It’s too much like its predecessor. For a lot of people this will be a great thing, whilst others may find the formula wearing a bit thin. It’s an enjoyable experience but may leave you wanting something more.

It’s disappointing there are no missions that allow you to employ all of your squads together, as this would’ve been particularly rewarding and beneficial in the final conflict.

It's Fallout 3 with a wild west coat of paint to go along with its twisted 1950s aesthetic. That will mean more to some than it will to others, but either way, it's a great adventure.

The heavy micromanagement necessary in The Movies may not be for everyone, but it’s easy to see that this is a good game. There are enough unique touches so it never feels stale or derivative, even though parts of it may seem familiar to some gamers.

It might be less open-ended than its forebear, but it's every bit the thrill-ride that made Crytek a household name and Crysis 2 a now likely frontrunner for action game of the year.

The real jewel shining within Virtua Tennis: World Tour is the multiplayer, via a wireless connection. Remember coming home from the pub with 3 drunken mates, loading up the tennis on the PS2 and playing until you passed out? Just imagine sitting, well, anywhere really, drunk or sober, with 3 mates within a few metres of each other, playing tennis. Insane? Absolutely! Fun? Hell yeah!

For people who are alright with playing fifteen hours or so of Helm’s Deep-style carnage, Shadow of Mordor is a delight – and even for people who couldn’t care less about Lord of the Rings, the exciting combat and unique Nemesis System are more than enough to make the experience worthwhile.

At the end of the day, if you’re willing to dismiss Viva Pinata on the basis that it looks a bit kiddy, then you’re kidding yourself out of a fantastic adventure that has already shaken Rare to its roots, thanks to the departure of two of its three founding members after poor sales of this game. Shame on you, shame on you.

It has a certain charm you can’t help but love and the precision based, high octane gameplay is one you’re going to keep coming back to.

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes is a superb title that offers players a deep campaign, addictive turn-based gameplay and a multiplayer suite that only makes one misstep.

Feels nearly perfect. Aside from the lazy camera, really, it’s as good as it gets.

It doesn't do a very good job through the story mode at introducing newcomers to the mechanics of the game and it can quickly devolve into something that hardly resembles a "sweet science" when players aren't sure what they're doing, but once you get the hang of how the game works, it's a thing of beauty.

It’s one of the best looking games on the market, has impeccable presentation and wonderfully campy voice acting (this time, intentionally), a strong plot that brings back a handful of classic characters and, most of all, it’s just plain fun. Whether it’s padding slowly down a dim concrete hallway, complete with flickering florescent lights and ominous blood-splattered walls, or running from a horde of crazed, zombie villagers, Resident Evil 5 delivers a truly engrossing survival horror experience.

Where Chains of Olympus was good, albeit a bit by-the-numbers, Ghost of Sparta stands proudly; the leanest and meanest the series has to offer.

Tetris DS does what Tetris has always done: delivers an addictive, simple, and challenging game that anyone can enjoy and Tetris DS also does it with a few new bells and whistles that give you even more than you need to enjoy it.

To those looking for a great portable Shin Megami Tensei experience, this is it, and any fan of tactical turn based games should pick it up as well.

What's most surprising about Battlefield 3 is that even the things that are assumed to be poor are at least tolerable, if not conflicting with the scope of the multiplayer.

The poor net code is a disappointment that drags the score down a touch, but as a complete package this is the ultimate recreation of Mixed Martial Arts. EA's very own MMA game has some tough competition.

Tri is one of those paradoxical titles that is by no means perfect, but doesn’t deserve anything less than a ten out of ten rating when compared to everything else on the system.

What it does do well it does with confidence, but uncharacteristic issues prevent it from being top of the class.

It’s astonishing just how much content is packed in here.

This is by far the best Guitar Hero to date.

Without reservation, Guacamelee is easily DrinkBox’s finest game to date. It subscribes to the design that made Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night the classics that they are, but it offers its own unique spin on the genre.

