An absolutely essential landmark title for the games industry. In terms of the sheer scope, emotion, ambition, and the stupidly high fun factor it offers, there is no better available in the genre today. In fact, no one else comes anywhere near.

Four different control options as well as an as-deep-as-you-want-it combat style mean that whether you’re a parent looking forward to seeing Mario and Sonic have a punch-up, or a Nintendo fan wanting the Nintendo Chronicle (of love), Brawl can offer you an outstanding game.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It’s addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we’ve seen yet.

The developers should be applauded for creating a profoundly personal work that still overtly appealing to the audience at large. But even though it is not the best platformer out there, the game can quite easily be classed as something entirely original for the genre, casting off a brand new tangent filled with wondrous sights and provocative ideas that are enchantingly imaginative and creative enough to be considered truly exceptional.

On the whole, the game is still full of fantastic little touches that you can’t help but love, all presented and executed in a simply timeless fashion. You can’t ask much more than that.

Persona 4 is the Playstation 2’s new king of JRPGs and is awesome sending off for the system. Every single man, woman and child who has any interest in the story or has even the tiniest interest in the RPG genre has to check it out.

The fact is, Braid is art. There, I said it. Not only can it be appreciated aesthetically, but it was clearly created with the intention of the finished product being a work of art.

Rocksteady have proven that they’re a company that really care. They actually ‘get’ Batman, they’ve looked at the character from every conceivable angle and strived to make this everything anybody could possibly want from a Batman game.

Rocksteady have proven that they’re a company that really care. They actually ‘get’ Batman, they’ve looked at the character from every conceivable angle and strived to make this everything anybody could possibly want from a Batman game.

World of Goo falls into a special category that only a select few games fall into. Do you remember when you first got your hands on Super Mario 64, the excitement that oozed out of you when you picked up the pad and controlled Mario around in 3D for the first time? Or when you were pulling out the Master Sword from its stone placement in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? These were special moments in a gamer’s life and playing World of Goo deserves to be placed alongside such events.

World of Goo falls into a special category that only a select few games fall into. Do you remember when you first got your hands on Super Mario 64, the excitement that oozed out of you when you picked up the pad and controlled Mario around in 3D for the first time? Or when you were pulling out the Master Sword from its stone placement in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? These were special moments in a gamer’s life and playing World of Goo deserves to be placed alongside such events.

No-one else but Rockstar could’ve made Chinatown Wars what it is, because no one else has that kind of commitment and finesse to pull it off. It’s been a while since such a must-have game has come to the DS.

Street Fighter IV is not just a top notch next-gen version of Street Fighter, it is in essence what Capcom always wanted the Street Fighter franchise to be.

Street Fighter IV is not just a top notch next-gen version of Street Fighter, it is in essence what Capcom always wanted the Street Fighter franchise to be.

It's the amalgamation of years of action games, adventure stories and box office smashes rolled into one ten hour action sequence. It's Indiana Jones meets Broken Arrow, meets Cliff Hanger, meets Bad Boys – and then some. The production values are through the roof and the level of polish that's gone into this game are something else.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is as complete a package as you could ever ask for. Multiplayer-heavy titles can be a fickle beast, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be playing this one for quite some time to come.

But it all boils down to the fact that you need to play this game. Because once this trilogy is done, we might well be looking at one of the greatest science-fiction works – in any medium – of all time. Mass Effect 2 is an utterly absorbing, satisfying and rewarding journey that you absolutely will not want to end, ever.

But it all boils down to the fact that you need to play this game. Because once this trilogy is done, we might well be looking at one of the greatest science-fiction works – in any medium – of all time. Mass Effect 2 is an utterly absorbing, satisfying and rewarding journey that you absolutely will not want to end, ever.

If this is truly the last Ratchet and Clank release then rest assured that the series goes out with a bang. It’s one of the games of the year and an outstanding exclusive for the Playstation 3.

