Just when it all sounds so promising it all falls apart as the boxing itself feels rigid and restrictive, while the punching animations don't feel nearly as convincing as the original Rocky game, with certain animations seemingly failing to connect for no reason.

Yes, this is the best AC yet, but come on, how about a new approach that includes a sense of scale?

Bubble Bobble is as addictive as it has ever been and for that reason alone this game is a must-buy purchase, regardless of which version you want to play. Buy it now!

Simply put, if you own "EO" there is no reason to get this. With "EO" you get a smoother game, the awesome Groove selection, Ratio matches and a larger selection of characters. If we were to use one word to describe Capcom Vs SNK: SVC Chaos it would be 'disappointment'.

To make matters worse if this had been released back in the day when linear gameplay and generic platform problems were acceptable Twinsanity would've still been average. Today there is nothing redeeming.

The original game was impressive and perhaps left little room for another but Venom has managed to produce a sequel that really packs a punch.

It can't quite match the sheer excitement of NHL and the lack of an online mode is unforgivable, but this is still great fun and is well worth checking out.

It's all just a question of whether you like to take corners slowly, having someone talking about the corners and then getting angry at yourself because you messed up. So take you pick of the three: "Burnout 3," Colin, "RalliSport 2" - which is more fun? "Burnout 3"? Yep.

Wisely staying away from being a full on sim, NBA 2K5 features incredibly slick gameplay, intuitive action and - most importantly - delivers a fantastic game of Basketball that dumps on EA's recent effort from a great height.

Don't get us wrong, we love jumping cars and smashing through barn doors, but the game is desperately in need of something else. A little thing called gameplay.

You really need to appreciate how pick and roll plays work properly because of the solid collision detection or how players act like their real-life counter-parts, such as Allen Iverson lazily dribbling the ball before exploding past his marker with a crossover, to get the most out of this.

Easily one of the most refreshingly original adventures to grace the PS2 to date. Elements conspire to create a well-rounded and enjoyable gaming experience that will keep you entertained for all of its 40-odd hours and aside from the odd annoying section (being forced to use underpowered characters early in the second disc, for instance), there really isn't anything stopping this being one of the best RPGs due out this year.

Despite it lacking the scope of challenge that you get in "Dance Dance Revolution," as well as being not quite as show-off friendly, the sheer absurdity of sitting there hitting a pair of bongos and clapping in time to crazy Japanese salsa music proves to be irresistible – not to mention entirely accessible to pretty much any member of your average 2.4 family. [JPN Import]

An engaging and amusing game that should appeal to the young and young at heart alike.

While accomplished would be a better adjective than flamboyant when it comes to gameplay, Amuze deserves kudos for the cinematic quality afforded the game's script and musical score.

The quests quickly repeat themselves and some of the larger creatures are nigh impossible to take down alone. Even so, it's a remarkably unique and thorough title and if you're online with your PS2, there's no reason for you not to get a taste for cold blood and take the hunt online. There really is nothing else quite like it.

An acquired taste, and well worth renting for a weekend's test play.

The combat system has a depth that allows you to learn new moves and string together long combos for some slick fighting while the vivid comic book style goes some way to explain the occasionally basic look of some of the sections.

Very few games today are so brazenly simplistic yet still so huge in scale so this really is a rare treat.

Vattic's tale is a compelling emotional journey, and his psychic powers can really clock up a decent amount of player satisfaction. In spite of this, Second Sight is flawed, but perhaps more importantly, it's nothing special.

At the end of the day it's best to simply grit your teeth and fight through the odd annoyance in order to gain a better look at the wider picture on offer. It seems that Blood Will Tell is hardly a classic, but it spins a gripping yarn none the less.

There have been many games in the past that have taken the "Baldur's Gate" gameplay as source material and, frankly, fudged the deal. But Legends succeeds because it treats both the "Baldur's Gate" gameplay and the X-Men licence with respect

Massively superior to the pre-Xbox original, Headhunter: Redemption doesn't stand up as anything really special in this crowded genre, but instead flashes with moments of quality and intriguing entertainment that sparks life into a strictly one-way stroll through endless corridors.

