There's something about a sweaty slapfest that so far only really works with the big boys of the console world. [GamesMaster]

No actual treasure, unlike its Defender/Robotron-packing predecessor, but you get a few near-classics for 20 quid. [GamesMaster]

An enchanting adventure in Mario's familiar world, with excellent fighting and a brilliant script. [GamesMaster]

This update has refreshed our love of the game, bringing a new physicality and violence to online shooters. CS:Source is essential. [PC Gamer UK]

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

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

Nice idea, let down by dodgy controls. Without the incentive of hitting high notes, it's a lot like singing along to a tape. [GamesMaster]

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

It's the fighting game they threw the kitchen sink at...This isn't just the biggest Mortal Kombat to date - it's the biggest fighting game, full stop. Topping this will take some doing. [PSM2]

As a Mario game it fails. As a pinball game it fails. As a combination of the two it's one of the most annoying games imaginable. [GamesMaster]

You've almost got to love Mortal Kombat if you like gaming. It's big, it's brash, it's bloody and it's not in the least bit ashamed. Fatality! [Xbox World]

Slow, tiresome and, fundamentally, a bit broken. [PC Gamer UK]

Anyone who enjoys constant challenge (the gaming equivalent of juggling with chainsaws) will find much to love in Evil Genius. The majority of the game's features function extremely well and the theme is rock-solid throughout. [PC Gamer UK]

All a bit pointless, really. We've no love for something as simple as this while Ratchet and Jak just get increasingly complex. Let Crash die with some dignity. [PSM2]

Along with "Star Ocean," "Kingdom Hearts" and "Dark Chronicle," this is one of the few RPGs that dares to throw away the Final Fantasy blueprint, with great results. [PSM2]

Frighteningly entertaining and remarkable in multiplayer. [JPN Import; NGC]

It's huge, thrilling, epic stuff. Give yourself unto Caesar. [PC Gamer UK]

Full Spectrum Warrior's heritage as a US Army training tool is all too evident. Pandemic nearly forgot they needed to make a game too, and as a result FSW is too realistic, too automated - and not enough fun. [PC Gamer UK]

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]

We're underwhelmed by the game mechanic and bot AI but there's a good online game in there if you've got the hardware. Shame about everyone else. [PSM2]

A slow starter. However, it's a huge world which is full of big ideas. Jump in now for a game that promises to be an interesting take on a staid genre - or hold fire a month or two to see how it lives up to its promises. [PC Gamer UK]

Hugely immersive, frenetic, intelligent carnage but it's not a big single-player experience. Warhammer finally has a great videogame... For those who aren't interested in tin soldiers - you'd be nuts to miss the finest sci-fi RTS to hit the PC since "Total Annihilation." [PC Gamer UK]

Almost impossible to fault. Its bizarre split personality of serious golf-sim vs crazy-in-the-face 'attitood' is the only half-slug in a perfect sporting sandwich. [PSM2]

More of the same might not necessarily be a bad thing, but we'd be lying if we said we hadn't hoped for better. [Import]

A remarkable online experience but it suffers as a single-player game. Get broadband in and you'll be laughing. [GamesMaster]

This year it's so big, most players with full-time jobs and social lives will never see more than half of it. You almost need a map to find your way through the menu options. [NGC]

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]

The levels are beautiful and are packed with things to do, but controlling Sly feels mysteriously cumbrous, and as a result the rest of the game suffers. [PSM2]

A glimpse at the future of RPGs. A stunningly realised vision of everything that's good about story-driven swords and sorcer. [GamesMaster]

Forget the 'this isn't what Xbox was made for' cynics. Gear is fast and exciting and we love the 2D approach. Sadly though, there's no real originality to keep you coming back for more. [Xbox World]

A polished enough game of soldiers that never quite manages to thrill. Technically better than other Conflict games but just doesn't gel as well. [Playstation 2 Max]

The most deliciously dark Silent Hill yet but the compulsive storytelling can't compensate for the fiddly controls, fractured structure and frustrating combat. [PSM2]

The quality of the game remains and it's an essential purchase for those who are new to Pokemon but we can't help feeling the update is a little on the cheap side. [NGC]

The quality of the game remains and it's an essential purchase for those who are new to Pokemon but we can't help feeling the update is a little on the cheap side. [NGC]

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

Although not bad, Namco have delivered a racer completely devoid of both excitement and exhilaration. [NGC]

Devastatingly deep, each level a Russian doll of gameplay, the layers of which are gradually revealed as you obtain different types of Pikmin. [GamesMaster]

Still the daddy in the action-strategy stakes but getting a little long in the tooth. Won't win new converts but it gets the job done. [GamesMaster]

Initially disappointing, but once you get how it's using the darkness it's very hard not to love Doom 3. Great-looking, scary and a delight to play - id have delivered again.

