If you are a serious player then another slice of deep role-playing may be appropriate, personally I didn’t feel devoid of this in my life (God knows I felt I could still squeeze more out of the original instalment!) enough to need Disagea 2, but then again I do also review a wide-ranging portfolio of games, those who purely RPG are likely to see this as a second coming.

It’s Civilization IV, only better. The inclusion of new nations, including the welcome return of the Zulu’s along with a general tweaks for the others adds to the overall strategy of the game.

The greatest wrestling title so far, on any format. It’s not without its minor flaws, but the graphics are some of the best the PS2 has to offer, the gameplay is there in buckets, the realism is the best yet, and the game is just so damned fun.

Graphically this is a first class show. The surroundings have a real feeling of depth and detail, and your interaction with it is fluid and realistic.

Visually, Sly 3 is an abundance of originality and colour, making excellent use of the PS2’s now aged hardware.

The controls are extensive, and do make a difference, taking NHL 2K6 away from the arcade style and into the big time of realism; and it is pretty realistic. The A.I. is solid too, and for hockey fans I'm sure there's a lot to be cherished, from what is a very noble effort, and pleasurable addition to the series.

Character and game customisation will keep players amused and the amount of play modes, stunts and tricks on offer should easily keep gamers amused.

For now DiRT is the only serious rally experience on a next-generation box, fortunate for us then that it’s also pretty damned good as well.

While perhaps not quite as good as "Spiderman 2," The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction still has enough staying power to make all pretenders to the throne green with envy.

Ultimately Colin McRae still remains an infuriating game for the novice rally driver and we really see no reason why this should change. Practice, as ever, brings rewards and when you finally succeed nothing feels as good especially when you take into consideration that the game has always been geared towards a simulation rather than a quick arcade blaster.

There are some suitably impressive graphics on offer and the career mode is probably one of the most impressive seen in the series to date.

New maps, new modes and new characters are all a feasible option with the Live service. Let’s hope they do it.

You can spin superlatives about the sound effects in Everquest 2 but nothing could justify the sheer amount of work that has obviously gone into making this game an audio delight.

Fahrenheit features a fascinating, ever evolving storyline that really does change in real time depending on your actions.

Undoubtedly this is the definitive version of Pac-Man available on Xbox 360 Arcade.

Overall the open sandbox style of gameplay and allowing you the non-linear gameplay to complete the mission in your own way works very well.

There are some suitably impressive graphics on offer and the career mode is probably one of the most impressive seen in the series to date.

The number of realms, the number of races and classes of fighters available will mean the game will take a long, long time to complete, and even then the fun isn't over.

An excellent game, a little harder to get into than most FPS due to the amount of options and the fact that half of takes place in the air, but, more rewarding because of that. Once you have mastered flying around its heaps of fun.

When you strip away the meat from the bones you might be left with essentially Guitar Hero II 'deluxe' but for fans of the series we doubt many will be disappointed with what Neversoft have achieved.

This is a top class game that deserves the credit and respect it has been getting.

An atmospheric, intelligent and original shooter that is sure to be harshly overlooked by the majority of gamers, which is a pity considering the quality gaming on show. It's enjoyable, challenging and exquisitely designed but is only let down by minor camera troubles and a difficulty level that may be a bit too hard.

The game itself is quite good. Graphically it does look good, it sounds good, has a very good story line and the choice of weapons, the ACES system and online play are all top notch work from Ubisoft. But the game still feels unfinished and rushed out.

With the ability to create your own missions and campaigns as well as pass them on to others ensures there is plenty to offer with this title and the difficulty making a game that should last hours per mission.

Sure it looks good and sounds great, but not ‘the next generation of gaming’, in fact given the current availability and quality of FPS games I’m not sure in terms of gameplay it’s even this generation.

What it does have is quality rather than quantity though and the excellent Croft Manor level will add hours of fun to the value.

Sure it looks good and sounds great, but not 'the next generation of gaming', in fact given the current availability and quality of FPS games I'm not sure in terms of gameplay it's even this generation.

One of the most enjoyable co-operative games the 360 has seen. Marvel fans should rejoice, this is probably the finest game to use the franchise to date.

The Darkness offers up just about everything we have come to desire in a FPS and has wrapped the package up nicely with a few neat touches of its own.

Nothing even comes close to matching the appeal of Test Drive Unlimited. You’ll be hard pushed to play a more involving, evolving and down right enjoyable racer this year. Eden have pulled out all the stops to make Test Drive Unlimited the most polished and realistic racer the Xbox 360 has seen to date.

The game can be difficult to master though, so new people to the genre might struggle at first but patience should be used because this could become the classic start to this engines long use in games.

This is a game that you have to put a little time and effort into just to slip into Garret's mind and start to think like a Thief, if you can then you have found yourself a very challenging and rewarding game.

Over-all if you can remember the original Pirates game from the 80’s then you will love what Firaxis have done to the game, bringing the latest graphics without destroying what made the title a great game to start with.

