The single player campaign is too short and doesn't throw you into the ‘whole navy vs whole navy' action quickly enough - the main appeal of this game is definitely the Live features. To sum up, Midway is innovative, but it ultimately doesn't go far enough.

Basically, if solid gameplay without much in the way of innovation is good enough for you, Heroes of Annihilated Empires is certainly worth a look.

NFS Carbon as a game on its own is extremely well done but in the context of the previous two games, it simply doesn't separate itself enough.

Ace Combat: Skies of Deception is an ok PSP game, it’s just a shame it also happens to be one of the few flight games found on the PSP, so while it is only moderately impressive, you’re probably not going to do much better if you want airborne action on the go Sony style.

Those new to the franchise will find a truly superb game in GUN, but for anyone coming back for a second helping, chances are you will be disappointed.

While the game does have some originality and unique features, ultimately the repetitive nature and button mashing feel to the game kills any thoughts of being a top quality title.

It’s just a massive disappointment that EA has decided not to update the PC title to the Xbox 360 engine, leaving that until next year at the earliest.

The game is so unique and original that DS owners have to play it, but the fact it’s so short makes it not worth coughing up the cash for.

There's no doubting that Prey looks the part of a modern FPS, but, as always, looks can be deceptive. It's a fun game, but it's no great breakthrough in the science of what is undoubtedly a very crowded genre.

BFME 2 presents a visual spectacle that's quite engaging, as long as you're playing it through a high definition display. Drop it down to a standard definition TV, and you'll find yourself looking at tiny units and blurred text.

Sony made a fatal mistake in excluding a tournament style game mode and restricting “proper” soccer to exhibition games, but even so what they have put together still has a lot of fun.

The game itself is very well structured and is pick up and play, but it just does not have the impact we expected for the next generation.

X-Men: The Official Game was built for fans of the X-Men and the movie but also offers some excellent third person action for the more casual fans of the series. It does have a lot of fan service and fans will be able to look past many of the games flaws, but for those who aren't fans per se, the flaws will become glaringly obvious quickly, especially on the 360 edition.

It's annoying that it's not a better port of the PC version.

This isn't a run-n-gun type of FPS, it is an FPS that will have you creeping around quietly and cautiously, while you nervously check your anemic ammo supply around every corner, looking swiftly behind you to see if that rolling tin trash can was the result of an oversized rat, or a stalking drugged out psycho planning an attack, even if you as the gamer has no idea why it is everyone wants to kill you.

With one eye on GT for PS3 its easy to see why Tourist Trophy is not as good as GT4 but considering this is the game that bike fans would have been hanging out for, its a shame that it doesn't live up to its older brother.

A decent FPS, but it is a very basic one that lacks attention to detail. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it takes a certain type of gamer to really enjoy this type of mindless, systematic FPS gameplay.

Unfortunately though, some key design decisions mixed with gameplay that, whilst solid, is very repetitive produces an experience that the casual gamer will probably struggle to fall in love with.

While Viewtiful Joe did not turn out to be the best PSP game around we have to credit the developers for at least trying to make a portable style game out of something which really belongs more on the home consoles.

A good choice for those who want to learn how to play the game properly and also are sick of making mistakes and not being able to rub out pen marks.

It’s action all the way with this one and it will provide at least a few hours of fun gameplay.

There comes a point in playing Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams when you realise that it's been somewhat lengthened via regrettably cheap tactics -- things like recycled game bosses, repetitive game sections and even some backtracking for the sake of making each of the game's chapters longer.

In terms of TV series adaptations, it's incredibly faithful, nailing the look and feel of the series, and big fans of the series will want to add the game to their collections pretty sharpish. Gamers, on the other hand, would be better suited to renting the title, as (aside from the annoyingly stupid driving sections) it's not that hard, and the replay value is suspect.

While it is no Sim City, the simplified interface and game mechanics will appeal to some, but it also remains the game’s biggest downfall. A little more variety could have had this one a real winner.

If any publisher wants success with Beijing 2008, they really have to start work on it now because as has been proven time and time again, rushing Olympic games does not work.

Wireless multiplayer is good and the interaction between PS2 and PSP is a good idea but the biggest problem, the loading time, is one that can't be ignored and is so bad some people may choose to switch off rather than wait. Fun, but not for short travels.

80 Days is a reasonably unique title in the sense it targets a genre you probably haven't dealt with in a while, but it fails to offer anything other than a quick fling as the technical issues and the storyline are a let down.

