Both Capcom and SNK fighting fans will be in heaven. Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO is like a 24-hour arcade that requires no quarters, and the entire country is invited to play.

A complete package that is both a solid adventure and a promising beginning for this Bandai series.

Although there aren't any online features or a training mode to teach newcomers the characteristics of soccer, the variety of game modes is astounding, and the gameplay is enthralling.

An addictive and enjoyable warfare simulation. While not entirely groundbreaking, Command & Conquer: Generals is one excellent game.

The game can at times be a repetitive, dreary experience in any case. Ostensibly distilled down to lure console gamers, EverQuest Online Adventures is less about lofty quests than about repeated bouts of monster-hunting, loot-grabbing, and leveling up.

But if you've never played "Ultima Online," this expansion pack won't give you much of a reason to give it a go. You're better off saving your hard-earned gold on an MMORPG that doesn't look and play like it was created in the century it's set in.

The controls are responsive and the ride is smooth. Add to that an impressive sense of speed and plenty of content (including head-to-head link battles) and you have a very attractive model on your hands.

A game with a long life span. Colorful imagery, creative levels, and a good score add to the experience.

Children will have no trouble getting into the groove of the action, and their parents will be able to play along and have a good time too. Playing with a dance pad is highly recommended.

The story and characterization are better than in most console RPGs. But we were left wondering why these rookie mistakes are in a game with so much promise.

Doesn't fail to impress us with its high-quality, inventive visuals, but the gameplay is no match for its presentation.

The cumbersome interface and lack of gameplay variety bring down the game.

It is the total package 2D fighter. Any fighting fan owes it to him or herself to snatch this one immediately.

We would have liked more maps and a solid fix for the sound problems.

Daredevil had potential, but the result is merely an uninspired, generic movie tie-in that doesn't excel in any particular area and stumbles when it comes to meaningful gameplay.

Though visually lacking, Skies of Arcadia proves that gameplay is still king. It may be a port, but it's superior to most other role-playing games out there.

From the look of the graphics to the general feel of the gameplay, we've seen this before -- with the exception of the track editor. But it's not really enough to make the game stand out from the rest of the pack.

Feels shallow and uninspired. As a result, button mashing will get players farther than it probably should.

What could have been a revolutionary and potentially genre-busting game is just a novelty for those who can manage to be titillated by polygons.

In terms of performance, the game fares better than the PS2 version, with a fairly consistent frame rate that conveys a decent sense of speed. The game occasionally slows down, but only when the screen is overpopulated with racers.

As a game it's nowhere near as good as Rockstar's GTA franchise, but its excellent storytelling and slick production values make it an experience worth having.

The wonderful graphics and cut scenes are nice, but it's solid, innovative gameplay -- not cut scenes -- that makes a game great. Highland Warriors sadly misses the mark.

Just misses a top-shelf rating due to some nitpicky decision-making routines.

Dull, and not just because of its subject matter or slow pace. Obviously, fishing can only be so exciting, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay, the lack of rewards, and the high frustration level make for a tiresome experience.

Even factoring in the many heart-pounding battles with gangs of bloodthirsty zombies, there's no denying that most of the game is spent walking around hallways trying to find a key or some other random object.

No one will mistake the visuals of Resident Evil 3 for anything other than a GameCube port of a Dreamcast port of a PlayStation game. But considering the source material is over three years old, it could've been worse.

Die-hard console gamers may or may not appreciate the offbeat gameplay style, but there's no denying it'll grow the franchise's reputation as one of the most unusual series currently available for any platform.

Fans of classic horror and science fiction will enjoy it more than most, but the emphasis on action will win over gamers whose tastes are in tune with competitive games like "Twisted Metal" and lighter fighting game fare.

SimCity 4 isn't a perfect game. It has a difficult learning curve, so the poor documentation and limited tutorials might frustrate players. And the gameplay suffers from some pacing and balance flaws.

With an excellent story, complex yet intuitive gameplay, and a dragon-size helping of extra features, the game is a joy to play. The only downside is that it eventually ends.

Should be a fun diversion for fans of the genre, though it pales in comparison to the best handheld platformers on the market.

