Playing with real friends in this game is better than playing somebody online, as you get to have a real party spirit and distract each other in ways that simply aren't possible when the other players aren't in the same room. Not only this, but there's a ton to unlock and enrich your multiplayer games in months to come. Got friends? Get Worms!

If you loved the original but found it too easy, then give The Prince of Persia: Warrior Within a go, as it's sure to please. If you loved "Ninja Gaiden" you'll definitely like this.

While the challenge mode will appeal to purists and the multiplayer mode to those with lots of friends lucky enough to own a DS, this lack of length in the story mode is going to put off people who enjoy the journey as much as the fight.

Upbeat, well-developed, clever, taxing and enjoyable, Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle should evoke one of those little impulses you won't be able to resist until you've played it to completion.

One of the best platform offerings to hit these systems in a while, plus a quality children's game for which the competition is extremely limited.

The fun really does lie in the multiplayer, because the drunken laughs my friends and I have had with this game have been fantastic and they went on and on into the early hours.

A fantastic action-platformer that, despite a few technical hitches and minor camera problems, delivers well over ten hours of 3D Pac-Man goodness.

This new Legend is one you'll enjoy immensely while it lasts and crave once it's over.

An excellent game and if you have the capability to play online and the time to learn the city inside out, it may well prove to be a title that keeps you enthralled for many months to come.

Even if you don't go to university much, the price tag is worth the influence meter alone, as well as the 125+ items it adds to the already rich game.

It's a slow paced game, so those who shy away from games like chess will probably want to turn a blind eye, but anybody with an ounce of patience and a lust for either piloting a plane, commanding a ship or steering a submarine should sail down to their local game shop and pick up a copy!

The PS3 version of F.E.A.R. isn't bad by any means, but the poor graphics and occasional glitches makes it far from perfect.

If you loved the original but found it too easy, then give The Prince of Persia: Warrior Within a go, as it's sure to please. If you loved "Ninja Gaiden" you'll definitely like this.

The amount of variety and options in and out of battle will keep you playing far longer than the typical game, while there are enough differences in the combat system to make it feel fresh and new.

Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends is much like its predecessor - it is perfectly tuned for non-hardcore gamers and therefore frustrating to those used to evaluating games designed with that audience in mind.

Although by no means perfect, Cars certainly raises the bar, and hopefully the public's expectations of what a video game tie-in should be. For this more than anything, Rainbow Studios should be applauded.

There's nothing here that hasn't been done before in many other adventure games before it, but Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express is a splendid showcase of richly compelling narrative and atmosphere at work.

It's a supreme reproduction of the original strategy game, very easy to use and well worth the asking price for anyone interested in chess.

The combat is satisfying, the setting is grand and the amount of troops on screen is amazing - this is war on a scale rarely seen in games and it puts the likes of "Dynasty Warriors" to shame for its combination of sheer numbers and exceptional graphics, with an outstanding soundtrack that completes the atmosphere of this historical adventure.

This is without doubt the best representation of golf of recent times and anyone with even a mild interest in the sport will love it.

If you can overcome the daunting task of getting into Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI, as well as ingesting all the finer points, then you could really grow to love it.

Gameplay finally feels more akin to the sport we watch on television, successfully capturing some of the chaos and brutality of the real game.

With added skirmish missions, multiplayer and increased difficulty settings, there's plenty to stick around for once the main game has been completed.

Whilst the problems mean that the developers might not have quite managed to build a wonderwall, this is definitely a game you shouldn't let slide away.

While Nintendo DS owners may feel cheated at the poor second screen features, or may even feel violated by the graphics on their system compared to what they've come to expect, GBA owners can feel safe in the knowledge that this is one of the best looking on their system and that only one good screen, which is what the GBA possesses, is really needed to fully enjoy the gameplay.

Sure, the hardcore Burnout and Gran Turismo fans will find this game laughably easy, but for a few hours of harmless and comical entertainment, you can't go wrong driving Cars!

A fantastic action-platformer that, despite a few technical hitches and minor camera problems, delivers well over ten hours of 3D Pac-Man goodness.

A wonderful surprise for GBA owners and fans of the film looking to take the experience home.

A really enjoyable game - if you're a fan of the film and of violent games, then you should really enjoy yourself. It's got style, class and lots and lots of violence, as well as a kick ass soundtrack.

It may not be the most challenging strategy game to date but it's certainly one of the more enjoyable and the amount of detail in the graphics, settings and battle units make for a convincing and complete setting.

Despite the relative shortness of the single player mode, I can't recommend Urban Chaos: Riot Response enough.

A fine balance of playability and realism.

Much like its predecessor, Anno 1404 is an entertaining and friendly city building game with astonishing looks and enough content to last long into the winter months; and, again like its predecessor, its combat still lets things down.

