Bulletstorm kerb-stomps the dominant FPS orthodoxy, replacing tired old conventions with fresh new mechanics. Its gorgeous sci-fi aesthetic and fluid ultraviolent action make the game almost as fun to watch as it is to play and, although it lacks adversarial deathmatches, Bulletstorm's Echoes and Anarchy modes significantly extend its appeal.

Improvements in the level of detail on offer from the damage modelling to the multi-layered audio, continue to present the game with ever greater realism, and no-one could ever accuse the developers of a lack of variety in the vehicles.

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

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.

Offers an intense, action packed experience that ties in a nice selection of varied gameplay aspects to ensure the game never gets tired.

It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.

With this fifth full installment in the series, Gran Turismo manages to hold onto its legacy of genre dominating driving sims, but only just. If and when Gran Turismo 6 arrives on the PS3, Polyphony Digital might have to look at bringing more innovation to the series if it wants to pull as far ahead of the chasing pack as it once was.

Rockstar have done exactly what you’d expect them do: break down the movie into it’s core elements, expand upon the origin story, add a range of side-missions that add an extra incentive to progress through the narrative, get the visual and audio ambience of the film, and throw in that special Rockstar polish.

Those who won't look at a game unless it's got big guns and lots of mindless goons to destroy will likely detest Fahrenheit and wonder what the fuss is all about; however those who'd like to glimpse how videogames can become an effective means to telling stories and interacting with them will find one of the surprising contenders for Game of the Year.

A top-notch expansion pack that Medieval fans will love. You get a major new campaign as well as lots of extras for "Medieval Total War" that substantially increases its life.

A really good beat-en-up that really absorbs players. Graphically the game is very well done, and the soundtracks enhance the whole hip-hop underground scene that the title is trying to represent and exaggerate.

With such an emphasis on tactical team play, the fact that additional inroads into the battlefields can't be achieved with - for instance - the strategic placement of an explosive charge on a wall leaves Quake Wars feel slightly dated around the edges.

Valkyrie Profile 2 is a hardcore gamer's game. With 2D gameplay reminiscent of numerous classics from days gone by and a general sense of sophistication and creativity, Square-Enix's latest provides plenty for fans of the original provided you can look past some of the questionable cuts.

Simply the greatest point-and-click adventure game to date, whilst it may seam a little strange at time hang on there you will be rewarded in the end.

One of the smartest and most informed ways we have seen in creating a realistic setting/atmosphere in a game and this offers so much more than you can possibly imagine.

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.

It doesn't do anything drastically different and in some ways is quite by the numbers, and is still very reliant on the multiplayer options, but for Star Wars fans already pining for the mythical Episodes VII, VIII, and IX it will form a neat addition the collection.

The way the game adds small increments – a new move or weapon or task has been brilliantly devised and all the time you are playing you get help and feedback from a chap that looks not unlike Mr Clive Sinclair – you have to have been around in the 8 bit days to appreciate this.

Taking the criticism thrown at it last year, Yukes has come up trumps with this year’s iteration rectifying the situation with a barrage of new wrestlers, features, and gameplay elements that wrapped together forms one of the most complete wrestling titles yet.

There are only a couple of issues that hold back F1 2010 from a perfect score and they're not major gripes at that. The F1 license is finally back in the hands of a publisher that's willing and able to create a realistic depiction of the sport and this is a remarkably good first attempt by Codemasters Birmingham.

Offers an intense, action packed experience that ties in a nice selection of varied gameplay aspects to ensure the game never gets tired.

Fantastic , it will keep you playing for hours on end, and if you manage to complete the game you’ll get a great feeling of happiness.

Part of me is screaming at the lack of analogue support and the frustrating nature of pre-rendered environments. However once you get past that and slaughter your first wave of demons you can’t help but get sucked into the game.

Its identical nature to "Jak 2" may leave a nasty taste in the mouth, especially given that this is the send-off to the comical pair.

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

Simply put Chu Chu is sheer simplicity yet devilishly tough gaming perfection.

If there was one thing that I had to moan about, it would be the story which involves Humans and Dolphins travelling outer space in little bubbles, until an evil alien species invades the earth and it's up to Ecco to save the day whilst the rest our up in space...

Bulletstorm kerb-stomps the dominant FPS orthodoxy, replacing tired old conventions with fresh new mechanics. Its gorgeous sci-fi aesthetic and fluid ultraviolent action make the game almost as fun to watch as it is to play and, although it lacks adversarial deathmatches, Bulletstorm's Echoes and Anarchy modes significantly extend its appeal.

The end result comes across as desperately trying to be edgy and blatantly falls short of the mark, resulting in a somewhat hammy experience with characters that you fail to bond with.

It’s not quite the game that we have all been hoping for, however the new character switch adds a new element of fun that most of us should enjoy.

The full frontal presentation is the overriding factor for GBE and if you feel that too much emphasis is being placed on its importance and that of its quality and the inordinate amount of audio that is packed into it, which is superb, then you would be wrong.

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.

The only real disappointment with Unreal Championship is that there's nothing new; it is essentially "UT2003" for the home consoles.

