The goals, while repetitive, offer more than a typical four-way smasher, but damn, it's hard to keep things straight. For gamers who like things categorically insane, you're looking at a go-to, button-mashy party game.

In essence, it is - and this is delicious irony, for something supposed to be the Ultimate Teenage Male game - about playing with dolls. It's possibly the most girly game of all time; relationships, shopping, and fashion.

AND 1's cool Create-a-Baller and Create-a-Move modes make the game worth playing, if you yearn for the exaggerated, arcade gameplay in the spirit of NBA Jam, albeit with a lot more street style.

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.

If you're looking for a more classical style of game where you can turn off your brain and annihilate wave after wave of enemies as you dodge obscene amounts of enemy fire, Xyanide is for you.

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]

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

Even with its limitations, Wayfarer of Time is consistently engaging throughout its lengthy gameplay.

The abstruse design and technical flaws leave us cold, but the sheer potential for savage bastardry makes it undeniably fun.

While this is no "Never Say Never Again," it's hardly "Goldfinger" either. Sorry about that, 007. [XGamer]

It's great for a quick 10-minute thrill but not something I'd spend 45 quid on. [XGamer Magazine]

Unfortunately, it's obvious that Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter was developed as a glimmering next-gen title and subsequently shoe-horned into the power-challenged Xbox. The result is simply too much for the Xbox to handle. It feels stripped down and lacking in too many crucial areas.

This game's so obsessed with vampire-killing and ground-level puzzles, it doesn't seem to acknowledge - or care - that there's someone playing it for pleasure. [XGamer]

Despite its nonstop action and requisite techno soundtrack, Chaos Field never ascends to the level of a shooter classic, like GameCube's beautiful "Ikaruga." It's all about finding a sweet spot and plugging away.

If the control wasn't so sloppy and loose, Total Destruction could easily have been a much better game.

Some exciting new combat ideas are sadly marred by sloppy execution and a feeling of similarity in some areas. Pleasingly bloody, though. [Xbox World]

The presentation of Project Poseidon also leaves much to be desired, with awkward and simplistic texturing, not to mention some downright asinine vocals.

At times this sense of freedom is overwhelming, and attending to the minutiae can be tiresome.

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.

Strategy and pinball? Right. It's better than it sounds, but not that much better. The world is probably a more interesting place with this game in it, but that doesn't necessarily mean your life will improve if you play it.

Redundant or not, it's also worth pointing out that the whole game only takes ten hours - tops - to finish, and honestly, that's just long enough before the tedium begins to set in.

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]

The targeting system sucks, often sticking to the enemy you just knocked down (and therefore can't attack until he gets up again) while another is bashing you in the back. The final aggravation is the camera, which constantly gets stuck on things in the environment, so you can't always see your foe.

If you're looking for groundbreaking gameplay and a thrilling story, then you'll be disappointed. Justice League Heroes is a pretty standard action-RPG that's neither offensive nor alluring.

It's highly likely that the relative lack of gaming sophistication will result in only a shortlived appeal for seasoned strategy heads.

A great entry point for newcomers to the series and 3D is welcome, but definitely not a game you should feel too bad about missing out on. [Xbox World]

Full of character and charm, but lacking any major challenge. You won't be disappointed, but you won't be pushed to your gaming limits either...and if Bender's adventures had taken up a more substantial portion of the game, then we'd have been looking at a four-star review for sure. [Xbox Gamer]

Kids probably won't mind much, and they're definitely the target audience here. Pirates' Carnival isn't spectacular in any one sense, but the solid mini-games and well-used license are enough to put it near the top of the distinctly uncompetitive party game genre.

An easy, mildly entertaining grab bag of minigames and missions. Kids will undoubtedly enjoy the game and their parents will find themselves sucked into numerous minigames as well.

Galvanized by the well-implemented trust management system, Splinter Cell: Double Agent proves to be another great game in this venerable series. Alas, the graphical limitations of the Gamecube keep this version from the success of its peers.

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]

The bottom line is that diehard Avatar fans will probably be disappointed with the superficial storyline that lacks the charm of the original show, and newcomers will have trouble finding interest in the loosely tied-together missions.

NBA Ballers: Phenom is built around a solid core but has gone beyond its limits, like when Michael Jordan quit the NBA to play minor-league baseball.

It's acceptably action-packed, but if it hadn't been patterned after Quentin Tarantino's signature film, you'd probably have forgotten it exists by now.

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]

No, it's hardly the greatest platformer ever - far from it - but it certainly isn't the worst.

The bottom line is that diehard Avatar fans will probably be disappointed with the superficial storyline that lacks the charm of the original show, and newcomers will have trouble finding interest in the loosely tied-together missions.

Sequential software that labels itself next-gen should provide next-gen opportunities, not just exaggerate the mistakes it made on the last version. [Edge Magazine]

This Sega classic just needs to change its routine. [XGamer]

The sporadic and rote boss battles don't ooze as much personality - sitting back and shooting rocks at eyes on stalks as they open isn't exactly epic - and none of the grunt henchman, from reptiles to rhinoceros beetles, provide any combat challenge against Scrat's surprisingly powerful kicks and frantic tail-smacks.

Stripped of the strategic elements, this title is left as little more than an average first-person shooter with a smidgen of cool stealth gameplay.

