There is enough of Tolkien's story and Jackson's presentation here to do the title justice, and enough classic action role-playing to make for an engaging, enjoyable game.

The technique associated with controlling the motorbike that makes Freekstyle such an entertaining diversion from other racing games, and the sound effects and music are easily among the best available on the handheld to date.

Sadly, the most innovative aspect of the first title has been diminished to the point where Buffy isn’t much different than a routine 3D slugfest. An easy recommendation for loyal fans of the series, but the game's appeal would be lost on the casual player.

Starts out promising and gradually becomes more tedious the further you delve into it. It’s repetitive, and it’s repetitive not because of the sheer number of enemies thrown at you or the simplistic nature of objectives, but because of the paltry set of moves you can initiate with the main character.

Combat is more tedious than fun, though players can now wield more powerful weapons such as the katana blade. Most often players can get by simply running past many of the enemies -- not necessarily out of fear, but in a noble attempt to relieve boredom.

Filled with such a carefree and upbeat attitude, from the movie-quoting riders to the ridiculous courses featuring cannon-blasting pirate ships, rampaging dinosaurs, and rollicking waves, that it’s easy to forgive any shortcomings.

Unlike many of the swimsuits featured in the game, there’s some breathing room for further development, but Hypnotix has once again surprised audiences by proving Outlaw Golf was neither beginner’s luck nor a fluke. The Outlaw series is here to stay.

A passable diversion between more traditional sports games, but nothing more.

What it lacks in new ideas is more than made up for in playful exuberance.

Despite the problems, players will likely find themselves coming back to the game, because it is just as entertaining as it is frustrating.

The replay value is inexplicably weak, because getting all of the treasures, statue pieces, and rubies is not as complicated as it sounds.

More attention needs to be placed on the space aspect of the game, and players should have the same sense of freedom as in titles like Halo instead of wandering through narrow halls.

Despite a distinct lack of impressive new features, Donkey Kong Country is nonetheless an enjoyable platform game offering around 10-15 hours of play (expect to devote even more time to get a 101% completion rate) and generally pleasing visuals and sound even if they aren't up to the level of the Super NES version.

If it weren't for the sloppy grappling system, Ultimate Muscle could have been a worthy purchase, especially for fans of the quirky animated series. The bold graphics, battery backup, ability to improve special powers, hidden wrestlers, and versus play are definite pluses.

The online component is addictive and is almost reason enough to purchase Midnight Club II, but solo players will be yearning for things to do in the cities outside of competing in more checkpoint races.

Does enough things adequately to make it worth a look for younger audiences, who won't mind the simplistic mini-games as long as they get an opportunity to guide Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquaad, and crew around the screen.

Seriously, there is a lot to like in this game. The clean graphics, the voice acting by actor Eric Bana, the intuitive control, and the stellar physics engine are highlights, but the camera, linear level design, and repetitive enemy types help bring the game down.

Has beautiful graphics, intuitive control, excellent sound, and a fun co-op campaign offering three difficulty levels. It is also a rather dull experience when playing alone and doesn't push the genre in any way, shape, or form -- in many cases, it takes the genre back.

Fans of "The Matrix: Reloaded" will want to jack in for the stylish focus moves and original movie footage that fleshes out the events depicted in the film. Everyone else, however, will want to pull the plug and run to the nearest exit.

A by-the-numbers side-scrolling action game with linear levels, repetitive enemies, and boring combat.

The game offers enough playability to keep hardcore fans occupied, but casual players will quickly tire of the sloppy camerawork, repetitive combat, and awkward controls.

It's like being given the keys to Disney World and finding out the majority of attractions are not operational; you're left in a magical place with little to do other than to go on the same few rides that happen to be working.

While Crazy Taxi is still playable despite the faults, the platform’s limitations diminish the overall fun, making this taxicab racer rather pedestrian.

In spite of its new content and subtle tweaks, Pirate Cove will not feel like a new game to anyone who played the original. It will feel like a mod. A clever, polished mod -- a mod that would have made a fine retail expansion pack -- but a mod nonetheless, and not worthy of its status as a full-fledged sequel.

A great looking game with a tried-and-true wrestling engine behind it. Unfortunately the modes of play and options are lacking, and casual fans only interested in the recording artists will quickly tire of the structured format.

The hitting interface isn’t perfect, the modes of play are extremely limited, and the pace of the game is brought to a grinding halt whenever the loading sequences appear, which occurs early and often.

Even with these improvements, State of Emergency is still a relatively shallow game that focuses on in-the-moment action, offering no real depth or continuity.

Most home computer gamers will find this version of The Sims to be a novel diversion, but they will eventually return to their monitors and keyboards for the easy, open-ended play that is only available there.

Most home computer gamers will find this version of The Sims to be a novel diversion, but they will eventually return to their monitors and keyboards for the easy, open-ended play that is only available there.

