Blue Dragon finds the perfect balance between linearity and excessive freedom - it doesn't embarrass you by holding your hand, and yet it doesn't just leave you alone crying in the supermarket. Hironobu Sakaguchi (the FF creator and Blue Dragon mastermind) is as good a parent as Shigeru Miyamoto.

The most immersive Metroid yet with the best console FPS setup we've ever used. But maybe the formula's been tinkered too much.

Engaging, immersive, repulsive, beautiful and challenging on every level, all at the same time. The bar has been raised...An experience of this calibre only comes around every few years and should be played by as many people as possible.

Shallow and frequently frustrating but the fast-paced gameplay makes for a fun multiplayer experience.

The full Bomberman experience with a ton of options and addictive online mode. XBL Silver members approach with caution.

The Darkness is all about the story and that's what you'll be buying this for. It does a great job of pulling you in to what's going on in the world. It's not often a game genuinely shocks you when something major happens but this will.

Brothers In Arms DS is a good little action-shooter that makes great use of the DS's unique interface. With the tactical aspect of its gameplay removed in favour of a linear action approach, it loses some of its style and identity, but it's nevertheless the first war shooter for DS, and sets a high standard to beat.

Not the rally sim fans will expect, but despite a more arcade-like take, its huge selection of races and high-speed thrills, DiRT is fantastic fun.

It has the looks, it has the compelling level design, and it has the scary bits. Check, then: this is Resident Evil 4 all over again, but slightly better.

Great production values but the unforgiving gameplay and loose controls don't sit well in 2007.

Sub-standard stuff - its only redeeming feature is the very unlikely prospect of online fun. A bargain bin title.

As it stands, if only because this is a fantastic reimagining of a game everyone has played, Championship Edition is amongst the top tier downloadable games on Xbox 360.

It's just the actual racing itself that lets the whole experience down a little. It's not bad by any means; it just could have been much more exciting, especially if the AI had more personality.

The biggest disappointment in this otherwise fairly enjoyable shooter is the lack of content once you've finally grasped the formula. There are only nine similar-looking maps to choose from, with more expected down the line via downloadable content.

The biggest disappointment in this otherwise fairly enjoyable shooter is the lack of content once you've finally grasped the formula. There are only nine similar-looking maps to choose from, with more expected down the line via downloadable content.

Immensely hard difficulty levels aside in single-player, the co-op mode is fun and much easier to tackle. Oddly it's painfully slow in places with more than five enemies on screen at once. We didn't expect this at all from our next-gen experience of Double Dragon.

With Turbine's long-standing MMORPG expertise powering proceedings and one of the most welcoming communities in gaming, LOTRO presents a stunning and evocative world of Tolkien magic to explore - if you're any kind of fan, it would seem pretty much an essential purchase.

It doesn't shake-up the genere, but C&C3 delivers a solid and well-polished RTS experience that also provides the smoothest and most comprehensive game of the series to date.

If you played the original to near death, then forgot about it, Shivering Isles is the perfect stepping stone back into what's essentially an incredibly involving adventure game.

Littered with a variety of anomalies which can cause the unwary to explode and other delightful stuff, mutant doggies, deserted buildings, weather effects, real-time day/night cycles etc. etc. - it creates a deliciously unique atmosphere.

Oblivion on PS3 is every bit as incredible as other versions. If you own a PS3 and haven't played it, do yourself a favour.

Nowhere near as good as the full-priced alternatives - but you're still guaranteed a pretty good time.

GoW II proves that you don't need £400-worth of technology to make a fantastic game, as Kratos' second outing is more intense and rewarding than anything we've played last- or current-gen.

If you don't already own a version, or have done in the past but got rid if it, then Worms on XBLA is well worth a punt for the price. To get the most out of it though, Worms is best enjoyed with mates over Live.

But it's the same story as all the other Ghost Recons online, you need to be a ninja at the game to stand a chance of actually having some fun. That or you could just round up your mates who aren't as hardcore as most of GRAW's following.

One of Motorstorm's big successes is that it demands of you things that other racers don't even bother to ask. You'll have to learn every nook and cranny of the terrain before you can drive around courses with confidence. [JPN Import]

If you absolutely must have Shinin' playing on your telly then this could be worth picking up, if not the Xbox Live Arcade edition is a much more solid and prettier looking version of the visceral puzzler.

