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.

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.

It's true that NHL 2004 is a tougher game to get involved with compared to past versions of the franchise. But, with more leagues (including elite world clubs), more players and new enhanced moves, there is plenty here for fans to enjoy, if you have the stamina to master it all, that is.

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.

The proof of the pudding is in the tasting – and this is a toothsome treat.

Overall, this is the most complete Smackdown game yet, with changes and improvements everywhere you care to mention and a fighting system that's such fun, knowledge of the WWE isn't even necessary to enjoy it.

In fact other than the addition of Silvia, Viewtiful Joe 2 is remarkably similar to the original - the majority of flaws included. But when the game still feels fresher than the crisp clean smell of a bath towel washed in Daz Ultra we have no reason to feel aggrieved.

Quite frankly you’d be pushed hard to find a better extreme sports game anywhere and we believe this could possibly be the best game available on the GBA.

Coupled with the unrivalled level design, the marriage of elements is a strong one... one that easily claims the extreme top spot and raises the bar that one notch higher.

Not only does multi-play work, it... you get the idea. We don't want to detract from the goodness that is Baldur's Gate but even a mother who loves both her sons has a favourite. This is ours.

The sheer scale of the game is breathtaking, and there is an undeniable feeling of freedom in roaming the stars at your pleasure between missions.

If you're a Star Wars fanatic and you own an N64, then you can't afford to be without this game. If you''re not a Star Wars fan then still buy this game because it's the most exciting, most gripping shoot-'em-up on the N64 so far.

Whilst we're still deeply enthused by Sonic Team's opus, all of this means that to enjoy this game costs an awful lot of money. Perhaps too much money.

Fans of S-RPGs will adore this game. When you play a game as in-depth as this you aren't paying too much attention to how pretty the graphics are. That said, Intelligent Systems has had experience with the GameCube previously and there's no excuse for the game looking as bland it does. [JPN Import]

One of those rare games that is beyond criticism. It plays beautifully, and gives you the opportunity to become at one with it - provided you're willing to put the hours in. Try playing this one at 3am and you'll see what we mean. The best shooter in years.

Overall there's more to do and experience in Return of the King than in The Two Towers, but consequently this tends to frustrate more than please.

If you’ve got a PC lying around then you’re better off with the PC version, but The Sims on GameCube is still a mind-blisteringly good game if judged on its own merits.

The slow, repetitive action is the knockout blow that stops this contender from ever being the greatest. [XBM]

One of the best and most addictive sim-games available at present, and this expansion pack is definitely better value for your simoleans than any of the other add-ons have been.

Playing NFSUG is like driving through the West End at midnight wearing Vaseline smeared sunglasses. Quite how a game can look both polished and blocky is beyond us, but that's exactly what EA has managed here.

The most important thing to realise with Turok is that it's very much a post-Doom, total 3D game. The gameplay balance has had to shift away from mass onslaughts to a slightly more thoughtful variation. For the most part it's an enthralling, if occasionally frustrating atmosphere piece.

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.

It is a hell of a lot better than the previous incarnation of Silent Hill but if you’re planning on getting the third tale, you’re going to have to be a real survival horror fan.

A solid Career and Create-a-player mode nicely round off a genuine oh-go-on-then-one-more-go game but the real fun to be had is in fighting on multiplayer.

It's engrossing and amazingly, imparts a deep, genuine love for numbers.

It looks spectacular, it plays well after practice and has options galore, but FIFA 2004 simply isn't a patch on The Other Football Game in terms of recreating the passion, anxiety and pleasures of football.

Looks gorgeous, handles sweetly and is ‘totally bitchin’ when played against other like-minded, bloodthirsty players – there must be some price to pay amongst all this triumph.

At it's best this is a fiery action adventure, at it's worst it relies too heavily on pootling around a map while the sense of combat is halved the moment you use any weapon that doesn't cause a massive explosion. It's also rather brown.

Fans of all things noir will eat up this one with a sizeable gaming spoon, and anyone who loves a serving of violence with a side order of dirty words will also take plenty away from Max Payne 2.

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.

The basic thrill of playing Starfighter cancels out these minor gripes and most players should find this an engrossing and explosive experience.

This game is awesome... If you like killing people, this is for you. Hell, if you like killing snowmen, or nurses, or ducks, pirates, ninja, the French...

