The real problem is that it has been done so many times before that at some stages in the game you get that déjà vu feeling you played the same location, executed the exact move and experienced the same sequence of events but this time it's a Kangaroo you are sharing it with and not another endearing character.

It hints at brilliance on occasions, but is ultimately flawed by poor execution, sloppy glitches and an overall unfinished feel.

If trudging your way through uninspired level after level, button bashing through a bunch of mindless drones to finish up with some of the most unimaginative bosses in videogames history is your idea of fun then go for it.

It's not bad at all, but it doesn't offer anything too different. If you are looking for a boundary pushing title, then this isn't it.

A hugely disappointing update to a franchise that was once reverred in the videogames industry - why is there no 4P option?

Spartan is extraordinary from the perspective of any old warhorse of a strategy player. It has graphical polish, longevity and some well crafted ideas that other developers should take note of!

Marginally more than Picto-Chat which comes free with every DS, there's literally nothing that we can recommend about Bakushow.

The progressive nature of the game will test the skilled player and you soon find out that the support soldiers you choose, the way you equip yourself, is very very important. Bet on Soldier is hard but then again presenting a challenge worth fighting through makes it even more appealing.

It hints at brilliance on occasions, but is ultimately flawed by poor execution, sloppy glitches and an overall unfinished feel.

Colosseum: Road to Freedom is one of those average games that has a lot going for it on the surface but once you start playing it fails to excite and after a few hours play tedium starts to set in.

There's no avoiding the fact that HAZE is a huge disappointment.

Hot Pixel is the game for any PSP owners longing for some WarioWare action. It's credit to ZSlide that they've managed to emulate the formula so closely, providing the variety, addiction and weird elements that catapulted Nintendo's series to success.

A thoroughly unremarkable shooter, made slightly more memorable by a handful of sections and a strong physics engine.

An average tie-in that's not without its merits, and one that will appeal to fans of the film and a younger audience. Jaded older gamers however will find very little to sustain your interest.

It's not perfect, when the different styles fail to gel the game can become frustrating, however when it does, it offers one of the best FPS experiences around.

Very much throwaway gaming, Conquest is wholly lacklustre, devoid of any real purpose, and is a real low point for Pandemic, which after Mercenaries 2 is really saying something. 'Must do better' is a gross understatement.

Not exactly a mess of plane wreck proportions, but it is nonetheless thoroughly unremarkable and only worth the interest to see what happens.

It's not the most gripping story we've ever come across, but it certainly isn't the worst, and if you like zombie films then it'll be right up your street.

The focus on creating a "game" out of the franchise is commendable and makes for a worthwhile purchase if you're a GBA owner looking for something to keep you busy on the bus.

Some ill thought out mechanics really make this already niche title further marginalised, but it's nonetheless a very quirky adventure game.

Bland, unoriginal, buggy, beleaguered with frame-rate issues, filled with visual 'quirks', and featuring combat that's lacking any great sense of satisfaction, Rise of the Argonauts is a truly lacklustre action-RPG experience.

Control issues prevent any true sensation of a classic Sonic title from emerging, while any subtle depth is virtually eradicated by the overwhelming sense of simplicity.

There are some fantastic moments and some really great ideas that action fans will love, however the flaws and the insistence on trial-and-error approach will infuriate everyone who plays it.

The combat is far from fluid and the missions feel stuttered and short...and how will Marvel fans feel about killing off some of their favourite characters???

Very much throwaway gaming, Conquest is wholly lacklustre, devoid of any real purpose, and is a real low point for Pandemic, which after Mercenaries 2 is really saying something. 'Must do better' is a gross understatement.

Whilst there’s no doubts about the multiplayer fun to be had with this title, we have to question it’s ability to perform in today’s market, the simple fact is games have moved on and gamers are a fickle bunch.

This is by far the most disappointing of the Revolution series to date. Whilst the changes made to the game have been done to accommodate the various features of the Nintendo DS, the fact is that it just doesn't feel like Rainbow Islands. Key elements are missing, including the all important strategy of the original.

Like the movie, the videogame isn't as bad as some have made it out to be, and whilst it's far from being a perfect experience, it's also got some solid ideas and elements that'll keep a certain section of gamers hooked.

