Even above and beyond its top multiplayer action, SSB:M's chief asset is its tremendously varied gameplay.

The game is an odyssey, a huge epic that has the ability to swallow your gaming time in a terrifying and seductive manner.

Set in a rich and charming world with a host of great characters, it's beautifully paced and challenging enough to make you want more, yet simple in both its control interface and concept.

The most glaring problem is that all the tracks are inside the confines of generic stadiums instead of the open road.

All of this adds up to a game that is, by turns, compelling and frustrating, innovative and derivative. At the final bell, there is little in qualitative terms to separate Ecks vs. Sever and "Doom."

This is fast. Seriously fast. Brain-crushingly, mind-numbingly fast. Probably faster than anything we've ever played before. It's not fast like "Wipeout" is fast - sure, "Wipeout" is fast, but not this fast.

The locations are truly stunning, especially in Venice and New Zealand and the pounding music score perfectly complements the daredevil speed of the races.

What if those mists could be lifted to reveal the full extent of the battlefield, with catapults and battering rams laying siege to castles in the distance?

Never more than a cheap imitation of something great, thanks to a host of technical problems and an overall lack of polish.

Everyone wants to be an X-Wing pilot, don't they. It's one of the things that sets man apart from the animals.

For every imaginative, interesting and appealing puzzle, there's one long, drawn out, dull key hunt. For every awe-inspiring graphical vista, there's a boring, black, featureless tunnel. For every sparsely spread save point, there's a (or rather, many) long plummets to unexpected insta-death.

Our expectations have been comprehensively destroyed by what is a truly mediocre title. Save the world from a race of parasitic aliens? We'd rather have a nice cup of tea, thanks all the same.

It's just unfortunate that technical problems and repetitive audio samples cause annoyance throughout.

One of the best role-playing games of 2001. With just a few tweaks, Piranha Bytes could have given us one of the best role-playing games of all time.

The developer's first baby possesses a real joie de vivre and handles like a dream.

There is a certain "been there, done that" feel that weighs everything down. That, plus a few significant design miscues, make for a game that comes up a wee bit short when compared to the often outstanding original.

Where the multiplayer side is concerned, RCTW's instant appeal and immensely addicting gameplay is one of the best team-based FPS games to release this year.

An entirely enjoyable experience. It's not ultra-weighty gaming, and that's a good thing. It's easy to get into, easy to control, and easy to enjoy.

Though it's good, it's overshadowed by the mighty SSX Tricky and Tony Hawk's - don't buy it until you've bored with these two.

Only the diehards will appreciate the detail and complexity, while the rest of us only see the flaws.

Misses out on a Highly Recommended award is that it suffers from seemingly unfinished game elements and it's not really a major step-up from the last 32-bit Smackdown.

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.

Yet another addition to the long line of awful tennis games for the PC.

One notable disappointing absence in this game is any of the female wrestlers - come on, THQ, let's not be all macho about this!

One slight drawback is that without a light for your GBA some of the levels are quite dark and the action further down the line can be somewhat repetitive even with the new challenges the game dishes out for you.

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.

Even with an outstanding soundtrack, great voice acting, some incredible, although obviously cartoonish cutscenes, the overall experience is not nearly as rewarding as it could have been.

Crazy Taxi’s voices used to be fun...They’ve been replaced with some flat, bored-sounding clips that don’t come close to the original’s amusing, quotable lines.

There's a lot of action to play through, it's fun to get to grips with and looks great, so if you love the Mario Brothers "plumb" for this one.

The game will be exciting right up until you realize that the game itself is controlling how close the games will be, and your skill seems to have no bearing on the outcome in the long run unless you get a lucky shot at the end.

As a guilty pleasure, Tarzan Untamed is actually addictive and fun with some fantastic graphics and incredible sound effects, but the underlying game is rather weak.

A slightly ropy control system, and disappointing length let us down on what is otherwise a truly enjoyable experience. Flipendo!

