Other than the graphics, Fight Night Round 3 does very little to progress the boxing game series over its predecessors. It isn’t a total K.O. but does show that the series will have to work a little bit harder on newer features and glitches the next time around if it’s to avoid becoming stale.

A competent, enjoyable game with lots of depth and strategy options, sadly spoiled by the aforementioned niggles.

Underneath there is a decent racer trying to get out, however, the missed opportunities to tweak the game, the awful screen tearing and framerate problems and the crash bug mar the experience to some degree.

It is a shame that what is a very solid launch title was marred by a few technical niggles. The control method and loading times must have deterred a number of gamers at the time, and thankfully Capcom and other developers such as Namco and Sammy are now able to work wonders with the hardware, even providing their own sticky D-pad thingies with releases.

Sheer enthusiasm is what carries this product though and, when played in the right environment, it’s absolutely hilarious.

Even putting the d-pad issues aside, the console’s button layout does not lend itself to Capcom’s ever-present ‘six button’ system. Fighting games are all about split-second timing and fluid control, and any sacrifice in these areas is going to impact on the player’s enjoyment of the game.

Sneak King is undeniably fun for a while and certainly a guilty pleasure, but its main failing is that it quickly becomes repetitive.

Daxter’s failing, despite it being a solid and entertaining platformer, is that it does feel a bit short and a bit lacking.

The statistic-heavy approach combined with an everyday storyline and some plain presentation, though, will ensure that relatively few gamers will ever see this as anything other than an amusing timewaster.

It's disappointing that a bad engine and rushed execution detract from the overall experience, leaving it with nothing really remarkable.

It's not a bad game at all, it just feels rather uninspired.

Whilst the idea behind Eyetoy Kinetic is brilliant, the execution is flawed, with the technology requiring detailed setup that many people may not be able to achieve.

If you are willing to forgive some of the niggles with the engine, then underneath lurks a program full of idea, invention, wit and life (although the motorcycle section seems somewhat out of place).

Extremely fun to pick up and play with now and then, but ultimately somewhat limited; its final destination gathering dust in a cupboard next to Hungry Hungry Hippos is all but assured.

The game oozes style out of every orifice; the problem lies with the repetitive nature of the game. It’s not something you can play for great lengths at a time, though these short periods can indeed be fun.

Colourful, charming, frequently funny and most importantly, fun to play. It’s not the biggest or hardest game, but the good controls, pleasing visuals and wonderful monkeys make it worth any platform fans time.

The time limit is incredibly harsh on some levels and sometimes the computer seems to have an unlimited supply of men at its disposal. More problematic is the overly complex nature of the controls and the necessity to remember to use the microphone while keeping an eye on three different things at once.

Monotonous it can be, but it’s rarely frustrating or difficult to play. That said, if it was released in 1998 it could have been genre-defining, in 2006 it is merely genre-filling.

There is a limit placed on the skills you can develop, where speed and multi-tasking are the only real requirements, after which there isn't much else to explore.

As lacklustre as Vice City Stories is, there’s no denying that it effectively replicates the core genius of the GTA series in a way no other sandbox action title can. Presumably the last GTA on the PS2, you’ll leave it thinking that it was a missed opportunity rather than a poor experience.

Rocket Slime is a game which was largely overlooked on release, a shame given that, despite its younger target audience and the departure from the typical Dragon Quest RPG stylings, it’s shamelessly entertaining.

Although the draw of online leaderboards and achievements is compelling, unfortunately for Pinball FX, the table designs all feel a little mediocre and lack the features of truly great pinball tables like The Addams Family and Star Trek TNG; maybe the future downloadable content will be better. That said, it is a solid pinball simulation that portrays the ball physics with some degree of finesse, and so it's definitely worth checking out the trial game at least.

While it’s great to see it on the newer generation of systems (and on a Microsoft system at that), it doesn’t feel like it’s progressed very much at all since its first iteration, a problem that dogged even We Love Katamari, but which feels even more apparent here.

Whilst some recent additions to the post-Neo universe have been shoddy at best (such as the 3D misfire that was KOF: Maximum Impact), the quality control appears to be improving.

Mini Ninjas is an utterly cute and charming game that may not have the complexity and amount of content ‘hardcore’ gamers look for, but anyone who disparages Mini Ninjas for its simplicity is missing the point.

As a complete package Still Life is a very enjoyable adventure game, its lack of engaging puzzles does sometimes make it feel more like an interactive novel than a game but that in no way detracts from the quality of the product.

With games like "Final Fantasy XII" pushing the genre forward, it’s disappointing to see a game with so much talent behind it not attempt to try anything new. [JPN Import]

Though the many tracks on offer (which amusingly take inspiration both from reality as well as other racing games), varying weather conditions and racing styles (including rallying, desert-crossing and touge racing) offer a lot of variety, the Enthusia Life format itself proves to be a little too simple and short, as reaching higher ranks does not involve as long a road as possibly it ought to. [JPN Import]