Rango is a perfectly pleasant and enjoyable game that replicates the animated movie's style brilliantly. Younglings will love it to bits and won't notice its shortcomings or the fact that some of its voices sound ever-so-slightly off. Nor will they care that it's all over in the blink of an eye and there's no reason whatsoever to play it again ever.

de Blob 2 is not quite on the verge of greatness just yet, as the repetitive nature of the game and some control issues do hold it back somewhat. Luckily they do not detract too much from a game that is trying something a little bit different and succeeding on the whole.

Fight Night Champion is a triumphant return for EA Sports stalwart boxing franchise that still has one of the best simulated fighting systems around as well as some great visuals. Champion Mode is a surprisingly involving new addition that actually makes you care about what happens to its protagonist, as he embarks upon his Rocky-esque journey. Ultimately then, Fight Night Champion is still the undisputed king of the ring.

The truth of the matter though is that beneath Bulletstorm's bravado and crude exterior beats the heart of a shooter that will challenge how you think about and play shooters, possibly forever.

Manages to be the same great epic as its forebear in terms of sheer scale and ambition, while packing in superior visuals, improved gameplay and a stronger grasp on its own unique identity.

Dr. Kawasima's Body and Brain Training is an entertaining novelty at first, but it quickly becomes tiresome after a few days. An achievement awarded for playing a total of 50 days seems hugely ambitious then, as the appealing Avatar-based challenges will grow increasingly dull, prompting you to find new methods of self-improvement. Perhaps Kawashima should practice what he preaches, and go back into training and come back with a better score.

Although Marvel vs. Capcom 3 isn't quite the perfect fighter that they'd tried so hard to create, it's not far off, and thanks to 8-player winner-stays-on lobbies and a plethora of bonus content to unlock – that doesn't include the majority of the game's characters! – Capcom's latest fighting game is set to burrow its way into your hearts for many months to come. If only they could have got the online connectivity up to scratch, it would have been a 90+. Shame.

Eden Games has successfully built upon the solid foundations laid by the first TDU for Test Drive Unlimited 2, creating a genuinely inviting and gratifying racing title, online or offline. It surpasses its predecessor with fantastic visuals, hundreds of extra miles of roads to speed along and more cars and races than you can shake a gearstick at.

One good idea does not always translate into a great game, but the potential here is what makes the whole experience that much worse. With a bit more thought and a more polished story, Mindjack could have been something special. Instead, it's something to avoid.

Dead Space 2 is a worthwhile sequel to its predecessor, delivering the same brilliantly foreboding atmosphere, outstanding audio and peerless lighting. Despite the somewhat tedious final sequence that far outstays its welcome, fans of the original won't be disappointed by Visceral's latest instalment. Everything else that comes before moment though is pure video gaming gold, which is both fantastically paced and an unreserved joy to play.

The original Saw hardly set the world alight back in 2009, yet the unexpected sequel seems like a step backwards rather than a marked improvement. The subpar graphics and tired story fail to mask what is a fairly simple collection of mini-games; none of which are really clever enough to do the film series justice.

Shaun White Skateboarding is actually a decent crack at doing something new with the skate genre, but it's infuriatingly slow and as we've already said, it's rare that you ever pick up a good head of steam for reeling off tricks.

Joy Ride, bless it, tries desperately hard to be Microsoft's answer to Mario Kart on so many levels which makes it even more cringeworthy to see it fall flat on its face every time. With twitchy controls, uninspired gameplay, and a sheer lack of any sense of speed or adrenaline that you're supposed to get from a racer, Joy Ride is anything but what its name suggests.

Keep your fingers crossed that SEGA and Platinum Games continue to work together, because if they keep putting out quality products like Vanquish, then everyone's a winner. It doesn't quite reach the dizzy heights of Bayonetta and it's nowhere near as brilliantly esoteric, but Vanquish does put a new spin on the third-person cover shooter. And for that reason alone – despite some slight niggles and flaws – Vanquish deserves recognition for daring to break the mould a bit.

