As with most 3D platformers, R&C3 is certainly not original ' but then again, the developers weren't trying to be groundbreaking.

The controls in this game are nothing for you to write home about, although they get the job done. The graphics in Syphon Filter are a mixed bag.

There's no denying the appeal of Bad Company 2's multiplayer. DICE is still expertly nailing down what it pioneered all the way back in 2002, and the experience remains far from stale. However, poor design in the single-player makes for a campaign that's not only lacklustre throughout, but cripplingly buggy at times as well.

The most authentic videogame adaptation that we've ever seen... [but t]he Career mode whilst engaging doesn't sustain your interest for long enough, and like many boxing titles will have all but the most hardened fan switching off long before the belt is won.

There's no denying the appeal of Bad Company 2's multiplayer. DICE is still expertly nailing down what it pioneered all the way back in 2002, and the experience remains far from stale. However, poor design in the single-player makes for a campaign that's not only lacklustre throughout, but cripplingly buggy at times as well.

The slick presentation, amazing visuals and authenticity do a great job of sucking you in, however those who’ve sampled the delights of "Pro Evo" will soon been yearning for the realistic and intuitive controls and gameplay of Konami’s match winner.

Our only concern with the game is that we can see it beginning to grate after only a few weeks; sure the Xbox Live! functions add some replay value, however given the very nature of the title and its pick-up dynamics we can't see ourselves playing this for months to come let alone even till Christmas.

The most authentic videogame adaptation that we've ever seen... [but t]he Career mode whilst engaging doesn’t sustain your interest for long enough, and like many boxing titles will have all but the most hardened fan switching off long before the belt is won.

We’d like to have seen a lot more from this game in single player – not everyone wants to play multiplayer ALL the time and I think it’s important that the developers take note of this. Still, a stunningly addictive game in multiplayer.

The most authentic videogame adaptation that we've ever seen... [but t]he Career mode whilst engaging doesn't sustain your interest for long enough, and like many boxing titles will have all but the most hardened fan switching off long before the belt is won.

Unfortunately there is one major stumbling block; the game is too short and the average gamer will have it licked in no time at all.

If this is your type of game then Rainbow Six 3 won't disappoint, but if like us you're beginning to grow a little tired of these games then best to look elsewhere.

There's a sense that in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience, i.e accessibility, Ubisoft has appealed to the lowest common denominator. We enjoyed the Splinter Cell series for its complexity, but like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six before it, such elements have been removed completely.

The counter/block system seems to be over-refined with a fine line drawn between whether a counter move is successful or not, and once an opponent is on a roll of combo attacks, players might as well put down the controller and let them do the damage because trying to escape proves to be exceptionally difficult.

The sad reality is that just over a year on, F.E.A.R. is desperately showing its age. Hard-edged shadows, bland textures, and some gloopy-looking water effects make the First Encounter Assault Recon experience look quite tired, especially in light of the Goliath that is "Gears of War."

Continuing the theme of simplification that was prevalent throughout Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft's attempt to reinvent the Prince of Persia series is considerably disappointing.

The look of C&C: Generals is uninspiring, tired and lacking spirit, miles behind the charismatic approach employed by Blizzard with "Warcraft III."

It does trip up on the lack of impact that a connect punch delivers, and the obvious inclusion of health/stamina bars, but for gamers not yet tainted by the phenomenal experience of Round 3 on Xbox 360, this won't be something that they'll worry about.

Friends are the key to the fun factor of San Francisco Rush 2049, so don't expect much if you play it alone.

Split/Second is an original concept made irksome by a lack of depth and highly questionable balancing in the gameplay. Nonetheless, we can't help but feel that there's a lot more mileage left in Blackrock's big idea.

A game that fighter pilot wannabes will love, although it’s not quite as enthralling as perhaps it should be.

Very much in the same vein as last year's effort, Legends II manages to make further improvements especially with the introduction of online functionality though it still fails to offer the level of immersion that perhaps shoudl be expected of an RPG title.

The type of game that could only have come from an independent studio, Defcon presents a distinctive experience that captures the concept flawlessly. The lack of substance however sits at odds with the idea of a boxed release, and there is some questions as to whether there's enough long-term appeal to justify even the budget-price - one if it piques your curiosity.

