You'll get moments of fun simply from being Hulk, but this isn't enough to carry the whole game. The incredibly disappointing presentation is sadly the final nail in Hulk's coffin.

Monster Madness: Grave Danger needed to be a big improvement over the original game if it was going to compete with the PS3's best titles, but it's not. It plays better than the Xbox 360 version, but the core game is essentially what it was.

It should provide an entertaining ninja experience for the under 10 market but in doing so can't be recommended to more experienced gamers. If you're old enough to remember the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on pre-32-Bit hardware, you'll sadly fall into the latter category.

Haze is far from a complete disaster but, given the high level of hype surrounding its release and the pedigree of developer Free Radical, it still stands as one of the biggest disappointments of this generation.

How and why the company continues to churn out such rubbish is a mystery, and even the biggest Sonic fans must be starting to lose their patience.

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

'Wasted opportunity' is a phrase that keeps rearing its head, whether it's thanks to the garbled translation, a broken hints system, or completely absent puzzle logic. Anna has some great ideas, but it's the game's carelessness that'll stay with you, not its moments of inspired horror.

Staff of Kings tries to do so many things that it fails to nail any of them. The combat is clumsy, the adventuring is dull, the shooting is uninspired and the presentation is severely lacking.

This is a bland, buggy and often boring title, one that belies the intentions of its developers and leaves the much-maligned modern shooter looking worse as a result.

Yes, there are 30 B-movie scenarios, and plenty of mini-games, but the game isn't structured well enough to keep everyone interested and the end results aren't worth the effort.

It is unforgivable that a game should take three or four of your precious hours to get up to speed, but if that is something you can bear, then Alicia and the game she inhabits might be just what you're after.

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.

It's one of the most painful types of disappointing game because it's very clear that it could have been something so much better, but this sodden and poor treatment of a co-op baddie-thwacker ensures Fable Heroes never manages to become the fun game it deserves to be.

It has more than enough good ideas to make a brilliant, must-own game, but features even more bad game design and gameplay issues. As such it's without doubt the biggest disappointment this generation of consoles has seen and a game that's impossible to recommend.

Rabbids 3D is an enjoyable 2D platformer, but like much of the 3DS' launch line-up it doesn't offer anything wholly original or outstanding. As the only 2D platforming title available for the handheld Ubisoft might find Rabbids 3D achieves strong sales, but surely Nintendo will deliver something considerably better in the future.

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.

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.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

Despite the fairly clunky gameplay mechanics, the so-so acting and the new character, you're still wandering around an island that you've spent hours watching on TV, doing things that you've seen characters do, which makes up for many of these problems.

You'll get moments of fun simply from being Hulk, but this isn't enough to carry the whole game. The incredibly disappointing presentation is sadly the final nail in Hulk's coffin.

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.

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.

Despite its problems, Homefront: The Revolution isn't the disaster many would have anticipated, and it gets a lot right. If you're after a Far Cry game this year but don't want to throw sticks at mammoths, then it's worth checking out.

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

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

A game genre so heavily built around playing with friends it was always going to struggle on the PSP, and poor visuals and presentation don't help International Athletics one bit.

If these games shaped or changed you, you might find the notion of their being shaped and changed, in turn, an unwelcome one.

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. Perhaps it should have remained as such.

Despite the whopping size of your new stately mansions, Hearthfire feels cold and empty.

The biggest and most infuriating problem comes from your team-mates' seemingly predetermined locations to take cover.

The whole package is similar to ready salted crisps: Sure, they'll fill you up and won't leave a disgusting taste in your mouth, but for the same price you can get some salt and vinegar flavour, or perhaps cheese and onion.

Go and see the film, dress up like your favourite superhero and, hell, cry like a baby if you ever see Chris Evans in the street. If you happen to run into anyone from Gameloft, however, maybe give them a piece of your mind instead. Or ask for your moola back.

Even if you accept that the Sonic games aren't built for hardcore gamers, that they're now designed to appeal to the mainstream, that's no reason to accept shoddy gameplay. Back in the 90s the Sonic versus Mario debate raged across the planet's playgrounds. Nowadays, there is no argument, and it's because of games like Sonic and the Black Knight.

As a bizarre curio of video game history, Duke Nukem Forever's appeal cannot be denied, and there is some entertainment derived from overlooking the end product of one of history's most troubled productions. The main thing we can learn looking backwards, however, is that no game should be like this going forward.

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.

EA has managed to produce a competent virtual version of the classic board game, but we still can't recommend it over buying the real thing. You get numerous boards and the questionable Get Rich Quick mode, but you lose so much by not being able to play the way you want.

As shallow and enjoyable as a shot of tepid rain water, and payment is a must if you insist on trudging through.

A lot of what comprises Army of Two: The Third is total crap, and yet I had a lot of fun playing it. We don't know how EA has done it. They probably don't know how they've done it. But they have. And I'm glad they did.

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.

Despite the fairly clunky gameplay mechanics, the so-so acting and the new character, you're still wandering around an island that you've spent hours watching on TV, doing things that you've seen characters do, which makes up for many of these problems.

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.

For the most part, however, it's a game with a lot of explosions and not that much excitement.

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.

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.

On the one hand it's a bold attempt at creating a real action adventure game using your body as a controller, but on the other it's an awkward, ugly mess that doesn't use its horror setting nearly as well as it should.

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.

It all handles as you'd expect – although it has a tendency to be finickety and difficult when trying to manoeuvre precisely - and being in the Lego mould tries to give as much leeway as possible (in this instance you can 'lose' and have to start a level again, mind). However, it's all so boring.

