The game's targeting system has also been adjusted. Using triggers and both analog sticks (a la "Manhunt"), players take more complete control of C.J., and can have him run and strafe, change targets, and shoot in almost any direction, even while moving in another.

The amount of secrets and little things will astound you if you take the time to fully appreciate the vast world that lies before you. No matter how skeptical you are, do yourself a favor and try this title for five minutes. That's about how long it will take to get you completely drawn into this incredible adventure.

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.

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.

More interiors in Vice City would be welcome, but the city is huge with plenty of unique terrain. It's a little disappointing that jetliners and more planes aren't available, but the thrill of flying the Hunter and going on multiple Vigilante missions makes up for it.

The amount of quality that's been pumped into this title is simply astonishing.

Follow-ups that come this quickly are not supposed to be this rewarding, which makes Vice City a remarkable achievement at a time when companies are all too willing to release so-called sequels with only a few tweaks and cosmetic changes.

Looks beautiful, plays precisely, and has a complex, detailed plot that will tax your brain and maybe even have you questioning the greater truths of life. If that's not a game that qualifies for a perfect score, then no game possibly can.

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

It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that.

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.

A game which reaches out of the box, grabs you by the throat, and won't let go. The game has consumed endless hours of my time, and the world of Norrath has visited my dreams more than Tyra Banks.

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.

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.

From the eight professional-style radio stations to the variety of mission objectives and hidden goodies, GTA III is packed with high production values and oozing with addictive gameplay.

The attention to detail will likely be among the first things many gamers will notice.

A remake of the 1991 release, and it makes a great game even better.

Nothing has been sacrificed and the quality and expertise of the Neversoft designers, coders and artists shine through in grand fashion.

Aria of Sorrow comes the closest of the three Game Boy Advance titles to replicating the look and feel of Castlevania on the original PlayStation, and one-ups it by the inclusion of the addictive soul collecting.

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.

A solid shooter, certain to entertain any gamer looking for immersive gameplay, interesting characters and fluid action.

The story line is based on real-world politics, making the missions seem even more daring. This is one of the few games to elicit a feeling of suspense without resorting to shock techniques found in survival horror titles like "Resident Evil."

Absolutely wonderful, and a gaming experience not to be missed. Working Designs has done an amazing job overhauling the title and presenting it in one of the most complete and thorough packages yet released. An excellent story and enjoyable play mechanics combined with stunning presentation equal one must-have game.

This is what we fans have been asking for--so many shortcuts that you can take only a few during each lap or you'll miss seeing the rest! These aren't pointless shortcuts either; they all have a reason for being there and allow you to stray way off the main course, giving the game a great sense of freedom.

With tons of new features and careful attention given to the original formula, the series remains one of the best in the genre.

Amazingly, the game exceeds both its Super NES and Nintendo 64 ancestors, making it a serious contender for the best kart-racer yet released.

It's like being able to play "Symphony of the Night" in the back seat of your parent's car, but with all new levels and some nifty new features.

Just the right mix of graphics, sound and strategy to make for an entertaining evening of orc-bashing.

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.

A genuinely terrifying experience combined with a unique, gripping story and immersive atmosphere.

If you're a fan of illegal racing, or of those souped up imports from Japan, this is definitely a game you'll enjoy.

One of the best expansions released to date. Adding an entire race and continent to EverQuest, Verant has extended the life of their popular online RPG.

The gameplay is as responsive and rewarding as ever, and the iconic characters remain fresh.

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.

It is an adventure that can be enjoyed by just about anyone looking for a great story and cast of characters, beautiful artwork, Japanese animation and a unique world that's actually worth exploring. Oh yeah, and there's a ton of good laughs to be had.

The pacing, the control, the animation, the look, the feel -- the Virtua Fighting itself has been polished to near perfection. The strength of the basic arcade game mode alone is enough to heartily recommend Virtua Fighter 4.

This add-on blows a crisp northern breath of life into the original game and the snow-capped mountains offer tests of skill, endurance and patience.

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 testament of WarioWare, Inc.'s game design that the action never grows stale despite the simplicity of controls, the straightforward objectives, and the hyperactive style of play.

The tactical battle sequences have also been improved, giving players a wonderful war simulation promising months of gory action.

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.

The game engine, story, graphics and sound are so realistic that the addiction won't let you go for a second!

With the ability to store up to eight different quests, and a quest time that will require at least 12-15 hours to complete, fans are in for a genuine treat.

What fantastic level design! It is impeccable and superb.

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

You get the whole enchilada – cool characters, tough villains and a deep storyline all wrapped up in superlative graphics and inventive gameplay with real-time combat to top it off.

From the moment you step into the world of Dereth, there is an overwhelming sense of actually being part of a world. Towns are the size you'd expect a town to be, roads are miles long, and the wilderness is a vast expanse.

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

Ultimately, what makes Animal Crossing stand out is its sense of personality.

There's plenty of exploration and discovery here along with large and nasty looking boss creatures, and it caters nicely to the explorers out there.

With his latest title, it isn't so much that Sid Meier has done it again, but rather he's done more. And more of a good thing it is indeed. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is an excellent sequel to "Civilization" and "Civilization II."

