The new first-touch control, the games biggest innovation for 2005 and the catalyst for this change in attacking emphasis, is brilliant. It’s logical, easy to use, works as it should, looks realistic and can blow a game wide open.

The new first-touch control, the games biggest innovation for 2005 and the catalyst for this change in attacking emphasis, is brilliant. It’s logical, easy to use, works as it should, looks realistic and can blow a game wide open.

The game is a penny shy of twenty dollars, and for that price, if you remember any of these games there is no reason not to pick it up and relive those days spent hunched ‘round a cabinet, stubbing out cigarettes on the top and hoping the manager didn’t see.

The visuals are crisp, and cute, but other than that there are few words that can be saddled upon this game that are not dripping with disdain.

The game is a penny shy of twenty dollars, and for that price, if you remember any of these games there is no reason not to pick it up and relive those days spent hunched 'round a cabinet, stubbing out cigarettes on the top and hoping the manager didn't see.

There is so much here that evokes what we know and love about Mario, as well as an equal share of what is genuinely new, and all of this is bundled together in such a wonderful package that this game is destined to be a fan favorite for a long time.

The game is a penny shy of twenty dollars, and for that price, if you remember any of these games there is no reason not to pick it up and relive those days spent hunched ‘round a cabinet, stubbing out cigarettes on the top and hoping the manager didn’t see.

The most impressive outlet of Source’s physics engine is the most subtle, that of the corpses left after any particular round of slaughter. Bodies realistically slump into corners, drape over crates, and fall to the ground. I’m sure everyone will have a “coolest corpse” story within a week of playing.

It does not tax the brain too much, and it is also a fairly short-lived ride. However, it manages to take the franchise, and deliver an experience that feels every bit as compelling as the source material.

It's not really a game. It's a glorified karaoke machine with a really, really poor interface.

The characters and environments are all but devoid of personality, and even fans of the television program will be left wondering what has been done to suck all of the life out of such a great series.

A very good game, but a difficult one. Fans of the series will have no problem pummeling their way through the various settings, until they unlock the harder difficulties, but new or less skilled players may have a bit of trouble with it.

The characters and environments are all but devoid of personality, and even fans of the television program will be left wondering what has been done to suck all of the life out of such a great series.

Players who were not bowled over by "Deadly Alliance" will probably find little here that will tip the scales. On the other hand, for those who loved the last game, Deception feels like an expansion pack to an experience that they already enjoy.

At the very core of the game is something that could have worked, but it is so deeply entrenched within mediocrity and poorly executed ideas that it hurts.

If you like deliberately subjecting yourself to frustration for little or no reward, surrounded by a group of idiots mocking you, super glue a coin to the ground and attempt to pry it away while screaming obscenities at the top of your voice. It'll be cheaper than wasting your money on this.

Its engaging mixture of game types and interesting graphics combine to create a fun ride, but one that is sadly over too soon.

Players who were not bowled over by "Deadly Alliance" will probably find little here that will tip the scales. On the other hand, for those who loved the last game, Deception feels like an expansion pack to an experience that they already enjoy.

If you like deliberately subjecting yourself to frustration for little or no reward, surrounded by a group of idiots mocking you, super glue a coin to the ground and attempt to pry it away while screaming obscenities at the top of your voice. It'll be cheaper than wasting your money on this.

If you like deliberately subjecting yourself to frustration for little or no reward, surrounded by a group of idiots mocking you, super glue a coin to the ground and attempt to pry it away while screaming obscenities at the top of your voice. It'll be cheaper than wasting your money on this.

Wanted is the definition of average. Fans of both adventure games and westerns may want to look into it, but I'd advise all others to steer clear.

The game features some of most stunning scenery yet seen in a video game, and Jack Wall’s ethereal musical accompaniment captures the feeling of the game’s artistic landscape.

The game is different enough from other RTS's to keep even the most jaded of fans interested, and the game looks and feels so spectacular that those new to the genre will fall in love immediately.

