In motion, Alien Hominid is like nothing else - there's always so much going on and the smooth characters and animations most modern 2D titles to shame.

A very dull experience. You can't help but feel this might have actually been all right as a light gun game.

These bugs, alongside the simplistic taverns, swordfights, trading arrangements, one-screen locations and Benny Hill-style beach skirmishes, make Pirates! feel like Treasure Island in a Pirates of the Caribbean world.

Unfortunately Rogue Agent has turned out a bit flat. All of the ingredients should have delivered a novel twist on the Bond universe, but rather than being a villainous spectacle, it's merely a competent shooter that lacks any genuine thrills.

Sadly, even with the ideas nicked from other titles, Rogue Agent leaves you with an empty feeling that while EA has studied FPS games carefully, it has no idea how to make one of its own.

A title that really has to be played to be believed and if you want to get the most out of the game, see everything and take advantage of the unlockables you'll be playing and believing for a long, long while.

Another glitchy/stupid thing is the CPU AI. On occasions when surrounded and unable to attack the CPU character was literally just standing there, not helping.

We'd like to say that Metal Gear Solid 3 is on a par with the original PSone game and in many ways it's much better, but it also feels like it has been left behind in some fundamental areas by the likes of "Splinter Cell."

Sadly, the developer seemingly hates its audience because battle is so maddeningly unforgiving.

The camera angles are poor to the extent that Demon Stone plays almost like a side-scrolling game, progressing slowly and mundanely from one cluster of enemies to the next.

Half-Life 2 establishes a class-step in gaming we haven't seen since "Elite" on the BBC Micro.

Fight Club is to fighting games what Tyler Durden's posturing is to Bruce Lee - a piss-poor impression.

A fascinating but flawed game.

It's a blaster dressed in perfect olive greens that makes previous "Medal Of Honor" games seem slightly robotic and soulless in comparison.

Jam just feels remarkably like the quickly cobbled together game it so obviously is, leaving it in the awkward position of being less balanced than "Alpha 2" or "Street Fighter III," less joyful than "Marvel Vs Capcom 2" and far uglier than "Guilty Gear."

Combat is a fluid, nippy affair more in keeping with 2D fighters like Guilty Gear than Tekken and includes a fine array of attacks that can be learnt and built on.

This could have been Activision's finest hour, but it looks likely to be nothing more than an agonising five minutes of fame.

Whereas other shooters may have a 'just one more go' factor to them, the careful build-up to events in Ghost Recon 2 can crush the will of the less-dedicated gamer when it comes to repeating the same level for the fifth time. Even the addition of a save anywhere feature doesn't quite remove the teeth-grindingly annoying aspect of playing certain levels.

The track design however is where Crash 'N' Burn gets let down. Visually it's a hit and miss affair but the actual track layout is about as basic as you can get.

The game's balance is all wrong. The controls are overly simplistic and you seem to take more damage from the little helicopters that flit around than you do the other monsters.

The controls are pretty lousy, characters will often merge with each other and scenery, and moves feel limited; plus, why can't we grapple an opponent when they're stunned?...Avoid this rubbish at all costs.

For anyone who likes their games to be more than a desperately frustrating chore we recommend steering clear of this one like the Black Death.

It's not a must-have classic but it's certainly one of the best fluffy platformers on the Xbox. The sheer polish of the game should also help broaden Blinx's appeal even further.

Ninety-five per cent of these games are rubbish, but you just can't help a quick trip down memory lane.

It's not horrific in a way that will leave stains on your fingers, but standing alongside "Dead Or Alive: Ultimate" and "Mortal Kombat: Deception," Fight Club is like putting a teddy bear into a lions den.

Every single scene, be it a village, a forest clearing or an enormous city, is brimming with character and attention to detail.

The grand, over-the-top nature means when Call Of Duty does go right, little can match it. Sadly, these moments don't happen often enough to sustain any enjoyment and being funnelled through the same linear missions over and over again is like watching the same chapter of a "Saving Private Ryan" DVD on repeat.

Need for Speed's underground isn't a gritty, electrifying one, it's a relaxed and velvety one. But damn does your gearbox ever sound sexy.

The game is solid. Especially on the multiplayer side of things.

For all its good intentions and car modifying appeal, there's a real lack of exhilaration under the bonnet that cripples the game the moment it leaves the starting line.

Nothing comes close to the feeling you get when the Eznite shuts down your systems for the first time and you have to reboot.

Calling them puzzles is a bit of a misnomer - calling them Slightly Challenging Platformy Bits That You Don't Have To Think About is far more accurate, if not quite as catchy.

It can actually be quite a laugh in a very basic sense - but the fact remains that there are better example of both genres, albeit independently.

Aside from the occasional piece of ropey responsiveness from the game engine, Jak and Daxter's moves are among the slickest on any console.

The Urbz is simply not fun. At all. Not only are your Urbz's bodily functions hyper-accelerated, but satisfying one of them, naturally to the detriment of another, is too time consuming with animations lasting an uncomfortably long amount of time, especially when you'll be seeing them so often.

