For starters, though the game is $10.99 some may feel cheated by there being only two variations of the same level. More content will come available through download, but one level is still only one level.

In the end, Persona 3 is a tedious excursion that made me waste hours of my life that I will never get back and left with my right eye bloodshot for staring at the TV screen as my contact lens ran out of moisture and it solidified to my cornea.

Mario Strikers Charged is far from a perfect game, but it truly is fun when played online. For the casual sports fan who doesn't want to spend hours poring over stats, defensive combinations, matchups, and what's inside the vending machines in their virtual team's arena, this game is very much worth a look.

While Guitar Hero is still one of the best games of recent years, this cash grab of a psuedo-sequel does no favours to the franchise or to '80s music.

And on the whole it was a worthwhile experience. Sure, it maybe doesn't measure up in quality and look of the more professional sports title, such as Top Spin.

Sony has included multiplayer and some downloadable songs. The graphics also look remarkably good for a game that’s 10 years old. These features help to elevate the game, but are just not enough to save it.

But then this freedom is also the game's biggest flaw. Whereas Goblet of Fire is divided into levels, in Order of the Phoenix, you have to complete a number of mini-goals and quests as the story progresses. Hermione and Ron are your companions for most of the game and can sometimes offer advice about what you need to do next.

One buggy game.

Awkward gameplay makes the repetitive nature of the game even more annoying. I mean, I'm all for killing the legions of the undead, but at least you could change it up a little.

The main problem with the story mode, though, is that's simply too hard.

A little less fun, less deep and less educational than it ought to be, especially for a full-priced game. A C+ effort only.

'Championship' mode though is an ingenious spin on presenting level-based gameplay in a whole new way as there is virtually no pause in the action. For all intents and purposes, Pac-Man has turned into a gruelling video game marathon. 'Championship' mode alone makes this download worth it for any serious Pac-Man fan.

If you’re a kid and a big fan of the Tony Hawk series of skateboarding titles or similar games, Surf’s Up may be a cool addition to your collection as it is a decent pick up and play title for the ankle-biters but it really doesn’t present much of a challenge to anyone who has experienced puberty.

Besides, any game that lets you engage in drunken bar room brawls can‘t be all that bad, savvy?

It remains one in a long list of ‘me-toos’ in an already oversaturated market.

Technically, 'Rival Swords' looks like you wrapped your television in thick gauze a lot of the time and the faded colours don't help matters much.

Maybe if there was a little less fighting and a little more convoluted storyline, Enchanted Arms would be more bearable.

Although the three-dimensional maps are interesting to look at, they aren't very functional. And the small map is even less useful. So you can spend a lot of time running around in circles unless you know exactly where to go.

A rewarding short-lived diversion but as the exceptional ‘Chicken Little’ and ‘Kim Possible’ Disney Interactive game franchises prove, it could have been and should have been so much more.

If you’re a diehard fan of WWII shooters, particularly the Medal Of Honor series, you’ll find all the staple elements of the genre in this game. But there’s nothing fresh, inventive or particularly exciting here.

Genesis Rising may be fun for some but I think most people will find a little boring, especially harvesting ships. It seems like eons can pass you by while you're fuelling up.

Wii owners who haven’t yet played the game on another console and are hankering for a violent, bloody Grand Theft Auto-style title should pick this one up. But the expanded content doesn’t quite make up for the humdrum visuals and repetitive gameplay.

Compared to EA’s last 360 FIFA release, the game’s flow seems much more natural than FIFA 07’s sometimes bizarrely inaccurate passing and crossing.

The somewhat fun jumping and climbing segments are occasionally hampered by a bad camera, and the combat gets more and more mindlessly repetitive as the game goes on. Definitely not cowabunga-worthy.

For the most part however, the control works great. Once you align your backswing with the power gauge on-screen, it's really simple to drive accurate distances and directions.

Although it’s got some novel gameplay elements and is stuffed with tons of things to do, Spectrobes ultimately ends up being just so-so in the fun department. Definitely not the Pokemon killer we were expecting.

Fantastic visuals, a decent plot and an interesting music-based fighting system are hampered by some tacked-on non-features, iffy controls and a thinner roster of rappers. Bring back Lil Kim!

Dominator is as slick and insane as the other Burnout games, but it’s missing some key features found in its most recent predecessors. Fans of the latest Burnout titles might want to swerve to avoid this one.

Tekken V: Dark Resurrection is still fun to play and it's much better than most of the competition. It's just a bit of a letdown because it feels to me that the developers missed a chance to fully take advantage on the PS3's capabilities.

If dueling with collectible cards isn't your idea of a fun time, the Marvel Trading Card Game doesn't really offer anything new to pull you or other gamers in.

Formula One: Championship Edition is clearly aimed at real racing game fans and those people, whether they're playing a simple quick race or time trial, in career mode, Grand Prix Weekend, World Championship or with others online, should certainly be satisfied here.