It is just that good, an incredibly fun game to both watch and play, and one that fills a thirty year old franchise full of life once again. It is hard to think of a more exciting and inventive way Pac-Man could have been re-envisioned in 2010.

Dead Space 2 simply adds more to that already excellent foundation, and in doing so, it has become the survival horror franchise to beat. An absolutely brilliant video game, and certainly the best survival horror game since Resident Evil 4.

In conclusion, Portal 2 is a textbook example of how to make a great game, but nothing more.

It's an engaging, exciting, fearless and endlessly imaginative masterpiece with a clarity of vision that is so, so rare in traditional big-budget releases.

Game of the year? Probably.

Rage may not represent the gigantic leap into the next era of games that's usually embodied by titles by id software, but it has reaffirmed their position as a premier developer when it comes to everything first person shooter-y.

What Nintendo has done to celebrate 25 years of the franchise is make one of the best games ever.

I've never been privy to a game that caused me to wonder, question, and embrace humanity's place and purpose as greatly as Mass Effect 3. It is worth noting – BioWare attempts to tailor the game for new players, yet the experience is undeniably deeper and more rewarding if you have already played Mass Effect's previous games.

There is nothing to keep you coming back for more besides the absolutely exquisite environments, the very-clean interface, solid controls, and Triple-A camera cutscenes.

For £39.99, you'll receive: a tale of courage and choice, interwoven with dark political secrets and intrigue, breathtaking visuals, a refined and strategic combat system that should be a genre standard, and an interesting endgame that essentially never ends. Yes, while the last part should be fairly intriguing to most, I won't spill the beans. Just know that there lies a threat even more deadly and unforgiving than the game's 'final' boss.

It’s worth it as it is the best game on the system – Persona 4: Golden is a must play, even for fans who have already previously completed the game.

If you’re reading this review because you have never played a Bioshock title before or didn’t like the previous games but like the look of this one, then please, go play it. I am certain you won’t be disappointed.

It is not a game that tries to shock with new exciting gameplay twists, nor does it confuse with new fangled control methods. It just takes everything most gamers have grown to love over the years, wraps them up in a beautifully realised world, and refines them to near perfection.

Overall the game plays well, looks fantastic and whatever slowdown is caused by the huge space battles can be simplified from graphics card chugging render fest, to a simple set of logo’s flying about simply be zooming out.

Compared to expansions for other games I would say that WotLK has a lot more content and this content is of a consistently high quality.

Saints Row 2 is a huge improvement over its prequel in every manner, and has successfully carved its own niche in the sandbox crime genre. The co-operative play is almost certainly one of the best such experiences available on consoles, and the sheer variety of things to do in Stilwater is so deliciously satisfying that the technical hitches can be overlooked. It’s so fun, it’s almost criminal.

Saints Row 2 is a huge improvement over its prequel in every manner, and has successfully carved its own niche in the sandbox crime genre. The co-operative play is almost certainly one of the best such experiences available on consoles, and the sheer variety of things to do in Stilwater is so deliciously satisfying that the technical hitches can be overlooked. It’s so fun, it’s almost criminal.

All said and done, I would happily pick up WipEout HD as a full priced game from any store, as it is just that damn good. So for a paltry £11.99 it should be considered a absolute steal.

Red Faction: Guerrilla never ceases to excite or satisfy. It constantly rewards players throughout the single player campaign and always manages to introduce something new to change the way the game is played. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable adventure in an original and believable (if not exactly realistic) setting, and sets a totally new benchmark for technical achievement in a video game.

Red Faction: Guerrilla never ceases to excite or satisfy. It constantly rewards players throughout the single player campaign and always manages to introduce something new to change the way the game is played. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable adventure in an original and believable (if not exactly realistic) setting, and sets a totally new benchmark for technical achievement in a video game.

It is an improvement in every conceivable way from previous games and allows for much more scope that ever before.

Gears of War 2 is almost the epitome of a videogame sequel. It offers essentially the same gameplay experience as before, and yet at the same time it has been improved and expanded in almost every aspect.

