Mediocre presentation also holds it back a bit, but Kohan II is otherwise a solid and unique strategy game.

The game’s haphazard strokes fail to paint a complete picture, and you’ll suffer frequent pauses as you shoot and solve your way to the end.

It has everything the last version had, right down to the training and calorie-counting modes, and, aside from the EyeToy support and new songs, not much else. So, if you aren’t into watching yourself onscreen, the upgrades are minimal.

Problems with the camera and controls hold it back from mass appeal, and unless you have the broadband adapter, you're missing out on a large chunk of the experience. With that said, there's definitely enough here to for serious players to enjoy if they're willing to devote the time necessary to really dive into the game.

It's a capably constructed RPG, to be sure, but it's hard to explicitly recommend Mega Man X: Command Mission to anyone who isn't already a fan of Mega Man or RPGs. If you're a little bit of both, chances are you'll dig it immensely.

The overhead camera feels constrained. We simply want an isometric view to get a better perspective.

Katamari Damacy is interactive happiness. Charming, exuberant, and shameless, it’s a rare game in today’s world of self-aware, first-person shooters and freeform crime simulators.

Those that have yet to exceed level 40 and undertake some of the main game’s tougher challenges are probably unprepared for the trials this expansion pack has to offer and will likely find them frustrating and unrewarding. For those prepared to throw down the gauntlet, though, there’s a lot of fun content and gorgeous new areas to be discovered.

Those that have yet to exceed level 40 and undertake some of the main game’s tougher challenges are probably unprepared for the trials this expansion pack has to offer and will likely find them frustrating and unrewarding. For those prepared to throw down the gauntlet, though, there’s a lot of fun content and gorgeous new areas to be discovered.

A cut above your average jilted-samurai-seeks-revenge-against-the-demonic-hordes-who-wronged-him game.

The overhead camera feels constrained. We simply want an isometric view to get a better perspective.

Disappointingly dull opposition and having to strictly adhere to the game's go-here-do-this structure keep this title from being a great or remarkable game.

The overhead camera feels constrained. We simply want an isometric view to get a better perspective.

It's a capably constructed RPG, to be sure, but it's hard to explicitly recommend Mega Man X: Command Mission to anyone who isn't already a fan of Mega Man or RPGs. If you're a little bit of both, chances are you'll dig it immensely.

An incredibly fun game born of a fascinating concept that follows through on its potential in almost every way. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, or of solid grapplers with a huge does of the old ultra-violence, you’ll find plenty here to keep you bouncing in your seat.

It’s a pinch of innovation in a comforting stew of well-worn RTS conventions. And there’s a whole lot of blood. What more do you want?

The bar has been set higher by "ESPN NHL 2K5," whose presentation, sense of realism, and play modes simply outclass, outshine, and outperform those found in NHL 2005.

While the underlying gameplay of F-Zero GP Legend hasn't changed much since 1991, it's still good enough to make it one of the best racers on the GBA. Its multiple modes and bite-sized action make it ideal for the portable environment.

At heart, Battlefront is just "Battlefield 1942" hosed down in Star Wars juice. The constant lag and lack of online modes suck a lot of the fun out of what should be the consummate Star Wars multiplayer game.

An incredibly fun game born of a fascinating concept that follows through on its potential in almost every way. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, or of solid grapplers with a huge does of the old ultra-violence, you’ll find plenty here to keep you bouncing in your seat.

The bar has been set higher by "ESPN NHL 2K5," whose presentation, sense of realism, and play modes simply outclass, outshine, and outperform those found in NHL 2005.

Though it’s easy to knock the game for not radically altering its presentation, it’s hard to criticize the sheer amount of playability (and fun) offered here.

The bar has been set higher by "ESPN NHL 2K5," whose presentation, sense of realism, and play modes simply outclass, outshine, and outperform those found in NHL 2005.

Can be fun in limited amounts, but amounts to one gigantic action binge—packing in extra characters and drawing out its action sequences to excess.

The biggest issue with Purple Haze for Xbox is that the game simply isn't complete. Why the truncated campaign? Why the revamped levels?

Other problems, such as pathfinding issues will be painfully familiar to die-hard Sims fans. If a Sim places something like a pizza box in a narrow hallway, everyone will get stuck for hours of game time because they can’t step over it.

While non-fans probably won’t dig in as much, this is still an exceptional example of the side-scrolling shooter. It looks great, plays better than ever, and the addition of a two-player option gives it significant staying power.

But I feel like a thief has swiped the perfect pacing out of the series and replaced it with repetition.

Since you play every role on your first time through the game there’s not much new to experience should you repeat the journey. Again, we have to lament the fact that you can’t draft a capable friend to help you on your quest. The absence of this feature is quite vexing indeed.

It looks appalling, contains some absolutely egregious gameplay, and subjects the player to some downright execrable dialogue. Whatever it is, Bad Boys is nowhere near good.

