Banjo-Kazooie may be more of an homage to Nintendo’s first 3D romp through the mushroom kingdom than a pioneer of the same genre, but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying.

The maddening difficulty level of this game destroys it. If you’re truly patient, then maybe, just maybe you might be able to get something out of it.., but if you’re like me who plays games to be entertained, I think you’re going to find yourself wanting to return this one.

Twisted Dreams brings back an unlikely product of a derivative time and gives it unique life. It's a positive early argument for Kickstarter revivals and while it still works in known quantities, it provides a hellishly difficult and sweet platformer that finally provides a non-ironic reason to enjoy the Giana Sisters.

A truly unique, absurd action game that no one should miss. With the help of Shinji Mikami, Suda 51 has delivered his most palatable experience to date.

Ultimately Raam's Shadow provides all the things the series has been about from the beginning, mixing the most up-to-date mechanics with a known origins story that's simultaneously disposable and perhaps crucial for the hardcore fans. What it doesn't provide, however, is anything that'll change your mind either way.

An enjoyable, lengthy twin-stick shooting affair. Restricting the player to platforms creates a unique dynamic in the genre and adds a fresh element of bullet hell.

A fantastic shooter that combines strategic combat, excellent level design and some genuinely (and maybe too much so) challenging gameplay.

I had tremendous fun with Arena Wars; its fast paced action and tactical warfare proving to be a godsend after endless struggles and yawns on various RPGs.

Being the Chosen One is a tall order to drop on anyone, but The Last Guy makes it one of the most addictive downloadable games available on the PSN.

What you get out of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks depends on your familiarity with the series. The more you know, the more you’ll like.

As far as beat 'em ups go Scott Pilgrim vs. The Word is a dream come true.

With the added bells and whistles of achievements and an online leader board it's an attractive offer for Sonic fans and people interested in platformers alike.

Thomas Was Alone’s greatest strengths are in its storytelling and character. In this it fully exceeds, keeping me playing past the point of growing over familiar and dreary of the oft-repeated mechanical themes. But due to this it can be expected that many who start the adventure will never finish it, though, which is certainly a shame.

There are more complex games out there, but there aren't many more exciting games on the iPhone and iPod than Canabalt. Its simplicity is an asset that takes advantage of the system like few other games other have.

A lazy port that could have offered players more. In a crowded and competitive marketplace, only those most nostalgic gamers should purchase this. Everyone else will get enough from the demo.

There's enough good in this episode to make The Siege of Spinner Cay a little bit more than just a mandatory stepping stone to the next chapter. But one can only hope, however, that this isn't the beginning of a mid-season slump.

As a first episode, Rain Slick succeeds in leaving you wanting more, and anxious to drag your party and stats on into Episode 2. Sure at its core, it’s an extremely light weight JRPG, but if you’re playing this game for ingenious game design then you’re missing the point.

Ultimately, The Suffering tries a lot of different things, but it doesn't really do any one thing strongly enough to stand out.

Final Fantasy IIID is a flawed RPG, but still a fun one, and definitely a bright, shining semi-historical treasure whichever way you look at it.

But what it lacks in style and depth it makes up for in sheer replayability and nostalgia. It takes you back to a time before there were meaningful stories, fancy leveling systems or any of that other stuff you might take for granted.

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.

Despite its lacking online features and (Russian) roulette connectivity hoopla, KOFXIII is still an excellent game. For OGs desiring an honest, non-n00b friendly fighter, or for new schoolers wanting a unique challenge, don't miss out. It's time to knuckle up.

Even if your shoot-'em-up experience is limited to Contra or Metal Slug, I still highly recommend giving this game a shot (again, gratuitous pun intended). Let's hope that SideQuest Studios's Final Prototype isn't actually… well… final.

Patient gamers who enjoy more tactical shooters will likely appreciate its strong points and look beyond the bugs and glitches. Those that prefer to run and gun should probably steer clear.

Dead Nation for all intents and purposes is a top-down Left 4 Dead: it's taut, it's atmospheric and it will certainly get your blood pumping.

The style and mood captures the spirit of the comics perfectly, and having two playable characters is a feature that turned out excellent. It's a shame that stomping through the streets as Venom while devouring civilians can't make up for the repetitive missions and the appallingly short time it takes to beat the game.

The graphics and sound might be a great leap forward, but the rest of the game fails to meet any of the current criteria for a good first-person shooter.

Even though it isn't a direct adaptation of a film, Stranglehold is probably the best example of a movie-based game to date.