It may not be a startlingly original game but Need for Speed: Underground is an enjoyable one, and for racing fans, it's a must.

A good third-person, team-building, shooter for the GameCube. But it needs more depth to the AI, longer levels and less linear missions.

The young Prince did a superb job, but amidst the darkened clouds he's aged with some style and the beautifully excessive fighting system creates a much-improved character and a better all-round game. [XBM]

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.

The critics will be keen to slam these scenes as a crucial flaw but while we’d agree that they are possibly the most annoying factor, they do an excellent job of pushing the story forward and after the first few hours, the balance becomes much more acceptable.

In a nutshell this can be described as the best GBA fighting game on the shelves.

The actual game isn’t special enough to warrant more than the usual amount of puzzle fan attention.

Another criticism levelled at last year’s release was the dodgy AI. This time round the CPU players are much more intelligent making for a more challenging, yet rewarding game.

This is as straight a port as you’re likely to see. Whatever Eidos were doing over the last six to eight months, it certainly wasn’t improving the package.

Well, now Fahrenheit is here in all its understated, slow-burning glory; and chances are most gamers will probably be blissfully unaware that the adventure genre has changed for the better in Quantic Dream's latest masterpiece.

The immense satisfaction when you finally pull yourself towards that vertigo-inspiring exit or leave Dahaka behind is unmatched by any other game.

There is nothing else quite like this, and until the sequel, there never will be. Get this at your peril - your life social life will soon be gone afterwards.

The GameCube version of XG3 is, to be frank, bloody marvellous.

This game is brilliant, but it scares us.

The healthy collection of missions provides plenty of variety to try out some of your moves, although sometimes the breakdown of these missions into short objectives can spoil your fluency.

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.

The response of each craft, no matter how demanding, feels gloriously authentic and exudes the same order of weighty behaviour which so successfully separates A-Spec from GT2.

It may be a cliché, but you will soon involuntarily be nodding your head in time with the breaks, whether they be rawk guitars or looped vocals.

The graphics are impressive and the sense of speed is top notch too.

As a sequel it doesn't falter in the same way other Capcom releases have, and we're talking "Devil May Cry" here. It seems that the developers were particularly happy with the original Maximo, or perhaps they had just designed themselves into a corner with nowhere to add anything too jaw dropping.

Mario Kart 64 is much more of an arcade combat game than before but its lastability, like the 16bit original, will be measured in years not months.

Having old enemies join forces against Apocalypse is a decent idea for an X-Men story, it's a shame that it has been rendered into a series of dull maps and substandard action. One for collectors.

For the most part this is a fairly solid example of the genre, although positioning the cone can feel somewhat erratic thanks to the slightly jerky controls.

These games are massive, easily rivalling any recent console release in terms of size, scale and re-playability.

The fact remains that the improvements that NHL Hitz 20-03 has over the first game just can’t justify yet another £40… it’s just not different enough.

The bottom line is that Smackdown!: SYM is the only wrestling game on any console (not just the PS2) to have everything that the fans want… and a whole lot more. If that’s not enough of a reason to go out and get it, we don’t know what is.

Playing as Kong is a joy, (see boxout for details) but it's all too brief a flirtation with primal rage - scooping Ann up in his oversized hand and fending-off a Jurassic Park of tyrannosaurs with wrestling inspired moves, after swinging through a jungle canopy with all the grace of Ico is inspiring, but it feels like little more than a cameo.

For such a promising, daring game ultimately to play no differently at the end than it did at the beginning only underscores what a tremendous disappointment it is. As a pure cinematic experience it's absolutely unrivalled; as a videogame, it falls tragically short of the mark.

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.

The painfully overused 'gangsta-speak', the cop with a grudge against you and Josie Maran trying to pop your hood the whole time are all completely unnecessary, although not particularly obstructive, adornments. Otherwise though, this is everything you already love about Need For Speed plus the pigs.

The in-game graphics are as primitive as ever – simply doing their job of representing the positions of your various units around the map – and the basic turn-based concept won’t be every gamer’s cup of tea, but there’s surely enough depth and engrossing potential here to bring hardcore adventurers back for more while enticing a good number of newbies.

The physics engine wraps the package up nicely, so much so, that watching five bikes leap like frogs across the countryside becomes very mesmerizing.

As great and good and wonderful and new as SOCOM is, the game has a MOAB-sized room for improvement and before we go deeper into the communal experience of multiplayer combat we should cover a few points that prove that we’re not going to be fully-fledged cyber soldiers just yet.

