Dull, lifeless, unexciting and other words for 'boring,' Rainbow Six: Lockdown is uninspired and not worth your cash. [Nov 2005, p.126]

Maintain's the "Everybody's" good name by being a deceptively brilliant sports sim that constantly surprises and challenges. [May 2007, p.78]

Avoid it if you want "Ridge Racer"-style conventional racing, but this is an enjoyable part-racer, part-puzzler that's well-tailored to the PSP's strengths. [Apr 2006, p.97]

Visually amazing FPS that'll rock your game world every time. [Jan 2007, p.106]

While not startlingly fresh, Goblet of Fire rattles along enjoyably and demonstrates that PSP is perfectly suited to adventure gaming. [Apr 2006, p.96]

Young or old, Jungle Party will make you laugh and keep you coming back for more - especially in multiplayer. [Nov 2006, p.103]

Squad-based shooter with a realistic edge and online missions. [Jan 2007, p.106]

A delightful, brilliantly realised platformer, Tians would have scored higher were it not for its reliance on competition. [Nov 2007, p.80]

Perfect if you're new to the series: pointless if you've already got an NFL Street. [Mar 2007, p.93]

Although Cars is no real match for the all-conquering "Ridge Racer," its unexpectedly speedy action makes it well worth a test drive nonetheless. [Oct 2006, p.98]

Insane shooter with exploding zombies and schizophrenic killers. [Jan 2007, p.106]

A reasonably entertaining creation sim, good for dip-in, dip-out playing thanks to its quirky minigames. [Dec 2007, p.96]

A workmanlike shooter with a cute gimmick that isn't close to being enough. [Jan 2008, p.119]

Simple and satisfying combat with a control system that's well mapped to handheld - the only drawback is that it's shallow like a garden pond in August. [June 2006, p.86]

It's no "Tekken: Dark Resurrection," but baby-proof controls and some intriguing extras make Unchained an above-average face-rearranger. [Dec 2006, p.90]

On PSP it set new standards but this port, enjoyable spy romp that it is, simply seems a bit dated when brought to the PS2. [Sept 2007, p.82]

A solid serving of tennis-lite, but in the face of "Everybody's Tennis," can only really be recommended to the Sega hardcore. [Apr 2008, p.72]

Respect is due for trying something different. [Dec 2006, p.94]

It's a shame you have to wade through so much rubbish to reach the good stuff, but the second half of Parallel Lines is a blast. [Mar 2006, p.78]

Classic puzzling from the glory days of adventure gaming, but the truth is that it's old and very clearly showing its age. [Christmas 2006, p.92]

It's no "Lumines," but accept that PQ will occasionally make your blood boil and you'll find it an engaging and rewarding puzzle game. [May 2006, p.88]

You need to be an NBA aficionado to get the most out of Rebound, but for those who aren't this still delivers slick and feature-packed balling. [May 2006, p.85]

There are moments that'll have you on the edge of your seat, but unwieldy combat and easy enemies takes away the fear. [May 2008, p.70]

Battlefront II marches onto PSP without losing its keep strategic edge or its blaster-happy action. [Christmas 2005, p.110]

Few games dare to be bold or innovative these days, yet Ecko's baby scores on both fronts. [Feb 2006, p.104]

A great game that's packed with smart ideas and presented in such an appealing way that you can't help but fall under its spell. [Christmas 2006, p.84]

Fun on a kicking-people-in-the-face level, but below the surface this is as shallow as groping a computer-generated lady. [Dec 2005, p.98]

A curious balance - chunky visuals betray subtle animation, while deep but fiddy controls yield major addiction. [Christmas 2006, p.74]

So simple that it's actually a bit limited, despite a substantial multiplayer offer. [Christmas 2007, p.123]

Like all the best entertainment, it's simple, undemanding and enjoyable. [Dec 2005, p.102]

The frustrating thing is that these faults don't seem to be the result of poor design or sloppy development, but stem rather from a lack of ambition to turn what is a steady game into something that could have been spectacular. [Dec 2007, p.106]

The name is a little misleading, but it's still probably our favourite Singstar setlist so far. [May 2006, p.93]

It's definitely functional, but MotoGP is far more suited to lazing on a sofa than it is to gaming on the go. [Dec 2006, p.98]

