It might not look great, but it's pure blasting entertainment.

Inventive and exciting with its flaws safely buried in the adrenaline rush.

It's aimed towards a younger market, but the visuals are good, the controls are great and the game manages to elicit more endearment out of The Phantom Menace than a crate full of unwanted plush Jar Jar dolls.

This is a quality title, and rather unique in its execution -- it's been a while since we've been able to dive into an all-action title with such ease. The web-slinging alone makes this game worth your attention.

No longer 2D or turn-based, HOMAM on the PS2 isn't as deep as might be expected, but it's fast, easy to learn and the battles are incredibly fun.

MLS again uses that classic fluid passing game found in all the previous Konami soccer titles. The controls, which use the Japanese configuration, are responsive and logical and designed to keep the pace of the game loose and fast.

This new version, in fact, is much the same as the ones of yesteryear. But since that means it still features great gameplay and some of the best multiplayer in existence, you won't hear us complaining.

The best game of baseball on any next-gen system.

Those with the ultimate system and mad teamplay skills will eat this up, though; it's a triumph of teamwork, dynamic gameplay and some serious strategy.

It looks pretty, and is an impressive game -- but is ONLY for Pokemon fiends.

We wouldn't eBay one of our internal organs to own this game, but it is fun enough to be worth the price of admission.

It's a tight ride, but there's just one problem -- we expected a lot more control.

It's innovative, intuitive, engaging and, best of all, comes jam-packed with action that's fast, furious and totally fresh. It's the first genuine opportunity for anime fans to bring their robotic dreams to life.

One of the most compelling, beautiful and impressive pieces of code we have played in a long, long time. It is also insanely addictive.

The framerate is blazingly fast, even in four-player splitscreen, and there are tons of new levels, new weapons and new characters -- that actually play differently -- to frag your friends with...This is one awesome FPS.

A blast to play. The game oozes style in the same way that "Space Channel 5" did, and the control scheme uses the dual sticks of the PS2 controller better than anything since "Ape Escape."

It's not the most mind-blowing RPG ever, but it's good, clean, action-packed fun from start to finish.

More than any other single factor, the story and scripting are what make Summoner stand apart.

The best $20 computer game we've ever played.

While the game's nothing less than explosive, it's quite quirky, too -- strange characters, stranger situations and an unusual emphasis on fruit make this... well, the fruitiest shooter we've seen in some time.

It won't win any awards for graphics or AI, but Away Team is a solid and fun experience.

There are problems that can and should be addressed, but the gameplay has no equal.

It looks great, plays smoothly and comes packed with that fuzzy warm feeling that invariably comes from the Disney experience.

For serious gamers who want a long squad-based game -- it's challenging, it has hours of gameplay, the Fallout universe is faithfully recreated and the production values are top-notch. It's not a game for everyone, though; the difficulty and squad-based strategy will turn some gamers off.

Fits like a familiar old glove (or gauntlet), but smoother, better-fitting and lined in fine, Japanese, brocaded silk.

UT fares better than "Quake III" in three of the categories: lag, amount of people allowed to play and levels.

Definitely a cut about the rest. Not only is it one of the best console-based strategy games of all time, it also shows a level of quality that is lacking in many PS2 titles.

An enjoyable, finely tuned arcade baseball experience that actually plays better than its PS2 counterpart...but this year's version is basically a roster update from last year's version.

With a ton of options, gorgeous graphics running at consistently high framerates and plenty of tracks to choose from, the few niggling problems (like online lag and touchy controls) seem to slip away into meaningless babble in the heat of a close race.

There are a few problems here -- failing to solve a puzzle means having to repeat an entire level, for example -- but the majority of Shadow of Destiny is excellent.

A game published by Nintendo where players avoid globs of feces and urinate on flaming demons is something that simply has to make you laugh.

There is innovation certainly, but under the startlingly brilliant control scheme lies a golf game every bit as staid and archaic as any in memory.

It's a nicely done Diablo clone, which means that it takes all the good bits and adds quite a few twists to make an entertaining romp through some diverse dungeons.

Coupled with the nearly perfect atmospheric music and sound, the game does have its moments of true fright.

