The humor involved here is remarkably fresh in its non-edgy, non-focus-tested crassness.

The game's well-polished; it would have been hailed as revolutionary a few years ago, but now it's just another decent, 10-hour-long hop-n-bop to add to the pile.

Me, I'll dish out a just 6.5 and demand that the next time a scant offering of maps and modes are going to be released, they'd better cost exactly $5 or exactly nothing.

It's half the price of the stellar new-gen version of NBA 2K8 -- and pretty much half the game.

Bigger, longer, more complex levels and more challenging opponents (not just easily-destroyed peons and the occasional complex boss) are what could make this more than eye-candy -- the character system is already where it needs to be, and in fact it sometimes feels too detailed in comparison to the challenges on offer.

Of the 11 included games, every version of Asteroids is awful; Centipede and Millipede are physically uncomfortable; Pong is neat -- in one game mode, anyway -- but like Super Breakout, the controls have been lost in translation; Missile Command and Lunar Lander are good games revamped to somehow look worse than the originals; and Tempest, Battlezone, and Warlords just might be worth buying.

Unfortunately, the end result is a little more Rambo, a lot less Rocky. It's going to take a rethinking to pull the 3D brawler out of its "me too" phase, and Streetwise certainly isn't helping.

Gameplay nags aside, we do want to make it clear that Chulip is certainly worth a look for purveyors of all things Japanese and indie. We can bandy about synonyms for "charming" and "stylish" all damn day, but the game makes an effort to resist labels, really becoming something in and of itself.

While it's true that things have improved, that doesn't mean it's suddenly a great game. While the downplaying of the storyline does help streamline the game, it also makes your goals seem a little disconnected and random.

As this is pretty much "March Madness 06" with a new cover athlete -- which we liked fine a year ago (it scored a 7.5) -- we don't see any reason to choose this over the better and cheaper "College Hoops 2K7."

Dedicated SimCity fans will definitely appreciate the effort, but otherwise, consider this a reminder that just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean that you should.

All of this is handled well enough, but there's nothing special to it.

It's like a faster, more fluid "King's Field," all the way down to the ugly, 3DO-quality graphics -- not everyone's cup of mead, to be certain, but still a satisfying first-person hack-n-slash for those who prefer to take their treasure-hunting on the go.

The decidedly traditional approach that permeates every part of the game makes the decision to develop this as a "new-gen" game all the more odd, to say the very least.

A good -- if not great -- game. Learn to deal with the artificial intelligence on particular tracks, and the experience in an enjoyable one. Just as long as you're not looking for a very deep -- or even all that logical -- career mode.

In the end, the sharp graphics trump the competition (2K Sports' "Top Spin 2"), but the oversights in gameplay and the pros-only career mode hold Virtua Tennis back from being a must-play. For a quick knock-around with friends, this can't be beat, but for a deeper, more authentic tennis experience, go with "Top Spin 2."

The game begins much too slowly to really captivate. Which is a shame because a lot of gamers who might really appreciate Innocent Life's vibe could very likely put the game down before it's ever really begun.

It's a distant No. 2 to this year's unquestionably better "College Hoops 2K7."

I'd have to consider this the version of last resort: If you have the chance to check out the game on any of the other platforms, I'd recommend doing just that.

It's a solid if uninspiring little game with a definite nostalgic appeal for fans of old action-RPGs such as "Crystalis" or "SoulBlazer." Or "Ys", for that matter.

While the game does look great in still shots, when it's in motion, it never maintains a steady framerate throughout an entire scene.

Sorrows nails the controls, making the repetitive hack-n-slash action enjoyable in a Dynasty Warriors kinda way, and multiplayer is mostly successful. Unfortunately, the graphics fail to impress, the story isn't anything memorable, banging buttons is as effective as making use of the combos, and what should have been an epic quest can be completed by a novice gamer in around eight hours, with not much reason for replay.

With improvements to the A.I. and presentation, Bethesda could be onto something with this simplified "squad-based" style to starship combat.

If you're into the unintentional hilarity of films like Turkish Star Wars, Paraworld is the game you've been waiting for all your life. On the other hand, as with most B-movies, the majority of folks will probably go through a lot less buyer's remorse if they just rent this one to knock out a few chuckles.

The all-new telemetry system and be-the-receiver feature are interesting additions that enhance the fun derived from Arena Football, but they are not enough to push the game over the top.

I guess I can see where some people might enjoy this existence, but it's not for me. I need some sort of concrete goal in my life. Not to mention variety.

The graphics are pretty, the visual design is solid and the music is excellent. But the gameplay would have been unacceptable five years ago on PlayStation; portability doesn't make its shortcomings any more tolerable today.

Battle of the Gods is about standard as an expansion can get. With new units and lands it adds about a third as much content as the original game, as well as some much needed additional depth of strategy.