The fact that you can't control the camera beyond a 'bring to rear' command is still very annoying when you've got enemies approaching from all sides.

It could be argued that Halo 2 multiplayer is not only leagues ahead of any other broadband enabled game, but it may even leave the single-player experience in the shadows. The options for online play are far more varied than even Ubisoft's Clancy titles, and the interface and lobby systems represent everything that Xbox Live is truly capable of. [XBM]

No, what really annoys is the fact that the developer feels it doesn't need to make an effort because it's a game for kids.

Serious Sims fans might be a little disappointed. It's entertaining but doesn't have the depth of the earlier games in the series.

We've all seen the future and the harsh reality is Spyro: A Hero's Tail is unnecessary with the superior competition around.

You can criticise it for not being a perfect reproduction of tennis and sometimes getting a little over-excited with its colours and power moves but you can't hate this game just because it wants you to have fun.

The chances of this game appealing to anyone other than hardcore TRON watchers or the odd PC geek who happens to think that Windows XP is the best game on home computer, are slim to say the least. Look elsewhere for your first-person thrills.

Indeed, the levelling up system that applies to character, weapons and armour gives the title a much needed pace that may have been left wanting by lacklustre narrative.

It's all a bit like typing while wearing oven mitts.

While the frame rate occasionally dips and pop-up hasn't been totally eradicated Killzone looks stunning. However, Killzone's total focus on fire fights means that anyone that doesn't relish the thought of scrapping for every inch of territory, yearning for puzzles, switches, vehicles to pilot or woe-betide, aliens, should look elsewhere.

The animation should be motion-captured goodness in order to show the bloke-in-suit feel of the Toho flicks. It could be quite amusing. It's not amusing. It's tragic.

There's no denying the snippets shine with sheen, but while Frodo et al are off saving the world, your party feel like impostors - the real adventure is elsewhere. And it is - in a legion of other superior RPGs.

Certainly not the revolution in 2D fighting games that Arc System Works describe it as, or we were hoping for. We won't bore you with any more of the Greek myth or ornithology laboured analogy crap, we're sure you get the picture.

The fact that Smackdown! Vs RAW manages to both encapsulate the essence of the WWE while also delivering a highly skill-based and technical beat-'em-up means that even those without a taste for wrestling will be able to enjoy at least most of what the game has to offer.

A title that's finally worthy of the licence it's based on and in the world of videogames, that's a very rare occurrence.

The biggest problem we have with this game is the sad fact that a few of the games seem to suffer from occasional slowdown.

Just don't come running back to us if little Johnny decides he hates you and moves out aged six when he finds this under his Christmas tree.

Third Age is the definitive Lord Of The Rings experience. It remains faithful to the film trilogy in terms of graphics and sound, and uses the licence to full effect, while at the same time delivering a captivating and enjoyable adventure. Good work EA.

With nerve jangling 5.1 audio that perfectly complements the washed out (purposely of course, in a Ring/The Grudge style) well-detailed visuals; Tecmo has created an atmospheric treat that truly delivers on all counts.

An incredibly cynical attempt to cash in on a familiar and potentially rich license.

The camera is fine, the control system good and (like the film it follows) at no point does it patronise the audience. In other words there are no coins to collect here.

Blame the short development time. Blame laziness. Blame the film licence curse. Blame whatever you want but the end result is The Incredibles is rental-only, as you'll see everything the game has to offer by the time you hand it back to the monkey behind the Blockbusters till.

All platform games need are a healthy dose of variety and fun. If a yellow simpleton made of sponge can do it properly, then so can you.

It's about being in one long and deeply worthwhile experience that manages to do the impossible and improve on what has gone before, and then has the confidence to expand itself to a size that defies belief. Pack some sandwiches, it's going to be a long trip.

The fighting system has been tweaked, leaving it as one of the smoothest rides on the console, and the visuals really set it apart from almost any other game created.

A refreshingly original take on a notoriously starchy genre; tongue in cheek, sword in hand and pants around ankles. Hail to the king.

Get it, it makes all other flight titles feel like you're flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog sh.t out of Hong Kong.

In many ways OutRun 2 is undone on Xbox Live by the mere fact that the core gameplay wasn't designed for competitive racing.

The only people we can imagine buying this are confused parents who do not understand the world of the mystical home entertainment that is the videogame.

The most impressive new additions are in the course design. The developer has really got the hang of how to build holes and the overall presentation is polished to the point where you could mistake it for an EA Big title.

Otogi 2, while often frustrating, is a lot of fun for anyone who has the simple urge to play a simple game where furious attacking is all that's required to hack, slam and kill enemies while at the same time being able to destroy just about every element of the scenery.

Scaler is perfectly acceptable - if you're 5 or under. We're much older.

Crisis Zone is the proverbial over-egged pudding. The addition of a bulletproof riot shield for ducking purposes is welcome, as is the way you can blast the enemy as the game pulls you on the invisible rails that separate scenes. Unfortunately the excitement in killing is all but neutered.

