Aladdin is just as solid now as it was then; jumping is still precise, the visual package is bright, colorful and well-animated, and the game's score and sound effects are all dead on.

Fails for a few different reasons, but the big one is a simple lack of consistency. A good fighting game is governed by clear, well-defined rules and directed through precise, responsive commands. Chaos doesn't have either.

This game is funny, fun to play, and is a definite improvement on the claustrophobic linear levels of games past.

EA did their homework and pulled together a solid basketball game this year. There isn't much to complain about in NBA Live 2005. And with the addition of the Slam Dunk Contest, the replay value is huge.

If you already own "ESPN NBA 2K4" basketball game, 2K5 is probably not worth the dough -- prettier graphics aren't enough. The $20 price tag puts it in reach of most everyone else, though.

The car never really feels grounded, but rather appears to float at a high rate of speed. It doesn't take much more than too much gas and too sharp a turn to start spinning, adding unnecessary aggravation to some of the longer missions.

EA did their homework and pulled together a solid basketball game this year. There isn't much to complain about in NBA Live 2005. And with the addition of the Slam Dunk Contest, the replay value is huge.

A game whose lack of originality is matched only by its abundance of... well, pretty much everything else.

Konga represents a somewhat hefty financial investment, especially if you want to round up enough peripherals to fill your GameCube's controller ports, but for sheer universal fun there's nothing else on the system that compares.

Almost a perfect strategy game. It has strategic scope and splendor nearly matching that of "Civilization" and a tactical game unlike anything else on the market.

The setting, story, and graphics of Kohan II are so full of cliches that one is almost surprised to find a wonderfully original and engaging game beneath the generic packaging.

The inconsistencies and haphazardly-borrowed elements keep Headhunter from ever realizing its potential and drag it down to mere "mediocre" status. It has a certain underdog charm... if only it were content to be <I>good</I> instead of clumsily striving for <I>cool</I>.

Those who "get" Monster Hunter will find hundreds of hours of entertainment both online and off. But whatever the case, Capcom should be commended for taking such an original, offbeat and ultimately rewarding approach to the genre.

Nothing else holds up to the visuals -- not the music, not the script, not the gameplay. Seriously, it's like you've managed to combine the worst bits of your own games along with the most annoying excesses of Japanese RPGs and came up with something so indescribably bland as to defy logic.

If an absolutely brilliant story, finely detailed characterization, and faultless attention to canonical detail are what you're after, then, X-Men Legends is not what you're looking for. If you want a good game, though, and an especially good game to play with a couch full of superhero fans, this is the game to get.

Simply put, this is one of the most original and entertaining games we've come across in ages.

Here's the problem: both the action-packed style and the stealth style show promise, but neither is fully polished.

To a fan, if you can get over the fighting's sluggish pace, there's much nostalgia to be had. For the rest, this is one ghost file that best remains closed.

Best as a reasonably straightforward hack-and-slash action game. When it tries to demand too much precision of the player, things get messy. The camera isn't very precise, blending automatic direction with some fairly crude player control on the right analog stick, and there are situations where the game demands more precision than its controls can provide.

Thanks to a borrowed "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" engine, Luke's moves are fluid and smooth. Whether he's hoisting himself up on crate or wielding a lightsaber his actions are lifelike and accurate.

If an absolutely brilliant story, finely detailed characterization, and faultless attention to canonical detail are what you're after, then, X-Men Legends is not what you're looking for. If you want a good game, though, and an especially good game to play with a couch full of superhero fans, this is the game to get.

The inconsistencies and haphazardly-borrowed elements keep Headhunter from ever realizing its potential and drag it down to mere "mediocre" status. It has a certain underdog charm... if only it were content to be <I>good</I> instead of clumsily striving for <I>cool</I>.

Here's the problem: both the action-packed style and the stealth style show promise, but neither is fully polished.

If an absolutely brilliant story, finely detailed characterization, and faultless attention to canonical detail are what you're after, then, X-Men Legends is not what you're looking for. If you want a good game, though, and an especially good game to play with a couch full of superhero fans, this is the game to get.

Nothing else holds up to the visuals -- not the music, not the script, not the gameplay. Seriously, it's like you've managed to combine the worst bits of your own games along with the most annoying excesses of Japanese RPGs and came up with something so indescribably bland as to defy logic.

Here's the problem: both the action-packed style and the stealth style show promise, but neither is fully polished.

The AI in the single player game is also pretty weak. This works both ways; not only does it mean you can mow down waves of enemies without getting touched, but when you need your teammates to help you capture a point, they're usually nowhere to be found.

The multiplayer side of things, however, is excellent. The online play is smooth (depending on the server) and, truthfully, there's nothing quite like sneaking in to steal a control point right from under other players' noses.