The Infinitrax track generation system is interesting. By making use of six user-defined inputs such as curvature, hilliness, and track width, Infinitrax generates new courses on the fly.

One of the more interesting and entertaining strategy titles to come along in quite some time.

All of it looks fantastic. If you can get past its silly "Pokemon with fairies" premise, Zanzarah will provide you with a fun, long, and challenging quest.

Makes for surreal fun with a strangely addictive quality, and, if anything, it has seemingly endless potential. Like the stand-alone versions of the game, The Sims Online is what you make of it.

The sloppiness of the gameplay is matched by the bland, glitchy graphics. Environments are simplistically rendered, with muddy colors and blurry textures.

The biggest trouble spot in Jimmy Neutron, though, is the fixed camera, which lets you see each area in the game from only one angle. While a fixed camera does a great deal to prevent the visual confusion that's often a problem in platform games, it means the environments can't be fully viewed.

If you can stomach the poor writing and the annoying camera, Crimson Sea has some visually rewarding intermissions and some decent battle situations to keep the action game fan happy.

The same players who found relentless, party-balancing corridor fighting ultimately frustrating in a cute, cartoony game like "Evolution Worlds" won't find it any more refreshing here just because it's wearing a darker, spookier "Aliens" costume.

With spot-on controls, solid graphics, and a highly accessible structure, Seek and Destroy is perfect for players craving a quick action fix.

Evil incantations have adversely affected the game's characters and the game engine itself. Simply put, Nightcaster II has problems.

If anything, fans of driving games who aren't looking for the most hard-core street racing experience will enjoy the somewhat simplified gameplay.

Setting PRD apart from other games in the genre, the AI is intelligent, responsive, and unforgiving. Seeing a group of opponents jockeying for position as they approach a bend is not uncommon. Players must earn every win, as the AI cars will take advantage of every mistake.

While the computer AI, stat tracking, control, and sound are not in the same league as "Madden NFL 2003" or "NFL 2K3," audiences normally intimidated by professional football games no longer have to wish upon a star for a game designed to their tastes.

Bluntly put, Frogger Beyond is quite difficult. Your patience and reflexes will be put to the test from the beginning and things will only get harder as you progress.

While it does have generally high production values, nobody would give this title a second glance if it didn't have the Dragon Ball Z license attached to it.

A long, challenging quest that holds up well to repeated play. Younger players who never had a SNES will find this game an excellent warm-up for the soon-to-be-released "Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker" for the GameCube.

With a couple tweaks to the gameplay here and there, Sega could have a perennial powerhouse on its hands.

It's a short run-through -- especially if you don't seek out the secrets -- and probably won't test the skills of experienced gamers.

Even the graphics have remained relatively the same as the Dreamcast version.

Such a vast amount of data has been squeezed into this tiny cartridge that it is nothing short of technical wizardry.

While being well-coded, it just doesn't offer the excitement which should come with the Race of Champions.

The biggest shame is that the engrossing dynasty and career modes are wasted by the actual gameplay.

Even though its list of features, modes, and wrestlers outshines most, it lacks a solid gameplay engine to provide a firm foundation. Because of this, most players won't find enough here to compete with the more rewarding action found in THQ's WWE titles.

Though it only takes five hours to beat, the overall package is so focused and addictive that most will want to play it more than once.

Nothing new, but it's fluid and fun, with enough freedom and detail to satisfy newcomers and pros alike.

Hampered by average gameplay and lacking any exceptionally cool features, the end result is a game that fails to hold your interest past the first few races.

Although these games don't compare to their modern console counterparts, well-developed characters and complex stories compel you to see past the primitive graphics.

The magic element makes for good fun, and shooting hoops with Mickey and the gang turns out to be both challenging and entertaining.

A classic that deserves being reborn, and the remake is even bigger than the original. There are more levels, more beast forms, and a multiplayer mode for those who own a link cable.

Tedious and frustrating. The emphasis on repeating each mission until you figure out the puzzle is exactly what strategy gamers don't want.

Not only is it an immersive and convincing gameplay experience, but it will undoubtedly be a bit of collector's item.

