Yes it's expensive, and it has some serious problems that need immediate attention, but it can't be denied that Ultima Online is a unique, intriguing, thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience -- once you learn how to play, and accept it for what it is.

Siren has a few basic problems that keep it from being truly exceptional, but its groundbreaking mechanics and brilliant execution of fear make it something survival horror fans won’t want to miss.

The gameplay is gleefully wrought with complexity. However, hardcore strategists will surely find this title simplistic.

It’s certainly worth playing through twice — a concept that seems to have been forgotten these days, even as the quest for the gaming equivalent of the everlasting-gobstopper has been joined.

While SoF II won't contend for Game of the Year, it's worth its price tag for both its combat-heavy single-player campaign as well as its robust multiplayer package, highlighted by the random map generator.

If you can get a group of mates together over Xbox Live, Wolfenstein should provide a constant and gratifying supply of entertainment well into the future.

While there are still a few glitches in the camera work, and not every segment is brilliant, this title contains enough moments of unrequited fun to keep you coming back for more.

One of the most realistic and captivating starship simulations ever made.

While a great number of real-time strategy games are currently demonstrating a great level of technical accomplishment, seldom do they rise to the level of vigor demonstrated here.

The sound and music don't particularly damage this offering, but could have been a lot better considering the quality put into the gameplay and graphics.

Valve has proved quite effectively that solid level design and an embarrassment of style will outshine all the fanciest smoke and mirrors that today’s cutting-edge technologies have to offer.

This game, however, is not for the lighthearted or for those with no flight experience, as even on the easiest of settings pilots will find it very difficult to keep enemies in their sights long enough to shoot them down.

Taking the best elements of first-person shooters that preceded it, what we have here is a magnificent homage to the genre rather than an attempt to introduce significant novelty or redefine its boundaries...Clearly superior to its predecessor.

The retractable library research toolbar notwithstanding, there’s no single feature that makes Thrones and Patriots a must have, but if you enjoyed the original title, the precise strokes in this expansion only add to the enjoyment of an already superlative RTS experience.

For the first time, real-time strategy concepts like resource building and army management feel at home on a console.

The campaign is a bit short even by today's standards, but has phenomenal replayability and enough bonus content to keep you busy for quite some time.

A multimedia feast for the senses and a compelling interactive movie. As an action-adventure game, it doesn't offer much of a challenge beyond furthering the story, but it is certainly a story worth experiencing.

Grandia II happily dwells in a genre where its players will sacrifice a bit of visual quality for a compelling story and excellent combat and character mechanics. Luckily, these are delivered in spades.

The amazing flexibility of the Surveyor tool guarantees zealous builders will have endless miles of track and numerous layouts on which to ride.

The game offers an incredibly rich experience with vast amounts of replayability.

While features such as the noise meter and match-up stick do give the player more control over the experience, significant updates and additions to the rest of NCAA 2005 were conspicuous in their absence this year.

If this would have been released sans the law enforcement and Pursuit inspired aspects of the game, it would have been titles Need for Speed: Underground 3, because really that is powering it.

For a game that's billed as strictly linear, the multitude of possibilities in Icewind Dale II is striking; its breadth is in its depth, not its scope.

I like the larger scenarios and the attention to detail on all of the levels is amazing.

There's also the matter of the decidedly realistic approach taken here, which some may find a bit dry in comparison to other longstanding fighters, such as "Tekken Tag Tournament."

Lengthy single player campaign aside, the online matches and powerful race editor should keep this game fresh for months to come.

Mixing an intriguing plot with exciting racing action, you cannot help but get sucked into the gameplay.

Nowhere else in today's market will you be able to find a flight simulator with the boldness and keen utilization of detail shown by B-17 Flying Fortress.