Poker makes more sense in the portable format - still, no Royal Flush. [May 2006, p.95]

Whatever EA says, this feels like an expansion pack. It's a welcome one though, and it'll make your little Sim home all the more complete. [Nov 2006, p.82]

It's good to see someone taking bike racing seriously, but make sure you can do without stabilisers - this is no easy ride. [May 2007, p.84]

A faithful recreation of the world of Narnia, which frustrates and delights in not quite equal measure, but avoids being whiffy. [Apr 2006, p.98]

This extreme racer may be competent, but it's about as fun as wading through marshland in your socks. [May 2006, p.89]

Some nice ideas that could have made this effort stand out from the crowd were it not so chock-full of cliche. [Feb 2006, p.96]

Short but mostly sweet, this is unashamed B-list fare, offering cheap thrills to those who don't take killing too seriously. [Apr 2006, p.98]

The gameplay's hardly moved on in more than a decade, but simplicity is the key to Puyo Pop's appeal. An absorbing if not original addition to the handheld ranks. [June 2006, p.86]

Overflowing with licensed material but severely lacking what it needs the most: involving and exhilarating racing action with decent smash-ups. [Christmas 2006, p.96]

One of the best movie tie-ins you'll play. [Nov 2006, p.135]

Lovely-looking if unadventurous platform fare that does the bare minimum to keep its pre-school audience quiet. [May 2006, p.95]

Iris 2 isn't a landmark game by any stretch. But with a couple of novel features, it's certainly engaging enough to be a good toe-dipper into the world of RPGs. [Oct 2006, p.98]

It's decent enough, but there's a lack of gameplay innovation. [Christmas 2005, p.108]

It's not much return on your 20 quid investment. [Nov 2006, p.140]

Revolution in gameplay it ain't, but its razor-sharp premise and humour make this the best Simpsons game on the market. [Dec 2007, p.92]

As good, if not slightly better than Marvel Ultimate Alliance - it really just depends which company's heroes you prefer. [Christmas 2006, p.82]

A deep, rewarding tennis game that lacks the fireworks of Virtua Tennis and also some of its fun. You will like it...eventually. [June 2007, p.95]

A minor irritation. [June 2007, p.98]

Still trails beind the NBA 2K series, but this is certainly an improvement on last year if you can get to grips with the camera. [Nov 2007, p.90]

A solid and substantial attempt at bringing online RPG play to offline gamers, but it lacks any long-term appeal without others. [Christmas 2006, p.78]

This is really a funky platformer with okay raacing tacked on. Either way, it's still lots of fun, and arguably better on PSP than PS2. [Christmas 2005, p.104]

Too easy and too short but Shrek Superslam still manages to continue the current happy trend of film conversions - or in this case, "inspired bys" - that are less than terrible. [Jan 2006, p.107]

Lara's PSP debut is a captivating adventure that only falls down on the back of a frustratingly awkward set of controls. [June 2006, p.94]

A jaw-dropping adventure that disappoints slightly thanks to a short central plot padded out with repetitive objectives. [Oct 2006, p.78]

Dodgy implementation lets down some genuinely nice ideas and shark-like AI in one of PS2's better gambling games. [Nov 2006, p.106]

Rallying is tight and awkward on the PSP's small screen, and though WRC has plenty going for it, it's just not as much fun as other PSP racing games. [Nov 2006, p.155]

PaRappa is just as refreshing today as he was 10 years ago, though somewhat hampered by the PSP's control scheme. [Aug 2007, p.101]

Buy it if you didn't play it the first time, but otherwise prepare to be disappointed. [Feb 2008, p.107]

Behind the new name and smattering of fresh features rests a creaky old game that can't compete against its obviously-better-in-every-department rival. [Apr 2006, p.109]

Takes time to blossom but grows into the kind of game PSP was made for. One to enjoy little and often rather than in long sessions. [Mar 2007, p.109]

It just can't match the polish of Sony's "Smash Court." [Nov 2006, p.140]

A decent spread of planes and challenges but sadly Pilot Academy's wings are clipped by a lack of personality. [Nov 2006, p.104]

It's still the best hockey game on PS2, but a lack of new features means it's just last year's game reloaded. [Dec 2007, p.98]

