The interesting bit is that it builds on such a well-designed franchise tweaked to near-perfection that its rehash status matters very little. New or not, this is the best that racing experience that the PSP currently has to offer.

Revenge really fumbles the ball with the addition of traffic checking, and its overt attempts at aggression are ultimately ironic counterpoints to a system that has lost many of its teeth. On its own, it's still one of the best racers available, but it is also a spectacular step backward for the series.

The devilish tracks and quick, pick-up-and-play nature of the mission structure result in a game that is perfectly suited for the PSP console, and gamers looking for something a little different could certainly do a lot worse.

Even without the ESPN presentation, the core gameplay continues to shine boldly through – and with the retail price of $20, the game is a steal for just about anybody.

Beyond the P.E.C. mode and faster gameplay, not a whole lot has changed since Black Arrow, which disappoints even the most meager expectations for change.

While the world, characters and dialog are all of top quality, the game's story never manages to be compelling.

Beyond the P.E.C. mode and faster gameplay, not a whole lot has changed since Black Arrow, which disappoints even the most meager expectations for change.

Even without the ESPN presentation, the core gameplay continues to shine boldly through – and with the retail price of $20, the game is a steal for just about anybody. Every hockey fan should have it. Period.

The only real reason to actually buy the game other than if you are a "King of Fighters" fan is to get the Xbox Live play out of it, which brings the competitiveness of the arcade to your home.

The best that can be said for Dynasty Warriors Advance is that it has a clean presentation and gameplay that isn't immediately bland. It does not however hold up to sustained play, and will lose it's appeal long before all of the modes are explored, and long before the unlockables are unlocked.

An extremely viable alternative to the otherwise monolithic DDR franchise.

The developers at Namco didn't quite have a grasp on how to marry Mario-esque simplicity with a game that can survive under heavy play.

It is obvious that the game's developers or publisher understood what a mediocre experience they were going to be selling. In a predictable stroke, they tried to bury it all under a smothering pile of street-smart buzzwords and hip-hop catch phrases.

It is obvious that the game’s developers or publisher understood what a mediocre experience they were going to be selling. In a predictable stroke, they tried to bury it all under a smothering pile of street-smart buzzwords and hip-hop catch phrases.

If you buy no other action game this year, spend some green on big, green and ugly.

Fans of repetition or the beat-em-up genre may be interested, but the game is likely to disappoint—even as a rental. Avoid, if possible.

It faithfully recreates the included games, and it also offers plenty of options to tailor the game to meet individual needs. A couple of bells and whistles help round out the package, but the 17 classic games are the real draw here.

If Pac N’ Roll had been on any other system, it would still have been a fun game, but the way it plays out on the DS is just magic.

It may not be revolutionary from a gameplay perspective, but everything Radical has accomplished here is done with such care and expertise that the game should be recognized as the wonderful achievement that it is.

It's too violent for children, too juvenile for adults and too short to warrant a purchase. Fans of repetition or the beat-em-up genre may be interested, but the game is likely to disappoint-even as a rental.

It's a very alluring piece of work, and the little virtual puppies can be very enjoyable playmates. They're lifelike and responsive, and they can learn a wide variety of tricks. It's also not too much effort to care for them.

It's a very alluring piece of work, and the little virtual puppies can be very enjoyable playmates. They're lifelike and responsive, and they can learn a wide variety of tricks. It's also not too much effort to care for them.

It's a very alluring piece of work, and the little virtual puppies can be very enjoyable playmates. They're lifelike and responsive, and they can learn a wide variety of tricks. It's also not too much effort to care for them.

The game doesn't stray much from the original formula, but it certainly improves upon it in every imaginable way.

They are thumb-numbingly difficult, though with infinite continues this challenge is undermined – making completing either game a matter of simple devotion rather than skill.

It’s a wonderful and unique experience that really shows a lot of polish.

A considerable entry in the field of hack and slash RPGs for the PC. The action is intense, there are a host of options for character development, and the story, while negligible, still more than serves its purpose. Save for a few annoyances, the bankrupt AI being chief among them, this is a game that will see any fan of the genre coming away satisfied.

It seems likely the world will see more of DJ, and gamers should look forward to it; but maybe next time the movie should come out before the game.

This is a tale of two definitely enjoyable but average games melded in a compelling, yet innovative manner. It comes with a reasonably interesting plot, moderate replay value with its four endings and bonuses on replays.

An excellent title and is one that everybody should try out – provided they have access to the Xbox version. It's a wonderful and unique experience that really shows a lot of polish.

Basic reading ability is required-which is a bit disappointing, as voice actors would have made this a slam dunk for children too young to read-but it's an otherwise simple and straightforward title that should provide hours of enjoyment for the adolescent set.

It is Geist's multiplayer component that manages to outshine the single player game, delivering a tremendously entertaining multiplayer experience, and fun to be had by all involved. However, after the thrill of multiplayer has passed, it is unfortunate that the single player game is not more equipped to pick up the pieces.

