The combat can be slightly uninvolving at times, and the exploration side of proceedings serves little more than to connect one battle to the next, but the experience as a whole is surprisingly enjoyable.

A solid effort that, in some ways, changes the Gears formula for the better. Whether it will be remembered as anything other than a stopgap is questionable, but small qualms aside, it's a good one.

Regardless of that feeling of déjà vu, Carbon is another solid racer from EA, and the Auto-Sculpt feature is absolutely fantastic, not to mention the impressive car roster and functional online component.

Essentially, Mario Party 9 is a great leveller. No matter if you play games for a living or only touch a controller when one is forced into you hand, chances are you'll be in with a shot of winning come the end of the each game. The Wii has always been about bringing people together to play, and Mario Party 9 does that considerably better than I thought it would.

Anyone with an established affection for roguelikes (apparently there are a lot of you) and even the slightest liking of Pokémon will really enjoy this. And ultimately, I did too - played one mission at a time, Mystery Dungeon's old-fashionedness in the context of the adorable setting is charming, and you can't fault it for a lack of longevity.

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.

I Am Alive only really becomes a proper tale of human survival if you can look past the wonky mechanics and rough engine, if you can see past the rustic models and amateur dialogue, and if you can actually connect with the wailing cast of cardboard cut-outs. Ubisoft's vision is clear and ambitious, but it lacks the development talent and budget to be effectively realised.

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.

N++ delivers consistently excellent bursts of platforming devilishness, but it's not enough to keep me interested for the long haul.

Without any online modes though, and a lack of visual polish, it's a game that will struggle to appeal to players wanting more than a basic racing sim.

In truth, the gameplay has begun to tire slightly – certainly the stealth sections feel strained due to a lack of options – but this is still a strong piece of content and a genuinely pleasant surprise. Rocksteady will always be the true Dark Knight, but Cold, Cold Heart proves Warner Bros. Montreal is a decent Dick Grayson after all.

Decent ideas married to some questionable execution. In short doses Godfather II can be an absolute hoot, but sadly its shortcomings become more and more obvious the longer you spend with it.

While the game insists on holding your hand a little too tightly and the time limits can cause a lot of unnecessary stress, de Blob 2 remains a solid platform game with an interesting mechanic at its core.

Ultimately, C&C4 is a curiosity, one that succeeds in moving the RTS genre forward and is at times brilliant fun, but it fails as a fitting finale to one of the most loved science fiction tales in gaming. In 1995, Westwood popularised the RTS genre with a landmark title. It seems unlikely that history will judge Tiberian Twilight quite so fondly.

A modestly brilliant game throughout, and is thoroughly playable and very addictive. It has some inspired boss and bullet pattern design, and gives an immediate, rewarding sensation that truly belongs to the world of retro games.

It's fun, accessible, full of educational info and should keep young'ns happy for a good while.

The novelty alone is worth a punt.

While the game insists on holding your hand a little too tightly and the time limits can cause a lot of unnecessary stress, de Blob 2 remains a solid platform game with an interesting mechanic at its core.

An improvement over the original, but these improvements are marginal, and it still has a lot of the same issues that occurred in the first game.

Minecraft Legends is a worthy spin-off from the main game, but doesn't break any new ground in the real-time strategy genre, instead acting as an accessible entry point for the younger generation.

While the game insists on holding your hand a little too tightly and the time limits can cause a lot of unnecessary stress, de Blob 2 remains a solid platform game with an interesting mechanic at its core.

DeathSpank's mishmash of genres is definitely entertaining at first, but it never manages to live up to its appealing concept. It's trying to combine the best parts of two beloved genres, but in doing so it creates a product that's not as good as either.

PES 2011 is a good game. It's the best version of PES I've played on the Xbox 360 and PS3, and it's a step in the right direction - but it isn't a FIFA beater.

For me, Runes of Magic is impressive for a free MMO, perhaps even the best, but predictably it's nowhere near as good as its subscription-based rivals, WoW and Warhammer Online.

Three-dimensional space games and flight-sims are a dying breed in the current climate, and in terms of gameplay, Project Sylpheed cruises some way above average.

It’s a game of MacGuffins, so to speak—what you’re doing and why you’re doing it is inessential to the joys and the juice on offer.

PES 2011 is a good game. It's the best version of PES I've played on the Xbox 360 and PS3, and it's a step in the right direction - but it isn't a FIFA beater.

A wonderfully tense and oppressive atmosphere let down by the restrictions of live action interactivity.