The controls are extensive, and do make a difference, taking NHL 2K6 away from the arcade style and into the big time of realism; and it is pretty realistic. The A.I. is solid too, and for hockey fans I’m sure there’s a lot to be cherished, from what is a very noble effort, and pleasurable addition to the series.

The soundtrack is catchy and at times, especially when the plot turns darker, extremely haunting as well.

The game itself is quite good. Graphically it does look good, it sounds good, has a very good story line and the choice of weapons, the ACES system and online play are all top notch work from Ubisoft. But the game still feels unfinished and rushed out.

The best retro collection currently available, and if you can ignore the lack of surround sound and advanced shadowing you'll have just as much fun with these gems as you will with some of the blockbusters of today. Simply an essential purchase for retro fans.

So if you haven’t visited the Jade Empire before this could well be worth the price, but there isn’t enough extras to warrant it if you have already played the Xbox version.

You should love the stunning views and the ability to climb nearly all the buildings in the three cities as well as of the countryside sections.

Overlord might be a short lived experience but nothing quite like it exists for the Xbox 360 right now. The gameplay is sound, the humour is all too apparent and we doubt you’ll walk away unimpressed. It’s just a shame there wasn’t a little bit more going for it online.

The visuals during the battles are very good, especially when you consider the sheer scale of the images that are being rendered, involving literally hundreds of individually animated models thrashing about trying to knock ten bells out of each other.

It might not bring earth shattering extras to the table but this time SSX on Tour has managed to fix everything we hated about the series in the first place and has ultimately matured enough to be an essential purchase this time around.

Without doubt the better of the trilogy, even with its problems (which hopefully will be rectified with patches) and overall should be enjoyed by the majority of the Tycoon fans out there.

You should love the stunning views and the ability to climb nearly all the buildings in the three cities as well as of the countryside sections.

This difficulty will possibly put some off, but for the people that continue on regardless there is a title to be found that will take an age to play, plus a game that will give a lot of satisfaction once you complete.

All told this is a quality game, offering very real value in terms of detail, variety and length.

The sheer range of teams, players and ‘prettiness’ makes this a perfect post pub blast, or one for the younger gamer to get straight into and has a very easy learning curve. The problem with that however is the lack of long term challenge, if even in career mode you’re odds on to score any time. Perhaps that’s the reason why we may just see Fifa 2006 same time, same place next year.

The Warriors on the PSP is just as good, and in places better, than both the Xbox and PS2 versions from two years ago. In our opinion the controls have been refined and the gameplay tweaked to great effect.

Does what every sequel should do; it expands on the gameplay of the original and adds essential improvement upon it at the same time.

The detail that has gone into this title is breathtaking... Codename Panzers has entered the stage as a virgin and almost instantly become the ‘meat and two veg’ of the WW2 RTS genre, in actual fact we challenge you to find a better RTS alternative altogether.

The graphics are what you would expect from a Mario franchise, colourful, loveable and damn right cute. From the initial opening movie to the closing credits your left in no doubt that this is pure marketing genius.

Over all, Ace Combat 6 is a good game but because of the final mission, it might be one you'd struggle to complete, but the multiplayer will more then make up for it, specially if you have the broadband speed to make it a real dogfight.

This is a top class game that deserves the credit and respect it has been getting.

While single player missions are very good, you will only have access to a third of what this game has to offer – and you should get Xbox Live!

"Port Royale" was the closest that anyone has come to the original Pirates, until now. All hail Sid Meier, the master of the computer game.

Anyone with even a passing interest in rhythm action titles who missed out on PS2 original simply owes it to themselves to pick up one of the finest games the genre has ever produced.

Metal Slug anthology is not a game to complete and then toss away either. It has a potentially unlimited replayability as well, which is emphasised by the lack of saving and pausing. It is immediate, and always ready. Recommended.

Some will no doubt be disappointed with the lack of progression but everything that Codename Panzers did so well in the first phase has been brought forward so elegantly with Phase Two. If you want to see the best the WW2 RTS genre has to offer, then you really have no need to look any further.

Ultimately Buzz: Quiz TV plays like a hollow, broken shell of a once classic game with so much potential yet very little of it actually realised.

If it were the first I’d ever seen it would be approaching classic status, however we’ve been here so many times before that it’s starting to get difficult to try and argue a case for trading in to get the new incarnation.

If you ever fancied a dabble but were put off with what seemed like complicated rules give Majestic Chess a chance, its brilliant story mode will teach you the rules at a pace that’s right for you.

FIFA 06 does deserve a purchase but it simply doesn't offer up anywhere near enough improvements for owners of "FIFA 2005" to part with cash this year.

In terms or sheer gameplay and polish we think the crown this year firmly belongs to NBA2K7.

Only the Nintendo Wii could pull off a game like this with such style and grace.

FIFA 06 does deserve a purchase but it simply doesn’t offer up anywhere near enough improvements for owners of "FIFA 2005" to part with cash this year.

