The drag racing sections truly capture the magic of the recent The Fast And The Furious flicks, and these one-on-one cock-fights make for a refreshing change after endless laps of spittle-covered urban wasteland.

The game is so diverse that it'd take months, maybe years, to see everything.

The one problem with the game is that cycling through the Brothers' many different moves and skills with the shoulder buttons isn't very streamlined.

The genius of it, though, is that Rambo tactics will just get you killed.

Sure, you can save up energy and then turn into a bloody great beast, but it's just a gimmick really. Bloody Roar isn't original enough to innovate and isn't polished enough to epitomise the genre like "Soul Calibur II" does.

It's a welcome and entertaining addition to an excellent game. [PC Zone]

You'd also have thought there'd be a fair share of humour in there, what with a Goblin's lack of social etiquette but it's a poker-faced affair, with your troops acting more like honourable Knights of the Round Table than dirty, thieving, man-flesh eating gits. Damn shame.

But it's slow, it's sluggish, the controls are unresponsive and it's a real chore to play. That equals no fun.

Ultimately though, this is a shallow console experience, especially when compared to the likes of Max Payne 2, and really has no business being on the PC in the first place. [PC Zone]

For the most part Sphinx looks amazing. It's super-smooth, very fast and some of the exterior cityscapes are breathtaking, although close up the textures are sometimes very plain.

The Cat In The Hat? A book filled with wit. As for the game, a big pile of sh...

2D side-scrolling shooters don't really have much place at home on Xbox. Those such as Blowout should be cast out of the Xbox residence like a shamed family junkie and take refuge in the last-gen console crack house where they well and truly belong. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Its banality is perfect. Even an inexplicable side-scrolling fish-tank shoot-'em-up level that pops up between the soporific platform stages fails to raise an eyebrow.

The Firaxis tweak-stick has hit the main campaign big-time and if you're a veteran returning to Civ III, you'll find the main game more finely tuned and balanced than ever before. [PC Zone]

The special attacks look crap and make no sense. How can you possibly electrocute a skeleton? Dry bone doesn't conduct. Someone wins. You're bored. The end.

The gaming equivalent of buying a massive bag of crisps only to find that half the packet is filled with fresh air. There's still plenty to enjoy, but not nearly as much as there should be and you end up feeling a bit cheated.

There's little joy to the gameplay, unless you like hammering one of the two attack buttons and simply aiming your hero at the next batch of fodder for your angry reptilian idiot.

The tracks want to be like "F-Zero's" but they're lacklustre to say the least and the vehicles don't have the required speed to make the twists and loops anything other than ordinary.

All the stages are based around areas in the cartoon like Bikini Bottom and Jellyfish Fields, but it's all so low-res and blurry that everything looks plain bad.

What really lets Ops down is a lack of finesse. There are very few nice touches and an almost total inability to interact with the environment.

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.

Still, if you're a hardcore fan, you'll want it just for the neat interface tweaks, the one new race per realm and the slick look - provided you have a current-generation graphics card and the Shrouded Isles expansion pack.

Ultimately, since Core Combat's best features can be enjoyed by both the expanded and unexpanded players, you might as well let other mugs go to the expense of buying the pack and doing all the work required to gain them. Then you can just have all the fun and reap the rewards above ground.

More niggly than the GC version and less accessible. If you're prepared to give it some attention you'll be rewarded with a deep and challenging experience. If you want an easier Tony Hawk game try the GameCube ones.

All we get is A-to-B puzzles mixed with a huge amount of zombie splatting that takes you from London to The Pyramids. [PC Zone]

It's slow, steady and pretty dreary - but it's got enough intrigue to keep you clicking away for a few hours.

Classic horror, average action.

The GameCube and GBA versions have possibly the most exciting exclusive option, with players able to download special mini-games to their GBA which will earn them Simoleons and other goodies to use in the Cube game.

Frustrating but still enjoyable, full of character and quirky charm, with a bit more spit 'n' polish and tighter game design Tak could so easily have been a classic.

Everything X7 delivers is quality, although with an unshakable sense of 'been there many times before'.

The worst fighting game (and pretty much the worst game) I have ever insulted my hard drive with. [PC Zone]

Roadkill's impression of Grand Theft Auto is almost as cringeworthy. Most of the ingredients that made Rockstar's crime 'em up so successful are here but, like your dad's Pound Shop Ali G, it lacks the special something that made GTA so amazing.

Roadkill's impression of Grand Theft Auto is almost as cringeworthy. Most of the ingredients that made Rockstar's crime 'em up so successful are here but, like your dad's Pound Shop Ali G, it lacks the special something that made GTA so amazing.

