SBK '07 succeeds at being accessible to casual Superbike fans while also catering for the hardcore market.

As an action game spin-off from the highly tactical Advance Wars series, Battalion Wars II does its job, but a number of issues with the depth of the command system and the ability to rely on brute force over tactics let the game down.

A harmless and charming racing game.

The co-op career and battle modes are great fun, but had the new tracks been released for GH2 as downloadable content, we would no doubt have had just as much fun.

Guitar hero 3 should most definitely be praised - for its almost entirely original recording song list, for its attempts to introduce something new into a near perfect formula, and for picking up where Harmonix left off effortlessly. The songs are diverse, hard-rocking and challenging, but in all honesty, these new tracks are the most exciting new thing about GH3.

Guitar hero 3 should most definitely be praised - for its almost entirely original recording song list, for its attempts to introduce something new into a near perfect formula, and for picking up where Harmonix left off effortlessly. The songs are diverse, hard-rocking and challenging, but in all honesty, these new tracks are the most exciting new thing about GH3.

The co-op career and battle modes are great fun, but had the new tracks been released for GH2 as downloadable content, we would no doubt have had just as much fun.

A lot of fun and a highly accomplished debut.

Addictive.

On one hand it's a near-broken video game, packed full of so many gaming no-nos that it ought never to be spoken about again, but on the other it's original, atmospheric and sickeningly good fun.

On one hand it's a near-broken video game, packed full of so many gaming no-nos that it ought never to be spoken about again, but on the other it's original, atmospheric and sickeningly good fun.

On one hand it's a near-broken video game, packed full of so many gaming no-nos that it ought never to be spoken about again, but on the other it's original, atmospheric and sickeningly good fun.

On the one hand it's highly entertaining and almost obscenely violent and crude, but for a next-gen title with a next-gen price tag it doesn't quite deliver.

On the one hand it's highly entertaining and almost obscenely violent and crude, but for a next-gen title with a next-gen price tag it doesn't quite deliver.

The game is certainly rewarding and fun if you can get into it. Unfortunately we can't see the average gamer having the patience to do just that.

With a stunning single-player campaign, a wealth of capable online multiplayer facilities and the provisions of raw power the 360 offers, Ace Combat finally feels like it has become what it has always strived to be.

With wonderfully varied levels, colourful, cel-shaded graphics and mind-bending puzzles that'll have you working those little grey cells into the ground, Zack & Wiki triumphantly makes its debut on Nintendo's Wii, the only console it could have appeared on.

Whether you're a platformer fan or fancy some frenetic blasting action, Tools of Destruction fits the bill. Combine the enjoyable gameplay (that's fun for all ages) with some of the best visuals the PS3 has seen and you have a game that every PS3 owner should own.

What's brilliant about Football Manager is how accessible it is, and how it caters for so many people, and this is about the most accessible version of the game yet.

It brings a classic game world up to date, throws in simple but intuitive controls and doesn't rely on constant fire-fights to bring excitement.

This won't replace Wii Sports as the mini-game collection of choice, but it's another option should Wii Tennis and Bowling start to feel a little over played.

There is something to be gained from Target Liberty, and if you do enjoy the likes of Commandos it may be worth your time. For anyone else though, this sloth of a game will likely be far too lumbering and largely thrill free.

Whether the King of all Cosmos is getting a little old or the designers have just lost their way slightly, this latest Katamari game lacks the quirky humour of previous games, favouring more obvious quips, and in turn the whole game feels a little forced.

As a multiplayer game it's an incredible amount of fun, but lone players will suffer from the lack of online gameplay.

The gaudy graphics and overbearing colour palette will also be off-putting to some, but on the whole Revolution is a fantastic puzzle game that not only marks the high point of a brilliant series of games, but proves that the Wii-mote can offer fantastically precise control over and above providing novelty.

Predictably, Proving Ground falls into the 'more of the same category'. When that means more of the same of something brilliant and proven, there's reason for both contentment and disappointment, but if you know you like Tony Hawk, though you'll not be blown away you should certainly feel comfortable here.

