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

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.

If you have 127 friends who also hunger for 2D fighters trapped in a 3D world, perhaps you can all play Neowave together. You won't have to worry about the rest of us interfering.

Every second of this game screams skillful design and the result is a liberating game world that feels open and responsive. Nearly every object in the game reacts to Lara's influence, and this applies to the gamer holding the control pad as well - it's impossible to play this game and not fall under its tempting spell.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 also undoubtedly Harvest Moon's high point, expanding the freedom of play while retaining the bright, simple aesthetics and pantomimed emotion that have defined the series.

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.

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.

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.

It all adds up to a breakneck racing experience that offers a lot of fun (especially when you consider the online modes) for a little cash.

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.

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]

The frenetic, out-of-control battles take no time to warm up to, but fighting enthusiasts will probably shudder at the game's simplicity.

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.

Unparalleled explosive thrills - but it only burns in your mind during the time you're squeezing the trigger, and lacks context or emotional depth. [PSM2]

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

One more thing: the swearing. Normally we don't mind, but the script for Streetwise sounds like it was written by a grade-schooler who'd just discovered cursing. Foul language is overused to the point where the effect isn't gritty at all. In fact, it's just laughable.

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.

This complexity demands your total concentration, resulting in an all-consuming gaming experience. You're gonna lose hours to this game.

The last great racer on Xbox. Unless the mere sight of a car makes you physically sick, we'd call this a must-buy title. [Xbox World 360]

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

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

A new concept in gaming that works brilliantly. We're already pining for a sequel. [GamesMaster]