What makes this game worthy also makes it hard to recommend to anyone but strategy first gamers.

Perfect Dark Zero was the big game for the 360's launch and while it’s probably as good as the original Halo, it still doesn't stack up which shows just how much gaming standards have changed in the five years since the Xbox was released.

The Chronicles of Narnia does have its problems but it also succeeds bringing the movie across to a fairly decent and playable game.

While it's not as fully fleshed out and doesn't offer as much of a challenge as the PS2 version, the developers have put a huge emphasis on making this game as pick up and play as possible and shortened the missions to accommodate play on the go, which it does very well.

A game that should have been on the PSP. It's perfect for the portable market and there is no reason why Circle shouldn't now port this. However on the PS2 it doesn't work at all because console games need to have deep, long levels with an interesting storyline, neither of which this game has.

Personally I would've liked some variation on the route and have control of what weapons and when to use them, but with all the different array of weaponry at your disposal it is a minor consequence.

This game is fast, furious and a lot of fun. If the non-stop destruction doesn’t get you, the humor will.

All you really get from Vietcong 2 is an FPS that is well behind the times and generally not up to scratch with what you'd expect.

It should go without saying that if you already own one of the home console versions of X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse, then you can almost certainly live without the PSP version.

It works well as a team based action game, with quick gameplay online and the single player experience is probably the most in depth you will find from a game of this style, with its only competitor being games such as Counter-Strike from Microsoft.

But if you are looking to regain a genre that has been mostly lost to the PS2 until now you need to grab this game (and a joystick), take the phone off the hook and get yourself reacquainted.

Top Spin PS2 has come across quite well but really, if you have both consoles, then the Xbox version is the better bet.

Each game takes twenty seconds if that, but the ‘just one more time’ mentality may have you missing you bus or train stop many times over.

It’s also a title that allows you to pick up the PSP, play two minutes, and turn it off without losing too much progress.

You may have noticed that we commented that every game does not hold your interest for very long and that is the main problem with this package.

It does feature beat em’ up mechanics and quite a bit of depth but can get repetitive and doesn't really do anything unique and new to put it above the pack meaning the reliance on the movie license is just a bit too much.

For now European Assault is only for the truly hardcore MOH fan or someone who just hasn't got enough of WWII games already.

If you can put up with the technical issues, and don't mind downloading moderately sized patches to fix a so called retail game, then Boiling Point is worth a look, but I'm afraid many gamers probably won't be as forgiving as this.

The repetitive nature harms the game quite a bit and as such it can only be recommended to Star Wars fans or a rental for the casual fans.

The repetitive nature harms the game quite a bit.

Fans of the original two games may be disappointed but if you can look past the flaws, you will find a fairly accomplished and stable racing game to play. It's just a shame it's so hard to get started in.

The worst strike against Pac-Pix is that the charm and shine wears off very quickly indeed.

The gameplay is good at times, but buggy, tedious and repetitive at other times.

A reasonably original take on the 3D RTS genre and it does offer some good gameplay, but some of the more technical aspects let it down - such as the visuals, the engine's performance even on lower settings and the somewhat disappointing battles.

One for the puzzle fans but unless you absolutely want to just draw lines all day, "Zoo Keeper" offers a much better gaming experience and has a lot more features.

Those who yearn for a return to yesteryear will find little solace in the game's so-called "classic" mode, which isn't an emulation of the 8-bit original, but simply the original game's layout structures and objectives within the new game's visual style.

With a game relying on Live so much, neglecting the offline gameplay quality only makes matters worse because if people don't buy it there aren't people to play with online. Double edged sword Sega, learn from it.

The graffiti probably could have had a bit more work done to it but they probably wanted to retain the same character and feel of the original games.

A great advertisement for the DS, and a solid way to spend short bursts of hyperactive gaming time.

Features some cute graphics and decent soundtrack and effects but doesn't really push past the moderate game spectrum.

It's a bold move forward for the series, but it's ultimately a move into blandness that robs the series of much of its earlier charm.

This game itself would be fine if this was 1998 but considering Tenchu: Fatal Shadows sits between games with a similar mission and a more up to date feel I would say leave it on the shelf.

It is a game probably aimed at the female market but despite its dating simulation style, offers a fairly decent adventure game and can be hard to put down.

Spider-Man's been done much better - even on the lesser GBA hardware - than in this obviously rushed and not terribly inspired game.

Spark took hold of the project to completion and while the game is fairly decent, it is a shame they didn't have the spark to polish it as much as the PC version.

