Though far from a technical fighting game, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe exceeds expectations by delivering a solidly enjoyable casual fighter. The Mature-rated gore is missed, but the core combat here feels more confident and energetic than it has in years.

Amazing visuals, a slick control scheme and sublime free-running gameplay combine to form a unique and fascinating game that delivers some genuine moments of "Holy crap, did I just do that?" thrills. However, some poorly designed levels, awful combat sequences, a skeletal storyline unforgiving collision detection keeps it from soaring to greater heights. Still, it's one hell of a ride and one I definitely recommend you take.

Straying away from their platforming roots, Banjo and Kazooie branch out into the wild world of vehicular hilarity in this deep and satisfying effort from Rare.

Legendary is wounded by glitches, aged design philosophies, clunky shooting and agonising linearity, but its cinematic hook and variety of original enemies will keep you trudging along just to see the next unbelievable event.

The good news is that Gears of War 2 significantly improves upon the original game in every possible way, addressing several key shortcomings that kept its predecessor from being a bona-fide classic. Gears of War 2 is a terrific action game that deservedly resides in the upper echelon of console shooters, and is the best shooter to hit the Xbox 360 so far this year. Action gamers, you've found your next obsession.

If you're up for a challenging arcade-style racer that's light on tuning and heavy on adrenaline-pumping action, Midnight Club: Los Angeles won't disappoint.

The first two Fallout titles are classics in their own right but Fallout 3 might just be the best one yet. Heck, it might just be the best console RPG of all time. It's deep, complex and tremendously addictive. From the amazing character development system to the engaging and satisfying combat, Fallout 3 has everything you could want in an RPG experience. Play this game. Seriously. Do it.

While never quite proving itself as the penultimate virtual rock experience, Guitar Hero: World Tour is a blast in its own right that definitely deserves a look from both veterans of the series and newcomers alike.

This is a game for shooter fans that have been waiting for the genre to be dialled up to the next level. Its detailed presentation, feature-rich gameplay, and palpable sense of placing players in another world yield a bar-raising effort.

Lots of games claim you can go anywhere and do anything inside their worlds. The trouble is, once you've eluded the cops for the umpteenth time, the whole exercise starts to feel hollow when your actions leave no lasting impact. What makes Fable II so thoroughly absorbing, despite a few notable shortcomings, is the heady illusion that every choice you make sends ripples through the world, its people, and your own simulated heart.

FIFA 09 isn’t perfect, but it remains the best football game around. The improvements to gameplay, ball physics and AI combine to produce a rewarding experience and the new game modes are excellent and provide hours of fun.