Raising your virtual puppy is so realistic that this game should come with a ringing endorsement from Battersea Dogs Home.

Raising your virtual puppy is so realistic that this game should come with a ringing endorsement from Battersea Dogs Home.

Raising your virtual puppy is so realistic that this game should come with a ringing endorsement from Battersea Dogs Home.

This is a handsome game with a stirring soundtrack, with the potential to deliver weeks of very involving gameplay for hardcore followers.

The basic format will be laughably familiar to any half- experienced role-player, but the shortness of the levels, the bright graphics and the arrows to help you on your way make this a game that will delight, rather than frustrate.

And while it may lack the visual splendour of, say, "Brothers in Arms," it does fire up the imagination to deliver an authentic, atmospheric war experience that exhausts as much as it excites.

Nice idea, chaps, but for now I’ll stick to Galaxian on my PSP.

The truly suicidal, meanwhile, will be in awe of the driver’s ability to launch himself fatally through the windscreen, screaming, while the rest of us will love the game’s easy and responsive controls, and the authentic feel of the cars.

The truly suicidal, meanwhile, will be in awe of the driver's ability to launch himself fatally through the windscreen, screaming, while the rest of us will love the game's easy and responsive controls, and the authentic feel of the cars.

The shaded graphics lend the outing a moody and otherworldly air, while many of the puzzles dotted around the levels are refreshingly cryptic. This may not be an epic game, but it is a satisfying spine-chiller all the same.

Watery additions aside, the rest of the game is pretty much business as usual. The parks need cleaners and repairmen to keep the rides running, and the punters need well-placed ATMs and stalls to shop at.

The game is at its best when played online or across large networks, since real opponents can be ingenious and make better fidgety targets.

A classic case of style over substance, being little more than a glossy advertisement for the film.

A classic case of style over substance, being little more than a glossy advertisement for the film.

The gameplay is varied enough to maintain interest, and its clutch of quirky distractions adds to the experience.

The gameplay is varied enough to maintain interest, and its clutch of quirky distractions adds to the experience.

The gameplay is varied enough to maintain interest, and its clutch of quirky distractions adds to the experience.

An inspired example of how movie tie-ins should be made.

An inspired example of how movie tie-ins should be made.

An inspired example of how movie tie-ins should be made.

An inspired example of how movie tie-ins should be made.

For all the nice touches, however, the shockingly poor artificial intelligence lets down Cold Winter badly, and the game is unlikely to offer serious players any real challenge.

The FPS game definitely needs revitalising by something new and original. This isn’t it.

The FPS game definitely needs revitalising by something new and original. This isn't it.

But the really ingenious element is the Drivatar AI, in which the computer learns your driving technique.

Wrestling fans will be disappointed by the vagueness of the controls, while Streetfighter types have far more fast-moving titles to choose from. An interesting failure.

The game’s greatest strength, along with its smoothness and superbly rendered backdrops, is its appeal to both newcomers and hardened hands.

The mechanics are competent, but it is the characterisations, especially the wooden delivery of some lines, that let the game down. On the plus side, the ample options include a story mode, multiplayer clash modes and a mission designer to open up replay values.

The mechanics are competent, but it is the characterisations, especially the wooden delivery of some lines, that let the game down. On the plus side, the ample options include a story mode, multiplayer clash modes and a mission designer to open up replay values.

The mechanics are competent, but it is the characterisations, especially the wooden delivery of some lines, that let the game down. On the plus side, the ample options include a story mode, multiplayer clash modes and a mission designer to open up replay values.

Graphically impressive, to the point where those prone to sea-sickness should stay away, and the dark bowels of the ship provide an eerily effective gaming environment.

Graphically impressive, to the point where those prone to sea-sickness should stay away, and the dark bowels of the ship provide an eerily effective gaming environment.

All this action is complemented by superb graphics and effects that really put across the bone-crunching pain of the competitors.

Decent graphics that hold up smoothly in the height of fighting, plus atmospheric cut-scenes, great locations and superb sound effects all measure up to a memorable, if utterly exhausting, experience.

TMOS has an impressively complex storyline, backed up by superbly detailed background graphics.

Combinations become instinctive and defence second nature. Throw in an engrossing career mode, as well as the facility to create your own boxer, and you finally have a heavyweight boxing game.

Combinations become instinctive and defence second nature. Throw in an engrossing career mode, as well as the facility to create your own boxer, and you finally have a heavyweight boxing game.

Although some of the voice acting creaks, the peasants who sound like Goon Show rejects are surprisingly entertaining.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Yes, there are tweaks, better graphics and further development on the cars’ physics, but nothing groundbreaking. For the most part it seems that the past four years have been spent improving the playback of your car whizzing around the track once you’ve finished the race.

EyeToy: Chat is Sony’s slap in the face for telecommunications companies around the world. Armed with the Chat software and a broadband connection, users can transform their EyeToy camera and PS2 console into a live video phone capable of making free calls to other EyeToy: Chat users anywhere in the world.

While serving up some more cerebral fare with the violent action is laudable, and the graphics are very good, by extending its sights, Shadow of Rome just fails to conquer.

The visuals in this classy RPG are solid, while the level design and locations alternate between the inspired and the merely functional.

The number of times I got ripped apart by wild dogs made me regret ever wanting to be a lizard. Didn’t stop me coming back for more, though.

Frighteningly addictive.

Violent and unforgiving, this one is not for children, but it’s a compulsive game nonetheless.

The visuals are first rate. News footage sets the scene of the chaos, while short in-game cut-scenes intertwine seamlessly with the action.

The visuals are first rate. News footage sets the scene of the chaos, while short in-game cut-scenes intertwine seamlessly with the action.