Regardless of how you approach it, Desperate Struggle is an amazing game. It takes everything that worked from the previous title and expanded upon it, and fixes nearly everything else.

Overall the game is fantastic. Too often fun is left out of titles, and Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy does a brilliant job of bringing it back.

To PC gamers this will feel like a tutorial for the “real” thing, but for everyone else Sid Meier has breathed fresh air into the console market with a title that lets you kill and maim in a completely different way.

The chronic lack of depth in the middle stages is an injustice to a brilliant start and finish which should have been the crowning moments but instead serve only to hold the game up above water.

For those having a hard time comprehending today's fighters, MvC3 is there for you. Meanwhile, veterans can definitely say that this title hits the spot.

I'm pleased during this rather dull year to be surprised by Telltale's take on not only a monster that has been diluted by pop culture and monopolised for quick cash grabs (irony alert), but also on a decision making system that is constructed with functionality and maturity. As long as they don't botch the ending - I'm sticking by my guess of the final choice that came to me twenty minutes into the first episode, though I hope I'm wrong - this as one complete story will be the best of the year. Matt Sawrey was right, keep horror to the independents.

It's precise, practical, ticks boxes and has been too quick to shed its defining credentials; credentials that made the earlier games a must buy for any enthusiast. Killzone 3 feels generic, rushed and greatly unloved by its creators. A huge, huge disappointment.

Depending on the player's level of experience with the series, F1 2012 is either a sincere virtual representation of the world's most technical sport in a substantial package, or a finely-tuned forward and sideways step in the reinterpretation of F1 2011.

Stacking doesn't strike us as a game focused on difficulty. It's a game for those interested in creativity, humour and fun - a toy box full of variety and imagination that rewards playfulness and exploration.

We were prophesized a Senna, but instead delivered a Mansell.

A detailed, consistent, artful slice of action adventure, bursting at the seams with the quality of the combat and visuals, optimised admirably by a developer who has learned the PS2 through and through – you wouldn’t want to miss out on that, would you?

Professor Layton is back, and he’s never looked better.

Mortal Kombat definitely provides a fighting experience like no other. With a return to the original all-star cast, the involving Challenge Tower, the best Story Mode in fighter history, approachable gameplay, and mindblowing graphics, this is an affair that definitely requires your attention.

Value matters, and though the game doesn't give the completely non-linear gameplay I was hoping it would, the excellence of the early game makes Crysis: Warhead an attractive title for those who enjoyed the original.

Devil May Cry 4 doesn't concern itself with much outside of fighting, and here the focus and dedication shines through with a solid and ridiculously in-depth battle system, rivalling even that of modern fighting games like Tekken and Soul Calibur.

Most Wanted succeeds because it is all about the driving and the driving is excellent. It's Burnout with a name that will sell. And that's a pretty good thing.

It's also arguable that by emphasizing the ladies love pillows to the extent they have in this and the two sequels they have undermined their claim that the Dead or Alive series can offer a rewarding fighting experience and not just plenty of virtual bosoms to ogle.

Super Mario Bros. was, is, and always will be a gaming masterpiece. Its oft imitated, yet rarely equaled combination of gameplay responsiveness, superb level design and visual flourish, combined with that special loving touch that only Miyamoto seems able to wield, makes it one of those rare games that seems to transcend time.

Though racing purists may not get as much out of it, arcade racing fans won't be able to put this down.

It's hard to tell if Bulletstorm's silly demeanor and in depth combat mechanics are going to catch on, but despite the problems that keep it several rungs away from the gold it's a very entertaining and unique take on the genre.

The Touch Screen is both used and abused, offering a few poorly executed trick concepts and a slew of customization options for the creative artist in all of us.

Although it's visually dated, New Vegas is a bona fide Fallout title that contains well over 100 potential hours of quality post-apocalyptic RPG gaming that ought to please existing fans and gain the series many new ones.

Exactly how a console flight combat game should be. Dogfights are intense and hugely satisfying, the handling is spot on, the graphics are detailed and it all runs very smoothly. The story is surprisingly well crafted.