There are hundreds of hours of gaming wrapped up into 2006, and even more if you get a group of friends who know how to play.

It is still a patient game that will punish those overeager to engage the enemy. If you know you don't like that sort of play, there is nothing here to change your mind. However for those that like it, this is a powerful and compellingly priced offering.

Graffiti Kingdom seems, like its predecessor, to be destined for cult status and niche appreciation.

The story is interesting, the dialog is hilarious, and the game is fun. NIS did their best to pull out the best elements of their previous games – those mechanics that people seemed to enjoy the most – and funnel them into this new game, while still exploring other novel ideas.

A deep, enriching, attractive, and extremely fun game to play, online or offline.

The lack of "Game Over" is a delightful incentive for continued play, and despite no fear of defeat, Darwinia still contains a considerable array of challenges to overcome.

The use of physics brings a genuine uniqueness to the title, but it ends up feeling more like a gimmick than anything else. Without these physics, FlatOut would fail on all fronts to be memorable. With them, it only succeeds in being only slightly above average.

While it does have its great moments, it doesn't accomplish more than what the animated series already has.

The use of physics brings a genuine uniqueness to the title, but it ends up feeling more like a gimmick than anything else. Without these physics, FlatOut would fail on all fronts to be memorable.

Currently possessing the finest animation ever seen in a football game, detailed graphics, speedy gameplay, great commentary, more game modes then ever, and an improved online game, NCAA 2006 has no competition...literally.

If you are indeed intrigued then it's that sense of inquisitiveness that will, at the end of the day, carry you right through the slightly slapdash puzzles, past the occasionally repetitive combat, right through the final cutscene and, if you're anything like me, onto endless debate about the game's ending.

It is different - no doubt about that - but rest assured months from now people will still be talking about that game that turned convention on its ear and showed that there are still some ideas left untapped. It's just too bad there isn't more of a game here of which to speak.

It's just so painfully average that its few big problems (i.e., random maps and questionable controls) really drag down the entire product.

For twenty bucks you could do worse. Get it, play it, and enjoy it. Heck, you might even learn something.

Put simply, Meteos is solid game and is worth every dime and second spend overing over the system's dual screens.

There are times when the game is fun, but it simply fails to overcome its numerous shortcomings.

Atelier Iris isn’t without its faults, and it will not appeal to everyone – the humor is consistently tongue-in-cheek which will drive some people away. In all, though, this game is a rare treat for the traditional RPG enthusiast.

It's not going to satisfy if you're in the market for another "Golden Sun" game or a new "Tactics Ogre" game. Despite the screen shots, it is not a tactical RPG, and it breaks a number of genre conventions associated with traditional RPGs. It could be argued, however, that this is the best reason to buy Riviera, as it certainly allows for a very interesting and unique experience with an emphasis on strategy and a wonderful story.

For the most part, Maniax holds true to the KoF design, but it's also missing some of the style and heart that made previous iterations so successful.

Bottom line, one can conceivably see a platform on which Fantastic 4 is a solid 3D beat-‘em-up, but the PC is not it. Players who feel they must spend their hard-earned gaming dollars on a Fantastic 4 game are urged to get a console version, not the PC’s rushed-together heap.

Sixty-second load times every time the player moves from one event to another are almost unbearable, and had these been removed our review would have been much more gracious. It is almost tragic that such a wonderful game could be crippled by this singular flaw.

The game is limited to two players, maximum, and that's a crying shame.

Blowing up buildings and abducting humans may eventually get old for the more cerebral gamers in the audience, but Crypto's adventures pack enough charm and polish to avoid much criticism from anyone else.

There are only two things that keep Battlefield 2 from online perfection. The first and most formidable of the two is the terrible browser used to navigate the game’s servers. It’s slow, inaccurate, and downright frustrating at times.

If you can stomach or even master the unforgiving battle conditions, it's a good game with an okay story and good combat.

Players who played through the original back in 2001 won't find much ado with the single player, since things have hardly changed at all, and the multiplayer component in Conker Live & Reloaded doesn't quite stand well enough on its own to warrant a purchase.

The game is very short, extremely linear and somewhat repetitive. However, none of these faults really hurt the game's appeal. Its presentation is top-notch, and the humor, visuals and characters really help to sell the experience.

Batman Begins doesn't have a genuine bone in its body.

End of Darkness needs the online mode to stay fresh, without which it will be left as nothing more then a boring and repetitive experience garnished with a few notable features.

As far as available modes, the list is noticeably anemic.

With all of the risks developers have been willing to take lately on properties like "Psychonauts" and "Killer 7," it's really painful when a product comes along and unabashedly cribs from other people's notes. Batman Begins doesn't have a genuine bone in its body.

The great single player gameplay should help to alleviate any pain that the lack of multiplayer may have caused. In typical Kirby fashion, this is a wonderful title that is fun, addicting, and exudes a kind of charm not found in many games today.

There really isn't much in the way of replay value once the game is beaten, as players will see most everything the first time through, and spikes in frustration due to the technology – not game design – will keep most from wanting to make a return visit.

