Super Monkey Ball: Step and Roll might be marketed as a game to play using the Wii Balance Board, but it's a much better game when played using standard Wii Remote controls.

Last Hope International is the definitive Star Ocean 4 experience, and as far as I'm concerned, the best next-gen RPG money can buy.

White Knight Chronicles isn't a bad game; there's a decent amount of content on offer and some interesting innovations, but – and returning to this ongoing theme of expectation - it should have been something better.

Mass Effect 2 is the perfect fusion of the shooter and RPG genres. When you're not playing it, you wish you were. When you are playing it, you can't imagine doing anything else. Engrossing, captivating, stunning. Roll on DLC, and Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect 2 is the perfect fusion of the shooter and RPG genres. When you're not playing it, you wish you were. When you are playing it, you can't imagine doing anything else. Engrossing, captivating, stunning. Roll on DLC, and Mass Effect 3.

Perhaps No More Heroes 2, like its predecessor, works on a level our feeble brains aren't capable of comprehending. Perhaps it's so post-modern it's post-post-modern.

The Wii Remote and Nunchuck combo is a depressingly cumbersome way to play the game. A Game Cube controller, or Classic Controller, is the minimum requirement. The hardcore won't touch the game without a fighting stick.

It's not the finished article by any means, and through updates Zipper may realise its potential. It needs more game modes, tweaks to the spawn system, better controls, and it needs to make everything a lot clearer for those who find clans and massive action intimidating. If it does this, MAG will gain a foothold and thrive.

Although the game offers little in the way of innovation, Hijinx Studios has refined the traditional SRPG with great success. The fact that it has the words 'Vandal Hearts' in the title really doesn't do it any favours though; if this was a new IP, free from the shackles of the series and the scrutinising eyes of its fans, the game could have reached much greater heights.

Although the game offers little in the way of innovation, Hijinx Studios has refined the traditional SRPG with great success. The fact that it has the words 'Vandal Hearts' in the title really doesn't do it any favours though; if this was a new IP, free from the shackles of the series and the scrutinising eyes of its fans, the game could have reached much greater heights.

And once the brutally short campaign is over, Dark Void is over.

And once the brutally short campaign is over, Dark Void is over.

And once the brutally short campaign is over, Dark Void is over.

For nostalgia alone, die-hard fans will get a lot out of this HD remake, but gamers who have been spoilt by current genre favourites may well find Serious Sam HD a bit too simple for its own good.

A solid, entertaining third-person shooter, best played with a friend, but it's not quite the big advancement over the original it could have been. It's a more cohesive game, thanks to its location and more believable main characters, but the AI still disappoints at times and the new morality system misses far more than it hits. It's also incredibly short, and without a top-tier multiplayer component to turn to, your fun will likely be over very quickly.

A solid, entertaining third-person shooter, best played with a friend, but it's not quite the big advancement over the original it could have been. It's a more cohesive game, thanks to its location and more believable main characters, but the AI still disappoints at times and the new morality system misses far more than it hits. It's also incredibly short, and without a top-tier multiplayer component to turn to, your fun will likely be over very quickly.

We're all for multiplayer sports games that follow the Track and Field mould, but Vancouver 2010 offers none of the classic game's gratifying gameplay. Stick to watching this year's Winter Olympics on the TV.

We're all for multiplayer sports games that follow the Track and Field mould, but Vancouver 2010 offers none of the classic game's gratifying gameplay. Stick to watching this year's Winter Olympics on the TV.

Despite a fundamentally flawed default control scheme and somewhat bland visuals, Innocent Aces remains a solid flight-sim.

A highly entertaining, 15 hour plus adventure, with some gorgeous visuals, devilish puzzles and exciting action. Fingers crossed the no doubt planned sequel will build on this very impressive debut.

A highly entertaining, 15 hour plus adventure, with some gorgeous visuals, devilish puzzles and exciting action. Fingers crossed the no doubt planned sequel will build on this very impressive debut.

One of the finest hack 'n' slash games I've ever played. It's fast, thrilling, gorgeous, punishing, rewarding and tremendous fun. It's an old-fashioned game at heart, will test your skills to their limit, and more than lives up to its billing.

Underneath its myriad of flaws there's something endearing about Crystal Bearers. I fell in love with the game world, enjoyed the company of the characters, and lost hours to the distractions the game had to offer. Just don't fall into the trap of comparing Crystal Bearers to other Final Fantasy titles; you'll only be disappointed.

Guilty Gear fans are going to be disappointed with Battle Fantasia, of that there is no doubt. Despite looking like it should be an incredibly hardcore fighter, what with the heavy anime-influence and Japanese voice work, it turns out that it's heavy on accessibility, with only the parry system requiring any practice.

