The whole cross-com idea, while a reasonably good addition in the single player mode, is an invaluable addition to the multiplayer. Combined with the use of the marker system, communication has never been easier making it the best multiplayer game on the machine currently.

There are far better shooters for the Xbox, including previous Ghost Recon games. Save your money. It would be far better spent put towards an Xbox 360.

Its strange cast and inventive battle system make it a great title for fans of the RPG genre and those not so well versed in it as well.

Some of the features, like jumping from a car to defeat an enemy, swapping cars mid race and combining a variety of vehicles into one game are really good ideas, but the slowdown, poor handling of some cars and repetitive banter really frustrate.

One for the fans. Despite some issues, it's damn good action game as well.

This is the definitive version of Burnout Revenge. There are more crash junctions, upgraded graphics and more expanded multiplayer; the port to the Xbox 360 has served the franchise well.

Any advancements made in terms of the games strategy phase, and improving the frame rate, have been negated by the appalling draw distance, the poor AI and resulting disappointing gameplay.

Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai provides good fan service, keeps the core, fun gameplay intact and manages to be one of the better fighters on the PSP.

The hottest RTS game this year, and one of the most rewarding Lord of the Rings title available.

24 lacks the focus and innovation to make it stand out from the crowd, and is yet more proof that throwing as many ingredients into the pot as possible rarely yields favourable results.

An insult to anyone who enjoyed the original arcade game.

The new missions are tough, and should give the more experienced fans something to challenge themselves with, while the expanded accessories and arsenal are quite cool. It’s a bummer that the new melee attack is so limp – we’d really have expected a bit more force behind our police brutality.

One of the best expansion packs released for The Sims yet. Letting your Sims have their own businesses seems like a natural progression and the business element is deep, it isn't just a tacked on inclusion.

For all the enjoyment the chaos and destruction brings, it's hard to ignore its short length, lack of multiplayer and inconsistent AI.

Even when one can look past the sugar-coated glaze, you cannot look past the somewhat plain and lacklustre level design, generic puzzles and that it is difficulty-deficient.

MX vs. ATV Unleashed: On the Edge is hindered by some technical issues like the long loading and the lack of an auto save.

It's a step back from Round 2, but still delivers a knockout to the competition.

The best game in the series yet. If you're after a simulation game with damage or just want to come close to experience what it's like to drive a V8 then you simply cannot go past this game.

With so much competition in the arcade racing genre, Sonic Riders is left out on the cold. It’s not a particularly bad game, but it has enough problems to push it well behind the frontrunners.

Super Monkey Ball Touch and Roll isn't a great game, but if you can work your way around the controls there is plenty to like.

A fundamentally good, yet rather disappointing experience. Players looking for the real next generation boxing title are just going to have to wait until next year; while Fight Night: Round 3 looks great, it moves like a set of rusty gears, and has far too many balance issues to be an enjoyable experience online.

Star Wars Empire at War is the RTS Star Wars fans have been waiting for. Not only will those that loved the movies be impressed, but the game also offers a great deal of engaging play that should please any fan of the genre.

State of Emergency 2 is worse than its predecessor and has almost no redeeming features. We're hoping this is the end of the franchise because the gameplay is seriously outdated.

An excellent example of what a great adaptation from PC to DS can achieve. Age of Empires: Age of Kings delivers fun strategy gaming that you should be happy to carry with you for quite some time.

Whilst Full Auto is an enjoyable game, it's still an ultimately limited title that isn't going to hold your interest for nearly as long as you would expect. This is a game you play in short bursts rather than for hours on end.

Two gameplay styles, both under-implemented. Only fun for those who don't mind repetition.

With its own distinct approach to puzzle gameplay, and a unique visual style, Exit really stands apart from the crowd.

The best looking and playing rugby game of the year, but there's still a few things that need tweaking before it's a genuine classic.

Fans of the original will find more to enjoy from this game, and those looking for some multiplayer action will have a blasts with what’s on offer. However, the game just losses a lot of interests, and fast.

A perfect port of one of the most popular in the Street Fighter series, sadly let down by the PSP hardware, slow loading times and an unforgiving AI.

