Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I’m afraid.

Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I’m afraid.

As for the combat sequences, they rely too much on repetitive button- mashing, and leaderless soldiers stand around like sheep awaiting the slaughter.

Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I'm afraid.

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.

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.

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 game becomes more strategic as it progresses, I am assured by fans of the ten-year-old series, but by then it is very hard to care.

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.

An epic, not only because the immaculate world you inhabit is so immense, but also because the gameplay is fantastically intense.

An epic, not only because the immaculate world you inhabit is so immense, but also because the gameplay is fantastically intense.

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.

This is a cracker. A lot of thought has clearly gone into making the most of the DS’s touch-screen capability here, and it works gloriously. Sure, you still walk down dark corridors blasting anything that moves, but here you are in control as never before.

By turning round the normal rules so that the D-pad operates the functions and the right hand buttons deal with the camera, this intuitive system gives the gameplay a huge boost and also reverses the law of diminishing returns for sequels.

As frantic as it is visually stunning.

Even by the high standards already set, Pursuit Force is an astonishing title... The best PSP title yet.

The control system suffers somewhat from the PSP’s limitations, and the less said about the awful soundtrack the better, but these failings do not detract too much from a fun addition to an ever- increasing series. Just keep the sound turned down.

As the entire game is played at fever-pitch, you soon find yourself looking forward to the next mission briefing, if only for a chance to catch your breath. The only mystery to Black is why there is no multiplayer mode, since such intense battle settings would make for great competitive bouts.

This is more for 24 fans, who will instantly love it — so long as they don’t mind another TV addiction to feed.

Fifa Street 2 falls down in one vital aspect — namely the art of defending.

As the entire game is played at fever-pitch, you soon find yourself looking forward to the next mission briefing, if only for a chance to catch your breath. The only mystery to Black is why there is no multiplayer mode, since such intense battle settings would make for great competitive bouts.

Fifa Street 2 falls down in one vital aspect - namely the art of defending.

Each district also serves up specific challenges, so that opening a business at a certain time or reaching a profit milestone will unlock reward buildings such as churches and law courts, which please the locals and boost their satisfaction levels.

Without an auto- targeting feature, this game is so challenging that you’ll be hurling your controller to the floor in no time.

Graphically, the level of detail in the tracks is simply stunning compared with the scenery on "Burnout," a reflection of the superiority of the new Xbox over the old.

Rugby, with its elaborate set-pieces and impenetrable laws, is a hard game to render on computer, but this is an extremely good try.

Rugby, with its elaborate set-pieces and impenetrable laws, is a hard game to render on computer, but this is an extremely good try.

Mind-bogglingly shallow.