It does an excellent job of tying together the fragmented series that includes the Hunter and Saviour variations, resulting in a must-have for anybody who’s enjoyed the titles from the past.

Driving around Tokyo is something that some Midnight Club gamers will have never achieved thanks to the challenge that was Midnight Club 2, so it's rather helpful of Rockstar to package the city into Remix for all to enjoy from the off.

Beyond Good & Evil HD remains a triumph of exploration and adventure. Sure, it's wildly imperfect by current-gen standards, but it can still teach today's powerhouse blockbusters a thing or two in terms of gameplay design and the creation of immersive worlds.

Represents a number of things to us, firstly it’s perhaps SEGA being at their most creative best and quirkily original for the last few years; secondly in our opinion the game utilises virtually all that the Nintendo DS has to offer.

This is a fantastic well crafted adventure with an epic story and plenty of aspects to keep you busy for a long time indeed.

The little inaccuracies can be forgotten by all but the most die-hard of Star Wars fans, whilst there are enough cosmetic touches to differentiate this from "AoE2" and allow you to submerse yourself in the Star Wars universe.

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.

It's certainly not perfect and isn't for everyone; however if you're looking for something suitably different, something that you can just whack on and enjoy for a few hours here and there and more importantly something so Nintendo, then you may just end up devoting your life to Animal Crossing.

It's visual splendour; novel yet neat additions and generally tight gameplay will ensure the time until the next ISS goes that little bit quicker, OK I'll admit it I'm hooked.

A strong control system combined with high quality presentation and humour, results in one of the most entertaining titles of its kind on the handheld format.

It’s a game that has almost unlimited replay value and depth, whilst the tutorial section does an admirable job of introducing you to the genre if you’re new to this type of game.

I find it a real shame that the whole tactical side was dropped, as not only would controlling a mob add more depth it now seems that the use of hundreds of AI characters has been a complete waste of time.

Forget the strive for realism, FIFA Street 2 is a pure unadulterated videogame take on footie. It's fun, fun, fun throughout the game and there's a surprisingly deep single-player experience to sustain your interest.

Easily the best of the Nam titles this year, and quite probably the best war FPS title since 2015's "Allied Assault," MoV manages to create a sense of guerrilla warfare to a level unrivalled by its peers.

Forza 4 is about as technically impressive as driving sims currently get – fans of the series are sure to be pleased with its near-peerless handling and tuning, expanded feature set, and Kinect implementation. When it comes to being a game, however, lazy oversights with the AI mean that you end up racing yourself more than your opponents, and concessions to the casual gamer sometimes compromise the core experience.

So the game is mainly a case of refinement to the point of perfection, but the problem is that if you’ve already got Tony Hawk 3 there’s very little reason to pick this game up.

The wall jump from Mario 64 is perhaps the single best introduction to NEW Super Mario Bros.

The game plays incredibly well and allows beginners as well as pros to enjoy the game effortlessly.

Sure it’s still as maddeningly addictive as ever and detailed to the point of disappearing up your own arse in a fit of retentiveness. However it does slightly disappoint on the account that id does precious little when it comes to new ideas.

There’s certainly a feeling throughout the experience that what the game gives you with one hand, it quickly takes away with the other. Ultimately though, the survival-horror genre is in desperate need of a new poster boy, and Alan Wake just about fills that remit.

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.

Subsistence brings further substance to the Metal Gear Solid 3 experience thanks to its multiplayer mode, and the MSX versions of both Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, though much of the rest of the bonus features are nothing more than icing on a very rich and more-ish cake.

Highly imaginative and with a wicked sense of humour, Overlord's issues are easy to overlook when compared to the moments of entertainment it provides in between.

There's no denying that there are a number of features implemented in Empire at War that separate the game from any other RTS title, and the excellent interconnection between strategy and tactics creates an enthralling experience; it's just a shame that certain areas, cannot match the enjoyment provided by strategically taking over the galaxy in the galactic sections.

On the wider scale of things, it's perhaps not the most original title. That said, with additions like the expansive combat techniques and God Roulette, there's enough to keep it feeling fresh at times.

