The original's head to head multiplayer wasn't vital enough to make the expense worthwhile, but this time the co-op play is so integral to the game's appeal that most will find it irresistible...This is an absolutely stellar release, with too much variety, originality, rewards, and pure fun to even think about missing out on.

It's light years past any other music game, yet is accessible enough to make anyone feel like a living room superstar. KISS was dead wrong: God didn't give rock 'n' roll to you. Harmonix did.

Whether or not you grab the new hardware, there is no question that the stand-alone Rock Band 2 game is worth its $60 price tag. Heck, you'd pay twice that just to download the 84 new songs; toss in the new online functionality, Battle of the Bands and the Drum Trainer and you get another desert island classic.

By offering more control options and a more user-friendly system of save points, Retro Studios could have worked wonders at opening up the Metroid Prime series for new fans or more casual gamers.

But what's most remarkable about the visuals is that no compromises were made. Although everything is big and bright, this hasn't meant the elimination of fine details.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

The competition may have a few small details and features over Sega, but no one can touch this gameplay. With subtle but effective tweaks made to all areas of the offensive and defensive games, ESPN NFL is certainly the toughest and most satisfying simulation currently available.

Intensely atmospheric, the game manages to make you feel part of a bigger battle, even when you're doing a Schwarzenegger alone through a German bunker for half of the game.

Guitar Hero effortlessly tops the charts in terms of music/rhythm games -- and not just because the controller, gameplay, and song list are all flawless. It shoots to number one with a bullet because you actually feel and look cool playing it.

Seeing the innumerable changes and tune-ups to the game engine and the rules, you get the sense that World of Warcraft is a finely-tuned machine that its makers just can't stop tinkering with in an obsessive effort to keep it fresh, relevant, and above all, fun. For now, mission accomplished.

Offers an amazing amount of control over how the game is played in a game session. It is very easy to set up a multiplayer game, and just as easy to join one in progress over the Internet or LAN.

A vitamin injection of originality, putting the sheer joy of flying back into combat flight simulation. It's an experience you do not want to miss.

The enemy AI isn't really what it should be. This is a minor criticism, but when a game reaches this level things like this tend to stand out.

On the multiplayer side, Sony's been looking high and low for a release that can stand up to "Halo" -- we never expected it to come from a platformer! In fact, you'll be hard pressed to find a better combination of action, platforming, and multiplayer goodness than this.

An engrossing experience with a horrific backbone.

For our money, the crown jewel of the bunch is the most atypical boss battle we've seen in a long time -- a long, absorbing, drawn-out, paranoid, grueling sniper duel of attrition, spanning three maps, and requiring all the focus and patience you can muster.

Undoubtedly the fastest, scariest, most challenging and adrenaline-pumping demolition game yet devised for the PS2.

Original, gripping, and outstandingly produced, Shadow of the Colossus is not to be missed.

Really the only place Forza Horizon 3 skids out is in its lack of ingenuity. It’s packed, over delivering on what was already plenty of content in the previous game, but it comes up a little short in terms of innovation. Racing through a gorgeous field, foliage crumpling under your tires, the sun gleaming off your dented roof – it’s a sight, but one that I recall seeing countless times in Forza Horizon 2. Much of what you do in Forza Horizon 3, you have likely done before. Still, it’s never looked this good, been this big or done its job with as much confidence.

Come for the eye candy, stay for the action: if you have a machine that'll take the strain, there's no better way to show it off.

Given the strength of the controls, it's a shame Gaiden falls victim to the classic third-person action game pitfall: the camera. While we've seen many worse examples, it does have issues.

Launch issues aside, there's absolutely no reason why any World of Warcraft player should hesitate to pick it up. Consider it essential.

Shadow of the Colossus for the PS4 is every bit as gorgeous, memorable and tremendous as it was when it debuted for the PS2 more than a decade ago. It’s a graphically stunning piece of art with a narrative that drives you forward with a sense of wonder despite its vagueness.

The special rotational and background effects, the sound and voice effects...and, of course, the overall engaging challenges make Yoshi's Island a must-play title for anybody who values classic platformer action.

An adventure masterpiece...the best adventure game I've ever played.

Great value for money. As the majority of gaming is still a single player experience, I can say this game is better than "Quake," its nearest rival, and therefore has to be one of the best games on the PC.

Tiger Woods 2005 is a birdie to "2004's" eagle, but that doesn't change the fact that it's one of the best sports games out there.

The competition may have a few small details and features over Sega, but no one can touch this gameplay. With subtle but effective tweaks made to all areas of the offensive and defensive games, ESPN NFL is certainly the toughest and most satisfying simulation currently available.

