The graphics are great with plenty of detail, you are never fighting the controls, the speed effects and weapons are great and the storm drain levels rock. There are parts of this game that almost make you feel like you're in the middle of some Jerry Bruckheimer movie.

Coupled with the great collection of multiplayer modes and mini-games, there's something here for almost everyone.

The graphics are a little basic and the controls can be a pain, but the enjoyable story and movie-like action sequences will suck you into the world of Fahrenheit, and if you look past the few minor shortcomings, you'll be treated to one of the finest adventure games on the console.

If you're after a basketball game for the Santa stocking though, NBA 2K7 is by far the best choice this year.

Eets: Chowdown is about as unusual an Arcade title as you can get.

Naruto: Rise of Ninja is not the kind of title many gamers would pick up from the shelf and give it a look, because let's face it – those anime titles tend to be a bit rubbish unless you love the show. Thing is, this is a game that stands on its own as a worthy action-adventure or fighting game.

A deep, engaging and somewhat varied experience, Race Driver: GRID should offer something for most players.

Big Blue Box and Lionhead chose to water down the original vision that was Project Ego; a daring, ambitious project set to revolutionize the way we role-play. The consequence is Fable; a shallow, superficial experience that pales in comparison to its potential and promises.

I loved every minute of Advent Rising and haven't been sucked into a sci-fi game like this since the original "Halo" game.

Pure, unadulterated, shooting fun and offers a fresh coat of paint to a tired genre.

One part strategy, one part fighting, with a tasty dressing of polished design. Ageing PC enthusiasts have seen similar in Arcon Ultra and similar games, but for everyone else Wrath Unleashed is an envigoratingly fresh title with a unique look and epic feel.

A solid action-adventure game that offers the exhilaration of participating in a series of intense and large-scaled melee conflicts.

The story mode is new and refreshing offering a narrative to the events from a side of the story that we've experienced, but never on a personal level such as this and this was the most enjoyable part of the game for myself.

Despite taking the safe road Tomb Raider Legend is still a really good game and a solid return to form. The only bad thing is that it is extremely short. Lovers of long, intricate puzzle games may be left wanting here.

Represents a solid game that provides near limitless gameplay for those that take the time to enjoy it and offers great value for money if you're a Sims fan.

The AI is especially tough, but never so much so that it becomes frustrating, and unlike previous FIFA games I never felt that the AI scored against me by using cheap shots or cheating.

Really, your enjoyment of Evolution will hinge on whether you enjoyed the original game. If so, then this expansion represents another 6 or so hours of shooting fun.

After 5 years the gameplay is getting a little stale, and whilst the game isn't ho-hum, it's not exactly mindblowing either.

It seems like a seed has been planted for Champion mode and it's exciting to think of where EA can take the franchise in the future. There's definite potential for the development of a story that's on par with what Rockstar Games delivers and even if you don't like watching cut-scenes and playing along with a story, there's enough freshness here to keep fans of previous Fight Night installments satisfied.

Some questionable story elements aside, the game is enjoyable and manages to maintain a fairly consistent pace throughout.

The graphics and presentation have had a thorough overhaul ultimately resulting in Cinemotion and the fantastic new camera system. However, the gameplay hasn't had an equivalent change which is understandable.

Blue Dragon is wading into a difficult market; any veteran Japanese RPG player will feel like they've seen and done it all before – better too – while newcomers will likely be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of what is on offer.

Wheelman isn't going to win any awards at the end of the year, I wouldn't think. But it does the most important thing casual gamers look for, and that's ‘be fun'.

War for Cybertron is a fairly basic corridor third-person shooter than draws comparisons to the Gears of War games; though, it lacks a cover system, which I found to be unfortunate as it feels the game could have benefited from one.

Singularity won't win any end of year accolades, nor does it re-write the book on how shooters should be made; but it does stand up and is noticed in the winter period we often expect very little from in our industry of game.

In essence, it's a poor man's FIFA.

Those who persist will experience a truly breathtaking example of exceptional storytelling and original gameplay ideas. The rest will dismiss it after a few hours as not their bag and/or too hard.

The violence in The Punisher game is over the top, like the comic it is based on. It never seems overly disturbing like in the game "Manhunt," and you never feel that you are playing anything other than a comic based game.

