Portal 2

Valve's gravity-bending puzzler caused quite a stir back in 2007 when it introduced perfectly executed bite-sized spatial conundrums to the world.

The sequel expands on what has gone before, mixing brain-bending puzzles with solid gameplay and plenty of laugh out loud incidental humour to create a fresh and quite brilliant experience.

Once again you take on the role of Chell, the sprightly test subject from the original game. She is still rattling around inside the confines of the Aperture Science lab, but the pristine clinical interiors of the first game are now debris-strewn and cracked after the fall of GLaDOS, the deranged and unstable lab keeper from the first game.

While the player is soon reintroduced to the monotone ramblings of GLaDOS, it is the arrival of spherical, one-eyed robot Wheatley which sparks the game to life. Voiced by the always excellent Stephen Merchant, Wheatley's West Country bletherings are the perfect counterpoint to GLaDOS's sardonic jibes.

Gameplay kicks-off in a similar style to the original, with Chell getting her hands on the portal gun. With this, the laws of physics are turned on their head, with Chell able to create entry and exit portals on walls, ceilings and angled surfaces.

The challenges Chell faces are devilish in their design and while the first part of the game is fairly straightforward - with most tasks using simple block and switch combinations - the player is gradually introduced to a variety of new devices which drastically alters the core gameplay mechanics.

Lasers have to be manipulated to trigger wall switches, fizzing neon Hard Light Bridges create platforms to out of reach places, Aerial Faith Plates send objects flying through the air, Propulsion Gel creates slippery slides, gloopy splatters of Repulsion Gel make trampoline-like surfaces and Conversion Gel allows Chell to add portals to inert materials.

But even though these new gameplay twists come thick and fast, it is to Valve's credit that utilising these devices to solve tasks never becomes frustrating or a chore.

There are no time limits involved, which lets the player take each challenge at their own pace, experiment with new ideas and futz about to their heart's content.

Gradually, everything snaps into place and Chell is free to scamper to the exit to face the next series of challenges. It's incredibly rewarding, too and there's an uplifting sense of accomplishment when completing what initially seemed an impossible task.

It's not a long drawn-out series of test chambers, either, with huge rusting environments replacing the confines of squared-off rooms in the second half of the game.

While the constant puzzle solving could have turned into a sombre slog, the witty dialogue elevates the experience and it's a genuine treat listening to pre-recorded messages and the hilarious musings of GLaDOS and Wheatley.

Valve have also given the player room to breathe between some levels, letting them have a nose around the vast facility, while Wheatley chatters away in the background.

Portal 2 is a fairly long game, clocking in at around the 10 hour mark, but even once the credits roll, the fun isn't over. Co-op multiplayer lets two friends combine their efforts to solve puzzles and in a brain-melting game such a this, I'll take all the help I can get.

With its slick production values, carefully crafted challenges, mentally stimulating gameplay and delicious sense of humour, Valve have created something truly special.

Portal 2 is quite simply a masterpiece and one of the most enjoyable video game experiences you'll have all year.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP - iPad

The point and click genre has enjoyed a resurgence over the last few years, with many great adventures popping up on a variety of platforms.

From the hilarious grog-swilling nonsense of the Monkey Island reboot to the mad-cap episodic antics of Sam & Max, it's been great to see the genre make a stylish comeback.

At its core, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is one such title. But because it's tailor made for the iPad - with an iPhone version due in April - full use is made of the platform's crystal clear display and touchscreen functionality.

After the briefest of introductions by a mysterious sharp-suited man known as The Archetype, the player finds themselves in full control of the sword-wielding protagonist - The Scythian.

Control is straightforward and plays to the platform's strengths - a swift double tap moves The Scythian to the desired location, while selecting an object or sign brings up an information box.

The quest initially involves seeking out and procuring the Megatome - an ancient text which contains arcane knowledge - and awakening woodland sprites by singing and manipulating the environment.

There's more to it than that, of course, but explaining further would only dilute your enjoyment of this magical title.

