Judged by what it is supposed to be, an RPG along the lines of the Final Fantasy series, it is a fine effort that shouldn't be neglected.

Add to that the underlying technical stability of the game—aside from a few minor and easily avoided inventory bugs and a bit of white speckling in the landscape, this game was more solid at the time of review than most massively multiplayer titles are after six months of updates—plus the general lack of prime-time server lag and scarcity of disconnects, and you have a title which has more than earned its place among the big names of online RPG entertainment.

If you are looking for believable characters, good acting and dialogue, lots of bloody, horror-style vampire action, and a nice looking smooth 3D engine, you'll want to look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you are a history buff entertained by a more thoughtful experience, have the desire to play master sleuth, or really have a thing for Tim Curry and the Gabriel Knight series, give this a try.

The emphasis on story and involving missions, combined with great visuals, audio, and exceptional control make this a top-notch game.

This program is a simulation in the truest sense of the word, and offers few crutches to make up for those that don't like to take their entertainment very seriously...The grade may be steep, but for the combat-sim faithful, Flanker 2.0 is a work not to be missed.

An outstanding game. It looks great, is very well balanced, and is easy to get started with. The game has more strategy and fewer mouse gymnastics than the average RTS game.

The first computer game to capture the grandeur and epic feel of the "Star Wars" movies... An outstanding, if not perfect, game. It is beautiful to look at, exciting to play, and it takes the RTS genre where no one has gone before.

It's scary, it's atmospheric, it has a great plot, and it rewards the thinking player more than the fragaholic.

When the missions remain outdoors, Hidden & Dangerous stays fun. It's when you have to go into houses that it begins to fall apart.

Kingdoms doesn't blow open the walls of the RTS genre, it just bends them outwards a bit.

There's more than enough refinement to bring the Descent franchise up to date, and those who liked the first two games will absolutely love Descent 3. Those who didn't really enjoy them won't be converted, though. Ultimately, Descent 3 is "more of the same," but it's MOTS done <I>really well.</I>

With its 3D graphics, first-person perspective, and elegantly simple combat system, EverQuest has finally given us the first step towards a true virtual world. Internet gaming will never be the same.

It might sit a little short of Transcendence, but at four o'clock in the morning you probably won't even notice.

If you play through the entire thing, side quest after side quest, and if you take advantage of the immense amount of replay-value, you may not need another game this year, except perhaps the expansion pack. Don't desert us now, BioWare.

The kind of game that makes it hard to keep a grin off your face. You constantly feel like you're getting away with something you shouldn't.

Hardcore combat sim fans with equally serious hardware and a cast-iron stomach for aspirin will find themselves engrossed in a simulation of incredible depth and subtlety.

While touted as a full-fledged sequel, Myth II shares so many similarities to the original that it feels somewhat more like an "expansion pack" than a brand new product. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing ("If it isn't broke, don't fix it"), some players might hope for more enhancements and alterations.

Players who are wary of all things pecuniary can elect to leave the stock market alone, and those that are truly phobic can opt to play in "sandbox mode" without any competition or monetary concerns at all-kind of a fancy virtual train set. Those that do will be missing out on one of the best features of the game, however.

Much like "Shogo", Blood 2 excels in pure feel and fun factor alone. It may not have impressive scripted scenes around every corner and the plot is incredibly weak at best, but the core of the game-running around and shooting people-is extremely satisfying.

Undeniably entertaining. In fact, it's addictive. You'll find yourself fidgeting through a day at work, eager to get back to the game so you can deal with that band of slavers or commune with the Hubbologists.

The large cast of characters is unforgettable. Although for the most part they are skeletons in 40s garb, with mask-like faces that can be attributed to Day of the Dead festivities, their personalities render them as distinct and memorable as members of an extremely diverse cast from any fine film.

Beyond multiplayer flaws, there are a few other things that keep Shogo from being the be-all and end-all of 3D shooters. Chief among these is the absolutely pathetic enemy AI. Enemies in Shogo don't move much, and very rarely pursue you.

The missions can be skin-crawly tense and the strategic planning is a joy. Nevertheless, poor AI, coupled with mundane and buggy graphics give the game a "late-beta" feel.

The X-Files repeatedly bellies up to near-greatness but always slips back to mere above-adequacy.

Its well-developed plot, unique races, intuitive interface, and excellent campaign editor make it worth the price of admission, especially for those that liked "Warcraft II."

Never falls on its face&#151;it's occasionally spooky, sometimes mildly thought-provoking, and always visually stunning&#151;but neither does it come close to setting a new standard for adventure gaming (a shame, since the subject matter is ambitious, if pretentious, and could have been the starting point for a more unique venture).

Like far too many other sequels, the game doesn't live up to the expectations its predecessor set forth. Though it is well produced and solid, most adventure veterans will probably find themselves wishing for a little more "Circle [of Blood]" rather than such a straightforward Sword.

In essence, what adds real finesse to Curse of Monkey Island is that no one element screams above the rest for recognition. It possesses that "unity of style" across the board for which everyone strives but so few achieve.