Our only major gripe is that much of its content, i.e. gameplay modes, many of the tracks, and of course all the characters, are from previous SSX games. With the usual selection of half-pipe, racing and trick modes, there's not a great deal of new content in here for SSX veterans to discover, outside of mastering the new control system.

There's very little to recommend with this title, besides some pretty visuals and the concept of being a knight. No, this just won't do at all. I wouldn't play this and you shouldn't either. [PC Zone]

As an intelligent and masterful 3D beat 'em up experience, this is as pure as it gets. [JPN Import]

An immensely enjoyable experience and easily the most complete free-roaming action game we've played. We'd even go beyond that and call it the ultimate sandbox experience - it genuinely is a beast all of its own, building on the GTA formula rather than feeding off it.

Sup Com is very much a PC gamer's beast, and the supernova-sized war games may prove a little too demanding for anyone other than accomplished RTS players (our heads still hurt from the last LAN skirmish). If only for its sheer scale and battle mechanics, this should be sampled by every RTS fan with a graphics card - and indeed, mental powers - that are up to the task.

Oh, and if you thought Geometry Wars was pretty tough on the eyes, think again... Heavy Weapon is the most tear-inducing Xbox Live title we've yet beheld.

This game, while it lasts, is crazy genius and, as we've already said, will be the one you come back to when you've got a full house.

Novadrome packs it all in in terms of options and modes, but fails to capture any of the charm of classic car combat titles like Twisted Metal or even its less good rip-off merchant of a friend, Vigilante 8.

It's a superb shooter with a great plot, innovative gameplay and some really brilliant moments that will surprise even the most seasoned of gamer. It's a decent length too, with a good 15 hours of play in the main mode. But some control issues and patchy inconsistencies (mainly in the physics and level design) pull it short of earning that juicy [90] score.

It's the biggest Zelda game ever without a doubt and the extra year of development has clearly done it a world of good.

Wii Sports is neither bulging in features nor graphically impressive, but when you put everything together, you have a fun package that, although better in places than others, is varied enough to keep you entertained for a good while and brilliant in multiplayer.

A technically impressive adventure that sticks to the tried and trusted traditional FF formula.

Call of Duty 3 is, even without multiplayer, undoubtedly a better game than "Red Steel" mostly thanks to its greatly superior controls, more varied gameplay, better AI and constantly more intense action from start to finish. The lack of multiplayer stops it from getting a 9, but consider its score to be the highest kind of 8 there is.

It's a solid shooter that ticks all the boxes and is fun to play. Just don't expect it to blow you away or give you a good idea about what PS3 can do.

If you're short of games to play on your shiny new PS3, RR7 is a solid choice. But be warned RR fans - you'll have seen almost all of this before on PSP and 360.

The fact that you can revive your partner also adds a lot of depth and strategy to the game. Do you risk reviving your downed teammate in the line of fire, or do you stick it out and take out the bad guys first?

Obviously more attuned with the PSP hardware, Rockstar has topped last year's excellent "Liberty City Stories" with a GTA sporting as many thrills, action and now-famous witty dialogue as the series has ever seen.

But underneath the pretty graphics JetPac Refuelled is pretty much the same game we played a quarter of a century ago. We doubt it'll grip a new generation of gamers as much as it did back in the day but you'll get your money's worth.

The combat system is wonderful, the characters are as compelling as ever and there's a running theme of incest amongst the upper classes. You couldn't ask for much more from an adventure game, really.

The faster the car, the more jelly-like things seem to become. The gorgeous Ford GT 2005 handles like the entire world was one big bouncy castle, as it bobs and lurches around like it had helium-filled wheels. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The AI is predictably primitive and inconsistent, with enemies failing to hear gun battles right outside their windows, yet spotting you with unerring ability at unlikely distances across the map.

It's a finely-crafted slice of the Mario as you know and love it, with so many extra superb bells and whistles, it'd still scare the pants of the hard-of-hearing. If that's not recommendation enough, then we don't know what is.

Can it improve on last year's version? The answer is most definitely yes, but like any successful team, you're going to have to work hard to achieve results.

Even without online support, this is a supremely enjoyable game and despite being the fifth Ace Combat sequel to arrive on PS2, it still feels refreshingly different in a release schedule crammed with racing, fighting and shooting clones.

