Lap of honour

F1 2005
PlayStation 2, £39.99
Sony, ****

Last year, Sony celebrated acquiring sole ownership of the official Formula 1 licence in a curious way. After prizing shared rights from EA, Sony's F1 2004 was so hard that it required players to have the talent of Jenson Button ... unless they were happy to drag around hopelessly at the back of the field. Clearly, there has been some discussion of the need to create a mainstream game: while F1 2005 retains the same format, it is much easier to play.

Career mode sees you once again trialling for one of three teams - Red Bull, Jordan or Minardi - and if you achieve the required time around the twisty Barcelona circuit, you are pitched into the fray at the Australian Grand Prix. When played at the easiest level, an ideal-line trace (in green, but with braking zones in red) makes negotiating unfamiliar circuits much easier.

Indeed, petrol-heads may find it too easy. Luckily, there are plenty of difficulty modes offering more realistic levels of driver assistance. Curiously, F1 2005 retains the dual-lap qualifying system that started the season but has since been scrapped, and you must choose your fuel strategy before embarking on a Sunday morning lap. Car setup has been made easier, too, but the graphics have not improved, while the spine-tingling soundtrack has. The online side of the game should prove popular. This time, Sony has created a Formula 1 game that appeals to all fans, regardless of driving ability.
Steve Boxer

Coasting to victory

Codename Panzers: Phase 2
PC, £34.99
Stormregion/CDV, ***

It's always a shame when sequels get rushed, especially when based on something as unexpected as the original Codename Panzers. Last year's real-time strategy gem showed Stormregion had a gift for deep, arcade-friendly gaming that's getting rare among European developers.

Those skills are still in abundance, but they are the same as before. Panzers 2 may have a slightly tweaked version of the original Gephardt engine and 20 new real-world units, but it is effectively the same game, down to the identical interface, loading screens and gameplay. Unique features, such as being able to carry captured units into the next level, have been replaced by the same old tank-rush mentality that seemed more under control last time.

Fans of the original will find the new levels equally polished. You get three lengthy campaigns, featuring Italian, Allied and Yugoslavian missions, and the addition of more day/night cycles makes for some eye-catching scenarios - but they are so tightly scripted that success is rarely more than a question of memorising where the enemy will attack from next. However, there's plenty of variety and - as before - units are well balanced to make replay with different combinations productive.

It's a shame CDV doesn't push its developers harder. Anyone capable of producing a game this good can probably manage more in a sequel. This would be a bargain at £19.99 but at the moment it feels rushed, expensive and under-ambitious.
Mike Anderiesz

Subtlety not the plan

Gungrave Overdose
PlayStation 2, £19.99
Play-It, **

If you like using your brain when playing games, then Gungrave Overdose isn't for you. If, however, you enjoy shooting numerous enemies, ideally while carrying a coffin on your back, then you'll be at home.

This is an offbeat game that will appeal to action fans looking for reasonably priced entertainment. Unfortunately, the gameplay is banal - pumping bullets into assailants is as good as it gets. For a while, this is enough. Swinging your coffin around as a weapon is a great way to let off steam, and there are a steady stream of enemies waiting to be hit.

Likewise, the environments are generally there to be destroyed. It is obvious that subtlety wasn't part of the Gungrave design document. Do well in your killing - ie do it fast - and you earn upgrades to further your destructive powers. Yes, this game is as retro as it sounds.

The other playable characters uphold the anarchic action, with one using a guitar as a weapon. So, if you fancy a quick and easy bit of fun, then this could be for you. But beware the initial sugar rush: play for more than an hour and the comedown begins, with the realisation that there are far better ways to spend time on your PS2.
Greg Howson

Top 5 games

All formats

1. Madagascar

2. Destroy All Humans!

3. Juiced

4. Medal of Honor: European Assault

5. God of War

· Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, © 2005 Elspa UK Ltd

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