This game oozes with the same quality and professional presentation values as any episode shown in the past decade thanks to quality writing and an outstanding performance by the original cast.

What really sets it apart from other Simpsons games is that behind all of the quick wit and polished voice acting lies a very, very good game.

Whether you rent this game or buy it, just make sure you play it. Many hours of hardcore WWE entertainment await you.

It fails to innovate as much as it promised. The courses are longer and there are more of them. The weapons are more advanced and so is the AI of the other racers, so winning will take strategy and skill.

A near-flawless gameplay experience that is marred only by a slightly deficient Franchise mode, but when you have a game that exudes this much quality in just about every other facet I’m more than happy to overlook it.

A near-perfect mix of action, teamwork, and RPG influences, Savage is the core of everything that I loved about "PlanetSide" except on a smaller scale and without the monthly charge.

Easily equals the quality of "Ace Combat 4" and in some ways it may even surpass the competition.

Frankly, the light gun and cooperative play turn an otherwise mediocre game into a pretty darn good one.

Just the shot in the arm that EverQuest needed at this juncture. A graphical update would be nice, but the new mission based gameplay and the augmentation system, have really brought my opinion of EverQuest and SOE to a new, higher level.

If customizing is your thing, the CAW is the single most amazing thing about XIX. You could get lost in the myriad options it offers to you.

A near-flawless gameplay experience that not only rivals "Madden" and "Fever" but storms past these two former contenders and into the end zone for a clear and decisive victory.

Much like the wholesome Kix breakfast cereal, Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure has seemingly been "kid-tested, mother-approved" for quality. It’s not just kid stuff, mind you.

The younger kids who are unable to grasp the more complicated aspects of Tony Hawk will love the simplified trick system and adults and teens will find the challenging mission objectives highly entertaining.

For older teens and adult gamers, it may get a bit dull or annoying in certain spots. However, if you're under 13, or looking for a way to have fun with your kids while playing a video game, you won't be disappointed.

Remains a solid, hard-hitting fighting game that requires skillful mastery of it characters and their unique fighting abilities all wrapped up nicely in a next-gen package that no fighting fan will want to miss.

There is a ton of stuff to uncover in this latest game, and the only thing they didn't include was any type of bonus for linking to the GameCube version of Mortal Kombat.

Guaranteed to satisfy the gamer that craves fast and furious combat, haunting music and stunning visuals. Put your brain on hold and prime those reflexes for one of the most intense action games to hit the Xbox this summer.

Microsoft keeps inserting small innovations when what is really needed is a major overhaul to the entire game engine.

Remains a solid, hard-hitting fighting game that requires skillful mastery of it characters and their unique fighting abilities all wrapped up nicely in a next-gen package that no fighting fan will want to miss.

Admittedly, it’s not as huge a leap in technology or innovative gameplay over the original that I would have liked to seen, but then again, the original game was already quite close to perfection, even in 1999.

Once you master the learning curve and are able to manipulate and organize your team of ghosts effectively Ghost Master becomes more of a chore or at best an exercise in puzzle solving.

The simple color-matching gameplay principles will test the younger kids and the complicated puzzles and tricky control will challenge their parents. Even if you never explore beyond the initial 100 levels you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth.

Ambitious, consistently entertaining and engaging.

This has to be one of the most original games I’ve played in a long time, both because of the visionary graphics and the clever intertwining of FPS action and RPG elements.

A solid game and worthy sequel to the original, even if it does play out a bit easier than the first. The simple fact that you get to play the other slayers, learn countless moves, wield a variety of weapons and cast amazing spells in some ways surpasses the original, at least in concept and execution.

The simple color-matching gameplay principles will test the younger kids and the complicated puzzles and tricky control will challenge their parents. Even if you never explore beyond the initial 100 levels you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth with Mojo!

May well be the perfect GameCube title. With its amazingly complex racing model even experienced gamers are in for a substantial learning curve and newcomers to the series will be in for quite a shock. Visually stunning and a total blast to play.

With a total lack of practice modes, mini-games, or tutorials, the casual gamer may have trouble finding enough to do with this title, but hardcore tennis buffs and even those who just enjoy knocking the ball back and forth will appreciate the slick interface, fluid controls, and realistic gameplay.

Unless you are really hard up for a combat game or a big fan of the original I’d skip this and save your cash for whatever the future holds for this “sleeping” genre.

The fun is there, but the general unkempt nature of many parts of the game drown the fun factor with a huge anchor. If you can look past the word acting, basic premise, finicky camera, and questionable gameplay mechanics, you can find a deep, involving action game.

The story is predictable to a fault, but with a nice twist ending.

Looks fantastic and has some truly inventive and original gameplay, which only makes it that much more disappointing when the ride is over just a bit too quickly.

If you are looking for the next best platform game then you will likely want to skip this one or possibly rent it if your curiosity gets the best of you. Diehard fans of the show will turn a blind eye to these issues and simply enjoy the game for what it is - an interactive episode.

