IGN

story is distracting and disposable & kind of enjoyable but never subtle. It's not going to please hardcore D&D purists or gamers looking for the next Elder Scrolls, but as a middle ground between deeper entries and linear adventures, Arcania: Gothic IV hits its stride.

But such teething problems don't obscure the fact that F1 2010 is easily the best Grand Prix game since Geoff Crammond was on the beat. Its driving is second to none and is brought alive by a dynamic weather system, while its racing is as thrilling as the real thing. It's an exacting take by a team that clearly understands what makes F1 tick, and while a handful of issues hold it back from challenging Forza and Gran Turismo just yet, for now racing fans can rest assured that the world's fastest sport is in safe hands.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 doesn't do very much that's new. Instead, it takes a step back to a time when Sonic was awesome. I would like to have been able to bring a friend along to play as Tails and experience the old Sonic levels in a new way -- in co-op. Otherwise, there's really little to complain about. Sonic 4 is short, but sweet and well worth downloading.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will have its detractors. However, taken on its own merits, there's ample to enjoy here and, despite MercurySteam's merciless cribbing from other action adventure titles, it's the confidence and quality of the game's design that give this latest series outing its own identity. It mightn't be especially original but Lords of Shadow's rock solid core mechanics, creative flourishes and assured sense of pacing all combine to form a game that, despite a few rough edges, is a beautifully atmospheric, undeniably entertaining experience.

Its uninspired level design, terrible shooting, and frustrating instant-kill portions make this a game that I simply couldn't recommend to anyone at anytime. You only get one life to live, and Quantum Theory isn't worth a moment of it.

Alien Breed 2 modernizes the top-down, sci-fi shooter, adding ornate graphics and elements of today's popular first-person shooters without losing the charm of its predecessors. It's a small game that feels big while you are playing it, a laudable accomplishment for a $10 title.

It's a tricky one: without Enslaved's inarguably spectacular bells and whistles, you'd be left with a fun, if undoubtedly flawed, action adventure, nudged ever so slightly up the recommendation scale by its compelling structure and smart sense of pace. Of course, it's impossible to ignore the game's glossy production and, for better or worse, these elements carry Enslaved beyond its slightly anaemic core and deliver a genuinely engaging experience.

There are emblems to collect in the story and ranks to crawl through in multiplayer, but Front Mission Evolved just feels like a flat experience. The big ol'mechs are here if you have a hankering to boost around and smash stuff, but it's nothing revolutionary and doesn't feel like a full-fledged game at times with its less-than-stellar story and matches that limp on.

It has flaws for certain, from dodgy controls and limited combat, to a conclusion that feels less like an ending and more like the story just ends. At times, it feels like the developers struggled to find the gameplay substance to completely support their narrative style - but it still manages to hold together. As a trip through an interesting, beautiful world covering ground that hasn't been effectively tread in games, with a strong narrative and engaging, believable characters, it provides something unique this Fall. If you can look past its flaws, Enslaved might surprise you as much as it did me.

It's not the smoothest game and it can feel like the last one, however that doesn't mean a thing when the game's this much fun. Using a car battery and a Street Fighter mask to electrocute the undead and a set of knives and a pair of boxing gloves to make Wolverine claws are all great times. Watching Chuck get covered in blood as he slays thousands of zombies, changing outfits so that one minute you're in a toddler clothes with a LEGO head and the next you're in a sundress, and listening to completely whacked out boss stories' that's what I remember about Dead Rising 2.