As a racing game, Cars is good, straightforward, family fun. As a movie license, it's a must for all fans. [Christmas 2007, p.88]

Thoughtful, strategic and neat, but you may get bored after a while. [Mar 2008, p.107]

Some issues with the control system can't stop this being a fun and surprisingly enjoyable game for fans of the film. [May 2007, p.86]

While the racing is good rather than great, see it as just part of the game's charm and CTR makes for a fun family treasure box. [Apr 2006, p.100]

Passable in places, but if you want to play in the 'watch a girl's arse' arena, get the new "Tomb Raider" and see a master at work. [June 2006, p.92]

A pointless game with hardly anything going for it. It's hard to believe that this is from the same company that brought us "Metal Gear Solid" and "Pro Evo." A travesty. [Christmas 2005, p.108]

It may be cuter than a kitten kissing a baby, but this offers nothing more than tired, old RPG gameplay in a world that's custom built for younger players. [May 2006, p.87]

A varied mix of disciplines and characters make this an entertaining if largely unspectacular fighter. [Dec 2006, p.107]

Unfortunately, getting Frogger through his grid-based and danger-laced environment is about as snappy as email chess. [Mar 2006, p.99]

With highly customisable mechs, smooth controls, and lots of really big explosions, this is great mech action on the move. [May 2006, p.93]

A platformer with promise, but it makes the gamer work far too hard for the few moments of magic that it provides. [Feb 2007, p.68]

A surprising success, Juiced 2 is a glamorous, feature-rammed racer with variety by the hood-scoop load and mass appeal. [Oct 2007, p.86]

Not the most stylish fighter, but those desperately seeking a bruising helping of Tekken-lite action should look here. [Aug 2007, p.84]

Decent blend of traditional RPG elements and innovative additions, let down by some confusing execution. Don't touch it until you've clocked "Dragon Quest." [May 2006, p.89]

Hideo Kojima might love it, but first-time monkey-wranglers will wonder what all the fuss is about. The original games are better. [Apr 2006, p.98]

A straightforward puzzler with a neat robo-twist, but it's better suited to life on the small screen. [Christmas 2006, p.103]

Solid but not stunning. [Oct 2007, p.96]

Disappointing. Should have been a download - as it is, it simply gets us down. [May 2008, p.107]

Perfectly acceptable but largely uninspiring portion or generic platforming. [Dec 2007, p.99]

Literally minutes of entertainment. There's nothing really wrong with it but matching symbols really feels more like a medical reaction test rather than a must-play game. [Feb 2006, p.99]

Rather than port the PS2 game, The Sims 2 on PSP is a tailor-made experience that hooks you early on and doesn't let go. A superb game. [Jan 2006, p.112]

An enjoyable beat-'em-up despite the ADHD storyline. The smooth, ninja-tastic fighting is fun and there's plenty of stuff to do. [June 2007, p.98]

The only good thing to say about the scrapping is the quality of the gore. [May 2008, p.102]

"Super Puzzle Fighter II" may still be capable of stealing men's souls, but the rest of CPW is now no more than the stuff of freebie Flash game fodder. Approach with caution. [Mar 2007, p.109]

An interesting blend of mini-games and bee-based action that's undermined by poorly thought-out challenges. [Feb 2008, p.81]

A solid attempt to bring the gritty realism of war to handheld, but shooter-nuts are better off sticking with "Medal of Honor Heroes." [Jan 2007, p.88]

A frustratingly patchy RPG - at once unpleasant to play and creepingly addictive - that doesn't deliver on it's significant [promise]. [June 2006, p.87]

There's not enough to it, and what there is of it, there's too much of, if you follow us. Good, but in an oversaturated market it needs more. [Apr 2007, p.97]

A decent effort that, even with its excellent pimping options, struggles to provide lasting appeal in this competitive genre. [July 2006, p.93]

Lots of variety with some interesting touches but it's still just poker, only without the banter, gambling and beer. [May 2007, p.89]

Grey, unfair, buggy: it's a lackluster entry to the series. Still, it's better than "Downhill Jam." [Christmas 2007, p.86]

Abundant faults make it impossible to recommend this over the original. Save your money and get "Warrior Within" second-hand on PS2 instead. [Feb 2006, p.98]