The darker and more serious tone won't appeal to everyone, but beneath it is the same great strategy game experience that's made the venerable Advance Wars series such a gem.

For starters, though the game is $10.99 some may feel cheated by there being only two variations of the same level. More content will come available through download, but one level is still only one level.

Though it has the odd rough edge, Mass Effect pushes BioWare's trademark character development, dialogue and storytelling to new levels.

By and large the shooting sections are fun and the enemy AI keeps things interesting by actually trying to flank you.

The game play is fantastic, intuitive and engaging with the best graphics I have ever been witness to in a PC shooter. If you love first-person shooters and are jonesing for something to play on your shiny new rig, this is the game for you.

This is designed as the first game in a new Ubisoft franchise, and I do hope there’s another. The little miscues can be fixed, the stealth tweaked, and I’d be up for free running through the French Revolution next time.

The game is so consistently fresh, it's desperately hard to stop playing.

The single-player campaign is shorter than other games of its kind — I stomped through it in about 8 hours. But it was so action-packed, I didn’t feel cheated at all.

Although it stays true to the Ratchet & Clank formula and doesn't try to get too creative, this is easily one of the best PS3 games so far.

At the end of the day, however, you just can't beat the value being offered here and though it's not perfect, the sum of "The Orange Box" is greater than its parts.

Though it starts off slow, Folklore turns out to be a surprisingly deep and visually lush experience, with novel new twists on familiar gameplay standards.

A few niggling flaws — or maybe just impossibly high expectations — keep Halo 3 from perfection. But on the whole, it’s a heartfelt and worthy conclusion to one of the most beloved video game series of all time.

There's more than just running and gunning, too. Sometimes you'll have to solve puzzles, while other levels are more of a carnival shooting gallery. The overall experience is one of exploration, puzzle-solving and action that kept me wanting to push farther.

Simply put, BioShock is a must for anyone who’s over 17 and has a 360. So far, this is the best game of 2007.

In the end, Persona 3 is a tedious excursion that made me waste hours of my life that I will never get back and left with my right eye bloodshot for staring at the TV screen as my contact lens ran out of moisture and it solidified to my cornea.

"Picross" is an elegant, alluring option that will keep you coming back for more.

Mario Strikers Charged is far from a perfect game, but it truly is fun when played online. For the casual sports fan who doesn't want to spend hours poring over stats, defensive combinations, matchups, and what's inside the vending machines in their virtual team's arena, this game is very much worth a look.

While Guitar Hero is still one of the best games of recent years, this cash grab of a psuedo-sequel does no favours to the franchise or to '80s music.

And on the whole it was a worthwhile experience. Sure, it maybe doesn't measure up in quality and look of the more professional sports title, such as Top Spin.

Sony has included multiplayer and some downloadable songs. The graphics also look remarkably good for a game that’s 10 years old. These features help to elevate the game, but are just not enough to save it.

The controls on the PS3 Sixaxis controller work extremely well.

Though the story mode provides a compelling 12 hour experience, you won’t be rushing out to play through it a second time. Still, these minor gripes aside, The Darkness is one of the best games you’re likely to play this year. I’ve seen the light and it’s dark, very dark.

It’s the little fun touches that end up elevating The Bigs from being just another yearly baseball installment.

But then this freedom is also the game's biggest flaw. Whereas Goblet of Fire is divided into levels, in Order of the Phoenix, you have to complete a number of mini-goals and quests as the story progresses. Hermione and Ron are your companions for most of the game and can sometimes offer advice about what you need to do next.

And that¹s what this rapidly descends into, a series of unappealing tasks.

For a system as powerful as the Xbox 360 – which I’m sure could make a digital sandwich so convincing, it would have gamers around the globe trying to bite their TVs – Fantastic Four is a huge letdown. Character models and environments are boring and lack detail. If anything it all looks like a higher-resolution version of an ugly PS2 game.

One buggy game.