It might not bring earth shattering extras to the table but this time SSX on Tour has managed to fix everything we hated about the series in the first place and has ultimately matured enough to be an essential purchase this time around.

The Tiger Woods franchise is a yearly affair; if you already own ‘07’ we would suggest a rent to see if you like the new changes it offers.

The Darkness offers up just about everything we have come to desire in a FPS and has wrapped the package up nicely with a few neat touches of its own.

If you are desperate for a good football game, you couldn't find a better game on the market, that's for sure, however a desire to play the game is not likely to last past the summer, certainly not past the probable release of FIFA 09.

The question really has to be do you like platform games… if you do then Gish certainly wouldn’t be out of place in your collection, it’s just whether a ball of tar is going to hold your attention for long enough. But it’s certainly good for a blast.

In our opinion you’ll return to play Flatout Ultimate Carnage time and again and deservedly so. This game might not be a ‘must buy’ title, but you’ll still be glad you did.

It has an amazing soundtrack, decent enough story and a pretty compelling fight engine. Some novices may find the experience daunting at first but with a little perseverence they'll also find the experience ultimately rewarding.

A colossal game from the geniuses that brought us all "Command and Conquer."

Japanese developers need to bring more class games like this to our markets to remind us that not every game needs to be western in origin, ideas, and style.

The game is a joy to play. The puzzles are clever and just hard enough to be interesting and rewarding to solve.

This is certainly the best you've ever had if you only own a Cube, and whilst not an excuse for others to rush out and buy one I think it does stack up quite well against better-known efforts in the genre.

EA will have their work cut out to even approach what Take2 have got here, if you want a hockey game and have the Xbox 360, there is no real choice, you just have to get 2K7.

If you are desperate for a good football game, you couldn't find a better game on the market, that's for sure, however a desire to play the game is not likely to last past the summer, certainly not past the probable release of FIFA 09.

Moving about the map and changing views quickly to cover all your troops during the movement turn isn’t easy and the path-finding ability of some of the units leaves a bit to be desired but on the whole Combat Mission Anthology can be highly recommended to all the armchair generals out there.

The rides are also animated very well, but the best of the graphical action has to be reserved for the ‘Coaster Cam’, being able to view all the new water rides in the park in first person just adds that little bit more to an already decent experience.

Mistwalker and Artoon have developed something special with Blue Dragon and the end result should appeal to both Hardcore RPG fans and fresh faced adventurers.

FIFA 06 does deserve a purchase but it simply doesn’t offer up anywhere near enough improvements for owners of "FIFA 2005" to part with cash this year.

So there are a few niggles that stop this game being a classic. The game does nothing radically new, but it does take some good bits from other games and blend them together pretty well.

So there you have it, a wonderful (and re-playable) single player adventure with a pretty decent multiplayer side attached... Rare have pulled it off all over again.

The best retro collection currently available, and if you can ignore the lack of surround sound and advanced shadowing you’ll have just as much fun with these gems as you will with some of the blockbusters of today. Simply an essential purchase for retro fans.

Kingdoms under Fire: Heroes may not move the genre forward in the same way its predecessor accomplished but nevertheless it's certainly worth your attention.

Cinemotion allows a better view of the action whilst still showing you the ice surrounding you.

An enjoyable experience, and the animalistic twist on the usual weaponry is a nice idea, but as all of us who shelled out on the new Microsoft console should be asking ‘is the 360 really being stretched by this?’

Medal of Honor: Airborne is certainly an improvement on what many perceived as a dying brand. It’s not up there yet with the likes of the impending Call of Duty 4, but with a little more innovation and improvements to the online side we can certainly see a return to grace for the once mighty series.

I will repeat this game is fun for all ages. I truly recommend it.

Overall Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa is not your average Massively Multiplayer title, although the basis is firmly planted in that genre, whether it will appeal to everyone and have the same clout as the likes of EVE or any of the other sword and sorcery MMO's is debatable.

A spectacular gem of a game that’s for once suitable for just about anyone.

The bottom line is that Republic Commando as a single player game is where the action is, the levels are well thought out and deeply atmospheric – exactly what we want from our games nowadays.

Fiendishly addictive to newcomers and realistic enough for advanced players, World Class Poker with T.J Cloutier is an essential purchase for anyone wanting to take their game further.

If you loved the Diablo series, get Titan Quest it’s a simple as that. Newcomers really do have the most to gain though; Titan Quest has taken the best of the genre and polished it up for the 21’st century.

Mortal Kombat Armageddon is the box-set of the Mortal Kombat series and just about every character ever digitalized for the series is available to use and of course abuse.

While it may be relatively short overall, it's definitely one for people that like to solve a mystery, rather than just run through a game without taking anything in.

A very good RTS, you get to play missions with only a few troops and struggle against overwhelming odds and normally under equipped. This adds something to the title and makes this a title you can really sink your teeth into and spend hours trying to get your troops through each mission alive.