So I've had Guitar Hero III since Thursday, and it's rather fantastic. I made the somewhat silly decision to buy Mass Effect today; silly because I've got a bit of a gaming backlog and because of university assignments that are due before Christmas. Anyway, I've got three staff reviews up on the site now. I hope I'm doing a good job!

Gemini Rue is an adventure game that doesn't care to hide its influences. The title screen – set to the sight and sounds of the rain-stricken planet of Barracus – evokes the feeling of a grim, desperate dystopia that takes a cue from the likes of Blade Runner and Cowboy Bebop.

On occasion, the tributes to its inspirations are a bit over-enthusiastic and the frequent fourth-wall breaking can be obnoxious, but the vast majority of this game is well written and funny.

The story begins with you – Guardian of Earth – standing trial at the Galactic Council of Space Justice for allowing the planet to be invaded. It isn't particularly deep - it doesn't need to be - but the trial scenes that intersperse the levels are well-made and humorous.

The titular hero – a cube of meat that tracks blood everywhere he treads – is in love with Bandage Girl. Unfortunately, the dastardly Dr Fetus hates Meat Boy and kidnaps her. This marks the beginning of Meat Boy’s perilous quest to rescue his love and defeat the unborn baddie.

Puzzle Quest brought together two genres – puzzle and RPG – and made them work so well that we all asked “why hasn’t this been done before?” Three years and a poorly received spin-off (Puzzle Quest: Galactrix) later and the big question is whether or not the formula holds up. It does, but rather than refine what the original offered and streamline the experience, Puzzle Quest 2’s real improvement is in its presentation (which ironically creates some new problems).

Charity and video games might seem like an unusual combination, but it's one that works if Chime is anything to go by: no less than 60% of the five pound/400 point charge goes to various charities around the world. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a forgettable experiment to bring goodwill and gaming together.

As a game and an experience, Peggle succeeds tremendously in what it set out to achieve. You might say, by that measure, it’s perfect.

Dragon Age: Origins is grand in every sense of the word. The land of Ferelden and its associated legends and lore create a strong, if slightly predictable, high-fantasy setting that will quite easily consume in excess of forty-hours. As the land prepares for an imminent blight – an invasion of twisted creatures known as darkspawn – your character is recruited into the legendary order of the Grey Wardens, warriors from all walks of life who have came to the world’s aid in blights past.

You might say it's the black-sheep of the SNES Final Fantasy games; sandwiched between two notably story-driven entries, Final Fantasy V doesn't have a memorable lead akin to Cecil of IV or Terra of VI. Furthermore, you'll accumulate only four constant party members, a paltry figure compared to the twelve and fourteen of the aforementioned games. Modest in comparison, but it doesn't stifle this whimsical tale of world-saving adventuring.

At its very best, D-A-C is a good online game with the potential to offer up some epic six-on-six space wars. But when Xbox Live is slow and you can’t find a full game, all that’s left is an empty and lazy solo experience.

Just like a bag of pick n’ mix or a greatest hits compilation CD, you’re not going to like everything on SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1.

It’s always difficult to cast an objective eye over a game more than a decade old, especially one as celebrated as Chrono Trigger. Nostalgia often has the effect of wearing rose-tinted glasses, but I think this revival on the DS (a full fourteen years later) really does prove Chrono Trigger to be an all-time classic. Ironically, it’s the additional new bonus dungeons and arena mode that leave the most to be desired.

2004 saw the rebirth of the Ninja Gaiden franchise on the Xbox, Team Ninja setting a new benchmark for the action-adventure genre in the process. Four years later and Ninja Gaiden II hasn’t had quite the same groundbreaking impact as its predecessor. It doesn’t have the same visual kick as the first game did in ’04 and it lacks the same level of polish, but rest assured it provides all the sword-swinging, blood-bathed action you’ve come to expect from Itagaki-san and company.

It’s an extremely simple concept, but it has an addictive quality to it and is easily accessible for the hardcore and casuals. As you progress through the forty-five single-player levels, various obstacles are introduced to makes things a little more challenging.

As much as Draglade might sound like a cheap energy drink, it’s actually a DS action-RPG that feels like a cross between Pokemon and Megaman Battle Network, with an element of music-and-rhythm thrown in for good measure.

After building on the bowling mechanic we all know and love with a little bit more of a simulation feel, AMF Pinbusters! fails to deliver in every other department. The bowling alone simply isn’t enough to sell itself, and when every Wii owner has access to a fast-and-fun bowling game by default, this simply isn’t good enough.

Instead of a traditional career mode taking the single-player centre-court, you’re subjected to a seemingly never-ending flow of repetitive Sega-themed mini-games. Superstar mode is split up into a range of game-themed segments; many of Sega’s more familiar franchises, like Sonic and Super Monkey Ball, are well represented but you’ll also be treated to some of the more obscure and retro from the Sega catalogue. It all sounds great in theory, but rather than the clever and inventive ...

The endless flow of time is a harsh master to us all. Its relentless nature makes every second of life precious because, ultimately, every second that goes by takes us closer to death. So imagine if you weren't constrained by this eternal force. Imagine if you were blessed with a life that never ends. Free you may be from the limits of mortality, but truly, is the gift of eternal life a blessing or a curse? Lost Odyssey tells the tale of such a man, the tale of Kaim Argonar and his quest to rega...

If you’ve been playing the earlier Agon games this is probably a natural purchase, but don’t let lack of experience with the previous games put you off. It stands up just fine by itself, and there is a detailed codex that outlines the professor’s adventures in the past episodes if you’re so inclined. It isn’t as extravagant or exciting as many of the new-school adventures that have been hitting our shops in recent months, but The Lost Sword of Toledo is a solid package that does th...

Fans of the series will find Days of Ruin the perfect sequel, but those who don’t enjoy the slow pace and steep difficulty curve won’t find anything new to tempt them.