But if it's so splendid, what's wrong with it? The main problem is that V:TBM is completely ridden with bugs. From minor things (graphic glitches) to mid-range stuff (regular frame-rate problems) to absolutely shocking ones (bugs that stops your progress, crash-bugs), it's infested. [GamesMaster]

Its cartoon visuals, stealth elements and engrossing atmosphere make for a surprisingly different approach to a genre that generally consists of simplistic button bashers. [PSM2]

More ambitious than a junior MP, but buggier than a swarm of locusts. So long, gringo! [GamesMaster]

This no-nonsense beat-'em-up based adventure will be fairly meaningless to non-believers but it's a tasty treat for Buffy fans. [PSM2]

Bigger and, in many ways, better than previous GPs, but the lack of real depth may leave enthusiasts reaching for the (Riding) spirits. [PSM2]

And once you become Van Wilder, life can becomes easier as you can influence people to help you with homework, leaving you more time to get on with life/earning/relationships.

But you want brutal, in-your-face intensity from on-line gaming and that's exactly what Twisted Metal is all about.

Technique will always get you further than random button mashing. [GamesMaster]

Fantastic short-term shooting jollies with superb atmosphere, but the size of the thing makes it difficult to recommend. [GamesMaster]

We've happily sat for ages playing around on Arcade mode and vamping our ship up to obscene speeds but, when the chips are down in the League and the autopilot flies you straight into a series of mines, it's all you can do not to chew off your own face.

Beneath the flash, the sampled voices, orchestral score, magnificent landscapes and monstrous animation lies a mess of inexplicable design decisions, bizarre mechanics, Fisher Price strategy and a strange disregard for Tolkien's story... It doesn't love the source material as much as you or I. And that's the biggest frustration of all. [PC Gamer UK]

A Lord of the Rings clone that's a bit like an ice sculpture: solid and pretty, but doesn't last long. [GamesMaster]

A decent slash-'em-up but it'll disappoint Onimusha diehards thanks to a lack of the puzzles, plot and shopping for presents that made Onimusha 2 so brilliant. [JPN Import; PSM2]

It's an improvement on the original but still far from offering you the time of your life. [GamesMaster]

The encouraging thing about IG's niggles is that they're patchable. In a few months players should be positioning troops with confidence and dispensing orders on a far more regular basis. Without these improvements, however, IG will remain annoying and silly. [PC Gamer UK]

Wear your morals round your ankles and keep your mind in the gutter, otherwise this crude comedy is shooting blank. [GamesMaster]

For 20 quid it's something close to retro heaven. Go on, play it without prejudice. [Xbox World 360]

A decently solid shooter that's good for a few hours fun. Shame they couldn't include the original as a bonus, though. [GamesMaster]

A tiny bit simple and way too similar to the PS2 version, but still good US footie fun. [PSM2]

An entertaining day, and a day in which you'll learn the full story of The Hobbit. But still, just a day. It needed to be much longer, and much far more difficult. [Advance]

Not really The Sims, more like an RPG with chores. Entertaining nevertheless. [GamesMaster]

Compared to the all-powerful "SmackDown!" it gets pummelled into the canvas in terms of variety of moves and subtlety. (Relatively speaking, or course. Neither are exactly delicate games). [GamesMaster]

Wear your morals round your ankles and keep your mind in the gutter, otherwise this crude comedy is shooting blank. [GamesMaster]

A space war that's heavy on cliché, with a side order of weird aliens. Earth 2160 is an accomplished but dull RTS sequel. [PC Gamer UK]

A perfectly competent game, but it falls notably short of the original brilliance. [PSM2]

It's not terrible, by any means. It's just that, considering the degree of expectation surrounding it and the power of Xbox itself (Halo, anyone?), it should - and could - have offered so much more. [GamesMaster]

Wear your morals round your ankles and keep your mind in the gutter, otherwise this crude comedy is shooting blank. [GamesMaster]

Slightly improved but lacks the rugged spark of the original. Not a bad game but inoffensively reasonable to the point of disappering completely. [PSM2]

The best missions are better than the first Outbreak's but the others are too similar. Wait for the UK release to get the best of all words - online and fresh levels. [JPN Import; PSM2]

Handsome in motion but PSP's D-pad stops it being more than a pretty face. [GamesMaster]

Brilliant in some places, just plain dull in most of the others. [NGC]

By focusing on the Michael Owens, EA've forgotten the Gary Nevilles - capturing the magic, but fluffing the basics. [PSM2]

Cossacks remains a flawed best-seller, and Art of War doesn't do quite enough to change that. [PC Format]

A fun game, and the deck creation element is very addictive. Still a bit pointless though, and could be better presented. [GamesMaster]

It's only £20 and if you're an anime or a shoot-'em'up fan then it'll have instant appeal. Otherwise it's too short and simple. Fun in short bursts. [PSM2]

A slightly uneasy mix of big dumb shooter and a raw, harsher-than-normal treatment where nobody comes out well. It's the big dumb shooter that wins. [PSM2]

This is as close as you'll come to a sense of believable espionage this side of MGS2.