Another problem is the game's terrible collision detection and absurd recovery times after throwing a punch or ducking to avoid a blow.

Luckily, despite the linearity, the story, characters, and dialogue is compelling enough to keep you going.

I don't know why SNK Playmore put so little effort into SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom. When compared to so many of the other fighting games they have developed and produced, and also Capcom's line of fighters, this easily becomes the low point of 2D fighting in recent years.

Another problem is the game's terrible collision detection and absurd recovery times after throwing a punch or ducking to avoid a blow.

The game features spectacular presentation, including some of the most memorable music to come along in an RPG in ages.

The variety of gameplay styles is very lively and, for the most part, it’s a fun experience from beginning to end. It also does a good job of retreading the film and bringing the story home.

The PC version is clearly the superior version and those with a choice in mediums should certainly consider it their first choice. It is more fun, less awkward and far more forgiving for young children.

The variety of gameplay styles is very lively and, for the most part, it’s a fun experience from beginning to end. It also does a good job of retreading the film and bringing the story home.

While "Samba De Amigo" (the most similar thing to it) had graphical and stylistic touches that kept the gamer going, Donkey Konga feels languid, and lazy. While at first it is fun, you will find that any long experimentation with it will lead to boredom, or tears. Or both.

While it may not add much to the core game mechanics, the addition of varied and entertaining minigames make this a worthwhile purchase for fans of dance games such as DDR.

Lack of a lock on system can make the game frustrating, and I did suffer from a couple connection dropouts that weren't on my end. Still, to anyone looking for a new MORPG to play with their friends, try this out.

The license feels more than a little underused, as if it featured Mega Man X and Zero just so that fans of the series have a few recognizable faces to move the game.

There are some AI issues, and the multiplayer component seems like it was tacked on as an afterthought, but, as a total package, Legends delivers. It is as true to the source material as any game could hope to be, and as a long-time fan of the X-Men, I am more than pleased.

The game is pure joy right from the start with its bizarre opening sequence (imagine Monty Python doing the intro for a quirky Japanese game) and continues to be a blast all the way to the delightful interactive end credits.

Though quirky and enjoyable, slight hiccups in the game's challenge, physics and firearms system let this title down somewhat, although a varied raft of psychic powers and an accomplished narrative go some way towards compensating.

There are some AI issues, and the multiplayer component seems like it was tacked on as an afterthought, but, as a total package, Legends delivers. It is as true to the source material as any game could hope to be, and as a long-time fan of the X-Men, I am more than pleased.

Though quirky and enjoyable, slight hiccups in the game's challenge, physics and firearms system let this title down somewhat, although a varied raft of psychic powers and an accomplished narrative go some way towards compensating.

There are some AI issues, and the multiplayer component seems like it was tacked on as an afterthought, but, as a total package, Legends delivers. It is as true to the source material as any game could hope to be, and as a long-time fan of the X-Men, I am more than pleased.

Though quirky and enjoyable, slight hiccups in the game's challenge, physics and firearms system let this title down somewhat, although a varied raft of psychic powers and an accomplished narrative go some way towards compensating.

I recommend it if you aren’t squeamish about knocking the crap out of very realistic and very familiar looking people.

Stands out by the sheer amount of detail put into each and every unit and action. The opening cut scene is simply stunning in the amount of force and power it portrays and watching the battles is a treat.

F-zero GP Legend, despite its awkward bumper car-style physics and shortcomings in AI difficulty, is an entertaining game for anyone looking for a portable racer.

I recommend it if you aren’t squeamish about knocking the crap out of very realistic and very familiar looking people.

An adrenalized version of the original, taking what that game did well, and then pumping it up to the point of sensory overload. It moves faster, the levels are bigger, has more story, and the action is over-the-top to an almost unfathomable degree.

Updating its slightly clunky graphics would make things look fresh, but wouldn't keep the squad AI from sometimes feeling more like cattle to herd than teammates.

Despite all the whiz-bang innovations however, the core gameplay remains the same. The interface in general has changed little, and you'll find that the game from minute to minute is played in the same manner. The schticky retro charm also carries through from the original.