Despite its Master Chief and Marcus Fenix guises, Vanquish is ultimately much more Japanese in its orientation than it is Westernised. Unlike MadWorld and Bayonetta though, it just lacks the poised gameplay balancing that could've made it a much more addictive experience.

Despite its Master Chief and Marcus Fenix guises, Vanquish is ultimately much more Japanese in its orientation than it is Westernised. Unlike MadWorld and Bayonetta though, it just lacks the poised gameplay balancing that could've made it a much more addictive experience.

Space Invaders Extreme is perfect for the portable platform, providing pacey gameplay and enough touches to make the experience pretty fresh.

It does trip up on the lack of impact that a connect punch delivers, and the obvious inclusion of health/stamina bars, but for gamers not yet tainted by the phenomenal experience of Round 3 on Xbox 360, this won't be something that they'll worry about.

The story mode does provide a challenge and will last most around the 15 hour mark, however once that’s past the game has very little to offer largely because of the fundamental online options.

By eliminating many of the factors that we've come to expect Square-Enix has delivered a Final Fantasy XIII that is different, but also desperately attempts to cling on to some elements of the past purely to maintain conventions. Unfortunately, the biggest criticism is the fact that you're left with a feeling of playing for the sake of it, rather than savoring it.

A highly imaginative experience that walks the fine line between compulsion and frustration that any good puzzler should provide. Further refinement on the concept and level design to reduce the emphasis on trial-and-error gameplay would have resulted in a more appealing experience.

Nevertheless, a Battlefield-lite experience with the Frostbite engine will be an appealing prospect for many Xbox 360 and PS3 owners and likely to become a popular online title in the most played lists.

You could not ask for more but the bottom line will be that this is a slow moving adventure game and will possibly appeal only and primarily to avid ‘adventure’ gamers!

Wipeout fans will find something to like about the latest instalment, it’s everything that Wipeout was, however that may in part be a cause of the problem, we’ve seen it all before and done it.

Very much in the same vein as last year's effort, Legends II manages to make further improvements especially with the introduction of online functionality though it still fails to offer the level of immersion that perhaps shoudl be expected of an RPG title.

Having such a wide collection of super heroes to choose from certainly lifts this above the likes of X-Men Legends, and it's storyline (and the underlying question of a traitor in the ranks) certainly offers something quite engaging.

One of the most impressive looking titles so far on Xbox 360 The Darkness is nonetheless let down by poor AI from both the Darklings and the various mob and zombie soldiers that Jackie encounters.

The story mode does provide a challenge and will last most around the 15 hour mark, however once that’s past the game has very little to offer largely because of the fundamental online options.

Just another blip on the RTS radar and is not going to be one of the classics, but its your standard run of the mill nothing fancy RTS.

Personally we're not too keen on the change to bigger maps, it's made the experience feel more like ever other tactical/shooter available.

Very much in the same vein as last year's effort, Legends II manages to make further improvements especially with the introduction of online functionality though it still fails to offer the level of immersion that perhaps shoudl be expected of an RPG title.

A messy amalgamation of storylines and side-quests, coupled with poorly executed Quality Assurance and archaic game saving, STALKER is about as radioactive as plutonium, and should be treated as such - behind thick lead-lined walls of concrete. The lead-lined walls being a metaphor for the high spec required to play the game at a decent performance.

The game does have quite an 'old-school' feel to it that some may not like, but it's a definite foundation for the franchise to develop over time.

Split/Second is an original concept made irksome by a lack of depth and highly questionable balancing in the gameplay. Nonetheless, we can't help but feel that there's a lot more mileage left in Blackrock's big idea.

Some gamers will complete the campaign mode fairly quickly, but thankfully the addition of the Infrastructure modes and the voice chat lift the game to a strong comparative position to its PS2 cousins.

Myst stood for inventiveness and creation of many well formed ideas. Now it looks like a carbon copy of many of its previous releases!

It may not win too many original gameplay awards but the combination of distinctive visuals and interesting narrative makes Shin Megami Tensei stand out.