The adventure plays out at a sedate pace, with the game gently nudging the player in the right direction by using visual and audio cues - a move which allows the player to take things at their own pace.

Occasionally, the tranquility is shattered by one-on-one battles but these encounters are thankfully kept to a minimum, with Sword & Sworcery EP's focus very much on exploration and interaction.

In fact the game actively encourages the player to have a good old nose around, with points of interest and secret grottos dotted about the heavily wooded world.

But while many gameplay ideas have been regurgitated from a range of previous videogames, it's the fascinating visuals and captivating audio work which sets Sword & Sworcery EP apart.

The graphical style is immediately striking, with artist Craig Adams utilising chunky pixels and a muted colour palette to create a quite mesmerising world to explore.

Complimenting the striking visuals is Jim Guthrie's stunning musical score. The soundtrack is an astonishing achievement, with layered synths, elastic bass lines and gentle guitar strums rising and falling as the action plays out.

On top of this, the environmental audio effects are just as beautiful, with crackling fires, peals of thunder, water splashes, dog barks and chirping crickets all adding to the game's wonderful atmosphere.

Sword & Sworcery's relaxed pace, ambient atmosphere and focus on exploration and experimentation won't be to everyone's tastes. However, it is a quite incredible experience which leaves the player desperate for more once the adventure has been completed.

The art style is sublime, the music and sound effects are magical and at only £2.99 from the App Store, it's the most uplifting and unforgettable experience you'll have all year.

MMOs: What Does The Future Hold?

In August 2002, my friends built me a PC. Why? Well, they wanted me to experience epic MMO EverQuest. I was reluctant at first, although having seen them play SoE’s online epic, I was beginning to come around to their way of thinking.

Eventually I caved, buying all the parts I needed before they beavered away long into the autumn night crafting the PC which would take me on some memorable journeys across Norrath, the moon of Luclin and on to the fabled Planes of Power.

What started as nothing more than a mere curiosity soon took hold and blossomed into a two year obsession.

From a gamer whose only RPG experiences until that point came from console games such as Zelda and Final Fantasy, EverQuest’s open world freedom simply blew me away.

With my friends at my side and a friendly guild at my back, we explored much of what EverQuest and its subsequent expansions had to offer. It might be the norm now to team up via PC, 360 or PS3 and battle strange beasts and hoover up shiny new trinkets, but eight years ago, it was something of a novelty.

My guild, Twilight Brethren, were then thrown to the wind due to the arrival of EverQuest 2 in 2004. Some people stuck with EverQuest, others - including myself - jumped straight into the sequel on its first day of release.

I loved EverQuest 2, and played it religiously. However, when I received a beta invite for World of Warcraft a few weeks before general release, all other gaming endeavors were hastily shoved to one side.

Eventually, I was playing both EverQuest 2 and World of Warcraft - and as any MMO player will tell you, playing more than one just isn’t possible due to the time demands and costs involved.

Warcraft won out in the end and I’ve been playing it on and off since launch as a strictly casual player. Part of my job revolves around playing games for review, which curtails my MMO time. Not that I particularly mind, as the lure of the MMO has been fading for me in recent years.

Now, a session on Warcraft usually feels more akin to a single player experience, with a distinct lack of chatter on the guild channel, while gold sellers constantly spam the airwaves with their offers.

I’m looking forward to Knights Of The Old Republic and have recently started dabbling with Rift, but the genre needs a hefty kick up the backside.

Evolution and MMOs don’t really go together - even Rift appears to be a 'greatest hits' package of what has gone before. While many have tried to tinker with the tried and tested fetch quest formula, the whole thing is getting a bit long in the tooth.

I only hope that future MMOs at least try and push the boundaries, because the whole genre feels stale and unloved. If things continue to trundle along, I'm sure more and more players will jump across to MMOs which feature a free to play model, leaving many so-called big hitters face down in the dirt. That might be a bold statement given the size of World of Warcraft's player base, but nothing lasts forever.

Players in general don’t have a great deal of time to play games given their other commitments, something which has undoubtedly led to the rise in the casual games market.