Using Vattic's psychic abilities can be immensely enjoyable, especially when he learns to pick up people and smash them through windows. However, when the novelty of the psychic powers wears off, the game seems like an average third-person adventure with drab environments and awkward controls.

As long as you don't want to be blown away with an audio-visual feast adventure fans will really enjoy it.

The game is full of good, original ideas that allow you to tackle familiar situations in a fresh way, and despite flaws that we'll discuss later on, playing through it proved to be an immensely enjoyable experience.

This is the game we have wanted to play since we got caught setting fire to teddy bears in 1984...An excellent multiplayer combat game, a tremendous Star Wars Experience.

Sure, you can dress your fighter in all sorts of swish gear and blinging jewellery and Henry Rollins is on hand to teach you new 'Blazin' moves and generally improve your tactics, but once you've taken away all the gimmicks, you're left with what is still a very niche title.

Considering that we're still ploughing through the 2004 edition without complaint, we daresay there'll be more than enough to fill the time between now and next year, when we'll inevitably see Tiger Woods 2006 if his career-skid interface hasn't become any more severe.

The Star Wars game that will have fans in absolute rapture because the presentation and authenticity is totally flawless. Forget technical prowess or ground-breaking gameplay (although Battlefront is by no means ordinary in this department), this game has been built from the ground up by fans, for fans.

It's faster, harder, dirtier, louder, and quite simply, the most brutal beat-'em-up we've ever had the joy of playing. In fact it's more than brutal - it's downright vicious. And smack our head repeatedly into an iron girder if it isn't fun.

It's just tragic that there's no Xbox Live support.

There is now a level editor named Tiger Proofing where players can customise their own greens and add naff little gimmicks to impress their mates and try to convince themselves that it's not exactly the same game as they all bought last year.

Vietcong is perfect proof that all the authenticity in the world doesn't necessarily make a great game.

Despite the game's incredibly high difficulty level (that sometimes borders on the frustrating); the intricately designed levels, sumptuous aesthetics and razor sharp gameplay will constantly pull you back, until all you can live for is annihilating your previous high score.

All the fun of tagging the enemy is tied together with an admirable level of hyper-reality that manages to convince you that the game is taking a realistic stance, while so obviously being no more genuine an experience than if you had read the story in a comic. Everything is heightened, almost to the point of self-parody.

There's nothing here that will tax anyone who has ever played a platform game before and the game never hits you with a moment of pure genius or, indeed, innovation. What it does is provide you with a very attractive cartoon world to enjoy and a few light puzzles and situations to ponder.

Demon Stone's epic battles are also its biggest failing. For all its multiple combos, dynamic looking spells and various magical items (which can all be handily purchased at the end of each level) the hack and slash gameplay is still extremely basic.

If I had my time again; the chance to replay every side-quest, to change my appearance, my very morality (and something tells me that I will), I'd do it all differently - just because I could.

Below the surface insanity though, is a much deeper fighter.

It's the styling and attention to detail that makes the game work...This is not the best game you'll play all year, but it's certainly the most honest.

If the development team was trying to emulate the film it has succeeded, this is utter crap.

The tight and sometimes confused battles may be bad for the gameplay but great for the overall 'Nam experience.

It's a shame some of the effort wasn't pushed in the direction of the second half of the game.

Burnout 3 is as pure a gaming experience as we have had the pleasure of kneeling before for longer than we can remember and we've been doing this for a long time.

If you want destruction and racing get "Burnout 3." This feels as fun as throwing a Lego car around a bathtub while a bald man shouts in your ear about how pissed off he is. Oh, right, there's the music volume down switch. Damn.

We just can't get that excited about Konami's latest venture. Maybe it's the annoying plot twist that happens halfway through the game - think "Ico" with a plaster cast - that essentially forces you to replay through all the frightening locations you've already visited.

A work of art, a piece crafted to such infinitesimal detail that every second of the experience has the capacity to cause the player to gasp with exhilarated pleasure from the opening race of the coupe series, right through to the final, devastating Crash Junction on the Burnout world tour.