It’s fast paced, stylish, and genuinely fun to play. However it is held back by sub-par visuals and a decidedly short single-player campaign with only bare-bones deathmatch multiplayer to keep you hooked.

Approach it as a puzzle game, not a driving game and you should be fine.

With an absolutely wonderful presentation and a refreshing take on the first-person-shooter genre, it easily ranks as one of the most engaging and accessible single player action games on the Xbox 360.

Truth be told, I became bored with the game rather quickly, and being the fan of the series I am, this rather disappointed me.

The career mode, with its leveling system and the way you're forced to collect various vehicles, is enthralling, that is until you realise that it's only elongated through extra laps and slightly longer course variations.

It's truly a wonder that they managed to cram so much into the 50MB limit placed on Xbox Live Arcade games, and while it isn't something you'll come back to time and time again, RoboBlitz is a lot of fun while it lasts.

Its faster-paced take on the Gears of War formula, coupled with the novelty of the bladed glaive mechanic, pull Dark Sector above the mire of mediocre shooters that it could so easily have become.

Something about it just feels too clinical, too rehearsed and at the end of the day this is a sequel in the strictest definition of the word. It doesn't take any risks, it doesn't give players new, exciting or exotic flavours and it tends to focus more on the multiplayer side than the single player experience.

There is no doubting that Alien Hominid HD is one of the most challenging and difficult games you will ever play, but that is an integral part of its charm.

It's cheaper than the PC version, and when you take into account the challenging story mode, enhanced visuals and features, as well as a slew of other options and robust multiplayer, it's hard to not recommend Heavy Weapon.

Yes, it's basic, yes, it's repetitive, but Jetpac Refuelled looks, sounds and plays great, and is well worth the 400 MS Point price-tag, unlike most ‘classic' titles on the Arcade.

A must buy for fans of teamwork and tactics but if you are an impatient online gamer you may want to give End War a miss.

It's not a perfect game, the 360 version has rather bad vertical sync issues and the controls take some time to master. However, the game's engaging gameplay and addictive exploratory momentum more than make up for its few failings.

Nevertheless, Mirror's Edge remains one of those games that everybody should try for themselves, so go on...take a leap of faith and pick it up!

For some, Bully has a few minor glitches and hitches, for others, the game is virtually unplayable and broken. But if you're lucky enough to only get a mild dose of this, Bully's view of the world through a child's eyes will amuse and entertain you for hours.

The Simpsons Game is easily the family's best outing yet: genuinely clever and with a devilish ability to spot gaming's weak spots and exploit them for massive laughs, it's the kind of game that will appeal to fans and gamers of all ages.

NBA Live 2008 is a considerably decent basketball game. EA's efforts this year are much more noticeable than previous outings, as the game reeks of realism.

Omega Five is the kind of game that if you stick with, will reward you with some sense of accomplishment when you take down a boss or just get better as you replay levels.

This is not a game for the faint of heart; you may throw your controller at the television screen, but this game is a classic, and it was bound to find its way on the XBLA collection list, next to games such as Sonic 2, Golden Axe & Bomberman.

Overall, the multiplayer options are a fantastic addition to the series and make N+ an even better value buy, especially if you've got a couple of mates who also dream ninja dreams.

Fight Night Round 4 is a solid game, different enough from its predecessor to warrant a play through, but I'm not completely convinced there's enough to make someone who loves Fight Night Round 3 rush out and grab it.

While some may fault it for only including a single map for the asking price, this XBLA iteration remains the cheapest way to enjoy the full Ticket to Ride experience!

Movie buffs should get a real kick out of it but it can readily be enjoyed by almost anyone and best of all, there's a surprising amount of replay value.

It's definitely not a game for everyone, but it's one of the more unique experiences on the Arcade if you're willing to just let go of the rules and regulations and build for the sake of building!

But if you like a challenge, love RPGs and have the time to really get stuck into it, Sacred 2 is a game you should definitely take a chance on.

Load Runner is certainly a unique and well put together game. It is challenging to the point of frustration but includes a significant amount of content not to mention a level editor.

If arcade racers are your bag, I can highly recommend Split/Second and with its split-screen multiplayer it would be a great one to keep the kids entertained. Longevity will vary based on your personal tastes and attention span but Split/Second will be a blast while it lasts.

If you like fast paced arcade shooters be it with patchy Japanese sci-fi story with utterly forgettable characters and dialog, Vanquish is your bag.

