Considering Alien Hominid's humble beginnings as a web-based flash game, the game we get here is as good or better than most side-scrolling shoot "em ups in recent memory.

I'd go so far as to say the single player mode is almost entirely worthless.

EA still can't find that elusive GoldenEye touch in GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. But they finally seem to be on the right path to glory.

Shooter fans will probably find that GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is an average experience, with enough slick action and challenge to warrant at least a rental.

If you are looking for a game that provides ample opportunity to blast the tar out of legions of enemies, that challenges your fingers dexterity, isn’t afraid to challenge its players, and, most importantly, keep a smile on its players’ faces while all of this is happening, Alien Hominid is well worth buying.

May not be as groundbreaking as the original Super Mario 64 but as a launch title and a full-featured game you absolutely get your money’s worth.

Though there are minor improvements over the original, Viewtiful Joe 2 is a rip-roaring ride with plenty of fun packed into the experience.

The various drives and needs are back and rather than be an engrossing part of the overall gameplay they're just a pain in the ass.

Though the DS touch screen screams to me “Customized playbook!” it must have been screaming something else to the developers.

Can I describe Fear Factor: Unleashed in one simple word? Sure I can: crap.

Half-Life 2 isn't flawless, just like any great work of art, but that doesn't make it any less of a masterpiece.

For playability, this game is ridiculously short.

An above average bit of RPG goodness, with some added mechanics, and all of it's served up in a very eye-catching package.

Despite the constant companionship of allies, it still feels like you're the only person in the conflict.

With this, players get a nice crossover fighter between a good number of Capcom franchises, very responsive control, and a deliciously nostalgic, old school game experience. That’s certainly quite nice for the price.

Defeat twenty muggers and save twenty innocents and make it to the end of the level in four minutes? Tossing down a controller is one thing, flinging a brand new piece of hardware a the nearest hard surface just isn’t possible.

Any hardcore pinball fanatic should immediately pick it up.

While fans of the original might be disappointed by the amount of gameplay changes, it should appeal to mainstream gamers.

I really did not like Blinx 2 in the least. What could have been a redemptive game that just needed to retool a predecessor that really wasn't that far off from being a very good game turned into a disaster.

The game's soundtrack is honestly the best I've ever heard in any game that uses orchestrated music. The composition is sheer brilliance!

Not intended for those with moderate experience with sidescrollers.

It's not dramatically different from the original but, man, is it fun. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is a title every GameCube owning shooter fan should have.

After I beat the game I almost cried. Not from disappointment however, because the ending was great and it gave a great conclusion to the epic trilogy.

Takes the Sims series in a new and good direction.

Has its ups and downs, but overall it plays like a mediocre platformer.

Both a triumph for Eyetoy gaming and a great tease for the future. Just getting past using the EyeToy to put the player on-screen is a marvelous innovation.

Those shut-ins or people with a raging case of obsessive-compulsive disorder will be the only ones to accomplish all the tasks.

You name it, Halo 2 does it at an A+ level: wonderfully improved visuals, a solidly engaging and well-scripted storyline (with an unexpected sense of humor intermixed with the strong religious overtones), good voice-acting, splendidly ear-pleasing orchestral music, and the coup de grace, exciting online play.

But a New York City-sized upgrade to the visual presentation along with the inclusion of mini-games and more focused, goal-oriented gameplay should appeal to the urban-centric Sims fans that prefer console action to the PC.

Ironically, the loading screen is a subway tunnel; you probably could get to the next level by a real subway quicker than the time it takes to load.

Great control, fun, lots of stuff to do and solid tennis? Mario Power Tennis is a great game even for those that don't generally like tennis unless Anna Kournikova is playing.

It’s no GTA but it’s a nice change. If you’re really itching for a good sci-fi game with a good sense of humor, then look no further.

When a game's so hard that playing becomes more of a chore than enjoyment and the online gameplay that could have made up for the extremely taxing single-player mode doesn't even work the way it should, not too many gamers are going to give it a fair chance unless they're a uber geek that thrives on the computer-related features of TRON 2.0 Killer App.

Multiplayer was touted to be the biggest addition to the franchise and it does not disappoint.

At least in WCP, when players get tired of beating up on the poor A.I., they can play some Blackjack or Video Poker to pass the time.

Your allies are invulnerable for some reason, but that doesn't make them any more useful.

As you get on in the game, the tedium of doing the same thing over and over again wears thin, and you'll be left wanting something more.

As far as audio goes, the game is a mixed bag of licensed music.

Misses the mark slightly by adding a couple of things that don't work quite as well they could have.

There are a lot better music action titles out there.

If you want a taste of fighting in the Guilty Gear universe, skip this title, and get "Guilty Gear X2" instead.

What makes this game a real standout, though, is its production value.

Texas Hold 'Em Poker is much more sparse with no licensing and very little to distinguish it from a PC shareware title.

The addition of an onscreen map also makes exploration helpful, and you have to wonder why they didn't implement this mode in the main game.

An overall average enjoyable experience ' a little more enjoyable if you enjoyed the film and are in the pre-teen demographic.

The Bard is a poor close-in fighter, but he also sucks with ranged weapons. Luckily, he has friends.

Only the graphical bugs, slow-down and other nit picks associated with the fact that the game is pushing the aging PS2 to its limits keeps this from being the first perfect entry into the series.

If the overhead perspective doesn't frighten you off, Grand Theft Auto Advance is a good GTA game to take on the road.

DOA Ultimate is just that, an ultimate DOA game that caters to the fans. It's not the pinnacle of fighting games but it looks great, plays awesome over Live with plenty of options, and is accessible to novices.