Awkward gameplay makes the repetitive nature of the game even more annoying. I mean, I'm all for killing the legions of the undead, but at least you could change it up a little.

The main problem with the story mode, though, is that's simply too hard.

The pithy cut-scenes are about as easy to follow as a quantum physics lecture and are as elaborately detailed as a newspaper comic strip.

A little less fun, less deep and less educational than it ought to be, especially for a full-priced game. A C+ effort only.

'Championship' mode though is an ingenious spin on presenting level-based gameplay in a whole new way as there is virtually no pause in the action. For all intents and purposes, Pac-Man has turned into a gruelling video game marathon. 'Championship' mode alone makes this download worth it for any serious Pac-Man fan.

If you’re a kid and a big fan of the Tony Hawk series of skateboarding titles or similar games, Surf’s Up may be a cool addition to your collection as it is a decent pick up and play title for the ankle-biters but it really doesn’t present much of a challenge to anyone who has experienced puberty.

Besides, any game that lets you engage in drunken bar room brawls can‘t be all that bad, savvy?

Sadly, Touch the Dead is like a zombie crashing a dinner party. It's ugly, it's annoying and after a while you feel like your brain is being chewed on.

It remains one in a long list of ‘me-toos’ in an already oversaturated market.

Despite its literary background, “Shadows of Angmar” doesn’t rewrite the rules for massively multiplayer online games and instead sticks to the same safe, proven formula. It does, however, deliver a rich world that stays mostly true to Tolkien’s vision. [Associated Press]

While naysayers can decry the repetition, the strength of the handheld series continues to be that nobody will whip through the games in few weeks. Diamond’ or ‘Pearl’ are worthwhile investments because they represent months and months of gameplay.

While naysayers can decry the repetition, the strength of the handheld series continues to be that nobody will whip through the games in few weeks. Diamond’ or ‘Pearl’ are worthwhile investments because they represent months and months of gameplay.

Pocket Pool largely fails as a billiards simulation, and completely fails as a source of titillation. Go to the local pool hall and talk to some flesh and blood women instead.

Blending classic platform game elements with a humourous storyline and a cool dimension-flipping gimmick makes this one of the most satisfying Mario games in years.

When you can finally crack a song that initially seemed far beyond your skill level, and not just play it but perform it - arched back, windmilling arms, grins and grimaces and devil-horn salutes - it transcends a mere video game. It’s interactive entertainment taken to an entirely new level.

Technically, 'Rival Swords' looks like you wrapped your television in thick gauze a lot of the time and the faded colours don't help matters much.

Maybe if there was a little less fighting and a little more convoluted storyline, Enchanted Arms would be more bearable.

What it comes down to, though, is that this package is full of what are some fantastic, fun games. All the extra stuff is cool, but even without it all, the games stand on their own.

Although the three-dimensional maps are interesting to look at, they aren't very functional. And the small map is even less useful. So you can spend a lot of time running around in circles unless you know exactly where to go.

If you can ignore the bad voice work, repetitive gameplay and sub par controls (we're asking a lot, we know), then you should consider this.

A rewarding short-lived diversion but as the exceptional ‘Chicken Little’ and ‘Kim Possible’ Disney Interactive game franchises prove, it could have been and should have been so much more.

If you’re a diehard fan of WWII shooters, particularly the Medal Of Honor series, you’ll find all the staple elements of the genre in this game. But there’s nothing fresh, inventive or particularly exciting here.

The first full-fledged expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion takes you on a trip to a skewed and psychotic Oz, full of odd people, new magic and killer creatures. And chances are you’ll love it there.

Genesis Rising may be fun for some but I think most people will find a little boring, especially harvesting ships. It seems like eons can pass you by while you're fuelling up.

While the story and gameplay are identical, the PS3 iteration of Oblivion is slightly better than its Xbox 360 cousin from a visual and technical standpoint. Standing on the top of a tall hill and gazing at the landscape below is even more breathtaking than before, thanks to a greater level of distant detail in the environments. Loading times have also been shortened a bit, making transitions between areas a little smoother.