Let’s hope developers take a fresh stance and re-invigorate the genre and move away from the usual array of MMO trappings...God knows it needs it.

Yakuza 4: A stroll through Kamurocho

I've been playing a lot of Yakuza 4 recently. First, I had to play it for review, which resulted in me barrelling my way through at break-neck speed, only stopping occasionally to take in the sights and sounds.

After I submitted my review, I decided to start from scratch and explore all the game has to offer at my own pace.


It's a beguiling series and one which has failed to garner the attention it so richly deserves from a gaming public seemingly more keen to feast on the latest glitzy big-budget shooter than explore the delights of the neon-tinged streets of Kamurocho.

This week, Yakuza 4 entered the UK games chart at disappointing No.25, but chances are that by this time next week, the latest entry in the Japanese crime-based series will have slipped beneath the waves and out of the public's consciousness.

It's a terrible shame, as those who have embraced the games have been well rewarded with deliciously over-the-top action, laced with healthy measures of gleeful humour.

Yakuza 3 was an excellent game, but Yakuza 4 trumps it at almost every turn. To the untrained eye, everything seems pretty much like it was before: Shops, restaurants and bars are exactly where you remember them, and you still have to take on random groups of sharp-suited yakuza and mouthy goons in puffer jackets.

But the four main characters have their own distinctive brawling styles, while there is now even more ways to waste your hard-earned yen.

Hostess bars, which were removed by Sega for last year's instalment, are back, while going out for a relaxing spa or massage leads to a series of unexpected - and disturbingly voyeuristic - events.

Darts, pool, table tennis, shogi, karaoke, bowling, mahjong, pachinko, poker, blackjack, golf, fishing and baseball are all open to the player, leading those of us who have gaming OCD down dark alleys and to the front doors of inconspicuous-looking buildings.

As if that wasn't enough to keep you going, the obligatory hunt for dozens of shiny locker keys continues - although this time you can track them with a handy mechanical beeper.

But while it's easy to frown when unleashing a not so brutal combo of fresh air swings thanks to Yakuza 4's stuffy camera, the real Yakuza magic comes from the game's location.

Kamurocho is an intoxicating sandbox which is ripe for exploration. And thanks to spruced up visuals from last year's offering, Yakuza 4 carries an atmosphere quite unlike any other game on the market.

Every street bustles with activity as people go about their daily business. Groups chatter excitedly outside bars, salarymen trudge home with mobiles pressed to their ears, brightly lit shop fronts vie for attention and giant billboards advertise a range of products and highlight doe-eyed Japanese idols.

The feel of being in the heart of Tokyo's fictional entertainment district is enhanced immeasurably by the brilliant use of audio. There's a constant buzz of chatter in the background, while J-Pop, tinfoil rock and funky jazz fusion gently waft from shop doorways as the player strolls by.

It really is a wonderful place to spend time in and you can almost smell the pork bone broth ramen as you saunter past Kyushu No.1 Star on the way back from a lengthy night knocking back strong drinks in the Champion District.

Rockstar can keep their Liberty City - give me a night out in Kamurocho any day.

While I took 52 hours to complete Yakuza 3, my completion percentage made depressing reading. Even after spending such a long time in the game's company, I only uncovered 28 per cent of all that game had to offer.

I'm playing Yakuza 4 as I would enjoy watching episodes of a much-loved DVD collection. A little every night is just the ticket after playing the latest games for review.

I won't get a perfect completion rating this time either, but I'll have a damn good time trying.

Mizzurna Falls - PS1

During my 40+ hours in the company of Deadly Premonition's Agent York and the deliciously eccentric residents of Greenvale, I kept thinking of obscure Japanese PS1 title Mizzurna Falls.

I have never played the game, but I do remember seeing the title in my friend's game store back in the day. Unfortunately, I never picked it up - something I now deeply regret.

The full title is Country of the Wood and Repose Mizzurna Falls and its setting and subject matter will be familiar territory for those who loved David Lynch's masterpiece Twin Peaks.