Overly finicky controls are the biggest ding against this decent but not superlative version of SSX for Nintendo's winsome Wii.

There's not much to it but it can be kind of fun if you're into this type of game.

A solid game, but nothing special. And while certainly one of the RPG’s for the PSP yet, it’s nevertheless wise to remember that MK: Jewel Summoner benefits most from being a big fish in a small pond.

More varied but less fun than Wii Sports, this collection of mini-games basically adds $15 to the price of a new Wii controller. Sounds like a good deal, but it turns out it's barely worth even that.

Once every few years, a game comes along that changes all the rules. A game so unique and so groundbreaking that it not only redefines a genre, but redefines how we as gamers connect with our world. This ... is nothing close to that kind of game. But damn if it isn’t fun.

Fans of the old-school Nintendo 64 version might find a lot to like here, but this standard racing title's reliance on repetition and gimmicky touchscreen controls won't do anything to make you forget Mario Kart DS.

Justice For All will entertain you with engaging characters and interesting storylines. If you’re good at detective work, you’ll be hooked; if you’re not, you may be putting this game down sooner than later.

With a way deeper song list than 'Singstar Rocks' and its authentic content, 'Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol' holds up as the ultimate karaoke game for those who are fans of that sort of thing; Paula's deplorable absence notwithstanding.

The game has some fun moments, but as a longtime 'Trek' fan, this isn't the breathtaking legacy I was hoping for.

Thanks to clunky gameplay and having been recently spoilt by unbelievably detailed environments on competing platforms, with more than passable gameplay to boot, Red Steel, despite its novel approaches feels anything but next generation.

It’s a big improvement over the previous game in the series, the ill-conceived “Super Monkey Ball Adventure,” and it’s another solid showcase for the Wii.

As enjoyable as the game is, as my roommate can attest to, watching someone else play is about as exciting as watching the real thing.

Even fans of the original game might be a little put off by this rather pointless and soulless sequel. The volleyball is still good, bouncy fun, though.

So if you're looking for an all-out melee, then Call of Duty 3 is your game. If you want something that's somewhat stealth mission-based, then you might want to give "SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault" a whirl.

What's even more annoying is that like in previous SOCOMs, the characters have a bad habit of getting stuck on the environment.

And the story's intriguing.

Easy to get and get into, with a slick engine (and only a few nitpicky problems) but clearly lacking a really creative story team.

It's fascinating the game goes to such lengths in the narrative and it is this that keeps the .hack//G.U. interesting. It's a little open-ended as it's the first in a series of three games, but you can continue to play other levels after the story ends.

The Sony version has brilliantly rendered 3-D animated characters and cut-scenes, the actors from the animated series doing the voice work and large areas to wander around. There is just no comparison with this title. PSP owners are getting a treat this Halloween while DS'ers shouldn't be tricked into buying their underdeveloped edition.

The simulation is the best I’ve seen to date, it just falls short of my "Golden Tee" memories.

I reward the game for its outstanding creativity and its fun game play. Unfortunately, its downfalls brought the game to a crash.

The game has its moments, but in the end it feels like watching a second-rate episode.

Gives you vaguely authentic import street racing, including real Tokyo streets, licensed import cars and an immense array of parts and manufacturers to customize your ride.

As Open Season shows, the search for a kids movie game that appeals just as much to parents as it does to little ones proves to be an elusive one. Sub-par controls and by-the-numbers gameplay aside, this one is still worth a purchase if A) you're buying strictly for your child or B) you're looking for an easy 1000 achievement points.

A quick but surprisingly enjoyable diversion. It's recommended only for younger gamers who likely won’t be able to point out the game’s obvious shortcomings like its graphics and almost complete lack of memorable sound.

As long as your little one can puzzle out how to operate the GBA to begin with, Little Einsteins is a perfect teaching tool that just like the animated series makes learning fun.

Even though there are special challenges, tournaments, multiplayer options, a whole host of wicked unlockable characters and some intriguing courts to play on, Mario Hoops 3 on 3 seems lacking as a complete package.

This could have been a fun little game if the levels weren't so darn frustrating. In the case of The Wild you probably won't hear this often but – you may be better off renting the movie.

The graphics won't win any awards but despite the small screens, the game still gives a decent sense of size and scope when you're playing. Players are blocky but the game uses bright colours and easy-to-navigate menus (the same of which can't be said about the home console versions).

Just hack, hack and hack your way through the maps, eventually meeting the level end boss and take them down. Great, huh? There really is nothing new here, other than the graphics.

Younger gamers will enjoy the Roman atmosphere and fairly easy game play and there are enough features and variety in CivCity: Rome to make it a good addition to any strategy game collection.

It might be generous to say Miami Vice: The Game breaks the curse of South Beach cop titles. But it beats Bad Boys: Miami Takedown. Beats it senseless.

In my experience, it is usually the GBA title that pales in comparison to the sophistication of its elder sibling. Not so with Monster House. The GBA RPG-like game is the clear-cut keeper.