This game does not cheat, it simply requires pixel perfect shooting and dodging skills.

Valkyria Chronicles is a game that deserves to be played by everyone. It’s so innovative, fresh and blends different features of other genres so well that you’d think Sega WOW had already done this before.

It’s a game that provides action, adventure, exploration, interaction and excitement in a beautifully realised Armageddon that provides so many unexpected moments, but somehow manages to remain consistent and believable.

It's a game that provides action, adventure, exploration, interaction and excitement in a beautifully realised Armageddon that provides so many unexpected moments, but somehow manages to remain consistent and believable.

Regardless of the sometimes-weak combat, this is role-playing at its finest.

Fans of Crysis are probably jumping with joy and wetting themselves when I say Crysis Warhead is a better game in every possible way than the original. That’s saying something since Crysis was a great game. It might not be as long, lasting around the five hour mark, but you do get a great multiplayer experience to go back to once you are done with the campaign.

This is a worthy sequel with a look and feel that are more polished than last year’s effort.

This is a worthy sequel with a look and feel that are more polished than last year’s effort.

Both graphically astounding and incredibly fun, it would be disillusioning to own a Playstation 3 and not have this rightfully placed at the top of your collection.

FIFA is the new home of the hardcore football gamer.

FIFA is the new home of the hardcore football gamer.

What EA Black Box have achieved is near enough the ultimate lazy Sunday afternoon with your friends and a bunch of skateboards.

What EA Black Box have achieved is near enough the ultimate lazy Sunday afternoon with your friends and a bunch of skateboards.

Still, if I had to name the thing I personally love the most about Cubello, it’d be the fact that it actually got me using my Wii again on a regular basis, after I’d previously lost all interest in it.

Football Manager 09 is the most complete football experience you’re likely to find for a good while, at least until 2010 comes out.

It has taken a while to arrive, but Football Manager Live has delivered not only an excellent online management experience, but an excellent online FOOTBALL MANAGER experience, remaining loyal to previous games while catering for the massively multiplayer market, which as anyone who has ever lost a job/wife/life to them will agree with, is a very, very good thing indeed.

Guaranteed however, is a game that will now act as the benchmark for downloadable content, an engrossing and emotional supplement that augments the original in every way possible, essential for any GTA fan, and a damned good investment for anyone else.

Bayonetta is a completely OTT game with singular vision, containing ideas that make sense only in the mind of Hideki Kamiya – the game’s creator. It’s an insight into what he thinks games should be about, and a love letter to the uniqueness of the medium he works in – with no misgivings to end-users that do not share his mindset.

Bayonetta is a completely OTT game with singular vision, containing ideas that make sense only in the mind of Hideki Kamiya – the game’s creator. It’s an insight into what he thinks games should be about, and a love letter to the uniqueness of the medium he works in – with no misgivings to end-users that do not share his mindset.

Peggle is unique among puzzle games though, in that despite never being particularly challenging, it’s still great fun to play and is the very definition of that ‘just one more go’ feeling that some games evoke. A very pure, fun experience that appeals to gamers of all ages, and a great example of simple, but effective, gameplay. Top draw.

The original Just Cause was a little rough around the edges but the sequel is highly polished and looks great. I could easily see myself logging a hundred hours or more in to the game, it’s probably the most comprehensive sandbox game I’ve played.

The original Just Cause was a little rough around the edges but the sequel is highly polished and looks great. I could easily see myself logging a hundred hours or more in to the game, it’s probably the most comprehensive sandbox game I’ve played.

The original Just Cause was a little rough around the edges but the sequel is highly polished and looks great. I could easily see myself logging a hundred hours or more in to the game, it’s probably the most comprehensive sandbox game I’ve played.

If you’re one of those people who is sick of all those party games on Nintendo’s loveable, family-friendly console, and are crying out for a proper, grown up videogame, look no further than this.

While the new additions to the game vary in usefulness and value, NHL 10 achieves what some expected it couldn’t, and improves on NHL 09. However, it’s with lots of small touches, rather than revolutionary new features and modes.

