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.