It won’t win any awards for the way it looks, plays or sounds. But, the devil really is in the details this time. A lot of work went into crafting a game that is considerably different in style than anything else on the market, even if the gameplay itself is stale.

Players who are looking for one of the most charming, addictive, and challenging shooters to come along in a long while should waste little time in picking up Gradius V.

Shellshock doesn’t amount to much more than six or seven hours of gameplay. It’s over almost as soon as it began which, depending on how much you paid for it, might be a good thing.

Shellshock doesn’t amount to much more than six or seven hours of gameplay. It’s over almost as soon as it began which, depending on how much you paid for it, might be a good thing.

Probably the most impressive part of the game is that the story manages to weave this smorgasbord of gameplay into a single cohesive story.

It can be visceral and exciting and it does a good job of trumping its own redundancy by offering extensive skill trees for character advancement and continuously introducing new areas and adversaries.

What it really comes down to is the cinematic experience, and at $30 for ten hours of single player campaign plus a fairly passable multiplayer, it’s roughly comparable to a few trips to the movies.

A near-perfect example of wasted potential. The developers fine tuned the game's combat by including better collision detection, the ability to switch in and out of different characters, and a new block button. Sadly all of this does little when the characters are painfully similar, and each are so powerful that they can more or less walk through anything in their way by the player simply pressing the A button repeatedly.

Fable delivers an experience that isn't what some die-hard RPG fans might deem authentic. Instead, I believe that Fable provides a game for the rest of us that has the entire flavor of an RPG, but in a much more streamlined and accessible package.

With all the things that "GGXX" had that made it such a great game to play, Guilty Gear X2 #Reload somehow expands that amount of game play even more.

It never even really approaches the level of intimacy with its subject-matter that the deluge of press releases would have you believe. It would seem that Shellshock fell victim to its own hype.

The developers clearly have a lot of passion of the material this game immerses players in, and even if you don’t go ga-ga for cannons and grog you can’t help but feel that affection come through the game play experience.

Area Wars brings a fresh and interesting concept forward into the RTS field, and implements it superbly. Lamentably bad AI, and a sketchy online community prevent it from being a must-have recommendation.

It is sort of sad when a game bests its nearest competition simply by virtue of the fact that the average player can stand to play it the whole way through without smashing it with a hammer, but that’s really the best way to sell Conflict: Vietnam. Sure it has awkward controls, occasionally unclear mission objectives, and obtuse friendly AI, but it all boils down to player satisfaction.

A great concept and great technical achievement marred by a poor execution. It’s just not as creepy, scary, or thought provoking as previous entries in the series and the game-play itself is boring even when measured against the fact that the horror genre itself is really based on creepy atmosphere and scares and tight game-play execution tends to be an afterthought.

We’ve been driving computerised cars around virtual racetracks for years now, but in Burnout 3 you do it so <I>fast</I>, and the enjoyment from going so fast comes so easily, that playing another racer is going to feel like driving a bus after taking a spin in a Ferrari.

Most of the improvements are minor and unsurprising, but taken as a whole make the new games much better and more refined experiences than the originals.

Most of the improvements are minor and unsurprising, but taken as a whole make the new games much better and more refined experiences than the originals.

We've been driving computerised cars around virtual racetracks for years now, but in Burnout 3 you do it so <I>fast</I>, and the enjoyment from going so fast comes so easily, that playing another racer is going to feel like driving a bus after taking a spin in a Ferrari.

All of these varied creatures, along with unlockable Digimon and the multiplayer brawls make this game a solid title whether you are a fan or not.

Besides a few ideas that are executed poorly, the gameplay is varied, making it a fun experience. But its biggest problem is amount of gameplay, which is limited.

It may not inspire players to sing praises of its innovation or unparalleled gameplay, but it is nonetheless an entertaining foray into the world of monster collection.

It may not inspire players to sing praises of its innovation or unparalleled gameplay, but it is nonetheless an entertaining foray into the world of monster collection.

