Each of the game's unique attempts at originality fall flat, and the most important aspect of a shooter - the combat - is bland and boring.

A fun game that does a really good job of making you feel as if you are taking part in a classic-era Bond film. Unfortunately, the overall linearity and lack of a significant multiplayer mode ensures that this is a game that will be played through once, and then left on the shelf.

One the best examples of a series which makes you feel like you are a part of the war rather than the most important member of the war, which is perhaps the game's biggest draw, and rightly so.

It does offer the upgrade system which redeems it, but overall the game is kind of boring.

The graphics are far from superior, but the environments with the ambient noise and activity allow for a unique experience which other action-oriented war titles have not been able to completely or adequately emulate.

It does offer the upgrade system which redeems it, but overall the game is kind of boring.

The controls are brilliant, the presentation is spot-on, and the game is without a doubt one of the most entertaining titles to be released this year.

For prior fans of the series, or just fans of fighting games in general, it doesn't get much better than Soul Calibur III.

It may not really innovate or move the genre into a new direction, but it offers everything most players want from the genre and it does it with certifiable mastery.

If you've ever bought a Ratchet & Clank game, (and anyone who's a PS2 owner would be remiss to not have at least one) this one's a no-brainer.

The quick changing of gameplay and many minigames should be highly entertaining for a young kid, and the simple puzzles are easy to complete, though the controls can be frustrating. But if you're looking for a quality platformer or puzzler, look elsewhere.

Whereas Battlefield’s previous entries have benefited from deep realistic multiplayer experiences that bordered on wartime simulations, Modern Combat’s strength instead lies in its solo arcade-style gameplay that, despite some questionable AI and homogenized weapon selection, still does the franchise proud.

While many adherents of The Sims franchise will lament changes to the Story mode, The Sims 2 for the console market is a seriously strong entry in the series. It simply doesn't get better than this when it comes to playing god from a La-Z-boy.

It is absolutely impossible to recommend this game to anyone, and indeed adherents to the Sims franchise will probably like it less than the average joe for its cavalier disregard for franchise staples.

The game’s pinball mechanics, save for the somewhat inept table-tilting feature, are expertly implemented, and the numerous flavors of Metroid have been liberally sprinkled throughout the experience the ensure fans of the franchise will come away both smiling and humming a familiar tune.

Provides one of the best Vietnam experiences. As a war game, however, it simply does not measure up to other offerings on the market today.

It is by no means outstanding, and perhaps is begging to really show the problems of cramming this entire story into a pseudo-Sims experience on a portable console.

The gameplay here is a truly unique and realistic experience, seamlessly blending elements of adventure, stealth, and first-person shooter games into an intriguing and coherent package.

Whereas Battlefield's previous entries have benefited from deep realistic multiplayer experiences that bordered on wartime simulations, Modern Combat's strength instead lies in its solo arcade-style gameplay that, despite some questionable AI and homogenized weapon selection, still does the franchise proud.

While many adherents of The Sims franchise will lament changes to the Story mode, The Sims 2 for the console market is a seriously strong entry in the series. It simply doesn't get better than this when it comes to playing god from a La-Z-boy.

It brings the phenomenon to the GameCube, and while far from being the best the DDR the series has to offer, in the final analysis it could have been much worse.

While many adherents of The Sims franchise will lament changes to the Story mode, The Sims 2 for the console market is a seriously strong entry in the series. It simply doesn't get better than this when it comes to playing god from a La-Z-boy.

Add in the co-op mode, and it comes down to the fact that if you've ever liked any first-person shooter, you should pick up Serious Sam II.

Eventually even the most diehard series zealots are going to begin to ask themselves why they are still in the same place playing the same game they were playing nearly a decade ago. While the genre has grown, the series that helped to spearhead games of this type into the public eye has stayed disturbingly static.

Nothing like this has ever been played before, and like a true classic will probably never be reproduced. Even if a player finds the gameplay uninteresting, or if the lack of anything other then sixteen boss fights makes them uncomfortable, this game can still be enjoyed for the art direction alone.

If you want to spend hours twiddling with option screens and menus, there's Gran Turismo. But if you want some of the best get-up-and-go vehicular carnage since "Twisted Metal" and "Burnout," Jak X: Combat Racing is the most adrenaline-pumping racer you can find on the PS2.

Given a more robust fighting engine with more variety, coupled with visuals that didn’t make you want to turn away, this could have been a breakthrough game for the PSP. What it is instead is merely passable.

It seems a bit odd to say that a game rooted in comic books is now the best RPG experience to be had on the PSP. However, the game... even outshines its console counterpart.

With the camera and control issues of THUG2 corrected, a fresh, compelling story mode, and the highlights of the series up to this point in tow, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland stands as the best game to bear his name thus far.

Perfect for a younger crowd, as the difficulty and ambience seem to be particularly well suited for those in the 5-12 age bracket.

