If you're don't shiver with excitement at the mere thought of a lovely pretty little pony, forget about this, but if you have a daughter who is overwhelmed by the desire to put pink things on mammals, then this is an excellent little package that has plenty more to offer than two halves of a coconut, and comes in at far less than the cost of a saddle.

It's a game that reaches a baseline of enjoyment – and that baseline is fairly high – and doesn't raise it further. The mission loop is too samey – drive here, hack a few things, sneak/shoot out – and multiplayer is too throwaway to really affect much. You'll undoubtedly enjoy your time with it, but it won't linger long in the memory.

Beenox deserves some mild applause for constructing a game that succeeds in being consistently fun despite the fact it's a movie tie-in.

Smarty Pants is exactly what you'd expect it to be, but nothing more. It's basically an interactive quiz, with none of the frills seen in rival titles from Sony and Microsoft.

PES 2009 is a good game, but the times they are changin', and we're afraid that Konami is being left behind. Time for a reboot, Seabass.

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds offers plenty of arcade fun, especially in multiplayer. If you have friends over and are looking for a great racing game, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Equally, if you enjoy online play, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds will scratch an itch. However, due to shallow progression systems, players may find themselves lacking the incentive to play more alone. That said, fans of the Sonic franchise will eat well here, since CrossWorlds’ soundtrack, as well as its literal tracks, are brimming with adoration for the blue hedgehog and his storied history.

With simple controls and an easy to understand premise, anyone can turn their hand to it with ease, then partake in some truly stressful yet fun multiplayer cooking action.

The all-important thing is that the racing is great and a swift return to form for the GRID series. In spite of my qualms, the variety and intensity of racing on offer is enough to keep players coming back.

There's plenty to do, with the core story missions and plenty of optional side activities making Prototype a game that you won't clock in a few sessions, and the upgrades and abilities are plentiful, but it just doesn't quite come together well enough to create a really great game.

Zuma doesn't quite pop off the screen and infest itself into you brain like PopCap's bigger hits, but there's some entertaining, though slightly gentle, puzzles to be had within its therapeutic confines.

As the mission wears on, its conceit gathers cobwebs, but do we always need to be blown away?

The biggest disappoint is how pitiful the narrative is.

On the surface, it’s a cutesy curio, but underneath all the dressing up and kicking the shit out of cats, there’s a complex and enjoyable JRPG, if not a brilliant one.

I'm convinced the team at Hothead have a great downloadable game within them, but they're still not quite there yet.

Headlander is entertaining, looks and sounds excellent, and gives off a cool vibe, but this isn't quite a classic.

Double Agent isn't the next-gen Splinter Cell experience that Ubisoft might want us to believe it is, but it's still a very impressive single and multiplayer experience. Sadly, this experience is considerably better on the Xbox 360, where the visuals and audio are far more polished.

I'm convinced the team at Hothead have a great downloadable game within them, but they're still not quite there yet.

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.

Sarcastic gripes against weird game elements aside though, Juiced 2 is a more than satisfactory racing game that offers some fun car stuff, all packaged up in a presentation featuring lots of busty girls in small amounts of tight clothing, which - speaking as a hot blooded male - is never a bad thing.

Though it comes with a crop of upgrades, and its graphics have been brushed to a smooth shine, what it offers, despite its title, is the joy of the old.

The lack of a proper single-player experience (it's an extended multiplayer tutorial and nothing else) and the poor graphics will prevent Section 8 from achieving huge success and high review scores, but the core multiplayer gameplay should ensure a healthy and loyal following for a while at least.

A by-the-numbers remaster, then, and one that would've benefited from a bit more love. For those who just wanted to see what all the fuss was about on their Xbox One or PS4, however, it suffices.

A perfectly serviceable DLC offering.

The 3D looks pretty smart, but this is the same old PES I've played many, many times before. It's still a smart game of football, but as with a number of 3DS launch games, it's not making the most of the hardware and doesn't really offer anything new.

The incredible scope, combined with the awkward menu system and lack of tutorials just serves to make this game completely inaccessible to the grand strategy novice. [Score originally posted as (50)]

It's hard to know who it's for. Newcomers can get by with the original, and old hands have played most of it before. If you're a massive fan of the series - and of Frank West in particular - it's still worth picking this up, but even at twenty notes, there's little to make this an urgent purchase.