Though it's engaging, fun and novel for the first few hours, there's only so many ways you can come up with to use Abe and Munch's powers.

Those who take a quick look at the game may not see what the fuss is about, but spend some time looking at the incredible detail and you're sure to be floored.

The water effects and movement of the waves are brilliant and great at capturing the feel of the waves as you balance precariously on them or pull yourself over them to get to the next breaker out there.

A huge improvement over the original PlayStation version.

An extremely entertaining RPG and one I see myself returning to over and over, even after some 60 hours clocked.

It is ironic that Vampire Night should be both toothless and bloodless.

Fans of the Pro Skater series will be both pleased and disappointed to hear that very little has changed in 2X.

It misses on all counts beyond the purely visual - it's not similar enough to the movie to attract Shrek fans, it's not playable enough to attract platform game aficionados, and it's too difficult for the kids to enjoy once they've stopped laughing at the fart jokes.

It might be best just to rent it whenever you're planning to have company, and steer clear of buying it altogether.

Even with its slight problems, it's a great racing game with solid looking graphics and fantastic cars to drive through some stunning cities.

You really need to get deep into it to appreciate the feel of the individual jets, and to experience some of the better missions.

Once you get past the graphics, though, everything else is virtually unchanged. As mentioned above, there's really not much new here.

It'll be too frustrating and unforgiving for most people to get into. If you enjoyed "SSX Tricky," and like the thought of a harder, half-platformer-half-racer hybrid version, though, you'll probably find it just right.

it's just woefully undercooked in many parts.

The career mode is very well implemented, and is something that should be found in more games like this.

If you can't get enough of Hawk or Hoffman, or dig the snowboarding scene and like solid trick-based games, this one's a sick choice.

It's very hard indeed...That said, cracking a mission is an incredibly rewarding experience, and the inclusion of a 'quicksave' facility does make the process somewhat less painful.

The game that is supposedly there to make you feel like Bond, ironically ends up achieving the opposite at times because of the scripted and rather linear nature of the proceedings - there's simply too much 'guidance by hand' to really convince you that you truly ARE Bond.

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

The plot to Etherlords, the new fantasy strategy game from Nival and Fishtank, is such complete and utter cobblers.

While the campaign mode doesn't offer as much arcade action and the new strategic additions actually lessen the overall space combat feel, there's still plenty here for Trek fans and non-Trekkies alike.

It may fall between two stools. It isn't realistic enough to please the sim crowd but action players may find some of the restrictions placed on them -- only four weapons to choose from, the inability to point the nose where they want and the need to rely on concealment -- too confining.

Hot Date adds an obscene amount of voyeuristic addiction to an already proven immersive experience.

Playing Empire Earth is akin to attending a banquet with courses of food... that keep coming long after you've pushed back from the table and undone your belt.

My current favorite for top strategy game of the year. It's more playable than the original and there is a wealth of new options that increases replayability by a factor of ten.

As good as this game is, as amazing as the graphics are, as fantastic as the audio is, as fun as it is to play, and as much as everyone loves Solid Snake, the obscene storyline virtually ruins everything.

In terms of gameplay this title is a gem. There are loads of tricks for you to master and a stack of challenges for you to complete.

Offers exactly what the dedicated Star Wars follower and gamer wants: a way to re-enact the drama and excitement of Lucas' vivacious universe and even deviate from course and create your own scenarios.

You can be quietly gnashing your teeth for almost a minute on occasion for all the loading to be completed.

It's the way the game is laid out and immerses you that makes Half-Life the cat's golden milk-drenched whiskers.

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.

Playing Battle Realms is simply a joy. It's a real-time strategy title that doesn't bog you down in its details, it doesn't carry the ponderous weight of less refined titles, and leaves you with that genuinely satisfied feeling you get from playing a superbly crafted and balanced title.

A great modern anthology of 2D fighters. If you go gaga over every new Capcom or SNK fighter released, you’ll absolutely love this game.

