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.