Role-playing fans are going to dig all the characters to level up and customize, comic book fans are going to go nuts over all the cameos and references, and action fans are going to be satisfied with all the different enemies they can kill.

All the best things about the movie made it into the game.

Skate 2 is still a blast. If you’ve done all you can in Skate, then it’s worth picking up to extend your adventure.

It’s rarely frustrating, always fun, and a total blast when it comes to multiplayer. While the story won’t change anyone’s life, the presentation and gameplay are more than enough reason to journey to Pandora.

You know what the weird thing is? I hate RPGs with a passion. Yet there’s something about this game that just works.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is a fun game. However, PC gamers looking to squeeze the most out of their gaming rig will be disappointed by the dated mechanics underneath the game.

If only every game’s most glaring problem could be that there are too many characters to choose from.

If you've got a PS3 and an online connection, it'd be silly to miss out.

The New Super Mario Bros series was never one to defy expectations, but rather build upon years of refined nostalgia. New Super Mario Bros. U is formulaic Mario and is a delightfully fun time for it.

It’s an overly tough cookie to initially crack into, but like Tetris, it’s a game with a simple base interaction made compelling through intelligently constructed sub-systems.

The style is vibrant and entertaining, and the overall presentation is lighthearted and easy to enjoy, regardless of your familiarity with RTS games coming into this bizarre take on the genre.

Without equal in how effectively it exploits the senses.

With an adventure so far unmatched for memorable moments and constant thrills, the game is truly one of a kind.

The game that stands is an absolute thrill-ride, brimming with verve and excitement.

Vanquish manages in many ways to be quite literally awesome though; from the bombastic battles you partake in, through its outstanding technical performance, brilliantly ridiculous cutscenes and superb twists on an established genre.

Whilst admittedly rough around the edges in parts, the bulk of the virtual racing experience is entirely refreshing.

This isn't the definitive Bond experience and you sure as hell won't be grabbed by the story, but for those times when you feel like taking on the world in style, this is it.

It’s got all the addictive puzzle solving that made the first game so awesome. The switch to 3D made things far more interesting; rather than relying on a grid, you’ve got to rotate the entire puzzle and search it piece by piece to figure everything out.

While it solely focuses on only one type of loot and isn't as big as Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage is another solid addition to the Borderlands 2 experience.

With a little patience and practice these challenges can be overcome, and that’s what makes Calculords a wonderful strategy game for all but the most ‘mathophobic’ players.

It provides a solid and refreshing online shooter for the hardcore and casual alike.

It's difficult to draw a distinction between the qualities of Hot Springs Story and Game Dev Story. The latter will be inherently more interesting for gamers and as such, probably fares worse on the iPhone, while Hot Springs Story is more casually slanted but skews for a unique cultural niche.

The slippery movement commands make basic platforming a tedious chore. They make the potentially great online multiplayer into a convoluted mess. Despite such flaws, Uprising is still a great addition to the 3DS library.

This game is truly as happy as I make it out to be, and the peppy musical gibberish serves as a perfect audio backdrop to the joyful scene.

It's a generous buffet of the finest experiences the genre has to offer, the problem with this being that each offering is a discernibly weaker imitation in comparison to the original source it is drawn from.

Despite my frustrations with the crashes and glitches, I still enjoyed Point Lookout more than any of the DLC so far. The whole map is an awesome place to explore, the new enemies are a real treat and the quests are some of the best yet.

No More Heroes joins the ranks of other video games that were too smart and/or bizarre for their own good. Gamers who enjoyed the head trips that were "Metal Gear Solid," "Katamari Damacy," and "Persona" will feel right at home with No More Heroes.

The gameplay is mostly involving and the graphics are impressive. Though the game is far too short and the lack of variety in the enemies is disappointing, I can’t help but recommend this game.

It’s difficult to imagine Assassin’s Creed ever leaving the sea behind.