Marred only by a few broken glitches and repetitive NPC cues, Call of Cthulhu will captivate the dark side in all who dare journey its perilous trail.

The humour may wear thin pretty quickly, but underneath it all is a compelling, enjoyable golf experience that will appeal to newbies and golf nuts alike- the scantily clad women help too!

An exceptionally well made game that smacks of style and polish.

If you are after a guns-out shooting fest then you better get your stealthy ninja mate to play through the first two thirds of the game for you as you will quickly tire of the games slow pace and relentless punishment of mistakes early on. If you are looking for an original well designed devilishly dark gaming experience and can deal with all the gore and swearing then Manhunt is highly recommended.

It's a shame North Korea couldn't have been a bit livelier to look at, but the endless stream of things to blow up more than makes up for the limited colour palette.

An A-grade platform adventure romp that is enjoyable for anyone regardless of their age. It’s a bit too easy for veteran gamers, and the scenery pop-ups can distract, but neither detracts from the top-notch experience.

Through the humour you grow to like the characters, and because of this the experience feels a lot more enjoyable than many other titles aimed at the younger market.

Patience and slider adjustment is the key though and depending on your stress threshold, you may actually end up loving it. Be warned, this is not one for those seeking instant gratification.

A fantastic kid’s game and truly is a breath of fresh air…Er, water for a genre usually plagued by below average cash-ins. It has substantial long-term appeal, as gaining an Elite rating on all chapters is an all but impossible task and there are heaps of extras to unlock.

Follows closely in the path carved out by its predecessor, and the result, while not offering anything new, is an engaging and exceedingly creepy game that probably shouldn't be played alone.

It may not be perfect but it is a significant step in the right direction and has breathed life into a series that had all but died.

A pretty addictive action game with a rather dark sense of humour that actually works well most of the time, and good comedy in video games can be very hard to come by.

Everything from the graphics, audio, animations and commentary have all been vastly improved from last year. Unfortunately there's no Xbox Live support.

A massive improvement on the lacklustre 'Finest Hour', and provides a solid, highly enjoyable singleplayer campaign.

It's still the same game it always was...for better or worse...and the core experience- the mechanics, the visuals, the sound, the ego- remain entirely unchanged. Make no mistake: this is just Fable, with a fancy subtitle and some new content.

The perfect consumable for those seeking some "Deadwood"-esque action. It's lewd, crude and, well, something that rhymes with those two words.

The main reason that I cannot put the game down is the overwhelming sense of immersion that I get from playing it. It may not be the most anal simulation of driving available but as a simulation of the exhilaration of racing, Shift 2 Unleashed has no equal.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is a great platformer / twin stick shooter hybrid game that I can safely recommend to anyone who has a fine appreciation for great artistic design and competent gameplay design.

If you go into Human Revolution expecting an RPG you will most likely be disappointed. Human Revolution is a light RPG at best but more accurately it is a FPS with the odd conversation and some choice in how you go about things.

If you're looking for another post-apocalyptic shooter that offers an interesting take on both the racing and shooter genre, RAGE is the place to look. Though I understand why some may be disappointed after such a long wait with no real revolution here but instead a continuation of what id Software are known for.

Overall, The Sims 3: Pets on the Xbox 360 is a fun and addictive game where the time will fly by and you will not notice it. A few bugs do affect the gameplay from time to time but do seem to be rare.

UFC Undisputed 3 is a bit of a weird one. On one hand, the developers have done a good job and made a clear effort to improve everything that was wrong with previous games. But on the other hand, a lot of the improvements are too minor to warrant any extraordinary amount of merit. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad game, in fact it's probably the best one thus far out of the series. But the real problem here lies in the game's general structure – the career mode is sorely lacking and in need of a complete overhaul.

It is a solid RPG that looks the tits but does not do anything amazing to elevate it to a class of its own. I enjoyed my time with the game and found it refreshing to play an adult game with adult themes without feeling like the developers vision was censored in order to protect my fragile mind.

Prototype 2 is a great open world action game that manages to take everything that made the original game so great and streamline it to the point where it was more enjoyable to play without compromising any features found in the previous game.

