The breathtaking speed that we've come to expect from Midnight Club remains intact and better than ever on the streets of Los Angeles, becoming the most well-rounded instalment to date.

Too much repetition and the occasional dip into unoriginality does make it a grind in places, but the story did just enough to pull us through.

Packed full of rewarding and entertaining features, Saints Row 2 is an unadulterated videogame that makes no attempt to rival GTA4. Instead, it's quite content to offer plenty of fun and set itself as a worthy alternative to Rockstar's opus.

Too much repetition and the occasional dip into unoriginality does make it a grind in places, but the story did just enough to pull us through.

Too much repetition and the occasional dip into unoriginality does make it a grind in places, but the story did just enough to pull us through.

Vast improvements to the action on the pitch and the game in general means that FIFA 09 is certainly PES' equal this year, and we'd be inclined to suggest it makes significant strides beyond Konami's effort in many ways.

With easy RPG dynamics, Sonic Chronicles is a title that will only really appeal to fans of the fastest hedgehog in the known universe or younger DS gamers.

For just £11.99 Wipeout HD represents great value for money and should be an essential purchase for fans of the series, or anybody that thinks videogames have got a little too easy in recent years.

We've been waiting two years longer than we expected for Hell's Highway and the wait has bought little reward.

Whereas Turok struggled in the murkiness of blandness and unoriginality, PURE offers a mud-slipping, cliff-jumping thrill ride that has come out of nowhere.

Buzz! has moved up for the next-gens with dedicated online play.

A joy for the hardcore to behold.

It's the same Traveller's Tales Lego experience once again. Apart from the fact that Batman is now the subject matter, very little is new here and the gameplay is far from fresh.

It's the same Traveller's Tales Lego experience once again. Apart from the fact that Batman is now the subject matter, very little is new here and the gameplay is far from fresh.

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.

A seriously surprising entry into Star Wars canon, the storylines is largely strong, and whilst there are several issues with the gameplay, The Force Unleashed is not the Phantom Menace we thought it would be.

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.

Using various gadgets the concept is handled impressively; Sci-Fi fanatics will lap up the way in which Wright and Maxis have captured the concept of colonizing planets and expanding your empire across the galaxy.

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

Addressing virtually every complaint we levelled at the first game, the stronger structure, more developed concepts, and extra features undoubtedly make for a better game, but we suspect it's a game that will only really appeal to fans of the original.

Mercs 2 is nothing short of a monumental disappointment.

Too Human easily reaches the standards set by Silicon Knights' previous work. Merging the addictive qualities of Diablo with a thoroughly innovative and entertaining combat system, Too Human offers an engaging blend of instant gratification and long-term depth despite the occasional failing.

Despite the new gameplay features failing to change Soulcalibur's gameplay, Soulcalibur IV still manages to provide one of the most engaging and rewarding fighters around - plus Darth and Yoda aren't entirely that bad.

We Love Golf grafts a golf swing onto the Wii's motion controls exceptionally well but, apart from that, the game's substance is very run of the mill.

The family friendly visuals and aesthetic feel of Chocobo's Dungeon successfully manage to mask what is otherwise an in-depth accomplished RPG that requires strategy, tactics and persistence.

If you're a Guitar Hero-loving Aerosmith fan then go and get it already - add a couple more points to the final score! For everybody else, it could be one to miss; after all, Guitar Hero World Tour (and the DS' On Tour) isn't too far away.

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.

Whilst not as executed quite to the level we'd hoped for, Alone in the Dark remains an original take on the survival horror genre, with its DVD-style structure and environmental interaction worthy of praise.

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.

If you played C&C3 and came away from it feeling distinctly unmoved by the experience, then Kane's Wrath certainly isn't for you. This is a game for diehard C&C fans or, alternatively, gamers who didn't get around to playing C&C3 last year and fancy a bit of fevered RTS combat over the weekend.

It's not quite as well-rounded as its home console older brothers, there's certainly room for improvement, but it's a solid enough start...bring on Guitar Hero: Decades.

I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed Fatal Inertia EX. It's not that it's an absolutely incredible game, but the willingness to go back to the drawing board and tweak or change some options (stuff like removing the free-point races, for instance) meant the game turned out far better than the original release.

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

An endearing and compelling adventure that throws in a more than enough variety in its campaign and side-missions, Secret Agent Clank is a must have title for PSP owners as much as Chains of Olympus was.

If like me you've waited a long time for this, ignore the final score, sit back and enjoy every wonderful cut-scene that Guns of the Patriots has to offer. For MGS fans, Kojima-san has delivered a masterpiece, but it's certainly an acquired taste, now more so than ever before.

Offering a slice of diversity to the DS' already wide and varied catalogue, Soul Bubbles is an intriguing prospect let down by the lack of any genuine challenge or long-term value.

The Bourne Conspiracy is certainly as good as most other shooters that utilise the Unreal 3 engine, but it's no Gears of War. Instead, it's a thoroughly competent display of some top of the range next-gen tech.