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.

The single-player stoy mode takes in three generations of the Black family over a number of missions, and once that challenge has been reached there's plenty of Multiplayer action to be had.

Bizarrely it’s not any aspect of the game that lets the experience down but that over style – we simply don’t like the mature nature of the game compared to the delights of its predecessor. The end result comes across as desperately trying to be edgy and blatantly falls short of the mark.

It represents a welcoming step away from the masses of clones, while its serious tone, portrayed in equal doses of graphic brutality and absurd comedy will keep those willing to persevere hooked on the edge of the seat awaiting the sounds of cackled laughter.

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

If yearly sports games are like fine wines, then Tiger Woods 2011's vintage is a good one. It may not be a great year like FIFA 10 or Madden 2003, but it does follow a run of very mediocre years for the series and for this reason it's well worth a look.

Quite literally, an explosive experience that continues to push the Xbox 360's capabilities, the game nonetheless does have its weaknesses, particularly highlighted by the woeful enemy AI.

The variety of characters offers a wide range of style to play the game, whilst the sheer size is guaranteed to impress fans of the genre.

Just like that, PES is a contender again. There's still a way to go before it gets back to the levels of addictive playability that kept us hooked half a decade ago but the series finally seems to be finding itself on the current-gen consoles. The identity crisis is over and now PES is well positioned to bring its trademark originality back to footie gaming.

HD does have some graphical and control issues that do add some frustration to the gameplay, and keep the game form being a solid 9, but they don't stop the game from being fun.

An incredibly enjoyable and clever game that will appeal to Mario fans new and old, Super Paper Mario may not have been originally built for Wii, but it nonetheless shines as one must have title for the Nintendo console.

The sheer emphasis on action, coupled with the dated gameplay mechanics and inability to show any advance beyond the Resident Evil 4 blueprint is possible to overlook if you're happy with state-of-the-art visuals and zombie slaying.

Just like that, PES is a contender again. There's still a way to go before it gets back to the levels of addictive playability that kept us hooked half a decade ago but the series finally seems to be finding itself on the current-gen consoles. The identity crisis is over and now PES is well positioned to bring its trademark originality back to footie gaming.

A little more surprising is the fact that Darksiders actually lives up to the high expectations and quality of such influences and just about manages to forge its own identity.

There may be a balancing issue between the Story missions and the free-roaming fun of bounding across the environments, but Hulk is definitely the most impressive interpretation of a comic-book character's adventures yet.

Fight Night Champion does so many things right. Online multiplayer has been expanded while the new Champion Mode adds some much needed variation and dynamism. In many ways, it accounts for the shortcomings of its predecessor and provides solutions. If it wasn't for the infuriating changes to an otherwise perfect control system, it would be a hard game to fault.

Fight Night Champion does so many things right. Online multiplayer has been expanded while the new Champion Mode adds some much needed variation and dynamism. In many ways, it accounts for the shortcomings of its predecessor and provides solutions. If it wasn't for the infuriating changes to an otherwise perfect control system, it would be a hard game to fault.

Although there’s no denying that Western fans will appreciate the experience more then others, the truth is that the level of style, inspired design and gritty atmosphere will likely please those looking for a good, straightforward action romp.

With heavy amounts of text and progress based upon your brain reflex as opposed to your trigger finger, Ace Attorney isn't a game for everybody; but for those looking for a stylish and original experience, make sure to check this out immediately as it will probably surprise you.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam is not DLC in the current-gen sense of the word. Instead, it's more like an expansion pack from the days of early-'Noughties' PC gaming; a whole new tack on the full game experience rather than a set of maps that only serve to intermittently prolong a game's appeal. For these reasons alone, it's worth the asking price.

The sense of immersion through intelligent AI, captivating missions, wonderful visuals, atmospheric sounds and the balance of action/strategy has opened my eyes.

The inside levels feel confined and just lack the excitement of the excellently implemented exterior sections. That said the internal sections are not all that bad, it’s just a case of wishing for something slightly different.