It is no secret that I loved Forza 4, I gave it perfect score and still play it regularly so what does a Forza fan think of Horizon? Forza Horizon looks gorgeous, feels great and really is a fun game to play. It is easily one of the better arcade racing games on the market, but I lost interest very quickly. There is no way that I will be playing Forza Horizon in 12 months, I will be lucky to be still playing it in 12 days! That is not to say that you should not try it for yourself, just do not expect it to hold your interest for months to come.

This is not to say it's a bad game, it's just not different enough from previous Call of Duty titles. The story isn't memorable, the maps and weapons aren't any different to what we've previously experienced, the gameplay is near identical to previous games, and when it's not identical it falls flat and fails to impress.

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is a great sequel to an already rock-solid franchise.

The well-paced horror elements coupled with some of the most satisfying and stylish gunfights in a FPS make this game well worth your time, especially if you managed to miss it when it was initially released on the PC.

If you don't like heavy metal music or Jack Black's humour, chances are this one isn't for you. But if you do, then Brutal Legend will be like you've died and gone to the hallowed halls of Valhalla while a dude with long hair plays a power-solo and a valkyrie in a chain-mail bikini slays a dragon with an axe.

Fans of the original will probably love it, newcomers will probably divided, but either way it's a faithful sequel to one of the Xbox's favourite sons.

On the other hand Konami have seemed to rest on their laurels, and for possibly the first time have dropped the ball and seen FIFA take the win.

If you liked the first Godfather title, there's enough here to keep you hooked for a good ten hours, and that's before you try and rob all the banks and crack all the safes.

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is a hardcore 2D fighting game with a few concessions to open it up to beginners. The quirky sci-fi anime style and presentation is bang on the money and the graphics look fantastic in HD.

In the end, though, for the now below-average cost of 800 Microsoft Points there is enough to love about Scott Pilgrim vs. the World to make it a worthy addition to your XBLA collection.

When I first played the original DJ Hero, I was floored by how addictive and entertaining it was, and while the sequel doesn't hold with it that same essence of surprise it is a vastly improved outing.

The only concern for buyers is the overall lack of content. There are certainly enough modes, but sadly the two that matter weren't fleshed out quite enough.

Sudeki is a unique blend of dazzling, frantic combat and high adventure, albeit a short one.

While Battlestar Galactica is incredibly difficult to master with unclear objectives, lethal enemies and challenging (read: long and unsaveable) missions, the game still manages to hit all the right notes.

Full Spectrum Warrior has clearly been simplified and made more ‘gamey’ with the intent to appeal to the broader gaming community. Unfortunately the level design suffers from being too restrictive and players are encouraged to search for the intended solution with little opportunity to think outside the square.

The funniest game I have played since "Monkey Island." It was disturbingly addictive and because of this was all over far too soon.

The Off the Ball feature is absolutely incredibly hard to come to terms with and emphasises how EA are still struggling to come up with gameplay features to match its main competitor "Pro Evolution Soccer."

Despite the occasionally clunky, and often ponderous narrative and glut of glitches, The Sith Lords is as engrossing an experience as its predecessor.

It’s quite “arcadey” but it also isn’t a simple button masher. It does rely on timing and strategy but its main sore point is that remembering a few killer combos is all it can take to beat the A.I over and over.

It is, however, a little deceptive to be labeled as a role-playing game. It feels more like a linear turn-based action adventure where you are always moving from one battle to the next.

It isn't an instant classic, and older games may be a little put off by the cheery brightness and colourful cartoon characters, but if you can get past the aesthetics you will find a rock-solid platformer.

The pursuit mode stands out as the best feature, which sadly is not incorporated into multiplayer, which not coincidentally is the weakest aspect of the game.

If there’s a few small complaints to level at Shrek 2 it’s that the humour is kind of flat and doesn’t feature the witty satire, or any of the more mature in-jokes that the movie had.

If you have any interest in intelligent multiplayer puzzle games at all then Clash Of Heroes is well worth a trial. The more you delve into its mechanics that more rewarding it becomes. Just don't think this is a game that can be played in short, casual bursts.

Space Marine offers up a decent amount of third person action and tries to offer something new. As a first attempt to a brand new franchise it does everything pretty well and no doubt ticks most of the boxes laid out during its development but it's a shame that certain areas such as the melee combat weren't given a bit more depth.

Not having played a fighter since the first iteration of Street Fighter IV probably did me favours in making this mash-up of cosmic proportions appear fresher than it will for others, but if you're a fan of either franchise there's a whole lot on offer bound to intrigue and satisfy.