Experienced gamers will have a blast in cyberspace, battling with other players from around the world, which pretty much justifies the cost of broadband on its own.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

The flaws really hit home: the senseless randomness of matching DNA data and the unchallenging routine of tracking down clues.

This sim certainly delivers the goods. Keeping an eye on the details involved in running a winning team is so engrossing that, once you accept your first management job, you can bid farewell to months of free time.

The interface is largely invisible, having been dramatically streamlined to make this a more intuitive experience for newcomers to the RTS genre.

The visuals in this classy RPG are solid, while the level design and locations alternate between the inspired and the merely functional.

This outing is more rounded than the original and has more choice - such as eight courses to play compared with only three in the original - and at £17.99 it is good value.

An evocative gem of a game, one all Long John Silver or Johnny Depp wannabes should thoroughly enjoy.

A simple but elegant narrative imbues the experience with considerable inertia. Urgent, funny, frightening and bleak, Half-Life 2 tells its tale of rebellion against a grim European dystopia with ease and vigour.

What singles out this series from the rest is that it homes in on the sheer intensity and ugliness of war.

The graphics are terrible. They tried way too hard to make the people look as they do in the animated series, but the result is that it all looks pretty flat. Even the first Budokai had more depth. People tell me that I judge the game too much by the graphics. I agree; but this isn’t right. Seriously.

Project Rub makes no use of the DS’s wireless communication feature, so there is no multiplayer event. Still, this off-beat gem is a must-have game for any fledgeling DS collection.

What singles out this series from the rest is that it homes in on the sheer intensity and ugliness of war.

The courses in this game are just as much the stars as the cars. The dazzling downtown locations are massive, dominated by skyscrapers whose light bathes the streets in a radiant glow.

The courses in this game are just as much the stars as the cars. The dazzling downtown locations are massive, dominated by skyscrapers whose light bathes the streets in a radiant glow.

This update, happily, is more appealing, with improved, streamlined gameplay.

Although some found "Jak 2" hard going in places, Jak 3 is better all round, and soundly completes the adventure series.

The courses in this game are just as much the stars as the cars. The dazzling downtown locations are massive, dominated by skyscrapers whose light bathes the streets in a radiant glow.

The potential is vast, and if this game does not quite make the most of it, it points the way.

This is a quality sci-fi blockbuster brought alive with sleek visuals, superb voice characterisations, explosive sound effects and a robustly stirring music score.

The construction sites are nicely animated, and newly ordered buildings pop up quickly.

The controls take some time to master, and there's a surfeit of useless jargon seemingly designed to prevent you getting to grips with the gameplay. Nor is this a game for the short-sighted, since the on-screen captions that supposedly offer guidance are minute and virtually illegible.

A solid, nicely rounded 3-D adventure that is annoyingly satisfying to play.

It's horror done "Ring"-style, low on explicit gore, but with plenty of chills and jumps, and the misty half-light of the action is beautifully complemented by one of the most unnerving soundtracks you'll hear.

Those who do not want to embark on complex challenges will still find hours of enjoyment in sandbox mode.

The 3-D graphics, though impressive, have changed little, and the fighting characters remain pretty much the same.

It’s a shame, too, that the levels aren’t more exciting and spontaneous. Such predictability stops this game from being any more than an enjoyable flight simulator.

OutRun2 is not a game that you will spend hours playing at one sitting, but you will experience lots of very happy five-minute bursts.

"Ratchet & Clank" fans may turn up their noses at the largely failed attempts at humour in the dialogue, but if your Christmas games are already losing their appeal, you could do a lot worse than this, especially for the price.

This outing is more rounded than the original and has more choice - such as eight courses to play compared with only three in the original - and at £17.99 it is good value.

"Ratchet & Clank" fans may turn up their noses at the largely failed attempts at humour in the dialogue, but if your Christmas games are already losing their appeal, you could do a lot worse than this, especially for the price.

The graphics are pretty impressive for the Game Boy and it's worth playing just to watch those crazy critters float about the clouds. It's hard not to envy the lunatic who dreamed them up. This is a fun and imaginative game.

Some will find that the game’s endless puzzle-solving becomes frustrating when they reach stumbling blocks, though the Help feature has been enhanced this time around. In contrast, legions of Myst fans will delight in cracking this parti-cular if rather peculiar cerebral nut.

The game does move at a slow pace, but with such a complex case to unravel this is no time to rush about, eh, Watson?

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Terrorist action is undermining the system. Your job is to pile in and blow them away. It’s a simple task, rendered wonderfully tense by the brooding background music and the amazingly detailed scenery. It’s almost like controlling your own Hollywood blockbuster.

Terrorist action is undermining the system. Your job is to pile in and blow them away. It's a simple task, rendered wonderfully tense by the brooding background music and the amazingly detailed scenery. It's almost like controlling your own Hollywood blockbuster.

The courses are stunningly handsome and the golfing action and ball physics are true to life. The game has an almost limitless replay value.

The courses are stunningly handsome and the golfing action and ball physics are true to life. The game has an almost limitless replay value.

The courses are stunningly handsome and the golfing action and ball physics are true to life. The game has an almost limitless replay value.

This all-new version adds minute details to the daily rituals of the little inhabitants — you can almost zoom in to see specific ingredients as meals are prepared, or read book titles on shelves. Watching the Sims dance is a triumph of animation.

Disadvantages include not being able to jump the cut scenes — frustrating when the game is hard enough to get you killed often before the end of a level.

Fine in short blasts for anyone looking for some mindless tension-busting target practice. However, those seeking something that challenges the grey stuff will need to look elsewhere.