Don’t be put off by this oddball mixture of a casual puzzle game and a fantasy role-playing adventure. Puzzle Quest is stellar as both, and amazingly addictive.

Don’t be put off by this oddball mixture of a casual puzzle game and a fantasy role-playing adventure. Puzzle Quest is stellar as both, and amazingly addictive.

Wii owners who haven’t yet played the game on another console and are hankering for a violent, bloody Grand Theft Auto-style title should pick this one up. But the expanded content doesn’t quite make up for the humdrum visuals and repetitive gameplay.

Compared to EA’s last 360 FIFA release, the game’s flow seems much more natural than FIFA 07’s sometimes bizarrely inaccurate passing and crossing.

As good as it was, the PSP’s UEFA has everything FIFA has and with the new Treble mode, way more fun in variety.

The biggest problem with this game comes down to Ubisoft really not taking full advantage of the Wii functionality like they could have. Most attack moves come down to wildly swinging the controller, and ninja-like moves such as double-jumping and wall-running are all done using boring ol’ button and analog stick combinations. Yawn.

The somewhat fun jumping and climbing segments are occasionally hampered by a bad camera, and the combat gets more and more mindlessly repetitive as the game goes on. Definitely not cowabunga-worthy.

The twittering is so irritating it will take all of your self-control not to purposely heave that Wiimote through your television screen to shut those fowl up for good.

Aside from a few frustrating spikes in difficulty and a slower-paced final act, God Of War II is about as perfect an action game as you could ever hope for, and a worthy sequel to one of the PlayStation 2’s crown jewels.

For the most part however, the control works great. Once you align your backswing with the power gauge on-screen, it's really simple to drive accurate distances and directions.

One of the big reasons why Amaze might have lobotomized the A.I. is the notoriously awkward PSP controls when it comes to first person shooters.

Rocky Balboa smacks hard with the love its authors must have for the series of movies it takes its inspiration from. One wonders why on earth it’s a PSP exclusive when it could’ve been done so much better on a platform that allows for more scope than a portable but given the circumstances they’ve done a fine job.

Although it’s got some novel gameplay elements and is stuffed with tons of things to do, Spectrobes ultimately ends up being just so-so in the fun department. Definitely not the Pokemon killer we were expecting.

Fantastic visuals, a decent plot and an interesting music-based fighting system are hampered by some tacked-on non-features, iffy controls and a thinner roster of rappers. Bring back Lil Kim!

Dominator is as slick and insane as the other Burnout games, but it’s missing some key features found in its most recent predecessors. Fans of the latest Burnout titles might want to swerve to avoid this one.

Absolutely worth the purchase for old and new fans alike. There’s no reason why someone looking for a third person tactical shooter should opt for the original game (unless they’re looking to save a bit of cash), and fans of the first GRAW will find all the same modes, but with more customization options and ramped up clan support.

Tekken V: Dark Resurrection is still fun to play and it's much better than most of the competition. It's just a bit of a letdown because it feels to me that the developers missed a chance to fully take advantage on the PS3's capabilities.

This is the most well-rounded DDR version yet and with Xbox Live downloadable content coming in the future, its appeal will last even longer.

If dueling with collectible cards isn't your idea of a fun time, the Marvel Trading Card Game doesn't really offer anything new to pull you or other gamers in.

Formula One: Championship Edition is clearly aimed at real racing game fans and those people, whether they're playing a simple quick race or time trial, in career mode, Grand Prix Weekend, World Championship or with others online, should certainly be satisfied here.

Overly finicky controls are the biggest ding against this decent but not superlative version of SSX for Nintendo's winsome Wii.

MLB '07 still reigns as the premiere baseball title it is just that there aren't enough perks this time around to warrant trading up.

If you are the type of person to get easily flustered, stay away from the Metal Slug Anthology because it will eat you and your entire family for breakfast and pass you all by lunch.