Predictably, Proving Ground falls into the 'more of the same category'. When that means more of the same of something brilliant and proven, there's reason for both contentment and disappointment, but if you know you like Tony Hawk, though you'll not be blown away you should certainly feel comfortable here.

On the whole this nugget of serene gaming is near flawless. This certainly won't be too many tastes, but if you enjoyed Every Extend Extra or seminal Flash game Boomshine, this latest PSN shooter is one you'll want to play, well, every day.

If you love FPS gaming you owe it to yourself to get The Orange Box. Hell, if you love gaming, you owe it to yourself to get it.

Half-Life fans are going to flip out over what Episode Two has to offer and FPS fans in general should find a finely crafted, lean experience.

The simple ideas are often the best, and Portal, quite simply, is one of the best ideas for a game we've ever seen. It's fantastically realised, brilliantly executed, and had me wrapped around its computerised finger for two-and-a-half unforgettable hours.

Online races with six players were smooth and relatively lag-free, and the downloadable time trial ghost cars come in very handy when trying to better your previous lap records. It's the kind of feature set that hardcore SEGA Rally fans will appreciate, but casuals might be left wondering why more isn't on offer.

Online races with six players were smooth and relatively lag-free, and the downloadable time trial ghost cars come in very handy when trying to better your previous lap records. It's the kind of feature set that hardcore SEGA Rally fans will appreciate, but casuals might be left wondering why more isn't on offer.

This will be good fun for Star Wars fanatics who want to see how Renegade Squadron fits in with the overall Star Wars story, and the game's best feature - online multiplayer - should keep most entertained for a good few hours. But this isn't an essential PSP purchase.

Despite these flaws, FFT remains one of my favourite games on the PSP. It might not have the best in-game graphics we've ever seen on the handheld, or the best multiplayer options, but few games have as much charm and tactical depth.

Folklore is a beautifully realised faery-filled fantasy which is let down by some poor design and repetitive combat.

Sadness in that here we have a lovely looking and functionally excellent game, but it's just not got that certain je ne sais quoi, that va-va-voom.

It's a gorgeous, decent football game that's trying a bit too hard to be "PES" when it should be celebrating what it already was.

While far from revolutionary it is a solid and balanced football game on a handheld generally lacking in technical muscle and raw power.

You shouldn't buy Thrillville Off the Rails for the mini-games - there are much better social video games out there. But as a theme park creator it's not bad, and has literally hundreds of options to tweak and manage.

You shouldn't buy Thrillville Off the Rails for the mini-games - there are much better social video games out there. But as a theme park creator it's not bad, and has literally hundreds of options to tweak and manage.

You shouldn't buy Thrillville Off the Rails for the mini-games - there are much better social video games out there. But as a theme park creator it's not bad, and has literally hundreds of options to tweak and manage.

Sarcastic gripes against weird game elements aside though, Juiced 2 is a more than satisfactory racing game that offers some fun car stuff, all packaged up in a presentation featuring lots of busty girls in small amounts of tight clothing, which - speaking as a hot blooded male - is never a bad thing.

There are better 'brain trainers' available, and you can do a lot better than refining your grey matter with the distinctly average MindStorm.

The fairly generic presentation and cheating AI could be overlooked if the core gameplay was great, but it's not. The motion sensitive controls are fiddly and at times completely broken, making Jet Race mildly fun for about an hour at most.

Still, it is a pleasure to find that while lacking in any real finesse, Titans does feel like a proper Crash Bandicoot title.

Over and above its impressive game engine, successful vehicle implementation and inventive map design, the way the game welcomes newcomers is almost unheard of in games of this type.

It looks pretty simple, but it's got a cuteness that will appeal to a wide range of players, and enough mini-games to keep players interested for a good while.

If you can't get a sick sense of joy from using a man as a stone in a stone skimming competition, making him convulse as he bounces off the water's surface, what kind of mentally deranged person are you?

Slick, well produced, and involving, and most importantly it is very hard to put down.

A brilliant racing game. It's got some issues still, with the lengthy load times and a fair amount of re-used content from PGR3 likely to turn away a few gamers, but it remains the Xbox 360's premier racing title.