The big question is whether or not a game like Hard Reset Redux has a place in today's market... a market that has recently received the superb Doom. Whereas Doom took the essence of the franchise and smashed it, rather bloodily, into relevance, Hard Reset sticks firmly to its roots. There's space for both, but the old-school shooter is starting to show its age.

The recently released "ProStroke Golf" demonstrated how a more advanced control system can work on consoles, and playing Tiger Woods 07 does feel like a slight step back. At the same time, the controls have a simplicity to them that makes the game easy to play, and there is level of depth to the control and shot choice for the more serious players.

It's hard to know who it's for. Newcomers can get by with the original, and old hands have played most of it before. If you're a massive fan of the series - and of Frank West in particular - it's still worth picking this up, but even at twenty notes, there's little to make this an urgent purchase.

There are some fantastic environments and old school style puzzles in Resi 7. The final section stops being survival horror and becomes a bit of a clunky linear shooter, but the first few hours are scary enough to put you off Louisiana for life.

Infected is the gaming equivalent of a video nasty that devotees of gore-splattered mayhem will lap up like a new Romero movie. Designed exclusively for the PSP, it also shows developers are starting to really think about what handheld gamers want, rather than just porting stripped down versions of established PlayStation franchises.

Its narrative is fractious and slight, compared to Sledgehammer’s previous work, but the chance for a chaotic, target-rich experience with friends exerts a stronger pull than usual.

Your prize for completing each of the 36 levels may initially seem underwhelming as you are awarded up to three stars depending on your rice-juggling skills, but really, the true satisfaction comes from watching Baby Nom Nom’s face light up at the sheer amount of rice he/she has scored for his/her next meal.

Sure, it's not as responsive as it could be, options for multiplayer are lacking and the concept of Share Tokens are likely to enrage many players, but play it in the right circumstances, with the right company, and an appropriate assortment of alcoholic beverages to hand (or sweeties, for the whipper snappers) and Just Dance 3 is just as enjoyable as it's ever been.

While I didn't bond with my horse as much as Molyneux may have liked, I fell head over heels for Albion.

Once you get over the fact that playing EndWar makes you look and sound like a bit of a twat, you start to have quite a lot of geek-fuelled fun ordering your army about the battlefield, but we can't help but feel that EndWar is more proof of concept technical showcase than fully fleshed out triple-A title.

The attention to detail here shames most other movie-licensed titles and there's plenty of fan service that will please gamers and non-gamers alike. Had the core game been more focused on the hunting and trapping we'd have had a potential classic.

It lacks the depth required of a game that will stand the test of time and live on for months if not years to come, but for simple fun, either alone or with a few mates, SEGA has a winner on its hands.

With a bit more ingenuity in the puzzles, more made of the time travel and a little more graphical "oomph", Raven and Activision could have had a real gem on their hands. It's still well worth a look though.

We loved it, but if you're someone who takes games very seriously and are looking for a nigh-on carbon copy of GTA 4 this won't be for you.

A solid, fun and at times entrancing shooter that stands head and shoulders above most titles on the service in the graphics department.

The problems playing online are a major let down, and, for us, prevent the game from getting an eight. Ignore that, and, somewhat surprisingly, you've got one of the Wii's most fun fighting games.

As a whole, though, it's an elegantly crafted thriller that stands out as an original, charming and beautiful adventure. As an experience it's well worth the price of admission, but sadly Ghost Trick lets itself down with its overall simplicity and the disappointment of its crucial final act.

Stylish aesthetic and cinematic flair still keep the overall experience enjoyable, but my initial spark of love for the series has largely disappeared. After a shoddy narrative decision revealed within the first 15 minutes of Episode 2, my trust in the series has diminished.

The absence of London Life is particularly grating, as it's arguably the lone element of Spectre's Call (or rather, Last Specter) that tries to do something new. The game we're left with will still please the Professor's long-term supporters, but it's clear that the next instalment needs to bring in a fresh idea or two. Simply being Laytonesque won't cut it anymore.

So, I'm happy Transformers Devastation exists and thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with it, but it's not quite the game I imagined as an idealistic child. For one, it's not based on the original animated movie complete with soundtrack. And secondly, it's four hours long.

This isn't a game that demands your undivided attention, though; it can be played sporadically, either on your own or with a few friends and some beers. It can become monotonous – mindless even, if you let it – but with the right frame of mind, there's a remarkable amount of fun to be had here.

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

So, for the first time, a new Assassin's Creed game is worse than its predecessor, the first time the short development period has had a noticeable impact on the game's quality. It's a game of nearlies and might-have-beens: summed up by the hookblade, a supposedly key new feature which in practice merely extends Ezio's reach slightly, and allows him to glide down the occasional zipline.

