With a 360 controller plugged into your PC Halo 2 for Vista is a decent, if rather dated FPS. For a game that is spearheading Microsoft's new operating system though, it's just not good enough.

Played with friends Circle of Doom is mildly entertaining for a short time, but it's unquestionably one of the most disappointing games Microsoft has released for the Xbox 360.

The cold, harsh truth is that Backbreaker feels like a Euphoria tech demo. It comes as no surprise to learn that the game was once designed as a downloadable title to showcase NaturalMotion's clever physics skills.

This is a typical launch title in many ways - by no means as good as it could have been, but a solid effort no doubt developed under the strictest of time restraints.

It's not a bad game by a long stretch - just a game that's over in a flash and almost entirely devoid of any memorable moments.

Unless you fall in love with the deathmatch modes, the main draw here is the two campaigns - and most gamers will be able to cut their way through both in under five hours. Even if you're a massive fan of the series, we'd advise you to approach this game with caution.

On one hand it's a near-broken video game, packed full of so many gaming no-nos that it ought never to be spoken about again, but on the other it's original, atmospheric and sickeningly good fun.

It’s not a bad game, and it’s worth playing for the plot and setting alone. But it’s not a great RPG, and that’s a problem, because it’s an RPG. Somehow, it amounts to less than the sum of its parts.

Although by no means a perfect RPG, Suikoden V is an enjoyable game, but more so for connoisseurs of the series or RPG fans. Those new to the genre might wish to go for something which is more accessible and moves at a faster pace.

There's little to no challenge present throughout the entire game, the story only makes sense if you already know the plot and there's a lack of things to do outside of the three main gameplay mechanics. Buy if you're a mega fan, but avoid if you like your games with even a tiny amount of depth.

A passable enough way to while away the rainy summer evenings. But remember, there is much more to discover outside these lacklustre city walls.

It has a delightful old school feel about it that is reminiscent of The Chaos Engine or the aforementioned LucasArts gem, Zombies Ate My Neighbours, but if you're interested in gameplay over middling next-gen visuals, you'd be better off browsing eBay than dipping your toe in the very American world of Monster Madness.

Beyond the short-ish 15-mission single-player experience you have a very basic ad hoc two-player Skirmish multiplayer mode that doesn't really add much to the game.

Dark Souls is a better game, but they both offer a similar experience. Sluggish and unforgiving, in my opinion, isn't a good combination. If you didn't enjoy Dark Souls I can't see this being for you either.

With its most obvious original appeal – 'real' Ass Creed on a handheld – gone, Liberation's appeal is diminished. While it does have some interesting ideas, which the main series itself would benefit from trying to integrate, this is the same old Creed, with the same old problems.

Touch My Katamari is still a decent series entry, and if you don't know the franchise there's some enjoyment to be found, though the authenticity and soul of Takahashi's Katamari games remains lost.

Jump Force has all the ingredients of an epic manga crossover, but fails to execute them in a memorable way.

A listless take on a game that should be – and has previously been – anything but.

Killer Instinct possesses the fundamentals to be a crowd-pleasing title, and certainly does a decent job of inviting less experienced players into the genre, but its limited modes and insistence on milking your funds KOs a game with potential.

It seems that Omega Force either can't be bothered to breathe fresh air into the franchise, or it feels it doesn't need to because anything in a game box with Dynasty Warriors on the front is guaranteed to make money.

So then, another Hollywood movie, and another so-so game based on it. The Da Vinci Code has the right heritage but unfortunately suffers from the same disease as many of its ilk - it has been rushed to meet a release date without receiving the kind of polish that could have made a great game out of the subject matter.

The camera is a nightmare, often getting stuck behind some invisible barrier or randomly switching to new and more disorienting angles. The collision detection's had a nervous breakdown, the puzzles are as laborious as a two-hour queue in the freezing cold and the combat has about as much depth as the shallow end at your local swimming pool.

