Still as life-draining as the original. It'll suck you in for hours upon hours, only to let you go when you need to have a toilet break.

The city itself is quite attractive, largely due to the fact that Volition has gone to a lot of trouble creating high resolution textures for all of the buildings and pathways, not to mention the excellent lighting effects which really help bring the game to life.

As a Star Fox game, it falls well short of what it should have been.

A solid but basic package of poker.

If you played last years game, then it's almost impossible to justify purchasing Madden NFL 07.

A severely outdated action game draped in the richest of modern presentation.

Constricted. It isn’t so much that Darkstar One is a bad game, it’s just that the developers failed to optimise on good ideas - it seems as though they took the easy way out rather than expand on them.

Capcom's "sheer numbers" approach to the zombie game, along with a refreshing level of variety and just a hint of campiness results in Dead Rising being a heck of a lot of fun.

The handling is a little floaty and the game hasn’t really evolved, but when you’re having fun you’re unlikely to care all that much at all.

A misguided concept results in the worst Super Monkey Ball game to date. Wait for the next-generation sequel later this year.

One of the best games on the PSP and one of the best handheld fighting games ever. Whilst the game isn't that much of an upgrade from Tekken 5 you're still getting more characters, as well as more game play options and the ability to play against downloaded ghosts.

Warlords does a great job of fleshing out some of the minor problems that persisted through the original, and also adds some exciting new features that does the series no harm. However, some gamers may not be happy with the lack of new content at hand, especially at its price.

Probably one of the most unimaginative titles branded with the Civilization name.

The gameplay is repetitive and there's hardly any support from the cast of the film.

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth provides two things for the PSP that have been largely missing: a great RPG and a unique gaming experience.

Super Dragon Ball Z has some fighting and DBZ, but there just isn't quite enough of either to go round.

This one should keep the kids occupied for a weekend or two but will not be a game that holds a players interest a long time.

Like the idea of mech-battling or are a hardcore gamer? Got Live? Got time? Got capable friends online? Then Chromehounds has something to offer you in these slow times.

The plot, which we've intentionally avoided going into so as not to spoil it, is much more interesting than your average FPS too. Its relatively short length, lack of challenge and uninspiring multiplayer mean that it doesn’t quite fall under the ‘must own’ category.

Adventure gamers - young and old - deserve much better than this.

If you’re looking for a new multiplayer experience, with a blend of new gameplay elements, and don’t mind its limited scope, then The Ship is worth checking out.

One of the best console RTS titles in a long time, if you've avoided RTS titles in the past on consoles then this game will change your perception on whether they can work or not.

If you've never built an Empire on your PC, Glory of the Roman Empire is a good place to start. For the rest of us, there isn't much to see here.

Despite the changes and additions, Juiced: Eliminator doesn't add much to what was a already an average street racer.

MTX Mototrax is a great racing game that is hard to fault. If you're an MX fan then you won't find much better than this game.

A really unspectacular package. The single player campaign is short and lacks variety, there’s nobody to play multiplayer games with, the action itself is confused yet utterly simplistic, and the game fails to graphically compete with titles released four to five years ago on significantly weaker hardware.

A poor movie to game adaptation (yes, another one) that has repetitive gameplay and no redeeming features. Johnny Depp has never been in anything so boring.

Micro Machines v4 isn't the triumphant return to glory that we were hoping for, but a generic top-down racing game that's probably only going to appeal to retro fans who have been craving anything Micro Machines-related for a while now.

A lot of fun and a soccer game that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you were disappointed with "Sensible Soccer" but want an arcade alternative then you can't go wrong with this game.

A must for Naruto fans everywhere. Worth checking out if you’re into fighting games as well.

Titan Quest is a godsend. It has been a while since we’ve played a quality action RPG, and Titan Quest fulfills our expectations perfectly. The game is deep, the combat is enjoyable, the game looks superb and there’s just so much to do. While the game borrows a few gameplay elements from Diablo II, Titan Quest does enough to feel fresh and offers enough variety to ensure that newcomers and fans of the genre will enjoy the experience.

If you've never played any other titles in the series and like a good racing game, this is an easy 8 - higher if you’re a big MotoGP fan.

OK, so it doesn’t do anything revelational or new but at least it does it reasonably well in providing an intense and enjoyable experience. If the idea of playing a modern day Rambo and engaging in mass terrorist genocide, this game has something for you.

A good package of great fighting games that has it where it counts. A no-brainer purchase if you're interested in 2D fighters, worth a look for anyone else.

We can’t put our finger on it, but Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War just isn’t that fun. Despite having some fantastic features, it’s confusing to see so many games repeat the same mistake over and over again. Poor AI is a curse for RTS games, and Rise & Fall doesn’t do much to avoid this. It’s disappointing that such a fantastic concept falls flat on its stomach due to some minor, but unforgiving, mistakes.

