Online play only sweetens the deal, making this one of the best, easily-accessible racers on any system.

This is as unsettling and absorbing an adventure as you could hope for.

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]

The action is bloody and satisfying, the story plays out like exceptionally well-written fan-fiction and the spirit of the movie and its characters are intact.

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.

Far from the dodgy cash-in we expected, Kombat dwarfs the likes of Beat Down and offers genuine improvements in the formerly stagnant scrolling fighter genre. [PSM2]

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

You could do a lot worse than re-visiting the first two Turoks and forgetting all about this half-hearted and dispiriting finale to what has been one of the best-loved franchises on the N64. A shame.

It's about as difficult as fighting your way out of a ripped paper bag.

If you can master the controls, you'll find a rich, rewarding racer here, one that gives a thrilling sensation of speed and as much edgy, adrenaline-filled action as you could ask for. [PC Gamer UK]

The trouble is, the learning curve's more of a spike, so with no real variation in the gameplay, and an extremely rigid mission-structure, every few missions you'll get hopelessly, tooth-gnashingly stuck.

A sensory assault of the highest calibre with gameplay to match. It's brilliant, plain and simple. Cock your leg over the saddle and forget those four wheel zimmer frames.

The PS2 version doesn't have any extra features that might make up for the lack of certain technically impossible bits and pieces.

A liberal splash of new ink and some gameplay innovation manage to revitalise this slightly over-familiar franchise. [Xbox World 360]

It's worth playing for its grueling gunfights and beautiful, combustible environments; just don't expect anything earth-shattering.

The EA warhorse gets a much-needed injection of old-school cool. [PC Gamer UK]

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

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]

Just like with Doom 3, RoE works best if you're afraid of the dark, but sadly most of us have outgrown that fear long ago.

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]

If there's a nit to pick with Gun, it's that it's short. Depending on how much you poke around, you can beat it in anywhere from six to ten hours. To us, that's no problem; we'll take a short amazing game over a long lackluster one any day.

Good, daft, surprisingly tactical fun. No set-pieces to match Halo, but all the sniping and destruction you could ever hope for. [GamesMaster]

These supermen are capable of feats ordinary Battlefield grunts could only dream of, wielding 12 new firearms and racing across eight huge new maps in 10 new vehicles. Them's a lot of numbers, but then this is definitely no ordinary game. [GamesMaster]

Desperately trying to be hard-boiled but actually has more in common with action rubbish like "Minority Report." One for very forgiving fans only. [NGC]

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]

A very good tribute to an unquestioned classic, and well worth owning if you're a serious fan of role-playing games.

Essential if you're the analytical, disciplined type, but the lack of action will put off anyone seeking immediacy and action from the go. [PSM2]

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]

The AI of Lara's assailants is markedly improved, the level design is ambitious (sometimes overly so) and there are a number of small, yet notable additions to the TR repertoire.

Ultramix 4 is one of the best in the series thus far. The balanced music library - complete with song-packs you can download from LIVE for $5 a pop - the great party games, decent quest mode and downright beautiful character graphics, there's not much a fan could ask for.

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.

It may be the last game anyone will ever play on the original Xbox, and it does the Madden name justice with its smooth play, wide range of features old and new, ridiculously in-depth franchise options, and online games.

Slick, professional and realistic, but punctured by familiarity and frustrating controls. [PSM2]

Brilliant but too short - you need to play this, if only to see Hayden Christiansen outclassed by a virtual toy. [GamesMaster]

So while it doesn't break new ground, Scarface: The World Is Yours is one of the best sandbox crime games for the current generation consoles. It's a slick, well-executed and gritty title that'll keep you busy for over 20 hours.

The 42 campaign missions themselves use events like Pizarro's destruction of the Incas and the War of Independence as context, and are generally enjoyable, but they lack the attention to detail and narrative energy of the genre giants. [PC Gamer UK]

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]

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

Sure, you may probably have played other first-person shoot-'em-ups of this kind before, but this one has a razor sharp edge. Definitely one to get if you're looking to crush armies and blow stuff up. [XGamer]

There's little wrong with DOR2, but it's missing that star quality that puts you in the big leagues. [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]

Keeps the series on the cutting edge of visual excellence, but the storyline goes in the opposite direction, taking the player back 1,000 years before the first two games in the franchise.

Playable racer that's lifted above the herd by its online mode. A tad slow when racing on US servers, but the European version will hopefully be a treat.

