From the balance between crashes and near misses to the graphical detail and track progression, Speed Kings always trails Burnout 2. If you’re a bike fanatic then Speed Kings is the game for you. Everyone else should stick with Acclaim’s other arcade racer.

This is certainly one offbeat character we wouldn't mind seeing again.

Admittedly, this game is designed to be played in multiplayer and when done so is quite fun. For about ten minutes.

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.

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.

For starters, anyone familiar with the Dreamcast version will stare in disbelief at the ropy visuals that this version has been saddled with. Everything from the characters to the levels look strangely rough-hewn and the textures look somewhat muted and lack definition and sharpness of colour.

The problem is that you have no control over where the camera is pointing so 50 percent of the time you'll be aiming at something off the screen.

By all means once it appears in bargain bins (and believe us, that'll be sooner rather than later) Galleon needs to be purchased, if only so you can see how such a potential epic has strayed so far off course. Tragic, simply tragic. [XBM]

The story mode is tough, but relatively short, and it becomes quite clear that Samurai Western is more of a blood soaked sprinter than a legendary long-distance athlete of a game.

A lot of fun and should not disappoint gamers who do not know the heritage of the title, but if you are looking for the pure thrills of the original Defender, then you may be left slightly wanting.

Possibly the biggest disappointment of the year. What could have been this year's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" turns out to be a shoddily executed, clumsy and unrewarding experience.

It's certainly slick and professionally done, and those who find platformers to be their favourite genre will find this very enjoyable. However, if you like your gaming to be different then all you'll get from this is a distinct feeling of deja vu.

If you’re looking at IndyCar Series as an alternative to EA’s F1 games or simply as a detailed simulator then don’t. You’ll be exceedingly bored, frustrated and dizzy before you’ve even finished a race. If you like driving in circles, then buy yourself a Scalextric kit.

It's a shame because The Hobbit recreates the atmosphere of the book quite well, only to bugger it all up with clichés, a wayward camera and maddening difficulty level.

To us it began to feel a little stale during the loading screen.

We are loathe to diss it completely as it is fun for a while, but you really cannot justify paying forty quid for it. Rent this, grab some beers, unhook your brain and you'll have fun - but don't think about paying full price for it, there's just not enough here.

Fans of the movie series do not want to be solving complex puzzles – they want to be slaying the dead – and A Fistful Of Boomstick gives constant opportunity for this.

The space-flying gimmick surely doesn’t warrant a purchase on its own. This should’ve been a very decent shoot-‘em-up. What happened?

There's nothing about it that really makes us want to recommend it, or play it for any extended period of time. We think this is simply because by today's standards, it's very average.

A fine looking title which falls down by being massively frustrating, Tao Feng can consider itself a wasted opportunity to combine the better elements from the Mortal Kombat and Dead or Alive series.

Unfortunately hampered by some annoying glitches and imperfections, the whole experience does remain fairly enjoyable while it lasts, but also leaves a decidedly bitter aftertaste.

Too bad the sugar in this car's tank comes in the form of handling that is as unresponsive as heavily handling can be. Driving like the Good Ol' Boys is often a matter of luck, while that holler button does get annoying after a few hours.

If you want destruction and racing get "Burnout 3." This feels as fun as throwing a Lego car around a bathtub while a bald man shouts in your ear about how pissed off he is. Oh, right, there's the music volume down switch. Damn.

With little in the way of originality, and a bandwagon that left three years ago, Gladiator is a game out of time.

Sadly, Shadow Of Apokolips just isn’t adventurous enough and offers little new or fun to both the Superman fan and game fan alike. More games like this and he could find himself back in the grave.

This feels every bit a PSone game whose stretch outreaches its grasp in every aspect of its being.

Ty manages to be a particularly average and uninspiring kart racer as well a particularly average and uninspiring action adventure, with opals.

Overall, Oni is in no way without merit, it is just not original or exciting enough to keep your attention for long. As a PSone game, perhaps we would be a bit kinder but for a next generation title, there is nothing more frustrating than bland mediocrity.