Despite a lead character that isn't the most likeable we've come across and some pretty repetitive gameplay, X-Blades still manages to be decent fun.

It has a lot going for it, from its superb visuals and style to the rather excellent character creation tool, but the button-mashing gameplay and easy exploits ruin all the good work.

It's really hard to understand how anyone thought such a meagre selection of mini-games and a lacking single-player component warranted such a high price tag.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

The game might be basic in terms of graphics and presentation, and it might disappoint some fans by being based on the cartoon series and not the live action show, but Top Trumps Doctor Who is a recommended purchase for any young DS-owning Doctor Who fan.

RICO has a cracking central idea, but it's strained by awkward mission design, shaky performance, and a whippy aim that often misses the mark.

Despite such audiovisual wizardry, all the technical sheen the PlayStation3 can muster can't mask a dud game, and as a result Lair is little more than verisimilitude.

Pub Games does exactly what it's supposed to do and it does it in a fairly charming way. The background music and the graphics are quietly stylish with the occasional flourish - the way the hero cards spring to life in Tower of Fortune is a neat touch - but it's thoughtful design that makes the games worthwhile.

Bedlam: The Game isn't particularly well made, nor much fun to play, but it is interesting. I've played far better games that I'll remember less.

If you want scripting and performance, go see the movie, and unless you are a Marvel devotee, you'd be wise to steer well clear of this friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

While mildly amusing to begin with, Big Willy Unleashed ultimately falls flat. Pox might go as far as to say his Big Willy is limp, but we're just disappointed that yet another Destroy All Humans! game has woefully underused the excellent idea behind the game.

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.

Non-games are definitely the 'in' thing at the moment, but Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 has gone so far into obscure territory that very few people will find much to enjoy, and that includes the bounciness.

But if looked at purely for entertainment value, the ten games on offer do give some good, non-violent, simple fun, even if a few of them are practically impossible to beat.

Frankly, it’s a relief to see real neck-biters treated with the proper pulp care. Arkane Austin gets right to it: teeth, claws, and clear agendas.

With its dodgy narrative, interchangeable characters and distressing lack of variation, PlayStation Move Heroes does little more than sully the name of otherwise respectable characters.

With a shoddy set of controls, an uninspiring multiplayer mode, and visuals that rival the SNES, you're better off scanning bargain bins and online auctions to get your Bust-A-Move fix.

Splinter Cell 3D's biggest shortcoming is that it's simply not a game suited to a handheld console. Ultimately it's an awkward game to play. Grin and bear its problems and the nine-mission campaign is still a good one, but playing Chaos Theory on this handheld is considerably less enjoyable than it should be.

It has a lot going for it, from its superb visuals and style to the rather excellent character creation tool, but the button-mashing gameplay and easy exploits ruin all the good work.

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.

The fundamental gameplay created by the 'monkey in a ball' mechanic simply doesn't work within the confines of an adventure title.

Fallout 76 is an ambitious game that’s burned by it. The online features hamper what could have been a great Fallout game.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

One of the dullest and most repetitive games I've played in recent memory. It feels more like a chore then a game, and the lack of attention to many aspects of its design pale in comparison to its greatest omission... it's simply no fun to play.

The experience as a whole is entirely forgettable.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

However Joyride is no worse than any launch title to come out of Wii in its earliest year. It sets its aim toward the casual family market and hits it, bull's-eye. In terms of light-weight casual games it gains points if only for the novelty value of not having a controller, and that's its niche.

Just. Under no circumstances, though, should you go anywhere near this alone. When tackled with three AI buddies and a prayer, never has the name Biohazard felt more apt.

It all boils down to one simple fact - it's just not fun.

A mixed bag, then. The new weapons and vehicles are cool, but no co-op and a uninvolving, short main campaign hampers enjoyment. Let's hope for better in episode 2.

The ship battling multiplayer game is a lot more fun than I had imagined it would be, but this alone isn't worth shelling out for.

Regardless of how much you like the Mega Man series, in Mighty No.9 you're unlikely to find a game that comes close to that legacy.

The idea of giving the player three fairly unique characters to play as is good one, but the game design verges on plain stupid at times.

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.

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.

There's no denying that Dark Messiah has a certain bloody charm, with battles against numerous enemies being both challenging and rather gory. By the end though, things do become a little repetitive, and this prevents the game from being anything truly special.

The idea of giving the player three fairly unique characters to play as is good one, but the game design verges on plain stupid at times.

The idea of giving the player three fairly unique characters to play as is good one, but the game design verges on plain stupid at times.

The top-down perspective tries to make it seem like Gauntlet for the gangsta generation, but moronic gameplay, insipid level design and tacked on multiplayer work together to cripple the experience.

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

A mess of a game in all senses of the term. Its gameplay is at least one generation behind the competition, its presentation is like a collection of every graphical effect thrown into a mixing pot and poured onto the screen and the online implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

The game's main problem, everything considered, is that it makes what should be a test of skill and patience into a series of shooting galleries that require little skill. Instead, it's a woeful Call of Duty with a telescope.

If only Naka, staying true to form, had given the whole thing a dose of high speed; his work only holds together when it hurtles past our eyes, growing vivid with velocity.

A game that simply doesn't feel right on the PSP. It's slow (and even slower when played wirelessly with a friend), lacks a quick play mode, and has an uninspired story mode.

The two-player cooperative mode may keep a duo of youngsters quiet for a handful of weekends, but otherwise this mismatched game has very little to offer.

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.

The gameplay works, but the simple presentation and general lack of polish unfortunately relegate the game to something only a very small minority will enjoy.