By eliminating many of the factors that we've come to expect Square-Enix has delivered a Final Fantasy XIII that is different, but also desperately attempts to cling on to some elements of the past purely to maintain conventions. Unfortunately, the biggest criticism is the fact that you're left with a feeling of playing for the sake of it, rather than savoring it.

EA went with the idea that if they put in the ‘freestyling’ option, everyone would love the game – this may set the game alight, but by no means does it make the game stand out from the crowd – there just isn’t enough quality in the rest of the game.

Continuing the theme of simplification that was prevalent throughout Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft's attempt to reinvent the Prince of Persia series is considerably disappointing.

Halo Wars is a solid enough Real-Time Strategy experience from Ensemble, with a campaign that's just about challenging enough on the harder difficulties, and multiplayer features that has everything you'd would expect from any example of the genre.

MotorStorm Pacific Rift retains the same charms that MotorStorm offered but, as with the original game, there's just not enough variation in the single-player campaign because the race modes on offer are fairly rudimentary.

We were genuinely hoping that de Blob would cater to all types of gamers, but ultimately found ourselves disappointed by its lack of development and attachment.

Virtually caving people's skulls in with a crowbar or snapping their necks is brutal and the game wholly deserves its 18 certificate from the BBFC. Having said that the gameplay is quite repetitive with seemingly endless searches for the correct blunt instrument does get a bit tiresome.

We were massively disappointed by the comical AI, which definitely has a substantial impact on the game – Serious Sam has shown that run-and-gun games can be fun, but this seriously detracts from the overall experience.

WarioWare Touched might not have quite the same ‘awe’ factor that it had when it first debuted on the GBA but it’s fun to play and will while away the hours away from home.

A game of little steps as opposed to giant strides; it's a game that ultimately fails to push open-world, free-roaming games onto the next-generation, but is, nonetheless entertaining and worthwhile.

A game of several frustrating elements and simplistic gameplay that somehow manages to immerse and entertain. The condensed retelling of the trilogy is genuinely amusing (unless you've never seen a Star Wars movie before), whist the many, many secrets and unlockables provide a compelling hook to the largely simplistic romp.

The more we played, the more we felt like we were being pushed down an inch wide pipe till we got to the end – it wasn’t a nice feeling and it spoilt the feel of the game.

Astonishingly accurate when it comes to historic characters, details, and setting, it's a shame that the repetitive, formulaic structure to the game diminishes any impulse that the intriguing storyline provides.

Astonishingly accurate when it comes to historic characters, details, and setting, it's a shame that the repetitive, formulaic structure to the game diminishes any impulse that the intriguing storyline provides.

Let down by a poor physics engine and terrible AI, Freekstyle just doesn’t cut the mustard – sure sometimes it has nice visuals, but this is at speed – I want to be able to sit back and look at the view, but there isn’t one.

A slightly lacklustre port of a great game that you should play, but we would only recommend the PS2 version if there is no way you can get your hands on the PC edition of the game.

Lone Wolf does build upon the original game's foundations and does start off as a decent Mech game, sadly it quickly degenerates into a standard blaster and becomes forgettable.

The game does have quite an "old-school' feel to it that some may not like, but it's a definite foundation for the franchise to develop over time.

Like most RTS titles, the biggest fault with Panzers is that the gameplay is rather samey. True, the progressing storyline adds some interest to the game, but because missions are usually ‘capture this bridge’ or ‘secure this town’, the missions can blend into one another.

Continuing the theme of simplification that was prevalent throughout Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft's attempt to reinvent the Prince of Persia series is considerably disappointing.

Yes, the jets look stunning and at a great distance, so do some of the landscapes. Get closer however, and Ace Combat 6 doesn't hold up to scrutiny, with both its visuals and gameplay coming up short.

Dungeon Siege II will certainly please fans of the original game, although the simplistic combat system does mean that criticisms about a repetitive experience are bound to fill forums in the forthcoming weeks and months.

Oh EA what have you done; we we're getting to enjoy FIFA once again and now this. We're never ones to severely criticise an average game, however FIFA 06 beggars belief.