A fine example of what video games do best. They give players a sense of time and place that is unmatched in any other medium. In United Offensive you are there. And even though it’s short, it’s a great ride.

Simply an awful game and isn't deserving of your time or money.

Between the combat challenges, legendary weapons to be obtained, and numerous ways to screw with the heads of townspeople, it's the bits between the storyline that will keep players coming back to Fable.

The visuals in Guilty Gear X2 are Disney quality, and the game's speed offline never wavers or chokes on the action. The backdrops for fighting have that old school, colorful quality, and it's clear that this game came out long after the "SFII" craze.

For some, Shellshock may represent the true horrors of war; for us, it simply embodies the terror of a bad game.

It looks appalling, contains some absolutely egregious gameplay, and subjects the player to some downright execrable dialogue. Whatever it is, Bad Boys is nowhere near good.

It looks appalling, contains some absolutely egregious gameplay, and subjects the player to some downright execrable dialogue. Whatever it is, Bad Boys is nowhere near good.

Replay is a non-factor with no Xbox Live support, and the only way to enjoy it is to get your mates to enlist with you. But in the end, this one’s as much of a mess as the real Vietnam. Aim to avoid it.

You may love it, or you may be turned away by iffy gameplay, but you’re nearly guaranteed to be creeped out.

But the single-player experience is ultimately too limited to recommend it as anything other than a rental.

The graphical improvements are not terribly impressive, and the extra content is more of the same.

The graphical improvements are not terribly impressive, and the extra content is more of the same.

With its killer combo of great gameplay, awesome destruction, and cool physics, EA has taken what was a fun diversion and made it into a near masterpiece.

It’s not innovative or great in any regard, but it does provide plenty of explosions and challenge. It’s also far and away the only decent game to yet come from the franchise.

It’s not innovative or great in any regard, but it does provide plenty of explosions and challenge. It’s also far and away the only decent game to yet come from the franchise.

It's not innovative or great in any regard, but it does provide plenty of explosions and challenge. It's also far and away the only decent game to yet come from the franchise.

If you never leave the garage, or enter a race, this game will satiate you just fine. But if you absolutely need an updated street racing game, try holding out for the latest "Midnight Club (the DUB Edition)."

With its reliance on disguises and cool gadgets, the game brings a couple of interesting concepts to the stealth genre. It doesn't quite have the superb presentation or tight gameplay to fully back them up, but we're sure another title will "borrow" the best from this game and improve on it.

But what Alien Invasion does so well is offer existing players a solid reason to keep playing. Those of you who left AO a while ago might want to pop back in to see what the fuss is about.

Though it’s not the dream collection fans hoped for, it’s still nice to be re-acquainted with these venerable fighters.

There are moments of painful slowdown, and you may very well have done something very similar before, but take it from your oath brothers at X-Play, Dynasty Warriors: Empires is an easy game to enjoy and an easy game to recommend.

While it's lacking in the qualities necessary to convert the haters, it's nonetheless a game that will please the faithful.

With so much personality and gameplay depth, however, no true tactical RPG fan will be able to resist braving this phantom.

For anyone with a passing interest in the sport, we recommend dusting off those lawn darts and firing up the barbeque.

There’s a real sensation of extreme speed, and even with a large number of cars on-screen, there’s only rarely a hint of stuttering or slowdown.

There’s a real sensation of extreme speed, and even with a large number of cars on-screen, there’s only rarely a hint of stuttering or slowdown.

May not be perfect, but it's a definite improvement over 2003's game and you simply can't beat the price.

Though you can certainly do worse than Wings of War at its budget price point, the gameplay ultimately has more holes than the Red Baron’s adversaries.

We love all the changes to the gameplay in Pikmin 2. It's deeper, less frustrating, and ultimately, more fun. We dig the cave-like dungeons that require intense strategy and we're ecstatic over the new Pikmin types. It's a solid, charming game from beginning to end.

Those who are willing to give it a shot will find that it's a great package, offering wrestling fans more than enough to keep them entertained until next year's games offer something bigger, badder, and better.

Amazing Island is the sort of game that lies tantalizingly close to the edge of coolness, yet remains firmly on the side of mediocrity.

Improvements to the solo adventure and the addition of some basic multiplayer modes elevate the game above its predecessors, but it can't turn the tide of battle in the franchise's favor.

Astro Boy would've been better as a straightforward genre game; instead, it's neither a full-fledged actioner nor an exploratory adventure game. It feels like a pasted together hybrid that never jells.

The type of game that tends to get over praised since its simplicity and competency are so refreshing. But you don't have to be an Astro Fan-Boy to appreciate the throwback fun of this well-made shooter.

We walked away from this one wishing that there had been a lot more gameplay to complement the cool graphics and atmosphere.

Though it’s disappointing the presentation has taken a backseat in the development phase, Madden edges out "NFL 2K5" because, ultimately, it's the gameplay that matters after you've owned a football game for more than a couple weeks.