The Hera Campaign is a wonderful addition to the portable Tower Defence family, and a perfect fit on the PSP. It's hard and depressing, but if you put in the effort, you won't be disappointed.

Fingers crossed Episode Two shakes Alien Breed Evolution up a bit.

There can be no doubt that the game's over too soon, but the journey is still worth travelling. When water meets lava... Well, that's worth the asking price alone.

As addictive as the perk goals are, it's the bread-and-butter sabotage that proves to be the real distraction.

As addictive as the perk goals are, it's the bread-and-butter sabotage that proves to be the real distraction.

Forget about the Nightmare sequences; just sink into the ambiance, furrow your brow over the great puzzles, and marvel at the beautiful bleakness of it all. If you've been looking for something genuinely engaging to play on your Wii, your search is at an end.

As addictive as the perk goals are, it's the bread-and-butter sabotage that proves to be the real distraction.

This is my problem: loving Spirit Tracks means excusing failings games in other less-loved series might not get away with. Criticising it, on the other hand, does a disservice to how wonderful it truly is. Which horn do I run into? The answer is: both.

The team at Rebellion (and Reef, who handled the Wii version) have crafted a tactical combat game that hits the target so often that slight wavering every now and again can easily be overlooked. It would be easy to dismiss Rogue Trooper as the game where you play as a blue man with a talking gun, helmet and rucksack, but that blue man deserves a place in your Wii collection.

It won't please fans of the series, nor will it appeal to the casual iDevice audience. The game can be fun and entertaining but there are far too many hoops to jump through to get there.

While the presentation is great and the combat generally enjoyable, the missions leave a lot to be desired - and there's little of the sense of wonder that the movie promises. Had the two campaigns been packed with superbly entertaining moments, the missions been more diverse in their structure, and the "vehicles" been more fun to man, then yes, Avatar the Game might have reached the heights its source material looks set to achieve.

While the presentation is great and the combat generally enjoyable, the missions leave a lot to be desired - and there's little of the sense of wonder that the movie promises. Had the two campaigns been packed with superbly entertaining moments, the missions been more diverse in their structure, and the "vehicles" been more fun to man, then yes, Avatar the Game might have reached the heights its source material looks set to achieve.

It's not as if there's an intriguing plot to motivate you to soldier through, either. Nothing is explained.

Despite some effort to make Reflex more than just another MX vs ATV game, it's ended up feeling very similar to what's gone before it.

Despite some effort to make Reflex more than just another MX vs ATV game, it's ended up feeling very similar to what's gone before it.

A spin-off of the Might & Magic series, but it's such a refreshing departure from that tortuous franchise that we can't see it being a one-off. It's a stunning effort from a developer that's surely destined for great things.

Resident Evil Zero is a well designed survival horror game that offers more scares than Resident Evil 4 and 5 combined, but its dated gameplay will turn away many.

Bar this niggle, Pinball Fantasies on PSP is as good as it possibly could be. At £3.99 it's definitely worth a download if you're after a commute killer. Hell, at that price, it's worth a download just for nostalgia's sake.

It's challenging, often frustrating, but wonderfully satisfying. Buy it. Play it. Get the t-shirt.

What needs to be remembered is that this isn't a brand new Serious Sam game, but the original in new clothes. As such it feels a little dated compared with modern releases. It's undoubtedly fun and relentless in its strive for all-out action, but with a recommended retail price of £18, it feels a bit light.

The storyline is intricate, there's depth beyond the main quest, the presentation is wonderful, and the action is incredible at times. We've had some stunning single-player experiences this year, and Ubisoft has given us another gem to add to the list.

The storyline is intricate, there's depth beyond the main quest, the presentation is wonderful, and the action is incredible at times. We've had some stunning single-player experiences this year, and Ubisoft has given us another gem to add to the list.

The Darkside Chronicles is a mindless blast-a-thon. It lacks the sophistication of the recent Dead Space: Extraction, but it more than makes up for it by bewitching you with nostalgia. It's just great fun.

The sad thing is that every once in a while you get a brief sense of what this game could have been. The trick-based gameplay shows occasional flashes of potential, and the board peripheral could have worked. Maybe somewhere in a parallel universe there's a reality where Robomodo pulled it off; unfortunately, we're stuck here - and in this world Tony Hawk: Ride falls on its arse, big time.

