In terms of sheer fun, ease of use and online integration, it's now the racer to beat on any system.

Put away your social calendar strategy fans - this game will eat out months out of your life.

The fantasy world created for the game features plenty of detail, with some of the environments players must traverse looking absolutely fantastic.

Realistic graphics, a real sense of speed and tight controls all add up to Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition being a flat-out adrenalin rush of a game.

Those looking for an excellent mix of first person action and squad-based tactics will find SWAT 4's extremely realistic and involving gameplay hard to beat.

Chaos Theory takes the best aspects of the previous games and makes them shine even more. Splinter Cell veterans won't find too many new additions, but newbies and vets alike should snap it up as it's the best game in the series so far.

God of War is a stylish, gory and challenging action game that rewards you for skill and persistence. One of the best action titles to be released on the PlayStation 2 so far.

That killer axe is just one of the many weapons you'll get to take on hell's minions, and epitomises the game succinctly - oh-so stylish, over the top and yet fiendlishly difficult to master.

Not only does it feature great gameplay, but it offers up a virtual documentary of the World War II D-Day landings thanks to its attention to realism and fascinating added extras.

And while GT4 is not the massive leap from GT3 some were expecting, the sheer depth and variety of cars and tracks, great physics model and outstanding extras make it by far the best car game available on any system.

An outstanding gaming experience that sucks you into its expansive storyline.

Simply extraordinary. It’s clear from the start that Valve have pulled out all the stops, resulting in a well polished game that’s graphically spectacular.

Its excellent production and genuinely unsettling atmosphere make other so-called horror games look about as scary as Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.

The best game on the PS2.

An old-school racer with an immense amount of charm, although we'd still recommend "Burnout 3" in favour of it -- just.

Forget the bogged realism of "Call of Duty" or "Conflict Vietnam"; Tribes: Vengeance is all about big guns, big mecha suits, and big explosions. If you're after some intense fighting with gung-ho madness, then it’s good to get some Vengeance.

A fine sequel, although if you've had your fix of Hawk before, you may not find enough that's genuinely new here to warrant a purchase.

A great movie adaptation and very good choice for younger gamers -- or anyone who needs a Christmas present for a younger gamer in a hurry.

A sumptuously detailed and totally engrossing RTS title that can even hook those who normally aren't fans of RTS titles.

It comes with a small array of multiplayer modes and a highly compelling main multiplayer quest -- and these things are always more fun with extra human players -- and it's a title with solid longevity.

Def Jam: Fight For NY is a good game -- there's no doubt about that -- but it's perhaps that rarest of fighting games -- one that's better off played solo, or against one other player only, rather than in true multiplayer.

If you look beyond the Star Wars trappings, however, what you're left with is a game that's not quite as good as it really should be, which is a pity.

My Sim is freshly bathed with a full stomach, empty bladder, and a good night's sleep while I am up at 3am - dirty, hungry, tired, and about to pee on the floor because I'm so involved. That's got to be the sign of a good game -- doesn't it?

It's a great game, hampered by a release date very close to a number of very prominent titles that are likely to overshadow it in the holiday season.

Burnout 3 online is extremely good fun -- it's fast, frantic and the gametypes encourage plenty of teamwork, plenty of adrenaline, and naturally enough, plenty of crunched fenders and vehicles gracefully flipping through the air before ploughing at high speeds into concrete pillars.

Further refines the grappling engine that Yukes has been using for its gamecube titles, and along the way, offers the best grappling experience you can get -- at least for the time being.

Black Arrow feels like a mission pack for the original Rainbow Six 3, because that's what it is. If you loved Rainbow Six 3, though, you'll undoubtedly love this.

As a single player game played in short burts and with an eye towards old school run and gun style dynamics, we there's precious little that can touch Doom 3.

An exercise in masochism, as you'll find that the world records within the game are generally easily knocked over. It's only when you can look across the sofa at tired, sore and elated faces and realise that you just lunged over the line at the last second to grasp victory that you'll find Athens 2004 a really worthwhile game.

Spider-Man 2 isn't a revolutionary take on the movie-to-game-licence genre; it's just a competently put together game that suffers a tad from being a bit content poor. At the same time, though, what it offers is a lot of fun - while it lasts.

It's thus highly recommended for golf game aficionados, especially if you liked the original Toadstool Tour.

Certainly, if you can access the Xbox or PC versions, plumb for them first, but otherwise, and especially if you're looking for what has up to now been one of the most unique online pleasures known only to Xbox owners, what are you waiting for?

There are three main aspects to the game which can be identified as the main weaknesses; the lack of single player, the maps without helicopters, and the player numbers.