With faults and flaws, Ryu Hayabusa's return is still one of the most enjoyable high-speed action titles available.

This is a fun and thoroughly enjoyable family-friendly game that will surely follow the same successful path its cousin titles from a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away have already walked down.

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

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

Wii Fit is a "game" that excels at everything it sets out to achieve.

A refreshingly new and enjoyable experience, Boom Blox is exactly the type of game that deserves to do well on Wii.

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.

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

Smashing down the barriers between videogames and movies, GTA4 is what happens when flawless game design and ridiculously high production values collide.

An original take on the rhythm/action concept and generally well executed on the Wii. Battle of the Bands nonetheless suffers from long-term issues that prevent this from being a must have.

There's room for improvement, and we hope the omission of damage isn't a sign of things to come, but as a starter Prologue gets your engine revving to maximum.

What should have been a solid enough third-person action title is ultimately let down by game design glitches and AI bugs, not to mention an over-reliance on the glaive that cheapens the experience.

A relatively short gaming experience, ObsCure II is nonetheless an enjoyable sequel to one of 2004's lesser known sleeper hits. Perhaps it pays a bit too much homage to the teen horror movies at times, but it does offer a surprisingly solid experience...while it lasts.

For any fan of the Final Fantasy games, or Japanese RPGs in general, Crisis Core is a must play purely for how well the story is crafted.

Everybody's Golf 2 is a pure joy. There are very few golf games out there that make a good shot feel so rewarding, and probably none that are so accessible to hardcore gamers, casual gamers, and golf fans alike.

As a compilation of all things SEGA and great we love SEGA Superstars Tennis, so it's quite a disappointment when the actual gameplay stumbles like Sonic on a banana skin.

Fortunately even though the single-player mode feels as though Ubisoft may have stretched it all a little too far, much like the original, Vegas 2 is all about the online multiplayer.

What it is however is a stylish first person title that successfully blends hard-hitting combat with thought provoking mental challenges. It's brutal, atmospheric, tense, and scary as hell - we love it.

All in all, PES 2008 adds significant depth and realism to the in-game experience. Seeing as this is what appeals most to the average PES gamer, we can state quite confidently that this year's game is a resounding success.

Ready at Dawn has translated this epic feel of the series seamlessly onto Sony's tiny PSP and, apart from the game's short lifespan, Chains of Olympus is a thoroughly welcome new addition to the God of War family.

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.

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

For PS3 owners who are looking for something other than the usual tactical third person shooter, particularly those of you who are Capcom fans, Lost Planet is well worth a look.

An engaging entry in the overcrowded shooter genre, Frontlines: Fuel of War does enough sufficiently differently to warrant interest from anybody looking for something a little complimentary to CoD and Halo. Little more than linking the traditional checkpoint structure, the frontline dynamic nonetheless instills a sense of originality throughout the game and certainly something we'd like to see further developed in a sequel - and it only gets better in multiplayer.

Sign us up, we love The Club. With the odd exception, it takes a very good third-person shooter to impress us, and whilst The Club has its issues, the game's original premise and stylish execution makes it well worth checking out. We just don't know who SEGA will line up for the sequel.

Visually, it's very similar to Warriors Orochi on Xbox 360, while the gameplay and appeal are as stagnant and underwhelming as they've ever been.

FIFA Street 3 thoroughly improves the series with its leap onto the next-gen consoles, not only visually, but in terms of gameplay and all-round appeal as well. However, if you're looking for single-player mileage out of it, you're best of getting a copy of PES or FIFA. This game is unashamedly all about multiplayer party gaming.

Questions over what the remake is ultimately trying to achieve and the failure to capture the very essence of the original (beyond the cute and chirpy presentation), along with the limited use of the DS and the pathetic length, make this one to leave on the shop shelf, even if you do fondly recall the original.

Tying elements of survival/horror and adventure games to an enjoyable effect, Black Plague provides a surprisingly satisfying affair packed full of suspense for anybody willing to contemplate such a low profile release - although we wouldn't advise forking out 30 quid for it.

Much more of a 'grown up' experience after the stylised antics in Blue Dragon, the morality tale of a thousand-year life is packed with an ever-increasing sense of emotion, and will no doubt be of interest for J-RPG gamers.

Without getting too worked up, Turok delivers a solid enough reboot of the dino hunting franchise, even if it will upset some of the brand's more loyal fans.

Whilst it's undeniably a heart-pounding action feast from start-to-finish, the criticisms and slightly dated design lead us to hope that Capcom will contemplate a bit of a shake-up for the next DMC - we're not talking "Resident Evil 4" here.

Fans of the original Pursuit Force game shouldn't hesitate for a second in purchasing what is essentially a textbook example of a substantial sequel. Newcomers to Pursuit Force should also strongly consider getting hold of this game, which complements the PSP so perfectly.

If you're an obsessive fan of the series who's played all the other Burnout games to death and you need a new challenge, then you'll probably still enjoy this one (although you're also likely to be very disappointed).