Final Fantasy XI is an acquired taste, and one that was built for playing on the sofa rather than on the PC. It's a pity that Square couldn't have served up something more ambitious for our first online RPG, but at least it means we get an RPG that's had three years of being knocked into shape. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

However, if you're looking for another fix of Nintendo's knack for genius game design - with the added benefit of potential brain flexing thrown in - you owe it to yourself to check this out.

The mash-up idea's splendid and it offers real depth and innovation. In fact, once you get over the control hurdle, you'll find a very decent, challenging and rewarding game.

While American Conquest: Divided Nation is sure to have civil war buffs drooling over its adherence to historical accuracy, from a strategic gameplay point of view, it's not exactly going to give the more established and, let's be honest, more technologically advanced RTS games like Rome: Total War or Cossacks II a run for their money. [PC Zone]

Ultimately, Standard Tetris is still the best of the bunch on offer here. However, with all the high-quality additions and strong multiplayer options, Tetris DS offers serious value for money.

Unfortunately, the conversion to PC is a sloppy affair, leaving it with a number of issues, such as a frame-rate that's at times slower than a bed-ridden sloth, a bizarre lack of sound effects, an option to change resolution that doesn't work and the fact that the game defaults to running in a small window.

Ludicrous, exaggerated fun, and for the most part glitch-free. It's one of those games, like the recent Burnout Legends, that'll have you bumping into strangers on the bus as you dodge through virtual traffic in short sharp bursts of pure gaming bliss. [PSW]

Despite the weak selection of modes, Pokemon Link remains an enjoyable puzzler. The arbitrary veneer of the Pokemon license doesn't seem particularly misplaced and offers the ever enjoyable task of collecting all 380 of the little marketing wonders.

Here's hoping the developer now takes this painfully short, yet spectacularly sweet game, and turns it into the giant-killing franchise it was born to be. Until then, sample it, savour it, but brace yourself for when the rug is pulled from under your feet and you're sent crashing back into reality after what only seems like five minutes in the most crazy, fantastical shooter you'll ever experience. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Let's face it, thanks to Codemasters spectacularly managing to squeeze an entire sporting genre onto one DVD, as well as the ability to take your skills online should you finish the mass of races on offer, there's some serious miles to rack up before tiring this game out. [PC Zone]

You can't help but be impressed by both its breadth and depth. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Tycoon City: New York may be big and colourful, but under its ostentatious, shiny surface and character-driven tasks, it's ultimately just another by-the-numbers tycoon game. [PC Zone]

In terms of customisable play, varied and never-dull multiplayer along with a decent co-op mode, there's no doubt that Lockdown remains an attractive and enjoyable package - but it just feels old.

Yes, Empire At War boasts almost everything a Star Wars and RTS fan could hope for. There's innovation, excitement, intrigue and enough tension to give you an aneurism, but those pesky land battles just manage to sully an otherwise top-class piece of software. [PC Zone]

There's just something weird and catchy about Getting Up. It feels so different. It's more relaxed and laid back than most wannabe 'gangsta' games. [PSW]

It's this very quirkiness and unpredictability that makes Marc Ecko's Getting Up what it is - not like any game you've played before. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It's pretty easy to see why Capcom added a MAX onto the title of this conversion of Street Fighter Alpha 3. There are a staggering 15 play modes available when the game first loads. Then four extra characters culled from Capcom vs. SNK 2 (Eagle, Maki and Yun) and Capcom Fighting Jam (Ingrid) to help make up a total of 37. [PSW]

Megaman is straightforward and the exact sort of game that works on PSP. Fast and simple, bright and colourful. [PSW]

The appeal of button-bashing power bar games wore off when we put "International Track & Field" to rest years ago. Torino 2006 looks nice but we can't see you lasting long before slamming the pad down at the difficulty of the speed skating or nodding off from the monotony of the cross-country hobble. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Fans of Grand Prix Legends will love it, fans of GTR will love it and we reckon it's just possible that a host of newcomers could also be taken in by the thrill of driving the car you spent your youth pining for. [PC Zone]

Once you enter the realms of multiplayer, Ape Academy really comes into its own, with enormous pleasure to be gained from events like the one metre dash, dodge ball, scissor, paper and stone or Geronimo. Ook - drink deep from the banana inspired mayhem.

