Does a marvelous job of bringing the tension and suspense of being a silent device of death to the PS2.

If you don’t fiddle with the default graphic settings you’ll be working a lot to find the right items, navigate the game world, and discover clues. Searching a blood-soaked hotel room is tough enough without having to stumble through the dark.

Harbinger does have some good ideas, but ultimately the lackluster combat and the very linear nature of the game prevent the title from really becoming engaging.

A surprisingly solid collection of various offensive and defensive moves, good visuals, and plain all-out fun multiplayer gaming more than makes up for the few small shortcomings of Kung Fu Chaos.

You’ll be looking for opportunities to heave enemies off catwalks or crack them against a wall so Indy can smack them silly.

The stats engine of All-Star Baseball 2004 is top of the line.

Does all the basics well and with the extra features and historical aspects, it’s worth playtime for the hardcore baseball fan.

While I do not feel it takes the accepted throne of stealth action games, Splinter Cell is highly polished, and extremely solid as a game.

Visually the game is absolutely stunning with its use of cel shading in comparison to the presentation used in the first game.

With a good story, excellent graphics, varied tracks, and a whole lot of great racing machines that most of us only dream of driving, Apex is one of the better racers to be found on the Xbox.

Fairly fun, but could have been moreso had there been realistic damage modeling and a full set of off-track racing options.

A strikingly realistic fighting game that will be immensely fun for those to rent, but I can’t imagine getting more than 15 hours of enjoyment out of the game.

But its biggest flaw is the same as many 3D platformer games that are released today: there's nothing new or innovative in Vexx to make it stand out over many similar type of games.

Aside from the camera, the conventions have been nailed, unfortunately, most gamers want a bit more than that.

NPC reaction isn’t all that diverse, as it would be in a real MMORPG. The visuals, aside from the character designs, aren’t all that impressive.

With tons of game modes and a large number of customizable options World Tour Soccer 2003 will bring back soccer fans for more, even with it's short-comings.

Although Command & Conquer: Generals has many points that has made the franchise so popular over the years, it has been “vanillafied” – it’s been molded to play and appear like every other real-time strategy (RTS) game out there.

Only the lack of a rich multi-player section and some odd design decisions keep Unreal 2 from being one of the best FPS’s in recent memory.

From an aural standpoint GGX2 is equally impressive.

While the game does have a solid number of modes, the gameplay seems to be too repetitive and lacks strategy that other games have.

The lack of weapons really hurts this game big time.

XBV could have been alternately titled DOA Casino, Playboy's Girls of DOA, or DOA Dress-up. If you're expecting a deep volleyball simulation, forget it.

Despite the insanely difficult and nearly impossible Challenge mode and the sometimes-unfair violent behavior on the part of the A.I.-controlled racers, a good visual presentation, great trick system and tough races make ATV: Quad Power Racing 2 a good addition to the Xbox racing library.

Replicating speed is always a goal for racing games and ATV 2 meets the challenge. Fast is fast, especially with the better ATV’s, and the blurring effect during boost use really does bring that sense of speed home.

The Getaway has an intense storyline with very little in the way of humor.

Like the Wicked Witch of the West, the battle engine dissolves (i.e. explodes) when immersed in water.

While the immersion factor is high, it’s hard to feel like you’re playing much more than a support role in the overall war at times, unlike the role played in the Starfighter games.

One of the biggest surprises the game has is the user-friendly interface. It’s very easy to give commands to your character. One problem does arise though, which is the reaction time of your character.

If one had to buy an ATV racer for the PS2, I would suggest "ATV Offroad Fury 2"; it gives you a lot more bang for your buck.

It may not be the best value for your bucks unless you have a regular opponent to play with, but fans of the theme need not hesitate.

It is marvelous fun to use God-like power to morph the terrain, release tornadoes on the town, or simply try to make your city the best it can be.

A very good game in its own right [and] the best movie-to-game conversion in recent memory.

