I can guarantee you will be flying over Hogwarts evading the snapping Hungarian Horntail or swimming underwater in search of your best friend Ron, all the time getting rid of the pesky Merpeople. It is worth all the repetitive gameplay, and questing for Triwizard Shields in order to unlock these levels.

If it is the last in the series it’s truly a shame. But Project Zero 3: The Tormented definitely goes out with a bang... a big spooky bang.

It's been an utter delight to play the game again, especially as the conversion to Xbox has been handled so well. No self-respecting Xbox Live player should be without this game.

From Russia With Love had all the makings of a Bond classic. The story was already there, along with a number of cool set pieces. Unfortunately the game forgoes any subtlety in the film in favour of OTT action sequences and barely any stealth at all (it’s there, but like everything else in the game it is rudimentary at best).

By letting you explore the mansion and other location at your own discretion, we could have had a brilliant title on our hands.

Big Red One comes across as rather flat and uninspiring online, and even though there's room for 16 players, most maps will feel quite empty.

A brilliant game – not only because of its amazing gameplay but also because the game combined with "City of Heroes" creates a complete comic book universe with heroes and villains.

A very pretty game, gorgeous in fact, with plenty to do and see. But ultimately it just doesn't quite seem new enough. It's an example in safe game development and taking the easy path, but while it lasts, it's a fun path.

It's perhaps a bit too frenetic, but on this showing at least, I know I'll be playing this through a few more times until a welcome sequel arrives.

Namco Museum 50th Anniversary is a bit like a film that, when it appears in the TV listings, makes you smile fondly. Then, having forgotten it’s on, you stumble across it when you flick away from Bargain Hunt in the afternoon. You spend a little while watching it before your smile vanishes and you realise that, actually, it’s not really very good and you flick back to Bargain Hunt.

The characters don't move with the speed and finesse of those in Smash Bros and the fighting has less finesse. The recognisable characters help to make this title stand out and it's not necessarily a bad thing.

It’s a full GTA on an UMD, capiche? Besides the controls and a few way too difficulty missions LCS provides you with more fun and durability than three standard PSP games put together.

I believe EA could have created a very nice 2D/Top down view version of the game to suit the DS but instead it thought that a liner mission based structure would be more fun for the player and in my opinion they could not have been more wrong.

It’s nice that no feeble attempt was made to force the stylus into the pinball format, but it would have been better to see some more multiplayer options and maybe just a couple more tables. Really, that’s the only thing wrong with this otherwise fantastic title.

But don’t be looking for any semblance of a story here despite the developer’s claims and attempts to infuse one. And don’t be looking for something deep.

And while the devil is in the details, the game as a whole forms such a genuinely immersive and unique experience that to let it go unnoticed would be a disservice not only to Lovecraft but one extremely talented bunch of developers.

Unique, visually stunning and utterly involving.

If you can find yourself falling in love with the slightly twitchy handling, and look past the few failings involved with the enemy AI especially on later levels, then this could just work it’s way gaining a large portion of your Christmas gaming time.

A return to form for a series that was beginning to loose its way.

Maybe it's time for this addition to the videogame genre stable to start uttering that often resented yet ever-powerful f-word. That's "fold", by the way.

If the thought of using noxious farts to temporarily disable mad mid-western farmers at Knobb Cheese Farm (where the password to get in is cornhole) has you laughing uncontrollably, then Stubbs the Zombie will keep you entertained from beginning to end (assuming your tendency to drool doesn't short out your controller).

With a little extra polish it could have been an absolute masterpiece, but instead Rockstar have brought us a solid, if a tad unspectacular title, which totals up to far more than the sum of its parts.

Remember to check out if your machine matches the minimum specs or else you’ll get disappointed. We actually recommend that you are closer to the recommended specs if you want it to run properly.

Shattered Union's problem is that it tries to cram far too much in, and instead lacks and kind of real depth in any area. The enemy AI is weak, and far too unwilling to take advantage of the many errors you'll make early on.

But good sound isn’t going to save the game. There’s wasted potential here in Devil Kings, perhaps a sequel could bring that out. As it stands it is a flawed game thanks to repetition and some technical issues.

SOCOM 3 doesn’t innovate in any way at all, but it does entertain.

Fantastic stuff. It’s the sort of game non-sports fans can pick up and love. Not only is it the best SSX to date, it also features Apply Some Pressure by Maximo Park.

Darkness Rising brings a lot of new features to a great MMORPG.

The Quake 4 we have is ultimately not the Quake 4 that was born of four years worth of development. There is just no way in hell. And from a developer this kind of game is appalling.

