The new and improved mechanics are fantastic, adding some much needed depth and strategy to the game and combining it with intuitive controls that anyone should be able to get to grips with.

The intense and difficult experience should be played by anyone who enjoys a good story. Even with an anemic singleplayer offering, the full game is worth a purchase for the multiplayer experience.

If you have any interest in challenging platformer gameplay, you need to play this. Period.

Braid in many ways is this year’s "Portal"; not in the obvious sense but in the way it has burst onto the scene snatching most hearts that have given it the time of day, with nothing but plucky charm.

The fact that you can hit a decent round without having to rely considerably on spin or other advanced techniques means that new 'uns to the sport can almost pick up and play Links, whereas veterans can revel in more realistic gameplay than that of the competition, and feel right at home going after the number one spot on Xbox Live, whilst handing out helpful tips and strategies to people like me.

Definitely a notable improvement over last year's offering and the new Home Field Advantage feature is marvelous, but the recycled visuals and mere handful of other additions may deter those who already own 2004 from purchasing the game.

Definitely a notable improvement over last year's offering and the new Home Field Advantage feature is marvelous, but the recycled visuals and mere handful of other additions may deter those who already own 2004 from purchasing the game.

Mythologies is also a very sizeable package, offering over 20 hours of play with just the single-player campaigns, and the multiplayer component is a well thought out addition players can break out whenever the mood strikes.

If you can cope with the obvious limitations that a remake has in following its source material (although the sticky movement – Mega Man not moving for a millisecond when you command him to from a stationary pose – could have been done without), Powered Up is the ultimate bang for your buck.

All in all, The Last Chapter is quite easily summed up: it's an even more refined chunk of an already great gem of a shmup.

This is a pick-up-and-play game in its purest form, albeit with a uniquely tropical control set-up that hasn’t been utilised anywhere else before, sans its neglected prequel.

There's a quote that sums up the portable version of Mirror's Edge succinctly. A French writer once said that, "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

As one of the most critical Nintendo fans around, it's nice to see a game come out for the GBA that's original, pretty, fun, and doesn't involve any one of their stupid mascots.

An excellent game. With amazing graphics, a steady framerate and keyboard and mouse support, the PS3 version of UT3 is a worthy companion to its PC counterpart.

Mass Effect 3 is an action game with a side-helping of dialogue, and the finale might frustrate fans who have stuck with the series since the beginning - some might even consider it lazy. It's hard to knock the actual game; it's a great shooter and the dialogue is well acted and (mostly) well-written. Mass Effect 3 is one of the best marriages of shooter action and storytelling around, and it's up to the fans to decide if that's what they really want.

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.

Despite its shortcomings, Resistance 2 remains one of the most complete shooter packages on the Playstation 3. There is always something waiting to be killed, no matter which mode you choose to do it in.

Great fun but far from perfect, mainly due to a handful of little niggles.

In terms of action gaming on the DS, Portrait of Ruin is second to none.

Although Worms Reloaded has its share of rare but notable problems, it is without a doubt the pinnacle of the franchise, the single best and most complete version of Worms to date.

This is not a zombie stop-gap until "Resident Evil 5" is out; this is an actual game that you do not want to miss...****ing great fun!

It’s nothing short of joyous, then, that Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is so much more than a lazily thrown together update of last year’s game.

Nothing short of brilliant. It has its fair share of highly frustrating niggles, but they are almost totally eclipsed by the real joy and excitement the game can conjure up inside you with such alarming frequency.

Unless you value multiplayer competition, Pac-Man’s latest effort is one that is worthy of attempting, and may just allow you to become infected with ‘Pac-Man Fever’ once more.

Working alongside a terrific soundtrack, some very cool voice acting, and a custom map building tool, the parts of Starcraft II that make it an enjoyable and addictive ride leave little to be desired.

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.

One of the most inventive, original, and down right entertaining games you’ll play this year.

If you’re a lapsed player this is a perfect reason to return; Enemy Within significantly improves a game that was pretty damn excellent to begin with.