By having multiple game styles - many of which are only additional to the main ones, as opposed to overpowering - helping enhance the overall experience rather than weaken it, Beyond Good & Evil is all the better for it.

But be warned, this game is horribly difficult early on and it will take even the most capable gamesplayer an age to complete.

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.

Prepare to be dazzled, gob-smacked and taken for the wildest ride of your life. And that's guaranteed... a masterpiece. The best game we've played for ages and absolutely recommended.

A groundbreaking title that takes the genre in a new and exciting direction. Capcom has once again managed to breathe life into a genre that had been stuck in something of a rut of late.

This is one of the fastest, most intense racing games we’ve played on any system and makes rival games look absolutely sedate by comparison.

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.

In single-player mode Chaos Theory isn't a big step in the evolution of the Splinter Cell franchise, and may seem a repetitive adventure so soon after "Pandora Tomorrow," but this doesn't stop it from being an excellent and visually stunning piece of work.

Simply the most atmospheric game we've played this year. In terms of overall presentation, it is beautifully accomplished, but, and it's becoming more and more rare these days, beneath this veneer lies a game that's enjoyable whether you approach it as a stealth specialist in need of a fresh and fulfilling adventure or simply as a mindless blast-a-thon.

The perfect example of how to update a classic game without losing the spark of sheer enjoyment that made it great in the first place. This is the first must-buy game of 2003.

Though I never though I'd say it, Total Annihilation rises above every strategy game there has ever been. To put it bluntly, it is the best.

The repertoire of tricks has been massively expanded. There are now rail Ubers and hand plants to experiment with but, most interestingly, you can now perform a board press to link combos together for big points.

The sheer scale of the achievement, in originality, variety and technological muscle earns it a 'Best Game Ever' acclamation through sheer muscle, almost regardless of its undoubted and typically Nintendo artistry.

With its groundbreaking realism, intelligent opponents and top playability, F1 2001 has set a new standard in racing simulations.

Everything about Unreal Tournament is spectacular and in your face.

The game delivers an all important experience that harks back to the elements that made the films great when they were originally released, and even from the start it becomes obvious that a phial full of that authentic LucasArts MagicTM has been sprinkled throughout the game.

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.

If you love real-time strategy but are getting a little bored of tank rushes and linear opposition then you should snap this up as soon as you can – it’s worth every penny and then some.

The balance of gameplay is just right, you are fed gently in to the game and by the time it starts getting tough, you are hooked and unable to leave your machine for hours and days on end!

Fighting games don't come much more accomplished than this though, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 is one of the most addictive and playable we've ever come across.

Turok 2: Seeds Of Evil has -- as a one-player game -- turned out to be good, but not the world-shaker everyone was expecting. It's Doom, basically -- a glorious-looking update of Doom, but Doom nevertheless. What saves Turok 2 is the multiplayer game, which is faster and smoother than Goldeneye.

Psygnosis has managed to improve WipeOut to such a degree that even those that hated the original will find WO2097 accessible and rewarding to play... WipeOut 2097 is a scorcher!

The action is as fast and frantic as ever and it is virtually impossible to play Descent II without bucking and rearing in your seat.

If real aliens turn up while you are playing this, they don’t stand a chance of getting your attention.

Besides the high quality visuals, real time battle is the key element that is arousing unashamed geeks around the planet for Final Fantasy VII.

From the title screen to the sound effects, everything here is right. You can even see the outside decals of the machine around the screen as if you have just popped down to the arcade!

On purely a technical stand point it stands out as looking and sounding like a remarkable achievement but just millimetres below the surface you'll see arguably the most ingeniously crafted game modern consoles have had the pleasure to run.

With the perfect combination of all-out mass slaughtering and stealth missions, Syphon Filter is an unexpected gem that comes highly recommended.