The grace and speed of the animation coupled with the near-flawless controls make for a very engaging gameplay experience.

This is one situation where more of the same does not negate the experience. More of the same is more than we could have asked for. It's the brown bun alternative.

The massive database of over 32,000 players & staff and also over 3,000 teams is not something that can be sniffed at. And it is clear that a lot of thought has gone into the game so as not to disappoint the legions of loyal Ice Hockey fans.

Nerve has stuck enough diverse tweaks into the format to make for a thrilling, admittedly more terrifying experience. Resurrection of Evil is a much better game than "Doom III." Trust me.

The basic problem with B&W2 is that once again you're micromanaging a world for people who are too lazy and stupid to be able to do the simplest of tasks, such as build a house or find someone to mate with, for themselves. It's a real shame.

Not a great game, but it is a good one.

It plays superbly, the management mode is certainly addictive in the extreme, the AI is great, the graphics detailed and crisp and there are so many modes to enjoy. So it all comes down to those stutters, which seem to affect some gamers more than others.

It is reasonably addictive and is challenging enough to make you want to complete it.

The final marks I'm giving the game reflect my frustration with the defending aspects of the game and the poor implementation of Xbox Live, but if you're a fan of flight action games this is one of the better ones around.

The puzzles (if that’s what you want to call them) are either ridiculously easy or they are completely devoid of logic and impossibly hard.

Although, more often than not, these ‘borrowed’ gameplay elements are poorly implemented and tiresome, there’s a surprising amount of mileage within the game.

The aspects that had to be removed or toned down for the console have been made up for in more important areas of gameplay making a semi-sequel that is superior to the original title in many ways.

Carter is such a boring character it's hard to see his appeal. Unless you like playing gungho simpletons that congratulate themselves at any given opportunity for things as banal as successfully popping a guard in the head with a rubber bullet.

This is an ambitious title that tries to be original but fails on almost every level due to poor design. An odds-on failure.

The main fault in this game is the poor attention to detail and the PS one graphics it sports.

Happily, NBA 2K6 continues the series’ legacy of producing the best basketball games around. Everything is solid, fun to play, and there’s lots to it.

Valve's insistence on quality over quantity has paid off – this is a small but perfectly polished package.

The new web swing system and the new fighting system are not up to the level of it predecessors but there are still highly playable.

The combat is the title’s biggest blessing and curse. On the one hand we have a multi-faceted scheme that relies on a veritable orgy of button bashes in order to unleash the nest moves. But it’s entirely counterattacked by dodgy enemies who rarely change beyond what race they are.

It’s the very definition of [average], with so-so graphics and sound, mindless, repetitive action and nothing to get even vaguely excited about.

Its slick level design, excellent sound and the LEGO-look graphics do make We Love Katamari a worthy purchase, however, those who want an upgrade from the previous title will be disappointed as it is more of the same on different levels.

A game fraught with problems but recommendable nonetheless. When a game makes you smile this much it ‘s easy to forgive it its misgivings. And when the smile is as big as the one on my face, even more so. Now...high five!

If you can get past the technical glitches, or somehow manage to avoid them, then Sims 2 Nightlife is a fine addition to the growing Sims 2 franchise.

If you’re after something to play with your mates after the pub, or are looking for a short burst of knuckle-cracking violence, Urban Reign might be worth looking at if found going cheap.

Legends is easy to get started with and the concept of quick aggressive races is perfect for the PSP.

Even though there's a new, fancy interface (with decreased user friendliness, we have to admit), more finely tuned gameplay mechanics and a better AI, I can't help feeling that there's a bit of a lack of good ideas in comparison with "Burnout 3."

GripShift’s one of those marmite games. You’ll either fall in love with the weighty physics and adore the time based collection challenges. Or you’ll detest the numerous restarts, and missing out on progression by a mere split second.

I really like Desert of Flames but the new mob lock system really doesn't work.

There’s plenty of modern retro arcade games out there that don’t pander solely to misguided nostalgia for you to get coaxed into buying this.

It ceases to become an essential annual purchase.

One of the PS2’s better looking debacles. On a sheer destructive scale it’s a beauty.

If you’re after a simple and enjoyable hack and slash game, with lots of violence and blood, Blood Rayne 2 will be ideal, and yes, it’s worth playing, if only via a rental.

If you’re looking for a new conquest after finishing "FEAR" or "Call of Duty 2" then you’ll probably not find much in War World. If, however, you’re an old-school arcade fan and can manage a first-person shooter without much trouble, then I’d say War World is pretty much a must-have.

