A fine addition to the series, and the Trust Meter addition means that, for the first time, this'll be one spy game you'll go back to even after you've finished it. Sam going bad is good news for Splinter Cell fans.

To put it simply, it's gorgeous in every respect, even though it's only in 2D. PS2's last great game? What a way to go.

The depth and quality of the core gameplay is sold short by the simplistic Career mode. A contract is signed for each fight, you train, then box, and the process is repeated. There's no tangible sense of edging along a long road to glory. Apart from this slight disappointment, and some overly long loading screens, this is easily the finest sports title yet to hit PS3.

Crisis Core is more than a nostalgia trip for FFVII fans - it's a fresh and exciting game in its own right, and arguably the single most impressive application of the PSP's power.

The bigger picture is what Blood Money really thrives on. Ignore the control issues, and bear in mind instead the large scale setpieces that are second to none in terms of both scope and execution.

Same-old, same-old, which means slick, challenging and extra packed online content!

COD 3 pulls out all the stops to put you as close up to the action as possible, even allowing up to 24 players to experience full-on war in the online mode.

The more advanced physics engine adds some welcome variety though, as objects can be manipulated more naturalistically. For instance, there's a bit where you need to get a box onto a raised area, something that can be done by dragging it onto the end of a glorified seesaw and jumping on the other end, propelling the box through the air.

OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast has everything. It's two thrilling arcade machines reproduced in incredible style, it's a vast collection of all-new driving challenges, plus it's an online racer - and one that connects to the PS2 version to unlock exclusive stuff for those who buy both games.

You can play a full 18-hole round in about twenty minutes, but if you want to go even deeper and perfect technical shots then there's more than enough in EG's locker to accommodate that too.

It's all a bit dour in truth, with little excitement generated by the commentators, the court-side atmosphere and, most significantly, what happens on the court itself.

Providing you can get your head around the overly crammed control system and slightly iffy player intelligence, the addition of Master League mode should provide many a pleasant train journey.

So there it is - another below-par (in the golf-based, positive sense) round for PlayStation's undisputed king of the pin. Next time we expect a little more by way of innovation. Until then, this beautifully executed next-next-gen update will do just fine.

Ultimately this is a game that knows what its fans want and delivers it to them in spades with plenty of style and confidence. It isn't as difficult as the prequels, but makes up for this with a surprisingly deep and flexible character upgrade system.

Once you've witnessed the beauty of the courses, felt the perfection of the sliding feel and mastered the art of flicking your Ferrari from one powerslide into another, you won't want to go back to any other boring old driving game. OutRun 2006 shows that when it comes to making games you want to play over and over again, realism isn't as important as sheer fun, colour and character.

The chassis of Dark Athena is five years old and it makes for a safe and at times a predictable experience. Still, this is a Credit Crunch-busting package, and it's highly recommended...Reminds me why I love the original. The best thing Vin's done. [Apr 2009, p.91]

VT3 is pure, unadulterated genius. It was everyone's favourite Dreamcast game for a good reason.

A classic Call of Duty game, stubbornly sticking to the well-worn template and format of the previous two titles in the series, but making it all bigger and slicker so you get totally sucked in.

You can't fault the amount of matches and modes either - there's a ton of stuff in here including a sixman Money In The Bank mode, which really shows off just how much stuff can happen on screen at once.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) is that place where games and films make sweet music together. Stick around for the climax to this outstanding cinematic adventure and you'll go away with a big smile. [JPN Import]

The Alpha games feature special counter moves, and more characters and combos with each progressive title. The main question is: do you want to spend 20 quid on this collection when you've probably already got most of the titles in the loft?

Still, you won't ever have played a sandbox game that creates so much carnage and offers so many ways to play.

There's plenty of depth and subtlety to uncover in the fighting system, and the only niggles centre on the game's relative lack of fluidity. Everything else makes this a top PSP fighter. And yes, we know, you told us so.

Very much a case of new year, same Tiger, boasting the least significant set of updates we've seen in the series for some time. That said, it still rightfully deserves to dominate the genre, being immensely satisfying when it goes right, and deeply frustrating when it goes wrong.

Immediate, accessible, explosive and hugely satisfying, Criterion's competitors are going to have to raise their game immeasurably to get anywhere near the majesty of Black.

This is FIFA 08 with the Euro 2008 license slapped on. Don't expect anything different and you'll be treated to the beautiful game. FIFA fans will enjoy, PES 08 fans may well not.

Quality over quantity is the vibe here and there's no doubt in our mind that Heavenly Sword is a winner and a work of art (eat that Roger Ebert!) that will help shift tons of PS3s come September. When it's good, it's truly magnificent and some of the final stages will have anyone with a 42-inch high-definition TV foaming at the mouth.

Digital Devil Saga is a sumptuous adventure which could easily have disappeared up its own clichéd backside. It hasn't, thanks mainly to its welcoming combat style which still packs a hefty mental challenge.