If you haven't bought Gates yet, look into the mirror and ask yourself: "How many times do I want to die today?" Seriously, only the insane need apply.

This brand-new version takes the gripping plot of Metal Gear Solid and splices it with the new gameplay systems from the sequel. You really are getting the best of both worlds here.

FN2004's brilliant analog stick punching system gives boxing its own genre - this is much more than just a beat 'em up with big red gloves and silly shorts on.

It's really faithful to the film too, but you don't have to be a fan to appreciate it - this is basically Rockstar's take on "Streets of Rage," a jolly ghetto romp where the streets are paved with smashed-in faces. And it really works too! [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Red Faction Guerrilla is a refreshing and very enjoyable sandbox game that offers an alternative to the Saints Rows, GTAs and Godfathers out there. Don't expect anywhere near the insight and polish found in GTA IV, but do expect a rollicking good time.

Players have access to better weapons (machine guns, grenades) early on in this sequel, and it definitely makes for a much more exciting experience. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

You're not going to find another MMOG that's anywhere near as welcoming as this. While the whole PlayOnline front-end interface might initially seem a cumbersome folly, it's not long before you're wishing all your online games could be handled through such a console-style browser.

Everything is of the traditionally high IL-2 standards and is comparable qualitywise to what was in Forgotten Battles, even if there isn't all that much of it.

Describing the stages in Turok as mere 'levels' doesn't really do them justice - it took us almost two hours to find everything in the first one alone, and they get bigger!

If you're a "Dawn Of War" fan, Winter Assault is absolutely essential. [PC Zone]

In short, it's probably the best extreme sports game ever made, the only real caveat being that it's rubbish without a decent gamepad. [PC Zone]

It has its frustrations and we miss burning around in a car or the rumble of some good old-fashioned gunpowder, plus we think "Crackdown" pips it in the open-world action game league. But that won't stop you having a very amusing 25 hours of gaming (play it through twice, once good and once evil, and it's even longer).

If BioWare can get over their identity crisis and make TOR increasingly more unique with future updates, this could be one of the best MMOs ever. For now, it's 'merely' excellent, and a bold experiment in bringing a worthwhile story to an online experience.

FN2004's brilliant analog stick punching system gives boxing its own genre - this is much more than just a beat 'em up with big red gloves and silly shorts on.

The short-lived campaign doesn't quite reach the highs of Modern Warfare, but the ever-solid shooting and multiplayer mechanics make this a great shooter.

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

The best of its type on any console. Not for everyone, of course, but it's easily the best strategy title in a very long time. Shame about the crap visuals, though.

Quite possibly our game of the year. It really is every bit as good as we could have hoped for and every bit as good as the hype would have suggested. [PC Zone]

This is a relentlessly explosive title that doesn't know the meaning of respite; one which laughs in the face of 'downtime'.

The focus on the single-player experience, along with Bioware's top-notch level design has created an expansion pack with great detail and atmosphere that's arguably even more immediately immersive than the original game. [PC Zone]

The game oozes atmosphere, from the Russian propaganda blaring out of the loudspeakers to the eerily empty war-torn streets. [PSW]

If you enjoyed films like The Grudge, The Ring (the Japanese versions, that is) and The Eye, then this will give you goosebumps the size of tennis balls. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

In MC3 everything is real big. Customisation real big, vehicles real big, racing real big, online real big, adrenaline real big.

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]

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]

It's like Capcom was undecided in what it wanted RE5 to be. It breaks many of the series' traditions, yet tries to hold onto elements of its heritage that are either dated or don't fit with the style.

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.

Taken as individual pieces, only Battlefield 3's regular multiplayer is really strong. The co-op and story are both perfectly well executed, but lack true greatness. So, that third elephant: is Battlefield 3 really better than Call of Duty? It's a matter of personal taste, but for us Battlefield 3's incredible multiplayer edges this ahead of it's accomplished rival.

Undoubtedly the best game of its genre on any system, ever. The punches are even more satisfying, the ground play even more strategic and, yes, the array of burly blokes look even more authentic than before.

Sadly - and this is more true for PC fans - the game lacks the depth of character development that marked the original out as such an innovative classic. Even so, it looks great, gameplay is varied and smooth and you can be sure the experience will linger in the mind long after you've finished playing.

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

NBA 2K6 also has full Live support, something that mysteriously disappeared from "NBA Live 06" just before it was released. Take your pick. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

This is the same Football Manager you know and love with a number of really good decisions running throughout to give more depth and more control.

Sure, it may be worryingly sadistic to grab a passing bus full of schoolkids and use it as a shield to batter a fleet of police cars out of the way, before hurling it into a group of passing pedestrians, but when it's this much fun, who cares? Super, smashing, and most definitely great. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It boasts so many new gameplay modes that any review is in danger of reading like a press release.

Chuck in the countless car-tweaking and customising options and brilliant multiplayer modes, and it easily slipstreams ahead of the other modding racers around. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

At heart, Killzone 3 is still a ridiculously good looking thrill-fest that challenges little more than your reaction speed - and your visual expectations. She's not marriage material and eventually, her charms will wear thin. But we can at least guarantee that shooter fans won't regret spending a fair few evenings alone in her company.