An enjoyable game, but it's AI shortcomings keep it from being great.

A few more single-player missions, a deeper story line, interactive backgrounds, and some additional tweaking on the technical front could have pushed the game over the top.

This type of game doesn’t lend itself well to repeated visits due to the simplistic control and driving requirements (gas, nitro, repeat).

Ultimately, the biggest problem with the game is longevity. There is no scoring system in place and subsequently no battery backup to save best times, points, or top achievements.

The fielding still needs some work, animation could use a bit more variety, and there should be more extensive modes and features, such as an ability to tweak computer AI so players can fine-tune problem areas. This game is a definite hit, but it’s a few yards short of a home run.

While it would have been nice if both characters offered entirely different storylines or if there were some bonus games thrown onto the cartridge, the bright colors, humorous enemies, and finger-twitching gameplay is well worth a purchase for anyone who grew up with Mega Man or is curious how this title character made his start in the industry.

By building the entire title around only seven mini-games, My Street doesn’t have nearly enough depth to keep players occupied for extended periods of time -- even with online multiplayer support and a great character editor.

What it doesn't have is originality or depth, making this sequel more subsonic than supersonic.

In spite of Master of Orion 3's countless detail-oriented improvements, connoisseurs of the series may also find themselves pining for the personality of the earlier games, wishing to trade some of the new intricacy and erudition for a better sense of interaction and consequence.

Taken as pure fighting game, it could use some power-ups, more fixed arenas, more characters, and distinct moves.

While these are disappointments, there are few games that have you leaning into every jump you make, your heart in your throat each time Indy barely grabs onto a ledge with his fingertips before pulling himself up.

It is not the best playing game, however, due to the unwieldy cursor system used to hit the ball, the lack of useful onscreen indicators to help make catches, and suspect fielding and baserunning AI.

A solid baseball game that grows on you the more you play it, thanks to the great computer AI and the deceptively simple batter-pitcher interface... Yet the new graphics, sound, and menu navigation are still not up to the level the PS2 is capable of.

Suffers from the same problem found in other games in the genre -- a lack of detailed record keeping or performance statistics to encourage replay value.

Collision detection is questionable at best. It’s often tough to tell whether it takes two hits to down certain enemies, or if the first hit simply didn’t connect.

Not a bad game overall -- it simply pales in comparison to its predecessor. It makes few leaps forward in terms of originality or depth.

Often frustrating due the limitations associated with a linear narrative, its lack of incentives to replay missions, and its stubborn attitude in not providing clear visual feedback on how well the player is doing at any given stage.

Players are recommended to skip Resident Evil 2 if only to send a message that repackaged titles should be treated as such -- not as full-fledged releases.

Had Nemesis been packaged along with "Resident Evil 2," it would have been easy to recommend for both fans and collectors.

The game is ideal only for those who are interested in the PC phenomenon but can't (or won't) play it on a PC. The rest of us will be duly impressed, but may ultimately decide to get a life elsewhere.

While its unlockable content may not always seem worth the effort, and its innovative multiplayer features are less than they could have been, it's just plain fun to control a six-story-tall gorilla as it ravages a modern metropolis.

Lacks scenarios, ready-made cities from the developers, and some new features -- the first person "streetside" view was discussed during development, but is absent.

N-Tranced will not hypnotize players with its ambitious design or extensive new features, but the quality of presentation and fast-paced arcade-style action make it easy to recommend.

With graphics prettier than Arwen and gameplay shorter than Bilbo Baggins, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ends up a mixed bag.

The combat is fast-paced and aggressive, but balanced. The creature-combining mode is deep and involved, but accessible.

Sartre once noted, "Hell is other people." The Sims Online is strictly for those who would disagree.

Accomplishes what it sets out to do: provide young players with a solid introduction to football while adding enough light touches to make it fun.

A short-lived romp through vibrant, sugary sweet worlds that will leave players -- much like its pink protagonist -- with an insatiable hunger for more.

Offers an overabundance of boring mini-games that emphasize dumb luck over skill, and since this title is little more than a collection of mini-games, it suffers because of it.

As a homage to the original title, Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms is merely passable, thanks to its carbon-copy design; fans expecting a revitalization of the franchise should look elsewhere.

Hopefully, future versions in the series will focus less on the trappings of the first-person genre and instead concentrate on what makes a Jedi so unique: lightsaber battles and the use of Force in more meaningful ways than pushing buttons.

The lack of two-player support, varied objectives, and its relatively short length keep it from being a must-have title, but the combat is fun and the environments are different enough to keep you interested until the final scene.

One of the best things about this compilation is that by scoring certain amounts of points in various games, players can unlock original Activision television commercials.

Rarely rises above the level of a typical side-scrolling combat title.

With improved animation, a more robust career, and a better choice of modes, it could have easily been a knockout instead of a contender.