A truly fantastic experience that is so much more than just a mindless shoot-em-up "GTA" clone. The developers almost force you to think outside the box and not spend an hour running over hookers and throwing molotov cocktails into a crowd on the beach (as fun as those things are).

There's not much to it but it can be kind of fun if you're into this type of game.

A solid game, but nothing special. And while certainly one of the RPG’s for the PSP yet, it’s nevertheless wise to remember that MK: Jewel Summoner benefits most from being a big fish in a small pond.

Don't get me wrong; it's nice when the PSP gets a little star-power, but what could have been a full-fledged performance feels more like a cameo. Nevertheless, R&C:SM's mix of platforming action, entertaining cast and an abundance of mini-games makes it an honorable addition to the series.

Combine the terrible gameplay with overly dark and grainy visuals, a horrible story and voice acting and bad audio editing – cut scenes are far quieter than the in-game sound – and you get one awful package.

More varied but less fun than Wii Sports, this collection of mini-games basically adds $15 to the price of a new Wii controller. Sounds like a good deal, but it turns out it's barely worth even that.

Once every few years, a game comes along that changes all the rules. A game so unique and so groundbreaking that it not only redefines a genre, but redefines how we as gamers connect with our world. This ... is nothing close to that kind of game. But damn if it isn’t fun.

It should be no surprise that such an original title was conceived by Kojima, the talented peeps who brought us the Metal Gear Solid series.

Fans of the old-school Nintendo 64 version might find a lot to like here, but this standard racing title's reliance on repetition and gimmicky touchscreen controls won't do anything to make you forget Mario Kart DS.

If you play Rogue Galaxy in a straight-line you can beat it in the average-RPG time of about 50 hours. Should you take your time and see everything it has to offer, however, you’re looking at a good 100 hours of gameplay.

Quite simply, it’s a very early contender for worst game of 2007, and a game this bad will be etched into every fibre of my being right up until December I’m sure.

If you’re looking for something new and fresh, Hotel Dusk fits the bill and then some. It has superb graphics featuring hand-drawn characters, a great storyline and very interesting characters that constantly had me wanting to find the next conversation to see what would happen next.

What's refreshing however in these times of relentless retro makeovers, is that despite the simplicity, there's considerable depth and longevity here, thanks to the varied outcomes of your every action.

Justice For All will entertain you with engaging characters and interesting storylines. If you’re good at detective work, you’ll be hooked; if you’re not, you may be putting this game down sooner than later.

Smooth Moves is everything we hoped it would be and then some – it’s quite simply a must-have for any Wii owner.

Great visuals, over-the-top enemies and white-knuckle boss battles help overcome Lost Planet's handful of glaring flaws. It's almost as cool as it is cold.

With a way deeper song list than 'Singstar Rocks' and its authentic content, 'Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol' holds up as the ultimate karaoke game for those who are fans of that sort of thing; Paula's deplorable absence notwithstanding.

The game has some fun moments, but as a longtime 'Trek' fan, this isn't the breathtaking legacy I was hoping for.

It's not an essential purchase, but certainly one that makes more inventive use of the hardware than some other Wii launch titles.

If you weren't a fan of the original on the Xbox 360, don't expect this sequel to set your world on fire. But there are enough tweaks and perks to keep car combat fans happy, and it's an overall improvement on the first game.

It has slick visuals and a more-than-memorable soundtrack. It’s too bad the whole dual-player thing wasn’t played up a bit more but it’s still an enjoyable title that’s worth a buy.

An expertly crafted game, that’s almost completely at home on the handy Playstation Portable. With the exception of the lack of camera control, Portable Ops does almost everything right in translating the Metal Gear experience to the handheld platform, as well as adding some significant elements from both a gameplay and technical perspective.

It’s a great demonstration of all the things that can be done with the Wii controller, although it’s still amusing with a conventional PS2 joystick.