A great exploration-based real time strategy and puzzle game, but a fractured one.

Feels like the product of a completely different publisher; the sort of output you would expect from a desperate company, eager to cash in on current gaming trends. For now, Amazing Island remains a failed experiment.

A fun, exciting and action-packed game. Beneath its cute exterior beats a heart of granite and any negative aspects are outweighed by points of excellence that allow it to move self-assuredly through the mountain of faceless Gameboy titles. [JPN Import]

Players expecting a cerebral horror that gets under the skin and with plenty of frights (a la Silent Hill) will be sorely disappointed. Ghosthunter's roots are firmly action-based, with its graphics, plot and overall presentation providing an enjoyable one-off gaming experience with little replay value.

The realism that the game provides is shockingly accurate, and whether you just wish to play it for the competitive aspect with mates, or go down the whole route of running your own team, it provides reward throughout.

It's more satisfying to play than "Devil May Cry," and allows players to pull off awesome chaining attacks much like "Shinobi"...However, the repetitive levels and tiresome enemies may be enough to put some people off what is essentially an incredibly competent title. [JPN Import]

The one thing left nagging in the back of your mind is that it could have been so much more.

Where Madden's defensive co-ordination has been tightened up, ESPN's is a little slacker, with offensives able to turn up the heat on the occasionally sleepy and slow rearguard with little effort.

Tales will take over your life from the moment you start until the credits roll. The end sequence will take between forty and seventy hours to reach and, although it'll satisfy, it will also sadden. The game does, unfortunately, end.

It's a very minor masterpiece; a perfect execution that's inherently shallow rather than profound. Give credit, though, to a hype-free summer blockbuster that will doubtlessly leave the senses tingling.

Advance Tour offers much more in terms of longevity and variety than "Toadstool Tour" did, but on the other hand, doesn't do it quite as slickly.

It stands proud as an example of how all retro collections should be compiled in terms of content, even if it does serve to highlight minor presentational niggles such as the lack of a button config option that are often common to these packs.

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.

With all the changes and additions made, this is the most balanced game in the series, and undoubtedly the best. With around 70-80 hours worth of gameplay on offer, it won't suck you in the same way as Disgaea's all out design, however it does still prove to be the most engrossingly tactical strategy game for the PS2.

Not only do games such as "Dynamite Deka" and the even more ancient "Captain Commando" roundly trounce this apology for a beat 'em up, even "Target: Renegade" on the Spectrum gives it a run for its money. Risible.

It is a good pool simulation, for extra realism you could add stale beer stains and fag burns to your carpet. It will take you a long time to unlock everything, but it’s not without its flaws. The length of time it takes the AI to make a shot grates, and the lack of solo practice annoys.

There is so much fun to be had from torturing the enemy that at times you have to worry about your own mental state. Yet, for all the satisfaction on offer for the majority of the experience, it ultimately ends on a disappointing low.

The game can be finished in a handful of hours if beating the lairs is all that is attempted, but there are a huge amount of subsidiary side tasks and gold treasure acquisition to complete otherwise. All in all, a polished game that deserves a delve to see if it appeals to you or not.

Shining Force is only worth buying for those who like their RPG meals to be served in small helpings and without any fat. Those who are growing tired of the endless pages of stats and infinite battles that are currently in vogue will find a lot to enjoy here.

One sure-fire classic in the making, one surprisingly entertaining competition section and an average battle game...Go on, treat yourself to a slice of 2D magic and show that once again, some of the best multiplayer experiences don't have to be online. [JPN Import]

From the wreckage of its weak structure and thinly spread action, the auspicious concept of Full Spectrum Warrior emerges a damaged, substantially broken vessel. Its strengths, however, are such that only a fool would dismiss it at this juncture.

As immediately effective the game may be, look beyond the surface and the game becomes surprisingly shallow.

Played as it should be, with minimum lives and maximum difficulty, Metal Slug can provide jaded gamers with a sublime and simple gaming experience. Unapologetically tough, Metal Slug will remind players of a time when all games set this frustrating a challenge.

Replay value is immense due to all the factors in play, and all the hidden aspects will take a long time to discover. A must-buy for old NES fans and a definite consideration to those new to the series.

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 fun, gloriously slick and executed at the standards we've come to expect. DK94 players should consider this essential; to everyone else it comes highly recommended.

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.

The hidden worlds and multiple endings provide plenty to do, certainly enough to keep any SRPG fan occupied until the highly anticipated "Phantom Brave" arrives.