Set in a small rural American town in Colorado, a girl has been found covered in blood - seemingly attacked by a bear. On the same day she is discovered, another girl is reported missing.

Taking control of the missing girl's friend, the player sets out to investigate the disappearance and help solve the case.

After playing through Deadly Premonition, it's clear that creator SWERY was inspired by Mizzurna Falls in a big way - cars can run out of fuel, there is a bar which bears a striking resemblance to the Galaxy of Terror, while the off-kilter music appears to permeate the whole game.

I think it looks fantastic and I'm desperate to play it. Unfortunately I've tried looking everywhere online to buy a second-hand copy without any luck. Anybody out there know where I could pick up a copy, or perhaps you have this 13 year old Japanese game gathering dust in your attic? If so please let me know.

Here's a clip of the game in action. Looks a little rough, but it still looks great.

Deathsmiles - 360

Originally appearing in Japanese arcades back in 2007, Cave's Deathsmiles has been resurrected from its gothic grave by the team at Rising Star Games.

A side-scrolling bullet-hell shooter, Deathsmiles is not for the faint of heart, with the player's character assaulted on all sides by a beguiling array or fabulously detailed occult horrors.

Leading the charge against the demonic hordes is a 13-year-old London lass called Windia, who is looking for a way to escape her Halloween-tinged hell and get back to the safety of her own world.

The shooting mechanics are solid with the player able to fire left and right, while smartbombs are used to unleash hell on the forces of darkness. Holding down both buttons creates a force field, which if penetrated, causes the lead character to auto-attack.

Blasting through waves of enemies rewards the player with a glittering array of crowns, tiaras and rings which when collected are added to a counter at the bottom of the screen. Once enough of these have been snaffled, it's possible to trigger a power up move, which showers the player in bonus trinkets, sending their score rocketing into the eerie twilight.

Deathsmiles' opening levels are relatively straightforward on the default setting, but in true Japanese shooter style, the difficulty soon ramps up with the screen infested with hulking brutes, airborne monstrosities and thousands of deadly bullets.

The scoring system is a complex beast, with the player juggling attack patterns to maximise scoring potential. That said, you can barrel your way through, but players looking to boost their way up the leaderboards will have to put the hours in.

The levels are varied and beautifully presented and the player is also granted flexibility in what order they want to tackle them in - a nice touch which gives players plenty of scope to strategically plan their routes through the game.

Deathsmiles is a short game and it's possible to polish off the experience in around 30 minutes, while infinite continues mean everyone will see the credits roll.

However, simply blustering your way through is missing the point entirely. It's all about repeated playthroughs, perfecting your techniques and chasing elusive high scores.

Deathsmiles is broad in scope and the disc is jam-packed with new modes, insane difficulty grades, control layouts, graphical variations, a two-player co-op option, world-wide leaderboards and a choice of up to five characters to take flight with. Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses and all offer a different spread of fire.

It should also be noted that the game screen can be expanded to fill your TV. Playing in the default small letterbox setting can lead to problems due to the amount of enemies, bullets and other visual effects cluttering the screen.

Cave have once again delivered an intense and brutal shooter which offers deep and rewarding gameplay.

It's a score chasers dream and a generous package, especially with the added bonus of a disc containing the game's soundtrack and another bursting with images and an array of bonuses for fans.

It's great to see Rising Star Games once again having the guts to release such a niche title in the West.

Wouldn't it be great if the company now turned their attention to other Cave shooters such as the delicious Muchi Muchi Pork & Pink Sweets and Akai Katana?

We can but hope.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - DS

Ghost Trick is another brilliant slice of detective work from the mind of Shu Takumi - the man behind the Phoenix Wright series of adventures. But unlike the Ace Attorney's legal dramas, his latest title is anything but a straightforward crime solver.

In Ghost Trick, the player takes control of the soul of Sissel, a recently murdered man who has no recollection about his death or his past life. With a limited time before Sissel’s soul winks out of existence, the player guides the ethereal being through a series of investigations to find out about his troubled past.