In a vacuous bubble, the prospect of combining creatures would create all sorts of wacky experimental fun. But in the context of real-time strategy, it becomes an unnecessary chore.

While there is room for improvement, the great feature about The Sims Online is the ability to update and add content at the game sign-on menu. (Maxis’ intends to add new material to The Sims Online for at least 2 or 3 years.)

I've experienced "null-time" before - entering that state of pure concentration when everything falls out of your peripheral vision and time no longer exists - but MS consistently put me into that null-time zone.

With a such a wealth of options, NHL 2K3 is about as deep a hockey game as any fan could wish for.

The half-hearted addition of the vehicle-less battles should have either been dropped altogether or made more integral to gameplay.

It's got a great story and a well-defined protagonist, the graphics and sound provide a suitable sense of place, but the problem with the "lock" during combat and the funnel quality will more than likely turn some people off.

Oddly enough, hunting down targets isn’t integral to gameplay, it's completely optional.

Only bother with DBZ:B if you are a steadfast, utterly devoted fan of the series, otherwise steer clear of this title and getting your fighting game fix elsewhere.

A classic no matter the platform.

The execution of NID is spot on – you can't fault it for any control issues or presentation – and it's totally inoffensive and suitable for kids.

RF’s biggest speed bump on its way past Mediocrity Street is the hard-to-figure-out license and Race of Champions mode.

The worst offender is shot fakes that turn into accidental shots. This happened to me 3 or 4 times a game – deadly when the score is close.

And besides all the above, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is fun. No matter how many times I died, either by my own misstep or some surprise awaiting my entry into a room, I kept on playing even when I was stumped on a puzzle or figuring out how to get out of a room alive.

Graphics and sound are, in a word, wonderful.

A ridiculous variety of games coupled with hundreds of Easter eggs and other bells and whistles. It is easily the best such collection to come along yet.

Most importantly, Shox offers an exhilarating sense of speed which, in the end, is what draws many of us to racing games in the first place.

There is only one word to describe MR’s graphics and the word is ugly! The game looks like an old Nintendo 64 game. The character models are ugly and the cut scenes are horrendous.

The game by itself, is sort of bland and unexciting because of the lack of variety.

What can really bring a third person action game down quicker than a roundhouse to the back of the head is a bad camera that makes it difficult or impossible to keep track of your placement within the game, and MR has one of the worst cameras I’ve seen in a while.

It’s clear that Sega used the learning experience of the Dreamcast’s SegaNet online gaming to its utmost advantage, because the seamless and lag-free gameplay provided by NHL 2K3 is simply fire-on-ice marvelous.

The hand-to-hand combat is enjoyable (and watchable) in short stretches but everything else isn’t.

Manages to walk the line between hardcore RPG and straight action. It’s fun and it’s polished – definitely worth your time as well.

It’s wicked bloody fun with a group even with the slight detractors.

Splinter Cell oozes cool and sophistication from it’s lead character through it’s many and varied levels, and very slick control scheme.

Perfect: from the Latin "perfectus"; entirely without fault or defect (flawless); satisfying all requirements; corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept; lacking in no essential detail... Add Metroid Prime to that definition.

Hands down, this is one of the weirdest games I’ve played this year. But it’s also the funniest.

The sword combat is simple to come to grips with, the addition of recruits, Robin’s base, and non-linear approach (after level 2) are good features that make it a deeper game than most comparable games even though the engine is showing its age, there’s no tutorial, and the difficultly level can be entirely frustrating.

Score some points, hand over the ball and watch the opposition do the same: it gets quite monotonous and struggles to replicate the soaring, athletic ballet of its subject matter.

The multiplayer mode is a waste of disc space thanks to the decision to forgo split-screen and could have easily been improved with a few minor changes.

At the end of the day, I found myself coming back to this version of Wreckless (over the Xbox version) because it has more options and winds up being more fun (even though there’s still some frustration to cut through). I know I seem to be in a minority, but I still liked Wreckless.