This isn't a game that demands your undivided attention, though; it can be played sporadically, either on your own or with a few friends and some beers. It can become monotonous – mindless even, if you let it – but with the right frame of mind, there's a remarkable amount of fun to be had here.

One frustrating game. While playing you'll more than likely go through spells of loving what Treyarch has done, but you'll want to throw in the towel at numerous points too. The camera and combat system are most to blame, with the two working against you far too regularly for Spidey's next-gen debut to be considered a classic.

On one side you've got some brilliantly designed platforming, with Ubisoft able to breathe new life into what could have been quite stale gameplay. Sadly, the combat, of which there is a lot, fails to do anything interesting. It's too basic and as a result dull and repetitive.

So, for the first time, a new Assassin's Creed game is worse than its predecessor, the first time the short development period has had a noticeable impact on the game's quality. It's a game of nearlies and might-have-beens: summed up by the hookblade, a supposedly key new feature which in practice merely extends Ezio's reach slightly, and allows him to glide down the occasional zipline.

Puddle is a well-made game with a lot of character and a cheeky scientific feel. It's fun to see what sort of unexpected places and states you end up in, but be prepared to suffer a lot if you want the medals on every level.

If you want a transporting reverie, a game you can slip into as if you had closed your eyes, then here it is. No trek required.

Kitty Powers is back, and she's giving you a lot to grab onto. Love Life isn't paced quite as well as Matchmaker, but organising the entire relationship of a town full of couples is a great challenge. Kitty always leaves you wanting more.

A thoroughly enjoyable game with a deliciously retro feel, despite the somewhat improved (but still lack lustre) graphics and the adorably camp accents.

The important point is that the infantry-based action here is largely excellent, provided that you have the will-power to endure countless defeats. Death is never far away in Dragon Rising, and if you've not played a game like this before there's a good chance you'll love the lashings of tension that accompany each and every mission.

Endless Ocean is a game that goes out of its way to ease the player into its world. It's so calm and relaxing that at times you'll wonder if you have a pulse, only to suddenly spring back to life when something catches your eye - be it a massive shark or some sunken treasure.

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures doesn't quite live up to its Star Wars cousins, mainly due to the fact that Star Wars is simply a more memorable series, but it's still a brilliant adventure and great fun.

Vampyr serves delicious ladles of angst and drama with a hearty slice of excellent, morally grey choice system that will genuinely surprise you, all wrapped up in a wonderfully gloomy London. It's just a shame the combat turns a bit sour.

A smart series of puzzling occult cases, The Darkside Detective has a very distinct sense of humour that you'll either love or hate.

One of those games you can happily dip in and out of over a period of weeks.

While it mostly relies on a tried and tired Ubisoft-open-world formula, the exhilarating car combat, the gleeful punk-rock absurdity of its world and the characters that populate it, and its almost flawless presentation make it something more than the sum of its well worn parts.

Still, if you're still a plastic guitar aficionado then Warriors of Rock is undeniably fun; it just severely lacks in ambition, and its ostentatious new coat of paint is little more than a sleight of hand designed to trick you into thinking you're in for a different ride this year. You're not.

Split/Second is so close to being great; so much so that in short bursts it really is a spectacular arcade racer. It just doesn't have any legs.

Still, if you're still a plastic guitar aficionado then Warriors of Rock is undeniably fun; it just severely lacks in ambition, and its ostentatious new coat of paint is little more than a sleight of hand designed to trick you into thinking you're in for a different ride this year. You're not.

It captures the spirit of Star Wars, but will feel very familiar if you've played a Lego game recently.

If you want variety you'll likely grow tired of GTI Club+'s relatively meager content, but if you're someone who can spend days perfecting a single lap and fancy a bit of no nonsense arcade multiplayer gaming, look no further.

Valiant Hearts doesn't make the most of what it's got: the four playable protagonists (the dog is essentially a tool for fetching things) each offer different perspectives on the war, but their stories are predictable and too dependent on coincidence to really engage...No matter. Valiant Hearts may be confused, but it's also brave.

Still, if you're still a plastic guitar aficionado then Warriors of Rock is undeniably fun; it just severely lacks in ambition, and its ostentatious new coat of paint is little more than a sleight of hand designed to trick you into thinking you're in for a different ride this year. You're not.

For now this stands alone as something a bit different from the norm. It's brief but discovering everything will take considerable time and effort.

