A unique option lets you customize weapons, armor and character abilities.

A brilliant and unique game that features lots of cool ninja weapons, such as throwing stars and the grappling hook, realistic Japanese scenery, stealth and patience tactics, etc. Players who like their games to be linear and planned out beforehand won't like this game; neither will the players with no patience.

When compared to its shooter contemporaries, "Einhander" and "G. Darius", Thunder Force V comes up lacking. Einhander has vastly superior graphics and more innovative gameplay. G.Darius has better looking bosses and backgrounds, longer levels and a killer two-player simultaneous mode.

The missions make the game an enthralling experience. This title certainly won't appeal to everyone, but for those who want a thinking shooter, give this one a try.

Intelligence, control, and gameplay are all the best in the business. The only disappointments are the lack of real players and teams and the need for a better TV-style presentation.

Many have complained about Mission: Impossible's trial-and-error gameplay. Is it me, or do those same people seem to have forgotten that "GoldenEye 007" had the same type gameplay, especially on its higher levels of difficulty?

A solid light gun shooter that will appeal to any fan of this genre. It's just too short and fails to add anything innovative in the gameplay aspect (i.e. you're still on rails and there's no alternate paths you can take).

Faulty cams aside, Banjo-Kazooie is the best 3D platformer since "Mario 64," and we can only wonder what miraculous game Rare will produce next. This is one of the few must-buy games on the Nintendo 64.

Considering the relatively inexpensive price of "The X-Files: Unrestricted Access" (at the time of review the program was only half the price of most new games), this is an X-Files souvenir well worth the money to the casual watchers and a must-have for the die-hard fan.

Is it really that realistic? The answer to that is a plain "YES." When you have a PlayStation steering wheel, you could practice for your real-life driver's license with this game.

Hands down the BEST side scrolling shooter to come out in the post 16-bit era of video gaming. It has everything going for it: relentless action, beautiful graphics, tons of highly detailed levels, different ships, awesome weapons and an incredible challenge that will keep you coming back for more.

This is a good 3-D game, but you may have trouble figuring out which way is up. Not that it matters, because you will be chased constantly and you will always be on the move.

While the backgrounds are 2D, they are rich and diverse and those spot explosions, though pixilated, feature high quality light sourcing.

Games rarely have any sense of culture at all … but those looking for a relatively enjoyable adventure with lots of wit should prepare for a trip to feudal Japan. You won't soon forget it.

It truly revolutionizes and sets a new standard for real-time strategy games on the PC.

The interface is mouse driven and the real-time action is fast paced with the use of portals and light orbs designed for quick movement from locale to locale within the game.

What really drives it home, however, is the unsurpassed realism and detail.

The most noticable change from the previous two titles are the graphics. Vastly improved with tons of roadside details including shadows, light sources, numerous and detailed texture maps.

It's Quake, what else do I have to say?

You may find that Yoshi's Story can be a wonderfully irresistible experience. It's like Super Mario Bros. 2 in that it's quite a bit different from the usual Mario fare. Many people loved Super Mario Bros. 2, whereas some didn't. That will be the case here as well.

While interesting in the short run, this quickly becomes old as there is nothing else to do besides watch the (admittedly interesting) story unfold.

So, for all of it's action and nerve wracking moments, if you only play games to beat them the first time through, I'd suggest renting Resident Evil 2.

A superb game. There is really nothing like it on any platform. With an infinite replay value and immersing gameplay, it keeps you coming back for more and more.

Buy Diddy Kong Racing for the very good Adventure mode, but don't expect multiplayer action on the same level as the Mario Kart series.

Everything a fan of the original could hope for. Just don't expect to feel you're playing a whole new game.

Nintendo's censors required the removal of many of the game's more "suggestive" elements (sex shops and strippers), which is obscene in my mind. It is okay to include violence but not sex? Isn't this a double standard?

Graphically speaking, this game is an excellent bit of "eye-candy"... The only real problem with the game is that it is occasionally hard to understand what is required to complete some missions.