Ultimately this is a game for the youngest of GameCube players and difficult to recommend to anyone who takes their racing seriously.

The dialogue is so bad, the voice-acting so hammy and the text interludes so laced with obtuse meaning that you'll be reaching for the quit button before you can say perestroika.

How ironic: without the solar sensor, Boktai would be much more enjoyable... but then again, without the solar sensor Boktai wouldn't even exist in the first place.

The puzzles are simple, the graphics are bland, the controls are limp. Only the most severe Neutron head would consider this over a number of superior platformers.

Battles can take upwards of an hour and the micro management can take as long as you're prepared to invest. It's all about longevity and depth, and only you'll know if this is for you.

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.

All this violence is undeniably fun for a while and the visuals are decent, but after a couple of hours you'll have seen all there is to offer. [PC Zone]

If you don't like this because it's not "realistic", get over yourself - it's not supposed to be and you're missing out on a huge amount of multiplayer fun and single-player addictiveness.

There's just not enough attitude to elevate the standard gameplay above average and after the style and sheen of "SSX3" and "THUG" this looks second rate.

It's a shoddy game, full of graphical bugs, requiring a PC a damn sight more powerful than stated on the box, and lacking the under-the-hood accessibility that might otherwise endear it to the arcade racer.

Newcomers tempted by the budget price will be put off for life right away by the horrendous controls and vertical learning curve, while fans of the series will struggle to spot the visual and gameplay differences between this and "Armored Core 3." [PSW]

Deimos or human, if traditional role-playing games rock your world, Arc will draw you in and hold you spellbound. The gameplay basics may adhere unashamedly to the tried-and-trusted RPG formula of exploring, talking, levelling up and shopping, but if it works, why change it just to be clever? Why? WHY!!??

It's by no means a heavyweight, but fans of the series will get a hell of a kick out of the Xbox conversion.

This reminds CVG of when videogames were designed to scare you into submission with impossible challenges, while pacifying you with digital displays beyond most imaginations.

Warning! This exclusive sci-fi epic's mind-melting action and puzzles may sizzle your brain. But the tricky controls could put some off.

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.

The graphics are decidedly old-skool and the combat isn't nearly as tactical or as spectacular as the developer claims (I feel Larian should drop the Diablo-style combat entirely). However, with BioWare moving ever more mainstream, the Divinity series could well take over from where Baldur's Gate left off. [PC Zone]

Step into the ultimate playground. When you're faced with a challenge or puzzle, you can be assured that the correct way to overcome it is also the most fun solution.

It's got the basics in place, but that just isn't enough. Ultimately there are superior role-playing and swordfighting games out there.

You've got to wonder how these idiots get their jobs. Six games are on this cart and not one of them is as much fun as the original despite near pixel-perfect conversions.

It's the game's lack of originality that proves the real disappointment.

The missions are very basic and straightforward, with no real need for strategy or tactics. So unless you're a sadist and get a kick out of being disappointed, steer well clear.

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.

All this beauty is mildly tainted by the fact that there are a few glitches in the game. Now and again a car will disappear, and you can drive through trees.

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?

Relies on good looks over gameplay to grab your attention, and that breaks one of the first rules of gaming.

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

It's an enormous game and works brilliantly, allowing you to earn points to customise your character and unlock all the courses. SSX Tricky makes the perfect companion to Xbox's other, far more serious, snowboarding game, Amped.

The two-player experience is utterly brilliant, but it's all the cool detail, the mysterious plot, and tight gameplay that make Halo feel so involving and unique.

Unsuitable however, is the camera angle used to fight bossman 'Ganryu'. It looks great to watch, but to control your character from the back is immensely frustrating, especially when the boss character is cheaper than a tupenny whore.

Feels like a far less weighty package than the original. The graphics are still beautiful compared to most competing games, and Etherlords II retains the title of best-looking turn-based combat game on the market. This might be enough for some, but if you liked the strategic elements from the first game, Etherlords II may well prove to be a big disappointment.

The atmosphere of the castle is added to both by the superb sound and pacing of the game. The mellow speed of the game means that while there is the odd moment of button-hammering terror, most often you have time to sit back and rubberneck at the environments around you.

Better handling, more races and brain-melting visuals make it the showpiece title PlayStation 2's been waiting for.

Leave "Ultima Online" for a couple of months say, and you could be looking at the biggest download since Pamela Anderson's home-video was leaked on to the Internet. [PC Zone]

Despite its lack of innovation, Septerra Core proves to be perfectly playable, and at times even quite enjoyable. [PC Zone]

There's not much new in terms of gameplay, but the 3D accelerated views, rapid scrolling and distinct lack of lag make it spectacular to look at and wonderfully smooth to play. [PC Zone]

There's no easy way to say this, but the game that adventure fans have patiently been waiting for has proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of the year so far, at least as far as this reviewer is concerned.