The game engine is certainly in need of a makeover, and this might be the last year THQ can offer what is more or less a slight update, but it's a fun game and something that will get more than a few hours play with some mates.

The game is certainly rewarding and fun if you can get into it. Unfortunately we can't see the average gamer having the patience to do just that.

A curious game that will seem a little uncomfortable to some factions of both the shmup fanboys and casual players. Still, it is a great piece of software that manages to offer plenty of variation through well-designed level objectives, and at a price you can afford with pocket change.

I certainly found more here to enjoy than I expected, and at times it's riveting stuff, but my interest frequently dwindled as turn-based fatigue rose.

If you are a rookie to the series then by all means sign up for combat, but everyone else should probably just wait to stroll down "Hell's Highway" if they want a new experience.

Indeed, if, like me, you have a weakness for the zombie-hued, and for the sway and flail of first-person platforming, then Dying Light 2 is easy to recommend.

What I didn’t expect from the new Call of Duty was downtime, and the suggestion, at least in the first half, that guns, while great for going in blazing, can provide just as potent a thrill when holstered.

Where Little Orpheus differs from its predecessors, and what marks it as a curious mobile game, is that you appreciate it most when you aren’t playing.

It's often gorgeous to look at and the story is worth experiencing, but the multiplayer is nothing more than a slight distraction and the lack of co-op is a missed opportunity. Bound in Blood is worth a look, but as a sequel it doesn't take the series on enough.

Despite a few niggles with the note structure changes and the nagging feeling that this could have all been DLC, Greatest Hits is still a lot of fun.

If you enjoy games with decent plots, developed characters and brilliant dialogue, this violent, offensive and witty action game is probably worth your attention, and if you're a shooting game purist, try not to expect too much and you'll still have plenty to enjoy.

Knee Deep's swampy noir mystery play is one of the most interesting and entertaining ways to frame a game you'll ever see. Just a shame the final act doesn't rise to the humid, neo-gothic heights of the rest.

In the end, Gotham Knights is, like the studio’s earlier contribution to the saga, Batman: Arkham Origins, a decent game haunted by the notion of not being the main event.

It's a simple port of a console game and as such is best played on a console.

Ultimately, Hotline Miami 2 improves upon its predecessor in a way that is pleasing, but non-essential. And to get there, it undercut the one thing that made the original great. Hotline Miami was nasty, brutish, and short. Hotline Miami 2, sadly, is not.

Despite varied factions and excellent maps, XDefiant’s shootouts are let down by a lack of identity and sluggish weapon progression. Outside an emphasis on making skill-based matchmaking optional, the game plays like every shooter from the last decade, leaning into nostalgia over attempting a breakthrough. While technical pitfalls can be resolved with seasonal updates, XDefiant needs novelty to sustain a player base.

If you're a hardcore fighter fan, you'll be annoyed by the button layout and the associated lack of precision. If you're a newcomer who has yet to play Street Fighter IV, you're better off picking up one of the previous editions; it'll cost you little more than a tenner, rather than the £30 you'll pay for the 3DS version.

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.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is one of the most visually unique titles I've ever played, glossing over a fairly by the numbers third-person shooter. The deranged duo's return is worth experiencing and is far more accomplished than its predecessor, but the gameplay on offer still doesn't match the quality of the characters IO has created.

Super Crate Box is a darling of a game, then, hindered somewhat by the platform it's on. It's absolutely impossible to not like it, but this version is easy not to love.

The satisfying action and relentless chaos of Rage 2 peppers a formulaic open world with thrills.

It's obvious that sweat has gone into translating all of Sims 3's features onto a hand-held device, but beyond the core game - the eating, buying, working, cleaning Sims - the game feels too lightweight and its features too incidental.

American football and tennis let the side down, but overall this is another fun, albeit slightly flawed, party game for Kinect.

It's fun, with a compulsive quality and a constant glut of rewards to keep you playing and earning more weapons, perks, and Yet More Stuff for your build(s), even if it lacks the time pressure and one-more-go appeal of Mercenaries. At five quid, however, there's no going wrong here.

I'd rather play this than any other game currently available for the system, but that doesn't forgive the many signs that Namco rather rushed this out of the door.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is one of the most visually unique titles I've ever played, glossing over a fairly by the numbers third-person shooter. The deranged duo's return is worth experiencing and is far more accomplished than its predecessor, but the gameplay on offer still doesn't match the quality of the characters IO has created.