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.

Fans of the Nintendo SNES classic "Pilotwings" will literally jump at the chance to parachute from any of the aircraft for spectacular views of the vast landscape below. There is bound to be a sequel, because this original is so good.

Fans of the Nintendo SNES classic "Pilotwings" will literally jump at the chance to parachute from any of the aircraft for spectacular views of the vast landscape below. There is bound to be a sequel, because this original is so good.

Frighteningly addictive.

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

The tone is jocular, the script humorous and well acted by, among others, Little Britain’s Anthony Head.

With its simple gameplay and involving story, Spartan: Total Warrior is a perfect blend of strategy game and hack’n’slash romp.

With its responsive controls, choice of 16 top players and a variety of game modes, SCTPT2 is a winner.

Although the bikes are fast during the races, they are overwhelmingly underpowered when pulling off at the start of a race. Twist the throttle all you like, but lift-offs provide all the G-force of a gnat.

This is a sterile affair which, although adequate in every department, excels in none.

The tone is jocular, the script humorous and well acted by, among others, Little Britain's Anthony Head.

During matches, a new passing feature allows for better control of long passes, using a combination of buttons to produce greater ball control in mid-air. In the right hands, the new move can be lethal.

Has a strong, coherent storyline that whisks Red from novice gunslinger to competent bounty hunter in what proves to be the mother of all shooting practice games.

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.

Has a strong, coherent storyline that whisks Red from novice gunslinger to competent bounty hunter in what proves to be the mother of all shooting practice games.

Fans of the Nintendo SNES classic "Pilotwings" will literally jump at the chance to parachute from any of the aircraft for spectacular views of the vast landscape below. There is bound to be a sequel, because this original is so good.

More experienced gamers may scoff early on, but will find more rewards once they start to build up a mini-army of Pokémon, which they can trade online with other dedicated players.

The variety of moves keeps the game engrossing. You may be unlikely to return to it once you have played it, but reuniting Captain Blue with his movie seems reward enough.

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.

This is a light-hearted beat-em-up that will appeal to both old-school fans and DragonBall aficionados.

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

With its simple gameplay and involving story, Spartan: Total Warrior is a perfect blend of strategy game and hack'n'slash romp.

We can overlook the dingy appearance of the redesigned world, but the new style of play, involving a pair of bonded characters and a sort of extra-dimensional training area known as The Battlefields, adds layers of unnecessary complication.

With its simple gameplay and involving story, Spartan: Total Warrior is a perfect blend of strategy game and hack'n'slash romp.

About as interactive as you can get. Controlling your shots is just like real life, and because your movements are mirrored exactly on screen, everything, from how you stand to how you swing the included miniature golf club, will affect your gameplay.

The range of maps is impressive, though this game is likely to appeal most to Lord of the Rings-loving mythologists.

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

A clutch of the titles have stood the test of time surprisingly well, but most — particularly the side- or vertical-scrolling shoot-em- ups — are so far past their prime it’s laughable, and many are very similar.