Rush for Berlin plays it too safe, not striving to break into new ground with any new ideas or concepts.

MotoGP 06 is a game that really could have done with 6 months more work, but you can’t deny that MotoGP 06 is still the best of its type, even if framerate problems, online bugs and graphical complaints spoil what should have been a successful debut for the series on the 360.

Honestly, some fanatical b-ballers could probably have an average night of fun, but possibly only if fueled by copious amounts of alcohol.

A rather pointless port but still an enjoyable game available at a budget price point.

The Movies: Stunts & Effects adds some top quality content, but fails to address the major issues that held the initial game back.

Cars isn't a highly innovative title and it has a few problems such as slow pacing and some technical errors, but for the most part the game is enjoyable and a great for fans of the film.

Big Brain Academy compliments Brain Training perfectly. Similar in idea but quite different in execution it’s something all DS owners should try if they want to give their brain a workout.

It’s short, but it’s cheap and gives amazing value for money. Most Half-Life fans will want to replay the game a second time to hear the additional commentary track; and to be honest, a good, condensed 4-6 hours of action at a budget price beats out a drawn-out, full price game any day of the week.

The most robust and refined Hitman experience to date.

A thoroughly enjoyable third person shooter that has a varied single player mode, and a title that, despite the low hype, is definitely worth trying out. Being a lonesome soldier hasn’t been this fun in a third person shooter for a long time.

Heroes V is a presentation marvel. The game boasts some fantastic bright, colourful 3D graphics that bring the experience alive. It’s brilliant to see some of the old regular structures from previous Heroes games and recreated in 3D.

Monster Hunter Freedom is an improved experience over its PS2 single player counterpart but you won't get the most out of the game until you can find some hunting buddies and really give the multiplayer a proper workout.

Despite taking a bit too much Advance Wars and not building enough of its own game, Field Commander is quite enjoyable and scratches the strategy itch.

The game isn't a huge innovation upon it's predecessors but remains as addictive as ever. One of the best games in the Lemmings franchise.

Not a disaster. Give it a rent to try out the shark-centric gameplay mechanics, but most Jaws fans will be put off by the mediocrity of the package and wasted opportunity for excellence.

One of the most easily accessible games on the Xbox 360.

A below average title that has been rushed to the Xbox 360. The game features poor AI, no challenge, glitches, boring levels and a minimalistic moveset.

It’s funny how the transition from book, to movie to game can result in a product so absolutely boring and uninspiring. The Da Vinci Code doesn’t have any major flaws, it just has just about no redeeming features.

Simply the best platformer to be released on any handheld.

The gameplay is solid, but there are far too many mistakes and flaws that really hurt what could’ve been a solid sequel.

Kids who loved the movie will like the game. Everybody else will be bored to tears.

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter is too unpolished to justify the costly hardware required to run it properly.

Bold, fun, unapologetically arcadey and oh-so-lovely to look at, OutRun 2006 deserves a prized spot in the collection of any discerning gamer. The best racer of 2006 so far.

The game also lacks a lot of favourable gameplay elements, and what is there usually feels like B-grade material.

Not terrible, just an extremely pedestrian air shooter that makes no clear effort to distinguish itself as a game (or series) worth getting into. The very genre suffers from uninspired and unambitious titles such as this.

Budget price point or not, Winback 2: Project Poseidon had the potential to be very, very good. But it’s not. What a shame.

You would think that they could have done a better job than this. A free roaming 3D affair – think GTA but with a giant – wouldn’t have taken a whole lot more effort, and could actually have been an amusing little distraction. Instead, the developers have opted for half-assed 3D, and it doesn’t do the game any good at all.

When it’s all said and done, 2006 FIFA World Cup has all of the glitz and glamour of the tournament, but lacks the depth and lasting value that most gamers would expect from a football game.

WRC for the PSP is a disappointing title, it feels scaled down for the PSP and only features one main single player mode, there has been no thought put into the multiplayer mode and the song selection is poor, if you simply must own a rally title then Colin McRae Rally 2005 is a better title.

Final Fantasy's appearance on the Xbox 360 is basically pointless. Unless you're a die hard fan of the title then it's advised you look elsewhere. There's nothing overly wrong with the game - it just hasn't dated well.

Fans of the original, or people who enjoy a game that offers little challenge, but strong narrative, may want to check this out. If it’s action and involving gameplay you're after, leave this one well alone.

Brain Training sounds pretty promising as a concept, and there is some impressive technology behind the game, but portions of the title are noticeably rough.

While Tomb Raider: Legend is a solid game, Crystal Dynamics just haven’t taken any chances with it – all of the design choices throughout the game feel too safe.