Pirates of the Burning Sea has perhaps one of the steepest learning curves in an MMO to date, but with its strong implementation of dynamic economies, sea combat, and swashbuckling, it provides more than enough reward for player perseverance.

Much like the original, it's only a matter of days before you'll whiz through each of the acts on offer. Unlike the original, because the focus on score is by all accounts lost, the urge to keep coming back and improve scores is gone completely.

A decent start to the inevitable franchise, Universe at War's solid Campaign and range of game modes for both online and offline RTS action offers enough for players to get on with. The fact that it also introduces new features such as dynamic tactical upgrades to units on the fly also helps to make Petroglyph's latest stand out.

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 series is very, very tired and should really have been put to bed by now, with this latest iteration boasting lacklustre content and all the appeal of drinking sulphuric acid.

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.

Crytek has clearly stuck close to the Far Cry formula with Crysis, which is no bad thing. Improvements in graphics and evolved gameplay, as well as brilliant new features such as the nanosuit, make this a thoroughly suitable spiritual successor to Crytek's first game. We'd be lying if we said that the campaign's final act wasn't bitterly disappointing though.

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.

The single-player game starts off well enough but becomes grating and tedious as it progresses. It's a great shame because the multiplayer offerings truly are unique and, with the exception of some flagging visuals, the game could've been great with a better main campaign.

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.

SimCity Societies completely forgets what the SimCity experience is all about. Gameplay depth has been sacrificed to make the title feel more like a The Sims city builder, and the result is a game with little or no substance whatsoever.

An intriguing game on mobile phones makes a reasonable translation to the Nintendo DS, but it's hard to look past the fact that Orcs & Elves feels dated and overly simplistic. If anything Orcs & Elves makes us hope that nobody will contemplate bringing mobile phone games to the Nintendo DS ever again.

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.

A decade on from "Mario 64" and Miyamoto delivers another landmark title, one that almost grips the term 'instant classic' with both hands tightly right from the off. Innovative level design, original gameplay, the best graphics and soundtrack on Wii to date, and the return to form of the first true superstar of videogames (sorry "Pac-Man") means that Galaxy will no doubt be looked back upon in years to come with the same level of veneration as "Mario 64" is today.

A very simple premise that will no doubt appeal to the DS' ever-increasing casual market, NEVES is strangely captivating in small doses - though it doesn't quite balance the gameplay between being addictive and frustrating.

Gears of War has been faithfully ported to the PC and Epic has also provided a nice range of exclusive features, most notably a 'lost' act in the single-player campaign. It's well worth a purchase for PC owners who haven't yet experienced the brilliance of Gears.

Since BGS took over the Champ Man series they have improved their game from a sure-fire relegation favourite, to a middle of the table side which is knocking on the door of European football. If these improvements continue, next year's game will be sure to bring home some silverware.

OK we admit, Scene It? Lights Camera Action isn't the car wreck of a title that we thought it would be, but it has more to prove if it's going to challenge its stylish rival on PlayStation. Hopefully this debut instalment will be quickly followed with a regular stream of downloadable content over Xbox Live, ensuring that the often-repeated 'non-repeatable' questions don't get too stale.

There's only one downside to an otherwise overwhelmingly successful transition for Infinity Ward and Call of Duty. As with many classics, it's all over before you really want it to finish. If you're a veteran of tackling the Nazi invasion in past Call of Duty titles then you'll probably rush through Modern Warfare in less than 10 hours.

A definite attempt at evolving the MMO genre after a decade of gameplay clones and the unmitigated success of WoW in the last three years, Tabula Rasa feels like the baby steps towards the next stage. It doesn't have the same 'wow' factor of Blizzard's mighty MMO, but it's a pretty solid foundation from which Destination Games (and Richard Garriott) can build upon.

The Witcher's quality emanates from the understanding CD Projekt have held on Sapkowski's work. Engaging and thought provoking throughout with a rich gameworld that is effortlessly layered, The Witcher matches the style and substance typically associated with a Bioware RPG - perhaps the finest recommendation we can make.

A drawn out and largely mediocre experience that's perhaps to be expected given TimeShift's difficult gestation, Saber Interactive's shooter nonetheless has some bright moments - but they're too little few and far between.

We loved it from start to finish and, when we finished, we just carried on fighting online and against our mates to keep the fun alive. Naruto: Rise of a Ninja is the incredibly well balanced and varied game that the Naruto universe has been crying out for.

Despite enjoying the continuity of an episode (or twelve) and the throwaway self-referential comedy that made the TV show famous, The Simpsons gets stuck with mediocre, generic gameplay, and confusion over who exactly the game is making fun of. One for fans.

The mix of modes, coupled with the strong simulation settings, create a challenging yet rewarding experience that fans of the sport will enjoy over the summer months.

Easily leapfrogging the performance of Guitar Hero II with room to spare, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock thrashes out a strong mix of classic and modern tracks, and is further enhanced with the online features its predecessor should have had.

One for trading cards fans that have large wallets, Eye of Judgment is an entertaining and unique experience, but one that lacks any genuine substance to make it worthwhile for anybody else.