Essentially, much like a Chuck Norris film, NNN isn’t bad enough to stop you enjoying the red red kroovy on offer and even on occasion manages to add some poignancy and pathos to the various narratives through some well-executed cutscenes; there are just too many niggles and not enough imagination involved to recommend it, even at second-hand pricepoints.

While the main ingredients are all there, the final product certainly feels less than the sum of its parts, resulting in a distinctly hollow-feeling and average game.

Wet has a great story with some excellent voice acting from the main players – the people behind Pelham, Ackers and Rubi all manage to carry off that dark, menacing vibe without straying into comic book territory. It’s just that the game lacks any real staying power – the scoring mechanic isn’t strong enough and the inconsistent pacing will fail to draw many players back after the initial playthrough.

While not the best example of the genre, "Silent Hill" and "Haunting Ground" fans would certainly find the story appealing and the gorgeous cut-scenes instil the chilling atmosphere that every horror game needs. It’s just a shame that the gameplay is what ultimately lets Rule of Rose down.

The graphics are very attractive but there are much better games of this style such as Sega’s own "Shining Soul II." Shining Tears is one for the die-hard fans and 2D enthusiasts only. [JPN Import]

Ends up feeling distinctly average in terms of design and implementation.

It does, however, have a certain charm to its style and quirks, and those lightgun fanatics looking for something extra to test their abilities on would be well served by this offering. Anyone else is advised to look to Time Crisis 2 or Vampire Night, as both are much better showcases for the genre.

Field Commander is the Ford Focus of the genre; it's solid, reliable and enjoyable but nothing new or all that exciting and it will leave you wanting that little bit more.

High levels of patience and acceptance of the mediocrity that fills so much of the early sections are necessary to find some of the highlights that Future Tactics has to offer.

A very different experience from all the driving games released recently, which might well be its saving grace.

And so Mario Party 5 continues the series’ yearly update without breaking the mould. A few extras here, a lick of paint there, a fresh repertoire of minigames and that’s about it.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a let-down in as much as it caters for its target audience, but does little to refresh or invigorate the series as a whole.

In its current form the game is an enjoyable and visually accomplished, but ultimately forgettable experience which plays like little more than a prequel to the next in the series.

It’s difficult to be too hard on Spiderman: Friend or Foe because of its targeted age group. Even with its highly repetitive and simplistic nature, it ultimately wins out over the drivel of Spiderman 3 (the game) with its photography and bomb diffusing missions and boring plot.

True tennis fans will probably find some mileage in Top Spin, even if only against similarly minded friends, but for most this will go down as a bland and ultimately disappointing game that takes realism a step too far and squashes any concept of fun in the process.

With the furore objectively moved aside, Manhunt 2 is left a game which has tremendous atmosphere but that unfortunately counts for nothing when hampered by sloppy controls and poor implementation.

Those who are not immediately drawn to it or enamoured with its subject matter will doubtless find very little to sway their mind towards purchasing or maintain their interest, with Infected's repetitive nature and lack of longevity doing little in the way of making it a standout title.

Fun, then, in moderate doses and more a tantalising promise of things to come rather than an essential early entry in the 360 canon.

Deep down, Jericho clearly has the right idea. However, the implementation - which feels half-hearted at times - really lets it down.

While not necessarily a bad game, Lego Batman scrapes through under the definition of 'fun'.

Makes a brave effort of emulating the TV series, but is ultimately let down by the poor A.I., and when stealth is the mainstay of the game, we’re left shaken, not stirred.

With Yakuza, Sega has once again shown the gaming world that, when it comes to establishing new concepts, they aren’t totally out of their element.

Further hampering the dungeons is sheer repetitiveness. Most contain only a few combinations of enemies to fight and the battles are such that you can use exactly the same strategy, for exactly the same result, every time.

Easy mode is far too easy (granting you unlimited magic power) and Normal mode far too tough. Treasure really ought to have found a happy compromise, which may have added to the title's replay value. [JPN Import]

Without that depth though, this is an average attempt at game design that occasionally sparkles. Only occasionally though. [JPN Import]

Add to that the fact that each level also has a set number of collectables and the overall result would require someone with the talent of being able to reduce their body state to near-hibernation in order not to die from the boredom of it all.

A massive disappointment to hardcore fans of the series.

Only a must-play title for those obsessed with alien conspiracies, or those still hungry for more first-person horror after overturning the forces of Hell in Doom 3. For everyone else, the scariest thing about this game will be how quickly the credits roll, making it one title to be bought and thoroughly enjoyed essentially only on budget or rental.