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.

Shows some potential, but an unpolished execution and an overall sluggish feel means it's for die-hard "Tekken" fans only.

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.

For the first five minutes you'll be bowled over by all the action on offer, scarcely being given time to breathe in. Once you start to remember the patterns of where the enemies come out -- and being a light gun title on, as they say, rails, they never vary a jot -- the fun quickly fades.

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.

One for the fans. Even though it is an "all-in-one" package of games, the Arcade Kombat mode remains the centre of attention.

As a micromanagement/god sim, it makes a fair effort with its source material, although you'll often find yourself bogged down in petty details, and it can lose a bit of charm in its eventual endgame phase.

A solid but unspectacular boxing game that doesn't try enough that's new or innovative to raise it to championship status.

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.

While it's an ambitious title -- especially for the Gameboy Advance -- that attempts to cram in every last Luke-related minute of the classic Star Wars trilogy, Apprentice Of The Force is a touch too repetitive and simple to be enjoyable for all that long.

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?

Certainly manages to shock, but underneath it's a decidedly average game that's probably more of a rental title than a must-buy prospect.

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.

They say that war is hell -- but trust me, you'd rather be burning in the fiery pits of Dante's worst nightmares than play through Army Men: Sarge´s War.

While it does offer a few innovative features, ultimately the lack of really solid characterisation, and a plot that meanders in a variety of directions without ever really getting there makes this a rather ho-hum title.

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.

Rather ordinary presentation and outright laughable voiceover acting.

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.

A decent piece of software which is only let down by its poor interface and lack of a really in depth tutorial to give users some idea of how to create a decent mix without using only basic sounds and tunes.

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

A significant improvement on its predecessors, but for many gamers the bugs that are still present in the series three games in will be enough to put them off the title for good.

In Driv3r's case, however, it's not so much a case of bugs creeping in as rushing in en masse, making playing Driv3r an exercise in frustration, not fun.

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.

A lazy port of a game that wasn't all that great to begin with. Certainly, it has some great ideas in it, but they're all hampered by either having a weak implementation or a buggy interface, and all too often both.

Although it offers something different in comparison to "Dynasty Warriors" they seemed to have not strayed all that far from their roots. Presumably they're worried about turning away their current fan base and it is these people who will get the most out of Samurai Warriors.

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.

Ultimately a pretty simple game that the vast majority of more adult gamers can safely leave on the shelf.

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.

UFC:Sudden Impact just doesn't deliver enough that hasn't already been seen in existing UFC titles.

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.

It is quite entertaining, but if you are looking for something unique that offers you more than the spy games you've already played, then look somewhere else. Alias fans, however, will get a blast out of this.

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.

Dead Man's Hand by itself isn't a shockingly bad game but when you compare it to recent releases in the same genre it doesn't stack up. Dead Man's Hand really is only for the true die-hard western fan.

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.

Breakdown is exactly what it says on the box - a game with a broken engine.

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.

Today, however, against titles that employ both stealth action and Ninja-style tomfoolery to a better and more engaging level, it's a title that would best fit for a rental, rather than a purchase.

Left Field Productions (previously responsible for "Excitebike 64") have delivered an incredible sense of speed and provided some much needed variation with its' game modes. However for those after those looking for online play will be best served by the Xbox version that does not restrict you to continually empty Australian servers.

Even the youth market, at which it's aimed, should be able to clear enough of it to sate their Scooby urges in an overnight period, leaving parental wallets free for better gaming purchases.

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

It's just that up against the established franchises of the 3D platforming world, and even some of the newer titles, there's really not that much in The Lost Expedition that genuinely stands out or demands attention.

While it's a visually stunning game for the PS2 platform with great production values, the game underneath it all is far too pedestrian to be worth purchasing.

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.

Namco's shown itself capable of presenting scenes of pre-rendered babes before, and to no surprise they feature strongly in R:Racing, but in the actual game you'll see little that either appals or really appeals, even with the inclusion of drag and rally racing modes.

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

The main career mode is broken up into three difficulty levels, but thanks to some extremely rubber AI, unless you do extremely poorly it won't take you very long to get through everything 1080 Avalanche has to offer you.

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.

Party games need to be quickfire, easy to play and impossible to put down, and this is the exact opposite - slow, irritating to play and tedious in the extreme.

It's a bit annoying that the game's major flaws -- slightly monotonous combat, dodgy 3D camera and very monotonous loading times -- haven't been addressed for some time now -- but that doesn't remove from the core qualities of what is still a very fun little game.

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.

Mario Party 5 isn't badly made or put together, but it also doesn't offer all that much that hasn't been seen before, and certainly it isn't a game for you if you don't have a ready supply of other human players on hand.

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.