What awaits is a delicious blend of puzzles and a hodgepodge of interesting characters, all wrapped up in a well-paced murder mystery with a twist.

The story begins with Sissel’s crumpled body lying in a junkyard in the middle of the night. Nearby, a young woman is held at gunpoint and unless something happens quickly, she’ll be joining Sissel face-down in the dirt.

By manipulating objects and jumping back through time, Sissel’s soul can affect the world around him, changing the course of history and moving Sissel ever closer to the truth about his death.

But this journey isn’t a straight A to B race against time either, thanks in large to the game’s range of fabulous characters.

Their snappy dialogue and wonderful animation brings each of their off-the-wall personalities to life and gives the game a huge amount of charisma. Dipping into the lives of these colourful characters is a joy and adds another layer to an already absorbing game. It also helps that the stylish environments they inhabit are pleasing to the eye, with plenty of detail adding an imaginative flourish.

While this rag-tag bunch are some of the most lively characters to grace a videogame in years, the simple but effective gameplay holds the experience together.

Sissel’s ghostly countenance has a limited range of movement, leading to mini puzzles as the player uses tricks to move trolleys, knock music boxes from ledges and startle assassins with unexpected noises. He can also use telephone lines to whizz about the city and talk to other spirits he meets on his travels.

While the opening levels start out as nothing more than tutorials, Ghost Trick soon blossoms into a devious and engaging thriller, full of twists, turns and things that go bump in the night.

The player has plenty of time in some sections to alter the environment and fill the holes in the background story, but when Sissel has to rewind time to change a future problem, a countdown begins.

During these frantic moments, the player has to think on their feet as objects have to be triggered at the correct time to change history, otherwise it’s curtains. It makes for a wonderful change of pace and leads to moments of panic as the player frantically scribbles the touchscreen looking for the right solution.

There are several tense moments peppered throughout, especially late in the game which heightens the fear of failure. The flip side to this is that Ghost Trick often descends into a game of trial and error, with some solutions not becoming clear until the player has attempted the scenario several times.

But despite this, the game remains interesting, with the draw of finding new characters and exploring their environments keeping players ploughing their way through.

Ghost Trick breathes new life into the staid murder mystery genre thanks to its hatful of surprises and genuinely interesting roster of characters. As a result, it is one of the most refreshing titles to appear on DS in ages and is well worth tracking down.

Dark Souls confirmed for Europe

Namco Bandai have announced they will be releasing their highly-anticipated new game Dark Souls across Europe later this year on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The spiritual successor to PlayStation 3 exclusive Demon's Souls, Dark Souls boasts a raft of improvements over FROM Software's last game and should be another unmissable RPG from the Japanese company.

Director Hidetaka Miyazaki showed off the game in San Francisco earlier this week, which highlighted typically dark and atmospheric locations. This is what we know so far:

* Exploration will be encouraged, with a seamless, open world to explore. If you can see a tower or castle in the distance, it will be possible to eventually reach it.

* FROM Software are aiming to make the game just as rewarding as Demon's Souls, but this time they plan to ramp up the difficulty.

* Gameplay will be similar to Demon's Souls, learning from mistakes will make the player better.

* Dark Souls does not share the same game world as Demon's Souls.

* The level design will be more complex than Demon's Souls, with more vertical design used throughout.

* Online play will be similar to that in Demon's Souls, with players able to penetrate other people's game worlds.

* Character creation will not be class based, while more spells and items will be available with more focus on weapon customisation.

No release date has been set, but Dark Souls looks like it will be released late this year. In the meantime, check out these amazing screens:

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit - Pictures from Seacrest County

Criterion's Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit was one of my favourite games of 2010. Its blend of high-octane thrills, tight handling and excellent community features made it stand out from the crowd. It even managed to trump the company's Burnout Paradise for sheer fun.

The game also features an excellent photo suite and there's nothing I love more than taking snaps of games in action. So here are a few of my favourite screenshots that I've taken on my travels through Seacrest County.