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 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.

Interestingly the PS2 version appears to have the edge over the Xbox version, sporting crisper textures that seem to feature more detail. Along with the fact that the Dual-Shock 2 controller was conceived for the Tony Hawk control system, making the PS2 version the superior out of the lot.

The amalgamation of Tony Hawk’s and "Jackass" is the videogame equivalent of a match-made in heaven, and certainly makes a marked improvement upon the weak story of its predecessor.

A whole new Career structure, expanded vehicles, and the lack of stronghold rallying locations like Sweden and Finland, have all worked together to push the franchise in a new (and yet, not a wholly welcomed) direction.

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.

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.

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.

More than just a nostalgic look at the early history of the franchise; instead Team Ninja has somehow managed to kick the fighting genre into the online age.

It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.

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.

It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.

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.

It may not be the most original game in the world, but the fact that it offers a level of fun that is certainly unparalleled in the genre more than makes up for that.

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.

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.

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.

Without doubt extremely enjoyable for fans, simply because controlling Spider-Man has never been executed so well. There are problems with the main game, there's problems with its presentation; however we still find ourselves loading up the game just to swing around New York again.

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.

If you were a fan of the original you need to find this game; if you're not a GBA owner it's worth picking up a new Game Boy Micro just for this game.

The amalgamation of Tony Hawk's and "Jackass" is the videogame equivalent of a match-made in heaven, and certainly makes a marked improvement upon the weak story of its predecessor.

It may not be hugely original, or indeed faithful to the franchise but, with a deep combat system and some excellent boss battles, Lords of Shadow claims a place near the top of the action adventure list and is terrific value for money.

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.

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.

If you have more than one console then the Xbox is best, followed closely by the PS2 then the GameCube version. In comparison to the others, this one has the slight framerate issues.

Those who won’t look at a game unless it’s got big guns and lots of mindless goons to destroy will likely detest Fahrenheit and wonder what the fuss is all about; however those who’d like to glimpse how videogames can become an effective means to telling stories and interacting with them will find one of the surprising contenders for Game of the Year.

As a game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is largely without fault and has many aspects that set it out as a genre leader; we just sadly lament the desperate attempt to be mature and edgy.

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.

Nintendo fans will need little reminding of the qualities of the WarioWare series; if you've never had the fortune before, make sure to pick this up and prepare for one of the most insane and enjoyable experiences offered by a videogame.

Sports Interactive has built a better 3D match engine in FM 2009 than can be found in any other game of its type and by quite a margin.

Crimson Skies draws me in to every single mission.

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.

You cannot help but be impressed by the level of [sound] quality, from the superb voice acting to the suitably epic score featured throughout; exceptional on all parts.

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.

A really good beat-en-up that really absorbs players. Graphically the game is very well done, and the soundtracks enhance the whole hip-hop underground scene that the title is trying to represent and exaggerate.

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.

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

At least three new gameplay features makes Battlefront II feel far more rounded compared to the first title. Perhaps this is what Battlefront I should have been.

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.

One of the greatest elements to F1 2001 is the controls, you can choose to use the Dual Shock 2 or the Gran Turismo 3 wheel, both of them offer great response to the F1 car.

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.

This is a game that you must own - even if you think that you don't enjoy the franchise thus far, the fact is that like Ridge Racers, the THUG2 experience is very complimentary with the whole ethos of PSP.

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.

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.

Improvements in the level of detail on offer from the damage modelling to the multi-layered audio, continue to present the game with ever greater realism, and no-one could ever accuse the developers of a lack of variety in the vehicles.

The strides forward over last year's game really do place Codies' F1 series amongst the most dynamic sports series in video games today, ensuring that if you played and enjoyed last year's game then you'd be mad not to get in on the ground floor of this year's improvements.

A genuine highlight in the FIFA series, FIFA 07 is perhaps the most refined and complete offering likely to appear on this generation of consoles.

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.

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.

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.

Certain aspects of the game work brilliantly although (such as the ecology) with the world of Skull Island coming to life quite naturally. It does tend to drag a bit in places and the pacing can be less than consistant but overall its a good 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.

Top Spin 4 preserves the series' signature depth, ensuring that it remains the most advanced tennis experience available to gamers. Its easy to learn, hard to master control system is a triumph, and manages to retain overtones of simulation while simultaneously executing accessibility. Even without Virtua Tennis' sense of silliness and whimsy, Top Spin 4 is still a real hoot and, apart from one or two niggles, it's perhaps only limited by the repetitive nature of the sport itself.

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.

A joy for the hardcore to behold.

The most original and ambitious racer for years, Eden's first title for Xbox 360 is sure to have gamers demanding more in the future. Hopefully the patch won't be too long in coming either.

Blur is to racing games what Modern Warfare was to shooters. It easily combines the solid racing action we've come to expect from Bizarre Creations with power-ups that provide plenty of depth and options in the game. More significantly its the multitude of layers to the game, in terms of extra challenges and multiplayer, that creates the most absorbing arcade racing action we've had since Burnout Revenge. Simply a must-have for racing fans.

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.

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