Its stars may be hollow, but Stacking is stuffed full of charisma, cleverness and charm.

Well, we hate to say it, but DMC3 is still no "Devil May Cry." The world has moved on, folks, and a lot of that game's sheen is now standard issue in gaming. [PSW]

As dark and disturbing as ever, but not worth getting if you've played it on PS2.

Entertaining but lacks the depth of its guitar-based brothers.

Yes, its vulgar and obscene nature might rub some people the wrong way, but for many Bulletstorm will be a humorous, tongue-in-cheek romp that distinguishes itself from the other samey sci-fi or military shooters clogging up the genre. The game brings simple design concepts used in the infancy of the FPS to the modern day and garnishes it with all the current-generation trimmings.

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]

Sadly, when it comes down to it, this is all just a very dull experience. You fly about a bit, shoot at some tiny dots, shoot at some more tiny dots, become irritated by shooting at tiny dots, stop concentrating and crash into the sea. Then you start the entire process all over again.

Never underestimate the power of a decent online co-operative mode, and developer Raven has duly obliged. It doesn't add a great deal in terms of how you play, but this is the sort of game that comes alive when played with friends. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Well, we'd still rather link gems in Puzzle Fighter than link blobs here and the mental gymnastics required to be good at this will deter the casual Tetris player. But still, it's enjoyable stuff.

Games are something you play, films are something you watch. Unfortunately for EoN there are too many films and not enough game.

Some amazing moments... and some truly abysmal ones. Saints Row: The Third is wildly imaginative and frequently entertaining, but a lack of technical polish and weak combat overshadow its achievements.

Too much of GT5 relies on past glories, building on the success of the series without shaking free of the design quirks that are holding the series back. High expectations are justified when a game has been in development so long and GT5 has more than a faint whiff of disappointment about it.

Sadly, The Warriors is never more than running about smashing people's heads in to cool 1970s music and listening to clichéd gang speak. We demand more these days. [PSW]

Another brilliant online feature - and by far our favourite - is the hilarious Hall of Meat challenge, which dares you to wipeout around the city causing as much damage to your skater as possible. All this bone snapping is accompanied by an X-ray score sheet showing, yep, your broken bones.

The presentation, solid storyline and good use of the X-Men characters lift Rise of Apocalypse into the top echelon of PSP games. [PSW]

Buoyed by extra content, yet lacking a proper sense of real progression from the last outing, it nevertheless remains a well-designed foray that taps into parts of the gaming brain that habitually lie dormant. [PC Zone]

Overlook-able faults aside, Gearbox has delivered one of meatiest, most wholly satisfying hybrids yet.

Unlike anything else you'll ever play on Xbox, and we're pretty confident you'll also consider it one of the best. It's like reading the latest Dan Brown blockbuster, only with fewer words and more joypad abuse. Quite simply, it's ace. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

DICE has done enough to justify the status of sequel rather than expansion pack. It looks great, sounds funky and plays superbly. [PC Zone]

Summit Strike does exactly what it sets out to do; provide a decent extension to the Ghost Recon experience and breathe new life into the franchise. And at 20 quid, it's a bargain package to tide you over until the release of Advanced Warfighter. [Official UK XBox Magazine]

Niche, but a true work of art and one that only a video game could achieve. It's marred by a lack of content, but what's there is like nothing else we've seen and will force you to come back at least a few times.

What's so captivating is FSW's constant assault on your senses - whether shaken by explosions or hanging on live-or-die decisions, you are always in the thick of it.

Mikami has the basis for a gorgeous, thrilling shooter here. But the wooden narrative, stale mechanic and non-existent learning curve prevent Vanquish from ever reaching those heights.

Unlike some of the movies, everything about Star Wars Battlefront II is an improvement over its predecessor - exactly what a sequel should be, and then some. [PSW]

Those who bought last year's game might find themselves disappointed by the lack of genuine innovation and new thrills. It's still a truly amazing game, but one that's in need of a freshening up and a different slant before they chuck out next year's version. [PSW]

The kind of game where you'll be on the phone for your mates to come round and see the next amazing scene. It's all very linear, but sometimes you have to realise this is a good thing.

Those who've already tasted the Prince's heady delights might be a little disappointed - this feels like a collection of new levels and bosses rather than an honest to God sequel. Like we said, call it a remix. [PSW]

The frustrating controls haven't been improved much, and Sly's movement is nowhere near as smooth as we'd expect.

Here is a game that's not only genre defying, it's quite possibly one of the weirdest games to ever appear on the PC. In fact, when it comes to atmosphere, story and personality, Beyond Good & Evil has a very similar feel to "Grim Fandango." [PC Zone]

In singleplayer mode there's a decent selection of games to get you in the mood, but it's playing with your mates that'll really get you amped up, as you fight it out in bloody broadband battles with furious futuristic weapons.