The controls are done well but the lack of speed really kills.

The action is compressed and more intense than the regular game. But that compressed action, although more intense, means you'll zip through the single-player campaign in short order -- about 6 hours.

A worthy addition to the series and a good game.

It’s deep and highly entertaining but a few flaws and misses hold it back.

It is a little too derivative of the better games in the genre, a little too short and a little too easy.

A waste of time.

After playing (and completing) Kakuto Chojin’s single-player story mode in about 10 minutes or so you will you find yourself incredulously asking no one in particular, “This is all there is?”

The controls of MechAssault are its biggest asset. I could not believe how responsive the controls are and how easy they are to master.

Unlike EA’s NHL games, which have generally put an emphasis on offense, NHL 2K3 is a much more balanced game. Most players will not score an average of 10 goals a game in NHL 2K3.

The extremely high level of difficulty will leave some gamers a whimpering heap in the corner... But if you don’t mind a challenge, expect an extremely fun, rewarding experience.

Great gameplay, great graphics, great levels, great lead character, great amount of gaming-time hours: you name it this game does it GREAT.

It’s the perfect melding of classic old-school gaming on the newest generation of video gaming consoles.

It is one of the best “extreme” racing titles on the system, and online play gives the game tremendous replay value.

Kudos to the developer for the fact that the game ran trouble free without a patch—only the third game I’ve played in the last month for which that was true.

The sound design is simply amazing! If you’ve got a decent sound system, Frontline will rattle your bones and quicken your pulse.

An excellent game that will appeal to the hardcore sim-freaks, but only those who have large amounts of time to spend gaming.

The way Tribunal is integrated into the main Morrowind game is smooth and fascinating.

It’s gameplay is simplistic while still offering challenges and rewards that will keep kids interested beyond the Story mode. [Score for Kids = 80]

A game that really needs a design overhaul – some might like title, but I certainly wouldn’t want to spend more time with it.

Lots of the mission goals are lame and after playing the story mode for twenty minutes you’ll want to forget about this game.

Might interest younger gamers and please parents with it’s inoffensiveness, but there are still better games out there for the younger audience.

I found the presentation technically impeccable, but was not able to sufficiently overcome the difficulty in issuing orders and controlling the camera to derive a lot of enjoyment from the game.

If "Warcraft 3" is a tactical blitz, O.R.B. is the slower, relaxed alternative. It's a seldom-traveled path: a game of patience, development and, lest we forget, strategy.

The game is successful in combining elements from four or five different genres.

It’s gameplay is simplistic while still offering challenges and rewards that will keep kids interested beyond the Story mode. [Score for Kids = 80]

Despite good controls, graphics and sound, Zapper’s gameplay is too short, and that turns out to be one of its biggest drawbacks.

Once your island is set up, you can tackle the missions. Well, tackle may be too strong of a word, trudge may be more correct.

The graphical detail of SSX Tricky’s characters is actually impressive. The levels are well rendered too.

"NBA 2K3" and even "NBA Live 2003" are better overall choices.

Unless you’re unbelievably set into playing old-school D&D gaming, don’t look at purchasing the Eye of the Beholder.

The gameplay issues really stunt an otherwise solid game. The complaints are really nitpicking, but if I had to pick a golf game to sit down and play, it would still be "Hot Shots Golf 3."

The new setting is far more appealing than the modern Liberty City of the original. And it seems more dynamic and interactive also, since players can explore inside buildings and rob businesses, which could not be done in the original.

It’s good, even fantastic at times, walking the line between reality and fantasy in a pleasant mix that’s really hard to put down once you start playing.

A great, rollicking adventure with some integrated action and worth your time if you’re in the “Adventure Games are Dead and I Miss Them” camp.

Golf videogaming has never been so fun.

Although the characters are an eclectic collection of freaks, strippers and malcontents, looks are deceiving – this is a hardcore golf game.