You could play straight through this game in a few hours, or dally with it for days. Therein lies its brilliance.

The first-person caper is satisfyingly immersive thanks to some outstanding graphical touches - heavy rain splatters neatly on Jeeps and we can even see Red's freckles in close-up.

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

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.

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.

A little too retro to be anything other than a game to play in short bursts, this new-look Tetris would be just the thing for a short journey.

The graphics are superb, especially on the Xbox, and if you can cope with the frustration of replaying tricky scenes again and again, this could be the game for you.

The game is built sublimely, with an excellent interface and crisp, rounded sound effects that grip the attention.

The Original Trilogy's main strength is it's presentation and humour - the novelty of the Lego enviroments has not worn off from the first Lego Star Wars game and the music is excellent. The difficulty level is too easy, but a generous amount of unlockables offers decent replay value.

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.

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.

The over-theshoulder style does allow for the seamless integration of glossy scenes to drive on the plot and add a more genuine movie-like feel to the game.

The first-person caper is satisfyingly immersive thanks to some outstanding graphical touches — heavy rain splatters neatly on Jeeps and we can even see Red’s freckles in close-up. All this detail is demanding, so you will need a fairly powerful PC to prevent the visuals from occasionally chugging.

You could play straight through this game in a few hours, or dally with it for days. Therein lies its brilliance.

A completely engrossing game, designed for the patience of adult players, that will stand up to an almost infinite number of sessions. It's a technically marvellous achievement by David Cage.

The over-theshoulder style does allow for the seamless integration of glossy scenes to drive on the plot and add a more genuine movie-like feel to the game.

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

Leisurely plucking helicopters out of the sky can be immensely satisfying, as can grabbing a handful of trees to toss around like darts, damning the consequences.

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

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.

One brilliantly thought out package.

As a first-person shooter, Prey makes up in design for what it lacks in depth. The game moves along swiftly, balancing a strong narrative with solid puzzle-solving and some very tasty eye candy.

A completely engrossing game, designed for the patience of adult players, that will stand up to an almost infinite number of sessions. It’s a technically marvellous achievement by David Cage.

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.

The over-theshoulder style does allow for the seamless integration of glossy scenes to drive on the plot and add a more genuine movie-like feel to the game.

This episode has more depth than the two previous follow- ups, and its developer, IO Interactive, has introduced many intelligent refinements.

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