It's the perfect metaphor for the New Rare; solid, competent, but not brilliant or innovative.

Enchanted Arms could best be described as a Japanese-style RPG for Dummies: it introduces players to the sort of Eastern RPG philosophies that games like Oblivion tend to shy away from: soap-operatic stories, linear narratives, turn-based combat, and lots and lots of collecting things.

It's tough to recommend the Xbox 360 version over the much cheaper Xbox incarnation despite the enhanced graphics and performance, but Jedi Gamerscore-whores will no doubt pick it up for the fairly easy 1000 points it offers.

A faithful adaptation of the popular series, and while it isn't without its faults, is some of the most fun you can have in multiplayer on Live.

It’s actually one of the more enjoyable arcade racers available on Xbox. It looks good, plays well and is stacked with options.

If you enjoy first-person action games, Area 51 marks a solid entry that should keep you occupied if not wholly entertained for as long as it lasts.

Check it out if you liked Hitman 2, but just remember, you are basically paying $100 (Austrailan) for 12 new levels of the same game and when you consider that Hitman 2 had around 20 levels, Contracts looks even less attractive.

It appears as all the effort of Fight Night 2004 went into the boxing controls, and the career mode was added as an afterthought. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing.

Makes up for the lack of personality in titles like "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance" and "D&D Heroes" by having enough for the three of them, resulting in quite possibly the most amusing game on the Xbox to date.

While the rest of the game falls back to run-of-the-mill survival horror fare, an overall high production value plus intense combat, interesting and bloodthirsty adversaries, as well as an accessible camera controls during combat makes this game worthy of your time, especially to action fans that are previously put off by the static camera angles that have been mainstays of the genre.

The game features inspiring art direction, a short but engaging plot, solid controls and a number of elaborate and well-staged action sequences. However, to preamble each of these sequences with a series of mandatory and repetitive exercises is surely not the best way to entice players to keep playing.

It mightn't be the return to F.E.A.R. some fans wished for, but it's a competent and able shooter that doesn't let up.

Shadows of the DAMNED is a great action shooter but some parts of it really bring it down, namely a lack of content following the completion of the game and a few issues with the game's pacing as well as a bit of a disappointing couple of boss battles.

Whether it's the story that will remind you of your favourite Japanese animation series, the relentless action and fast paced gameplay or even the unusually likeable angry Asura, it's an action game that many fans of the genre should have a go with at least once.

It's not without shortcomings, nor does it reinvent the wheel, but Rock Band Blitz is a fun deviation from a recipe that Harmonix has conquered and moulded to their whim.

Neither revolutionary nor even remarkable when viewed as part of its franchise, but for fans of WW2 action or first-person shooters, there's a lot to love here, particularly in multiplayer.

There's plenty of extra goodies to keep you busy if you like to eke out every scrap of play-time for your money, but multiplayer is a fairly token addition that is underwhelming and under-populated as a result.

Skate 3 sadly fails to take the leaps and bounds that Skate 2 made; it's not as progressive or original. However, it is still the undisputed king of skateboarding games, and if you're new to the franchise, you'd do well to pick it up.

R.U.S.E is by no means the greatest game you'll play. It's campaign in slow, the battles can take too long, and after a certain point all the games against the AI play out the same. And if you're simply not into RTS games, then there's nothing here to change your mind. However, if you are a fan of RTS games, you'll definitely find one deep, lengthy and engaging game to sink your teeth into.

A game of surprise, stealth, patience and dexterity. Add to this a fantastic emphasis on story, detail, and cinematic scope, and you have a great alternative to the traditional stand ‘em up, knock ‘em down pistol whipper that many of us have become accustomed to.

Unlike many other movie based tie-ins Jk2 does capitalise extremely well on the Star Wars franchise and has been well executed.

Singleplayer is slow going at first and honestly probably isn't well-paced enough for most people to persist with.

One thing's for sure though: Samurai Warriors has massive potential for refinement and improvement.

It contains more depth than I ever thought it would. The destructible levels break apart satisfyingly and the combo system for each character provides loads of offensive and defensives moves to learn.

Conan appeared on the Xbox 360 out of nowhere like a thief in the night, and like its titular hero, it is brutal, powerful, and very rough around the edges.

