It looks a hell of a lot better, runs smoother and feels faster. So there’s no confusion here then: this is not a straight port. Got that? Good.

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

And they're the meanest bunch of cops you'll find outside of America's deep south.

A magical adventure in every sense, Abe's Exoddus stands oversized head and boney green shoulders above any competing title. Yes, it's a lot like "Oddysee," but it's ingeniously more complicated and so long they had to put it on two discs!

A slapdash port of a PlayStation 2 game ported across simply to cash in on a total cow of a licence.

If you don't have your PlayStation2 online you're going to be missing out on a large slice of the gaming fun to be had with SOCOM II.

Rallisport Challenge 2 is bigger and better than any other rally game, leaving one simple equation - play this game or miss out on what could be the finest racer of 2004. [XBM]

And there's Dark Alliance's core problem in a nutshell – it plonks you in one of the most painstakingly created gaming universes to ever emerge, and yet you're more than happy to be kept within this episode's central, linear plot-path.

The sound is probably as good as anything we have seen yet (or should that be anything we have heard yet?) with some marvellous dialogue and superb effects.

Fundamentally it’s the same game as "Tony Hawk’s 2," only it chugs along like a broken steam train! It stutters, splutters and jerks around like a breakdancer with broken legs and it feels like the batteries are running low on your PlayStation.

SEGA has gone the whole way with this one.

Although battles and conversations make up a big part of the gameplay, aimless wondering makes up even more.

The feeling of satisfaction when everything locks together like a giant jigsaw puzzle is enormous. Despite its flaws, this is a fantastic slice of gaming.

The game’s coup de grace, however, lies in the intelligence of the other characters you encounter.

A finely honed beat-'em-up that reveals an exceptional amount of depth after prolonged play. Sadly, however, even the most ardent Xbox fans in the office struggled to argue that this is anything more than "DOA2" with big brass knobs on.

This is the evolution of platform games that we've waited nearly ten years for, which is great news for everyone.

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 what strikes us the most is how polished it feels. It's pointless going on about the gameplay because by now you know it's flawless. [JPN Import]

Easily one of the best multiplayer racers ever made.

Hardcore driving fans may argue that this doesn't offer enough options in the way of car upgrades, but you won't find another rally game that's this much fun to play.

A refreshing experience that reminds us what gaming is all about. Right from the start, the levels just beg to be explored and the vibrant graphics and quirky sense of humour make you smile.

Other mech shooters like "Steel Battalion," "Phantom Crash," "Gun Metal" and even "Robotech" featured a new approach to the genre. Sadly, this isnít the case here. But if you're after some mindless action then this is the place to come.

Unlike most developers Nintendo can take an ingenious and unusual idea and turn it into an inventive game of discovery and fun. This, you might say, is the Nintendo difference.

Few adventures out there give you a world as detailed and lush as Beyond Good & Evil.

Far from what its name might suggest but as trigger happy fun goes, you won't get much better. Serious Sam? Rubbish name, great game.

The trouble is (and we can’t really expect anything different) that it doesn’t do anything above and beyond the call of duty.

Pre "Splinter Cell" this was undoubtedly the benchmark in stealthy gameplay and innovation within this genre, but post SC it’s a solid game that, despite having a wealth of engaging modes outside of the main game, must content itself with second place behind Ubi Soft’s outstanding sneak-’em-up title.

It’s to the developer’s credit that this does not feel at all like "Pharaoh" with a Greek touch, but has its own feel and style to it.