Has its rough edges but I probably spent more time than was necessary playing it because I was enjoying it!

It's a solid title and it'll pay for itself if you can addict your significant other to Dr. Mario's gameplay.

It's unfortunate that the simple gameplay hasn't held up well over the years, because most of the fun here is had through shear nostalgia (whipping candles, etc).

This is the only Zelda game I can think of that used experience points to level-up. Other than that, you're dealing with a typical (and engrossing) Legend of Zelda experience.

Provides an excellent source of platforming at a very moderate price tag. There can’t be enough good said about this title as it serves as a remake of one of the early titles that changed the face of gaming forever.

Outrun 2 may not be the best racer out there but the infusion of nostalgia, speed and fun make for a satisfying arcade racing experience.

The game's graphics are now dated as compared to the latest technical offerings from the likes of "Half- Life 2."

Action fans owe it to themselves to play Otogi 2: Immortal Souls. Don't be fooled by its art house sensibility – this is non-stop action and it has everything you want, plus a little extra.

Lacking in difficulty and overall polish.

Fills a void on the PC, that gray area between Freddy Fish and "Half-Life 2."

There’s a minimal amount of modes, the fighting is too similar to just about every other fighting game on the market, and it doesn’t even look all that nice.

It's geared toward younger gamers specifically because the level of difficulty and simplicity alleviates boredom.

After some initial frustration, which I'll admit was high, it's really a game worth playing for the epic feel and chaos of open-field warfare.

With so many options available and constant re-evaluations about the situation I didn't feel the creep of boredom even if most of the enemies are pushovers.

Flaws are in short supply. It's easy to save, the control is great, the presentation awesome, and the gameplay deep and addictive.

So dying isn’t quite the frustration it was in the arcade.

I didn’t have much fun playing Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude and if any old-school adventure fan is thinking about purchasing MCL I’d urge them to re play the old games because they’re more fun.

The PS2 version suffers from some absolutely brutal load times. Every time that you start to talk with a character you can expect a 30 second wait, and every time that you head to a new area, you can expect a 45-60 second wait. Not exactly a great way to keep people in the game.

A game that would be closer to an interactive episode of the show rather than a proper video game.

Had it featured the original songs by the original artists and had a more workable interface, it could have been lots of fun.

If you're a fan of adventure games, staying away from Syberia II is like refusing to drink water in the scorching desert because it's not cold enough.

Nothing ruins a fond memory like a crap game.

A great game that seems to be missing something, all of the great characters that we love to use.

Some objects in the environments look aliased and you’ll occasionally see some texture pop-in problems as well.

From the pure amount of massive content available, I'm sure that most gamers will not run out of things to do with Underground 2.

In terms of challenge and entertainment Mario Pinball Land is a good choice for a long flight or a series of shorter periods.

A lack of online support and, more prominently, the cheesy-bad story mode are negatives in THUG2, and represent a stumble for the franchise.

The days when the new Tony Hawk games were one of the highlights of the year are gone, but THUG 2 still offers plenty of joy for gamers that haven't left the genre behind.

Hell, it’s even fun at times.

Codename Panzers does an effective job of stripping away the standard base building options and replacing them with a strategic core for battles that is thoroughly engaging.

There’s some trial and error early on that could have sunk the whole game, but the depth and style overcome that stumbling block.

The lack of a tutorial is a glaring omission in a game that is not intuitive at all for those unfamiliar with "Europa Universalis". With no objectives, if the gamer has no passing interest in history, the game is sure to fall flat.

By all accounts the control is very good, although there is some adjustment required to acclimatize to the stiff buttons of the Xbox controller.

"Fight Night 2004" is better on all levels, but if you are a Rocky fan or just want to go head up versus a buddy, Legends will give you the action. Just make sure that you time your combos right and know how to block and maneuver, because all it takes is one punch to throw you down.

For more casual players, the simple repair and customization interfaces serve up a crash course in the intricacies of the sport, but many may find the inability to race against computer generated opponents a drawback.

So, like last year’s model, Live 2005 is good, but not great.

If you have a sense of rhythm and you'd like to own an interesting peripheral then DK is probably the perfect game for you!

While I wouldn’t way Rome: Total War is a good title for novice strategy players, there’s plenty of depth and fun in this masterful effort from Creative Assembly without being overwhelming.

On the normal difficulty setting most veterans of the genre are bound to find the game too easy.

Despite some unpolished spots, Second Sight is easily one of the best balances of stealth and action, combined with a nifty gimmick and an excellent plot.

This title is complete fan service to those who like the anime, and will largely be enjoyed by these people, just be careful of the occasional cheap comeback by the computer.

A perfect buy for the “thinking” strategist that is willing to learn something; all others steer clear because you’ll get bored real quick.

The sheer number of playable X-Men is amazing.

There are a number of nagging issues I have with the online mode. First and foremost there are no basic features like friend lists or clan support.

The one area that may frustrate some comes in how difficult this year's edition can be. At higher difficulty settings, the opponent's goalie can be almost god-like, and the game can become very unforgiving to mistakes.

Aside from the multiplayer (which is a hoot), there’s not a whole lot that’s new.

You’re better off picking up "ESPN NHL 2K5" because for the third year in a row Sega’s hockey series takes the Cup as it’s made the furthest leap forward in improvements.

A decent title, but if you already own NHL 2004 you’re probably wasting your time and money for updated player stats, a token number of additions, and some new animations.

One hell of a fun game to play, especially for only $15US.