Fog, rain and lightning effects not only look nice, but also affect how you play - especially when you try your first grenade attack in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Simply put, Blood II is more of the same: more guns and more enemies. Although it's not quite as pant-browning as we would've hoped, it's a stunning achievement considering the time Monolith have had to put it together. [PC Zone]

Metalgear is distinctive in that the game is woven around the story, rather than the opposite way around.

If there is any justice in the world Shogo will be looked back on as one of the best 3D games of its time. Personally speaking, apart from "Half-Life", Shogo is the best game I've played this year.

Incredibly addictive. Unlike "Spec Ops," however, Rainbow Six is a game that, thanks to its replayability, makes it something you'll keep going back to time and time again. [PC Zone]

One good aspect for people who tend to get stuck on these detective game (and I mean myself here) is 'artificial intuition', ie help. When you seem to have hit a wall, this swirling symbol will suggest areas to concentrate on in that location - and the more you use it, the less subtle the hints get! It's a good way of offering a helping hand without spoonfeeding players.

The graphics are gorgeous, with a loving amount of detail, but the perspective and colouring may give them a dated, 16-bit feel.

Polish is the key word in fact, when describing Broken Sword II. The one area that Revolution shine brighter than any other software star is in the look and style of the game. Graphically, this title is very impressive.

Although the game is hands-on, all your troops display a remarkable level of intelligence and can generally be relied upon to act on their own in a discerning manner. No more straying into the wilderness, taking on enemy divisions single-handed or walking backwards into a swamp.

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]

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.

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!

By far the most extraordinary feature of Blood has to be its sound effects. They are nothing short of incredible. 'Manamax and spear books,' the cultists shriek, alongside something not dissimilar to the word 'bollocks'. The zombies endlessly crow about 'Brainssssss'. Set a fanatic on fire and he screams like a girl: 'It burns! Oh god it burns,' before melting into a heap of steaming entrails accompanied by the appropriate popping and sizzling effects.

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!

The second major problem is the wildly fluctuating difficulty levels. Some missions will be easily completed in one try; others will require days upon days of unsuccessful attempts. Not that the challenge is insurmountable, but it seems somewhat misguided for Activision not to have included difficulty levels - or at least some options to make the game easier.

It may be lacking the coins of the original, and the courses aren't as inspired, but it plays like a demon, and that's the important part, right?

It's awesome to look at, a treat to play and as original a racer as youire ever going to see, and the two-player mode gives the game a totally fresh level of challenge. You'll take to it like a duck to water.

The best part of Pilotwings 64 is exploring the four islands. You'll not believe just how huge the islands really are and, because certain elements are hidden at first, it'll take you months to see everything.

The graphics are so finely detailed that you'll soon forget you're playing a game - it's more like taking part in the best cartoon you've ever seen.

You get to use more weapons in Time Commando than in any other game I've ever seen, incidentally, because each time era (of which there are heaps carries its own unique selection.

It's more inventive, and more entertaining, than "Doom." I know they've had long enough to get it right (but so have many others, who've tried and failed). [PC Zone]

Admittedly, the game is aimed at a young audience, and as such, it's all too easy to win. The catch-up system favours the stragglers at the back, so it definitely won't appeal to Grand Prix 4 buffs who pore over post-race aerodynamics data. [PC Zone]

Then there's the dodgy AI that produces identical breaks if you play the same character again, and super-aggressive play from the big boys with not even a nod to a safety game. All of which adds up to a rushed and amateurish job, albeit one that's surprisingly addictive.

I've reviewed some games that have made my balls ache in my time, but this one takes the biscuit of dull pain. Fundamentally abominable! [PC Zone]

Its bargain basement credentials are evident in a lack of visual polish, poor mission balancing and dodgy enemy AI. Character animations are clunky, enemies fail to become alarmed by bullets ricocheting next to their heads, and the stealth mechanics are a little hazy.

Even if I'd never played the game before and found the prospect bewildering, I could have used the extensive in-game tutorial to get to grips with it. Or, as an experienced player, I could have noticed how the new features subtly present themselves over the course of several weeks, inexorably sucking you in to a parallel universe. [PC Zone]

It's the kind of game that a family can enjoy together, and perhaps is best in that sense. Ironic gen-Xers and urban wiggers probably won't get much from it, but then that's why games like Need For Speed and GTA exist. [PC Zone]