Not only are the graphics significantly improved, they whisk by at a steady pace and feature larger levels with even more interactive environments.

In what could be billed as "the complete criminal experience" this game delivers in every category with jaw dropping graphics, stunning sound effects, a unique musical score that's presented with countless hilarious commercials through your car's radio, and a relentless AI that will hunt you down whenever warranted.

Your objectives are simple enough that you never have to flip switches, jump over pits or hunt down missing keys, but at the same time the smart enemies, brilliant level design and strategic combat will tax your brain more than any scavenger hunt ever could.

Valve's inclusion of an interactive physics-based environment and the wonderful gravity gun lends itself to fun gravity puzzles, making use of good old-fashioned common sense and intuition - something I've found to be absent in the average first-person shooter.

Bar none this is the greatest console game ever made... Its mix of thought-provoking action, wonderful ambience, and perfect execution make this a must play for any gamer.

The best fighter for any console system. What else needs to be said?

If you want an incredible 3D experience that will cause you to lose sleep, meals, PTA meetings, and romantic rendezvous, this is the game.

However, it is not perfect: Most notably, while fans of the original title will surely find this game enjoyable, they will also find it extremely easy to defeat, with unusually light penalties for dying.

Difficulty complaints aside, Gran Turismo is truly an amazing game... This is the last word in console racing games, period.

Astounding graphics, sound, and storytelling combine to make the definitive fantasy RPG epic, one that will enthrall players for years to come.

The seamless amalgamation of all things '80s into the mix lets the creative team go wild with the vocal work and provide an outstanding retro soundtrack.

I can say with complete honesty that no other first-person shooter can touch Bungie's epic in terms of level design, gunplay, sheer action or multiplayer entertainment.

Remember to start on the outside of the turn, cut to the inside and then tromp on the accelerator when you're past the half way; that should keep your speed as high as possible on the your way to the nearest retailer. Trust me, the traffic ticket would be worth it.

With gameplay oozing off of this disk like gravy out of Refrigerator Perry's hot beef sandwich, fans of the gridiron will lose themselves in hours of rapture and may very well forget to eat or sleep.

The new owner's box adds astonishing depth and replayability to a franchise mode that is already dangerously addictive, while the playmaker controls only serve to better immerse the player in the experience.

Awesome and addicting in everyway, it's also only the second game for Windows 95 that was worth playing at all (the other being "Ultima Online").

The graphics, sound, and intelligence factors combine to make a game that will scare the hell out of you! The main problem that Quake seems to have is a lack of identity. It wants to combine "DOOM" elements with Hexen elements which creates a mish-mash effect.

While it is playable, and actually pretty fun a lot of the time, it has some serious, nearly game ruining flaws that, for me, made it a complete disappointment.

Burnout's World Tour circuit is both lengthy and addictive. However, once you've beaten all the competition, filled your garage to its fullest, and amassed a complete collection of trophies, the single-player game does lose some of its luster.

About as close to Hell as you're going to get - whether you believe in it or not. Everything about this game just rules and it will blow you away. The gameplay is the easiest I've ever come across in an RPG which is just fantastic.

The massive environments are a joy to explore, and the fact that combat and exploration take place on the same screen prevents even the most frequent of encounters from becoming a burden.

The real attraction, however, is the Xbox Live component, which is so original and compelling that even staunch critics of the first title may want to give Splinter Cell another opportunity.

The gameplay is pitch-perfect, and everything has a rich and polished feeling about it. The variety of the styles of play is deep and incorporates some of the best multiplayer fragfests to date.

Beyond the confines of the single player is the best multiplayer strategy game since "Total Annihilation." ... If you buy a single game this fall -- make sure it's this one!

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."

There is one slight problem: I had already played much of it on a now defunct console some years ago. Dreamcast owners don't have much to look forward to here, with many of the same characters, features, and game mechanics intact.

The goalies are still a bit of a sore point, however, since a single defender can run the gamut from godlike to pylon within a single period with little rhyme or reason.

A game that plays you with its unique sanity effects, that forces you to adapt to over a dozen characters and that holds no punches when it comes to the horror of Lovecraftian agents plotting out demise, Eternal Darkness will be a significant milestone in gaming for years to come.