While there is nothing new for veterans or anything to change the minds of the pessimists among you, Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is a good game that commemorates a classic series. Too bad that it’s pretty much redundant as a portable game.

Fresh, quality content is something that the PSP needs dearly, and just happens to be something that Maverick Hunter X offers in droves. Lovely.

The events are boring, the multiplayer is severely under exploited and the game is unlikely to last you more than an hour.

The game's a little easier this time, but playing through with Vergil is a completely different experience.

A fantastic title for the Xbox Live Arcade because it's easily accessible and a game you can spend hours or minutes on.

Ape Academy fails on all levels as a mini-game collection. Even if the lack of vareity and modes are negligile, the control and balance kill any possibilty of redemption.

Ape Escape 3 marks a real attempt at progression for the series, but seems like it may have come a little too late in the PlayStation 2's life cycle.

It's too much of a great piece of software to pass by undetected. So for those interested, import if need be, but do not miss out.

The best Dead or Alive game so far. The single player is weak so avoid paying full price if you don’t have a friend to player or access to Xbox Live.

It is considerably shorter than the console versions and retails for approximately the same price, there is nothing to come back to after the game is finished and unfortunately that will be far sooner than you will wish.

Likely to satisfy Armored Core fans, but those who are looking for an action game are likely to be disappointed.

All the modes have carried over, most of the commentary has been removed and the wrestlers still look great. The loading is a huge disappointment though.

Some good ideas on offer here, but with an incomplete multiplayer offering the games potential is severely hindered. Recommended only for die-hard puzzle enthusiasts.

A budget title that very much feels like a budget title. The interface is clunky, the gameplay can be slow and each title has a few problems, you've really got to enjoy these board games to get any fun out of this title.

Feels like a game with a lot of wasted potential. There are emulation issues and the game takes a long time to get into.

A serviceable adventure game that does a few things new but is unlikely to tide anyone over or bring back renown to the adventure genre.

Quite easily the best version released yet, and is an ideal RPG for handheld gamers. An essential purchase for what is, currently, a dead console.

The Sims 2 feels a little scaled back on the PSP and even though there are a few extras added in the experience isn't as free roaming as before. The loading really makes the game hard to recommend as a portable title.

Ford Racing 3 is another DS game that could've been. At least it's not a total failure and it does provide some hope for the future.

If you don't like the genre, this won't convert you, but for those who are hooked on turn based battles, this will fit the bill nicely.

The PSP version unfortunately doesn't have the polish and smooth gameplay of its predecessors and is hard to recommend, even to fans of the series.

Gottlieb Pinball Classics is a very enjoyable game and one of the best pinball titles released in a very long time. The game features a wide range of tables and the physics are generally very accurate.

Another potentially cool game completely obliterated by terrible execution.

The only real downside to this enjoyable game is that it failed to optimise on what it had available to it.

It's a real surprise that the single player portion of the game is so under baked, despite the wealth of content featured in the baseball, tennis and golf games – it's almost like the game is worthless without a few friends.

The Elf Bowling games are so utterly simplistic, tedious and pointless that we are not sure if it should be legal to expect people to pay money for them. The fact that Ignition Entertainment thought that they could make money off such a piece of software is an insult to humanity. Nobody could possibly be stupid enough to pay money for this game.

Puts pretty much everything into place with a great conclusion to the story and some of the best platforming action of the generation.

PoPoLoCrois has plenty of personality and charm, but not quite enough to mask over what is ultimately a very easy game.

Saying that the DS version of Burnout Legends is bad is quite generous. Abomination is a much more fitting word.

The game offers around 20 hours of play for the first time through, with several sidequests. Unfortunately, the mediocre story doesn’t have enough impact to keep players enthralled for the full playthrough, and it suffers from a linear, generic world-home-world structure.

Don't go in there expecting fun mini games. Instead, this is strictly a fitness title, yet it's quality means there's genuine potential here to carve out a new genre within videogaming.

One of the few "must haves" off the XBLA.

There's just nothing even slightly likeable in the game – players are more likely to have fun banging their heads against a wall or cleaning rubbish on a highway than they'll have with Crime Life.

Borderline unplayable thanks to its horrid graphics, and the gameplay does nothing to inspire anyone to even attempt to persevere through its short yet inexplicably dull set pieces.