Spider-man: Friend or Foe is another title that clearly isn't made for experienced gamers, and certainly won't please anyone aged in their teens or older.

Spider-man: Friend or Foe is another title that clearly isn't made for experienced gamers, and certainly won't please anyone aged in their teens or older.

Spider-man: Friend or Foe is another title that clearly isn't made for experienced gamers, and certainly won't please anyone aged in their teens or older.

Spider-man: Friend or Foe is another title that clearly isn't made for experienced gamers, and certainly won't please anyone aged in their teens or older.

Gamers deserve more for their money these days, and there are far better games out there.

I can't see how you won't be wholly satisfied by PH, whether you're a hardened Zelda fan or a newcomer to the series, or even games in general. Yes it's a tad short, and yes it's full of recognisable Zelda moments, but that doesn't stop it from being a fun, refined gem of an adventure game.

Halo 3 transcends video games. It is a global entertainment experience. Just as "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" and "Spiderman 3" brought to a close two of the most lucrative and epic film trilogies of all time, Halo 3 brings to a close perhaps the most complete, engaging and downright fun video game trilogy of all time. There is absolutely no way any Halo fan will be disappointed by this game.

Not only are the controls and attributes of the gameplay itself consistently representative of the chosen sport, but everything from the gloriously dynamic soundtrack and the competition commentary through to the selection of legendry skaters and the division of challenges into schools of skating hits the nail on the head with prowess.

As a game, we preferred the original LocoRoco, but at £1.99 what you get is amazing value. LocoRoco Cocoreccho will have a great time, with or without you.

If you're looking for a complex, challenging flying game then you're better off spending your cash elsewhere, but if you fancy some light-hearted arcade action and know you'll make use of the multiplayer mode, or just have some leftover enthusiasm for WWII games, this could be the one for you.

If you are a huge Sims fan, this simple 'town in your pocket' might hold some worth for you, but if you are looking for something with a little more depth then it is probably best to opt for the more ambitious Wii version.

While the game is not a massive departure from Sonic Adventure, and at £30 it's a tad expensive for the play-time you get, if you're new to the series on DS or love all things Sonic, we heartily recommend it. One of the best games on the system.

Experts will tear through the campaign quickly enough, but it's just the starter, whetting the palette for the main course, a hugely engaging multiplayer extravaganza. World In Conflict is brilliant RTS fun for experts and newcomers alike.

There is a somewhat dated feel to the action that will be felt most firmly by those used to elaborate team-based shooters, but for fans of the best of the series, and those who want a shining example of the epitome of first wave third-person-shooters, the latest Syphon Filter is an essential purchase.

This mesmerising harmony of pastel colours and peerless audio is without doubt one of the 360's most significant RPGs, and it is essential for fans of the genre. It suffers from repetition with regard to battles, but it is still worth every beat of your heart that passes as you play.

There's absolutely no getting away from the fact that Stuntman: Ignition is often an infuriating game, but that doesn't automatically make it a bad one. At times it feels as rigid as an old-fashioned school cane, but perseverance will reveal a highly rewarding experience.

Not only are the controls and attributes of the gameplay itself consistently representative of the chosen sport, but everything from the gloriously dynamic soundtrack and the competition commentary through to the selection of legendry skaters and the division of challenges into schools of skating hits the nail on the head with prowess.

If you are looking for a purist's hack and slash that will test you for months, go elsewhere, ideally to Ninja Gaiden Sigma. But if you want a thrilling and cinematic adventure that will give you ample opportunity to show off the muscle of your PlayStation 3 and provide a glimpse of the console's possible future, you could do far worse than pick up this big-budget epic.

A solid and often spectacular effort from Codemasters. The core racing is thrilling yet accessible and the amount of content on offer will keep players enthralled for some time.

Its excellent weapon set should make for some fantastic and skilled online gaming, and for now it fills a gap on the Xbox 360, which is undernourished in terms of both futuristic and combat racers.

If I was wearing a hat, I'd doff it to the DS development team at Nintendo, who for me can do no wrong... or rather I would, except that I need both hands to control DK, so maybe it's best that I'm not wearing one. This is though, another definite winner from the big N.

