We like guns, we like city envirnments, and we like laughable drugs and violence references. AND we like arresting people. But we don't like Narc. No. Sorry. [PSM2]

The best Japanese PSP launch title and a fine showcase for the handheld's capabilities. It's fast, looks great and is packed with classic Ridge tracks. And the lag-free eight-player WiFi races are breathtaking. [JPN Import]

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

Terrific multiplayer games and an engrossing set of challenges and Arcade leagues, but the Story mode still isn't offering what it should. [Xbox World]

Atari should be shamed and ashamed for having the sheer gall to release something this broken. To do it twice is inexplicable. [PC Gamer UK]

You could play this and fight your desire to stop playing at every moment or you could play "Disgaea" and enjoy yourself. Your choice.

The new isometric view makes even the simplest of tasks extremely annoying, judging jumps is painfully tricky, Rayman has strangely forgotten how to swim and combat is, frankly, a mess. [NGC Pocket]

This is one Monkey Island you won't want to escape from any time soon. [GamesMaster]

Touch and Go is a new breed of platformer and, while it doesn't quite reach the heights of Wario Ware and Mario 64 DS, it is still an essential DS purchase. [NGC Pocket]

NFSUR's down 'n' dirty street racing complements "Ridge Racer's" arcadey day-glo driving perfectly. [GamesMaster]

The mix of rules and conditions mean that Dash is unique. It's more of an 'orienteering' game than anything else and while it lasts it's exceedingly good fun, especially in multiplayer. Unfortunately, once you've got the hang of things there's little in the way of extra modes to unlock. [NGC]

Thanks to the easy-to-use controls and smooth action, it has set a high benchmark for others to try to reach. [PSM2]

The graphics are beautiful and the gameplay is ituitive, addictive and amazingly good fun. It's a shame it is so short - we completed it in four hours - but it is perfectly formed. [GamesMaster: JPN Import]

Although it's not an astonishing leap forward, Freedom Force vs the Third Reich does boast better graphics, better AI and better multiplayer than its predecessor, making it a winner all round. [PC Gamer UK]

DMC3 is truly hardcore and seriously challenging but partly at the expense of being playable and fun. [GamesMaster]

Realistic missions and tactics plus a superb squad system make this a must-take tour of duty.

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.

This cracking slice of high-end Star Wars shootery is really very good indeed - but let down by repetition and some avoidable sameyness. [Xbox World]

The repetitive training mode and fiddly defence let it down a little but, if being the main protagonist in a civilised man's most uncivilised sport rocks your world, look no further: this is a supreme sequel. [Xbox World]

A return to form for one of PlayStation's elder statesmen - glorious visuals and tight fighting make this essential. It'll be Tekken over your life in no time. [PSM]

Big, beautiful and compelling, Nexus is an epic game. However, its extremely slow pace may not be for everyone. [PC Gamer UK]

A run of the mill platformer that does nothing we haven't seen a thousand times before. It also makes little effort to take advantage of DS's unique interface.

It's as thrilling a drive as it's has ever been and just unlocking the decent motors will take you days of play - then you'll never tire of trying to shave seconds from your lap times. GT4 occupies the same place in our hearts today as "GT3" did in 2001. [PSM2]

The smooth and sharp aiming system is a rarity among PS2 shooters and the multiple firing modes for each weapon are great. But it's a shame stealth isn't more central to gameplay. Project Snowblind is better than "Killzone" but not up there with the Xbox heavyweights. [GamesMaster]

There's so much potential for strategy here that it's almost overwhelming. [PSM2]

It's no "Halo 2," but excellent level design and the infusion of the augmentations into multiplayer via a class-based player structure adds a welcome bit of variety to the mix.

Great value and a slice of gaming history, but it's still a shame they couldn't have put some more stuff together. [GamesMaster]

Being too uncoordinated to dare attempt one of those arcade dancing machines, it's the first game we've played that has actually made us feel light-headed. It's also exactly what DS needed after the disappointing absence of a genuine must-have title among the US launch releases. Virtually perfect. [NGC]

Why did Namco have to mess with the tried-and-tested formula? Subdued and, frankly, disappointing. [GamesMaster]

A game that will appeal to easily-impressed foetuses, but alienate the rest of us by being incredibly simple and simply unfulfilling. [PSM2]

Graphics are heavily influenced by "The Sims" but with fewer animations, while the repetitive gameplay makes playing the missions unlikely despite bosoms. The exposed pixels do not make up for a simplistic and tedious game - invest in the real thing instead. [GamesMaster]