The only downfall of Curse is that it seems to end abruptly...That aside, The Curse of Monkey Island is a magnificent game that almost any adventure game fan should be able to enjoy. Its great fun and humorous attitude should appeal to most gamers.

Much like Myst, the puzzles in Riven usually offer no explanations or any hints as to why you need to do them and what it will do. Most of them are extremely vague and illogical which leads to a very frustrating experience.

Myth: The Fallen Lords is a masterpiece in the realtime strategy genre.

The only real problem with Parappa is concerning the depth as this title really does not allow much variation and Sony have only included six fairly short levels.

In the end, I just couldn't get into Jedi Knight. Maybe it was because I'm not a big Star Wars fanatic that I found it quite boring and uninspired, but there was nothing here that grasped my interest.

The game play is smooth, using action points for movement and combat and the inventory system is easily managed. Fallout has one of the best character development systems of any computerized role-playing game and the graphics and story make for an excellent gaming experience.

Anyone even remotely interested in the world of 2D side-scrollers or the Castlevania series should pick this up – it's a must have.

Featuring inhumane, cold blooded killing and no purpose other than to lay waste to as many fellow human beings as possible, Postal truly stands in a zone of its own – a killing zone.

Manages to do what many similar takes on the great conflict have failed to do -- take the events of the battle and present them with epic grandeur yet keep them simple to play without getting bogged down with too many rules.

Combines great graphics, real-time strategy and an intriguing plot (our own history!) to raise a phoenix from the ashes of wayside, ordinary strategy games.

An extremely addicting game, especially since it is possible to become part of an online community. Player run guilds and towns, and even larger cities are becoming a common occurrence. Unfortunately though, as with many online games, technical problems tend to hinder gameplay. Complaints about bugs and rampant player killing are frequent on newsgroups and several web pages but Origin, for the most part, has been responsive to feedback, and updates the game via online patches.

Gets its roots from the very first game of its origin: "Bushido," a 2D, four-color PC title that had similar features such as the low, mid, and high attacks with weapons (mainly swords).

Extreme-G is what more titles should strive to be: something that is just plain fun to play. What it is about this game that makes it so great -- maybe it's the fact that the control is very precise, maybe it's the sheer thrill you get from traveling at 400 miles per hour on a sleek, futuristic cycle, or maybe, just maybe, it's the thumping bass beat that makes the racing even more enjoyable.

An impressive contender in the real-time strategy genre. An easy-to-use interface, coupled with intelligent AI, establishes the game as one of the best of its kind.

Handles quite well and that's especially important as many of the puzzles require split-second timing and instant controller response.

Each character, visual graphic, mini-game and every ounce of story has a depth so amplified that it will keep players engrossed for months.

So if you appreciate ingenuity, realistic settings, loads of cool weapons, and some of the best artificial intelligence ever witnessed in a first-person shooter, let alone a console shooter, GoldenEye 007 is an essential addition to your N64 game library.

While Ace Combat 2 is loads of fun, it can get a bit monotonous. Essentially, the mission objectives are all the same (blow up the enemy) and this could lead to some boredom. If you look into this game, be sure to play it in moderation -- play a few missions a day and then give it a break for a while.

Notable for its use of real-time speech during the action

While each game features gameplay a step above the other, a few flaws carried themselves from title to title, never being fully resolved.

Turok has some good points (namely the graphics and weapons) and some bad points (confusing level design and overuse of fog), but the overall game is still fun to play.

If it seems you don't get your money's worth in videogames anymore, Blast Corps is truly exceptional value. Three words: original, addicting, and challenging. There's no game quite like this in the 32/64-bit generation.

Despite the fact that Mario Kart 64 doesn't quite compare to the original, it's nevertheless one of the best racing games for the system. The good still far outweighs the bad.

With astounding graphics and nearly every pixel of the arcade version represented, beautiful backgrounds, lighting effects and unsurpassed character animation, Soul Blade is a wonder to watch and even more amazing to play.

If you're looking for an action RPG with medieval roots and influences, dark and moody settings, and unique game play, then run to your nearest retailer and pick up a copy of Diablo!

