It's more the case that despite cramming an auspicious set of variables into its equation, Alter Echo’s efforts result in a diminutive single unit which doesn’t entirely work.

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

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.

A game that in spite its solid design and adherence to the extreme sports game blueprint, just seems a bit too formulaic. What’s missing is that intangible ingredient, which keeps the player coming back for more.

The experience is refreshing and for the most part enjoyable, so long as you're prepared to endure the first hour or so of the game.

Anyone looking for a lengthy, epic adventure featuring hugely memorable characters, a great script, and superb game mechanics, there's no better place to look than Knights of the Old Republic.

Despite the more comprehensive set of drawn out challenges, it doesn't have the long-term appeal and playability of that title, or the "charm" of "DOAXBV's" well-established character roster.

Who would want to buy this game? Only Sado-masochists who enjoy shoddy frame rates, huge loading times, unintuitive controls, poor menu design, bugged gameplay and boring storylines. It could have been good, that's what infuriates most of all.

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 sequel throws players into the thick of battle almost immediately with only the faintest of reintroductions to the Wars world. The missions also get very hard, very quickly, with some of the later missions proving especially demanding, even for Advance Wars veterans.

Disposable amusement; if you want to experience an immediate, reassuringly predictable FPS then you may find elements to enjoy here.

Offline, the game is ordinary and without much originality to it. Online, though, it is another kettle of fish all together, and there are few games out there that can match it for thrills, chills, and spills. The variety of play is just incredible.

Ikaruga is not an easy game. Even on Easy difficulty mode it is quite challenging, and the higher modes just ramp things up another notch.

Only slightly harmed by a few too many big-name acts and micro-glitches, Amplitude is nonetheless a supreme masterpiece; barring its predecessor no music-centred game will ever come close. No, not even "Rez."

When one picks up the controller, the ability to step into that time and place (never more hauntingly beautiful than in this latest instalment) never loses its allure. Even the most hardened of cynics would have to admit that this title is something else entirely. It's the stuff of dreams. [JPN Import]

The maddening frustration created by playing what could best be described as a half-finished game with huge potential will lead to a brief dalliance following which most gamers will seek their driving entertainment elsewhere.

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.

The narrative of Xenosaga dwarfs all of its other elements, which are under-developed in comparison.

Sadly, Dark Cloud 2’s shining moments are outweighed by the mediocre inclusion of the random dungeon, and the tragic design decisions the developers chose to implement.

One of the most disappointing sequels in gaming history.

Fatal Frame feels like a breath of fresh air in a genre which has spent most of the last decade moving forward only in terms of narrative, and while it's a gruesome and disturbing way to spend an evening, the awe-inspiring power of the narrative style, hammered home by a brutally efficient game engine and nerve-wracking game mechanics, makes this the most compelling game of this nature yet to appear on a console.

From the very beginning of your adventure, to the final confrontation against Metroid Prime itself, you will be enthralled and enraptured.

An adventurous trip to the seaside arcade would be more rewarding than this.

In every sense what a gaming sequel should be: bigger, better, and bolder than the previous incarnation in every almost respect imaginable. With huge steps forward in terms of design, graphics, and gameplay, this should equally delight and entertain fans of the original, as well as newcomers to the trilogy.

Mario instils a sense of longing for when the world was new to all of us. Our childhood bright and full of wonder. When we play in Mario's digital playground, we dream about our own.

Beautifully created albeit slightly flawed, filled with some truly stunning gameplay moments and set pieces, it is a game shamefully overlooked by many, and is certainly worthy of greater recognition.

A devilishly addictive and polished little pinball game that delivers in (grave diggers') spades.

This is proof that a good idea, well-executed, can stand the test of time.