Sure, the game does hold its fair share of problems - average graphics, an unoriginal story, a tendency to become monotonous and the occasional cheesy comment or two, but there’s enough solid content in the game to keep both old and new Pitfall fans happy.

There’s no Downloadable Content, no scoreboards, not even a lobby for online play, and single player is as skimpy as Leia’s slave outfit.

The game is easy to jump into and you'll be flying the unfriendly skies, issuing orders to Wingmen, taking down Japanese Betty bombers and Mitsubishi Zeroes in no time at all.

The action comes hard and fast in between moments of tension too, so your hands need never be idle on your controller.

A competent shooter, which is disappointing simply because the previous Rainbow Six's were fantastic shooters.

It's an artfully executed add-on pack that doesn't sacrifice any of the things that made Doom 3 great. But it doesn't do anything but tighten up the experience a little.

So what did I think of my first Ghost Recon experience? Well, I think it did a lot of things well. Despite lacking any kind of coherent plot, Future Soldier's campaign had the hooks in me and I couldn't help but finish it off, despite having no interest in the pay-off. Chalk this up to a great combat system and some pretty satisfying stealth segments.

Death's escapades make for one hell of a sequel that, for a while there, I thought would never bloody end. There's a whole lot of bang for buck here that Vigil have managed to squeeze in; where the story may lack replay value, the wave-defense Crucible mode should ensure you hold onto your disc for that little while longer.

In a year that has seen more than its fair share of outstanding titles in the action/shooter genre, Kane & Lynch manages to set itself apart with an outstanding compilation of levels that are a joy to play through. Therefore, it is all the more disheartening that at the same time, it manages to fumble some of the fundamentals, chief among them the broken hit detection.

There's two ways to interpret Earth Defence Force 2017: you can love it for its campy B-Grade trappings, or dismiss it as a crap quality game and go back to your Gears of War.

Condemned 2 is a worthy successor to a great game, and fans of the original will no doubt have rushed out to buy this without even waiting for reviews.

Midnight Club Los Angeles is a decent game in all respects apart from the insane difficulty.

As it is, FIFA 08 is a football title that has plenty going for it, but also plenty of annoyances and offers a realistic experience that further breaks the mold of FIFA's past poorer efforts from the last few years.

Your personal affinity to the game will largely depend on whether you prefer to be led through an engaging and tailored adventure or to just be given a set of powers and make your own fun.

If you are an Xbox 360 owner and a fan of Japanese role-playing games, chances are you are already playing Lost Odyssey.

For better or worse, Commanders: Attack of the Genos is a high-definition homage to Advance Wars, but at a bargain Arcade price rather than a full retail offering.

It's a faithful recreation of one of the better animated movies of the year, and nothing about it feels like a cheap rush-job. The graphics are great, the gameplay is surprisingly solid and it's a lot of fun to play.

Ninja Blade isn't going to be for everyone, with its many flaws apparent to anyone who plays it. But like a greasy fast food meal, it's difficult to care about them when the overall experience is so scrumptious and filling.

If you're a lover of comics, or just third-person brawlers that show respect to fans with a carefully crafted product, then you'd do well to at least rent this.

I wish I could say that Fable III exceeds expectations and blows predecessors away, but sadly some bizarre development decisions from Lionhead Studios have marred what is otherwise a terrific fantasy tale where industry and darkness threaten the city you are destined to rule.

Homefront succeeds in many areas. It's an improvement in storytelling and multiplayer in every way over their first game, Frontline: Fuel of War, and Homefront shows that in many areas they've clearly listened to the fans of their (underappreciated) first game. It's not the killer single player experience that having someone such as John Milius onboard should have given us, but it's still an enjoyable, if slightly dated, and short, experience.

Maintaining that ‘edge of control’ feeling while sliding around corners and through the gaps in traffic is a special feeling that only a game such as Outrun2 can supply.

It manages to stay close to the tried-and-true formula while implementing features such as a co-op mode that survival horror fans have yearned for since their first screams of terror.

A solid fighting game that had the potential to be something truly brilliant. There isn't much in the gaming world more satisfying than beating others online and it comes to you here in bucketloads.

While not a definitive collection of Sonic memorabilia and games, it is damn close and definitely the best available on any console.

It's not particularly challenging, nor is it epic in length, but for a few brief hours it will provide you with a lot of fun.