The icing on the cake though is the two-player link-up game...it’s fantastic! Believe us when we say that StreetFighter has never been this playable or fun – you simply have to own it!

Ultimately, if you approach this with an open mind, you'll discover a well-designed and deeply engaging piece of software.

The interface is simple despite the huge number of men at your disposal, Shogun is the next step in war-gaming, as accessible and fun as C&C but with vast scope and grand aspirations.

The game is one of the better efforts in the series, with the flaws that put off hardcore gamers reduced, but still present. It’s not really one for strategy nuts, but if you like a less challenging but enjoyable dose of strategy, this will fit the bill nicely.

This was already a fine game on the PC but we’d go so far as to say that this is the best version of Wolfenstein we’ve played.

A truly addictive piece of videogaming...A guaranteed hit!

This game is quality. You don't so much play it, but experience it...Invisible War gives us a new vision and for that we are nothing less than extremely grateful. It's legend time, right here.

Our only problem with The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is that, after a while, the brainless stomping does become a little one dimensional, but then again that is the nature of the comic book licence and this is certainly a step above recent titles such as "The Fantastic Four" and "Batman Begins."

The best Moto GP game we’ve seen on any system.

As a standalone product it’s wonderful and offers (save for an official license) everything a rally fan would desire: brilliant handling, sumptuous visuals, deformable cars and much more besides. But if you’ve played the last game to death there may not be enough of a difference to make you want to buy it.

For all of its failings though, Skies Of Arcadia Legends is a worthy game. The atmosphere draws you in completely, and the wonderful characters make your journey through this massive game a total joy.

As long as you don't mind your games having a bit of a kick to them, you should be picking this up as soon as possible.

RF II is, indeed, a good game, it just isn’t quite as great or ground-breaking as the first one was despite all its new bells, whistles and a slightly unnecessary squad system.

A masterpiece of suspense and of claustrophobic videogame terror. And we like being scared.

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.

Minutes turn to hours turn to days of play but all of a sudden, a revelation hits you. ‘What am I doing?’, ‘What’s the point in this?’ – you start to question why you’re putting so much time into a practically endless game.

If you like your racing fast, fun, highly controllable and mouth-wateringly gorgeous to look at, however, then this is definitely one title you want to add to your pool of games.

The Danger Zone and the easy-to-use reversal system combine to make the skirmishes of Dead Or Alive more varied than many current classics, including high flyers like "Soul Blade."

You may argue that Mario Advance is old fashioned, but it’s a testament to the strength of the gameplay that it still pulls you in and keeps you fixed to your Game Boy.

It’s fast, furious and above all, a whole lot of fun.

The action itself is fast and fluid.

If though you're after more than eye catching cosmetic gloss and an ear stroking cinematic score, if, in short, you're after a brilliantly playable game based on one of the most celebrated, loved and epic fantasies in living memory, then sadly this isn't what you're looking for.

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.

The graphical detail throughout makes this a new watershed in handheld game design.

OK so it's not exactly packed with originality neither will it take you weeks to complete but it's loads of fun and after all isn't that what's important? Put simply, it's quite possibly the best Bond game yet as far as its overall 'Bondness' goes.

The Warriors doesn't do anything particularly wrong - it's a perfectly acceptable game - but at the same time it doesn't do anything spectacular.

Easily a contender for game of the year and, potentially, the last great piece of original gaming left for current-gen Xbox owners to discover.

At a time when many games endorse themselves based on the power of a single gimmick, Midway has crammed all manner of ragdoll physics, realworld physics, particle and lighting effects into Psi-Ops, laid an innovation of its own over the top, and left the final product to speak for itself. In a perfect world, all games would be developed with this much attention to detail.

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.

If you’re after a well–polished and accurate basketball simulator for solo play only, then NBA 2K3 is a good choice, but most people will be better off going for "NBA Street."

While the single-player may be short work for the fans and hard going for the casuals, the multiplayer action is a massive incentive to pick up this excellent bargain buy.

Insufferably bi-polar difficulty levels attacks that can't be repelled or escaped from no matter your skill and combat because your stuck on the ground in a death loops is something so lacking in grace that it numbs you.

Graphically the game is excellent and there are lots of quirky touches, such as the darts players in the local inn who throw a dart directly at the camera ''smashing'' the screen.