The look and sound of the game is tremendous. There is a real sensation of taking part in something real here, an excitement that somehow isn't present when dealing with the professional franchises in the Madden series.

Flawed though it is, Mass Effect is a tremendous ride. Sure, it overreaches from time to time, but better that than a game that toes the same, tired old RPG line. Nothing's sufficiently amiss here to prevent you from enjoying Mass Effect's class-leading gameplay, and it deserves to be remembered as the first truly great role-playing game of this generation.

With incredible communication tools, top-notch visuals, and a fantastic balance of vehicles and classes, EA has won the battle and the war of online team-based shooters.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

Sadly, the music is rather blander than previous versions of THPS.

The gameplay itself is fascinating and not mindlessly repetitve.

It's hard to fathom, but what it really boils down to is the fact that gamers may never really have grasped just how faithful an adaptation of the D&D ruleset we are looking at. It is totally accurate in every, single detail.

Its presentation is top-notch, its levels are varied and interesting, its AI is convincing, and the whole game drips with love and attention to detail.

Exactly what we've come to expect of this steadily improving franchise - the same formulaic design conventions balanced with just enough new stuff to keep fans from getting bored.

If you're one of those many people who continue to pine for a Square RPG on your favourite Nintendo handheld, then rejoice because your prayers have damn near been answered with this game.

"FIFA" may continue to entice football fans who live in action-adventure mode, but for the purist and realist, there's no better footie than this.

There's so much to have a go at and so much detail and addictive gameplay that fans of the series won't be disappointed - in fact you may just think that it's fang-tastic!

It's cliche to say those with heart conditions should stay away, but the game is truly one of those rarities that has you so caught up in the action, you don't realize that you were holding your breath until the mission ends.

From the creative track design to the expertly balanced difficulty levels, nearly everything about Mario Kart DS screams quality.

The perfect sequel: a successful gameplay formula with some minor tweaks, together with a great big pile of new content and features. The multiplayer and other online additions are a big step forward.

The Sims 2, quite simply, blows "The Sims" away. If you were a fan of the original, you're going to love this....The Sims 2 includes everything from the first game and its expansion packs, and it does it all exponentially better than ever before.

For console-only gamers, Valve's masterpiece is the definition of innovation and an unequivocal must-buy.

A subtle intoxicating journey, and one of the best games around.

Devotees of multiplayer shooters will lap up Advanced Warfighter; single-player gamers won't be quite as enthralled. But in either mode, it's a gorgeous and atmospheric play, and just a little more time in boot camp would have made it into something really outstanding.

On the whole, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga's got a solid Zelda vibe: it's polished, it flows nicely without being too restrictive, and it offers a distinct style of gameplay, all presented with a lot of charm and a laidback sense of humor that doesn't try too hard.

Still the best skateboarding game out there and it's much more than "Tony Hawk 4" ever was. That being said, while some of the new features are great, others just aren't up to the level of quality that we've come to expect from Neversoft.

The sequel is a better game in every way, but the original was so successful at combining extreme sports stunts with real basketball that there was little room left for improvement.

A stunning achievement.

Has it where it counts - fast action and plenty of it. Highly polished and loads of fun, if you want an example of platforming paradise, Insomniac has delivered.

With unparalleled visuals, a deep franchise mode, and tons of new and improved features, "Madden" is facing a 4th and very, very long this year.

The real reason to get Phantom Hourglass is for its charming, DS-centric high-seas adventure.

If there's one department in which MVP can't be beat, it's player animations. From the plate to the mound and out into center, these guys move with a jaw-dropping grace and fluidity.

Despite only having six main stages, THPS 3 is a game that will last for a surprisingly long time.

The endless combat may smack of War Machines Week on The History Channel, but the contentious, jaunty chatter between friendly (and enemy) characters is pure Cartoon Network. Move out!

One of the most thrilling games to hit PS2 since its launch.

Many of the missions in the game are just re-hashed from Star Wars games of the past, and though they are epic, they're not very exciting anymore.

The PC can support insanely high resolutions that put even the Xbox to shame. The frame rate is better on the PC, as well.

And most importantly, the mixture of blistering speed, edge-of-the-seat thrills and explosive crashes works just as well as it ever did. The Burnout series gets better and better every time.

If you want to feel like you have control over the game, can overlook some dated graphics and a poor viewing angle, then NBA 2K2 is just about the best basketball game on the market.

Often the game throws ten or twenty enemies on screen at once, together with goodness knows how many bullets, but the framerate is pretty much solid throughout.

With excellent visuals, varied and entertaining gameplay, quality acting, and a compelling mix of action and stealth -- not to mention the catalogue of extras -- it would be great value at $50, let alone the budget price of $30 that it's retailing for.