It's a solid game with a lot going for it and a safe purchase if you go in not expecting anything revolutionary.

Virtua Tennis 4 is a great tennis game that features more of an arcade like, less realistic feel when compared to the recently released Top Spin 4. The career mode is robust and very interesting, featuring some obscene mini-games that teach the player the ins and outs of the game. If I had to say, though, Virtua Tennis 4 definitely provides a much more accessible and less technical tennis simulation and it is bound to appeal to more people.

Dead Rising 2: Off The Record is a very interesting retelling of the events of Dead Rising 2. Unfortunately, many of those who have already experienced the game that came before this will inevitably be put off by the repetition, as most of the content here is not new nor is it compelling if you've spent so much time on the original.

PES 2012 offers no remarkable new features, no amazing new teams, no real advancement to the soccer game genre. This is a problem if you're looking for something else, or something better than last year's version, but it's still as fun as PES always has been.

Overall, Binary Domain is worth picking up if you've exhausted yourself on Gears of War 3 and found Mass Effect 3 was too much of an RPG for your liking. It's almost like Gears of War was torn down, and remade by Capcom. It goes from being made by fist-bumping American frat boys to whacky Japanese anime fans.

Birds of Steel is a great combat simulator that will appeal to those who really know their World War II knowledge, as well as those who have a fine appreciation for the airplane.

Order of the Phoenix is another inoffensive entry into the Harry Potter videogame archive. It does little to frustrate or impress, but there's plenty here for fans of the series.

LEGO Batman is new territory for the team at TT Games, with no memorable film scenes to recreate or iconic moments to build out of bricks. The results are surprisingly great, with detailed levels and three fun episodes of vexatious villainy for Batman to foil.

It isn't without its faults, in particular the controls, hokey dialogue and cheap voice acting, but if you can see past these minor imperfections, you'll discover that Scaler is a first-rate platformer that gives the offerings of some big-name characters like Crash Bandicoot a real run for their money.

It is unfortunate that many of the implemented features aren't as polished as they could have been, and that the enemy AI is so woefully inadequate. Still, its unique blend of stealth action and psychic powers warrants it as at least a rental.

It just doesn't have that unique style or irreverent humour of GTA. It's a driving game, first and foremost, which has stepped somewhat tentatively into a much larger gaming pool.

I can honestly say I had hoped for more from Dragon Age II. Considering Bioware have a history of nailing their sequels, I can't help but feel this was handed off to their reserves developers as the big guns work on Mass Effect 3.

The game looks brilliant using a revved-up Doom 3 engine, although its coding creates some inconsistent framerate mayhem.

NHL 2K6 seems more like a game made for the original Xbox. While the game play is still fantastic, the new features brought to the table by the Xbox 360 version in my opinion, do not warrant the extra 30 dollars.

The presentation is absolutely first rate and even though some of the control options I loved from past games are gone, the controls are finely tuned and it's possible to score some awesome goals.

Lips does a good job at being a Karaoke simulator. The problem is it's not very good at being a game, especially compared to the other music games available.

Serious Sam 2 may be a pun prickling pap of a sequel, but it delivers exactly what it promises –mindless action and plenty of it. It's got guns, several shiny things to ogle over, and a cavalcade of monster scum to slaughter. But its slapstick humor alone cannot save this game from its incessant repetitiveness and less than innovative gameplay; albeit it is executed rather well.

MotoGP 3 is a technical tour de force - stuffed to the brim with content, boasting tight controls and the definitive online multiplayer experience.

It's fun to play through though and the Career mode is quite long and challenging but a few more game modes such as a couple of arena style levels and a few extra weapons to mix things up a bit definitely would not have hurt.

Better looking, better sounding, and better gameplay should be a winner in anyone's book, so if you liked Blazing Angels but hoped for more, then your prayers have been answered. It isn't perfect, but getting to fly futuristic jets and take down giant Nazi zeppelins goes a long way to balancing out the problems!

Quantum of Solace is a solid, above-average game that does the two new films justice without really pushing the envelope.

Kinectimals is adorable, cute and endearing all in one neat package. Despite a repetitive selection of mini-games, it remains the most efficient use of Kinect technology in crafting a game for children and casual gamers, who are the main demographic for Kinect at this stage.

