Games: Spider-Man <br></br>Extreme G3 <br></br>Burnout <br></br>Final Fantasy X

Spider-Man
PS2, GameCube, Xbox (Activision)
£44.99
****
The long awaited Spidey movie is almost upon us. And to coincide with the arachnid blockbuster, Activision have dusted off their pixellated Peter Parker. But it's not your usual disappointing licensed game; this is actually rather good. The game loosely follows the plot of the movie as you slip into the Spandex to carry out a series of missions across the New York skyline that have you battling with the Green Goblin and his legions of cronies. And it looks impressive as your man swoops around skyscrapers and scuttles up walls, outshining all Activision's previous efforts. They've also improved the gameplay; Spiderman can now do battle mid-web sling and has a couple of tricks up his sleeve to help with the indoor missions. One of the few criticisms is that the Xbox controls are unwieldy – there's not much that can be done about this – so make sure you pick up the GameCube or PS2 version. SC

Extreme G3
GameCube (Acclaim)
£39.99
**
For fans of the Wipeout series, Extreme G3 is probably not going to light your fire. It plays very smoothly and the controls feel very comfortable, but there are just too many nagging flaws for comfort. For a start, it's just plain easy. The music is fine, but surely it's time for some diversion from the standard fare of thumping dance music. Unlike Wipeout, the game allows you to choose your weapons before the race: phrases like "rail gun" and "grenade launcher" whet the appetite, but when you pull the trigger, the weedy outcome is disappointingly feeble. Rent it and beat it but don't shell out forty quid. LL

Burnout
GameCube (Acclaim)
£39.99
****
The fact that this game has done the rounds on the other consoles shouldn't mean that Nintendo's version should be ignored. Burnout is a rather singular take on the average racing game: sure, the idea is to complete the course first, but you are careering around roads clogged with normal traffic. The more outrageous crashes you get into, the more points you score. And, rather disturbingly, each crash is immediately replayed three times, from different angles. It's slightly morbid in feel as you watch the cars roll and crumple, but the courses are possibly the longest and most difficult I've ever played. The joy of wrecks? Your GameCube deserves it. SC

Final Fantasy X
PS2 (PSEE)
£44.99
*****
Another year, another Final Fantasy. Not just the next episode in the franchise, this game is a reason for buying a PS2. The game solves all the problems that have come up in previous incarnations, and the result is as near perfect a role-play game as you'll find. The graphics and music are stunning, with perhaps the best cut-scenes you will see on Sony's machine. The characters have depth to them and the story line is tight. It will suit the sort of player who is prepared to devote major stretches of time to the campaign, but there is enough action to make even a short investment of time exciting. Genius. LL