Part-chaotic retro shooter, part-stylish cartoon noir, Mouse P.I. for Hire goes beyond its stellar artistry to land an invigorating, imaginative hard-boiled romp.

A very impressive recreation of the proper console's Complete Saga.

There are no standout battles - save, perhaps, for the grim final encounter - but the cumulative effect of its fights, puzzles and secrets is memorable.

Fun, yes, but not exhilarating in the way that the best games should be. It also lacks the painterly detail of Battlefield 2's levels, which seem so natural in the density of their trash-strewn details.

Tons to do and a well-designed new control system for people who aren't busy forming high-score cults.

It's produced a superbly made peripheral and a piece of software that offers both entertainment and a sense of achievement. It's all very slick and lifestyle, with plenty of white everywhere, but there are the bold shapes, bright colours and moments of sheer charm you'd expect from Nintendo.

A versatile build system allows for experiments with deep skill trees and unusual crafting mechanics - but after the initial excitement of creating those builds, momentum fades.

Enjoyed in short delicious bursts, My Life as a King is one of the most impressive downloads offered on a current-generation console.

This is the first time EA BIG have gotten the mix between style and substance truly wrong. But that's what you get for listening to the marketing department - and not the gamers.

The only thing that raises CVS2 up and above the likes of "Dead or Alive 3" or even "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance" is its online element, and I'll only really recommend it until a beat 'em up developed <I>within</I> the last three years makes its mark on Xbox Live.

Microsoft's biggest mistake with Amped 2 was not in shunning its chief competitor's vivacious aerial antics, but in failing to mimic its ease of control and combo structure - areas where the "less is more" idiom could most do with application.

A mournful yet bright and enormously warm-hearted adventure with a novel landship mechanic, sublime backdrops and a brilliant score. [Recommended]

Impressively crafted and polished, it's a fitting end to Irrational's body of work. The story of BioShock might belong to Ken Levine and Irrational Games rather than to its players - but it's a story that's been well worth telling.

Only the slight sensation of datedness prevents this from scoring higher, and no doubt once the mods start flowing the value for money will get even better. But there's plenty here to keep the faithful feeling extremely optimistic about the prospect of a proper sequel. And there's still nothing out there quite like STALKER.

Nintendo sketches another warm and colourful Paper Mario adventure, though never traces its full potential.

From the fully-featured multiplayer to a host of carefully crafted single player modes, Worms hasn't been this fresh in years.

It's an original, and when something has personality, the flaws become quirks; even, in a way, essential. Thomas Was Alone, needless to say, has a whole lot of personality.

For now, enjoy what is still one of the best and most undervalued puzzle games around.

Velan Studios transposes the sport of dodgeball into what's a fun, friendly shooter that bears no arms, though it currently lacks legs.

A mere 12-level campaign rather curtails your wistful pleasure, but the presence of four 'Arcade' modes doesn't hurt, especially co-op.

FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage isn't perfect, and doesn't quite live up to its promise; but it's sitting on the doorstep of absolute, legendary greatness. Everyone with a spark in their soul for high speed, ultra-destructive fun should play this game, and cross their fingers that just that tiny bit of extra care can be lavished on the next game in the series.

Star Ocean isn't a game that everyone will instantly like, thanks to the real-time battle system which is likely to divide opinions significantly, but it's a game which has moments of absolute genius, wrapped up in a solid, competent but not particularly remarkable whole.

With this episode the Myst series goes out in respectable fashion. There's still nothing on offer for anyone that craves action, exhilaration or an easy ride but frankly that's no great surprise.

Slightly better than its predecessor, Metal Gear Acid 2 also sneaks a higher score, too.

FSX is the finest non-combat flight-sim money can buy assuming you've got the sort of cutting-edge system that can do it justice.

Better than Midway&#146;s "RedCard," and more violent than the average ice hockey game, Sega Soccer Slam is pure arcade fun, albeit not very long-lived.

This button mashing hackandslash lark needs an injection of new ideas - RPG pretensions don't hide the core fact that Otogi feels a pretty vacuous beast: gorgeous or not.

Plague Inc. reminds you in its own little way just how fragile yet tenacious humans are. Be a real shame if anything were to happen to them.