Besides a few ideas that are executed poorly, the gameplay is varied, making it a fun experience. But its biggest problem is amount of gameplay, which is limited.

Problem number one. The controls are atrocious.

Besides a few ideas that are executed poorly, the gameplay is varied, making it a fun experience. But its biggest problem is amount of gameplay, which is limited.

Given everything the game has going for it, the thing that makes the meat of any racing game - the races - are a huge letdown.

A mediocre game. Due to camera issues, a combat system that needs some tweaking, and various other flaws; I can't really recommend this to anyone.

"Third Strike" is, arguably, the definitive 2D fighting game on the PS2.

Koei should stop feeding its fans new gameplay through an intravenous drip, especially if they expect them to pay for their games.

It's original, action-packed, and boasts a story that is on par with even some of the Final Fantasy series.

A great game, and is well worth the wait. Secrets, secret characters, and a somber, yet intriguing story round out the experience, and solid combat mechanics make sure players will not get bored with the game’s many confrontations.

This dedication all shows through in the game’s many puzzles, which are both ingenious and challenging. Adventure game enthusiasts looking to test their gray matter have a lot of work with here. It is a bit unfortunate that the ending is not more satisfying, but taken as a whole the entire experience that is Darkfall: Lights Out is simply wonderful.

A pleasant surprise. Whilst not without it&#146;s flaws, (some features, or lack thereof, give away the game&#146;s obviously low production values) Wings provides a decent-looking arcade flight sim which, if sampled for small periods at regular intervals, can actually prove very enjoyable.

A work of wonder and magic that reinforces the idea that innovation and originality are both still alive and well in the world of video games.

Its addicting gameplay, and massive replay value make Viewtiful Joe well worth its $30 price tag.

A solid action title with just enough creepiness to set the mood. It also isn’t much of a challenge, so players looking to beat their controllers against the wall in frustration need to look elsewhere.

An excellent game. If you don&#146;t own 2004, it is a fantastic purchase, however, if you do, you may find too much of the same thing again. It&#146;s time for EA to rehash this series, as each year&#146;s offering is getting more and more stale.

Though the game is geared towards kids, I highly doubt that their attention spans will last long while enduring this process, especially when combined with the lackluster minigames.

Black Arrow's biggest attraction is its many new maps, fourteen in all, most of which are absolutely huge.

Doom 3 is excellent. It isn’t revolutionary, but it does bring a simple and exciting gaming experience with near-flawless precision.

A game that could so easily have been one of the greats, with its sense of beauty, scale and innovation helping it stand out from the platforming crowd. Unfortunately, it is also let down by restrictive level design and some missions which waste the advancements made by Raman's control system, which result in many dull and monotonous moments.

Entertaining, addictive, and hard to put down. Next thing you know I'll be watching the sugary sweet anime on Cartoon Network. Just don't tell anyone I know that you heard me say that.

Even running through a level on the first try is more of a task than an adventure. And neither the gameplay nor the story are enough of an incentive to push through.

A repetitive game that is bound to bore a large majority of gamers after just a short time of playing. It reeks of old school gaming, but not in a good way, and in an age where innovation and longevity are all that keeps a game from falling into the bottomless pit of obscurity, Crimson Tears already seems doomed.

As an RPG it is only slightly above average, though considering the anemic state of the Xbox platform in terms of this genre fans have little choice but to dive in and experience it for all that it is worth.

It trounces "Madden" in nearly every in-game and out-of-game aspect. And since "Madden" is a newbie to the Xbox Live arena, ESPN's Live support, replete with fully customizable leagues and comprehensive player profiles, it is simply unmatched.

Aside from AI being strangely buggy and inconsistent, the enemy placement is simply sadistic. I played the first level on the easiest difficulty and have decided to name it "Quicksave or Die." That is currently my only praise for the game - it runs, and the developers have added a working quicksave feature.

An excellent college football game. The controls are spot on. The graphics are solid, and the dynasty mode will keep you playing for a long time.