The game manages to blend accessibility with depth perfectly, whilst the level of immersion brought about by using the headset is at times unbelievable.

Mafia II refuses to follow the crowd of open-world games by putting authenticity at the head of its agenda instead of sheer scale and off-the-hook action. The fact that it tells you what to do rather than asking what you'd like to do is somewhat counter-intuitively what makes the game feel so original and immersive.

But it’s this focus on action, strong weapons and robust gameplay that proves to be Project: Snowblind’s strongest aspect; it’s just a good, solid, enjoyable romp with a strong multiplayer component.

There was no doubt that Virtua Tennis World Tour would appeal, but the developers have accomplished to create a game that does strike a balance between short and long-term play.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam is not DLC in the current-gen sense of the word. Instead, it's more like an expansion pack from the days of early-'Noughties' PC gaming; a whole new tack on the full game experience rather than a set of maps that only serve to intermittently prolong a game's appeal. For these reasons alone, it's worth the asking price.

Mafia II refuses to follow the crowd of open-world games by putting authenticity at the head of its agenda instead of sheer scale and off-the-hook action. The fact that it tells you what to do rather than asking what you'd like to do is somewhat counter-intuitively what makes the game feel so original and immersive.

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.

A slightly bizarre mixture of realism and fantasy. All of the attention paid to replicating the courses and cars doesn’t seem to have been applied to the actual game and its mechanics, racing takes on more of an arcade like feel, whilst there isn’t that much depth to the actual going’s on behind the scenes.

For the many fanatics out there having GTA: Liberty City Stories in the collection is essential just for completions sake, so in this regard the PS2 adaptation certainly serves a purpose and at a price that fits; however, it makes no claims about pushing the series forwards and does feel slightly aged on the PS2, leaving the storyline and characters as the major pull through the game.

Not a bad attempt for the first 3D UO game but personally I was expecting more in the way of new items and things to do.

The combination of puzzles and action fits well, whilst the level of humour certainly helps the game to gel with the player – although some may find the type of comedy a little low-brow.

We personally would have liked to have seen a little more thought and attention paid to the concept of Vampires instead of relying on RPG decrees.

A perfect balance between authenticity and accessibility. It probably won’t appeal to the hard-core sim fans, whilst those that like their action immediately up front will probably also be deterred.

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.

Shift 2 is one of the very few driving games where we'd actually prefer to boot-up its predecessor rather than this new iteration. It's still a thoroughly decent and innovative racer but fans of the original may be justifiably disappointed by the many missed opportunities here.

A complete recreation of the original's depth of races and modifications (and high speed fun) with allowances made for the smaller screen, DUB looks set to enjoy a new lease of life in the portable world.

Shift 2 is one of the very few driving games where we'd actually prefer to boot-up its predecessor rather than this new iteration. It's still a thoroughly decent and innovative racer but fans of the original may be justifiably disappointed by the many missed opportunities here.

Some may say that the 2D structure is dated and that the move to 3D is well overdue, however American Conquest like Cossacks does such a fine job with the detail of the environments and the armies, a change here could prove disastrous.

Not content with surpassing Tony Hawk with the first attempt, skate. smashes his board in two and promises the next ten years will be a little different. Providing the antidote to too many years of unimaginative Tony Hawk's sequels, skate's debut marks an overwhelming success of innovation, style, and fun.

An excellent sequel that manages to improve upon the original in virtually ever way. Gameplay is certainly paramount and in this area Maximo creates a maddeningly addictive experience, which you’ll find hard to drop if you’re brave enough to take on the challenge.

If you're looking for nothing but action, you won't find it here. But if you want to fly a REAL plane (or as close as it's possible to get on a console), then get this game.

Despite our concerns over the lack of a full 3D engine, Sim City 4 is a beautiful game to behold.

Despite the disappointment of there being no co-op play in Mini Ninjas' campaign, the game does enough to keep players entertained through well mixed gameplay, loveable characters, stylistically beautiful environments, and good humour. The Japanese story is finely applied and a wide audience will enjoy this title, meaning that it fulfils its remit and then some.