An original take on the shooting game and a subversive take on US paranoia executed with character and style. Destroy All Humans is hard not to enjoy. [Xbox World]

Brilliant fun. An absolute blast from start to finish and, without question, the best action strategy game available. [NGC]

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

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

Looks great and, while it can be a bit easy, the new sneaking skills, Quidditch and card collecting make Hogwarts a fun place to be. [GamesMaster]

The single-player is slow and unforgiving next to the white-hot motoring antics of the online experience.

A funny, worthwhile and well made expansion, but let down by slow loading times. Until Sims technology changes in a fundamental way, Nightlife is going to leave all too many home on a Saturday night.

Pokemon's winning concept refuses to crumble with age, and Emerald is as much fun as our old friends Red and Blue were back in 1998. [NGC Pocket]

Fast and riotous, with plenty of crud-faced mutants to shoot down, but the moment the chaos stops, so does your grin. [GamesMaster]

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.

There's just not that much to it. Even the career mode suffers from a distinct lack of depth.

While it may look awfully similar to the first, don't be fooled: Origins tests negative for sequelitis.

The excellent atmosphere might test your baldder control but your thumbs won't be troubled for a second. [GamesMaster]

Fun to play, charming and challenging to boot, shame about its length.

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]

It's exactly what you'd expect but DS makes it classic multiplayer stuff. [GamesMaster]

It's so predictable that a player will find himself quickly out-thinking the designers. [PC Gamer UK]

Whether you start as Kain in a towering Nosgoth citadel or as Raziel in the other-worldly Elder God Caverns, you'll find environments lush, solid and atmospheric. [Playstation 2 Max]

Visually scrumptious, and innovative, but lacking the vital fluid of satisfaction. [PC Gamer UK]

Unlike previous expansions it doesn't pack any real innovations. Looks like we'll have to wait for The Sims Online for that. [GamesMaster]

This is the game they should have made last time. Gorgeous, sizey and ambitious. The new modes just need a little more tweaking. [GamesMaster]

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]

There's a hell of a lot to do and it often feels daunting - like a big cross between Sim City and Total War. But it's well worth having a go if you think you're man - sorry, god - enough. [GamesMaster]

It's hard not to like Pursuit Force. Even when you've started the Don the Run mission for the twentieth time you'll still be enjoying it. We fully expect an even better sequel next year. [PSM2]

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

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]

It does Sanrio Kittyness, it does scratched-up art weirdness, it does the Bust-A-Move house style, it does angled cartoon smoothness, it does colour, minimalism, random squiggles and it does it all with an enthusiasm that's so rare in all its rivals.

You're welcome to nod knowingly, and call Kessen a tremendous game, a work of art; it is. But think very, very carefully before actually buying it.

Fun for a while but lacks the madcap pace of previous incarnations. Why change it so much for consoles? [Xbox World 360]

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

Equal parts kooky characters, clever game design and addictive battery recharging, Chibi-robo satisfies that part of all gamers that simply wants a decent challenge, no matter what kind of cute wrapping it wears.

Plays a great game of basketball and is entirely entertaining. The only problems are the loss of a few moves from the PS2 version and a lack of extra game modes. [PSM2]

Being part of a battle on such massive scale has never been as convincingly portrayed before.

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.

And the world is huge. If it was more packed with opportunities for us to use those tools and stunts, this could have been a GTA-killer.

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]

Lost man-hours this week are a solid testament to this game's gripping compulsiveness. It's one of the most addictive PS2 games yet produced. Strange, but true.

What Spartan lacks in depth is made good by some top-drawer visuals and satisfying combat. A corking console debut for Creative Assembly. [PSM2]

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

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

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]

You're getting the same far-reaching anime fighter that impressed us six months ago, now loaded with sprinkles of new content and a pretty hot multiplayer mode. If only the presentation was up to par with the fighting (enough with the talking heads), we'd be looking at a complete package.

We are, already, looking forward to next year's version, which hopefully will be that much better.

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

A game whose characters and storylines are far more engaging and confrontational than any number of big-balled third-person grit-'em-ups, presenting subjects like domestic abuse, politics and grisly execution without getting bogged down in them.

Superior visuals and enjoyable user-friendly combat make this one of the best adventure games on PS2. Onimusha fans will love it for sure. [PSM2]

We've had our problems with an aiming system continually hampered by a camera that doesn't give you a free look...it's enough - along with the bleached-clean looks and cramped levels - to knock this out of the realms of "Devil May Cry." [PSM2 Magazine]

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]