Shhh... Listen to the silence. You might as well get used to it, because if you're planning on pocketing World Championship Snooker 2005, you'll be hearing a lot of, well, not a lot at all. The sound vacuum is occasionally burst by the clack of balls, the mellow murmurings of the commentary team, and the occasional overweight old codger in the back row coughing up a gobbet of lung. Just like real snooker, then.

Thankfully, that's not where the similarities between World Championship Snooker 2005 and the sport itself end. You really couldn't hope for a more accurate Xbox representation of snooker. The player roster has been boosted to over 100, and all the 2005/2006 tournaments and venues like The Crucible are present and correct.

More importantly, World Championship Snooker 2005 plays smoother than a Ronnie O'Sullivan 147. You line up your shots using adjustable aiming arrows and a variety of camera angles, then tweak your power, spin, and cue position. There is a new Tiger Woods-style analogue stick-powered cueing method, but the standard old button press is much more reliable. There's even a brilliant coaching mode, and the spot-on physics engine mean you'll go from ripping the cloth to nailing monster breaks in no time.

Once you've got your tip chalked, you can jump into a quick exhibition match or embark on a full Tour. Winning unlocks bonuses like video clips and classic players, but there's a stack of cool stuff to muck around with from the start. Pool, billiardsand some crazy tables add variety, and a selection of John Virgo-style trick shots hone your skills.

As you improve, the strategy of snooker really starts to ooze from the baize. You'll be thinking five or six shots ahead, and casually controlling the position of the cue ball like a waistcoat-wearing wizard. Rather than a plain old sports title, World Championship Snooker 2005 suddenly develops into an extremely addictive and deep puzzle game that values planning, patience and precision over rowdy razzmatazz. Against AI opponents it's compelling - again st your mates or across Xbox Live, it's war.

For some, this will sound as appealing as having chalk dust rubbed in their eyes. Aside from a couple of niggles it's hard to find fault with the game, but the snooker-filled silences will definitely only appeal to fans. But that's fine. Playing World Championship Snooker 2005 is a strangely relaxing experience, like being wrapped in kittens and fed tranquillisers, and the spot-on potty action will keep you coming back for more. It may be quiet, but for World Championship Snooker 2005, silence is golden.

1. Nails that chilled snooker atmosphere brilliantly, so it's just like watching it on telly.
2. Classy sound effects and lots of silence. You can turn on music but rip your own instead - the tunes included suck.
3. The visuals are about as impressive as they could be and the physics engine is perfect.
4. Getting your skills up is challenge enough, but the Tour mode adds lots of depth and there are heaps of other game modes.
5. Xbox Live play debuts, and a new four-player Doubles mode means you can go snooker loopy with your mates too.

Not too many new features, but World Championship Snooker 2005 has enough in its pockets to keep snooker fans going potty for ages.