Facebreaker is so much more than a brawler. This is an intelligent fighting game with all the hallmarks of gaming excellence.

As for gameplay, the controls are well defined, but it does not give the sense of holding the pool stick. It feels more like you are controlling a science project because of the stiffness, but they are precise.

LoMaM isn’t a bad game it’s just unoriginal and stuck in mediocrity...lacks that little spark of magic to make it worth a purchase.

Lair is the quintessential example of why motion control should only be used sparingly on PlayStation 3 titles; unwieldy, unresponsive, and bland in terms of gameplay, the only thing compelling in the game is the soundtracks.

Walking into the club for the first time and slicing through dozens of vampires with your sword is definitely a cool moment. However the rest of the game is so bland and monotonous that you’d have to have been lobotomised to enjoy it.

A sloppily produced tedious affair with little going for it other than the fact that it had the potential to be good.

Although KOTT is predictable in many ways, it is the challenges, the nice mixtures, the fighting and game interaction that really require you to build up a good level of skill and in some parts it’s quite thought provoking.

The combat is far from fluid and the missions feel stuttered and short...and how will Marvel fans feel about killing off some of their favourite characters???

On first sight, Bodycount's gameplay pillars are inviting: with arcade shooters being few and far between this generation and destructible environments remaining surprisingly underused, there's some real potential for compelling gameplay here. Unfortunately, Codemasters hasn't executed either of these features particularly well and unforgivably lacklustre design elsewhere cripples the game.

It would've been nice to see Omega Software's Warriors series move forward with Orochi but unfortunately it seems to have stood fairly still in its mediocre hollow of repetitive combat/strategy gaming. Not much fun even if you were playing it on a very rainy day.

There must invariably be a demand for this sort of title in the West otherwise it wouldn't be worth the expense of localisation, marketing, and distribution, but surely it's a case of having played one title in either Warriors series, you've played them all.

Although it's easy to see Transformers: The Game attracting a younger audience better suited to overlook the game's issues, for everybody else, the appeal of large robots repeatedly stomping around uninspired environments limits it to little more than a poorly realised merchandising option.

It does make use of the almost bare and gloomy surroundings to conjure up a feeling of despair.

Take a little bit of Burnout, add a sprinkling of Twisted Metal and a lot of bad attitude; the result is Ubi’s latest, explosive release that maintains the French publisher’s commitment to quality.

The PSP version of Dead Man's Chest is quite literally a game of two halves, with fairly satisfying (if frustrating) single-player experience, and quite frankly abysmal multiplayer experience. The combat system is quite an interesting idea that staves off repetition for a little while, but ultimately it's a game that doesn't offer any real chance for replayability.

Wonderful in its mediocrity, it's not a bad game but you could easily lose it in a crowd, even if it had blue skin.

Whilst we found ourselves forgiving Lara for moving like a 7-ton dumper truck and Core for basically realising that their new ideas weren’t quite cutting it, we can’t say the same for the bugs that rear their ugly heads all too often - we’ve simply lost count of the number of times we’ve had to reset our Playstation2 because Lara has got stuck in a wall yet again.

Although it is relatively entertaining to play the game falls flat mostly because of a few key aspects: enemy AI, and the sheer linearity of the level design and gameplay.

Fans of the genre and hip-hop alike will enjoy 187: Ride or Die and there's no reason why it shouldn't become a hit for Ubi. Take a little bit of Burnout, add a sprinkling of Twisted Metal and a lot of bad attitude; the result is Ubi's latest, explosive release that maintains the French publisher's commitment to quality.

Beatdown: Fists of Vengeance is a really strange game; a mixture of ideas that comes across as extremely hit and miss. The amalgamation of traditional beat-em-up gameplay and one-on-one works really well; but on the other hand the disguise system seems flawed, who wants to buy a beat-em-up when the aim is to avoid confrontations?

Although PDC 2008 will undoubtedly have darts fans jockeying to the oche, the fun will probably be relatively short-lived for everybody else. With no Mii options and limited Party modes, it's also hard to imagine PDC World Championship Darts 2008 appealing to the Wii Sports crowd. Nevertheless, at least it finally makes a darts videogame seem ever so slightly less pointless.