It entertains, it excites and it's easy to follow so no need for cheats, and sometimes that is all that matters.

THQ and Pandemic do deserve commendation for stepping away from the tried and tested styles of military simulations and trying something different.

Those looking for a Nintendo-themed puzzle game with plenty of length, but not always the greatest amount of depth will enjoy collecting Mini Marios until the goombas come home.

Transformers does a very solid job of capturing the visual style of the cartoon series while running on the PS2 hardware.

The tracks on offer in RalliSport Challenge 2 are, to put it simply, gorgeous.

Rockstar's once again created another great game awash with mood, although not to the same level of success of its key GTA franchise.

Unlike many expansion packs it offers a solid amount of additional content that enhances the overall game without breaking anything in the process -- a rare feat indeed.

If you're after a stealth game that isn't simply a matter of 'stealth to point A because that's the only way it can be done', however, it comes highly recommended, as each level can be replayed any number of ways, depending on how you mix up your stealth and blasting action.

The other major limitation comes about in online play; while the Xbox version supported 16 players, you'll have to make do with ten less in PS2 games, and with a total lack of co-operative online modes.

An exceptionally good single player game, and while the multiplayer aspect is a bit shaky compared to some titles, both existing and upcoming, there's a ton of potential within the game engine for some really clever modifications.

The tightly scripted nature of Pandora Tomorrow means that it's a game that many players will finish and would normally never return to, no matter how much of a blast they've had. This is where multiplayer steps in, takes over and ensures the long-term value of the title.

Ninety five maps, a huge variety of game modes, extensive single player campaign, online multiplayer and the low system requirements makes this a game that no first person shooter fan should ignore.

The single player aspect of the game is even more barebones then the previous title. Gone is the campaign and in is "instant action" which as you may have guessed allows you to select a map and then play with a number of bots.

Arguably one of the hardest XBox titles to date, and, as long as you're equal to its stiff challenge, one of the best.

EA being EA, there's no online component for Xbox owners, although PS2 players in PAL territories do no better. It seems that online multiplayer is a purely PS2, purely NTSC market phenomenon.

It's not really a case of great or inspiring innovation, but it is a solid use of the Snowblind engine into an engaging title.

With three or four players, GBA screens ablaze, this is nothing short of a tiny slice of gaming nirvana, and some of the most unabashed, undilluted fun to be produced for this generation of consoles.

It's not for everybody -- the difficulty level will see most off, and the lack of third dimensional movement will probably remove a fair chunk of the rest of its prospective audience -- but if you like your shooting action hard, heavy and repetitive, then you really need to add R-Type Final to your collection.

It's bound to appeal to exactly the same gaming crowd this time around, and for exactly the same reasons.

Despite the shallow gameplay, the shooter who wants something different and entertaining will find it here with the Lionhearts and their ultimate heist.

One particularly neat point about the audio presentation comes about because the entire game is played out as a narrative flashback from the Prince's point of view. This gives the plot cohesion, but also allows the Prince to ask you when saving if he should begin the story from that point, or to chide you when you die that it didn't actually happen that way.

It's quite a slow game, and at first many gamers may find it on the tepid side, as it's only once you've got the hang of how the whole farm holds together you'll find yourself dedicating more and more time to the simple joys that Harvest Moon has to offer.

As a pack-in bonus, it's excellent -- we really can't think of a pack-in game in recent history that has this much pure playability, albeit from games that are now somewhat aged.

There are frustrating points (like the long save point distance) but it creates the desire to know what will happen next if you keep going.

While the solo campaign is suitably lengthy and will keep most gamers on their toes for a reasonable period of time, it's multiplayer where SOCOM II really shines.

The richness of what's on offer far outweighs the minor annoyances, and compared to any other full-priced title, even GTA III itself would stand well ahead of the pack. The fact that you get Vice City itself is the neon and pastel cherry on the cake.

Traditional console RPG fans may be intrigued by the concept but ultimately turned off by the totally open-ended gameplay style, while those coming over from the PC side of things will probably find it refreshingly familiar -- although we'd plump for the PC version if you've got a system capable of it, if only because it is, after all, a PC port.

If you've only got a passing interest in golf, and want a game with the usual level of Nintendo polish that tends to make their games interesting, then it's worth hitting out with Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.

There's the usual John Williamsesque score, but what makes Knights Of The Old Republic stands out is the sheer quality and quantity of spoken dialogue.

Tingle does make the game a touch easier, but at the same time it makes the story aspects of the Wind Waker a great deal more communal, leading to fewer arguments over whose turn it is. It's also the first game we've seen to really justify the cost of the link cable.