It's so simple. Like most block puzzlers out there, your task is to match the colours into rows of three or four. But despite its rudimentary aim, it's ludicrously addictive. [NGC Pocket]

More violent than San Andreas? Yep. More violent than Manhunt? Maybe. But this isn't just about the gore - it's solid fun. Capital punishment indeed. [PSM2]

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

A phenomenally high standard for survival horror, Resident Evil 4 is an intensely satisfying game of quite astounding quality. [NGC]

It has lived up to the hype and that's no mean feat when you consider that it's been billed as GTA War. Only the lack of total freedom and iffy handling hold it back. [PSM2]

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]

Visuals are nice and solid, with more background detail than its previous incarnation. The ideal post-Christmas treat for the NFL fan who has everything. [NGC]

It rather depends on your view of golf but, with a cracking system and great use of the touch-screen capabilities, we were dead chuffed with this game. If you fancy a bit of golf on your DS you really can't go wrong. [NGC Pocket]

Shallow and void of any kind of challenge, if you like games, steer well clear of Sprung - it's one date that you definitely want to stand up.

Catacombs is well worth adding to your Camelot collection - provided that you already have an account and aren't planning to jump ship in the near future. [PC Gamer UK]

Few developers have the ability to craft a virtual world with the amount of depth and realism that SI deliver here. For football fans, there is no better place to lose yourself than Football Manager's deep, stat-filled realm. [PC Gamer UK]

Perhaps the most stinging criticism we could hurl at Ridge Racer DS is that it makes Need for Speed Underground 2 look half-decent - and that is just plain wrong. [GamesMaster]

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]

From the opening scene to the final, cataclysmic end, KOTOR 2 sucks you in, chews you up, and spits you out the other end. Despite being a parallel to the original, this is a is a superb sequel if ever we saw one. [GamesMaster]

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

The story is pointless and the levels make little sense thematically, but forget cutscenes and everything else - this is about aiming at monsters and firing. Again. [PC Gamer UK]

Not as enjoyable as its predecessor, but still very good. Some of the biggest levels on PS2 and varied, exciting combat collude to form a cracking adventure. [PSM2]

It's good stuff, even if tactics tend to be beyond all but the most talented of players at the kind of speed the game reaches. And because it's so fast, the touch screen in pointless. [NGC Pocket]

If you loved them the first time, and want to savour the ghosts of RPGs past, then this is for you. Everyone else will probably give up after the first half hour. [NGC]

A decent depiction of golf, the chance to whack cows with exploding balls and online play. For a meagre twenty notes it's a great alternative to "Tiger Woods." [PSM2]

There's an unbelievable amount of variety to be discovered, from dusty deserts to lush grassland and spooky forests. The cartoon-like presentation ties everything together nicely - you'll never look at something and think it looks stupid. [GamesMaster]

The trading, the pirating, the sailing, the dancing, the political ramifications of targeting one nation's gubernatorial and military traffic to the advantage of another... it all swims in the shallows. But as shallows go they're as clear and blue as babies' eyes. [PC Gamer UK]

A case of an incredibly stupid concept averagely executed. Just who this is supposed to appeal to, we do not know. [GamesMaster]

If only the machine's best game actually showed off the possibilities of the touch screen rather than highlighting its lack of an analogue stick. [NGC Pocket]

It's jerky, it hurts your eyes, it's short on personality and after a while, even your boss's constant swearing starts to get on your nerves. [GamesMaster]

The best of the bunch yet. If you've never indulged in tactical espionage action before, you really have no excuse to let this pass you by. Absolutely vital. [PSM2]

Looks terrible, plays worse. Ageing side-scrolling combat and dour mission objectives create something truly worthless. Like the peasants, its revolting. [PSM2]

It's virtually identical to the mono-screened GBA version and, given that the SP is a significantly smaller and cheaper machine, The Urbz' DS incarnation is all but redundant. [NGC Pocket]

The AI of the opposing race cars is laughable (they often get flummoxed by simple things like passing other vehicles), as is the behaviour of the rest of traffic, with vehicles seemingly stranded in the middle of the road. [NGC Pocket]

A game of a higher order of magnitude than any of the previous pretenders to the throne. The polish and the stratospheric production values mean that Half-Life 2 is a magnificent, dramatic experience that has few peers. [PC Gamer UK, Dec 2004, p.66]

The first rule of Fight Club is - don't buy Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is - DO NOT BUY FIGHT CLUB. Do you need to hear the other six? [GamesMaster]

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]

A shoddily stitched together beat-'em-up which is appealing for minutes. Quite frankly we'd rather have our backyard occupied by the Groundforce team. [PSM2]