It's the best realistic shooter on Xbox Live and it's only real rival might be the forthcoming "Operation Flashpoint Elite," which may steal some of it's thunder.

The most telling point about the game is that it quite often made me want to throw the controller-S out of the window with anger due to missing shots I reacted well to.

Apart from the game giving our PC a bit of a rough time the story is the only other area where we have to mark it down. The story is there to guide you through the intense carnage however, and it doesn’t plead to be taken seriously. Which is a good thing because it clearly isn’t.

It’s a game that has ideas and refuses to be diluted by mediocrity. These days that’s a rare and brave thing to do.

The historical period is beautifully realised, and the included onscreen encyclopaedia is great reading. If you have an interest in this period, pirates, the age of sail - you'll find lots to enjoy, especially if you're a fan of the works of Patrick O'Brian or Alexander Kent.

The gameplay part unfortunately subtracts from an otherwise exciting experience – but Capcom deserves credit for releasing such an alternative game in times where most companies stick to the safe blockbusters.

MC3 works surprisingly well on a PSP, despite the grand setting and detail put into the original.

A great round of applause then for DICE for making a game that improves the concept and gameplay as well as Battlefield 2 does it.

If you like the humour in the game then I'd say it's a worthwhile purchase - I enjoyed the single-player adventure despite problems with pacing and some of the puzzles. However I found the online game initially maddeningly chaotic until I got to grips with the surprising complexity of the gameplay on offer.

A flawed, funny, likeable game that doesn't quite live up to expectations.

With such an accomplished and unique cinematic source, we really did deserve better.

But daylight racing is not enough to mark this game out from a crowd of games that while steadfastly sitting comfortably in their niches and not taking risks, ultimately are a lot more fun to play.

Casting morality aside for one moment, GTA: SA is a glorious thrilling ride of delinquency. It offers just enough freedom, and more than enough violence, to make for a truly epic game.

There's clearly a bright future for the franchise, though it's perhaps time EA let the team take a few risks - let more folks than just Americans play - perhaps give us a choice who we want to play as.

It's good, and will hold your interest, but with some slightly frustrating controls that aren't customisable, driving Duke owners to desperation, or a new controller S (effectively making it into a £55 game) it's only really slightly improved over the PS2 version.

Running away is a decent strategy, actually. If you see Dungeon Lords on the counter in your local games store, run away. Run as though your life depended on it.

There are lots of great elements to the game, but nothing that stands out as being worthy of a purchase alone.

Personally I find it annoying that I lose points when my opponents hit me and not the other way around, but I still like the idea.

One hell of an addictive golfing game. If you played any of its incarnations on the PS2, you will know what to expect here.

The best recommendation I can give is to tell you that the CD hasn’t been out of my drive since I bought the game before Christmas. I simply love this game.

It tries too hard to be Halo rather than finding its own niche in the market and comes across as a game that doesn't try hard enough. There are moments of enjoyment, but not enough to recommend this.

Super fun races with interesting AI and that surprisingly great customisation section.

Twitch players in favour of the 'rush and crush' tactic will be deeply frustrated here, but those who like to take their time and mull over the tactical options available should find much to keep them occupied.

The game does look quite good, especially considering that it’s not very taxing on your computer.

So playing through File 2 with its linear, claustrophobic levels, constant backtracking, awkward controls (despite the full use of analogue movement this time) and limited menu space does more harm than good.

I asked you at the start of this review to buy a copy of this game - buy two - and not to let it become another "ICO." If it does, it's YOUR fault, dear reader.

Wrestlemania 21's outrageously flawed A.I. and emphatically clunky control integration sully an otherwise outstanding display of wrestling prowess.

Okay, the gloves are off. I really dislike this game. The titular fury is so apparent after just one race.

Though it might appear a little dated, the game offers some innovative features, such as the addition of the Dreamworld, combined with a good story.

It’s tempting to go so far as to state that this is the epitome of mainstream, generic console fare, but it doesn’t have playable rap stars or street racing in it, so it doesn’t even merit that.

Only one thing stops us from awarding top honours to this game: the lack of a co-op mode, which would have been an obvious inclusion.

It's a solid, fun game and there's no doubt you could do a lot worse, but you might find yourself feeling a little detached from it all after not too long.

The new monsters are not as interesting as the original ones, and even though they’re still frightening, they just don’t fill the void left by DOOM 3.

Doom 3 definitely has gameplay to back it up but it's gameplay from a few years ago while the rest of the world has moved on.

The graphics are simply state of the art. Virtual Lego, and perfectly implemented.

Its learning curve is fair instead of gleefully obstinate and that's what marks this series' major step forward.