It's a high quality product that blends tactics, strategy and management into an accessible and playable game -- just watch out for the appearance of any latent megalomaniac tendencies.

This pack gives a great new lease to a game that has far from run out of steam.

A tired old game with very little to say for itself. Please Tom Clancy, we know it made for good source material for your books but leave the Cold War behind. It's over already.

The developer has obviously done the best it can with the camera and you will have few problems controlling your men. It can be incredibly annoying that the camera can't pull away from the action just a fraction more.

The series may seem a little aged after just 12 months - something underlined by the superior alternative of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat which is already available - but there's a lot here to get to grips with, especially given that multiplayer effectively triples the potential, with offline and online modes fleshing out the action.

The only problem now is where THQ takes things from here; if it doesn't want to fall into the FIFA-trap, it'll have to come up with something pretty special next time.

A number of excellent set-pieces, good puzzles and some surprise changes in pace do keep the attention until the bitter, dramatic end but generally this is B-list stuff when compared to proper PS2 horror adventures.

From chasing down a hijacked Interceptor to protecting friendly forces or shutting down an enemy base, Spy Hunter rarely leaves you with less than four things to think about with each of the fourteen levels boasting some of the most exhilarating set-pieces your likely to have witnessed for some time.

It’s certainly a great game, but doesn’t break ground in the same way that Onimusha did.

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

Unfortunately, the game is let down slightly by a rather annoying control problem – by only having one button to lay down arrows, you need to keep pressing it repeatedly to switch direction.

Everything about The Sims just reeks of quality and charm; from the way that every Sim action is beautifully animated to the way they talk to each other, and you, in voices that you can almost make out. But can’t.

What really elevates the game, though, is the impressive implementation of the Havoc 2.0 engine. Fling an enemy into a wall, and his broken body will slump lifelessly to the floor, throw him into a barrel and chuckle wickedly as the hapless guard goes sailing through the air like an oversized rag doll.

It's basically a faster, looser version of "Sands Of Time," with all the extra trimmings the first title lacked. It may well drive you completely round the bend, make you feel mentally retarded and keep you awake at night, but with so many developments and delightful touches included it's certain to become game of the year for a great many platform lovers once again.

The pace is always utterly frantic, usually over in under a couple of minutes, and gives players an uncontrollable urge to come back for more.

The Dreamcast may be dead and buried but Virtua Tennis lives on in this essential GBA purchase. Excellent!

A fantastic achievement and a must buy for any Resident Evil fan. The new gameplay additions may even sway those of you who couldn’t get to grips with Remake.

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.

What Sly offers is what it has always offered; quality cartoon stylisation and tight (yet slight) play mechanics. It's a gentle game that leads you through it with welcome arms.

It's strange but there is something even more satisfying about capping a stranger on Live than there is killing a friend sat next to you.

Having played Morrowind, however, we did feel rather constricted.

There is actually much to praise in Rygar – the style, in particular, being wonderful. The seven worlds are packed with imaginative designs that range from the crumbling Coliseum of the game’s opening to islands in the sky.

A very accomplished and well presented title, which although not exactly innovative, it does have that little something extra to make it stand out from the pack.

While Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 is a fantastic game in its own right, the fact that its takes such little advantage of the hardware it’s running on prevents us from being truly ecstatic.

Easily the best football game on the GameCube, even with the shortcomings of the AI and controls. It takes some getting used to, but once mastered, there's a great game in here.

It does improve the longer you play it and there's something enticing about blagging the next new piece of kit to slap on your car. Unfortunately the racing itself simply isn't fun enough.

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.

More brutal than anything we've seen before on PlayStation, the open structure of the game and lack of energy bars are welcome additions to a genre which was frankly getting stale.

Our longest wait was just over 60 seconds (longer than our quickest match-up) while an announcer blathers on about the next match and we sit confused, assuming that the game has crashed.

It's a fine survival horror game that's starting to show its age. The Xbox really needs an original horror outing all of its own.

The puzzles in Silicon Valley are varied and fun, preventing the whole thing from just becoming a matter of repeatedly killing things, and this is yet another factor which keeps the interest going.

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.

The trouble is, with the likes of "Project Gotham Racing 3" and "Test Drive Unlimited" looking pretty awesome - that level of expectation is very high - and this latest Need For Speed adventure doesn't quite have the weight to match it.