The title's incredible atmospheric power is derived from how the presentation is conveyed through gameplay, and how the resulting simplicity helps strip the pacing down to a fine line.

It’s not for everyone, but those that want to try a game that mixes a bit of twitch with some brain-strain must step up and give Meteos the chance it deserves. [JPN Import]

As an RPG, Atelier Iris undoubtedly fails. As competently constructed as it is, as bright its script and characterisation may be, its principal design elements simply do not offer enough to consistently provide much beyond a standard role playing experience.

What was shaping up conceptually to have been the definitive Batman game to date, simply ends up being little more than a disappointing cash-in, complete with spoiler-laden (and bafflingly unskippable) clips of the movie between levels, film trailers, and even some unlockable costumes for good measure.

The subtle blend of old-school platformer and touch-screen control give it a unique flavour and one unlike anything sampled before.

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.

The game ultimately feels anchored in a very traditional Capcom style, with its fixed viewpoints and the stalwart, somewhat clunky control system, though admittedly it is one of their better efforts.

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]

The ultimate Jedi action experience? It just might be.

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]

Overall, this can be a frustration, especially once gamers realise this fact by seeing just how inaccessible some of the later courses can be. [JPN Import]

Decent physics, clever AI, online racing: this is everything GT4 should have been and wasn't, and it's allowed Forza to take the GT trophy away from Polyphony, at least for the time being. Buy it.

In its favour, the battle system is easy to pick up and many happy hours can be lost in strategy; it has an addictive quality that makes you want to keep on playing, levelling up, customizing and battling the hours away.

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]

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.

Simply beguiling, a must-experience game, which will firmly cement itself in the mind of the player long after the system has been switched off.

The pickup-and-play nature of the Checkmate mode lends itself perfectly to the portable medium, but it's no more than a simple puzzle experience that can be found on millions of Desktop PCs. [JPN Import]

What will sell Jade Empire (and something it has in spades) is Oriental charm; from the story to the environment, the fighting to the character interaction, it's all very enjoyable and immersive; which is exactly how an RPG should be.

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 pinnacle of both stealth and Tom Clancy games, and is light years ahead of its peers. The changes to the gameplay structure accompanied with the very open-ended levels make for a simply brilliant single-player game.

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.

This is by no means the definitive Tony Hawk, but if you’re yet to play THUG 2, it’s certainly a solid enough arena to start.

Sadly, God of War is rather short and capable of being completed in around 10 hours. However the game packs so much excitement and roller-coaster thrills in that timescale, it really does feel like a much longer experience and is certainly worthy of a replay.

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]

The sheer thrill of being able to play better-than-arcade versions of the Rave Racer tracks (probably some of the best in the series) in the palm of your hand is almost worth the price of admission alone... The best Ridge Racer game to date? Without a doubt. [JPN Import]

Two things ruin it though; the first is that the seeming blank refusal of the designers to refit the game's format so that it works as a card game. The second is that it's simply dogged by so many wincingly schoolboyish mistakes that it would be unconscionable to score it higher than that "Buy by all means but be forewarned" number six. [JPN Import]

It’s a stylish and remarkably addictive title that blends gameplay with relaxing tunes, and fits perfectly on its home platform. Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s latest game appeals to everybody who samples its future-retro vibe. Luminescent. Luminous. Lumines. [JPN Import]

There lies the juxtaposition within Wipeout Pure: on the one hand, it's fan service of the highest order, returning to the roots that helped them fall in love with the series in the first place, while also suffering from rife conservatism intent on keeping the structure and handling of the play predictable.