Although the single player campaign is fairly in depth in terms of adding parts to your cars and offering quite a number of tracks, the fact you only have four cars to choose from really hurts the game in the long run as does the way the game becomes relatively hard very quickly.

It's a shame because under the skin of absolutely stupid game modes, there is a fairly accomplished wrestling game.

It's relatively easy for the most part, making it a game that some gamers will clear in less than ten hours, which also impacts on its total value.

There's no doubt that AntiGrav is better than Monkey Mania, and as an indicator of future game ideas, it's quite good - but the number of gamers with the necessary physical skills and patience for AntiGrav itself will probably be very small indeed.

A decent game but like the first one is too firmly focused away from party games and more on being a golf game.

An almost direct arcade port that will last a maximum of two or three hours first time through.

It may not be the best KOF game around, but its the most technically efficient and offers a decent fighting game for those who want the latest graphics and technology in your fighting games.

It's just a shame that when put together it's only an average game.

Given that most gamers will be able to plough through the game's challenges in only a couple of day's worth of light play, leaving only the time trial option to keep them amused, you can't help but feel that more should have been made of the concept - especially considering the game's sparkling visuals.

A decent game that perhaps relies on the license it is built on a bit to much. When you take that away you have quite an average boxing game and really only boxing fans or those who love the Rocky series of movies are likely to enjoy this title.

Once you look past the fairly average and repetitive gameplay between puzzles, some decent gameplay can be found and the storyline is something which really helps the game remain interesting once the repetition begins to hit.

The action is fast and furious but repetitive and really it adds up to only an average game. Sega can definitely do better.

The repetitive and boring gameplay, amongst other issues, unfortunately overshadows the realistically unique brutal nature of the game, which is a shame because it really does a good job in its portrayal of what war really is about.

It is just disappointing to see half baked ideas churned out which could have been full baked masterpieces if the effort was applied.

One area which is great about the game however is the ability to play co-operative multiplayer on the same console.

If you simply can't get enough of street racing games then SRS will suffice, but for those owners of other games of this nature, there is nothing new on offer here.

Wings of War works very much on the pick up and play philosophy employed in Crimson Skies and while it doesn't have the polish and the online play, its still a moderately solid game.

The problem we have is that the PSP version looks better than the PS2 game and that really displays a lack of effort for the PS2 game.

Fun to play in small doses. Once the repetition sets in during long stints the game's flaws become more and more apparent and it can lose the action packed feel which comes across during early stages.

The problems with Catwoman don't really show themselves until an extended period of play but once they do they become frustrating and bring the game down heavily.

You may not have heard of Starshatter but if you're a space combat fan you really should have.

The problem with Spiderman 2 is its lack of depth.

The driving sections of the game are superbly executed and feature some great gameplay but the on foot sections can cause a great deal of frustration.

Rather than having to find a save point or complete a level to save the game, Crash will update the save every time after a mini game which makes it perfect for a quick game while on the go.

They may not have used the swap system as well as the Pokemon games and collecting cards is no where near as desired as getting new animals to play with but they have done a solid job with Spyro Fusion.

While Metal Slug 3 does not offer the most gaming around, it does offer some fantastic gameplay. The additional extras extend the games longevity a little bit but really this is a game you buy to play over and over again every so often.

The online play keeps the game from being a complete 'once-n-shelve' title but if you're only a casual gamer without the online ability or an interest in the franchise from the past there is better tactical action games already available on the market.

Despite the easy style of the game, it can be enjoyed by both adults and children.

Overall UFC isn't the worst wrestling/fighting game around and does a good job in feature many different disciplines of fighting but lacks the polish to push it from moderate game to decent game.

Sadly this is another title that suffers from a lack of replay value.

Overall the graphics of the game are quite impressive and despite the fact that some enemies appear like a blob of pixels, many others are highly detailed and easily viewable.

Whilst the game does have camera issues and the combat can be clunky at times, if you're looking for something to keep you going after a game like "Pandora Tomorrow", then Alias offers some decent action based gameplay.

The visuals are simply amazing, particularly for a title from this genre, and the depth of the units isn't too shabby either, however it lacks that finishing polish and precise execution that would have made it that much better.

The game becomes quite boring and repetitive quickly.

The main problem with the game is also one of its strengths. The fact that it has only Corvette cars will definitely turn people off the game, but also attract a niche market of those who can't get enough one of the most famous American muscle cars.

The RPG elements keep the game from getting overly repetitive but at the very basic level, the game is a monotonous task of defeating enemies to progress further.