While the game's extra content and sense of freedom are is exceptional, its bugs and glitches are so severe that they will tax the patience of all but the most devoted player.

With the camera and control issues of "THUG2" corrected, a fresh, compelling story mode, and the highlights of the series up to this point in tow, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland stands as the best game to bear his name thus far.

The missions are plentiful, and thankfully they never become repetitive.

A combination of the impossible, a game that will in one moment make you sweat with the intensity of the elaborate set-piece firefights and make you shiver in nervous fear the next.

A game tailored for strategy gaming zealots that suffers from a few shortcomings and limited appeal.

Members of the mainstream beware: this is is videogames at the graduate level, and you'll have to do a lot of work to make it pay off.

The missions are plentiful, and thankfully they never become repetitive.

It can be absolutely brutal at times, but it is also true to the series' fundamentals, and that alone should ensure acceptance from fans of the series.

Deeply amusing, dramatically fresh, and incredibly novel.

Just mindless combat that amounts to little more pressing the attack buttons over and over from beginning to end.

Players looking for the Rush series they grew up on in the arcades will come away disappointed at this game's inability to offer consistent high flying races, while fans of games like "Midnight Club 3" who are looking for the next big underground racing game will no doubt find Rush's take on the subgenre amateurish at best.

This is the best online action on the PS2, period. Nothing else is even close. Whether you want to gun down terrorists, hop in a tank and blow stuff up, smuggle goods across the border, or extract hostages from hostile territories, SOCOM 3 is where it’s at.

The issue here perhaps that the SSX franchise was not yet ready for another sequel, and EA’s attempt to further cash in on their past success has resulted in a game that is inferior to its predecessors.

The lockdown stick is a terrific addition, and is a step in the right direction for future basketball games to include in making the defense more player-friendly. However, the slow tempo and the blurry graphics completely bring down the in-game experience, which are really the meat and potatoes of any sports game.

The story, graphics, speech, and every other aspect make this game an addictively fun title that no true RPG fan should pass up.

Quake 4 brings an engaging single-player challenge with a refresh of some of the genre’s most popular online play. Still, this is an incremental step, not a leap in design.

The game emphasizes role-playing over subscribing to the underlying story, and that is what makes Romancing SaGa such a terrific experience to be had.

Add in the co-op mode, and it comes down to the fact that if you've ever liked any first-person shooter, you should pick up Serious Sam II.

Players looking for the Rush series they grew up on in the arcades will come away disappointed at this game's inability to offer consistent high flying races, while fans of games like "Midnight Club 3" who are looking for the next big underground racing game will no doubt find Rush's take on the subgenre amateurish at best.

The issue here perhaps that the SSX franchise was not yet ready for another sequel, and EA's attempt to further cash in on their past success has resulted in a game that is inferior to its predecessors.

The lockdown stick is a terrific addition, and is a step in the right direction for future basketball games to include in making the defense more player-friendly. However, the slow tempo and the blurry graphics completely bring down the in-game experience, which are really the meat and potatoes of any sports game.

The issue here perhaps that the SSX franchise was not yet ready for another sequel, and EA's attempt to further cash in on their past success has resulted in a game that is inferior to its predecessors.

Not only does it accurately reproduce the movie experience, but it also matches it without missing a beat.

A perfect example of style over substance. On its technical side it's a flawless example of what can be done with the right technology in the right hands. In terms of content, however, it falls flat on its face by offering an extremely linear experience with very little replay value that ends up feeling more like walking through a carnival spook house than the trip through hell that it should have been.

For what it does right, the game can’t seem to keep from dropping the ball. Combat is a key component in many RTS titles, and here the whole concept just falls flat.

The game is extremely rewarding, and would be for anyone – whether they’ve played Aria or Sorrow or not, or even if they have never played a Castlevania title previously. This is a must-own title for any Nintendo DS owner.

Players who don’t enjoy the unforgiving gameplay might find Trauma Center off putting, but most gamers will relish in the intense experience.

A modest upgrade from last year’s offering. However, for fans of the series, the changes made can drastically affect the way the entire game is played.

Fails to stand up to typical console RPGs in terms of story telling and game mechanics. It simply does not offer the complexity that console gamers would expect and hope for in an RPG title.

The story is interesting and well-told, and the dual-map system breathes new life into a genre that was beginning to leave a sour taste on the palates of many gamers.

The frame rate issues are annoying, and the aircraft are nigh uncontrollable, but it really does offer a welcome change for people tired of resource building RTS games that are less about strategy and more about how much gold you can mine.

It is a very fun title, offering gamers a well-planned story with excellent graphics and enough simulator aspects to keep it fun but also make it a serious contender as flight sims go.

It is innovative and uses almost all of the handheld’s non-standard features without seeming the slightest bit gimmicky.

So much of what made these games great has been lost simply due to the change of venue, and that is truly unfortunate.

It is the game’s endearing story and characters, coupled with an intriguing adventure that help to make Trace Memory succeed in being truly memorable, pardon the pun.