Demonically difficult, heart-shatteringly hard, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is a gamer's game. Solid in both respects of the word, Konami's elderly iconic franchise fits perfectly on PSP for some vampire killing on the move...even if you do feel like throwing the handheld into a wall at times.

Despite the fact that the weapons fail to pack a punch, and the enemy AI is just as weak, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is fun with a level of frantic action that's emphasised by the addition of the hot-swapping functionality.

Oh EA what have you done; we we’re getting to enjoy FIFA once again and now this. We’re never ones to severely criticise an average game, however FIFA 06 beggars belief.

In fact, it's easy to see general casual gamers get into Lock's Quest, with its accessible learning curve and 'brain training' wall-building strategy.

Despite offering a significantly compelling single-player story, there's little to keep you coming back once it's been completed.

Oh EA what have you done; we we're getting to enjoy FIFA once again and now this. We're never ones to severely criticise an average game, however FIFA 06 beggars belief.

Despite the fact that the weapons fail to pack a punch, and the enemy AI is just as weak, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is fun with a level of frantic action that's emphasised by the addition of the hot-swapping functionality.

Galaxies is Geometry Wars for the masses, though whether the 'masses' will be happy to part with their cold hard cash for what is essentially a bulked up game released for seven quid two years ago, remains questionable.

The online experience is of good quality and works as well as anyone could have hoped for.

Features a number of flaws at a control level that stop it becoming an essential title.

The story mode does provide a challenge and will last most around the 15 hour mark, however once that's past the game has very little to offer largely because of the fundamental online options.

In many ways, it's the best Worms yet. There's a substantial amount of weapons, a gargantuan level of options and plenty of multiplayer fun to be had. However, it is just Worms, a game that's appeared on every format known to man for the last 13 years, and follows extremely quickly after last year's dubious handheld debut. Ultimately the question remains, how much Worms do you need?

Given the lower-end price of FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage and its obvious strengths, it's easy to look past the lack of imagination and next-generation refinement.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Myst V but then again we’ve seen it all before and the story alone this time just wasn’t enough.

This 2D shooter in a 3D environment may look slightly frayed around the edges and dated in many respects but with so few proper video shooters that go back to the real roots of arcade blasting this is a nice short fix.

'Niche' doesn't come close to describing the bizarrely pretentious Echochrome, which positively oozes self-importance from every pixel and line of code.

The game does have quite an ‘old-school’ feel to it that some may not like, but it’s a definite foundation for the franchise to develop over time.

Remaining credible to the works of Tolkien, EA LA have adapted The Lord of the Rings into the mechanics of an RTS with some success, though there are one or two niggles that stop this from being a classic.

Although it has everything you'd want from an intense, action-fuelled open-world title, the overall feeling with Prototype is that it tries a little too hard.

With only eight chapters Mirror's Edge is a particularly short game and the only thing that extends this is the trial-and-error gameplay. You're constantly left feeling as though Mirror's Edge needed something else to sustain it.

The fact remains that F.E.A.R evolved shooters back in 2005, but there appears to be very little progress in the four years since with F.E.A.R 2.

If you're a fan of the movies this alone is largely enough to look past the game's failings, such as the repetitive gameplay and dated design.

Although it has everything you'd want from an intense, action-fuelled open-world title, the overall feeling with Prototype is that it tries a little too hard.

Stylised visuals and over the top physics make the game stand out, and the simple premise helps to cement it's pick-up-and-play strengths.

There's no denying that Overlord II is an enjoyable expansion on the original idea, which will entertain the fans. Unfortunately, the frustrations seem to mount up as you get further into the game, making it plainly obvious that Triumph has failed to really address key issues that thwarted the original.

The fact remains that F.E.A.R evolved shooters back in 2005, but there appears to be very little progress in the four years since with F.E.A.R 2.

With only eight chapters Mirror's Edge is a particularly short game and the only thing that extends this is the trial-and-error gameplay. You're constantly left feeling as though Mirror's Edge needed something else to sustain it.

Oh EA what have you done; we we’re getting to enjoy FIFA once again and now this. We’re never ones to severely criticise an average game, however FIFA 06 beggars belief.