The progress made in this installment is a little disappointing, but that said, Civ III does continue the franchise's tradition of delivering the very best that the genre has to offer.

If there's one department in which MVP can't be beat, it's player animations. From the plate to the mound and out into center, these guys move with a jaw-dropping grace and fluidity.

The effect of these changes is hard to overstate. The gameplay is much more laid back, and without having to restart levels over and over, it flows better.

With simple, yet bright and beautiful graphics, enveloping sound effects, a suite of new areas to explore, and the same addicting gameplay as its predecessor, Pikmin 2 is brilliant.

If you consider the competition games like "BioShock" and "Gears of War," Metroid is going to feel stilted and oddly paced. But if you're a fan of the long-running series, you'll probably be pleased how well this game fits into the canon, both in terms of gameplay and story.

The combination of vastly improved graphics and working air traffic control have added a depth to Flight Simulator 2002 that it's been lacking in its last couple of incarnations and has certainly rekindled my interest in the title.

"FIFA" may continue to entice football fans who live in action-adventure mode, but for the purist and realist, there's no better footie than this.

The multiplayer is a stroke of genius, destined to keep players coming back for more, long after the single-player has faded away from memory. Only the best type of gaming experience can do this.

It's great on your own, it's great online, it's packed with vehicles and tracks, and it plays like a dream. In short, Forza Motorsport 2 is everything fans of its outstanding predecessor have been hoping for.

The game is a romp through 60s superhero cliches, mixed with excellent gameplay and a flexible character development system. Fantastic stuff.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

A stunning game. Graphics, sound and online play benefit the most from the treatment, but there isn't an aspect of gameplay that hasn't received attention, making this the most comprehensive slapshot sim available.

It not only completely satisfies the wants of any eager strategy player, it also covers those who like more action in their games, and then appeals to practically everyone in between. If you don't have Command & Conquer, buy this immediately.

If you own the Dreamcast version, then there's far too much overlap to warrant owning this as well.

It takes the best of "Jedi Knight" and superpowers it with well thought out Force powers, excellent level design, fiendish and boggling puzzles and simply magnificent lightsaber fights.

Yes, it's a World War II shooter, but it's not just any WWII shooter -- until there's a revolutionary leap in the genre, this stands as the most polished, intense, and atmospheric war shooter for the living room, bar none.

The original Metroid is also an unlockable bonus, which provides a great demonstration of how far video games have come in just under two decades.

Shiny has taken an interesting concept and come up with a polished implementation which combines superior gameplay and sheer style.

Stylistic RTS ambrosia, mana from heaven and a cornucopia of gameplay and replay value. This one is fit for the gods.

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

Walking down the steps into one of the larger cities, Balmora, for the first time is a moment that will stay with players for some time to come. It's the best-looking RPG to date, undoubtedly, and certainly ranks among the most graphically-impressive games around.

Treyarch has done a masterful job with this game, satisfying the needs of serious hockey fans without losing sight of the fact that a sports game has to be fun.

The mood is right, the graphics good, and the plot compelling. I found the tactical combat system refreshingly intelligent, and the multitude of ways you can approach the game from a stats point of make a wide variety of styles possible in the game.

Where Gran Turismo is probably a little more graphically rich (mostly because of all the diverse locations), it's the actual racing experience that makes NASCAR 2002 Season a better game. Each race has its own story.

Treyarch has done a masterful job with this game, satisfying the needs of serious hockey fans without losing sight of the fact that a sports game has to be fun.

Enthralling and beautiful, Jade Empire melds adrenaline-inducing combat with a compelling RPG structure perfectly. Here's an RPG that anyone can enjoy -- Jade Empire is sheer pleasure.

The best skateboarding game out there and it's much more than Tony Hawk 4 ever was. That being said, while some of the new features are great, others just aren't up to the level of quality that we've come to expect from Neversoft.

Few games deserve the high praise we're willing to lavish on F-Zero GX. Finely tuned, tightly balanced and exceedingly fun, it is a step above and beyond any similar games that have come before.

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

Arguably the best GBA game ever released. It's addictive, ingenious, and makes no mistakes.

On the PS2, you get the usual options, but Live is more interesting with support for Optimatch and Quickmatch, and dynamic scoreboards of other games currently taking place.

If tedious leveling up, dull combat, or uninspired player vs. player gaming are your quibbles with today's massively multiplayer offerings, Guild Wars is the cure.

Ace Combat 4 delivers all the necessary thrills at a blistering Mach 1 style pace.

Its predominant flaw is that it whets our appetite for something unimaginably amazing but only fulfills half of that unveiled promise.