Despite the lack of originality, Vanguard has drawn on a wealth of experience, meaning that thanks to some great level design and a wonderfully atmospheric soundtrack, there is no need to rely on the wealth of triggered animated events that overwhelm Call of Duty 3 at times.

Despite the fact that all the evidence suggests Virtua Tennis is a series stuck in a rut, Virtua Tennis 2009 is still great fun and this Wii version feels different enough that it'll be worth a shot for many.

While Realms of Ruin looks great and plays it safe, zoom out from its Warhammer character models and fundamentals to spot unreliable troop controls that turn traps into tombs.

There's just not quite enough meat on Fight Night Champion's bones to recommend it to owners of previous games, however, and Champion mode itself is little more than a brief diversion you can bash through in an afternoon.

In a genre resplendent with elegantly refined scoring systems and mechanics, Luftrausers lands a little short of brilliance.

The mini-games here are far better than those in last year's disappointing sequel and the Balance Board support gives it some unique novelty value.

There's just not quite enough meat on Fight Night Champion's bones to recommend it to owners of previous games, however, and Champion mode itself is little more than a brief diversion you can bash through in an afternoon.

It would be nice to describe the game as Dynasty Warriors meets Monster Hunter meets Dragon Ball Z, but because there's no online play the Monster Hunter bit is redundant.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s campaign is more throwaway blockbuster than challenging look at conflict, but its mission variety makes for an enjoyable few hours. And even with the disappointing Spec Ops, a wealth of entertaining multiplayer modes makes this a worthwhile addition to any Call of Duty fan’s collection.

It's unlikely to find the same massive audience that the free Flash game enjoys, but casual DS gamers looking for a puzzle fix now and then could play a lot worse.

Genre fans will rejoice in its depth and should grab it straightaway.

The Last Remnant is a stale JRPG with interesting combat and lovely graphics.

If you don't have a big interest in bikes or MotoGP, this isn't for you. There's nothing here for casual bike fans or anyone who might be on the look out for something accessible in the bike racing genre. It's an incredibly solid package, though, and one that fans will get a lot out of.

You shouldn't buy Thrillville Off the Rails for the mini-games - there are much better social video games out there. But as a theme park creator it's not bad, and has literally hundreds of options to tweak and manage.

The 2005 edition lacks a few of the extra features found in this year's release, but it allowed you to play lengthy matches that mimicked real-life cricket; the aggressive and often stupid AI in 2007 makes this almost impossible.

It's visually appealing, easy to pick up, and the combat has a nice competitive edge to it. But this feeling doesn't last as long as perhaps it ought to. Once you've plundered your way through all the game has to offer, the lack of variety is clear to see and the story isn't good enough to hold things together.

The Sims 2 Pets isn't anything more than The Sims 2 on consoles with pets. It feels like an expansion pack, and if that's what you want, you won't be disappointed.

Graphically - both in terms of character design and use of 3D - Street Fighter is the better game. It also proves itself far more competent online, which is a huge deal for fighting aficionados. DOA fans with an itch to satisfy should pick it up regardless, if only for the rather interesting tease at the end.

If you've already got your traditional football fix, though, World Tour Soccer 2 offers something that neither of the big boys does. It's an arcade game, so don't expect to be putting together beautiful free-flowing moves that Brazil would be proud of, but the challenges make for a game that feels very different to normal football, and a title that will fill the gaps between World Cup matches very well indeed.

Heavy Weapon might be distinctly unoriginal in what it does, but it's a fun, action packed experience that is ideal for Microsoft's online service.

Ride 6 continues the series’ unbeaten track record of providing the most realistic-looking and feeling motorbike games on the market. However, while the multitude of new bikes, cameos from iconic racers, and intricate riding physics may prove its passion for the sport, it often struggles to communicate that passion to its audience.

It's a bit ropey in places, especially during multiplayer games, but the single-player campaign is simple fun and the online play is surprisingly entertaining and thorough.

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.

The action in F.E.A.R. is relentless from start to finish, and the AI of enemy soldiers is about the best you'll find in video games at the moment. Sadly, the core game is let down by some sloppy technical issues that really shouldn't be seen in a port of a game first released in 2005.

This is a game that'll stick in your brain by virtue of originality alone, then, but if Catherine can't take itself seriously then why should we?

With support for up to 32 players online there's nothing quite like this for the PlayStation 2 or on consoles in general.

It's easy to appreciate From Dust, but harder to enjoy it.

Although not as visually spectacular as "GT5: Prologue" or as deep and exciting as Microsoft's "Forza 2," Ferrari Challenge is a very competent racer with a clear focus: Ferraris.