LittleBigPlanet 2 - PS3

It's been a little over two years since the original LittleBigPlanet arrived on PlayStation 3, giving the system a mascot in the shape of Sackboy and thrilling gamers with its charming cut-and-paste visuals.

It was a heady brew of platform action and player driven content, but niggles and constraints held the game back from reaching its true potential.

With the sequel, developer Media Molecule have strived to iron out these faults and expand upon the original's purely platform-based action. And the results are impressive, even if the floppy physics engine still means Sackboy's leaps and bounds aren't as snappy as Mario's galactic acrobatics.

But it's not all about platforming shenanigans this time around. Sure, there are plenty of levels which require Sackboy to run from left to right and negotiate perilous ledges, but there's enough variety woven in to make every level unique. Mad-cap train rides, a factory full of Sackbots and jaunts through electrical assault courses are just some of the pleasures which await.

Like the original, plenty of collectables can be mopped up, each trinket giving the player bonus items and themes for use in their own levels. Some simply can't be missed, while reaching others often requires more than one player or a bit of lateral thinking.

As you would expect, the visuals are glorious. Sackboy remains as endearing as ever with his goofy smile warming even the iciest of hearts. All clothing items from the original have been transferred over, meaning he now has an enormous wardrobe of fashionable styles.

The visual quality doesn't stop at Sackboy's loveable stitching, as each bric-a-brac area is magnificently crafted. Metal, wood and material are to the fore, but the cake-themed world really takes biscuit, with huge slabs of Battenburg cake used as backdrops, while the player hurls sticky dollops of jam at switches.

Like the original, collecting cardboard keys on certain levels unlocks optional mini-adventures for Sackboy and his chums. These little vignettes prove to be dazzling highlights, with the player taking part in events including rodent races and a Pang-style marshmallow-busting high score challenge.

The floaty jump mechanics haven't been modified, but the experience has been refined thanks to a plethora of new gadgets. The Grapple Gun allows Sackboy to swing across yawning chasms, while other widgets - such as the magnificent Cakinator - fundamentally changes the way levels can be negotiated. Bounce pads are strategically placed throughout many of the levels, too, sending Sackboy pirouetting through the air and saves him from frustrating jumps and climbs.

The game's central story mode is more refined this time around and not the cobbled together effort from the original, with the yarn weaving its way through harebrained plot points and silly situations.

Despite this wide and varied assortment of levels, tricks and traps, it's the community driven aspect which draw so many people into the LittleBigPlanet universe. And while all the player-made levels from the original game have made the leap to this sequel, it's the sheer scope and new ways to play that make LittleBigPlanet 2 such a monumental achievement.

Breaking free from its platform shackles has allowed the bustling community to create top-down racers, tower defence games, RPGs, shoot 'em ups, sports games, pinball tables, Pong and Asteroids clones and a raft of other mind-twisting creations. It's a dazzling array and with gamers across the world refining their skills, this open-ended creation tool is sure to throw up thousands of wonderful levels over the next month or so.

Sorting through these gems is also now easier than before, with Media Molecule highlighting their top picks from an easy to use menu system. Players can still 'heart' their favourites, while comments can also be typed in - a nice touch which expands on the original's word sticking frenzy.

At the time of writing, a total of 3,593,831 levels have been created, and it's a mouth-watering prospect seeing what the community can invent as the years roll by. Of course, you can dismiss all these levels if you want and create your own instead. With a new selection of flexible editing tools, crafting your own masterpiece is easier than before - but be prepared to put in the hours if you want to achieve spectacular results.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is a monumental achievement and just think, this is only the beginning. It's a game which will still be played and enjoyed over the next few years, making it an essential purchase for your PS3. It might only be January, but we definitely have a game of the year contender on our hands.

Epic Dungeon - 360

This indie developed dungeon crawler by Eyehook was released last month but it deserves a mention here as it’s magnificent.

Taking inspiration from classics such as Rogue, Angband and Shiren The Wanderer, Epic Dungeon is a game of survival where one false move will cost you dearly.

