The storyline and atmosphere keep the game from getting old but those who want something new probably won't find too much of it here.

Hopefully for 2K7, however, 2KSports can start to take stability and bugs slightly more seriously, as it is an issue seen in many of their games of late.

It is very pick up and play which is cool for friends but it really can only be recommended to fighting fans.

It's worth checking out for the PC gamers looking for a bit of a twist to their third person action gaming, but it isn't the sleeper hit of 2005 that I was hoping, certainly not the "free world" game it was touted to be.

If platform games are your thing, and you don't mind an adult spin on a cute furry red squirrel named Conker which has one heck of a hangover, then you'll find this game very playable.

While some areas could have used more polish, particularly the AI which is a tad disappointing, the experience the game has to offer is unmatched.

Lego Star Wars II takes a successful formula, enhances it ten fold and goes next generation.

If you like "Burnout" and like first person shooters, buy this because Criterion has done to FPS what they did to racing games, all over again.

The online play is an excellent addition to the already superb franchise and really anyone looking for a decent online fighting game, needs to check this game out.

Much of Cold War is not exactly new - it feels a lot like Splinter Cell in many regards - but where Cold War separates itself is the execution.

If there was a criticism of Bomberman to be made, it's that aside from little tweaks -- a few new powerups here, or a multi-screen layout there -- nothing much has changed in the Bomber world since he made his NES debut many, many years ago.

The author is rather fond of really hard games with simple premises, and Mega Man is exactly that-- the game mechanics themselves are quite archaic, but work exceptionally well due to good original design.

The great thing about WOTS2 is that once you do something right or wrong the civilians will remember it.

Pikmin 2 will probably join a growing cast of quirky Gamecube titles, thinking specifically of fare like Donkey Konga, Luigi's Mansion and Super Monkey Ball, that have their ardent fans but don't quite do enough to appeal to the broad mainstream.

The problem with Quake 4 is that, for the most part, the single player mode suffers from the same simplicity as "Doom 3" - random shooting through a maze of "appeasing-at-first, but-boring-after-the-100th-time" environments.

Super Monkey Ball is one of, if not the best value for money games for the Wii launch.

Although the initial storyline is a little confusing, especially if the gamer is new to the series, the overall flow of the storyline and game work very well.

Luxoflux have done a top job putting a realistic and interesting story together and the fact it's set in a real city that many can relate to makes it just even better.

One of the Wii's better launch games and the control system is unmatched at this stage.

It's an easily accessible golf game that should suit all but the most stiff-necked golfing enthusiasts, while still appealing to the mass market.

Even with the high level of detail, and destructibility of the levels, the framerate doesn’t fault even once.

It does become repetitive but the level design, mission structure and small variety of missions makes it easier to swallow, creating an overall decent third person action game for the fans.

It is a game that doesn’t take much time to play making it perfect for traveling and short trips.

In the areas Essentials does well, it excels, but what it doesn't do well keeps it from the must buy list for all but the most hardcore Sam Fisher fans unfortunately.

Many games in the past captured the essence of brutal fantasy gridiron nicely, but none could have dreamed up this much depth and detail.

Challenging gameplay is enough as far as I'm concerned but when you accompany this with a checkpoint save system which you can't directly dictate, forcing you to reload action up to 20 minutes ago and beyond, the annoyance level simply rises.

It hasn't lost much of its charm from the 2002 PC edition and they seem to have used the PS2 hardware in the best way possible.

While the level design is fairly basic, the levels are huge and offer some great moments and decent challenges for all ages.

As far as the controls go, I was left a little disappointed.

Those wanting a deep, story oriented game should definitely look elsewhere but if you want a game which you can pick up once every few weeks and have nothing to worry about other then destroying hordes of enemies, then Serious Sam: Next Encounter is definitely it.

AI can seem a bit like sheep at times just running towards the combat areas and the fact is you will probably take down about four or five before they manage to kill your character. This obviously unbalances the teams and can make the game incredibly easy but you don't buy battlefront for the single player, multiplayer is definitely the main focus.