Hard-core GT fans who love the intricate, inchworm tactics that can make racing a science will find some budget fun here, but others run a serious risk of falling asleep at the wheel.

Despite the emphasis on monthly events and a dynamic story, there is no real solution to the twin problems of weak role-playing and the somewhat generic quests... [yet] an enjoyable, addictive game.

Between the race and freestyle career modes, there's simply a ton of gameplay.

Remarkably lacking.

Unfortunately, the rather simple controls lack any sort of considerable depth that would keep the game interesting. In fact, most of the time, just hitting random buttons will pull off some pretty impressive punches, kicks, and flips.

Betting for cars adds a great deal of tension to the proceedings and its sense of speed is impressive. Questionable physics and a lack of track variety, however, keep it from attaining greatness.

Despite all the things Jango can do, control is streamlined and intuitive... A rock-solid action title that should keep Fett fans very happy.

The graphics in Super Monkey Ball Jr. truly shine. Executed in the same style as its arcade/console counterparts, Jr. plays in full 3D This level of quality should surprise many.

Isn't a complete disaster, but it's undoubtedly the worst outing in the franchise's history. Its unresponsive controls and shallow gameplay are what holds it back from seeing its true potential.

It's just a shame that more care wasn't taken to make his life seem less repetitive and more diverse.

There are some great bits of level design to be found here, but it's a shame that the stealth elements are used almost entirely as linear puzzles.

Fortunately, or unfortunately (depending upon how you view these things), quite a few of the game's levels can be beaten simply by running like heck through them and avoiding all conflict.

In a world where light-gun games need to change or die, Ninja Assault is an evolutionary dead-end for the genre.

The rather simple controls lack any sort of considerable depth that would keep the game interesting. In fact, most of the time, just hitting random buttons will pull off some pretty impressive punches, kicks, and flips.

The control scheme is bound to scare lots of people away before they see what it has to offer. And it has a lot to offer. It's not pretty, but it's deep.

A terrible game... It may not be the worst game of the year, but it is the most disappointing.

It's true that it won't make you forget "GoldenEye 007", but it's the closest a Bond game has come to that level of quality in years.

Certainly the higher-level player vs. player content has potential, but it should be a crime to require a player to wade through hours of mind-numbing gameplay to get there.

The downside to the game's ambitious design is that the individual parts don't fare nearly as well alone as they do being part of a larger experience.

Beautiful in both looks and sound, Metroid Fusion is simply a pleasure to play.

Featuring an acute attention to detail in every respect and more substance than fluff, Splinter Cell is the defining espionage simulation... A compelling, unforgettable experience.

Although some may find the controls to be unfamiliar, once mastered, they work flawlessly.

Chief among the defects of Rocky is that despite the game's well-conceived interplay of jabs, uppercuts, blocks, power-punches and what have you, it's too easy to cheap-shot your way to victory.

Its erratic jumping controls and annoying camera issues will ensure that even the little ones will become frustrated.

For Mortal Kombat fans, this is easily the best installment since "Mortal Kombat II."

Filled with some of the finest script writing and voice acting in a game. No joke. While some games like "BMX XXX" make weak, flailing attempts at humor, Darkened Skye consistently pulls off laugh-out-loud dialog.

For Potter fans of all ages, Chamber of Secrets is a must-have.

Not funny, despite its pathetic attempt at being so. The jokes are racist for the sake of being racist, confuse fecal references with wit, and are just generally asinine.

For Potter fans of all ages, Chamber of Secrets is a must-have.

Enough depth in its skate tour of Springfield to satisfy most fans of the show.

The new single-player levels are challenging without being impossible and break new gameplay ground without abandoning the things that made the original great.

A likeable platform game, but as it progresses, its lack of variety makes it dull.

The altered control scheme and new dribbling controls takes some getting used to, but you'll be leading teammates and setting up give-and-gos in no time.

The same formula that was once termed as ground-breaking now become tired and old.

One thing that is nailed down tight is the visual style. Every area in Arx Fatalis is extremely atmospheric, and in a nod to the backstory, just feels right.

The thrill of careening around turns surrounded by dozens of competitors? Check. A great simulation of the long road to victory? Check. Spectacularly destructive wipeouts? Check, just no fire.