If you're excited about the movie and think dropping a few pounds is worth it to keep that fury at a fever pitch… then it probably makes more sense to just hold off and use the cash to see the film twice. The usual 'if you're a fan' nonsense obviously applies, but there are far better ways to live up to that idea than play this. Acceptable, but forgettable.

It's a shame that Transformers: Dark of the Moon exhibits so many fundamental flaws in its design, as from time to time you get a fleeting vision of what High Moon Studios is trying to create.

Juiced Eliminator attempts to simulate what it's like to be a street racer, but it simply lacks the flair and excitement that other games in the genre offer.

Downhill Jam isn't an awful game; it's just a game that uses the Wii's new controller in completely the wrong way. Games that would work better on a standard controller have no reason to exist on the Wii, and when they're released with awkward controls and unimpressive presentation you have to wonder what the publisher and developer involved were thinking.

It's a shame that Transformers: Dark of the Moon exhibits so many fundamental flaws in its design, as from time to time you get a fleeting vision of what High Moon Studios is trying to create.

It looks okay, it plays okay, it has some nice touches, but it lacks the spit and polish required to elevate it above the rest in an already crowded genre.

UberSoldier isn't dreadful, but it's a long way from being up there with the best first-person shooters on the PC. The story is often laughable and the gameplay feels like a tired re-run of shooters released over the past five years.

After the movie turned out to be such good fun, the game landed with a heavy thud, failing to offer anywhere near the same level of enjoyment.

A solid hack 'n' slash adventure let down by poor level design and a bad camera system.

Turok isn't an awful game, it's just an unbelievably frustrating one.

So, having sacrificed gameplay in favour of story, what's left is a product that isn't really much of a game at all. If you can put up with the tedium of puzzles and stealth sections, the rich story and compelling characters will furnish you with a rewarding experience.

If all you want is a gore-fest, then this may well tick all the boxes required, but everyone else will find it lacking the things that make games great.

Deadpool is a great character wrapped in a standard (and short) action experience. It can be fun in quick bursts, but the lack of a real challenge until the very end means it tires quickly.

I can’t speak for anime fans, but die-hard FromSoftware devotees, as well as those who thirst for a really good vampire game – currently a malnourished bunch – are both parishes to which I belong. And I suspect both will wish for more bite.

The jointed Tokobot moves work well, and the opening sections are good fun, but the ideas soon run out, leaving a game that isn't brilliant as an all out action platformer, nor a puzzle-based adventure.

Mostly you’ll be firing bullets into people's heads, running around like a moron and then repeating and it feels like a grind a long time before it needs to. You'll need to grind too, as the later enemies can only be killed with specific, unlockable guns. It’s free, but for a game about water zombies, it’s dry.

The Town of Light has an interesting premise, but, however worthy an enterprise it is, the story is just too confused a journey to leave a real impact.

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.

A passer-by who saw someone playing At World's End could be forgiven for thinking the game is worth a look, but beneath its next-gen gloss lies nothing more than a basic action game. If you want nothing more than a fancy looking title to show off your new HD TV, look no further, but don't expect too many great memories.

Bodycount isn't a good game. It might provide a few hours of entertainment if you're into basic, straight-up shooting, but the controls and dodgy AI will likely put off most players.

Bodycount isn't a good game. It might provide a few hours of entertainment if you're into basic, straight-up shooting, but the controls and dodgy AI will likely put off most players.

The jointed Tokobot moves work well, and the opening sections are good fun, but the ideas soon run out, leaving a game that isn't brilliant as an all out action platformer, nor as a puzzle-based adventure.

There are better 'brain trainers' available, and you can do a lot better than refining your grey matter with the distinctly average MindStorm.

If all you want is a gore-fest, then this may well tick all the boxes required, but everyone else will find it lacking the things that make games great.

Eat Lead simply isn't a good enough game to make the most of the brilliant script. While you're likely to enjoy Matt's many one-liners and smirk at the sheer absurdness of what's going on, you're not going to enjoy the clumsy combat and generic gameplay.