Let's start by clearing up the silly notion that Fear Effect 2 is the games equivalent of a skin flick, shall we?... Creative, deep and addicting, Retro Helix is one of the best action adventures we've ever come across.

The in-game models, landscapes, lighting and explosions are all in keeping with the Star Wars galaxy, and the engine is no slouch either.

So good, veterans may be tempted to replay the whole game from the beginning...a fine product. Unfortunately, the new areas add only about 15 hours of gameplay. While short for a full game, it is a tolerable length for an expansion.

After a fighter has leveled up and gamers have mastered the combos, BoD can be pretty damn cool. The lighting effects are superb, the music is moody and there is plenty of action. Turn up the volume, turn out the lights and you'll have a thick slice of fun.

Because this game is targeted at the kiddies, and because sometimes a little (or in this case, a whole lot of) simple, addictive gameplay is just what the kiddies need, Kao Kangaroo succeeds marvelously on this level. Just don't expect much more.

The fact remains that if you want to own the best possible basketball game for the PC, this is the one to get. The graphics are, as usual, simply spectacular, and the production values, from the snappy menu system to the hip-hop timeouts, are the best in the business.

A good game on basically all accounts, Charge 'N Blast brings adreline-pumping, arcade-style insanity back to the Dreamcast.

A few problems do exist, such as unrelenting, almost perfect AI drivers and some graphical glitches, but as a whole product, this is the NASCAR simulation to own.

The game simply and consistently provides competency in large doses, and emerges as the Dreamcast's best, most mindlessly fun plane shooter.

Absolutely outstanding, but there's still room for improvement.

When we're this in love with a game about silly four-wheeled pleasure machines for the suicidal, you can bet something really special is going on.

By combining that ease of entry with excellent controls and just the right amount of innovation, this game marks one of the PSOne's sunnier last days.

If you're severely allergic to overly cute-and-cuddly games, take some Dramamine before heading off on Mario's adventure.

Every aspect from the story to the sound will be completely familiar to anyone who's dabbled with the series before, and while this latest adventure doesn't do much to advance the series, it's a fine little game nonetheless.

Although it doesn't make full use of Sony's new 800-pound gorilla, it does have spectacular and colorful graphics, ingenious level design, a wonderful cast of characters and an enormous game world to explore.

With one nagging exception, there's really pretty little wrong with the game, but it doesn't exactly push any boundaries either.

There's refreshingly little emphasis on lever pulling or jumping puzzles -- someone out there is listening.

Strangely enough, beneath all of the executive screaming and the terrible main interface beats the heart of a brilliant game.

The Bottom Line: Brilliant.

The characters within the game are incredibly well detailed, but the world they're placed in is bland to the point of boredom.

We can think of plenty of ways to blow a Benjamin, but few would offer quite as much bang for the buck.

Move over, Mavis Beacon. This Dreamcast typing tutorial blows your tiresome tutorial to smithereens.

More complicated moves like an over-and-under are possible, but nothing compares to working your man down low with Shaq, holding down the turbo button while turning the corner for a gorilla slam.

Both the graphics and the driving model are spot-on, but the game is also full of great new ideas, like a time of day setting that corresponds to the internal clock of the Dreamcast, a fictitious car stereo that lets you "make your own CDs" and a brilliant point system.

Gamers weaned on massive combos and flashy pyrotechnics will most likely find themselves fidgeting, but we've got a suspicion that plenty of PS2-owning gamers out there are looking for a fighter with finesse -- not just for fans of the genre, Kengo fits that bill quite nicely.

Past the point of its strange gameplay philosophy, Acclaim's new racer holds some solid gameplay and excellent graphics.

Thankfully, lackluster graphics and singular thrills do not a poor game make.

Funky and fun, it won't revolutionize the genre, but it's a hardcore puzzle gamer's wet dream.

There's more than 50 hours of continually branching narrative and vicious freeform combat awaiting those brave enough to enter its dark and twisted world.

Impressive animation, linear levels that will confuse absolutely no one and a large number of adversaries make Quackers the perfect gift for under-aged gamers.