Utterly brilliant, and deserves purchase by anyone who's ever had a penchant for "Tetris." And don't forget to play with a friend in the versus mode!

While an excellent game, it just lacks that particular oomph the original had. Perhaps, being a sequel, it couldn't have the same impact as being something completely new.

While perhaps not upgrading the original Command & Conquer engine as much as some would have liked, its clean graphics, crackerjack music score and immersive sound effects all make for a game that's great fun to play...and that's what it's all about, isn't it?

It is a truly captivating and mesmerizing experience that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of people – especially those interested in grandiose architecture.

What really propels Wave Race 64 into great status, though, is its gameplay. Minute inputs make all the difference: controlling a jet-ski in Wave Race 64 is an art as well as a precise science, but it's fun too.

A dated adventure with sub-standard full-motion video, puzzles that had been used numerous times, trivial item collection and drab conversations with bizarre characters. Potential oozed from the box, but was never achieved.

This game will keep you hooked all the way up to its finale. Even after completion, you may opt to go through it a second or even third time.

Features even more unique and detailed texture maps as well as dashingly gorgeous course design with tons of trackside stuff to distract you as you blaze around the tracks.

One of the most fun flight simulators to date.

As the first true 3D platform game, the game does everything right. Super Mario 64 is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.

Characters are more varied and numerous, the moves possible with each of these characters is multiplied many fold, and the environments which they interact are certainly more detailed.

Exciting and interesting, making you think your way through the game instead of blindly hacking and slashing or defeating endless streams of opponents. For people who enjoy thinking games, track this one down. You'll be glad you did.

After "DOOM" revolutionized first-person shooters, Quake raised the bar and set standards featuring improved visuals in a 3D environment, excellent controls, numerous monsters and a vast online experience.

There should be more games like this since it marries turn-based strategy and tough decisions into a seamless whole. This is good stuff and worth playing.

One of the most important aspects to Resident Evil is the music and sound effects – both of which are nothing short of captivating and involving. The horror sounds and shills of zombies and hounds will keep the hair on the back of your neck full staff and your butt on the edge of your seat.

The sequel has 30 new weapons, new enemy robots and 30 additional levels, but the overall effect is diminished by repetitive gameplay.

It is an incredible and very addictive game; once you start playing you won't want to stop... You will want to play Civilization II over and over, as every game is different.

An ambitious adventure game of epic proportions, especially from the perspective of a roach.

Prepare yourself for total meltdown. [Box]

This is such a fast paced game and there is so much action at any given time on the screen that keeping up could give you a slight case of carpal tunnel syndrome!

An excellent game, full of plot twists and unusual situations that will keep the player engrossed for hours. The gameplay is excellent.

In addition to multiple difficulty settings and configurable graphics and controls, DOOM II features online support. You can challenge opponents via modem, LAN or a supported IPX protocol to a brutal, no holds barred deathmatch competition.

Despite this, most players will likely enjoy the meaty plot and the variety of locations and puzzles. Aside from the extremely out-of-place, watered-down, R&B love song set over the closing credits, most players will find the adventure satisfying.

The newly enhanced graphics and sound, coupled with the new age, may be reason for some to revisit the land of Myst, but the overall effect is one of "been there, done that."

The final level feels abrupt, not allowing the surprising end to have as much of an impact as it should. However, despite some frustrating moments and the somewhat disappointing later levels, Chaser is an enjoyable shooter with an interesting story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Playing the game is a lot of laughs, and is the perfect pick me up after a long day playing intensely dramatic games.

It simply improves on the original's shortcomings and keeps what works. It may have been a conservative approach, but it's definitely a satisfying one.

It's a confusing and uninspiring game that leaves you frustrated and wanting to play something else.

It's absolutely gorgeous and while it doesn't have lots of levels, it's fast and furious with an unforgiving amount challenge!

With unbelievable sweep kicks, rapid-fire hits, sky-high jumps, killer slaps and combos, and a whole host of weapons and special moves, Battle Arena Toshinden sets a new stage in gaming for the PlayStation revolution.