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.

One of the most unique role-playing games you will ever play.

Do not expect too many changes, think of it as an expansion pack with more levels, more weapons and even more Nazis to shoot down.

There are some innovative features and these do really add to the experience and the overall package with a highly playable multi-player mode makes Red Faction a quality PlayStation2 game.

Sadly the action based nature of the game hasn’t survived the translation to mouse/keyboard as well as we could have hoped. The fundamental character/camera movement and basic combat works well; it just all begins to get a little messy when the vast amount of keys comes into play.

Any downsides or real negatives? None, apart from the need for a powerful PC to possibly experience the game in even more quality. If goaded to pick up any concerns it would have been for slightly more variety in the layout of the levels, with a touch more ingenuity.

It's hard to see where, if anywhere, the series can go from here but Insomniac deserves credit for rounding off Resistance with a final instalment that offers a smart, well-paced and compelling FPS experience.

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.

Chocked full of insane action and plenty of creative opportunities, and knows that ultimately it's all about having fun. It's a brash, no-brainer experience that gives everything you want from a sandbox game, but lets make sure the combat ramps up a notch in the next title.

Achieves the Holy Grail in the action/adventure genre, by perfectly merging arcade action with sufficient strategy and depth. We loved every moment in the game.

Admittedly, the PS2 is never going to be home to revolutionary ideas at this stage (particularly a PSP conversion), but even at a budget-price you have to ask yourself whether the appeal of the story and returning to Vice City is worth stepping back in time to a game that's the equivalent of a straight-to-DVD release.

The challenges offered in terms of beating your opponents were well tapered; the more you play the better you get and winning some dosh and opening the sub games, which were equally enjoyable, really topped the experience.

A good enough looking title (if your PC can cope with all the gloss turned on), an intuitive HUD, and epic music all helps with the immersion. There are a couple of niggling glitches that could be improved over time through patches, Civilizations at War nonetheless remains a solid title, and one that non-RTS action heavy gamers should check out.

It's been awhile since their was a 2D platformer to shout about, and in some way DK: Jungle Beat represents something of a renaissance for the genre, fusing next-gen qualities such as delicious visuals to hopefully ensure it's not just the older gamers clamouring after them bongos.

A slightly cringe-worthy 'Two-Button Control' system will no doubt help to attract the uninitiated to 2010 FIFA World Cup, but this isn't just a game for 'prawn sandwich' footie fans (to quote the affable Roy Keane). It's a game that'll appeal just as much to hardened FIFA veterans who've just about squeezed everything they can out of FIFA 10 and need something to tide them over until FIFA 11.

Although there’s no denying that Western fans will appreciate the experience more then others, the truth is that the level of style, inspired design and gritty atmosphere will likely please those looking for a good, straightforward action romp.

This handheld version of Tom Clancy's EndWar offers a satisfying, tactical gaming experience.

Undoubtedly a visual masterpiece that proves the PS3 does have the power to carry the format forwards, KillZone 2 is a wonderfully solid and entertaining first-person shooter.

Driving around Tokyo is something that some Midnight Club gamers will have never achieved thanks to the challenge that was Midnight Club 2, so it's rather helpful of Rockstar to package the city into Remix for all to enjoy from the off.

I feel that I have been proven wrong once again by this game. It doesn’t have to [be] a true simulation to enjoy the game.

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.

Brilliant in both concept and execution, LocoRoco is easily the best thing to hit the PSP since Lumines kicked the format off 18 months ago.

Undeniably hard to get into, Kingdom Hearts II is very much a sequel and does lean heavily on knowing the storyline and the cast of characters.

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.

A large portion of the enjoyment comes from the same type of British humour that featured in ‘Giants’; it’s certainly not an easy thing to develop a game that manages to make you laugh, however this one certainly succeeds.

The variety with the games objects, as well in locations, aint half bad and that alongside some really plush graphics gives this almost instant appeal, which proves a point that some TV programs do transform into half decent games.

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.

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.