The biggest complement that I can pay to Stranglehold is that when I'd finished it, I wanted to jump straight back in and play through again.

Quickly it becomes second nature to scavenge the flanks, and poke your gun into every nook and cranny, looking to surprise your enemy or bypass an overwhelming opposition stronghold.

This is not gaming perfection or a must have title that will be remembered for decades, but if you like war romps, and you long for the feel of Frontline or Underground, pick up this brilliant war game.

So, whether online Worms floats your boat or it's a nostalgia trip you're after, this is the Worms game to get.

Despite such audiovisual wizardry, all the technical sheen the PlayStation3 can muster can't mask a dud game, and as a result Lair is little more than verisimilitude.

If you fancy something a little different, punctuated by brilliant scripting and fantastic characters, look no further that this substantial chunk of action-comedy greatness.

It is a next-generation title at a last-generation price that boils gaming down to its purist form. Warhawk is a cheerily violent and fantastically developed version of playing with a dusty box of army-themed toys, and it is enormous fun.

There's absolutely no getting away from the fact that Stuntman: Ignition is often an infuriating game, but that doesn't automatically make it a bad one. At times it feels as rigid as an old-fashioned school cane, but perseverance will reveal a highly rewarding experience.

Most of the games are dull.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 would have been without doubt the best game in the series for years had it not been for the high number of bugs and uneven graphical presentation.

The streamlined, pin-point accurate controls set a new precedent for first-person games on the Wii, and the game itself will keep you busy for more than a few weekends with its excellent achievement-like reward system and lengthy quest that easily took us 20 hours to collect every item, scan every object and obtain the best ending.

GRAW 2 is unquestionably a huge success. A short campaign aside, it does everything GRAW fans would want from a sequel and once again confirms Ubisoft as one of the leading next-gen publishers.

It's not just the fact that BioShock is a real looker, or the fact that as a first-person shooter alone it stands up to all of its competitors; it's the thought and craftsmanship that went into realising Rapture, its emotionally-jarring denizens and its compelling and seamless narrative that pushes you willingly forward from chapter-to-chapter.

It's not just the fact that BioShock is a real looker, or the fact that as a first-person shooter alone it stands up to all of its competitors; it's the thought and craftsmanship that went into realising Rapture, its emotionally-jarring denizens and its compelling and seamless narrative that pushes you willingly forward from chapter-to-chapter.

The challenges included are great, the more full-featured games are excellent and the multiplayer games are a must play if you have friends with handhelds.

It does, however, offer plenty of gameplay for your money, particularly with the inclusion of bonus levels that offer a slightly different challenge to the main game. My only complaint is in the lack of any multiplayer mode.

The most realistic football experience on consoles. It also happens to be the most challenging Madden since as far back as I can remember.

Madden 08 may not be the best football game ever made but it's certainly the best since 05 and a solid addition to any football fan's library.

Animals aren't the biggest danger you'll face though, with the tombs themselves being the real killers. You can rarely move through a room without needing to perform a huge leap or dodge a trap.

If you don't fondly remember the first wave of Crazy Taxi games, steer well clear of this. However, if you fancy a taste of some retro driving action, this may be worth a purchase, but approach with caution and low expectations or prepare for a shock.

A curious game that will seem a little uncomfortable to some factions of both the shmup fanboys and casual players. Still, it is a great piece of software that manages to offer plenty of variation through well-designed level objectives, and at a price you can afford with pocket change.

It won't last forever, and it has its faults, but if you've ever got addicted to Minesweeper you'll likely enjoy this curious puzzle game.

If you approach the game with the mentality that Charged Football is going to be football in the Mario universe you'll find a game that is hard to get on with. If you accept that the emphasis is on flashy moves and fun over skill and precision, you'll find a game that has a place in your collection, even if it's only brought out every now and again.

The two-player cooperative mode may keep a duo of youngsters quiet for a handful of weekends, but otherwise this mismatched game has very little to offer.

The two-player cooperative mode may keep a duo of youngsters quiet for a handful of weekends, but otherwise this mismatched game has very little to offer.

It's not a bad game by any means, but it is a disappointing game that simply doesn't live up to its potential.