Just as T3 was a juvenile-friendly selection of set pieces pulled wholesale from previous Terminator movies, The Redemption feels like cobbled together moments from the videogame archive with a Terminator spin.

Don't allow that dying glint in your eye be revived by the £20 price tag either - it's there simply as admittance that something hideous lurks inside the case.

It seems foolish to be content with an average racer like this.

Koei's feudal epic continues to go from strength to strength and while it only offers subtle improvements over Xtreme Legends, it's still a very comprehensive package. Roll on "Dynasty Warriors 5."

Even though its flaws are few and petty for the most part, the length of the game accentuates them to a point of some frustration. Thankfully, though, the story and unique elements are enough to ensure extended play.

If you're willing to invest the time in it, there's no denying that Nippon Ichi has once again come good with another zillion hours of great RPG gaming for those hungry for numbers.

The modification potential for the cars is a wafer-thin percentage of its competitors as well, but then who needs it, right?

Sadly, there's just not enough action to get you hooked.

The game is not too big and in fact can be finished extremely quickly but there is always the option of racing again in a new car or just watching the models strut their stuff.

If you're after a decent platform adventure game for a gamer between the ages of three and nine, Carmen is perfect. Straightforward gameplay, varied graphics, a memorable villain and a slice of science will satisfy anyone in that age group.

It's brilliant. Better than the first game, in fact. It's got everything you could ask for. More Pikmin, bigger play areas, dungeons to explore, multiplayer modes... but crucially, it doesn't feel bloated. [JPN Import]

There really is a good, solid wrestling simulation under all the brashness of the WWE. Finally the GameCube gets something to properly rival the "Smackdowns" on the PS2.

Despite the fantastic Monster Editing mode and all the game's charm, it's not the exactly the height of originality and can be completed way too easily. Still, whilst the game may not be amazing, it's pretty darn good.

It sets down the ground rules early on and adheres to them with a wonderful strictness that many games are terrified to do.

All at once. Astro boy is challenging, beautiful and in these days, utterly unique in its simplicity. Action fans will want to snap this up at the very first opportunity. [JPN Import]

When not having "almost fun" by busting ghosts (see boxout) we're left wondering what the game wants. Gallons of paint and polish can't disguise the fact that the heart of Ghosthunter is very old.

Underneath all the 'hilariosity' though, are some rock solid physics.

The implementation of the Hit Stick (use the right analogue stick for some hard hitting defensive plays) is a nice touch and the rest of the game's mechanics have received a subtle overhaul to ensure it plays better than ever.

The standard sit-on-the-fence "If you're a fan..." line doesn't apply here. Instead, we say this - buy it, learn the rules and thank us later. Ours will be a pint. Without the mayonnaise, thank you.

The Live aspect of Black Arrow is the finest you'll find on the Xbox, and the new 3.0 support adds a further, inevitable, depth to what was already a first-class shooter... You need this game because it is utterly and unashamedly brilliant.

By all means once it appears in bargain bins (and believe us, that'll be sooner rather than later) Galleon needs to be purchased, if only so you can see how such a potential epic has strayed so far off course. Tragic, simply tragic. [XBM]

The controls are all over the place, the collision detection is laughable, the missions are dull and it is the biggest waste of time and money since that thing KLF did ages ago. By no means be fooled into buying this, nah, you won't be, no-one is that stupid.

There are enough varied magical effects to keep the action interesting and fill the screen with the occasional burst of bright, explosive light effects.

In a culture that often prioritises surface quality over content, Catwoman embodies the 'videogames that look good but play dreadfully' stereotype, with some aspects of the game (ie the ones that are likely to feature in screenshots) obviously given far more development time than, say, the quality of enemy intelligence or how anyone interacts with the gameworld.

Playing through those 30 or so hours is one of the most enjoyable Xbox experiences around, as the game can be played at the player's own pace. There's no rushing to meet timed events or missing out on special items that only appear for half an hour.

If you want a shallow, no fun, sexist, rip-off of "Prince Of Persia," taken from a terrible idea for a film, then why the hell are you reading this magazine?