The sad thing is that every once in a while you get a brief sense of what this game could have been. The trick-based gameplay shows occasional flashes of potential, and the board peripheral could have worked. Maybe somewhere in a parallel universe there's a reality where Robomodo pulled it off; unfortunately, we're stuck here - and in this world Tony Hawk: Ride falls on its arse, big time.

A top-quality shooter with oodles of style.

Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues was always going to feel a bit desperate, making the most out of a small amount of new content, but Traveller's Tales has done a decent job.

Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues was always going to feel a bit desperate, making the most out of a small amount of new content, but Traveller's Tales has done a decent job.

Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues was always going to feel a bit desperate, making the most out of a small amount of new content, but Traveller's Tales has done a decent job.

Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues was always going to feel a bit desperate, making the most out of a small amount of new content, but Traveller's Tales has done a decent job.

It's not up to the high standard set by other music games like SingStar and Guitar Hero, but it's good enough to please wannabe dancers.

It's flawed in places, but it's still one of the PSP's best games and an absolutely essential purchase.

About as good as I could imagine a game in the series being on the PSP, but that doesn't automatically make it an excellent game. Control issues to do with the use of a manual camera, the PSP's lack of horsepower and a series of missions that focus almost entirely on killing make this an Assassin's Creed game that lacks the quality seen in the console games.

A top-quality shooter with oodles of style.

It's a fun game, with an impressive sense of speed and the official license fans want, but there's undoubtedly something better coming next year, on platforms that can do the sport justice. This is a perfectly competent racer, one of the best on the Wii, but it's not a classic by any stretch of the imagination.

It's not perfect, but it's a solid effort and unlikely to disappoint.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a wonderful 2D platformer, and an essential purchase for all Wii owners, but the addition of multiplayer doesn't live up to its billing. And why is there no online?

Phantasy Star 0 doesn't quite live up to the memory of Phantasy Star Online from 2000, which if nothing else, highlights just how far the genre has come in the last ten years.

It's hard to see the majority of people wanting to play any other multiplayer shooter until the next CoD is released, such is the quality of what's on offer here...Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 takes everything that was great about CoD4 and ramps it up to the next level. With the best multiplayer shooting that money can buy, an incredibly action-packed campaign and plenty of superb two-player co-op levels, this is without a doubt a real contender for game of the year.

It's hard to see the majority of people wanting to play any other multiplayer shooter until the next CoD is released, such is the quality of what's on offer here...Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 takes everything that was great about CoD4 and ramps it up to the next level. With the best multiplayer shooting that money can buy, an incredibly action-packed campaign and plenty of superb two-player co-op levels, this is without a doubt a real contender for game of the year.

It's hard to see the majority of people wanting to play any other multiplayer shooter until the next CoD is released, such is the quality of what's on offer here.

To be completely fair to The ABC Murders, I took it home and spent an evening with the fiancé working through it. Her opinion: it's good, true to the novel and the TV show, but not as engaging as Professor Layton.

Like its predecessor, World Stage is one of the best multiplayer racers on Nintendo's family-friendly console. But you can't escape the feeling that it's a lazy effort.

Its role-playing is superb, but not revolutionary. It is a fantasy RPG so obviously crafted for the PC that it seems pointless to consider playing it on an alternative platform. It is an experience as compelling as it is archaic.

The wait for a new Jak and Daxter game has been a long one, and we're still waiting for the series to arrive on the PS3 (blame Uncharted and its success for that), but this PSP outing doesn't disappoint.

PES 2010 is simply not good enough to challenge FIFA's dominance. It's an improvement on last year's effort, and fans of the more arcadey virtual football will find plenty to enjoy, but as a simulation it pales in comparison.

PES 2010 is simply not good enough to challenge FIFA's dominance. It's an improvement on last year's effort, and fans of the more arcadey virtual football will find plenty to enjoy, but as a simulation it pales in comparison. PES 2010 is a return to form, but it is not a return to past glories.

Personally, I'm a bit mystified about why this game even exists. The concept behind the Star Wars Battlefront games is sound, but I can't see why anyone would think that the PSP could be a good platform for this kind of outing.

C.O.P. The Recruit makes you appreciate, if indeed it further needed your appreciation, the true worth of Chinatown Wars.

It's a game that comes across more as GH with a different musical focus, rather than as a new IP in its own right. Band Hero is far from being a bad game, but somewhere along the line it seems the new franchise's focus became a little confused.

It's a game that comes across more as GH with a different musical focus, rather than as a new IP in its own right. Band Hero is far from being a bad game, but somewhere along the line it seems the new franchise's focus became a little confused.

It's a game that comes across more as GH with a different musical focus, rather than as a new IP in its own right. Band Hero is far from being a bad game, but somewhere along the line it seems the new franchise's focus became a little confused.