The pace and AI can, occasionally, feel erratic and it isn't the most original game in the world, but if you can forgive the dubious politics, and simply lose yourself in the action, then Men Of Valor is the Medal Of Honor game many of us have been waiting for.

If you like creaky retro revivals, bad Korean animation and ways to sell toys to children then, you guessed it, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 is the game for you. Let's see them quote that one on the box.

Outside of a tolerable multiplayer, there's nothing to redeem this. Battle Nexus had potential and it will stir the interest of old and new Turtles fans but sadly, it satisfies neither the misplaced nostalgia nor the itch for a cel-shaded violence.

The game is a showcase for the lead character and not an inspired one at that.

Some will find it frustrating, others irrelevant, while a small number of people will no doubt relish it for the very flaws we pointed out.

Ultimately, Lucifer's Call is a brave RPG and for that, it deserves both your admiration and your gaming time.

Ty manages to be a particularly average and uninspiring kart racer as well a particularly average and uninspiring action adventure, with opals.

While some levels are a little staid, others, the Vegas-themed level and Racoon City in particular, are riotous, with the latter requiring you to steel a rampant Nemesis' coin stash. Charming as Cosmi's grin.

You know if you like it already, and you probably know if you're going to buy it already. As for us, we like it, just don't expect us to know where to find it in two weeks' time. [Play UK]

Basically a game that is split between repetitive combat and annoying pole swinging sections.

The combat, the Karting sections and general exploration is slick making it one of the least frustrating kids games around.

The same easy scoring from 'sweet spots' plague the game and for some reason it's nigh on impossible to score from five yards out, one-on-one with the keeper. And because of the reliance on motion captured animation and pre-set special moves, you still never feel in complete control of the player. This aside, the improvements outweigh the old problems.

While Ty The Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue isn't going to rock the gaming world to its foundations or win any awards, it's still an enjoyable and entertaining platform romp that will surprise those of you who decide to take a chance on it.

It's definitely more playable than 2004, but you're still better off with "Winning Eleven 6."

Once you understand the animals the levels become small puzzles rather than living environments. You don't see a bear, but rather you see a trampoline that has to be moved.

Frankly, gamers fall into two categories: those who recognise these titles (and will probably jump at the chance for some cheap reminiscence), and modern gamers who should better know their history. This super-cheap pack is recommended to both.

A great idea, until you realise that the levels are quite linear and the animal interaction fairly basic. This is a great game to buy for your kids, but if you're buying it for yourself expect to get bored very quickly.

Sadly, it would appear that most of Midway's classic titles have already been used in the first compilation and apart from a small selection; a lot of the games on offer are space filers and nothing more.

But what strikes us the most is how polished it feels. It's pointless going on about the gameplay because by now you know it's flawless. [JPN Import]

It has personality, it has clever puzzles, it has things to collect and above all, it's an absolute blast to play. It's only the dream sections that let this down and repetition does creep in towards the end but even so, it doesn't take the sheen off a sparkling sequel.

Risqué set-piece conversations spice up the monotony as things progress, but essentially life in the flat is a painfully hollow experience to which the eventual moment of intimacy becomes an inevitable anti-climax.

Lewd, loud and incredibly funny, Magna Cum Laude is a game that works far better than it should. This is partly because there's very little 'game' there to speak of.

Get On Da Mic does offer other options such as the opportunity to spit your own sounds and a multiplayer freestyle battle but both are about as appealing as a new Dizee Rascal record. If 'cool' is what Eidos was aiming for it has missed by an 8 mile.

Suitably colourful environments, arcade gameplay and a respectable targeting system are but three reasons to get this honestly-priced shooter that blends the thrill of first-person shooting against a slightly irksome joy of riding a bike.

Stylistically, it's all neon pinks and shiny gadgetry. Think "Halo" or "Phantasy Star Online" viewed from above. Its strange then, for such an organic looking game that the control interface is awfully clunky.

While it won't be to everyone's tastes, it's hard not to get hooked into Larry's world, there's a lot to explore and experiment with - including honing your photography skills, unlocking some uniquely sleazy mini-games and simply enjoying one of the funniest scripts in a game since, well, the classic adventures of the Eighties and early Nineties.

Little more than a shoot -'em-up for beginners. It's easy to play and simple to follow which unfortunately makes it slow-paced and largely uneventful with basic auto-locking trigger-holding action.

The extra games are all very nice and shiny but some more work should have gone into creating a level field of play, wherein each character can compete fairly and we aren't left damning Kobra's utter rubbishness as Noob-Smoke kicks seven varying shades of faeces out of him yet again.

Xbox Live is a timely upgrade, the Konquest mode plays well and Puzzle Kombat rocks, but without any significant improvement in fighting styles or basic playability Mortal Kombat is good but just not good enough.

Throw in secret characters, such as a certain green burger-loving star of a recent popular movie sequel, and there's enough here to keep you going for ages while the straightforward structure of the game means you can concentrate on having fun.