Unfortunately within the first hour of realizing the game is little more then a series of samey battles, the tedium and monotony soon overtakes and leaves the rest of the game a mind-numbingly repetitive struggle - look elsewhere for your superhero action.

The gameplay is painfully repetitive and uninspired, and a vast majority of the mini-games just aren't fun; they say that your schooldays are the happiest of your life - but whoever said that couldn’t have been taught at the Ape Academy.

DNF plays like it's been developed in a vacuum, serving more as a time-capsule of mediocre PC games from the first half of the last decade than a certifiable, modern-day FPS.

Linear to the point of offering little challenge beyond heading in a straight route through the entire game at an extremely sluggish pace, occasionally demanding you to pick up objects to solve frustratingly cryptic puzzles.

As a long-term Sonic fan Shadow the Hedgehog fills me with absolute dread and disdain; it's an abysmal game that manages to expand upon the issues of previous Sonic games, whilst completing negating the core ingredients of the Sonic series.

On first sight, Bodycount's gameplay pillars are inviting: with arcade shooters being few and far between this generation and destructible environments remaining surprisingly underused, there's some real potential for compelling gameplay here. Unfortunately, Codemasters hasn't executed either of these features particularly well and unforgivably lacklustre design elsewhere cripples the game.

Although it is relatively entertaining to play the game falls flat mostly because of a few key aspects: enemy AI, and the sheer linearity of the level design and gameplay.

If you’re a fan of the movie you’ll be bitterly disappointed at the butchering the license has received, whilst even action fans will be put off after they’ve punched, kicked and thrown their way through the first 10 missions; avoid!!!

As a light-gun game it’s too awkward and as a FPS it’s just too damn slow and unresponsive.

A prime example of how not to do a tennis game, after just one match you’ll be hard pressed to pick this up and play it again.

You cannot kill your fellow US soldiers...why? We’re not saying that it’s a good move to blast your support into oblivion, but it would be a consequence to taking a gung-ho, guns blaring approach.

As a long-term Sonic fan Shadow the Hedgehog fills me with absolute dread and disdain; it's an abysmal game that manages to expand upon the issues of previous Sonic games, whilst completing negating the core ingredients of the Sonic series.

Space Invaders Revolution is never going to be the title to grab the attention of the masses, but for those that have fond memories or wish for something highly addictive to fill 15 minute slots you’ll not find anything quite so fitting as this.

The dialogue provided brief amusement, however the frustration created by some of the puzzles far exceeded this, and I’ve even got the walk-through.

I really wanted to recommend this game, despite it's problems with controls and graphics I would still have recommended it to fans of the genre and "Evil Dead" movies, however because of the length all I can say is rent it out some time.

DNF plays like it's been developed in a vacuum, serving more as a time-capsule of mediocre PC games from the first half of the last decade than a certifiable, modern-day FPS.

Aliens vs. Predator Requiem has a short lifespan; it's very repetitive and has a multiplayer mode that may as well have been left out. Far from having Predatory instincts, the game would die from hypothermia if left out for 20 minutes on a chilly September evening.

It’s not bad at all, but it doesn’t offer anything too different. If you are looking for a boundary pushing title, then this isn’t it.

Although it is relatively entertaining to play the game falls flat mostly because of a few key aspects: enemy AI, and the sheer linearity of the level design and gameplay.

Beatdown: Fists of Vengeance is a really strange game; a mixture of ideas that comes across as extremely hit and miss. The amalgamation of traditional beat-em-up gameplay and one-on-one works really well; but on the other hand the disguise system seems flawed, who wants to buy a beat-em-up when the aim is to avoid confrontations?

Perhaps with more development time, The Cartel would have been a more compelling experience but, with a game engine that's showing its age, a confused new identity and a fair few technical issues, it falls sadly short of most FPS fans' high expectations.

The restrictive control system and progression feels pathetic compared to the state of fluid titles such as "Prince of Persia" or "Galleon", whilst the overall experience is confounded by an awkward fixed camera system that makes it virtually impossible to see where you’re going.

