GAME OF THE WEEK: DUNGEON SIEGE III16 cert, Square Enix, Xbox 360 (also PC, PS3) ****

The Dungeon Siegeseries has a resilient brand name that has even survived Uwe Boll's universally derided film adaptations. It's easy to see why. Like its predecessors, Dungeon SiegeIII offers satisfying role-playing without alienating more casual gamers.

Here you play a member of the 10th Legion, a brave troupe who once lorded over their kingdom in times of justice and prosperity. But wouldn’t you know it: the warmongering tyrant Jeyne Kessynder has taken control of the land and cast the 10th out as pariahs.

Some characters are descended from previous Dungeon Siegefavourites, and you can play as one of a number of heroes – knight Lucas, "scholar" Reinhart, voluptuous gunslinger Katarina, ethereal Anjali. You can make your journey alone or as a multiplayer team (playing either locally or online). There's the duty of toppling a warlord and healing a nation, along with side missions to help everyday people.

The Dungeon Siegegames take themselves seriously, and their world is both detailed and substantial, with dusty castles, elaborate towns and muddy roads. The story, a Brothers Grimm-style dark fantasy, is engaging and epic. And the combat is great – sophisticated, fast-paced and user-friendly. You upgrade your weapons and skills as you progress, and there's a nice diversity in the melees.

Maybe we've been spoiled in recent times by the likes of LA Noire, Heavy Rainand Bioware's products (especially the Dragon Ageand Mass Effectgames), but Dungeon SiegeIII only falters in its character presentation: Some of the voice-acting is very ropy, and the faces could be a lot more expressive. Also, you spend plenty of time running your character from one location to another – it's easy to see why most of them are blessed with rippling abs!

But, minor niggles aside, Dungeon SiegeIII is another step in expanding and cementing the franchise's good name. It's a lively, sophisticated and meaty action-RPG.