Unfortunately the addition of the excellent multiplayer modes and the surprisingly well executed DS conversion aren't enough to make it a must-buy. [NGC Pocket]

Offers a metric ton of activities for you to engage in. The sheer variety is unheard of for this genre (on a console anyway), and it all works. That said, little of it is outstanding, and while all the pieces are in place, there isn't a single aspect of this game that will blow you away.

Ground tricks are frustratingly hard to perform, but otherwise, Crusty Demons will make sicko adrenaline junkies smile.

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]

FIFA Street 2 just isn't much fun to play, plain and simple. It won't gain many supporters from the soccer enthusiast set, nor arcade sports fans. The multiplayer isn't even that great - shunning online completely.

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

If you like "SSX," you won't like Freekstyle - don't be fooled by superficially-appealing first impressions. [PSM2]

Sadly, this is a curiosity and nothing more. Sonic CD isn't bad but the others make us feel, well, uneasy. [NGC]

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]

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]

A game that passes the time, and melds together a number of fine titles, but whose every individual element can be found in a more satisfying form elsewhere. [PC Gamer UK]

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

A real disappointment. Solid and sturdy but a game that seems very dated compared to "GTA" and "The Getaway." [GamesMaster]

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

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

Kids will probably have a blast with this, but anyone else will find it brain cell-destroyingly tedious. But we'd like more games with Zebras please. Zebras are ace. [PSM2]

A stealth game that tries to be challenging but just ends up being punchy, moody and fickle. Not a pleasure to play. [GamesMaster]

Truth is, "THPS4" is better in every respect. [PSM2]

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

Add 20 to the score if you absolutely love this stuff. But for casual hack 'n' slash fans, DW5 is unremarkable, slightly lasy and a grave missed opportunity. Sorry. [PSM2]

Will you want to spend over 100 hours, crawling here, there and everywhere to get into in it? That's the question. A lot of you aren't, for Evil Islands doesn't stand out either as a great genuine strategy or as a bonkers RPG.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid.

If you can play this on a computer, do so. If you already own The Sims 2 for GameCube and are considering paying full price again to get the Pets feature, don't.

That's not to say it's a terrible game, either, but it's a long way down the track from the instant rewards, utter playability, simplistic fun and almost child-like innocence of the PlayStation original.

Colourful and action-packed compared with its two predecessors, but the novelty's all gone.

As for the versus mode, it might succeed in entertaining a couple of people for about half an hour or so, but that's all that saves Kengo from being a complete dud.

You're better off saving your cash for something better, but if you really want a Mario-based board game, go for the cheaper - and better - "Mario Party 2."

We'd rather that more effort had been put into making it a really good pinball game rather than a not-quite-effective crossover experiment.

Activision has copied the gameplay of Civilisation, but the designers just aren't good enough to infuse it with the magic. Even if they had done, enough already! Do something new!

A multiplayer game that required the turtles to co-ordinate their efforts and powers could have rocked so much harder. For that matter, so could a camera that chose better angles and thus caused to fewer missed jumps due to misjudged distances.

An unpolished sequel that hardly improves on an already-average original. Fine in the short term, but ultimately tiresome.

Another potentially great game crashes and burns due to sloppy programming and a premature release. Pity.

This is a franchise for those who like games entirely cerebral, with no need for reflexes or marksmanship.

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]

The game's just chunky and sloppy all around, a real waste of a perfectly capable system. If you can buy any version, don't make it this one. Then just go check out the movie instead.

The end result is a ramshackle affair that will please neither hardcore Spy Hunters nor Joe "GTA."

It handles something like a granny on roller skates and its graphics are distinctly vague and blocky: surely disappointing for a latter day PlayStation game.

Cut away all the unnecessary flab and there's a decent game in here somewhere, but in terms of gameplay, Deep Fighter is more than 20,000 leagues below par than 20,000 Leagues Below the Sea.

Put simply, it's not half as exciting as you'd expect.

The action pauses so frequently to remind you how to excute your task that the entire game ends up feeling like one giant training tutorial. It's impossible to get stuck at any point because all of the answers are pretty much handed right to you.

Thanks god Vicarious Visions delivered the delectable Spider-Man 2 on PS2 before this soulless dross. Treat this like an eight-legged creature on your wall and squash it flat. [PSM2]

Surprisingly though, this isn't that bad. Well, it's not terrible, anyway. Which is, in itself, a surprise.

As we all know, it's how you use it that counts, and like most things that come from America, this is all mouth and very little trouser.

In the six hours that it takes to finish Metal Gear Solid, there is little more than an hour's interaction.

A perfectly competent but utterly uninspired kart racer that pales in comparison with Mario Kart.

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.

A dull, linear first-person shooter with international conflict as its backdrop, that tries to put players into the boots of a WW2 soldier embroiled in the thick of the things, but fails miserably. [XGamer]

It looks absolutely stunning, but for all but a minority, the game play doesn't match up to expectations.

Painkiller: Hell Wars is the very definition of a mindless kill-crazy rampage, and while simple experiences certainly have their place, the time this game spent in development purgatory seems to have made even the high points feel limp.

[Miss = 50 on Radar scale] Unfortunately, the fidgety camera is so poor and makes searching such a bleeding chore that being Spider-Man seems a dull job.

The handling seems ludicrously over-sensitive -- and you'll soon find yourself slamming into the sides, misjudging corners and generally feeling like a fool.

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

[Games Radar Rating = Miss] fans of the series deserve more than a shiny retread. Although the legend remains intact for now, it'd be a crime if Crash was still spinning along the same narrow path next year.

Sonic fans may fill their need for speed here, but everyone else, please walk on.