The fast and vicious action puts it near the top of its class in the fighting genre, while the interesting characters keep it from being lumped in as just another clone.

The only real stumbling blocks on its way to being the Super Star is the lack of customization options.

A rare gem: A product that's appealing and accessible to both casual and more active gamers.

A fun racing title with excellent graphics, good music, and a novel use of rag-doll and environmental physics that work quite well during races and bonus games. Its tracks are challenging and varied.

Bottom line is this: anyone who enjoys traditional fantasy role-playing games will love Icewind Dale.

Once I adjusted to the controls and uncovered some new weapons, it started growing on me. By the end, I was loving it, with a wide range of gameplay, intense battles on the street, a consistently developing storyline, and enough weapons in the long run to give you the options you want.

I had a great 15 hours playing this game, and to get the coveted 100% finish I look forward to the next five or so.

Oni stuns the third-person action scene with a powerful uppercut to the jaw. Bungie has never put its hand to a bad product, and its latest offering is a passionate protest against dull games.

While not the best RPG to hit the GBA, and not the best Zelda game in the series, it remains a strong game on both fronts in my mind.

The interesting cyberpunk motif expanded into a whole new set of wondrous lands easily lends itself to hours of fun play, while the multiplayer experience lets gamers enjoy the title with others and offers a sense of satisfaction unseen in other offerings.

Almost infinitely replayable. The fact that its gameplay fits snugly into the difficult to achieve "simple-but-deep" category practically qualifies SimGolf as a barbiturate along the lines of "Tetris."

It brings to life all that is good in RPGs and improves on other things that were not so good. With it, we encounter the best of the genre in quests, combat, and a revamped magic system.

Easy to pick up and really, really hard to put down. It starts slow, and initially, building your empire will have you playing in short bursts rather than in blocks. As your realm gets larger, though, you'll find yourself spending more time tweaking and massaging, exploring and conquering.

The deck-of-cards mechanic is incredibly fun and easy to master; it should even appeal to fans of action combat, who'd normally shy from anything with "RPG" in the description.

More than just a gimmick. Sure, the brutal animations are great fun to watch, but the true satisfaction lies in getting to that point and finding a way to overcome even the largest obstacles.

A strategic tour de force. The graphics fit the theme and setting, the gameplay is deep, challenging and rewarding, and there’s enough variation between warfare, economics, and diplomacy to suit most players’ personal styles. The replay potential is mammoth.

Its full campaign, enhanced multiplayer mode and updated graphics are definite pluses, while the unconventional warfare storyline makes Resistance a unique offering.

I'm not a big puzzle game fan, but this title did contain situations which were able to hold my interest - at least, for a while. The luscious graphics come at a "disk-swapping" price.

The addition of the double-barreled shotgun, grabber, and artifact, the introduction of the ominous Hunter bosses, and the injection of a multiplayer capture-the-flag mode all significantly enhance the gameplay in this title.

The multiplayer cooperative mode is the real reason to own Crystal Chronicles. Solving puzzles and overcoming foes requires absolute teamwork, and this sense of camaraderie is inexplicably addictive.

What with gorgeous graphics, sumptuous music, compelling story, elegant interface, and a really well conceived hint system, it stands out from the pack.

The new link system makes it possible to incite huge skirmishes and deal unprecedented amounts of damage to your enemies while opening up new strategic possibilities within your squad, and the addition of voiceovers brings the characters to life like never before.

Rewolf has managed to take an aging formula and prove that with enough pizzazz -- as well as some minor innovation -- what most people consider old hat can be just as entertaining as something made with all the latest ingredients.

For those considering entering the world of war games, however, HoI has somewhat of a cruel learning curve that's accentuated by pockets of boredom and frustration - and not all players will enjoy the real time nature of the title.

Mastering Counter-Strike is no simple task, as there’s a wide variety of highly detailed maps to learn. The graphics could’ve used more attention, but those looking for the ultimate in team-based gameplay need look no further.

The vaguely nostalgic Warlords Battlecry is a greatly entertaining offering with the potential for a long and healthy shelf life; if you pine for the days of good, old-fashioned RTS orc-bashing, you owe it to yourself to give this title a chance.

It's not a standard first-person shooter, and it can't be played as one; trying to do so will lead to failure and frustration. SOCOM is a game of patience, planning and wits.

Visually striking and completely engrossing, EA's latest for boxing fans is tremendously faithful to the sport. Granted, the artificial intelligence is a little lacking in certain areas and Xbox owners deserve an online component.