Speed Kill, a stealth attack that requires timed button presses for successful take-downs - a brilliant addition to the already exhilarating game play.

Unlike other games of this ilk, there's no movie presentation - you're never fooled into thinking you are taking part in anything other than a videogame.

Fantastic animation, incredible art design and an intensely challenging fighting system ensure Virtua Fighter 5 is a game PS3 owners will be proud of for months to come.

A wonderful game that rewards experimentation and co-operation.

Retro in style and content, nevertheless this feels remarkably fresh.

Comprising the most complete version of the original retro minimalist masterpiece Mudds, its tough but fair sequel and the unremarkable but fun multiplayer puzzle game Mudd Blocks, Collection is an excellent value and a welcome return for the series to where it all started: a Nintendo handheld.

There are a couple of perplexing flaws in the design, such as the inability to go prone or jump over low walls and fences, but suspend your disbelief and you'll be gripped.

The 24/7 create-a-player mode is hugely addictive, letting you train your character and complete increasingly tough challenges. ESPN's weaknesses are a limited defensive game and shallow franchise mode.

Beautiful, weird and unexpectedly complex, there is at times a deep reverence for gaming's most famous brand here, and at other times an overwhelming urge to pull it apart and make fun of it. At the same time though, Kingdom Battle sets itself apart by avoiding the running and jumping that made its main character famous, focusing instead on an impressive strategy shooter design that would have been great on its own but is made even better with the addition of Nintendo's familiar properties.

Convincing physics have been brought into play to improve the feel of passing, crossing and shooting - a feature that brings FIFA more in line with the current simulation champ, "Pro Evolution Soccer."

Enthralling.

Loading times and a clumsy menu system are disappointing, but building your ranking is satisfying.

While it's not quite as epic as "GTA:SA," the combat within Mercenaries is more focused and polished, thanks to tight controls, amazing graphics and clever physics.

For players that skipped Sun and Moon, there is more than enough new stuff here to make this the ultimate way to play. Returning players will definitely be left with a strong sense of deja vu, but if they finished everything last year's game had to offer and were hungry for more they could still get their money's worth here, especially if they're up for a big dose of nostalgia.

The intriguing storyline, scary setting and unique battle system make for a frightening and memorable experience.

Anyone who enjoys South Park is bound to love this game, as it's essentially a 20-hour-long episode where you get to direct some of the action. The video game aspect of the experience isn't perfect — aside from still-pretty-basic combat system navigating around the town is a bit clunky and the crafting system is mostly an excuse for you to find humorous things in people's trash — but this is a cool RPG wrapped in an excellent and uniquely South Park adventure.

The amusing story missions are fast and offer plenty of variety.

The eye-watering speed is exhilarating and enhanced by stomach-churning nitrous boosts.

With gratifying combat, practically unmatched visual grandeur, a new focus on exploration and some of the most interesting locations and characters at the high-budget end of modern gaming, Gears 5 is an incredible leap forward for the original cover-based third-person shooter series.

The best addition is multiplayer action. Up to 10 nearby mates can battle wirelessly and faraway foes can be challenged online. But purists might consider changes such as a hold box for troublesome pieces, previews of the next six blocks and infinite spins to be far less welcome.

One of the best new features is the Speed Kill, a stealth attack that requires timed button presses for successful take-downs - a brilliant addition to the already exhilarating game play.

Packing four incredible action games from the mid-'90s into one nostalgic package, Mega Man X Legacy Collection might not feature the entire X saga but it's certainly the best of it.

Car handling is impressive. You can really feel variations in surfaces and the car losing traction if pushed too hard. Passing in heavy traffic takes skill and patience.

Momentum might not be important to the AC series anymore thanks to its shift towards RPG-lite but its other original key pillar, history, is utilised better than ever here. Not the specifics of what once happened, but the depiction of life elsewhere, elsewhen, and how well that is incorporated into core gameplay loops. With a clearer, more deliberate focus on the past in Valhalla, the series' future is bright.

While the battles can get exhaustingly repetitive, most players will have monstrous fun.

A wonderful game that rewards experimentation and co-operation.