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.

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.

An interesting and fun roguelike, albeit one which doesn't capitalise on its potential.

There's fun to be had, but only if you're playing the game with friends, since playing with strangers more often than not results in a similar feeling of frustration experienced in pick up groups in MMORPGs.

Gameplay still lags behind the mighty Pro Evolution Soccer in a few areas, but the 'first touch' and 'off the ball' systems continue to impress.

Aliens Vs Predator is a great deal of fun, but there's no getting away from the fact that it feels somewhat dated and that the marine campaign is head and shoulders above the other two.

If you've been waiting for Ghostbusters 3 or simply a video game that does the classic series justice, Ghostbusters: The Video Game won't disappoint.

Ray's action focussed levels are great fun and highlight how great the game could have been with a clearer focus. In the end though, the mix of gameplay styles doesn't really work.

Chief amongst the offenders is a combat system so outdated I wouldn't be surprised if Vetra games had it shipped it in especially from 1999. Fighting monsters, which is done by mashing your attacks and occasionally blocking, feels clunky and detached, with weapons that all feel like they've got the wrong weight.

A more taxing challenge that required real thought and detective work would have been preferable, but MillionHeir does what it sets out to do very well.

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 cutscenes are lovely, the dialogue and voice over work stereotypical but fitting, and the soundtrack is a wistful traditional Japanese score that rekindles memories of The Karate Kid. Still, Mini Ninjas will do nothing to quell the growing call from core gamers for IO's "next-gen" Hitman game.

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.

The lack of Crash mode is a big disappointment and makes the World Tour feel a little samey. If you're after more Burnout on the PSP then this is well worth adding to your collection, but on the PS2 Burnout Revenge is by far the better option.

Multiplayer is Rocket League's priority, and it delivers.

While some Phantasy Star fans will lament the stripped down nature of the game - from SEGA's point of view, this was unavoidable - overall it's complete fan service. The lack of online play (something that may be rectified by the PSP's linking with the PS3) is a disappointment, as is the overall sense that it's not quite as triple-A a product as it could have been, but as a PSP game it's certainly up there with the best of 2009.

Its most brilliant innovation, though, is the chance to fail. Each case is a hunt for clues to populate your “deduction space”, a literally cerebral device where information snippets get associated with neurons in Sherlock’s brain, which you can mess around with to make connections. Once enough deductions are made, conclusions become available which allow you to close the case, finger a suspect, and decide their fate.

SoulCalibur V is definitely a step in the right direction for the maligned series. Despite plenty of changes and improvements, however, the game is still too complex to be casual and too flawed to be taken seriously. Soulcalibur V might have forged its own soul, but it's not burning brightly just yet.

A real no frills game for the PSP, but it offers a solid racing experience and is different to the majority of racing games available for the system. It's technically impressive and offers plenty of stats to track and bonuses to unlock, and multiplayer is there if you can find anyone to play with.

All of Dishonored's famed hallmarks are there: a beautiful world, intriguing political game-playing, and highly replayable levels. Sadly, chief failings are also on show - high levels of trial and error, overpowered abilities, and the feeling that your first run-through is sure to be nothing more than a glorified trial.

Even clearly noticeable repetition and developer laziness can't fully erase what is in essence an almightily addictive and emergent base structure.

Draw Something isn't about the game you're playing, but about the friends you're playing with. It's a very basic game, then, but the fact it's a game comes second to the fact it's a laugh.

In terms of gameplay Midway is off to a solid start, putting together a control system that's both easy to grasp and hard to master. With more variety in the roster, an improved move set and more game modes future TNA games could take the wrestling belt, but for now it'll have to make do with being a very worthy challenger.

Spazcon is a very simple game that caters to the palate of anyone with the slightest soft spot for 8-bit visuals and basic office humour. And while it doesn't feel like an entirely finished product the combination of retro feel and in-game job promotions is enough to keep you climbing that corporate ladder.

This isn't to Spider-Man what Arkham Asylum was to the Caped Crusader, but nonetheless it perseveres as a consistent, rugged and undeniably enjoyable romp through some bright colours, excellent set pieces and laugh out loud lines.

Occasionally ambitious but ultimately too afraid to deviate from the genre's well-worn formulas, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier feels like it's stuck in the past.

Despite the way narrative has been re-structured and the combat made meatier, this sequel follows the old conventions of the genre too literally to develop an individuality beyond them. Two entries down the pipe, and Dragon Age is still experiencing the growing pains of a series that's more dedicated to studying fantasy games than developing its own personality in the genre.

It's typically scattershot Suda fare, in other words. Some brilliant ideas rub shoulders with some pretty terrible ones, but it's almost unfair to criticise a game for trying too hard at a time when so many publishers are determined to play their safest possible hand.