Though it's disappointing the presentation has taken a backseat in the development phase, Madden edges out "NFL 2K5" because, ultimately, it's the gameplay that matters after you've owned a football game for more than a couple weeks.

Though it’s disappointing the presentation has taken a backseat in the development phase, Madden edges out "NFL 2K5" because, ultimately, it's the gameplay that matters after you've owned a football game for more than a couple weeks.

It's a perfect game for the times, and one that doesn't bother with Asimov-inspired tin cans running around spraying bullets.

It's a visceral experience that too often falls back on tired shooter clichés. But occasionally, it does rise above the mediocrity to deliver a truly compelling experience. That, coupled with the best graphics available.

Even if there are some design tricks here that all developers could learn from, the game's negatives outweigh the positives, leaving this Galleon to be forgotten at the bottom of the bargain bin.

Nothing in it really drives you to play. The RPG elements are watered down, the dungeon and monster designs are boring, and even with all the different weapons and combat options, the fighting is just too simplistic.

It’s not that the game is incredibly difficult. It’s just that it’s very particular and gives you a terrible viewpoint from which to perform specific actions. The loose controls only make matters worse.

NFL 2K5 has leveled the field of play significantly with its wallet-friendly price and killer presentation.

Gamers looking for a long involving experience will be disappointed that the story is not nearly as voluptuous as the female characters; at around 20 hours some will consider it too thin a quest.

NFL 2K5 has leveled the field of play significantly with its wallet-friendly price and killer presentation.

Places its emphasis on subtle refinements over sweeping changes, which is what tends to happen when the gameplay is seasoned enough to already be considered a class act.

Places its emphasis on subtle refinements over sweeping changes, which is what tends to happen when the gameplay is seasoned enough to already be considered a class act.

Places its emphasis on subtle refinements over sweeping changes, which is what tends to happen when the gameplay is seasoned enough to already be considered a class act.

And perhaps even more than "DDR" or "Samba De Amigo," Karaoke Revolution is a game that will be embraced by non-gamers, since it requires no physical dexterity or interaction with a controller.

This is a series that sells well. Koei has taken that into account and seems to be deliberately treading water. What was pretty cool in "Dynasty Warriors 2" seems much less so several games later.

From the hectic, mashy battles to the meticulous character customization, there's something here for every breed of player.

With its fair share of gameplay issues and dated presentation, this Samurai walks away with his blade between his legs.

If you’re willing work though the interface and aren’t opposed to saving and reloading over and over again, you’ll find that Soldiers has legs. What we’d like to see in a future release is a cleaner interface and a more clearly defined design.

A captivating strategy game with oodles of character.

The gonzo characters and action have a certain allure, but since the game doesn’t provide much context, how you feel about the game’s unique look could easily make or break it for you.

For the budget price, Shrine Circus Tycoon is certainly worth a look, especially if you’re jonesing for a lighthearted management sim. It’s not the greatest show on earth, but it ain’t half bad either.

The visuals are on par with previous entries in the series. They're colorful and cartoon-like, with non-threatening enemies and friendly characters.

But since the web, which plays such an important role in solving many of the puzzles, makes it easy to cheat, only pick it up if you’re certain you can resist temptation.

Fortunately the on-screen action moves at a blistering pace, with colorful visuals, impressive animations, and eye-popping embellishments such as motion trails, super jumps, bats bursting into fire after multiple hits, and pitches that defy physics. The depth of features isn’t quite up to the competition’s, but in terms of action and excitement, MLB SlugFest: Loaded covers all the bases.

Fortunately the on-screen action moves at a blistering pace, with colorful visuals, impressive animations, and eye-popping embellishments such as motion trails, super jumps, bats bursting into fire after multiple hits, and pitches that defy physics. The depth of features isn’t quite up to the competition’s, but in terms of action and excitement, MLB SlugFest: Loaded covers all the bases.

Everything from the pointless showdown mode to the almost complete absence of anything to unlock makes the game feel raw in a negative, unfinished way. Not the hardcore, wrestling kind of fans know and love.

There is a single-player dynamic campaign that you should stay far, far away from. The campaign appears to be an afterthought, as does the AI, which does a fantastic job killing itself.

For pure dollar value -- 10 total games for $29.99 -- Mega Man Anniversary Collection is a great buy. That is, if you can make your peace with the atrocious button-swapping snafu.

Not only is it the most advanced golf title yet seen on the system, it easily ranks as the best golf game on any handheld.

The competition isn't super hot, however, especially once players get the hang of the controls. It's not that the AI isn't realistic, just that it doesn't push very hard against a reasonably capable player.

For pure dollar value -- 10 total games for $29.99 -- Mega Man Anniversary Collection is a great buy. That is, if you can make your peace with the atrocious button-swapping snafu.

Driv3r tries to be more than just a driving game, but it looks like Tanner should get his butt back behind the wheel and stay there.