A decent game, although it is not quite a memorable one.

One on one basketball can be fun but can also become monotonous so its really a case of needing to like the sport because the storyline and other modes really aren't going to keep you playing the game for a great deal of time.

A stepping stone to a better game and if EA continue to build on this engine and title they could possibly have the definitive Rugby game.

The quick style of the game is quite suitable for portable action.

It's great that Live now has two decent fighters in one package for people to play but it's a shame the entire package wasn't overhauled.

The game is at its peak in the first few hours of play, but after that is drops in freshness.

Reasonably basic improvements.

A platform game with lots of adventure, humorous elements and a ton of gameplay.

The inclusion of familiar characters is no doubt a bonus to the game and the way the developers have tried to move the gameplay from those games to a new medium was very ambitious and in some cases did not come off, but others like Samba De Amigo and Space Channel 5 can very easily be ported to a new control system.

While the gameplay is well supplemented with the ability to control time and space in certain aspects, the problem is these aspects are too scripted, and even when the game isn't telling you exactly what to do and how to do it, it is still too obvious what works where, basically creating predictable and unimaginative gameplay.

It may be a little cheaper but its worth forking out the extra for "Flatout" unless the modes unique to this game really impress you.

It's a decent game but it’s by no means the AAA title the original game was.

Novices, however, should start with simpler fare such as the Baldur's Gate games, which are easy budget pickups these days, or the excellent X-Men: Legends for that matter.

Really only for the die hard Bond fans and those who just can't wait to get some Xbox Live 007 action.

A decent game which is heavily pulled down by the lack of save points.

Possibly the best choice for those wanting a Sims game without having to do the house decorations and design, and for those who just want to be able to keep playing and playing without worrying to much about time management and having to deal with mundane tasks in an on going fashion.

The new additions probably aren't enough for owners of the PS2 version to shell out the full asking price again for the Xbox version but for those new to the franchise it offers a decent experience which should keep fans of ninja games happy for a while, despite its flaws.

A game that won't appeal to fans of traditional role playing games but is very much suited for those who want to get into the genre without being defeated because they didn't use a particular style of armor or haven't leveled enough.

If you simply need a game to continue the style of titles such as "Grabbed by the Ghoulies" then The Haunted Mansion will definitely suffice, but don't expect the same level of graphics quality or gameplay.

Just why multiplayer was left out really will be never known, but it is a mistake that Brian Fargo, a reknowned game developer, should not have made.

The problem with A&A, besides the negative points brought forward above, is the WW2 and RTS genres of gaming are two very prestigious genres, and it doesn't do enough to top what else is out there on offer.

The huge amount of vehicles makes the repetitive nature of the game not such a big problem and the physics of the game keep it in the realism side of things, but also offers pick up and play.

If you go in with a mindset of finding a 2D version of GTA3 with a few small problems you will probably enjoy the game.

It's not the best game for Xbox Live, but its by far not the worst either.

The game for the most part works quite well, but the repetitive nature, boring levels and lack of variety in mission objectives keeps this from being as impressive as a "Rainbow Six" game.

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.

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.

It features a great variety of modes and decent gameplay mechanics but when it boils down to it the different modes are built around the same engine just with different attributes such as length of time, tasks at hand etc.

Only a single player game with not much to offer in comparison to better known platform franchises.

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.

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.

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.

It is a shame that the storyline wasn't fleshed out a bit more with unique levels as it would have made it a far better game but really, only the comedy saves this one from becoming an average title.

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

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.

One of the greater traits of this game is the sound which replicates perfectly the wacky over the top 70’s effects.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

There isn't much wrong with Downhill Domination other then the fact that the source material doesn't make for a great video game in terms of length or replay value.

A very high standard game but considering the series' lofty expectations it just doesn't go far enough to keep us happy.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

If you're after a game where the rules are almost as basic as shoot anything that moves then Kill.Switch will appeal to you, but for a more in depth storyline and military experience, its best to look elsewhere.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.