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

TDVR stands out for a being a fun driving game that places its emphasis on fast action rather than hardcore realism.

An exhilarating first-person mech shooter, it has its share of shortcomings, but in some respects leaves Core's also excellent title in the dust.

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

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.

Power Stone 2 may well be remembered as the most confusing fighting game ever created. And a whole lot of fun.

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

With its gorgeous graphics, brilliant storyline and perhaps the best combat interface ever designed, Vagrant Story is one of the greatest dungeon crawls ever to be unleashed on the gaming public.

"SSX" is a zany, fun and arcadey snowboard stunt-racer, and Konami's ESPN X Games Snowboarding is a realistic and beautifully presented simulator, one that will probably have massive appeal to hardcore snowboarders.

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

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.

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.

With stellar graphics that really push the aging PlayStation's limits, Invasion is a feast for the eyes and a test for the thumbs.

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

The number of missions, weapons and vehicles makes for hours and hours of entertaining and compelling gameplay.

A goofy, amusing third-person game that captures the essence of the original and builds on it, managing to stay true to the first while breaking free and providing plenty of fresh adventure.

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.

The few weaknesses come from repetitive gameplay in the single-player game, simplistic tactics that often boil down to "get 'em," and steep system requirements.

A fast and beautiful arcade racer that's thin on the single-player experience but thick with multiplayer fun.

Although the sleuthing has a little too much seek-the-key gameplay, its "Unreal"-powered graphics and friendly interface make this one a respectable addition to the canon.

It's one of those games where the player can sit down for 30 minutes, play it and then leave and feel as though something's been accomplished. The huge number of missions should keep the game going for some time, and there's also multiplayer support.

If you're one of those hardcore "PC Only!" types that don't own a console, you'll definitely want to shell out the 35 smackers for this baby in order to find out just what the hell everyone was talking about two years ago.

A fine game from most perspectives, it's also excellent in ways that will raise the bar a little higher for others making the attempt in this genre.

Compared to the conservative Madden franchise, "Blitz 2000" is the flamboyant "Neon Deion Sanders of football games, and a hell of a lot of fun.

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

The multiplayer won't hold most people's interest for more than a few rounds, but the creative level design as well as the minigames will keep most platform fans munching to the end.

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

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.

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.

Featuring over 180 puzzles, easy-to-learn gameplay and some great extras -- including three cool multiplayer modes and the original arcade version of Ms. Pac-Man-- the return of the first lady of videogames is one that's impressive, if not quite triumphant.

Despite a multitude of polygonal eye-candy and the largest amount of high-quality FMV ever seen in a game, its otherwise spare graphics and lazy AI won't appeal to everyone.

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.

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

Some players may not find it terribly thrilling, but for those who are looking for aerial excitement, Sky Odyssey is a must-own.

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.

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.

Featuring major improvements over last year's KK2000 -- including brilliant commentary and much improved player control -- this updated version is easily the best boxing game on the market.

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."

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

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

The graphics are very impressive, the sense of speed is downright frightening (especially when played from the cockpit of the car) and the graphics are an amazing amalgam of detail and functionality.

It's not "Tekken 3" but it is fun, fast and beautiful.

The two companies have succeeded in creating a good game but perhaps haven't reached their potential.

There are a few problems -- namely save points, the sometimes quirky interface and the occasional awkward control -- but as a whole, The Devil Inside is fun and stylish.

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

With plenty of features, accessible yet challenging gameplay and a solid soundtrack, Freestyle BMX is just the thing to alleviate any prolonged skateboard withdrawal.

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.

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

TXR 2 delivers enough improvements and additions on the original formula to keep the fans happy and give the first-timers a racing experience that lives up to today's tough standards.

Everyone and everything in your life, including such necessities as food, sleep and bleeding your bulging bladder, (will be) ignored in your pursuit to finish.

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

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.

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

After all, at the end of the day, what better accomplishment could a Sim have than to own a robot, have a vibrating bed full of cute neighbors and be the leader of their very own cult?

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

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

Fans of the original game who lamented its poor battle system may now drop their pants and do the hootchie-koo in celebration.

If you're a 500cc motorbike fan, you're all set, it's pure genius. Otherwise, this is a detailed, fun and addictive racing game with a twist.

Arguably the PC strategy game of the year to beat.

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

Midtown Madness 2 is as close to arcade racing bliss as we've seen.

Although NHL 2001 is by no means perfect -- it lacks drop passes and give-and-goes, and is mysteriously missing the icon-based passing found in the PS1 version -- it is so visually spectacular and sound in fundamentals that we don't hesitate to recommend it.

"Street Fighter III: Double Impact" doesn't have all the bells and whistles that other SF titles have, but its fighting engine is so clean and deep that it is a joy to play for old schoolers.

Even provides an excellent FPS experience for those who may not wear their pointy rubber ears to bed at night like we do.

After the first half hour, however, we discovered that while the game does have some mindless aspects, it's a surprisingly fun action title with some worthwhile puzzles and even an intriguing storyline.

This expansion provides loads of new rides, themes and fun.

A great solo experience that'll leave patient gamers with nothing to show for it but sore thumbs and the satisfaction of being truly, totally radical.

The graphics are gorgeous, the music stirring and the battles challenging.

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.

A great action game and is well suited for those seeking mindless, explosive entertainment. Just don't expect anything more than that.

So clever in its conception and execution that we can't see anyone not finding its worth in least a few of the many delights it has to offer.

It's just a great tactical exercise for strategy gamers of any rank.

If you are simply not into chess, this package isn't going to turn you around, but if you want a sage tome that can rest comfortably on your hard drive for years, this is probably it.

Never thought we'd have to say it, but this latest Army Men title is really pretty darn good.

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.

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.

The second incarnation of Jack is less than the first, but better than all of the others.

Solid and competent, the cannon hits its mark.

A fun, detailed and graphically lovely golf game that bodes well for future trips to the links on the PlayStation2.

If you're after a simulation and you like collecting and upgrading your cars, you might want to wait for "GT 3," but if you're after an adrenaline fix and a fun racing game, then look no further.

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.

Featuring dozens of challenging missions, a grueling tournament mode and an infinite number of customizable options for building, dissecting and re-working mechs, Armored Core 2 is gorgeous, challenging and thorough.

More of the same, only more better.

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.

While seemingly dogpiled with new buildings and features to impress the first-timer, it's actually become so feature-dense and micromanagerial... that only hard-core SimPsychopaths will really be able to appreciate the package

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.

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

Not the Dreamcast wrestling sim we've been waiting for, but still a great deal of fun.

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.

Nice graphics and physics and a number of secondary features make for a satisfying ride, but it's ultimately lacking in the innovative thrills we've come to expect from Sony's highly hyped machine.

The recipe might be getting old, but what comes out of the oven is still plenty tasty.

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.

Even with the supported keyboard and mouse, UT is only a good game that will become a great one once the PS2 heads online.

May feel like last year's version, but it still offers exciting football for one and all.

An inexcusably shallow draw-in rate and the worst automap and world map combo ever seen in a modern RPG conspire to yank the coveted Direct Hit ranking away from what is, in all other ways, a stellar experience.

Running at an unbeatable 60 FPS and loaded to the gills with impressive weaponry and unwary enemies, Timesplitters is the perfect FPS to debut with the PS2.

The once elegant and powerful weapon of the Jedi has been reduced to a crude chopping device that will kill a given enemy in five or six hits.

As dopey as the AI is, it really is a lot of fun to jump into a level where you know that you're completely surrounded and outnumbered and gun the hell out of everything that moves.