Smash Cars has managed to make an RC racer believer out of me. While I doubt I will be running to my hobby shop to invest in a $200 RC truck or car (one that I would probably break my first time out) I will certainly be spending countless hours driving these miniature racers in one of the best PS2 racing games I have played this year.

Many games fail to deliver a coherent story, but shine in the gameplay department. Lionheart gets it in reverse. Reflexive delivers a concrete, polished story that serves as little more than a platform to bash, crack, wallop, belt, cripple and maim everything in sight.

Giving the characters stories within the game not only lends them more life than most racing game characters, it gives players a good reason to keep going until you've seen them all.

Island Thunder isn’t your typical FPS. It is more much calculating and often more about team management than blazing gunfire. You setup and execute elaborate tactical assaults working as a leader of a team.

Gorgeous graphics, an amazing soundtrack and fun, lighthearted gameplay combine with some of the best cartoon story scripting and voice-overs to bring an immersive and highly enjoyable racing experience to the PS2.

The gameplay is intuitive and accessible to gamers of all ages and skill levels and the interactive environments and charming level design will delight and fascinate all who play and even those who watch somebody else play.

The presentation value is worthy of its own television series and the gameplay is surprisingly challenging and sometimes downright difficult.

Heavy on exploration and item quests and even makes a valiant attempt at some RPG-like combat, but most of all it’s a wonderful adventure that takes place in a fantasy setting that will delight the younger kids and their parents making this the perfect family game.

What the game lacks in AI, balance, and vehicle control it more than makes up for with sheer originality, realistic fire, complex missions, and a level of authenticity only achieved through the collaboration with an international fire consultant.

An innovative title that will entertain, educate and possibly inspire. While a bit of music background will enhance your enjoyment, Clubworld is designed so anyone who can operate a Dual Shock can stumble their way into some impressive results.

Just too shallow and way too easy to challenge or entertain anyone of any age for any substantial period of time. Fans of the show may want to rent for a day but all others can simply stay away.

A short an uninspired sequel that will disappoint even the biggest Shrek fans.

If you see this game on a store shelf, swim, don’t dog paddle, as fast as you can in the opposite direction.

I can’t think of a more perfect product to celebrate 100 years of aviation or 20 years of simulating flight on the PC. There is so much to learn and so much to do, and you’ll have weeks, months, and even year’s worth of fun doing it.

With its highly varied gameplay, mesmerizing atmosphere, gorgeous soundtrack and overall polish, Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic is a hypnotizing game so absorbing that it made the world around me dissolve away.

It won't change the way adventure games are designed, like Myst did, but it is gripping and well-crafted.

A unique game for a unique type of gamer. If offers a challenging blend of real-time tactics in a 3D action setting reminiscent of "Diablo" and set in the energized world of televised sports and live audiences.

The designers have nailed the graphics and sound presentation down to perfection, but the less-than-compelling story, and simplistic puzzles will have most adventure aficionados yawning after a few hours.

Just felt incomplete and unpolished, or perhaps just rushed out the door.

Despite all these incremental improvements and new features not much has changed with the AC series. Silent Line: Armored Core looks and plays nearly the same as it did three years and two versions ago.

The gameplay is fresh and exciting and the interface is flawless. The story has been meticulously crafted and interwoven with intriguing side quests that you are free to complete or ignore. And there lies KOTOR's most valuable feature, total freedom, freedom to go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and let the adventure unfold at your own pace.

It truly makes you feel like you are living in the world that you have come to know and love through the movies and books and that alone has been what makes this MMO stand out from others for me.

My current favorite fighting game on any system. It's realistic, but more importantly, it’s fun, and you won’t find a better game to pop in your PS2 the next time you have friends over.

The single-player game is a bit daunting, but the multiplayer modes more than compensate for any shortcomings and the presentation is second to none.

Flat, short and repetitive. In a phrase, "this game is 'Double Dragon,' in 3D with gratuitous boobs". Sound like your cup of tea?

If all the features that come with the game aren’t enough value for your hard earned gaming dollar, well you’ll be playing for at least 60-80 hours on the campaign alone.

The game could have been so much better with a more balanced AI, or at least a more gradual progression. Hitting that AI “brick wall” about halfway through the tour may have less-dedicated gamers hitting the showers.

The fact that Pirates is not based on the movie works to the game's advantage...The player is free to follow his own path with no preconceived notions.

Gorgeous graphics, in-depth gameplay, and a compelling environment easily make POTC one of my favorite games of 2003.

If you already have a killer PC rig and that is your preferred gaming platform then it doesn't get any better than this, but considering the steep system requirements and the fact that you still need to play this game with a console-style gamepad, why not just enjoy this title on the Xbox or PS2 the way it was designed.

Unlike previous Tomb Raider games that presented you with a handful of secrets items, areas, or unlockable bonus content, there is nothing here beyond the core game (no pun intended). There are no branching paths, multiple endings or any reason to replay the game anytime soon after your first pass.