Not only do the additions work well enough with the game not to detract from its fun, but the classic Tetris has also been added to the mix for those old-schoolers who would rather play the original.

It doesn't have the best graphics out there, but frankly, it has everything else in spades.

Frankly, there aren't many serviceable alternatives in the hangar, making Battle for Naboo a nice way to kick some ass into the N64's golden years.

There are so many cool tricks to pull off, and the physics are so forgiving, that we weren't afraid to try some truly ambitious tricks -- and occasionally land them.

The tiny characters are vividly illustrated and animated with surprising aplomb, remaining remarkably expressive despite their diminutive stature.

If you've never experienced "Tomb Raider," this game will rock your world. Otherwise it'll be about as familiar as a two-year-old pair of shoes.

Not only does it not force us to learn new skills, think in new ways or read a silly manual, it also reminds us forcibly of Crash Bandicoot, one of our all-time favorite platform games.

Beautiful to watch and entertaining to play, the game will draw you in and make you feel connected to your onscreen personas like few others. Serious sim fans should definitely give this game a test flight.

For the player who relishes a realtime space strategy simulation, nothing can touch the depth of this game.

While we've never actually driven a pickup or an old-school Cadillac, we would be willing to bet that it would be a lot easier to drive them in real life than it is in Speed Devils Online.

Obviously made for the preconception-to-eight-year-old age range, Going Quackers is the perfect game for the Dreamcast-owning youngster.

Surprisingly addictive, nice to look at and good, refreshing fun.

Though its easy learning curve and flexible gameplay are clearly designed for the less than hardcore, it is surprisingly entertaining and good for a quick thrill.

The real appeal of a surfing game is the feel of the board responding to the waves, however, and Championship Surfing captures that beautifully.

Alice as a whole isn't a perfect game, but many individual elements of the title are quite simply amazing, especially the level design.

This is a good game with a lot of depth, variation in gameplay and fantastic visuals. It's got a funny story and likeable characters.

Luckily, the lame story is the one glaring flaw in an otherwise stupendous role-playing game.

Capcom's Dreamcast Evil looks a lot smoother than the PSOne version does, and the character and creature models appear to be as gorgeous as the ones featured on the PC edition.

Perhaps the most gorgeous, addictive and exceptionally challenging rally title ever to hit a home console.

A brilliant game that brings some much-needed variety to the PS2's lineup.

It's also great to see something as real-world integral as a searchlight become almost necessary in an RTS wargame.

Just as fun for two players as it is for one, we can recommend Sno-Cross for anyone who likes their racing games with a bit of ice.

A brilliant puzzle game with a truly unique feel and gameplay mechanic.

Breath of Fire IV is no exception, compensating for its minor narrative and graphical flaws with watertight gameplay and a huge helping of old-fashioned role-playing charm.

Decent game mechanics placed within a historically precise recreation of the beloved Looney Tunes world makes it a good, solid racer worthy of the brand Acme.

Colorful, fun, hopelessly addictive and a great way to introduce others to videogames.

FIFA 2001 may not be revolutionary in gameplay or depth like Madden, but it's revolutionary in terms of graphics -- and it brings home the ultimate vision of soccer game creators better than any game before it.

The single biggest change made to MechWarrior is in speed. Gone are the days of slow, plodding robots.

Stylish and fun despite some repetitiveness, this is one of the better action games you can pick up this year.

The quintessential Harvest Moon, and Natsume will be hard-pressed to top this one in terms of added gameplay, additional farming tasks to complete, areas to explore and women to woo. For fans of the series, this is a must-buy, and a must-see for those looking for something a little different.

Though it doesn't stand out technically, the physics and gameplay modes lend themselves to hopping right in and hitting the dirt.

It offers more than "Civilization 2," but not a lot more. Fighting has been expanded in strategically interesting ways, but additions to diplomacy, technology and interface are primarily cosmetic and flat.

With new tag-team maneuvers that are remarkably easy to execute and more backstage areas than ever before, this is still the best PSOne wrestler and a great game for fans looking for something to play with their friends.

The levels in Banjo-Tooie border on being too large -- it's rather easy to get lost in many areas. The level design, though, is superb, and the visuals are top-notch for the N64.