The story is as good as ever and backed by some of the best sound of any PSone game and a smattering of smooth FMV scenes the atmosphere is bang up there with the best.

Madden has always been the king of the hill and this year is no exception.

The PS2 game is gorgeous enough as it, but the extra processing power, graphical trickery and superior control mechanism have done wonders for Criterion's racer.

There are no new developments in the game mechanics to speak of, it’s just the classic turn-based combat gameplay that kept us giggling throughout the last decade.

It’s not perfect, but Harry Potter is a sterling, fun play wrapped up in the magic of Hogwarts and it’s enchantments, making it a must have for muggles and wizarding folk alike!

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.

Overall, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 is a great addictive sports title, which is certainly way above par.

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.

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.

Flawed, yes, ambitious definitely - Silent Hill is a whole new experience adding to the challenge of "Resident Evil 2," while maintaining what it set out to do... drain you psychologically and scare you shitless!

Every member of the CUBE team was looking forward to this, and they all left the first session grumbling words like 'disaster,' 'bollocks' ad 'don't give up the day job Namco'. It's slow, dull and tedious. Don't get too depressed though, because there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

A no-frills tank sim that has a very solid base but not a great deal in terms of extras or window-dressing. Tank sim fans will find this a pleasing and detailed addition to their collection but anyone who is looking for the latest graphics, frantic shooting or options by the bucketload will not find them here.

A lot of fun, although not particularly advanced from "Delta Force 2" in either scope or quality.

Beautifully conceived and packed chock-full of garish Mario-isms. This is far better than any other golfing effort the N64 has spewed up in the past and we had to wait for the trusty little plumber to prove again just why he's the dog's danglies at almost everything he does.

Bear in mind that these would be ten or eleven of the most stimulating hours you can imagine, filled with drama, action, fear, wonder and really quite the most intense violence any person should witness.

As for the FFX initiates, you're going to like this a lot. Some parts may disappoint, some parts may even annoy you, but the experience as a whole is a good one, and you'll never question your purchase.

Probably the most accurate sport-to-videogame conversion around.

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.

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.

For all the niggles, gripes and irritations, XIII is a class act that has some supremely impressive aspects that you will thoroughly enjoy. This is a game that delights and infuriates in turn and our advice is to ration your XIII sessions so the frustration doesn't ruin what remains a standout title.

An immensely enjoyable shooter with adrenaline-soaked action, a Todd McFarlane attitude and a Marilyn Manson edge. Welcome to the dark side.

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.

In many areas Ghost Recon has the balance between shooting and thinking just about spot-on.

PC game-heads will be outraged at the dilution of this franchise by its console leanings, but there is still a great adventure and gripping story to be enjoyed.

This is a game about a partnership between play styles, and one that wouldn’t seem to work on paper, but like all good buddy relationships, like Starsky & Hutch themselves, it comes through in the end.

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

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.

Anyone put off by the steep learning curve will be missing out on some exhilarating racing action both on- and offline. The Live modes are impeccable.