If you want to go high on adrenaline and never mind the pain, then this might be the right prescription - so long a s you can get to grips with the controls.

The dated technology and lack of features -- most importantly, the unchanging, scripted campaign -- kills the longevity of what might have been a breath of fresh air in the simulation scene.

The visuals are, if anything, more extreme than the previous version - the whole game is geared to slam your eyeballs through the back of your head. Not, fairly obviously, in a bad way, but in a crisp, well-defined and dazzling way.

Ahriman's Gift is one of the best that the genre has to offer. If you buy any RTS game this year, make sure you check out the Kohans.

The added feature of housing and storage alone makes it well worth its price tag, but the many new quests, island and monsters all making their debut are really the tasty icing.

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

More of the same from the Crash series, albeit wrapped up in nice new PS2 visuals. If you want innovation, try elsewhere.

Almost akin to what alcoholics would call a "moment of clarity", a prolonged amount of play reveals Burnout to suddenly be a far more enjoyable game than initially realised.

Those expecting something completely different, such as the ability to pilot spaceships or man turrets, will need to wait until the next release.

When taken in isolation, Black Thorn is a competent, if somewhat uninspiring, add-on. When taken in context, it's overpriced, old-fashioned, and has been released with exquisitely bad timing.

The problem is that the innovations seem incomplete, and without them, it really is just another RTS.

Despite all these problems, the response and assistance available from Game Masters is plentiful and a refreshing change for an MMORPG.

It will charm the pants off you and spectators if you're fan of the series.

It captures the atmosphere of the Aliens and Predator films perfectly, from the spot-on sound effects right through to the genuine feeling of actually being one of the starring species (pretentious as that may sound).

If you're trying to decide between "Test Drive: Off-Road" and this game, choose the former for a better racing experience but choose Evo for its wildly inventive courses and creative object-based missions.

Not only is this title sorely lacking for those kinds of innovative features, but it just doesn't compete with even the original "Midtown Madness" for gameplay and graphical variety.

It may be a little too hard for some and the learning curve is definitely steep, but this is a game that's worth the effort.

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.

Some of the time limits are so tight, and one tiny mistake is all it may take to send you back to the beginning, gnashing your teeth in frustration.

The best game of the series...a hugely addictive game with a twisting, intense storyline that would make J.R.R. Tolkien proud.

What's so great about the game, apart from it looking and sounding so good on PS2, is the course design that you get to sample.

Where Mega Man Battle Network fails is that it can too often venture into the realms of monotony with a relatively unexciting setting that may be a bit too ingrained by Pokemon culture to stand out.

It's common knowledge that Dame Nostalgia can be a cruel mistress. Her whip has lashed us more than we care to admit, and having our rose-tinted specs beaten off us one more time, especially in this instance, would be potentially devastating. Luckily, this version of Street Fighter is great. Storming, even.

Surprisingly, FIFA 2002 has a much more responsive control system than any previous version.

Appealing just to player management aficionados and ignoring the excitement at the heart of the game will eventually cost them dear.

There isn't another game on the road that comes close to it, in its depiction of a car culture that goes way beyond the physics models and pedal-to-the-metal action offered by its rivals.

It's just as good on the GBA as it was in the old days.

Spookily enjoyable, throwing enough challenges and new creatures at you to prevent boredom setting in.

If you are looking for a solid, turn-based strategy wargaming bundle of titles, there's tremendous value in what is being offered with The War Engine.

Masterfully simple, overwhelmingly addictive.

Starving fans of the genre could consider it an oasis. An adventure game that looks good and plays well? Whatever next?

The camera, for one, can be quite erratic and gets frustratingly inadequate when you only have the option to centre it behind Bats.

Ballistics is never lacking for a quick, cheap thrill. Unfortunately, the gameplay is actually skin deep, it crashes often, and ultimately doesn't deliver on its eye candy promises.