Sports Interactive has built on last year's game to produce the best version yet (we must say this every year), so it's easy to recommend FM 2010 to anyone with an interest in taking their team to league and cup glory. If you can't get into the wonder that is Football Manager Live or just prefer the more solitary experience standard FM offers, this will keep you hooked to your PC monitor for months.

Nitro's problem is that the game struggles to keep you interested.

For kids into fashion this would make an ideal gift.

The whole adventure is bonkers from start to finish, and it's all the better for it. Rabbids Go Home won't be held up alongside true genre classics, but it's one of the best Wii games released this year and is sure to put a smile on your face.

Ninja Blade has no right to be as entertaining as it is. It's nowhere near as accomplished as the genre's heavyweights, but anyone able to see it as the roller-coaster ride it is should have a great time.

In parallel with the superlative Chinatown Wars, The Ballad of Gay Tony restores a sense of playfulness to the GTA franchise, cementing Rockstar's status as King of the DLC.

A game with visuals this simple really doesn't have any right to look this good. It might be a trickier experience than fans are used to, but it's still a joy to play. It's not as good as the previous two games, but at a budget price it's still a game few PSP owners will be disappointed by.

In a year destined to be remembered as the one that saw the resurgence of the fighting game, Tekken 6's star is too dull to shine brightest.

Veterans will still find the nuanced fighting system rewarding to master and, essentially, pixel perfect. But in a year destined to be remembered as the one that saw the resurgence of the fighting game, Tekken 6's star is too dull to shine brightest.

It's not the Wii's LittleBigPlanet. Nor does it offer the creative freedom of Scribblenauts, but it is a fun, quality platformer that's more challenging than its cute, Klonoa-esque exterior suggests. It's too hard for young children, but everyone else should enjoy it, even disillusioned hardcore Wii owners.

DJ Hero is possibly the best rhythm action game I have ever played. There's not a dull track in the entire game - hardly surprising given how much superstar DJ input FreeStyleGames has enjoyed.

DJ Hero is possibly the best rhythm action game I have ever played. There's not a dull track in the entire game - hardly surprising given how much superstar DJ input FreeStyleGames has enjoyed.

Never before has there been such a content-packed racing game, playable for people of all skill levels, that feels this good. That's the key. On the track, no matter what car you're in, it feels right. You're not wondering if the controls are too twitchy or if you should tweak some options in the menu. You're 100 per cent focused on nailing every corner, out-breaking an opponent and taking him on the inside and just having a good time.

The lack of fresh ideas, especially during Ratchet's sections, will be seen by many as a negative, but there are so few games that nail the action platforming genre that it's easily forgivable. If you're looking for a fun, imaginative, family friendly PS3 game, A Crack in Time fits the bill perfectly.

It's nice to look at it and is amusing for a short while, but as soon as the presentation gloss wears off you're left with a dull hack 'n' slash that makes use of an overly simplistic control system. Without the substance to go with the game's amusingly twisted appearance, Fairytale Fights never really gets past the opening chapter.

It's nice to look at it and is amusing for a short while, but as soon as the presentation gloss wears off you're left with a dull hack 'n' slash that makes use of an overly simplistic control system. Without the substance to go with the game's amusingly twisted appearance, Fairytale Fights never really gets past the opening chapter.

It's cute, it can do lots of neat tricks, and it puts motion controls to great use. The EyePet is probably going to sell like hotcakes this Christmas, and its success will be richly deserved.

Borderlands is unique, it's different, and it's hard to classify. But it's not for everyone. It's not for the stereotypical CoD/Halo crowd. It's not revolutionary, but it is interesting. And, crucially, it's a hell of a lot of fun, but only, long term at least, in co-op.

Borderlands is unique, it's different, and it's hard to classify. But it's not for everyone. It's not for the stereotypical CoD/Halo crowd. It's not revolutionary, but it is interesting. And, crucially, it's a hell of a lot of fun, but only, long term at least, in co-op.

Easily the best game in the series to date, and a must-buy for WWE fans - especially if you've been giving it a wide-berth for a few years. The controls are refined, the game modes are plentiful, the presentation is top class and the customisation features will excite the little kid in WWE fans the world over.

Easily the best game in the series to date, and a must-buy for WWE fans - especially if you've been giving it a wide-berth for a few years. The controls are refined, the game modes are plentiful, the presentation is top class and the customisation features will excite the little kid in WWE fans the world over.

For now, what we can say unequivocally is that FIFA 10 is the best FIFA ever created. And, maybe, the best football game ever created.