Most lamentable of all is the fact that the game's final boss is entirely nondescript. [Edge]

While Parallel Lines is a decent offering, it feels very much like a watered-down Grand Theft Auto, with a more linear storyline and fewer random fun things to do outside of missions.

Good for impressing people with technology - not quite so good as an actual game. [GamesMaster]

CCC Vol. 2 is only 20 bucks, which comes to $1 a game. Considering all of the classic arcade gameplay on this disc, it's an excellent value. We're not sure Capcom has enough material for yet another arcade collection, but if this is the last, then they'll have gone out on a high note.

It's truly everybody's game - if you can swing a stick, you can play this (even if you're a lefty). It's perfect for parties, or for players willing to trade next-gen graphics and fancy options for the chance to swing a club instead of button mashing.

Ratatouille's defied our expectations by dishing out a solid adventure with loads of extras and minigames. If the missions felt a little less repetitive, then we'd really have film-tie in greatness here. Either way, this is one game adaptation that's easy to swallow.

Chances are that NFL Head Coach won't cure your football jones unless heavy-duty statistical simulators are up your alley.

It looks underwhelming, but spend a little time with Urban Chaos: Riot Response and it quickly stands out from the crowd.

The lack of changes will disappoint some, but for 20 bucks the minor tweaks and new roster nicely enhance what was already a great game.

If the players had some personality to go with their looks, this could have been the best FIFA yet. [NGC]

FIFA remains more pick-up-and-play for the mainstream sports gamer, but offers some depth and subtleties that will enable more experienced players to do their best Beckham impersonation.

So what if Carbon isn't redefining the street racing genre - really, at this point, what could? It hits a sweet spot of intensity, danger, and style.

It's great that you can run and gun without too much squad-commanding hassle, but SW:RC's simplicity is its biggest problem. Gamers hoping to give their brain a workout will be disappointed - the tactical options are rudimentary and the weapon selection is poor.

SOCOM: US Navy SEALs isn't quite PS2's online killer app, but it's a worthy beginning.

Tense, exciting and inordinately better than "Shellshock" and "Conflict Vietnam" - though the experience can become repetitive at times. [Xbox World]

Although many of the older titles here, like Galaxian, Xevious and Rally X are undoubtedly dated, they're still faithful to the originals, which will surely please the misty-eyed nostalgia freaks among you.

Although NASCAR 07 remains pretty much the same decent core game as last year's model, this year's model is just a little more fun for newcomers and a little more chaotic for long-time racers.

An average sandbox title with a charismatic anti-hero and hilarious B-movie presentation as its saving grace. And we'll take that.

It's a surprisingly entertaining, well-designed game that stays interesting from start to finish, and if nothing else it'll give you a whole new perspective on those rat bastards who keep tagging your house.

Whichever version you play, Cars is a likable little racing adventure. The gameplay is nothing outstanding, but it's fun enough while it lasts, and overall it looks pretty slick.

Tales of Phantasia is a solid RPG. It doesn't have the story chops of the last classic to hit GBA - Final Fantasy IV did a much better job of making its cast and its quest worth caring about.

A great chance to pummel your most hated wrestlers in the face - but it should have been much better. [NGC]

The graphics might be a little dated, but they still look good. The manual shot aiming works like a dream – the puck always goes where you want, and the targets that appear in the net make it especially intuitive for newcomers.

Not the greatest party ever. This series is in desperate need of a fresh injection of originality. [NGC]

The bottom line is that NBA Live 07 is a pretty darned good hoops sim - once you adjust the wonky default sliders. Without it, the shooting doesn't give an inch, no matter how well you time your release.

Let's just hope the attempt to broaden its audience works: Dreamfall ends on a cliffhanger. If it's all the same to the creators, we'd rather not wait another six years for a resolution.

The concept is pure gold, and much of it works beautifully. We hope this becomes a series; a sequel that kept all the dark humor and cool powers, but explored and civilized its gameplay could utterly dominate us, and we wouldn't mind one bit.

There's enough in here to entertain for a while so give it a whirl, just don't expect it to be playing it when "Star Wars Chapter Nine: Jedis Get Laid" arrives on the silver screen. [XGamer]

The ineffable sense of charm, the hypnotically addictive gameplay, and the sheer cartoon histrionics on offer offset any minor niggles. [Edge]

Play solo, as we reckon most people will most of the time, and you will find your three AI buddies, while eager, do have a habit of getting killed more quickly than when you're controlling them. It's not a game wrecker but that sliver of mistrust in your buddies' abilities can intrude on your fun in the heat of battle. [Xbox World]

Accessible and instantly satisfying but can become dull all too quickly. A good, but not great, online-focused war game that's just not exciting enough to threaten "Halo 2." [GamesMaster]

While a few of credits shy of an A, it's a good value at $20 even without the bonus content.