The Force Unleashed II never really gets to the same heights as its predecessor and it almost feels like a sequel was rushed out just for the sake of it, as the story and combat never really feels that fleshed out. There is still some fun to be had, but it's almost inevitable that you'll become bored of the game by the time you finish it, which says something considering it only lasts a few hours.

Dead Money clocks in at a good five hours or so, and is well worth investing in if you're thirsty for more New Vegas action. There's plenty of what Fallout does best, with new melee weapons and guns to try out as well as several divergent conclusions to reach once you manage to successfully (or indeed unsuccessfully) pull off the Sierra Madre heist. But does Dead Money deliver on the same level as Fallout 3's DLC did? To a certain extent yes, but having played through the DLC episode, we can attest that Dead Money is absorbing while it lasts, yet you might still be left wanting more once the credits have rolled.

In a day and age where the value of map packs and expansions are closely scrutinised, BC2: Vietnam is the epitome of value for money, offering the same exhilarating gameplay as its boxed counterpart, but with a fresh twist in an entirely new era and stunning environment.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a striking adventure, marred only by ever so slightly niggling platform jumping and possibly a bit too much backtracking through locations you've already visited.

Trying something new with a series is usually to be applauded, but when a game like Deathly Hallows – Part 1 has been put together so badly that it's tough to find any kind of merit, you have to question what they were thinking. From the woeful story to the tacked on Kinect missions and challenges, this all feels like a money making exercise at work. Outsmart them and keep hold of your cash... and your sanity!

Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction is a fun kids game, but one that wears out its welcome rather quickly and doesn't offer anything in the way of long term entertainment or innovation. Rent it for your kids, but don't expect too much from it.

Lulled into thinking Tron: Evolution might actually be half-decent on first impressions, we feel a genuine sense of disappointment that it gradually turns out to be yet another poor movie tie-in that's fairly unmemorable, repetitive and a bit dull overall. Here's hoping that the movie is infinitely better than this.

Def Jam Rapstar is the perfect rap game for any wannabe rap stars out there. With 40 tracks that span the entire rap genre, Def Jam Rapstar is only let down by a few technical issues and not having nearly enough iconic tracks for us to get our 'gangsta' on to.

Splatterhouse effortlessly fulfils its remit as a shlocky, enjoyable but utterly disposable third-person brawler, which is unashamedly bloody, gratuitous, violent, sweary and brutal. While we love all of these things, they're not really delivered in an especially smart or knowing way.

The weak and twitchy single-player - with many of the same old flaws - almost undermines all of the superb extra features and pretty much flawless multiplayer offering. Veterans and regular players still have the advantage over newcomers, but with Combat Training and the Zombie mode, there is plenty of fun to be had for even the most inexperienced players. Black Ops isn't perfect, but it's certainly getting there.

May I introduce Fighters Uncaged, the most "hardcore" game out of all the Kinect launch titles, and easily the most incompetent. With essentially one game mode, flawed gameplay, unresponsive and downright inaccurate controls, the one redeeming quality that Fighters Uncaged does have is that I'll never have to play it again... ever! Thank goodness!

Motion Sports is unfortunately another piece of Kinect software that's closer to shovelware than triple-A. With 6 sports, most of which don't work fully, you'll be hard pushed to find more than a few hours of entertainment here.

CSI: Fatal Conspiracy is a game for fans and sadists only, and even then they'll be bitterly disappointed that after three games, there's been zero progression in terms of gameplay or quality. Stick to watching the show as this particular brand of entertainment is sorely lacking.

After countless sacrilegious efforts in the Need For Speed franchise, Criterion has finally done the label some justice by bringing the heart back to the franchise. It looks like that Criterion did lose their way ever so slightly at times, losing what makes Hot Pursuit so much fun, but as a Need For Speed package, this is the best title in nearly a decade.