. This is a meaty, loud and epic new Halo with a superb new campaign and an awesome co-op multiplayer mode with all the Halo 3 multiplayer shenanigans thrown in for good measure. It may be a little short and it's not a far cry from what Halo fans have seen already. But it's more of the same industry-defining quality you expect from Bungie.

At their best, the Pro Skater games were a sport in themselves, requiring lots of skill. While the thrill of the trick is still here, it's deluged in a misfired attempt at frat-boy cool.

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.

Right up there with the smash-happy "Mercenaries." Make no mistake, this one's a definite Hulk smash. [PSW]

A beautiful, balanced fighter, and a wealth of multiplayer options earns DOA the ultimate respect.

Once you get to grips with the controls and get into a close fight it can get very exciting, and finishing an opponent with a perfectly-timed parry and counterattack is really satisfying. Unfortunately, most people won't want to spend the time it takes to get into Bushido Blade.

Thankfully, if you foul it up once too often a special Easy mode is unlocked, the equivalent of Normal on PS2. But what's the point of a remake that's only enjoyable when doing exactly what it did in the original?

Half loose arcade racer, half tight tuner epic, Need For Speed Most Wanted gets caught in a rolling roadblock between "PGR3"'s graceful racing and "Burnout"'s burning intensity, neither of which it can begin to match. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Final Fantasy XIII isn't just a game you merely enjoy. You fall in love with it. It's gorgeous worlds have you stopping to admire them in complete awe, while a graceful soundtrack massages your brain (despite the unfortunate replacement of the original Japanese theme with a song from Leona Lewis).

With a potentially unlimited number of user-designed maps that can be shared over Xbox Live and even user-generated stories with scripted AI events, this game has the longevity of Rasputin and should spawn one of the liveliest online communities yet. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It's refreshing to find a game that's so strong in single-player mode - not that I've got anything against multi-play, you understand, it's just that a lot of software publishers are using the strength of their multi-player mode as an excuse for the weakness of their games in single-player mode. Age Of Empires, needless to say, triumphs in both departments. With the exception of "XCOM 3," this is the best game I've played in a year and a half. [PC Zone]

You could say the new dark and gritty atmosphere isn't as enchanting as the sumptuous visual quality of "Sands of Time," but what it lacks in the beauty stakes it more than makes up for in pure visceral excitement. [Offical UK Xbox Magazine]

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.

There are off-line games equally or even more spectacular in immediate scenery or character models, but what game can offer such outrageous landscapes on such a grandiose scale? It's not just the sheer footslogging size of it, but the way the environment is realised to enhance this impression of immense vista and truly epic proportions.

If you're a Fable virgin now's the time to pick up one of the most unique, entertaining games to appear on Xbox. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

There's a greater feeling of depth, life and narrative to the tale and the gunplay is satisfying even if we do have to reserve some criticism for the AI, which still shows itself to be rough around the edges at times.

The game takes the proverbial pants off every other GBA shooter, and leaves them flailing around their ankles.

It may be more cartoon-like than its predecessors, but provided you haven't grown tired of all those boomerangs, kick-flips and boardslides, it is certainly the one to get. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

A wonderful, engaging and ambitious fantasy adventure that combines the best of classic RPGs and smart, match-three puzzle gaming. Essential.

Forget buying three DVDs of crappy movies you're only going to watch once and buy Fahrenheit instead. It's longer, boasts more action, costs the same and offers far more crash for your cash than many a movie. [PSW]

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.

While it isn't an Uncharted beater, strong advances in the visual area with polished, spectacular presentation and a boost to the all important fun-factor make this a must play for PlayStation fans. It absolutely deserves to be up there with the console's best exclusives.

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.

It's certainly not earth-shattering fare, but as an immersive golf title full of Pringletastic depth, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 is simply the best around. [PSW]

We're not claiming Most Wanted to be the best urban racer money can buy, but at least your get your 40 quid's worth out of this one, instead of some mediocre old night-time racer with an over-hyped modification element welded onto the bonnet. Good effort. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Better than FIFA 10. World Cup manages to strike a balance between the substance of simulation and elaborate frenzies to appreciate with friends.

The difference would appear to be in the detail, and it's not merely cosmetic, with a new hard steer function lessening the reliance on the handbrake.

Tribes: Vengeance just feels right. Its fun lies in simple movement - something overlooked in all other high-octane blasters, and it gives you such a feeling of fluidity, control and desire for self-improvement, that on a basic level it's extremely hard to dislike.

While its not the generation defining game the epic development schedule might've hyped, Alan Wake is still a fantastic, 10-hour-plus play-it-on-the-couch linear action game - with brains required or not depending on your preference.

Flying through a city at night has to be the graphical pinnacle of the game and squeezing between two buildings while flying at a high speed is also a great thrill, especially if you can survive it!

A walloping, beautiful example of what Xbox Live can do. It's bigger than the first, it's better than the first, and if there's any justice, it'll be what everyone will be playing come release. Impressive. Most impressive. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]