Like the above mentioned games, death in Epic Dungeon is permanent. When you die there’s no going back to a previous save - you have to start the adventure from scratch. But before you dismiss this gameplay quirk, it’s worth noting that Roguelikes offer a depth of experience sadly absent from many big-budget titles.

Moves and routes through levels must be carefully planned and luck also plays its part. Unlike traditional Roguelikes, Epic Dungeon doesn’t favour turn-based moves. Instead, the action is constant, with the player always under threat from rats, witches, orcs and goblins.

New weapons, armour and items are scattered throughout the game’s randomly generated levels, so no two games are ever the same.

Epic Dungeon also gives a nod to old Choose Your own Adventure books by giving the player decisions to make as they progress - will you join in a drunken sing-song with a bunch of wart-covered orcs, or will you wade in with your sharpened blade instead?

With a choice of three classes, various skill ups to choose from and bags of replay value, Epic Dungeon is not to be missed. It also only costs 80 Microsoft points - less than a bar of chocolate, so there’s no excuse not to give it a try.

Donkey Kong Country Returns - Wii

It's been 14 years since Donkey Kong swung on to the Super Nintendo to rescue his banana horde from the evil Kremlings in Donkey Kong Country. It was a wonderful platform adventure which raised the bar for visuals in the 16-bit era and a title which spawned two sequels.

But the time has come for Nintendo to dust off the successful formula and deliver a quite brilliant title that will keep you entertained throughout the festive season. The plot is just as thin as it was in 1994, with Kong and his sidekick Diddy on a mission to retrieve their massive banana horde, which has been whisked away by the googly-eyed Tik Tak Tribe.

However, the wafer thin story hasn't stopped the team at Retro Studios from adding a few neat twists of their own to create a title that is instantly familiar, yet full of delightful surprises.

The biggest change here is that Diddy Kong - the agile little tyke whose nimble moves got me out of many scrapes back in the day - is no longer controlled directly. Instead, he clings to Kong's back, allowing the burly ape to jetpack across gaping chasms and provides the duo with an extra two health hearts.

There's a tinge of disappointment when discovering Diddy's been relegated to a bit-part role, but the feeling gradually dissipates when the genius of the level design and feel of the game begin to percolate through.

Retro Studios have really pushed the boat out and introduced new ideas as the game gambles along, including utilising the background to expand the levels. Kong and Diddy frequently find themselves blasted into the back of the scenery to collect bananas and coins, a gameplay twist which keeps the player on their toes.

The nods to the Super Nintendo games don't stop at explosive barrels, tree-top antics or madcap minecart rides - the soundtrack, too, is dipped in nostalgia. The atmospheric tracks from the Nineties series can be heard on every level and menu screen - something that will bring warm smiles from older players and delight younger gamers.

The 1994 game had more secrets to find than most other platform games of the time and this series reboot is no different. Exploring the levels to find all the hidden corners and secrets will take a while, while collecting all the elusive jigsaw pieces will keep players occupied well into the new year.

Graphically, the game is a triumph. Sporting bold and distinctive visuals, Donkey Kong Country Returns consistently looks stunning. A variety of graphical flourishes have been used, including an excellent silhouette effect, which gives each level a unique feel.

Despite the fact that the platforming action is wonderfully balanced, the control set-up does take a bit of getting used to. Nintendo's Classic Controller is unfortunately not supported, leaving the player to make do with either the standard Wiimote and nunchuk set-up or go it alone with just the Wiimote. The latter is definitely the preferred option, as making DK barrel roll and blow on objects while traversing the levels is much easier this way.

But despite this small niggle, Donkey Kong Country Returns is a quite brilliant game and the best 2D platformer on the system. It knocks New Super Mario Bros into a cocked hat thanks to its ingenious level design and tough challenge.
Magnificent from start to finish and a title well worth spending your Christmas cash on.

Gran Turismo 5 - PS3

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been putting a fair amount of time into Gran Turismo 5 on PS3. While the game feels a little clunky in places (especially the menu system) the photo mode is excellent. So here are a selction of my snaps - cars and scenery. Enjoy.