A decent, customizable racer that takes it to the streets.

Lovingly crafted by aficionados of the genre, but ultimately suffering from feature creeping and a desire to include all things presumably cool. However, in the end In The Groove lacks the professional polish to be anything but mediocre.

The greater sense of immersion provided by the crisper graphics and big improvements to pedestrian combat make this a vastly superior version of the game.

With a bit of polish, and a smoother targeting system closer to that in titles such as "God of War," Samurai Western could have been a joy to play. Unfortunately, Atlus provided a game which is a bug-ridden and frustrating experience.

A bland, generic first-person shooter that does very little to advance the genre, and is far from worth paying full price for at retail. The gameplay and graphics fail at being interesting, and the game's only high point is its sound design.

The depth of the game encourages players to try all kinds of different playing styles. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that once you’ve beaten the game, you’ve pretty much seen everything there is to see, and the only incentive to go back would be besting a high score or attempting a higher difficulty.

Boiling Point: Road To Hell is bound to sit in the annals of poor gaming history, next to "Trespasser," "Daikatana," and other games that were hyped more than they were worked on, and left the gaming populace hungry for real sustenance.

Let's hope, for their sake, that the inevitable sequel to ER keeps the good ideas but injects a little fun into the formula.

A textbook example of something that must have looked great on paper, but whose actual implementation fell apart in almost every conceivable way.

Metal Slug 4 & 5 are arcade-perfect translations of the latest entries into a classic series of games. They are thumb-numbingly difficult, though with infinite continues this challenge is undermined – making completing either game a matter of simple devotion rather than skill.

Make no mistake, folks: This is a quick cash-in, no matter how you slice it.

It is challenging, with enough depth of both gameplay and story to please existing fans, while multiple difficulty settings will keep the title accessible to most everyone.

All and all, WarioWare: Twisted! doesn't do anything drastic to the series, but the creativity and variety of gameplay make what otherwise would have been a dreary rehash into a respectable game that stands on its own.

The campaign mode is good fun for a while, but the unsatisfying battle element will leave strategy buffs begging for more.

While visually lacking, this shortcoming never manages to detract from the game's single or mutiplayer offerings. Cold Winter is an altogether solid package.

It does what it sets out to do very well, without truly breaking any new or significant ground.

Smart Bomb will make you alternately hate and love it. You’ll swear, curse, kick and scream, and come back for more. If you’re up to the challenge, Smart Bomb will give you one of the best puzzle experiences in years.

The gameplay itself-though uninteresting-is still intuitive and responsive.

While good company can and does overshadow some of what the game does wrong, it cannot mask the fact that Dungeon Lords, on the whole, isn't very fun.

An above-average adventure game with some very well done elements, but it’s nothing revolutionary, either. If you want the best this genre can offer, go out and buy "Syberia 1 & 2" instead of Still Life.

The game can be completed in 5-6 hours, although finding all the secrets—which allow you to increase your health and force meters—can take considerably longer.

The ideas are well thought out, but implemented poorly, and nothing can excuse the total lack of speed in a racing game.

For players who are in the market for a good single player and multiplayer game that is easy to pick up and play, this game is ideal.

Short of being the Halo-killer it was promised to be; the game design lacking focus, the graphics lacking variety, and the multiplayer lacking players.

It features outstanding visuals, tremendous gameplay, and enough options to keep even the most meticulous players entertained for hours.

Of course, no amount of polish can change the fact that this is still a Pokémon game, and it carries the same flaws consistent to the series. It's certainly a respectable time sink, but-despite the evolutions to the core gameplay-it continues to offer extremely little to win over holdouts. However, it is an ideal starting point for new initiates to the Pokémon franchise.

Certainly a playable game, and it has an obvious appeal to a certain variety of gamers. However, if you aren’t part of that group, odds are one or more of those flaws in the game’s design are going to make it just about impossible to really enjoy.

A great game. It has a few problems, but the gameplay is fun, the PvP combat is balanced and refreshing, the storyline is engrossing, and the entire experience is superb.

A title that shows so much potential in its unique gameplay, but it is also a title that shows how technological shortcomings can ruin an otherwise interesting game and render it a frustrating mess.

It features a deep storyline with a few memorable characters set amidst a lengthy and challenging adventure. Still, the game is hampered by an inconsistent AI, and difficulty that can, at times, render the game more frustrating than fun.

This game does nothing right, and wastes all of the good ideas that went into making it. It offers no replay value, despite randomly generated levels, because the gameplay is too tedious to warrant a first playthrough—much less a second.

There is enough difficulty, some intentional, some inherent to poor design, that will keep many players engaged until the end, but again, once it is over, Pac-Pix is likely to be shelved in favor of something more fun, and longer lasting - such as pizza.

Sporting some exceedingly sharp sharp, audio that will leave a player with beads of sweat on their brow, a story that could make their head feel as if it might explode (yet is still enjoyable to watch unfold), and solid frantic shooting mixed with duck and hide combat tactics all blend together to create one fantastic gaming experience.