Plenty of depth, great sound and visuals, copious amounts of unnecessary swearing, oodles of violence and an awesome central character in Tony Montana - it's not quite GTA IV but if you can't wait until next October then you should definitely say hello to this little friend!

If you enjoy party games and trivia and you'd like another game to add to your "360 as a rival to the Wii" list then you've got a winner on your hands with Scene It? Box Office Smash and you shouldn't be afraid to grab it even if you don't know much about movies or games.

You'll definitely enjoy the On Tour mode for a good while, but don't expect to love the entire game like you might have loved the previous titles in the series; it feels more like an odd but amusing experiment for the series that won't be back for the next iteration, which will most likely return to the roots that the series was most successful with.

With the added Skirmish, Multiplayer and massive single player campaigns, it's one that'll keep you occupied for a while to come, or a least until Phase Three is unleashed, which will hopefully be more of an evolution than an update.

LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy goes out on a charm offensive and delivers on almost every level - you could argue that the gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, but with this much charisma and so much to explore and collect, it's hard not to be seduced.

One hell of a game; for all your WWII strategy needs, look no further. It's always refreshing to come across a game that'll last you a full year of serious gaming, if not longer.

It’s is a huge-improvement over its erratic predecessor and the kind of top-notch, no-holds-barred, sandbox action game many people hoped Mercenaries 2 would be a couple of years ago.

Although by no means perfect, Cars certainly raises the bar, and hopefully the public's expectations of what a video game tie-in should be. For this more than anything, Rainbow Studios should be applauded.

Sure, the game is a superb effort as a charity drive, but I see it more as a social experiment.

What Nintendo has really done with this game is set the bar extremely high for any future portable FPS title that even wants to be considered above average.

If you like football games and you want to be impressed by something that plays fantastically well and looks next generation, then this is without doubt a fine purchase and a big step in the right direction for the FIFA series.

The times when we were able to get good online games going without any problems were absolutely fantastic, a real reminder of great blazing fast arcade shooters from years past like Quake and the classic "Unreal."

There are things like loading times that can annoy from time to time, and the graphical blurs can be a pain, but the amount of gameplay and content here is fantastic, and to be able to customise your house's interior on the move in full 3D really does appeal.

Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny doesn't break the mold for RPGs but it still contains some very inspired moments.

Far and away that best game of basketball you are going to find.

A fantastic action-platformer that, despite a few technical hitches and minor camera problems, delivers well over ten hours of 3D Pac-Man goodness.

There's a lot to love about Daemonica, from the overwhelming sense of despair that permeates the sad town you explore to the unique methods used to conduct your investigations.

In the end then, rather than being an exceptional driving game, NfS: Shift is a good one with one exceptional feature - driver-cam, and one interesting idea where the implementation is slight awry - driver profile.

Unlike the horrific launch of Dungeon Lords, which eventually revealed that there wasn't much of value beneath the buggy exterior, Gothic 3 has a tremendous world of role-play available for those willing to persevere - and I strongly recommend the game to players in this category, who also have the behemoth computer power needed to run the game in the first place.

2003 is definitely a step in the right direction for the series and escapes being marked down as another recycled game; if they keep it up with 2004 then KoF may just become the king of 2D fighters after all.

The police chases are excellent, with clever little turns and weaving in and out of traffic often rewarding you by losing your tail. These high speed chases are made all the better by the consistently high graphical standards, with the cut scenes given a computerised feel in order to make the transition between storyline and gameplay unnoticeable.

If you're a fan of the film and of violent games, then you should really enjoy yourself. It's got style, class and lots and lots of violence, as well as a kick ass soundtrack.

Despite the porting issues, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is a positive and challenging experience that remains unique more than six years after its initial release.

Dark Crusade isn't just another collection of random missions and some new units; it's an expansion so crammed with new stuff that it's almost an entirely a new game -and not something that Dawn of War fans will want to be without.

Plenty of depth, great sound and visuals, copious amounts of unnecessary swearing, oodles of violence and an awesome central character in Tony Montana - it's not quite GTA IV but if you can't wait until next October then you should definitely say hello to this little friend!

There's enough killing to satiate even the sickest soul and the baddest gangster, and there's hours' worth of high quality music to listen to while you do it.

Offline players have an exceptional story mode to look forward to that, though short, is one of the best FPS single players I've played in a long time.

The original classic has certainly found firm footing with the PSP and if you're tired of all the action oriented games of today then Myst on the go is definitely a palatable and refreshingly different cocktail.

It's an instant classic and the perfect slice of fast twitch, shallow fun to give your gray matter a break from all that civilization building and warmongering.

Rock Band Unplugged is very different from its full grown console brethren, but still a highly engaging portable game in its own right.

But you can't deny that Crash Bandicoot's graphical qualities are one of the best we've seen from a game of this genre.

The hugely substantial team based multiplayer, coupled with the headset support, is easily enough to warrant a purchase.

Ideal to dip into when you've run out of cash and completed everything else on your shelf.