We're basically being screwed from behind while simultaneously being fed the most exquisite cuisine. What a predicament. Oh well... us GameCube owners are used to being screwed, so we may as well just close our eyes and taste the honey.

A pleasant surprise. It's a game that focuses on having fun and the fact that it stretches your grey matter at the same time is an added bonus.

Catwoman, is quite simply, complete tripe...It's superficial. Everything about this game is based around how it looks rather than how it plays.

We defy you to get through an entire tournament and still care whether you win or lose, which is about the best summation of Athens 2004 as we're likely to find.

The battle system is light years ahead of anything else in the RPG world - remarkably, it actually makes dungeon crawling fun - and the sheer amount of options you have with it means that you'll never get bored. [JPN Import]

It’s a shame that the game comes to an end so soon. There are five levels in total and while each consists of various stages, they’re fairly short, meaning it isn’t long before the final boss falls and the credits are rolling.

Just as Spider-Man has to struggle with the burden of trying to live a normal life as Peter Parker, Spider-Man 2 struggles to find balance between the open ended gameplay of titles such as GTA it has so obviously been influenced by and platform games of old and their out-moded approach to boss fights.

Regardless of how cheesy it may be, we're glad that there's a slow motion 'Spidey Sense' button, it allows you to appreciate all of the work that has gone into the animation.

A little more depth would have made it a classic, but it's still a must for Spidey fans, or anyone else after a big, brash citywide blast.

Minute irritations aside, for your 20 nupes you get a fantastic game of pool by the father of 3D ball rolling, enough stuff to keep you coming back on your own and if you bring a mate the competition is never ending.

Yes, the game rewards the time you put in and trust us, this is one game you'll be coming back to again and again.

We really must emphasise that whatever your skill level, MTV proves to be immensely fun and afternoons slip by amid delusions of musical prowess. If you've ever heard a song remix and thought 'How hard could it be?' MTV will show you: a piece of cake.

You may be thinking that this all sounds very familiar, and it is, but in terms of enjoyment, Showdown is a vast improvement on its predecessors.

An incredibly versatile package and if it weren't for the fairly minor inconvenience of being trapped within the sound set of whichever of the ten basic tracks in which you choose to work, it would be almost without fault.

Perhaps the handiest feature Atomic Planet has incorporated into this great compilation though is the new Navi Mode, which basically allows you to use the great menu from Mega Man 8 in all the other titles and also gives you handy hints throughout the game. [JPN Import]

A game of two vastly differing stories. One tells of the awesome technology and design work that has gone into constructing the game world. The other is about a failure to utilise that game world into making a cohesive, fun and rewarding videogame experience. Driv3r is glitchy, unfinished and, as we've already stated, fundamentally flawed.

It is very enjoyable to play through and does feature moments of brilliance. However, we think a lot of you will be disappointed by what it has to offer.

It's a tough, fun game that will have you coming back for more until you've mastered it. But it all feels a little dated now. Be aware that this isn't your typical shooter either... silent, but violent.

There's no denying the marked improvements which make Pandora Tomorrow a far more amicable gaming experience, unfortunately it's the similarities that keep it from greatness. This plays how the original should have.

It's more indicative of the current crop of racing games that a 15 year-old concept feels so refreshing.

It may have allusions of "Grandia", it may have huge sections marred by cheese-fuelled music that can sound as if it has actually being produced by a fifteen-year old sound chip, but it's still an excellent title that can be so gripping you may find yourself considering a life as a tabletop wargamer, dice in hand and grin on face.

This subtlety, off the wall humour and quaint fun makes Ribbit King multiplayer very compelling indeed.

Pool Paradise confirms Archer Maclean's reputation as a man with his finger on the pulse of the snooker/pool genre. By combining a highly accurate and satisfying physics engine with the addictive world of gambling and the all-important storyline, his team have created a game that should appeal to a far wider market than your average pool/snooker title and it's only twenty notes. A winner.

One major plus point is a superb, absorbing 5.1-surround sound experience that demands volume and really brings the game to life.