But lost among the vast raft of offerings is a game that has grown, but barely improved, certainly not at the rate gamers really deserve. In so many cases it will be irrelevant, with those that have waited for its arrival so eagerly lapping it up, and being washed away with all its new twinkling extras.

They need to elevate PES to the next stage of its life that it so deserves, and the only way they can do that is to give players more of what they want rather than take from them.

Exudes a quiet confidence in it's own driving engine, racing, rally and drag are all delivered seamlessly.

More often than not there is no real feeling of threat from the various visions and flashbacks, the implementation and setting of which are continually reused. This gives the impression that figuratively speaking the player is doing little more than chasing ghosts and the result is them ending up very blasé about what is happening on screen.

This is a very easy game to get into, and one which intuitively finds its complexity in difficult situations rather than bombarding the player with gimmicks and gadgets. The very essence of the stealth genre was created with Thief: The Dark Project back in 1998. Six years later, Thief: Deadly Shadows captures the same spirit beautifully.

It's a beautiful, magical experience, but at the same time it's one of the shortest console games we've ever seen - if you don't love it enough to play it to destruction, chances are it'll be back in the shop in a week. [JPN Import]

It's an entertaining little racer that, despite one or two flaws and glitches, isn't far off the best racing action you can have on the bus on your way to work.

With a much smoother front end and far more relaxing, sedentary backdrops in-game, visually, the game seems crisper and more vibrant with the overall quality of presentation a step up from the original. [JPN Import]

An excellent multi-player romp, but in single player, it’s merely a diluted example of the other games in the series. [JPN Import]

Its initially brutal learning curve might deter a lot of people, but those who invest time to master it will find it to be a very satisfying and rewarding game. An entertaining title that could have been a classic.

RR6 is perhaps best thought of as a succulent appetiser, foretelling of the potential of what a full blown next-gen Ridge Racer game could be like if Namco truly set their minds to it. And for now, this is enough. Just.

A new revolution in the boxing genre. EA have taken the brave step of totally disbanding twenty years of evolution and creating a control system that breathes fresh air into a genre which has stagnated for some time.

While not a complete success, Battlefield: Bad Company has many plus points, and provides a limited but fun single-player campaign that, while not wholly original, does have some memorable moments.

The ultimate Jedi action experience? It just might be.

Interpol was never a game that was going to set the world on fire, but it does offer the kind of experience that is becoming quite rare these days. It is a genuinely calming and relaxing title and when you consider how many levels you are getting here, is good value for money.

If Capcom's aim was to deliver the original Playstation experience with knobs on to the DS, then that aim has been met and exceeded. It looks the same, it sounds the same; not that is a bad thing - far from it, the DS probably isn't capable of improving things by that much.

On the face of it Chocobo Tales appears to be aimed at a younger audience; however the game has a delightful charm that will appeal to anyone who’s a fan of the Final Fantasy series.

A great game with a group of friends, and one which could help shift a pound or two, but the necessity to unlock events for multiplayer and the near-vertical difficulty curve for later circuits are hard to overlook.

It has taken the classic MGS structure known and loved by PS1 players plus it throws in most of the good bits from MGS2 for free. All the stealth, excitement and action so revered has been kept, and some new toys have been thrown into the arena to play with. [JPN Import]

With around 18 levels, Screwbreaker won't present the greatest of challenges to platform junkies, but it is thoroughly entertaining while it lasts. [JPN Import]

Whilst the combat system might not suit everyone, it by no means detracts greatly from the overall experience. The strong narrative and cast mix well to the addictive levelling of strengths and powers, leaving the player more than satiated.

Perhaps it is time for the series to evolve again rather than looking inward, just as it did nearly a decade ago when SotN was unleashed on an unsuspecting world. [JPN Import]

The interaction of your character with the world of Albion and its inhabitants is its most enduring and enjoyable quality; it's important this aspect of the game is understood and explored.

It retains the feel of McRae, but not the subtlety or precision. The car doesn’t feel different enough across the various surfaces, while the ability to stop almost instantly in the majority of cars on any track is a sign that they are not interacting with the ground as they should. They feel loose, almost distant.

They need to elevate PES to the next stage of its life that it so deserves, and the only way they can do that is to give players more of what they want rather than take from them.

A fun little game that transfers well to the format of the DS and gives new life and vigour to the genre by way of the touch-screen input.

The shortcomings of the RPG exploration is made up for by the endearing characterisation, and splendid battle system. It is curious, then, that Mario himself is the least charismatic character in the game; his black, empty, beady little eyes betray his empty in-game personality. [JPN Import]

There is nothing quite like having a group of friends around, all buzzing about the screen trying to avoid whacking the ball into the bunker and using the ingame speech modes to annoy merry hell out of each other.