It presents a solid, fairly streamlined experience that's accessible to console players while still providing an engaging layer of depth.

The animations are also really fluid and collisions look very natural, an area where Pro Evo is lacking.

It has some wonderful graphics and animation, excellent sound effects and enjoyable voices to complement the fun and endlessly playable fighting action.

A thoughtfully designed action shooter with massive, well-rendered and free roaming environments, a great range of enemies and an unparalleled range of gadgets and weapons with which to defeat them.

It may be a pimped up ride, but underneath the bonnet it has the heart of a true racing game.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is a great game. It has a few bumps and is a bit rough round the edges in terms of visually uninspiring environments and a ropey multiplayer mode, but its stealthy single player gameplay and combat are both wonderfully well executed.

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie has impressed me so much that I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. There's loads of variety to keep anybody quiet for ages - it even kept me up, playing until the break of dawn!

It's a great game that will keep you busy for many hours across several months, offering tons of options and replay value; yet there are plenty of quirks and load time frustrations, and some things could use more optimization.

The graphics are top notch, the score is captivating and the sound effects are realistic but subtle enough not to irritate.

If you are looking for a game with graphics to showcase your Wii then you'll be disappointed. However, if you're however prepared to look past the almost awful graphics then you'll find a real gem hidden underneath.

It isn't a particularly intense game and doesn't make use of all of the platform's capabilities. However, if you come at Digging Strike expecting much of the same gameplay elements that made the original Dig Dug such a popular title, then Digging Strike will be right up your alley.

It'll be too much for many casual gamers and quick-dippers, but if you feel the need for a challenge then it's well worth the effort, as there's more of a sense of achievement in beating this than you'll find in any other shooter this year.

LarryBoy and the Bad Apple will only take older kids a few hours to complete on easy mode, but it is pure fun from start to finish.

This is the most original first person shooter I have come across since Doom 3's blend of horror and action.

SiN Episode 1: Emergence is action packed from start to finish and doesn't relent until the final bullet is fired.

A thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding game, providing a military alternative to Rainbow Six and immersing the player in an urban combat environment like few games can.

It's not groundbreaking and Skarin's slow pace can make it a chore at times, but a lot of love and creativity has been injected, and the result is an experience that will entertain the majority of gamers.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare feels old school; from the colour-coded bad guys in their special hats to the way you have to double-press up to sprint, everything seems to hearken back to far gone days.

Variety, accessibility, value, fun and tons of content is what TY the Tasmanian Tiger is all about, and never has Krome done a better job at pulling all of these elements together than they have in TY 3: Night of the Quinkan.

This is one Grand Adventure that you don't want to miss if you're a One Piece fanatic, and even if you're not, there's certainly more than enough pick up and playability to warrant a rental or purchase.

A classic game that's enjoyable to play both in single player and online multiplayer. With so many fighters, finishing moves and secrets to choose from, the replay value is very high. The few negatives in the lag and matchmaking issues online cannot detract too much from the overall experience.

For anyone looking to get into baseball management sims, Out of the Park Baseball 10 is a perfectly fine place to begin getting to grips with the complexities and steep learning curve of the sub-genre.

The ability for Meltdown to be played by all ages and by the casual gamer through to the most hardcore make it a game that almost everyone can enjoy.

It's even superior to the larger-than-life franchise in a lot of ways, but many redeeming qualities are lost because of the short and completely un-involving storyline, boring lead character (you can combine customization with an actual character, just look at San Andreas), and lack of features found as standard in the later incarnations of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Although clearly a budget game, it is packed to the gills with quality, features and, more importantly, style.

Sonic Riders doesn't boast too many tracks, nor does it have an online mode, which is a shame, but a bit of unique futuristic racing with familiar faces is what I'm after these days, and Sonic Riders delivers on that front hands down.

It's not going to impress anyone who's grown to loathe games based in this era, but action fans and those desperate for more since the original Call of Duty burst onto the scene will be hard pressed to find a bad thing to say about it.

The Legend of Kage 2 won't be to everyone's liking due to its 16-bit sensibilities and challenging difficulty level, but if you're eager for something more like a traditional game than Yet More Bloody Brain Training* and nintendogs: The Lady and the Tramp Edition*, Taito's return to an era of skilful, fast-paced, unforgiving gameplay will seem like a godsend to many disenchanted gamers this Christmas.

The difficulty and overall design of the game could have been altered slightly for the better but when compared to most RPGs of this generation, Eternal Sonata is well worth it.

Action-packed and so fast-paced that you won't have time to sweat, this title should definitely get a ride in your PS2, filling your screen with blaster shots, explosions and entertainment at a high level.

The main draw to Charlotte's Web is clearly its decently sized story mode and it absolutely delivers a fine family-friendly platforming romp for you and your kids to play and enjoy while it lasts.

A pure slice of RPG goodness that's worth a play through whether you've read the book or not.