There’s nothing too innovative here; just a great solid platform title with loads of content and fun.

Aside from the opening song and underlying plot there isn’t much to do with the Simpsons.

Strip away the gimmick and you are left with a generic arcade racer with a poor physics model and terribly flawed trick system.

If you enjoyed the Myst series of games or want to relive those retro-adventures from the late 90’s then Rhem fits the bill perfectly. The graphics are surprising good and support some devious puzzle designs that require careful exploration and all of your analytical skills.

The few flaws I did notice are more oversights than anything else, easily correctible in a future patch if they choose to do so, and are just as easily overshadowed by the quality gameplay and exciting mission designs.

The trick system is overwhelming in scope and the difficulty is challenging yet rewarding once you master its nuances.

A classic adventure that doesn't try to innovate yet still manages to deliver the goods.

With its emphasis on grinding and painting rather than going for crazy tricks and high scores, there is something fresh about the gameplay.

So if you like to shoot fancy lasers, beam, and pulse weapons, explore strange planets, bounce around the outer hull of the Enterprise, wade through murky swamps, jump across lakes of bubbling lava, or sneak through the gutted remains of a drifting Starship then look no further.

What little gameplay there is on this cartridge is mindless and not very fun.

Eidos has given me an enjoyable game but its over before it ever gets started. Give me longer missions and more of them. Just because its based on a two-hour movie doesn't mean it has to be a two-hour game.

Attempts to make several bold steps forward in both gameplay and immersive story design. While it nails the story aspects perfectly there is still just a bit too much of the old Tomb Raider showing through the seams.

Instead of just driving around the country, how about opening up the entire country. I don’t want real-time cross-country driving realism, but we need more than five cities and the highways that connect them.

With a narrow vision of gameplay, total lack of any story or compelling drama to carry you through 99 missions it is a pure arcade experience that most PC gamers have evolved out of a long time ago.

Rather disappointing. A lot of the strategic edge has been stripped away from the gameplay and there is no new content or bonus features to entice PC gamers to reinvest in a new copy.

The Dreamcast version might not have the fancy new audio and video enhancements but the gameplay is more fluid and ultimately more fun.

RTX combines some unique gameplay elements to enhance a traditional third-personal action game, and while it might not be the best game out there, it does offer a certain charm.

I only hope that if there is a Mace Griffin 2 that they tap into the unlimited potential of the game and consider adding a multiplayer element.

While you can probably play NWN for the next five years using nothing but user-created mods, there is definitely a level of quality and sophistication about this professional release that makes it worth your hard-earned dollar.

You can expect 20-25 hours of gameplay from Legacy of Goku II. It’s all standard adventure gaming stuff with a dash of RPG thrown in to spice things up.

A solid bug-free game that is fun to play and gorgeous to look at. It could have been so much more, but what we are ultimately left with is still a total blast.

Best of all, there is a surprisingly large number of people playing this game online, especially compared to other racing games like "Midnight Club II."

A fun little romp with plenty of gratuitous violence, witty one-liners, and hilarious cutscenes.

A simple and fun game that unfortunately gets old quickly.

Highly addictive, partly because of the trance-like music, but mainly because it’s just so much fun. Even when it’s 3am and your eyes are bloodshot and your hand is permanently shaped like a wretched claw, you can’t help but say, “just one more time” when you finally lose.

Everything from the wake generation to the boat and boarder physics is flawless and you won't find a more original or fun game than Wakeboarding Unleashed.

I haven’t had this much FUN playing a game in a long time. The twitch nature of the gameplay is great for short spurts of addictive action between those other more serious titles. Check your brain at the door and let the Force flow through you.

Fans of the "Patrician" series or the infamous "Pirates!," will enjoy this title loaded with sea-faring trade, fierce ship-to-ship warfare and an endless replay value set during the age of colonial expansion. However, the steep learning curve and relative monotony early on, may lead less patient gamers to abandon ship.

A must-have expansion for those who enjoyed Morrowind with or without Tribunal. In some ways, it is a continuation of a well-loved favorite, in others; it’s like a whole new game.

Offers the best in arcade street racing with a large selection of cars, lively cast of characters, wonderful locations, challenging course designs, single, multiplayer, and online racing, and endless creative possibilities with the Race Editor.

It’s not the most serious motorcycle racing game available and it might not even be the prettiest, but for pure arcade racing goodness mixed with a clever trick system, competitive racing challenge, unique track designs, and overall fun gameplay, Speed Kings fits a unique niche.

If you are looking for a run-and-gun shooter that doesn’t require a lot of thinking or strategy then look no further.

The fact that it is the only PS2 chess game available, has online support, and is only $20 makes this a no-brainer for anyone with the slightest interest in chess and doesn’t already have another recent chess game lying around.

Despite the shallow gameplay, playing the Hulk is a guilty pleasure and with all of his trademark moves intact there are dozens of ways to dispatch your enemy and destroy your surroundings.