Burnout 2 makes other arcade racing games seem like "Driving Miss Daisy." You won't find a faster, more visceral racing game on the GameCube or any other platform.

It may not have the infinite replay value of some titles, but it has more intensity than most. If you only play through it once, you'll feel like you got your money's worth.

Even with a scant few missteps, Psi-Ops is quite a ride. From the slick controls, to the surprisingly intelligent enemies, you’ll be compelled to play through to the end.

Mission objectives are varied and quite satisfying, the graphics shine, and tons of replay value is provided.

It’s a fun game, wherever the credit is due.

Though there are a few interface and gameplay quirks, "Shadow Magic" is immensely satisfying. Whether you're new to these games or a grizzled veteran, Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic"will keep you playing late into the night.

With a decent solo campaign, The Liandri Conflict would be near unstoppable. As it is, Epic's latest is one of the best things to happen to online console blasting in years.

Colonization adds a great layer onto the Civilization IV gameplay. If you like Civ-style games but also enjoy the trading and exploring aspects of games like Pirates! or, erm, Pirates of the Burning Sea, this is a game for you. However, if your strategic tendencies lean more toward building large armies than building thriving economies, just keep on sailing past this one.

Although the set-up is weak, and the emphasis on commercialism and bling is rather trite, Def Jam Fight for New York: the Takeover is a surprisingly adept fighting game.

Sharp visuals, solid handling, and a rollicking soundtrack are joined by some slightly inventive play mechanics.

An accurate F1 simulation while remaining accessible to the more laid-back player. However, it's still more a simulation than an arcadelike racing game.

Easily the best-looking console racer to date...Expanding the kudos system to include bigger payoffs for clean racing would help make "Project Gotham" more well-rounded.

As the wrestling game with the most depth, great playability, impressive visuals, and slick presentation, SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain delivers in all the categories WWE fans hold in high regard.

Despite the minor step backwards in single player depth, SoulCalibur IV remains a gorgeous, fast-paced, accessible fighter that also has enough depth for expert level play. While online is more of a novelty than a functional feature, players looking for a next-gen upgrade to the on-the-couch weapons clasher of the Dreamcast days will find the same addicting gameplay here.

It's leaps and bounds above the mediocre, movie-based Hulk game, and smashes itself a niche in the genre.

You just have to be willing to look past the technical bugs and the fact that you're paying full price for a game that should have been released as a mission-disc, not a full-fledged sequel.

MotorStorm, both past and present, is also one of the best looking racing games around, though it’s not as photorealistic as a "Gran Turismo."

Melding crisp, "Blade Runner"-style visuals with an inspired use of the EyeToy camera, AntiGrav will forever change the way you look at extreme sports games.

If you have time to think, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

It's a little short, but with four difficulty levels there's plenty of challenge. And since the battles play out differently depending on your actions, there's a good amount of replay value here.

Delivers a fluid and challenging (if thinly plotted) single-player experience and shell-shock multiplayer that makes this new Xbox recruit easily worth the war debt of the game's price tag.

Unless you love Monkey Ball more than Orangutans love Tang, you can safely pass this one up. But if you haven’t played Monkey Ball before, you can’t go really wrong with Deluxe.

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

Painkiller is pure adrenaline. If you don't feel the rush while playing this game, you're probably dead.

As a game, the technical problems affect gameplay to such a high degree that GTA: VC simply cannot be awarded a 5 out of 5 rating. Progress through the game can become a chore, something that never occurred in "GTA3."

Its only real flaw is that it becomes repetitious so quickly in multiplayer. Individual players' mileage may vary, but you can get just so much out of plain vanilla deathmatch before you crave something more.

It's long, complex, and difficult. There's so much freedom of control and so many passages to discover, that it's hard not to find yourself completely immersed in this dark and dangerous world.

Although the open world has caused some negative changes, the overall effect is a great one. The game looks and sounds fantastic, but plays even better. There’s so much to do in Paradise City that you’ll spend hours exploring every nook.