The beginning of Myth II grabs you right by the throat and won't let go to the very end... While the story may be wonderful in Myth II, it's the gameplay that really shines, both in single and multi player, a claim that many games can't make.

For Star Wars fans, the game is absolutely a dream come true.

It's a game dripping with atmosphere, literally, and ranks as one of the most impressive GameCube achievements in sound and visuals to date.

Some ill-chosen puzzles, a fatigued conclusion -- no matter, really. You'll be smiling too much to give it much notice. This is nothing less than perfectly perfected perfection. If you like monkeys, anyway.

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.

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.

Hands down the most playable, enjoyable golf game released to date.

Wind Waker's style of play may not be the breath of fresh air players were expecting from the move to GameCube, and the islands seem much too small, but the change in scenery is a nonetheless refreshing one that is sure to surprise players in how well the game works in its current visual style.

It offers impressive (albeit repetitive) audio, superb graphics and animation to go along with exciting gameplay and fans of both arcade and simulation-style sports games should be able to find some aspect to enjoy.

Ingeniously designed, Advance Wars manages to be both in-depth, and instantly accessible, simply because it presents the game in easily manageable chunks.

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.

A wonderful piece of fighting goodness that may very well be the best 2D fighting game created to date. The sheer amount of depth found within is staggering.

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!

A huge play selection, terrific graphics, extensive gameplay modes (including the online options), and a new first-person view make Madden NFL 2003 one of the best football games available.

The pace is maintained throughout the game and nearly compels you to finish in one sitting, with the occasional awe-inspiring moment driving you to continue.

The music is a wonderful addition and overall the game is just entertaining. Even the instruction manual is colorful and thorough.

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

The AI is what makes the game truly challenging. These 'bots are so smart at times, you'd swear there were real humans on the other end moving them. Thank goodness for the 'skill level adjustment' feature which allows you to change your skill level during the game. Trust me, you'll spend some parts of the game in 'rookie' mode.

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.

Hands down the most playable, enjoyable golf game released to date.

As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing like this in the genre, much less among the space sims released in 1999. Is it an all-time classic? Probably not, but it's damn close.

The first rate story line as well as visual and audio effects make Thief quite an immersive gaming experience. It is a subtle yet captivating game that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The possibilities of this real-time strategy game seem nearly endless and it definitely is on my short list of personal "game of the year" nominees. If the music and sound isn't spectacular (which it's not), it's my opinion that most strategy gamers will focus on the game's stellar gameplay and forgive any minor shortcomings, the largest of which is possibly the lack of a zoom or map rotation feature.

Games feature furious battles over centrally located resources, enormously powerful mythological units wreaking havoc, and players competing for the favor of ancient gods. The result is fantastic, fun.

The monsters are determined to destroy the characters' home world, so players will need to perfect various combos and team attacks in order to survive.

If you enjoyed the PlayStation version, this might be worth picking up simply for the free Metal Gear Solid VR Missions.

While Knights of the Old Republic is entirely addictive, there are some small complaints. There are no beasts to ride or vehicles to use as transportation while traveling across planet surfaces, the party is limited to three at any given time, and there's no multiplayer support.

This sequel contains enhancements and expanded gameplay by providing new gameplay aspects such as waypoints and sensor screen attack commands, new types of ships capable of upgrades with advanced technologies and weapons, fog-of-war, damage control, research and mothership modules.

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.

A surprise hit that contains a massive amount of depth (more apparent upon further exploration) and is a blast to play.

A tour-de-force for fans of both the genre and series, especially if you're able to handle the gigantic scope of the missions.

Survival in Fallout 2 is approached in a refreshing and innovative manner that requires some original thinking and doesn't depend on fantastic, imaginary gimmicks as do so many fantasy-based role playing worlds.

A genuinely fun game that's even better if two players get together via Game Link cable.

What makes the title so special is the constant rewards players receive from just participating in a single game.

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.

Fun with impressive character development, replay, variety, and gore.

Roberto Benigni may have gotten a lot of press for finding humor in the Holocaust, but Oddworld does it too, only the humor is dripping black. Yes, I just said Holocaust.

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.

Better than "GoldenEye 007" in every aspect, making it the best first-person shooter at the time of its release. With much deeper Solo Missions and a completely customizable Combat Simulator, Perfect Dark definitely was worth the wait.

It shouldn't be confined to live under the shadow of the ["Metal Gear Solid"] because it is much more action-oriented in design. The bottom line is that Syphon Filter is an excellent slab of gaming goodness.

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.

Mixing elements of empire building, resource management, life simulation, survival and brawling with complex strategies and tactics in a gorgeous fantasy setting seems too good to be true.

An impressive fusion of stunning graphics and solid gameplay.

Nintendo fans trying to fill the void left after the release of "Perfect Dark" will find TimeSplitters 2 to be the perfect fit.

This is a true PC gamer's game, complete with unfettered intention, esoteric style, and remarkable depth.

Far from being a fatal flaw, however, this lack of definition is sporadically encountered and can be viewed as a minor annoyance and is, in fact, somewhat offset by impressive designs of larger non-human units, such as ships or flying machines.

Not only does it offer more of everything, but it also makes enough changes so that even the old material from the original game feels new and exciting.