Bionicle Heroes does little to make a name for itself, with repetitive and overly simplistic gameplay, and some rather uninspiring visuals.

Reaching the credits, I sat back, exhausted and disappointed at where the series had ended up.

A disappointment but perhaps my expectations should have been lower in the first place. It's short and lacking in gameplay depth, but has moments where you'll be fooled into thinking it's all right. Visually it at least has style if not technical excellence, but underneath is a fairly typical licensed title.

The plethora of annoying little quirks and dodgy production values mask some genuinely fun and varied gameplay.

More than any other studio, Ubisoft is willing to mutate its existing IPs until they scarcely resemble what they once were.

A disappointment but perhaps my expectations should have been lower in the first place. It's short and lacking in gameplay depth, but has moments where you'll be fooled into thinking it's all right. Visually it at least has style if not technical excellence, but underneath is a fairly typical licensed title.

A wonderful upgrade of one of the most derivative and dull titles in the series.

Spark has made its best game to date, but fails on so many levels the end result is still only a notch above a complete washout. Enemies are dull, weapons are lacklustre (the shotgun is one of the worst I've ever used and the melee attack is appalling), the mech isn't fun, and the multiplayer is blighted by similar issues that real-life foes can't fix.

On a mobile phone platform like the iPhone, Hero of Sparta stands out as something quite impressive, but simply porting a game like this to the PSP as a Mini isn't good enough.

Dead Space 3 is a let down because it’s not a very good action game, and a really substandard horror game. It is devoid of ideas, hung up on laborious combat and obsessed with making even the exciting seem boring. In truth, it’s a bit of a shocker.

Even if you're the biggest Trekkie the world's ever seen, we can't recommend a download. It's not particularly bad, just boring.

When Trials of the Blood Dragon is just trying to be a more accessible, over-the-top and explosive sequence of Trials stages it's perfectly enjoyable. Sadly there's other stuff that gets in the way of that.

If you're after a game on a par with the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, you'll find Saw severely lacking.

The game is frighteningly monotonous.

The camera is a nightmare, often getting stuck behind some invisible barrier or randomly switching to new and more disorienting angles. The collision detection's had a nervous breakdown, the puzzles are as laborious as a two-hour queue in the freezing cold and the combat has about as much depth as the shallow end at your local swimming pool.

In its own battle between Good and Evil, Infernal's evil side shines through a little too often.

RoboCop Rogue City Unfinished Business is a repetitive slog coasting on the goodwill of a venerated licensed IP to mask a deadening mix of mediocre shooting, repetitive levels, and a bland story.

Dry Drowning is surreal and silly; it draws you in with earnest and ludicrous writing, perhaps not in the way the game's developer intended.

Dull combat.

A surprise and a disappointment at the same time. The in-game visuals far exceeded what I was expecting, but the arcade racing soon becomes rather dull and repetitive.

Such is the disappointment of Epic Mickey 2 that fans of the original will feel that the entire soul of the game has been ripped out and replaced with a cheerier but gormless imposter, while anyone who didn't rate it will find even less to enjoy here.

The controls and lacklustre level design are the biggest problems you'll have to overcome in order to enjoy Revenge of the Fallen.

It would be easy to give Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 an easy time simply because it's on the Wii and is a mini-game collection, but when the original game is a far more impressive game, Rabbids 2 has nowhere to hide.

Sure the game steals ideas from the best of the genre, has bland graphics, and a main character who desperately needs an ice pack and a throat sweet, but it's enjoyable enough while it lasts - which isn't very long.

With a more reliable control system Guitar Hero: On Tour would have been a perfectly playable, enjoyable game, but with its problems it feels more like a novelty. Getting the game to work on the DS is admirable and technically a solid achievement, but it doesn't make for a must-own DS title.

A fairly average, poorly constructed game, built around some refreshing, interesting ideas, and you'll probably be frustrated at what could have been more often than you're entertained.