The gameplay, the story, the graphics, the music, the voice acting ... it’s all imbued with such a central sense of style that the game just pops.

New songs, new dancers, new videos- basically more of what makes us treat each new DDR game like a badly needed heroin fix.

Taken on its own, the game is not all that inspiring, and when compared with other RPGs, it is somewhat boring and tends to wear out its welcome long before the final confrontation.

This collection is possibly the most remarkable of its kind to come along. The sheer quality of titles, which range from classic shooters like "Legendary Wings," to notable action titles such as "Ghouls 'n Ghost" and "Commando," raises the benchmark - and consumer expectation - of what a collection such as this can bring to the table.

The gameplay, the story, the graphics, the music, the voice acting ... it's all imbued with such a central sense of style that the game just pops.

So much of what made these games great has been lost simply due to the change of venue, and that is truly unfortunate.

If we've learned anything with time, it's that it is much better to be pleasantly surprised by a budget title than to be underwhelmed by a full-price title, and Cold War is a pleasant surprise indeed.

This collection is possibly the most remarkable of its kind to come along.

It seems fairly clear that nobody ever gave the game a good play-through – both to see how blatantly unready the game was for retail in terms of testing, but also how bland and uninteresting the core gameplay is.

There are enough things that feel distracting to keep this from becoming a classic game, but a strong enough foundation of gameplay and direction to make it a worthy addition to the console library.

Make no mistake, you should play it just for Sucker Punch's wonderful story and those fleeting moments of excellence as Sly, Murray, and Bentley, but don't expect the near-flawless execution of "Band of Thieves."

This is the best offering EA has created in many years. The gameplay isn’t perfect, but the addition of superstar moves makes it extremely entertaining.

There are enough things that feel distracting to keep this from becoming a classic game, but a strong enough foundation of gameplay and direction to make it a worthy addition to the console library.

This is the best offering EA has created in many years. The gameplay isn't perfect, but the addition of superstar moves makes it extremely entertaining.

It takes a popular character, and with the help of a unique visual style it immerses the player into the world so that they feel as if they are indeed taking part in an interactive comic book.

With a little more variation in the combat, and a few less chases, Ultimate Spider-Man could have been a fantastic game. As it is, this is a fun title that stands on the cusp of greatness, one step away from achieving something special.

A fun title that stands on the cusp of greatness, one step away from achieving something special.

It's everything the first game achieved, but improved, and with more. If you're an RTS fan, you owe it to yourself to play this game. The only possible downside is the GameSpy browser for online play, which can occasionally be buggy and difficult to use.

In all, the game is fantastic – absolutely the best graphic adventure title of the year – and is a game others should aspire to in many ways.

Fantastic – absolutely the best graphic adventure title of the year – and is a game others should aspire to in many ways.

The game offers a lot to do for any RPG aficionado, including a compelling story bundled into a non-linear package that affords something many RPG gamers want – freedom to act as they please. Fable, with all it offers, is the perfect game for this type of freedom.

Players who enjoy the lore surrounding the Marvel Universe, as well as those who are looking for something different in terms of beating others into submission should definitely give this game a look.

Someday, a philosopher will write a dissertation on how rolling things up is as natural to humanity as being in a mother’s womb. All hail.

In the end, how you receive this game will depend largely on how much weight you put on the X-Men franchise, because without it, Legends would be a very average brawler at best, and an overwrought, slightly clumsy bore at worst.

2006's biggest flaw is the lack of change. Players who own Tiger’s 2004 or 2005 incarnation have little reason to buy this edition.

The game is fantastic – absolutely the best graphic adventure title of the year – and is a game others should aspire to in many ways.

In the end, how you receive this game will depend largely on how much weight you put on the X-Men franchise, because without it, Legends would be a very average brawler at best, and an overwrought, slightly clumsy bore at worst.

The most notable addition over the first outing is the aforementioned Mission Mode, though since it does not become available until completing the game once, many players are likely to throw in the towl long before even seeing this new content. Some might call it a feature, but it seems more like punishment.

In the end, how you receive this game will depend largely on how much weight you put on the X-Men franchise, because without it, Legends would be a very average brawler at best, and an overwrought, slightly clumsy bore at worst.

The puzzles may not be very compelling once the initial stages are completed (i.e., once the developer’s design and logic tendencies are identified), but there are a handful of levels here that are genuinely brain-bending and rewarding.

With crisp visuals, pleasant audio and lots of content, it will likely find an audience, but those looking for the next great Donkey Kong game aren't going to find it here.

The chief problem with Battalion Wars is the AI, or more specifically the lack thereof. Units will do exactly what they are told, to a fault, oftentimes standing firm and getting peppered with enemy fire instead of moving to safer ground.

The game has its flaws- some of the platforming areas are a pain in the neck- but Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is probably the best thing to happen to Kombat fans in the past five or six years. If you're a fan of the series, or even a fan of fighters in general, pick this one up.