As a game, MLB 2K6 feels more than competent, but it fails to excel. Much like last year's Cubs, it has its shining moments, but in the end you're left with the distinct feeling that it could have been so much more.

Mario hasn't starred in something this weak since his pinball effort on GBA. [GamesMaster]

Shockingly enjoyable and creative for what should have been a predictable movie tie-in. Catwoman takes some learning but evolves into a tough, thoughtful platform challenge. [PSW]

But it it's the most basic beat-'em-up you've ever played, often you'll find yourself simply holding the stick forward while Kong runs on invisible rails. It's beautiful, but oh-so-boring and unchallenging. [GamesMaster]

Don't get us wrong: the latest Castlevania isn't a bad game, if you can swallow the endless combat repetition. It just falls well short of this series' legendary heritage, and can't hold a candle to the handheld "Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow" for the Nintendo DS.

Despite the missteps, the whole of FRWL satisfies with a combination of excellent graphics, (literally) jazzy tunes, and varied gameplay.

As a distraction it's fine, but as a game it's distinctly lacking in challenge and structure. [PC Gamer UK]

Whichever version you play, Cars is a likable little racing adventure. The gameplay is nothing outstanding, but it's fun enough while it lasts, and overall it looks pretty slick.

An unholy level of difficulty squelches the fun, and bullets will frequently find your grunts unless they're behind the most fortress-like of cover.

It's a big old adventure which provides hours of escapist blasting. It's packed to the horns with beautifully realised creatures and it's good fun, too. Just don't expect the next "Halo." [XGamer]

It's fine, spectacular, stunning, in a thoroughly ordinary fashion. It thrills, but will leave those who've previously visited the series contented rather than elated.

There are even occasional (very minor) glitches that'll have you scratching your batting helmet. But it is good for a laugh if you've got 20 minutes on your hands. If you're a number-crunching statistician, you'll be annoyed by the 27 hits per side, per game.

An old-fashioned frantic high concept videogame that, like Wetrix, takes the baton offered by Tetris and runs with it in a weird new direction. [NGC]

As a game, MLB 2K6 feels more than competent, but it fails to excel. Much like last year's Cubs, it has its shining moments, but in the end you're left with the distinct feeling that it could have been so much more.

This is the simplest Tony Hawk to date.

Rogue Trooper may not be cutting edge, but as a simple, straightforward shooter, it's more than capable of delivering a quick action fix.

Unfortunately, this game, like most wrestling games, suffers from clipping issues, where chunks of people pass right through objects or even other people.

This is competent, if uninspired stuff that will no doubt please Bat-fans. [NGC]

If you love all things MK, you'll see Shaolin Monks as a special milestone in the franchise and a reward for your loyalty. Otherwise, it's just a fun brawling diversion with lots of gloopy blood and two unlockable characters. Either way, it's good stuff.

It doesn't offer the same free roaming play of "Tony Hawk's," nor does it offer the high speed thrills of "SSX Tricky," but it is fresh, original and damn good fun. [XGamer Magazine]

Fairly reasonable motorbike jaunt that purists will love, but may cause frustration that could lead to unplanned DualShock damage. [PSM2]

Stacked could benefit from more polish and deeper player customization (no, we don't want to look fat and balding, even if we are), but its actual gameplay is solid, and the creepy I'm-watching-you-so-I-can-destroy-you vibe can only help your real-world strategy.

Fans will love it, newcomers will be entertained, but those yearning for something mind-blowing or wholly original will be disappointed. [Xbox World]

If Rumble Roses didn't feature near-naked girls, this just wouldn't have a point at all. OK, the fighting has a sense of power and speed about it, but it's lacking in diversity and is no more than a shameless display of jiggling polygons. [PSM2]

Carefully crafted, big and sprawling and, more to the point, fun and exciting, GTA2 retains the best qualities of its predecessors, and its new gang warfare element improves upon and expands upon the original idea, giving the gameplay a little more depth.

A standard slash-'em-up that is all too nasty, brutish and short to measure up to Capcom's usual quality. It's fairly entertaining but all too brief. [Playstation 2 Max]

Empathy is the game's strongest suit, with tension coming a close second... As a whole the game's a classy, polished package.

It's derivative, yet brilliant; intrinsically flawed, but fantastically playable.

The missions themselves are typical space sim affairs that never quite innovate, but always manage to entertain nonetheless. [PC Gamer UK]