Far from perfect but always engaging, getting mileage from the equivalent of a wink and a smile even despite the obvious faults.

The varied styles of fighting combined with a fresh crop of interesting characters are strong enough to make you want to sample each one.

Feels too slow and disjointed. Each area is small and the game doesn't do a convincing job of making you feel you are inside one huge interconnected castle.

The arcade-style atmosphere goes a long way in creating an immediately playable game, but in light of titles like "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell," there's a strong desire for more involved missions (NightFire's attempt at stealth is almost silly in comparison).

The levels are generic in design (for the most part), and the backgrounds are uneven (some are nicely detailed while others are repetitive and/or uninspired), but the 3D-modeled characters are pleasing, the fighting action is enjoyable (despite its flaws).

With improved animation, a more robust career, and a better choice of modes, it could have easily been a knockout instead of a contender. Rocky the game certainly has the heart of a champion, just not the tools needed to go the distance.

Easily recommended to fans, as the game looks great, is easy to control, and offers minimal frustration for those who just want to have fun traipsing around the world.

The fast-paced combat is only marred by rather tedious and simplistic level objectives, but after seeing how bad a licensed game like this can get, the developers should be congratulated for delivering a game that looks, sounds, and plays better than most typical releases on the platform.

Spearhead isn't a disappointment, exactly, because the three hours of gameplay are excellent, and arguably better than the original missions of "Allied Assault."

While it's nice to have civilians mixed in with enemies, and there should be a penalty for shooting them accidentally, the price in this game is rather steep: you lose a life.

A solid value well worth a spin. Just don't expect much more than the original titles.

Of greater concern are the problems with the hit detection -- far too frequently, an enemy soldier is only stunned by a bullet through the head. Predicting how many body shots an enemy can absorb before death is nearly impossible.

Fans of the original Frogger will appreciate the basic concept of hopping around while avoiding obstacles (there are even logs to hop on) while modern gamers will get their expected dosage of objects to find and puzzles to solve.

The AI is a glaring problem in an otherwise great game.

Worth the wait, despite the fact that from a technical standpoint the sequel isn't a major step above the Dreamcast original.

A solid attempt at watercraft racing that will satisfy less demanding players, but it's a hard game to recommend when earlier games in the genre have done just about everything better.

The entire game can be completed within 30 minutes, roughly translating into five minutes apiece for each of the game’s five chapters and prologue.

Not the worst puzzle game on the market by any means, but by the same token it offers little to entice fans away from the select few gems that have dominated for years.

This is one wacky world the developers have created, and it perfectly captures the original title’s sense of humor, irreverence, and addictive fun.

Factor in the number of performance-enhancing equipment and items to earn, and it comes close to the addictiveness of titles in the "Hot Shots Golf" series, which is clearly what the developers were shooting for all along.

With graphics prettier than Arwen and gameplay shorter than Bilbo Baggins, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ends up a mixed bag.

The GameCube version is, not surprisingly, the best looking of the four games, but it’s not the huge leap in visual quality it could have been given the dramatic improvement in technology.

Not even Mickey is available, which is perhaps the game’s biggest surprise.

The entire Gameshow mode can be completed within a few hours, and much of it feels monotonous since players are forced to do the same things over and over again. Unfortunately, that same criticism can be levied against the multiplayer game as well.

The automatic save feature makes playing a considerable non-hassle, while the multiple difficulty settings guarantee enjoyable gaming at all skill levels.

Just expect the fun to be frequently interrupted by inexplicably bad passes, ball-hogging, and non-existent defense.

A delightful excursion for the young female audience for which it is intended, but there's enough action and innovation to make it interesting for boys as well.

The sense of scale is commendable. Trudging through heavily populated urban areas while stomping on and picking up buildings as though they were mere toys is strangely fulfilling, as is the act of devastating these areas, though problems begin to surface here.

A game with potential, but the developers need to change the scope of the worlds as well as offer more varied objectives for it to be grouped in the same litter as "Super Mario Sunshine" or "Jak and Daxter."

It's certainly much better than the awful Nintendo 64 Superman game, and it looks and feels like an interactive episode of the cartoon series. However, its gameplay is less than super.

Season of Flame would benefit from better control and more objectives apart from collecting a bazillion trinkets, but the graphics, humor, and puzzles are engaging enough to warrant a purchase for devotees of the purple dragon.

While the game is not as deep as a "Blaster Master" or "Metroid," the exploration element, the ability to switch between three distinct characters, and the large worlds are well worth a look

The series’ debut on Xbox is not the head-turning affair it should be. While fighting hundreds of enemies is still addictive as ever, players sadly shouldn’t expect any improvements to the presentation.

Slowdown and jerky animations seem more prevalent as each new expansion pack is installed; an understandable symptom of the now massive amount of objects and interactions, but less excusable considering that the system requirements for Unleashed are nearly double those of the original game.