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]

Just as "Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy" was an enjoyable but slightly two-dimensional platformer, Sudeki is its insubstantial RPG equivalent. [GamesMaster]

The only thing that really got on our nerves was the rubbish dialogue. There are times when it's pretty appalling and it does kind of spoil the magic a little - likewise, the plot can be pretty cliched and RPG veterans will find it tiresome in places. [NGC]

If there is a hint of helplessness it's in those marvellous moments when Soldiers' fabulous physics, rich environments and imaginative AI produce such totally unpredictable results, you can only look on in amused dismay. [PC Gamer UK]

Perimeter blows most traditional RTS games out of the water. There are so many unexpected options for attack, more ways to defend, more ideas to experiment with than you'd think possible. It's an enormous, gloopy toolkit of war. And we love it. [PC Gamer UK]

Not without its flaws but this is the best super-hero game we've seen and is unlikely to be matched for some time. [NGC]

A technical marvel that sets a new benchmark. The plot may twist until you lose grip of it altogether, but the balls-out street-driving action saves the day. [PSM2]

The cities are huge and beautiful, with country-appropriate cars, and while the gameplay is muddy, it's easy to see how it could have been better. But as it is, DRIV3R is all flash and little substance.

It's not the worst game we've played and it certainly looks pretty. But Ribbit King is tedious with a capital Tee. Anyone with a brain need not apply. [PSM2]

Midway has delivered psychic splendour with great effect. Like a master hypnotist, Psi-Ops commands your attention and won't let go. [PSM2]

Easier on the eye than "Virtua Tennis 2," but lacks the diving ability of that game. Otherwise it's perfectly balanced and offers all the tension of the real sport. [PSM2]

Faster than ever, with loads of replay value - let down slightly by some extremely dodgy level design. One for speed-addicts. [GamesMaster]

An obscure Zelda game that's demanding on your pockets - but it's one of the finest multiplayer games ever. [NGC]

A genuinely good third-year romp for Harry. Accomplished and absorbing, it's not quite magical but it's certainly no muggle either. [GamesMaster]

A genuinely good third-year romp for Harry. Accomplished and absorbing, it's not quite magical but it's certainly no muggle either. [GamesMaster]

A genuinely good third-year romp for Harry. Accomplished and absorbing, it's not quite magical but it's certainly no muggle either. [GamesMaster]

Riddick is a brutally nasty game. From the opening neck-crack of the tutorial to the blood-soaked minigun shootout of the finale, if it's bordering on the pornographically violent, chances are it's included somewhere here. Rarely have we seen violence so shamelessly glamourised. [XboxGamer]

The main problem we have with it is that, despite having a variety of levels and level-styles, the basic format of each world can start to feel a touch repetitive by the time you reach the third or fourth world. [NGC]

A confident, playable, arcade shooter that almost does justice to a fantastic licence. Too short and fiddly to be a classic. [GamesMaster]

Van Helsing is never bad. Anyone who loved "Devil May Cry" will recognise the similarities and relish the flamboyant combat sequences. It's just that the true stars of the game are the monsters and the only fleeting glances you get of them are in the frenetic boss battles. [PSM2]

From the opening sequences you'll be mildly impressed, but as the gameplay drags on you'll begin to feel a growing sense of deja vu. We've seen it all before. [PSM2]

The best thing about it is the sheer lunatic speed of it all. Stick on the bumper view, slam on the throttle and see the world at a crazy pace. [GamesMaster]

Not as deep as "Manhunt" or "GTA" but some of the best fun you'll have with a bottle of firewater and some very old guns. [GamesMaster]

Not as deep as "Manhunt" or "GTA" but some of the best fun you'll have with a bottle of firewater and some very old guns. [GamesMaster]

Not a terrible game as such - it tries to be entertaining - but it's a repetitive and technically poor use of a license. [NGC]

It's: Huge, heavy on hitting and quite gorgeous. It's not: A standard MMOG, a life-hoover or run of the mill. [PC Gamer UK]

If you're not precious about tactical elements it's a real hoot. With more level consistency, it could've become the shooter king. [GamesMaster]

A few rough edges but this is a thoroughly ridiculous and at times obscenely frantic blaster. [Advance]