While the new additions to the game vary in usefulness and value, NHL 10 achieves what some expected it couldn’t, and improves on NHL 09. However, it’s with lots of small touches, rather than revolutionary new features and modes.

Despite these few annoyances, Guitar Hero 5 is still an excellent example of a band-based rhythm action game done right. This is a true evolution of the Guitar Hero phenomenon, simple but devastatingly effective changes that really bring the best out of the genre.

Despite these few annoyances, Guitar Hero 5 is still an excellent example of a band-based rhythm action game done right. This is a true evolution of the Guitar Hero phenomenon, simple but devastatingly effective changes that really bring the best out of the genre.

Despite these few annoyances, Guitar Hero 5 is still an excellent example of a band-based rhythm action game done right. This is a true evolution of the Guitar Hero phenomenon, simple but devastatingly effective changes that really bring the best out of the genre.

A truly excellent racer that we'll no doubt still be playing this time next year, this is one Blur that even the Gallaghers would admit to liking.

A truly excellent racer that we’ll no doubt still be playing this time next year, this is one Blur that even the Gallaghers would admit to liking.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

This is Valve trying to better L4D1 in every way, succeeding but never really breaking away from what did work first time, taking creative risks and really pushing the series forward. In any case play it, love it, it’s one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

You have to feel truly sorry for any future artist-specific rhythm games, because it would take an enormous amount of effort to top The Beatles: Rock Band, a game very nearly bigger than Jesus.

The difficulty of the problem-solving you're tasked with is perfectly pitched, and if you do get stuck, the very subtle hint system may be all you need to help you along. You never feel overwhelmed and the gameplay doesn't become tedious or as frustrating as it can in other adventure games.

For those who crave a bit of old-school platforming with a few unique twists, it’s an essential purchase.

There aren’t many games that justify the 1200 MS points price-tag on XBLA, but Trials HD is one of them. It’s addictive, accessible, competitive, and there’s plenty to do.

Retro-styled adventure games are a spectacularly lonely niche and Time Gentlemen, Please offers a modernised variation of everything you adored about the point-and-click dynasty once dominated by the likes of Time Schafer.

If you are one of those few who enjoy a hardcore experience you will dive into the game and never look back. I applaud the developers of AI War – Fleet Command for the complex system they have created and with a few more updates this game will be close to perfect.

Though initially it tends to be a bit on the easy side and learning when and where to use which power-plays is a case of trial and error, it's not long before the game escalates into a nail-bitingly intense experience.

Though initially it tends to be a bit on the easy side and learning when and where to use which power-plays is a case of trial and error, it's not long before the game escalates into a nail-bitingly intense experience.

Though initially it tends to be a bit on the easy side and learning when and where to use which power-plays is a case of trial and error, it’s not long before the game escalates into a nail-bitingly intense experienc

The gorgeous visuals and music, along with the finely tuned motion controls and cheap price point make Winter of the Melodias a guaranteed purchase that is anything but a load of hot air.

Simple, fun, addictive.

What helps is that this is all wrapped up in some of the most seamless and enjoyable interactive music you’ll ever hear in a videogame.

All in all, Joe Danger is everything that's great about indie games on consoles.

An excellent addition to the PSP library and a purchase I recommend you go out and make as soon as possible.

This is not just a wonderful experience but it is the perfect homage to the rich Disney heritage.

Undead Nightmare is exactly what good DLC should be, something brand spanking new added to an already feature-filled game.

If you like your racing arcade than you really need to buy this. It's not NFS exactly, and it's not quite Burnout, but it takes the best things from both and melds them together into an intense racing experience.

It's a fresh, unrelenting take on a stale genre that has you grinning from beginning to end.

It's a fresh, unrelenting take on a stale genre that has you grinning from beginning to end. Complaints have been noted about the game's lifespan – you can finish a playthrough in around seven hours – but with an experience as replayable and dense as this, such complaints seem petulant.