DOA4 over Xbox Live is quite an experience. It succeeds on a technical level, but the real reason that it's such a riot is the game underneath. The enjoyable, solid, beautiful game that is Dead or Alive 4. This is the definitive title in the series and, as far as we're concerned, the ultimate game in its genre. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Fritz Chess 9 is designed to teach and train chess players, and should be treated as such. If you're looking for an authentic chess xperience, we suggest getting a real chessboard. [PC Zone]

This is a cracking port of a cracking game with very few compromises. Find three mates to play against and it's better still. [PSW]

Retro purists will like it but most will find the gameplay too basic. The graphics and technology behind the game have obviously improved and grown over the years; it's just a pity the same can't be said of the actual gameplay. [PSW]

Thankfully, nothing's been fiddled with (except the addition of Wi-Fi support), and the inclusion of Marble Madness and Championship Sprint in particular prove that quality gameplay is timeless. [PSW]

Exhilarating because you're tasked with turning the tide of the conflict by hacking through scores of enemies with an array of combos, projectile attacks (including bows and bombs) and some superb special Musou moves that first need to be powered up. Infuriating because the abysmal camera makes it virtually impossible to face the enemy for any prolonged period, meaning you're soon being flanked faster than a bitch on heat in an all-male dog sanctuary. [PC Zone]

While Chaos League: Sudden Death is an intriguing take on fantasy tactical sports, the effort required to get going coupled with the repetitiveness which starts to creep in after a tournament or two will dissuade many. In all, it's a bit of a missed opportunity to polish up a flawed, but novel, piece of entertainment. [PC Zone]

With a great system of matching symbols in order to chat and flirt and a world in which a different life can be dictated for your Sim each time you start a new game, The Sims 2 is great fun and game that'll last you ages.

The thing is, it could have been a great one if only the developer hadn't assumed we'd all like lots more mindless hacking and slashing at the expense of some of the joyful exploring and leaping. [PSW]

Avoid this one like you would an elderly relative at a wedding reception who's suffering from the plague. [PC Zone]

Sure, it's not all perfect - there's still only a finite number of things to do in a day and the upper screen doesn't serve much purpose beyond a dedicated place to put sky - but you'll be so powerless to abandon Wild World's idyllic charms, you really won't care.

The simple, pick-up-and-play aesthetic that Nintendo oozes from its sweaty pores will soon have you thwacking the balls around the court like Roger Federer on Sunny D.

Crime Life fails in both gaming and moral terms. What we wouldn't have given for a few shiny rings to collect. Y'getme?

These great new combat skills, combined with the clever yet simple introduction of stealth play has boosted the Prince of Persia series to a new high. [PSW]

The Two Thrones is quite simply the best Prince Of Persia so far. It builds on what went before and adds a new dimension to the main character.

It's a cracking, clever, and crafty title, packed with surprises and brimming with invention, and a game that makes sure that, once you've completed it, you'll want to go right back to The Sands of Time and play it all over again, if only to spot all those clues that were there all along right from the start. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Nothing much new other than the setting, but a worthy spin-off in the Sim/Theme genre. [PC Zone]

The combat is stupidly easy and as badly designed as MC Hammer's trousers - timing kill moves or complex combos together is rendered fun-free, as you're held by the hand all the way through by giant yellow 'Y' icons that flash over an enemy when he's ripe for a kill move. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

In terms of sheer hold-on-tight entertainment, this is film-to-game perfection. Beat your chest with joy. [PSW]

Yep, King Kong is one very slick package and certainly the best movie tie-in game since The "Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay." If only they'd thought to slap a wig and roller-skates on the big monkey fella, we could've been looking at a classic. [PC Zone]

In essence, the game mechanics are as rough as a butcher's dog, yet it remains a game that will make you smile, and one that you'll finish - not least because it's so damn short.

Fifty quid is a lot of money to ask for a title that any competent gamer can pound through in six or so hours. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Put simply, King Kong is going to the biggest thing this Christmas since Jesus invented presents. Better still, it's every bit as entertaining as its hairy star is huge. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Despite Quake 4's many merits, it fires too many blanks for us to believe that it'll be unopposed for long. The game haemorrhages action in a way that few other blasters can match, but the series relies on too many outdated FPS conventions. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Bulletproof is one of the darkest video games around, with its combination of gritty storyline and moonlit night-time setting. [PSW]

The lack of car customisation options, the constrained three-lap race limit, the irritation of having to win each race in World Explorer to progress to the next, and the overly predictable format - even right down to the stereotypical announcer who hollers banalities at you while you race - smacks of by-numbers development. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]