The restrictive control system and progression feels pathetic compared to the state of fluid titles such as "Prince of Persia" or "Galleon", whilst the overall experience is confounded by an awkward fixed camera system that makes it virtually impossible to see where you’re going.

The restrictive control system and progression feels pathetic compared to the state of fluid titles such as "Prince of Persia" or "Galleon", whilst the overall experience is confounded by an awkward fixed camera system that makes it virtually impossible to see where you’re going.

Following the format of releasing an uninspired superhero game on every conceivable format, Iron Man unsurprisingly offers little to anybody but the hardest Iron Man fanatic.

Only the "boss" encounters with the persistent helicopter provide anything even bordering on memorable, leaving a sloppy, completely unremarkable and tired shooter that's better left on the shop shelves.

Perhaps with more development time, The Cartel would have been a more compelling experience but, with a game engine that's showing its age, a confused new identity and a fair few technical issues, it falls sadly short of most FPS fans' high expectations.

The restrictive control system and progression feels pathetic compared to the state of fluid titles such as "Prince of Persia" or "Galleon", whilst the overall experience is confounded by an awkward fixed camera system that makes it virtually impossible to see where you’re going.

As a long-term Sonic fan Shadow the Hedgehog fills me with absolute dread and disdain; it’s an abysmal game that manages to expand upon the issues of previous Sonic games, whilst completing negating the core ingredients of the Sonic series.

By no stretch of imagination is Hellboy: The Science of Evil a good example of the third-person action genre, the bland level designs, uninspired combat and an overall dated feel contribute to yet another poor comic-book adaptation. Nevertheless, Krome have captured Hellboy's character well and perhaps the game's limited scope will find some appeal to a younger audience - it worked for Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.

Essentially a sub-Katamari game on Nintendo DS, Ignition's title offers a decent (if short) campaign for players, though the Bonus Mode is more compelling.

The moan continues with uninspired and bland graphics, awful sound effects and ear-wrenching music.

You almost have to ask whether Capcom closed Studio 8 out of sheer embarrassment.

You almost have to ask whether Capcom closed Studio 8 out of sheer embarrassment.

Hats off to Spark Unlimited, we really thought that Conflict: Denied Ops would be the worst first-person shooter of the year...but Turning Point: Fall of Liberty snatches that award with both hands.

To say I was pleasantly surprised by PotA would be a considerable understatement, whilst not bringing any new ideas to the genre, it is a well refined title that impresses with tight controls and good gameplay.

It's ill-thought from the very start, which is demonstrated by the contradictions and flaws evident throughout the entire game.

Once you've seen one gag you've literally seen them all, and it's certainly not enough to sustain your interest beyond the first five minutes.

It’s a very simple concept, if you’re a Pop Idol fan then you’ve probably already put in your pre-order for this game, if you’re not then it’s better left staying away from this game it’s simply too shallow and doesn’t last long enough to warrant more then a rent.

The wrestlers contain so few polygons, they look like an Origami project gone bad. This might be excusable if this lack of detail made up for fast-paced and smooth action, but sadly this isn't the case either.

It's a feminist's nightmare wrapped up in the plaything of a horny and naive adolescent boy, with some underlying gameplay dynamics reminiscent of The Sims. Truly, it's confused.

Something to avoid like nuclear waste, Godzilla: Unleashed suffers from hideous gameplay, Neolithic graphics, no depth whatsoever, and shoddy design all-round. If you want to torture somebody then buy them this for their birthday.

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons (who isn’t?) it’s likely that after the initial appeal wears off you’ll be left with a game that’s better served as a coffee-coaster.

The simple fact is Kung Fu Rider would have fared better on a traditional joypad (it still wouldn't be that much fun), therefore making the entire game ultimately pointless. Studio Japan has blatantly given a half-arsed approach to their first PS Move title and there's absolutely nothing to recommend. Pointless, frustrating, irritating.

It's ill-thought from the very start, which is demonstrated by the contradictions and flaws evident throughout the entire game.

It's ill-thought from the very start, which is demonstrated by the contradictions and flaws evident throughout the entire game.

Having enormous plastic breasts never made Gazza a ballerina; by the same token, nor does it make Pammy a game character. It worked for Lara… but then Lara had an actual game to fall back on.

I’m not sure why this game was ever made.