THQ X-Box Games

The plot in The Sleeping Dragon revolves around yet another ancient threat to the world, this time related to the mysterious (and real) Voynich Manuscript, which may or may not contain the secret to eternal life. Needless to say it's up to the game's hero George Stobbart and his long-term associate Nico to stop the bad guys from prevailing, and this they do by solving a long stream of logic puzzles ranging from getting into a locked room armed with only a press card to waking up an unconscious Australian before he falls off the side of a cliff.

Even though the game is not controlled with the mouse the interface is extremely easy to use, with four main context-sensitive buttons used in conjunction with your inventory. It won't be to everyone's taste--those with a taste for arcade action may get bored quite quickly--but it all works well and has excellent graphics. It's a real game to watch this winter. --David Jenkins

Ash has a "to do" list and this is your cue as to where to go next in the game. These missions can either be given to you by NPCs, such as the cops who stop you getting into the Kitten Club, to long-term goals such as getting into the TV station. The first problem is that this makes for a pretty linear experience. Secondly, the puzzles are slightly obtuse. Don't assume that a locked door needs a key or you'll be running around for hours killing every zombie that jumps you in the hope that one of them will drop it. Ash can use spells and dynamite as well as keys to open doors, the trouble is you don't often know which is the right way and there are few hints in the game itself. Lastly, there is no map. This is rather a blow considering the sometimes confusing camera angles and similarity of the backdrops. But on the plus side the levels are relatively small and there are plenty of zombies to kill as you navigate your way round.

Graphically it lacks some of the pizzazz of Resident Evil, but the real reason to play is the scourge of the undead--Ash and luckily he's voiced by the man himself, Bruce Campbell. Fans of the series will enjoy the wry humour and zombie-eradicating goodness, but action aficionados might be left wanting more than the one-liners and samey gameplay.--Kristen Bowditch

The game can be viewed from any of three angles (side-on, front and back) and generally takes the form of a chase sequence or a more puzzle-oriented maze-like adventure. In one, for example, you must negotiate a maze of jellyfish, in another avoid the unwanted proddings of a scuba-diver as he attempts to catch you from behind.

Clearly aimed at younger fans of the film, Finding Nemo is not particularly difficult or complex, but the graphics are generally very good and the voiceovers, featuring most of the cast from the movie, are excellent. The load times though are atrocious and almost ruin what is otherwise a perfect way to keep unruly children quiet and entertained. --David Jenkins

Set a few years after the first game but curiously failing to feature Parker, the hero from the original, Red Faction II casts you as Alias, a nanotech-enhanced soldier out to bring down the Soviet-style Commonwealth that has decided to blight the land in the way that evil dictatorships always seem to in video games.

The primary gimmick of the Red Faction games is the Geo-Mod (geometry modification) graphics engine that allows you to destroy almost any wall, ceiling and floor in order to proceed or simply to have a bit of a laugh. The biggest problem with the first game was its terrible loading times that really interrupted the flow of the game, but that's been sorted out for this sequel which also includes improvements to the previously Spartan multi-player modes.

As you'd expect there are also lots of new vehicles to drive--including a very natty robotic power suit--plus tons more weapons and even a new Halo-style shield system. Admittedly none of this is terribly original, and the frame rate can stutter on occasion, but it's still lots of fun for red-blooded men and women. --David Jenkins