Aimed at kids, this is a guilty treat for adults as well.

Now that the game is established in a 3-D world, it has, for me at least, lost a little of its gripping intensity — an option to switch action between 2-D and 3-D would have been a nice touch.

The graphics are not as exciting as those found in "Command and Conquer: Generals" and the interface, like its predecessor’s, is rather flat. However, the ability to interact with virtually anything on the map makes up for this shortfall.

The learning curve is gentle, the controls simple to master, but there’s little new here.

"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.

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

The pressure of following in the footsteps of one of the console’s greatest successes seems to have removed any sense of humour from the game.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

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.

Admittedly, the assorted firepower offers little excitement, but the experience is convincingly upbeat thanks to the game's droll sense of humour.

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.

With more than 45 mini-games in the mix, it is not surprising that the quality of them is fairly mixed — it is Ape Academy’s major weakness that while many are rather too easy (the one- metre dash, for instance), others seem impossible (catching the contents of a kebab on a sword).

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.

Though The Godfather is competent, it is also bland, despite the voices of James Caan and Robert Duvall, and you rarely feel a sense of power.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

What really makes this game is the chilling music, which, even though the gameplay might not always be up to standard, builds the tension beautifully and ensures that the shocks that X-Files: Resist or Serve delivers have the maximum impact.

Impressive graphics and sound effects add to the challenging gameplay to make this a fine addition to the Clancy stable, and one that is particularly suited to online gaming.

This must be one of the first instances in which a video game actually seems like the natural format. But even here, as you acquire weapons, ride wasps and beat up tiny-huge creatures, it seems never to aspire to much beyond adequacy.

This game looks good and will appeal to fans of the "Zelda" series, although it never touches the heights achieved by some of Link’s escapades.

Visually, there may not be much to get excited about, but it is efficient and works as an introduction to the intricacies of the game for newcomers.

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.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Ultimately, though, it's all about how well you wield a crowbar.

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

This gentle time-waster is a relaxing antidote to intense shoot ’em ups.

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.