Burnout Revenge (Electronic Arts) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

The best arcade racer available and an absolute must-buy.

Heroes Of The Pacific (Codemasters) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Never surprising but always competent - in the air, at least - Heroes is happily playable.

Conflict: Global Storm (Pivotal Games) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Full of gripping action, this is by no means a huge step forward for either the series or the genre, but it's great baddy-bashing fun.

Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

The best American football game: deep, realistic and rewarding, but only true devotees will get the best from it.

Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance (Capcom) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Annoying, boring and just plain embarrassing, Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance needs flushing away rather than playing.

Musashi: Samurai Legend (Square Enix) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Not too hard and hardly a Final Fantasy or even Kingdom Hearts rival, but a nice slice of RPG-lite for in-between times.

Spartan: Total Warrior (Sega) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Just shaded by God Of War, but still worth 90%. Spartan's combat is so good it makes every massacre the purest of joys.

187 Ride Or Die (Ubisoft) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

A just-about-adequate gameplay experience, but the childish, in-your-face presentation is insulting and, frankly, rather horrible.

The Suffering: Ties That Bind (Midway) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

A cleverly shocking and enjoyable demon-blasting game for those who can take it.

Kuon (Indie Games Productions) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

A competent chiller for the already-converted, but it could have used an injection of adrenaline and a less bizarre plot.

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Warner Bros.) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

What sweetness Charlie has is spoilt by poor signposting, a spasm-happy camera and irritating glitches. Watch the film, read the book, avoid the game.

Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines (Oxygen Games) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

A decent enough adventure, although hardly impressive. Pilot Down's tense survival action is let down by some truly dim enemy AI. Shame.

EyeToy: Kinetic (London Studio) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

An interesting use of the EyeToy technology, but most of it is still the usual hand flapping, only a bit faster and longer.

Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 (Capcom) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Resident Evil is about to evolve into Resi 4, but Outbreak has got left behind. It may finally be online, but it's nothing too special.

ATV 3: Offroad Fury (Southpeak Games) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

The off-road racing is appealing, even if the handling's unpredictable. ATV is far from perfect, but it certainly has its moments.

Echo Night Beyond (Indie Games Productions) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Well presented and with a lovely atmosphere... Shame about the tragically dull and repetitive gameplay.

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 (Midway) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

A blight on the name of retro gaming. This collection ranges from 'meh' to bloody awful. You're get more nostalgia digging your old mobile out for a game of Snake.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge (Capcom) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

Slow, far too simplistic, horribly confusing and terminally dull. Surely not even the goth-liest of Burton-lovers want to be this miserable.

Fahrenheit (Atarisoft) (PlayStation 2 (EU Version))

At times it feels like an interactive movie, where the emphasis is on the 'movie' rather than the 'interactive', but that said, it is ten solid hours of unrelenting storytelling, featuring fantastic production values, and some interesting hexagonal breasts.