Replete with buckets of sometimes stupid-sounding skills and a new, massive quota of really loud shouty-rock, On Tour is the nearest you'll come to snowboarding without getting a) frostbitten or b) snow-blind. [PSW]

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.

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.

Revengeance boasts neither the deep combat of Bayonetta, nor the measured nuance of a Metal Gear Solid either...But for those that manage to break through its barriers and work around its lack of intuitiveness, it's a rampageous feast for the eyes and thumbs - even if it is a slice or two short of perfection.

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

Powerful and accessible music maker that's NOT a game.

A brilliant multiplayer game and an entertaining single-player one wrapped up in one shiny package. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

It's a shame that the bosses require little more thought than simply chucking back what they throw at you, and it hardly qualifies as a platformer at times when you can just fly everywhere.

Definitely the best Skate effort yet - but more of an update than a truly worthy sequel.

Exciting, carnage-fueled, arcade racer with great track design. But wonky difficulty balancing and N64-era rubber-band AI hold it back from greatness.

This is a quality game, in terms of both presentation and design. It's traditional, but within its genre it represents a considered and intelligent take on those traditional rules. [PSW]

The graphics are as beautiful as ever, the presentation is immaculate, the story keeps you gripped and your brain will appreciate the workout before you go back to killing it with beer, cheesy Wotsits and Hollyoaks. [PC Zone]

Empire Earth II may not be the best historical strategy game on the market, but it is bloody good all the same, and points to a bright future for the RTS. [PC Zone]

It's a very deep and sophisticated adventure with enough visual va-va-voom to keep even the most hardcore gamer gripped from start to finish. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

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]

While falling short of hand-break turning, spring-bouncing and rocketing the series into a whole better direction, Nuts & Bolts will be remembered as a unique and enjoyable - if sometimes repetitive - spin-off to Banjo's platforming routes. It'll be interesting to see where Rare takes him next.

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]

A rich, substantial fight engine that will suit some players and make others pine for the UFC.

Such a humble gem of a game deserves recognition on the scale of more publicised actioners on release, and any self respecting beat 'em up fan definitely needs this in their life. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The restrictive point-and-click system will always be an issue for most of us ("See that sand over there? Can't go there"), but the price and intriguing scenario mean that this isn't a total waste of time for those who fancy some arcane adventuring.

Gun is such a rich, panoramic story, chock-full of sneering bad guys, shoot-outs, can-can girls and jailbreaks, you'll wonder why no one ever thought of it before. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Should be called the "Sega Mega Drive Really Good But Not Quite Ultimate Collection".

It's rare that an action role-playing game works as both an 'action' and 'role-playing' game, so to come across such slick combat and a deeply involving character upgrade system here is a real treat.

Ultimately, this is just as stylish as the PS2 version, sporting the same cool sketchbook-style animation, weird selection of menus and hip soundtrack. You won't be missing much at all if you choose to participate in this portable tour instead of its bigger brother. [PSW]

NBA Live 06 does take a step into slightly more appealing arcade territory with its star player system. Essentially, certain players now possess 'star' powers in particular fields (shooting, blocking, three pointers and so on), which adds a nice strategy element with respect to building up a well-rounded team in Career mode. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

Add countless career options, tournaments and Xbox Live multiplayer, which features an entire field of AI drivers, and you've got a complete racer. Not to everyone's tastes, but still a great drive. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

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.

Catching up with Chun Li and chums is fine and the replay value is bolstered by the chance to play all the character variations but it's one strictly for nostaligia buffs. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]