There’ll be times when you curse it for being so tough, but when you do get anywhere the feeling of elevation is immense.

The learning curve of Ape Escape 2 is damn near perfect... If you’re looking for top-flight platform entertainment then you really cannot go wrong with Ape Escape 2, it’s brilliant.

FIFA 2002 has consciously observed the strategy and brilliant mix of simulation and arcade gameplay within Konami’s ISS series and, in doing so, has made the FIFA series infinitely more approachable for the gamer who would never look at the licensed game, preferring to bury himself in ISS.

The tracks! Wow! The first ones... well, they''re okay, and they seem fast, but they're not really anything you won't have seen before - that's for the first one or two. But from then on... hold onto your hat, or rather, hold onto your lunch! If you thought rollercoasters were bad, try this! Loops, dips and multiple junctions that make it possible to take a different route for every lap of the race.

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

The huge array of skills and the depth of character development stay true to Fallout's predecessors while the play is a devious mix of precision and inspired tactics with a healthy dose of an army motto, "Check, check and check again!"

Has the cars, moments of originality and the track designs to threaten even the mighty Project Gotham Racing and if the graphics were a little more impressive it may just have pipped it.

It’s worth playing through the game a few times to find varying routes through the levels, but after that all you’ve got left is the split-screen deathmatch, a feature that not only plays badly but really isn’t needed.

Definitely an improvement on previous editions and it seems that EA is some way towards emulating "Pro Evolution Soccer" on the PS2. Unfortunately for Xbox fans, it hasn't quite got it yet.

The worst part of all is the shocking lack of a multiplayer mode, and this is one of the main reasons why it doesn’t get a higher score. Still, jolly good fun… for a while!

Small problems like this, the brightness level and the basic control system are heavily outweighed by the exceptional gameplay and the stunning world laid out before you in Thief. [XBM]

Combines elements of countless classic games and adds three years' worth of great ideas to create something that in our opinion betters Nintendo's best attempts.

Whilst the game certainly contains plenty of exciting and innovative touches (such as stamina, hero units and the points scoring system to improve units) these are all somewhat nullified by the utterly chaotic nature of combat, and the fact that the single player campaign always pits you against impossible odds that make the game much harder - not because the computer is clever, just because it has bigger and better units.

My only major gripe is the over-emphasis on combat. You seem to spend most of your time repelling massive onslaughts from the enemy, then frantically rebuilding before the next one begins.

The sheer quality of V-Rally 3 from its graphical detail and effects through to the depths of the Career mode shines through. It’s only the lack of a multiplayer option that spoils the party.

We don't dislike Brothers In Arms - far from it - but can only be disappointed that we expected a classic war game and instead Ubisoft merely delivered a very good one.

Future Perfect has the perfect blend of challenges and the best multiplayer gameplay around.

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

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.

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.

The extra elements – such as the chemistry set, the work bench, the vibrating bed, the magic lamp and so on, coupled with the great new NPCs – including the Grim Reaper, the Genie of the Lamp and Frankenstein’s monster – ensure that The Sims: Livin’ It Up will add plenty more fun to the successful original Sims formula.

If you're looking for a realistic and fun basketball game, then NBA Live 2003 will not disappoint.

There's just so much in Metal Arms to enjoy. Sure, it steals elements from numerous other games, but Swingin' Ape Studios has added so much charm to the game that you can't help but be impressed. If you're looking for a visually striking, entertaining blaster, pick it up: you won't be disappointed.

The game looks better than ever, with more colours making it a real visual treat, and the additional buttons allow for plenty of new tricks.

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.

You’ll have a constant smile on your face as well as enjoying an addictive and satisfying game of hockey. Excellent.

For all the new moves and multiplayer modes, it's still the same old Splinter Cell it's always been. Still tense, still frustrating, still endearing, still maddening.

Considering we’re talking about a Game Boy title here, Doom is incredible.

Gladiator has a well-planned multiplayer mode that works on and offline so we're left with a fairly empty, meaningless experience of stupid weapons, coin collection and weapon upgrading that makes you wonder why you're playing. The answer: Multiplayer or you're recovering from a coma.

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 multiplayer levels outnumber the main game stages massively and each one has been designed specifically with action in mind - and they deliver!

The game gives you nothing new beyond the usual attack or defend missions but it is still just as enjoyable as the original.