Tremendously fun, and the co-operative mode is a thing of brilliance. It might look a bit scrappy but it works a treat. [GamesMaster]

The transition to Cube isn't entirely successful, and more new games would have been good. If you've got a GBA, buy it for that instead. [GamesMaster]

A sublime evolution of a serious sports simulation that doesn't make life easy to start with but rewards you with depth, blood and belts. [Playstation 2 Max]

On one side, beautiful graphics, superb notes, great handling and sexually arousing Group B driving. On the other, inconsistent obstacles, inauthentic modern cars, a confused brand and a small evolutionary step means that, to many, it quivers towards Yet Another Rally Game. [PC Gamer UK]

Assessed solely on the single-player mode this game is a sizey, different and diverse lump of still-classic Resi gaming. Add online and add 5% to that score. [JPN Import; PSM2]

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]

Unfriendly, unwieldy and expensive - but put the time in and you'll be rewarded with the most extraordinary online RPG. [GamesMaster]

In single player this is more an expansion than a whole new game, although fans will be happy. Online is what really steals the show. [GamesMaster]

A magical experience you're never likely to forget, and the best game in a series that's never been less than excellent. An essential Cube buy. [NGC]

Battlefield Vietnam loses out for just one reason, and that reason is that it never feels like a genuine sequel. The quantum leap isn't quantum; evolution has not created a new phenotype. It's simply not different enough or inventive enough. [PC Gamer UK]

It's the most manic cartoon fun that you can have on your PC right now, and in a world full of ever bloodier FPSs and beardier strategy games, that's a breath of fresh air we should all be grateful for. [PC Gamer UK]

One of the goriest, sweariest action games out there but with some nice touches and a decent combat system. [GamesMaster]

Too short, too complicated and too clever - but an absolute classic. If only they'd taken the time to fix the pacing and give us some new bits. [GamesMaster]

Everything or Nothing is dripping with Bondiness. It's accessible and youngster-friendly. Unfortunately it's a little bit more like the popcorn than the movie. [PSM2]

Impressive? Definitely. It's very heavy on the Japanese text though, so only hardcore import fans should bother with it right now. By the time it sees a proper UK release in March though, expect to be blown away. [JPN Import]

Should you buy it? Well, simply because of the quality we'd have to say 'yes' - but next time Nintendo, please, make the experience last longer. [NGC]

When Fist Alpha comes together, it's genuinely entertaining. There are so many little touches that take you past the rough polygon edges and dated visuals (see 'Don't Inhale'). But that effort and ambition is whittled away by nasty, obscure little bugs. [PC Gamer UK]

Full of unique touches, with a depth that demands that you come back for more. Addictive, compulsive and, above all, bags of fun. [Playstation 2 Max]

The presentation is feisty, the graphics punchy and the animations gratuitous, plus the game is held together by a sense of fun that you won't get from many American Football sims. Also it has the right sort of aggressiveness that makes it an excellent multiplayer game. [GamesMaster]

It's far more difficult to learn than "NBA Street" - still the benchmark for accessible sports games as far as we're concerned. But it's still an American footie game of the highest quality. Just not one for the UK masses, like we'd hoped.

Achingly average in all respects, save the addition of classic multiplayer Counter-Strike. [PC Gamer UK]

Slow, often frustrating, but frighteningly engrossing at the same time. If you're after a leisurely, open-ended experience then it's highly recommended. [NGC]

There's abundant animated cleavage for the truly desperate. However, the heart of the game - the actual driving - is outclassed in every aspect. Don't bother. [PSM2]

Despite the dearth of new features and the inherited infirmities, £20 is far too low an asking price for a strategy game this cultivated. [PC Gamer UK]

Yet again, more than the sum of its parts. Immersive, story-driven brilliance. [PC Gamer UK]

So basic that you'd think it couldn't possibly be this much fun. A tremendous multiplayer game, but be warned - that's all it is. [NGC]

Fans of Secret will be sorely disappointed with this - but as we said, for all its failings, the 20 or so hours it takes to finish it are still enjoyable. It's just that the quality isn't as high as we expected. [NGC]

Small but perfectly formed. 1080 is the choice of the discerning gamer who looks for fewer stunts and a more solid racing experience. [NGC]

Despite some really basic errors, XIII is ambitiously big and beautiful, delivering enough of the right stuff to ensure you stick at it. Impressive. [NGC]

It's sumptuously, head-swimmingly, plum-clutchingly lovely to look at. No, really, it's gorgeous. [Import]