Another brilliant PS2 first-person shooter. Boasting realism, originality and variety in equal measure - it's the premium choice for Medal of Honor fans this year. [PSM2]

The best DBZ game yet? Definitely. Likely to appeal if you don't know what Potaro earrings do or who Gogeta is? Probably not. [GamesMaster]

It's stylish, inventive and, perhaps most importantly, won't fail to put a beaming smile on your face. [NGC Pocket]

In the grand scheme of things it's pretty forgettable stuff and will be forgotten once the better, DS-focused, games start rolling out. [NGC Pocket]

Far more accessible than the first and loads more fun. If you want more realism than "Halo 2" can offer, look no further. [GamesMaster]

Online this succeeds as a fast and fun laugh-a-minute racer. But offline, this suffers, especially in comparison to the king: "Burnout 3." [Xbox World]

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

The way forward is to embrace the future, and let the games of old contained on this disc finally Rest In Peace. [Xbox World]

A beautiful and intense RPG, mixing turn-based strategy with graphics that, although pre-rendered, are mind blowing in terms of crispness, colour and detail. [GamesMaster]

If you live for 20-inch rims, flame decals and picking just the right door mirrors to accent your neon, you need this. The racing might not be quite the best available, but it's not that far behind. Certainly way good enough for you to enjoy your crazy ride. [PSM2]

Not quite as blinding as the original but still a glaringly brilliant and consuming piece of first-person adventuring. [GamesMaster]

An average adventure game, well-presented but repetitive. Youngsters should find it easy to play. [GamesMaster]

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]

A "Sims"-Lite with a 12-year-old's vision of life painted glossily (and thinly) on top. You'll either love it or hate it depending on your view of games and the world. [PSM2]

A gripping and epic single-player game that'll take you by surprise - and perhaps the finest multiplayer game ever devised. Evolutionary rather then revolutionary, perhaps, but any way you cut it this is a first-person tour-de-force.

Moving at a more restful pace than your average game, some may find Children of the Nile a little slow and unchallenging. But when you've put in the work, seeing your population grow and prosper is certainly rewarding, engrossing and even a little educational. [PC Gamer UK]

A delicious blend of pleasure and pain. Everyone should own a copy of this (and practise lots as well). [NGC]

Not a step forward in design, nor will it win any awards for originality. It is, however, a big, fun and stylish FPS with outrageous and brilliant set-pieces. [PC Gamer UK]

Top presentation is let down by technical problems and poor map design. They ported the graphics but struggled to fit the gameplay in. [Xbox World]

The best platformer on PS2? Possibly. Fun, beautiful to look at, challenging and rife with glorious detail? You bet your ass it is. An essential purchase. [PSM2]

There are tons of classics in here, from Super Monkey Ball to Nights. All have been converted as well as you could expect. [GamesMaster]

A gorgeous, big, weighty, important event-game that makes good on most of its grandiose promises. Easily in the top two first-person shooters for PS2 alongside "TimeSplitters 2." [PSM2]

A lightweight, easy but solid RPG that has no famous faces, little chance to make choices and hardly any fresh ideas. [GamesMaster]

Still the top wrestling game you can buy but it's not without its faults. The series is becoming dated. Here's hoping for a major make-over next year. [PSM2]

Well presented and brimming with top titles but new games are created and bought for a reason; they're better than the old ones. For nostalgists only. [PSM2]

Lucky for Disney that dull console games don't seem to affect the performance of big movies at the box office. [NGC]

Shudderingly comprehensive, divinely paced and - despite the million of words already written in feverish anticipation - it has the ability to surprise at every turn. This is PS2's defining masterpiece – a sunspot of rare polished magic from experienced developers working at the peak of their powers. [PSM2]

When you turn to the on-ride camera mode, and the car starts down the big slides...well, I genuinely feel a tug of induced artificial vertigo. A construction game that gets you in the guts. That's rare. This is a golden ticket. Get in line. [PC Gamer UK, Dec 2004, p.111]

Not actually bad but you won't get lost in it either. For top-down, classic GTA, the original games are more fun to play on a TV. [GamesMaster]

Pretty and comprehensive but - with the exception of Live play - feels a little outdated. [GamesMaster]

It's something different, a fighter that refuses to succumb to more worldly pretentions, but one that feels so right. [Xbox World]

The 3D makeover is near-irrelevant - this is firmly rooted in decades-old 'classic' gameplay. Fun, but strangely out of place among more 'modern' PS2 experiences. [PSM2]

Deduct 60 points if you live in an igloo but if not, Boktai 2 is better than the original. [GamesMaster]

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