It isn't a huge upgrade but if you've been holding off for the Xbox 360 version then Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is still a very enjoyable game.

Simply put, this is a re-release of Gran Turismo 4 with motorbikes instead of cars. Technically more than competent, but not a whole lot of fun for people without a strong interest in bikes.

Just a by-the-numbers first-person shooter. It has a somewhat unique charm, thanks to its ridiculous storyline, voice acting and nifty bullet shield.

If you're into tennis games then Top Spin 2 comes highly recommended, just don't expect a completely upgraded game.

Great in every regard. Better than the first game in every concievable way, and a strong recommendation for those even simply curious about the story of Kingdom Hearts.

Predator isn't a huge upgrade from the Xbox games but if you want to play the game on your Xbox 360 then this is the all in one package.

The Warrior's Code isn't as much of an improvement upon it's predecessor as it could and should have been. It still feels like a launch title.

Rumble Roses XX seems to be more of an exercise in voyeurism for young teenage boys than a serious wrestling game.

Empires is an enjoyable game, but we'd like to see it become part of the main game, rather than continue to be a standalone add-on pack.

Far Cry Instincts Evolution isn't really an evolution but more of the same which is good if that's what you're after.

American Conquest: Divided Nation's steep learning curve, dated mechanics and overly demanding system requirements are likely to prevent all but the most dedicated war gamers from enjoying its take on 19th Century warfare.

Yet another slightly above average Xbox 360 game. It’s decent fun for a few hours in single player, until the repetitive objectives and brainless AI start to melt the mind.

As a fighting game Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble just isn't that enjoyable. In the transition to the PSP the game really hasn't changed from the GameCube version. It's an advantage being able to play the game on the run - the game can be a lot of fun in short bursts - but it's disappointing that the developers didn't really make any improvements to the gameplay with the extra development time enjoyed by the PSP version.

Unfortunately, it’s not as portable as it could be with stretched load times and no save stat, and the collection in general is not as robust as the PS2/Xbox version.

Ultimately, Worms: Open Warfare feels really undercooked. Everybody knows that there’s potential for a good Worms game on the DS – you’ve got the Wi-Fi online play, stylus allowing for mouse-like precision and all of that jazz, but Open Warfare doesn’t exactly make good use of any of these features. Regardless of that, the biggest insult is that the title can’t even hold up against its ageing predecessors – it really feels like the product was slapped together and shipped out as cheaply as possible.

Classic Worms gaming on the go, let down by erratic worms and limited multiplayer options.

Far from a perfect game, and far from being one that pushes the genre in the right direction. Suikoden V does however showcase some fascinating features and is worth checking out if you can tolerate some of the game’s shortcomings.

The idea is sound, but the execution most definitely isn't.

Exactly the title that you would expect, whilst the game isn't likely to be a system seller it does offer some 1000 Sudoku puzzles and the multiplayer is a handy inclusion that sets this game apart from all the other Sudoku games out there; although it is disappointing that the gameshare feature is heavily under utilised.

Metal Gear Ac!d 2 is unquestionably a title that is better than it's predecessor. The combat is a lot faster and there are more cards, but some of the problems that plagued the original title (like the annoyance of equipping weapons and the dodgy camera work) are still present. Metal Gear Ac!d 2 is an okay title if you're after a turn based strategy game, but PSP games have come a long way in nine months; this game has only made short steps.

The individual mechanics come together reasonably well with none being brilliant or outstanding but once you get the way that the game encourages you to play, it works out reasonably well. It's just too bad that it doesn't really hit the peaks that you'd expect.

A wonderfully crafted world with plenty of things to see, do, achieve and kill. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has absolutely everything. An essential purchase.

A wonderful package. It’s got plenty of modes and a superb online/multiplayer setup, and is all nicely coated with a vast selection of memorable Nintendo visuals and melodies. Tetris purists may not welcome the new changes, but they only really serve to make the game different, not necessarily worse.

For single player only experience, this game is [60] and below. If you've got the friends and a WiFi connection, the game is [an 80] and above.

It combines a proper level design and engaging gameplay. It’s definitely a great return to form for the series. While the control scheme is one of the most functional, it has a few quirks and the game in general does somewhat lack some personality.

Driver: Parallel Lines is better than it's predecessor but far too much of a Grand Theft Auto clone to be anything other than an average game.

As the first game to truly establish the balance between a console game and portability, Daxter is arguably the best game on the PSP.

An excellent compilation and current-gen send off for the MGS series.

An enjoyable game for the children but also a title that adults can play. The only real disappointment from the game comes from the fact that it is a little too formulaic and the game is over in just under four hours.

Mega Man Powered Up is easily one of the best titles on the PSP at this point in time - a must-buy for all fans of the Blue Bomber.