It doesn't stray much outside the established action/adventure genre, and while not particularly challenging, it is quite fun to play and would be particularly well suited to those who like their games to be quite cruisey.

The "one hit" action of the game is a great take on shooter titles as it makes you more cautious about what you are doing, but it can also cause some frustrating moments.

For me, there's too much 'on paper' that is wrong with this game – the music, the characters, the clichés, the lack of options and lack of variety. Yet, in practice and in spite of all this, I did enjoy Def Jam Icon.

Even if there are new levels or characters added as DLC down the track, it's difficult to view Raskulls as anything but a short-term injection of fun and nothing more.

Outlaw Tennis offers enough variety to keep most players busy for quite some time, but it suffers from cheating AI and annoying humour.

A number a gameplay and game mode enhancements don't advance the series as much as could be expected and in the search for new ideas and directions, EA BIG have largely struggled to come up with anything substantial.

Its last-generational visuals aside, the game offers intense shoot-outs, horseback chases and loads of explosions all packaged in a succinct, and rather violent, story.

At the end of the day, Airborne is a competent addition to the series. If you're a fan of these games then most of our complaints will be nothing new to you, and you'll probably approach the new jump mechanic and ostensibly open levels with gusto.

Timeshift is a simplistic and vaguely enjoyable shooter with an unfortunately scheduled release. It's a shame about the other shortcomings Timeshift brings to the table, otherwise it could have been a sleeper classic.

Well, to be truthful, you'll probably tire of The Club long before you'd get sick of some new cool restaurant as the variety on offer here in this game is even more limiting, but we hope you see the point we're trying to awkwardly make.

Singleplayer is pretty weak yet enjoyable, but the real fun to be had here is with the insane multiplayer action.

As long as you're prepared for that you'll enjoy a great Star Wars story with incredible graphics and a bunch of ultra powerful Force Powers at your disposal.

In the end with Juiced 2 we have a game that is much more enjoyable than Juiced was as it controls better (but still needs some work in that area) and is a fairly solid arcade street racing game.

A surprisingly solid movie-to-game effort, one that is quite refreshing given the usual level of substandard trash that usually gets trotted out to cash in on a popular film.

It delivers a well-paced and intense experience that is ultimately very satisfying and surprisingly faithful to its film counterpart, provided that you accept that it doesn't set out to reinvent, or even excel in any one area of gameplay.

There's some solid innovations here as well as a good looking game, and if it wasn't for the stifling lack of variety, almost silent musical score and patchy framerate, it could have triumphed over being "decent” and transcended into the hallowed halls of greatness.

F.E.A.R. 2 turned out to be a game that both succeeds and fails with equal amounts of spectacle.

It is a solid and streamlined sortie through the RTS battlefield, if a little flawed in parts. I have to mention again how impressed I was with how easy it was to pick up and play.

Although quite a fun game, LEGO Indy shrinks in stature when compared the previous LSW games.

If you're a diehard Guitar Hero, then you're probably going to buy this regardless (much like I did), but I fear you'll be disappointed with the easy, watered-down experience Greatest Hits is.

If you're just curious, then renting might suffice, but given how niche a title Aces is, finding it for rent may be extremely difficult.

When ODST impresses, such as during moments when massive things go boom in the distance, it certainly gives your heart a bit of a jump, but then it yanks all hope of an epic experience away and quickly returns to the rut of re-used assets and recycled gameplay ideas.

Dante's Inferno could have offered more. It's heavily influenced by God Of War, but never seeks to do anything to differentiate itself from its influence beyond a superficial weapon development tree that has ultimately no impact on the game or the story.

Put all the flaws aside though, and you've got a very competent dungeon crawler that has been almost perfectly optimised for a console – and that's something I have to admire the developers for. Just don't expect to be playing this one with your friends.

You shouldn’t need double-jointed thumbs nor the kind of patience required to endure its faults. As it is, I can only recommend Mafia to those that for one reason or another cannot play the game on the PC. It isn’t a bad game, it’s just not all that it could be.

It's button-mashing at its best: not too simplistic, but not too complicated either. The RPG and adventure elements add a nice twist to things, though it isn't really enough to warrant returning for a second swing.

Powerdrome doesn't improve on the genre as much as I was hoping.

Silent Scope Complete would have been a wonderful package for fans of light gun games, only it’s let down by an intrinsically flawed calibration system.