Anthem is gorgeous to look at and can be fun in places, but for now it feels decidedly half-baked.

Some monstrously lovely set pieces are let down by a bit too much padding, some broken mechanics, and an overwrought story.

After a lacklustre start, things began to pick up as focus was put on the Garcia love triangle. But redundant flashbacks and an annoying child make A New Frontier the most topsy-turvy season of The Walking Dead, yet.

Gamers deserve more for their money these days, and there are far better games out there.

After the movie turned out to be such good fun, the game landed with a heavy thud, failing to offer anywhere near the same level of enjoyment.

If you're looking for a weird update to the likes of Road Rash or Carmageddon then LocoCycle is certainly of that mould. Just don't expect the sheen or polish of the developer's older titles.

The game is full of good ideas tethered to a slop of bugs, but more significantly it's never much of anything. It's never varied enough to have interesting combat; it's never open enough to let you explore; it's linear but never driven enough by its narrative to be an enthralling, story-driven title.

As it happens, though I played for much longer, I had had more than my fill after the first four hours, with no desire to venture back in. Strange to tell, I mourn the very things—the scalable vantages, the unlockable skills—that Ubisoft has left behind for the sake of freshness.

The core concept is solid, and seems like a perfect fit for a PSP Minis game, but it plays so slowly and frustrates to such a degree that, even at £3.99, it's not worth a punt. Avoid like you would an alien invasion.

In the end it felt a lot like playing Kinectimals, and that was almost three years ago.

I tried hard to like The Outfit. I mean I really tried hard. If it weren't for the addition of online multiplayer and a co-op mode, The Outfit would barely be worth playing - there's just far too much here that could have been done ten times better.

Everything on offer was a great game at the time, and many still hold some historical status today, but for the same money and with a bit of luck, you could probably pick up one original cartridge and the console to play it on for the same price as this well meant compilation.

In The Ascent, which offers a menu of main and side missions and runs to over twenty hours, there is only one strategy: shoot those in front of you until they are in front of you no longer. True, we get the standard stream of skill points, to feed into our preferred areas: aim, balance, movement speed, etc. And you can upgrade your cyberdeck, the better to melt the circuits of enemies and locked doors. But it all comes back to open-plan gunning, and it takes more than ballistics to persuade us of real freedom.

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom could have got away with some of its shortcomings had it not been on a next-gen console that arrived over a year after its main rival.

There are, of course, multiple endings, and the minutes leading up to each resolution can be flavoured with violence and revelation, or laced with deceit. The question is: Do we care?

Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires isn't terrible, it's just totally uninspiring.

Turok isn't an awful game, it's just an unbelievably frustrating one.

Essentially Wing Island has so much charm and potential you can't help but want it to be great, but it will only hold any true appeal to youngsters, or the rare breed of gamer who doesn't want any real challenge.

Beyond Eyes' story and experience come nowhere near to making up for the boredom delivered by the gameplay.

Sure the game steals ideas from the best of the genre, has bland graphics, and a main character who desperately needs an ice pack and a throat sweet, but it's enjoyable enough while it lasts - which isn't very long.

By ordinary standards there's simply nothing here - bar Billiards - that offers anything worthy of more than a few minutes play. As an introduction to the Wii and its unique control scheme it just about works, but beyond that there's very little here to get excited about.

A nice, weird walk and a philosophical lecture, both unfortunately ruined by how hard the game drives its point home. Everything would be cleverer if it wasn't seemingly trying to be so clever.

The game is full of good ideas tethered to a slop of bugs, but more significantly it's never much of anything. It's never varied enough to have interesting combat; it's never open enough to let you explore; it's linear but never driven enough by its narrative to be an enthralling, story-driven title.

Colin McRae Rally has limited appeal for those who aren’t nostalgic hardcore racers or rally aficionados.

As a harmless game for kids to play together, Micro Machines V4 serves its purpose, but a bit of flair and a larger scope could have made it the ultimate party racing game.