Those expecting even Halo 3.5 may feel a little underwhelmed, with 3-II the most relevant numerical comparison, but for anybody who has so much as enjoyed the series in the past, this is an essential purchase.

In the end, Pure still tastes fairly good but you know it’s been diluted.

Admittedly, PixelJunk Monsters doesn’t offer too much different from many tower defense titles, but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up in polish.

The graphics are some of, if not the, best I've seen on the system, and the variety of racing available ensures that you'll never be bored or wanting more.

Comet Crash certainly isn't the most sophisticated looking tower defense title, but if you pass it up because of its simplistic visuals, you're truly missing out. It's chock full of clever design and great unit/tower balancing, plus it has some of the most generally engaging local multiplayer found on the PlayStation Store. Additionally, it might very well be the best RTS on the PS3.

Thanks to the handiwork of Ubisoft Shanghai, the small but passionate cult following and the burning sting of its original commercial failure, we all have a second chance to reconcile our differences with this flawed masterpiece – I'm glad I did.

If you can treat and accept it as a balls-to-the-wall action blockbuster, Resident Evil 5 is, if nothing else, a great looking and decent entry into the third person shooter genre with a great co-op mode that’s worth at least one play through. It’s just a shame Capcom has forgotten what it is to make me scared of the dark.

If you can look past the difficulty and dig the new (old) style, then by all means download this sadistic game that will no doubt have you hooked, regardless of how bad you are.

It's got fan service where it counts, too - familiar character themes appear in the soundtrack, win quotes will often comment on specificities of other characters, and there are even some custom introductions for certain pairs of characters.

It's still very much a game rooted in past successes, but the bold changes it makes on the campaign side shows Treyarch aren't quite prepared to rest on their laurels.

It's still worth buying UT3, for those who enjoy modding and hacking. For everyone else: there have been far better PC games this season.

This War of Mine is a soul crushing thing to consider as entertainment. It is going to make you feel bad and absorb the consequences of your actions. It exists as a piece of indie expression that shows the actual grayness that is inherent in all conflict. There is no winning.

Maybe Midway will release a follow up with the same graphic engine, but with cleaned up gameplay and some two-on-two action. If that happens, I could definitely see my friends and I spending hours upon hours reliving all our old NBA Jam memories.

It excels in some unlikely areas, with lovely presentation values and intricately detailed backdrops. It's a fun diversion and while it's not entirely up to par in terms of mechanics, it also doesn't make itself redundant by centralizing all the focus to the one area that's already been perfected.

If you've already got the 04 version, then all you're really paying £40 for is the online mode, and whether that's worth it is debatable. If you're new to the series, then by all means spend the money on what is a superb rally game.

Missile Command for the iOS generation. It succeeds in matching that arcade simplicity and yet feels designed chiefly around the efficiency of Apple's portables.

Dishing out mass destruction upon legions of enemy robots is a fun and addictive experience. With a nice variety of weapons and abilities, you’ll be able to tweak your mech’s capabilities in plenty of ways.

Superb storytelling, a very human cast, and visuals that will change your life, there is nothing to stop anyone from enjoying what this adventure has to offer.

Its Story mode is distinctly improved, brought together by a plot which is well acted out and never ceases to amuse. The Arcade component returns with more refinements and online play, cleverly engineered to reduce undue frustration.

Dr. Reuben’s inaugural experiment is no failure, and just like with all well performed experiments, Crush delivers a satisfactory result and serves to enlighten us on what the bright future holds.

If you've never had the fortune of playing Guardian Heroes before, HD is an essential purchase. Treasure has a spotless record and this long forgotten beat 'em up is easily one of their crowning achievements.

Borderlands is the bastard child of Mad Max, Halo and Phantasy Star Online; and yes, I’m aware that’s three participants.

Even at budget price there’s not much that any self respecting Xbox 360 owner will be missing other than a few pretty explosions and half a day spent marveling at spring from building to building, the novelty of which rubs off pretty damn quickly.