A unqiue, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable game that provides an experience that you won't get anywhere else. It also happens to be one of the best games based on a movie since "Goldeneye."

Quake IV hasn't really evolved from it's predecessors that much which makes this game very predictable and linear.

A below average game that feels like it has been developed to turn a quick buck.

Although times have changed and the series isn’t the high profile name it used to be, if you want an old school, arcade style sliding, high speed racing game you need not look any further.

An enjoyable diversion a few months in the US/Euro launch lineup, but an irrelevant game now with bigger/better FPS’s now on the 360.

A launch game all 360 owners should consider. An unforgettable single player experience that gets better the further you go.

Aeon Flux is your standard movie to game adaptation. It's not terrible, it's just extremely average.

For a good, different and brutal action romp with horror/thriller themes, mystery, a great atmosphere and freaky characters, Condemned: Criminal Origins fits the bill.

When entering the next generation you expect more and unfortunately Neversoft has delivered a very quick port.

American Sk8land manages to create a feeling of fun that has been missing from recent Tony Hawk titles, by focusing on pure skating, rather than mischief.

An amazing launch title. It doesn’t feel like a launch title as we didn’t find any bugs and it doesn’t seem like any shortcuts were taken during development. It isn’t as much of an upgrade from Project Gotham Racing 2 as we’d hoped.

It mightn't be much different from the Xbox version, or very 'next-gen', but NHL 2K6 is a worthy upgrade from ESPN NHL 2K5, and well worth a look for all 360 owners looking for a good sports game.

Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends shows just how little milk Koei has left in the proverbial cow.

A quick and dirty port of a current generation game is a nasty move on behalf of Activision, especially when the Xbox 360 offers much more compelling software for a similar price.

Tiger Wood's PGA Tour 2006 is an average title that doesn't even match up to the current generation equivalents.

NBA 2K6 on the Xbox 360 retains everything that made the previous versions of the game good, but also addresses some of the areas that held NBA 2K5 back. The game looks phenomenal when played on a HDTV, but Visual Concepts will need to address the vast contrast between on court play and the surrounding parts of the stadium in the next version of the game. NBA 2K6 is an absolute must-buy for all serious basketball fans.

A fairly poor excuse of a game.

A highly competent – if not flawed – snowboarding game with a style comparable to no other.

Still an incredibly addictive game but there are a lot of racing games out there for the launch and this is just a port.

Infected is so surprisingly enjoyable, it's almost infectious. It just needs a bit more substance.

Provides exactly what it ought to - a premium J-RPG experience for anyone who has been yearning for a true challenge, a riveting story and a long, satisfying quest.

Shadow the Hedgehog could signal the death of Sonic spin offs, the title tries too hard to be impressive and ultimately fails miserably.

Most Wanted isn’t as much of an upgrade upon "Need for Speed Underground Rivals" as we had hoped it would be. One of the biggest upgrades to the game is the police races, and they just become annoying.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire isn't as deep as we'd hoped and there are a few issues like the camera and basic gameplay elements.

Just what the PSP needs. An original RPG and a template for what other developers should strive for. Too bad it doesn't quite hit the mark in certain respects.

Spytoy could be one of the worst Eyetoy games available. The mission structure is repetitive and the game won't even occupy your attention until "Eyetoy: Play 3" is out.

Sega have successfully blended basic 3D and amazing 2D into the game, anyone who has moved away from Sonic in recent years has a great reason to come back to the series now.

One of the finest games of this generation and one of the best single player FPS's ever created.

Despite a myriad of improvements, True Crime: New York City's inexcusable number of bugs make it one of the biggest disappointments of this holiday season.

One of the best racing games of 2005. It feels so polished and the presentation is really high class.

The incredibly stupid AI is unforgivable and is something that shouldn't be an issue in any game these days.

Chronicles of Narnia presents a few neat ideas that should be used in future games from this genre, but there are far too many issues that out weigh the good.

Mario Kart at its absolute finest. Miss it at your peril.

You really have to wonder how long Yuke’s continue to push out the exact same game with minor changes each year when there are so many issues – even EA’s games feature bigger alterations than what we’ve seen from Smackdown over the past few years.