There are enough changes and additions to NHL Hitz 20-03 to justify a purchase and if you are a fan of the game you won’t be disappointed.

Looking visually identical to the PS2 version is forgivable (just about), but loading in-between the level sections isn’t – especially when you continue from exactly the same point as you stop... [yet it's still] an exceptionally good game.

It’ll certainly keep you busy, until the next FIFA game comes out (in a few months), just don’t expect to be too excited by it.

Deep. Beautiful. Phantasmal. These are all words to describe Phantom Dust, one of the most brilliantly conceived games on Xbox that you may never play. [JPN Import]

A decent expansion pack that goes a long way towards redressing the failings of the original. However, that is not to say that the original should not have been a lot better than it was.

How much fun you can have just hosing down iron with bullets is something for you to decide, since we’ve gone beyond that and are only truly happy with precision. But that’s the whole Time Crisis point, ain’t it?

Acceptable, occasionally technically impressive but, on the whole, either at or below the par set by other driving games. This one is still recommended, but just veers a few degrees below the target that we like to call essential.

To put them in order we'd say that TC3 is better than TC2 but both of them still hover behind Titan. This is an excellent lightgun game that just misses being truly great and goes on to kill an innocent bystander.

It's often the case with sports games, but this one is particularly geared up for some serious head to head potential. The over-the-top style is ideal for when you get the overwhelming urge to push a friend's face into a wall.

A perfect example of how exaggerated sports games can often be more fun that their realistic counterparts.

While it does last (and there is plenty of replay value), it will provide most gamers with an experience even more enjoyable than kicking back and smoking a pound of grade A swampweed.

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]

Tweaked sounds and graphics make it look slightly better and sound slightly nicer, but it’s not really a sequel in the true sense of the word. The Sims Bustin’ Out adds logical improvements to an already winning formula without blowing us away with any stunning revelations.

Little more than your average shooter - collect the weapons, shoot the bad guys, hit a few switches and, well, that's about it. We wouldn't object to this if it was done well, but it's not.

This is a great combination of fun, education (you never know when you might need those siege tactics in Tesco's) strategy and resource management that is a fantastic addition to the sim stable.

Grumbling aside, Hit & Run is a decent stab at doing something different with a The Simpsons game, but it still can't help being very, very unoriginal and dragging everything down to the lowest common denominator - collect stuff!

It looks loads better, has more objects and Sim-building options; it gives you more freedom and sense of neighbourhood. The trouble is that it's not the giant leap of gameplay that would warrant another £40.

Wetrix is weird, wild and incredibly addictive. It might not appeal to you if you're not keen on puzzle games, although you might surprise yourself if you give it a try.

This game is a tasty piece of eye candy. All the environments are not only huge, but extremely detailed. It runs on the Same engine as Hitman 2, but looks much better.

Coming out of nowhere and with little fanfare, this is certainly one of the genre's better titles. The only problem is that it's hard to identify with a cute robot who makes other cute(ish) robots break apart.

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.

We've been floored.

Batting on the other hand, is about as much fun as chewing glass. You’d basically need the reactions of a Jedi Knight to be able to rack up a decent hit ratio.

An enjoyable RTS game in the Age of Empire mold that will last even the most experienced of gamers quite some time with the various gameplay and map-making options available within it.

Freekstyle is a solid and often fun game that is sadly plagued by some niggling faults and the knowledge that both in terms of the genre and game style, this has been done better before.

Tecmo has effectively played it safe and delivered a game that while very good, does not offer the same enhancements to the genre that the original achieved. It's definitely worth picking up; just don't expect anything startingly original.

The missions vary between furious dogfights, bombing runs and escort duties, there's even a spot of stealth. The sound is stunning, and visually the game is equal to the best of the genre.

It's a full scale epic that completely engulfs you from the off and squeezes out so many different emotions that after a long stint, you're left wondering whether you really do like it or not. [JPN Import]

EA has decided to make the graphics grainier and more gritty but all this has done is make the game the worst-looking PSone FIFA game so far.

Overall, this is a decent, efficient addition to the genre, with a few good additions here and there for hardcore fans while the game's accessibility makes it a fine starting point for newcomers.

Throughout the controls are frustratingly unresponsive and the difference between a turn and a slide is too often dependant on chance rather than skill.

Games are meant to be fun and Hudson couldn’t have squeezed more fun into Bomberman Generation if it tried.

The most beautifully balanced, well-crafted 2D beat-‘em-up to grace God’s fair Earth.