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]

There's one huge caveat to our recommendations. THQ, in a cost-cutting move sure to infuriate people everywhere, have removed the battery memory back-up and implemented a password system instead.

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]

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

Juiced fails to find a balance between the sweet and the sour, so will be a turn-off for those who like a guaranteed reward. But to others it'll be a tangy throwback to the old days, and for that we can't justifiably condemn it. [PC Gamer UK]

It's got less appeal second time around and, while it's unique, as a game it isn't much fun. [GamesMaster]

One of the better B-list rally games but a bit too lacklustre in the execution to be an essential accompaniment to "Colin" or "WRC." [PSM2]

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]

With 66 levels, only four weapons and none of the cleverness of its Bam! brother "Ecks Vs Sever," this is one castle you won't be wanting to return to regularly. [GamesMaster]

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]

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

Solid and reliable - good qualities in a dog, but we hope for more originality in a game. [PSM2]

It had the potential to be one of the best titles on PSP, but it's marred by a dodgy control system. Agonising loading times and graphical glitches mean this is for undiscerning footie nuts only. [PSM2]

Ultimately though, this is one for serious Spearites only. [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]

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.

"SmackDown" owners will laugh at the lack of options, but WWE Wrestlemania 21 is still the best grappler on Xbox. [GamesMaster]

Plabyable and for the most part just what you'd want from an Evil Dead game, but scuppered by some treacly objectives. [GamesMaster]

None of its core ideas, good though some are, are really explored well enough. The linear levels offer little in the way of exploration, and the Geo-Mod technology doesn't add anything especially worthwhile to the game. [NGC]

It looks pretty and the controls work well, but overall MediEvil lacks in excitement and is slow to get good. You'd only buy because there aren't any other decent action adventures around yet. [GamesMaster]

Unfortunately, beyond the artifice of the attractive environments and sound design there hides the kind of on-rails gameplay that might've been the bollocks 10 years ago but simply seems naive today.

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

A flawed tie-in that breaks no new ground, provides little entertainment and feels like a hollow companion to the film. Your standard rushed out film licence. [PSM2]

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]

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]

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]

We've made up better games involving elastic bands and office chairs. A treat for Quidditch lovers but proper sports fans'd be better off with basketball. [NGC]

With precious little true depth and a distinct lack of quality boxers to topple Tyson from his in-game mantle, you'll just not want to put in the hours at the gym. [PSM2]

Playable without being enjoyable, go and dig out one of the better FIFAs or unearth any ISS, because David Beckham Soccer doesn't live up to its namesake.

Put simply, if you have Live this is a highly recommended purchase, if you don't then it isn't.