It's hard to imagine how this epic strategy game's control scheme could be any better on a console, but it's still not quite a match for the precision of the PC version.

Legend has some charm, thanks mostly to Depp, but gets repetitious very quickly.

Fans of modern flight sims will enjoy the game, but its bare-bones presentation and slightly technical nature won't win any followers among action gamers hoping for Top Gun-style dogfights.

It's simpler than a deck swabber what's spent too much time in the sun, but this one is surprisingly fun and charming for a game-to-movie tie-in.

This game has everything a Sudoku enthusiast could possibly want – namely, hundreds upon hundreds of puzzles ranging in difficulty from quite easy, to frustratingly difficult.

Although, Naruto has a lot of unnecessary elements, it still is one of the most enjoyable fighting games I have played in a long time.

The Alpha titles offer a dramatic battle setting which pits two against one and a survival mode, where a character fights battle after battle until he or she dies. Fun times.

While Cars is fun and inventive at times, it does manage to stay a cut below most of the competition.

If you absolutely love the movie (or your kids do) then get the game, but if you want a good racing game, get something better (i.e. Burnout, Wipeout, Race Driver 2006, Ridge Racer, OutRun 2006 or even Need for Speed Underground).

Besides some lazy moments where characters show up repeatedly and say the same things over and over, some clunky controls on the main map and some overly-long load times between races and minigames, Cars does the trick.

Let’s face it. Minigame extravaganzas like ‘Brain Academy’ are not made for the hardcore gamer. They are for the casual market whose hardcore gaming experience consists of playing solitaire on their computer.

The biggest problem with a game like Magnetica is that whilst a puzzle game is supposed to be the kind of thing a casual gamer can just pick up and bash through, because of Magnetica's often seemingly impossible levels, the frustration of the lack of progress hinders its long term appeal.

A decent but pretty run-of-the-mill RPG.

If you do have a DS but don’t own Advance Wars, skip Field Commander and pick up the true turn based strategy king. If you do already have Advance Wars, just play through it again and save your money for something truly new on the PSP.

Fortunately there are a few interesting boss type fights in the game to keep it from becoming overly stale including some interesting members from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

Although playing as Wolverine and Nightcrawler is more fun, in the end, even their missions eventually become monotonous. The game definitely could have benefited from more mutants.

As I played through it, there were times when I was just plain bored out of my noggin'. The Wolverine missions are so darn banal.

It's a fine addition to Black & White 2 but in the end it's more of the same - entertaining more of the same, though, for under $20.

I love playing games that sway from the norm and try something new, and for that reason alone I was excited for Odama and wanted to give it a great score. Unfortunately, it fails in its execution and becomes a lesson in frustration.

The joystick obviously offers the best option for control but the preset controls for the game are quite odd and, for me at least, changing the layout was not possible.

Ground targets like tanks and trucks look oddly crude, and there's some very noticeable slowdown when you're flying low and strafing, especially through smoke.

The game looks pretty good from the air - especially the awesome blur effect when you speed up - but it's almost embarrassing to see some of the details up close.

We wanted 'The X-Files' and instead we got 'Columbo'.

Instead of picking where to go from a menu on the screen like you were searching for Carmen Sandiego, you actually get to roam around the various cities and other places on the map.

Don't have any idea what the difference between a PetPetPet, a Neopet or a PetPet is and could care less? 'Petpet Adventures: The Wand of Wishing' is probably not for you then. For fans of the odd little beasts and their quirky little ways, the PSP release is a faithful expansion of the Neopet universe.

A unique release in the sense that it could be a stepping-stone to bigger and better things. There is no reason Bigbig couldn’t flesh out what they have created already and release a console version.

Despite of its flaws, it still works.

It's quite unlikely that the intended audience for Super Princess Peach ever played "Super Mario Bros" back in the day, or perhaps any of the many sequels - and therefore is almost likely to be a newcomer to the platform genre. And if that's the case, Peach is a perfect primer, just in time for "New Super Mario Bros" in a few months time.

All I want do is throw or run with the ball and mash as many players as humanly possible in as many ways as possible. EA's Arena Football does all of that quite nicely.

It’s hard to recommend True Swing except to the hardest of hardcore golf fans that simply must own every variation of the game possible, or to players very new to the realm of digital golf that likely won’t be put off by either its lack of standard features or it’s painfully easy shot execution.

This lack of any replay value is perhaps the biggest shortcoming of a game that’s otherwise good fun and good for your brain.

This is a one-of-a-kind title that could only be done on the Nintendo DS, but this melange of musical marine life won't be everyone's cup of sea water.

Another uber-retro game from the heyday of coin-op fun, this game actually holds up fairly well despite it’s very old-school graphics and sound.

With its bugs and glitches Revelations does not provide a perfect Prince of Persia experience, yet comes close, and offers a great portable game for those seeking a little action.