No matter how you choose to play Burnout 2 – Championship, Chase, or Crash -- the ultra-responsive gameplay will shine through as the pinnacle of arcade-racing perfection.

Though the game does have its high points, a fair collection of flaws and technical shortcomings hold the game back from being anything but a second rate game for only diehards of the genre.

As it stands now, Monster Force's camera is too close and fixated to the protagonist, putting the player at an unnecessary disadvantage; poor vantage point for exploration and an easy Achilles heel for swarms of monsters to exploit.

A pretty lightweight expansion pack, and what it does include isn’t especially interesting or memorable.

The tone, the foreboding mood, and the massive amounts of action that you’ll undergo can make up for its shortcomings. Science fiction fans will probably eat this one up.

The difficulty level will undoubtedly spur a few people away. It's not crazily impossible or unreasonable but it's not as easy as some of the missions presented earlier.

cCuld’ve been a solid basketball experience, were the controls tighter. The Career mode is a very creative addition to the sports genre, and a welcome one at that.

The pacing of this game feels very natural, the stylish and varied missions are a breath of fresh air, and the graphical presentation makes it seem like you are participating in an impressively detailed animated cartoon.

Basically, Crusader is just Stronghold but browner, and whether you like it or not will probably have a lot to do with whether you played Stronghold and how much you liked it.

Despite the inclusion of original voice-talent from the show, cel-shaded graphics that closely mimick the Robotech universe, and the ability to transform the Veritech at will, the title still comes off as an average mech game with bland objectives and sloppy play-control.

I liked the concept of the game, and it was sort of fun to play a lawyer for a while, but the pacing and interface really got on my nerves.

Despite the game’s short life span, it is still one of the most entertaining platform games for any system, past or present.

Rings strikes me as a game where the developers seized on the most immediate details (that of the visual scenery and all the supporting cast) and suddenly lost scope of the entire game.

Truly, after playing, I'm surprised why it wasn't the first Mario convert put on the Game Boy Advance. Marvelous in all aspects, it is everything a game from this genre should be.

Sadly, there's little depth in Season of Flame.

There is an initial rush and glimpse of Tolkien's novel in the early going. The ensuing action lacks punch and never arcs to a point to make any of the combat substantial.

Packing a solid plot, creative elements not really seen in RPGs, and tons of action, Volition looks to have another hit on their hands.

The pets do add a new dimension to the game, though, and so does Old Town.

With imbalanced AI in the single player mode and elimination of much needed communication from the online version, more and more console gamers might track down the PC version to see what they’ve been missing.

While the fundamentals are all great, my caveat emptor is: If you're not willing to fight for every inch in this game, do yourself a favor and concede defeat before you head to the checkout line with the game.

Brilliantly constructed and a noble last effort from longtime Nintendo mainstay Rare.

If Larian Studios could have maintained that difficulty throughout the entire game, then Divine Divinity really could have been something, and perhaps reviewers like me wouldn’t call games "hybrids of Diablo and Baldur’s Gate," but instead call them "games like Divine Divinity."

It looks great and promising but in the end, it's like the ten-minute sequence we saw in the film - merely a glimpse of what could be done.

If you’re an Empire Earth addict, The Art of Conquest might be useful just for spicing up multiplayer games.

It looks great and promising but in the end, it's like the ten-minute sequence we saw in the film-merely a glimpse of what could be done.

It may not have the gusto and domineering presence as it did before but a little competition has undeniably sharpened this golf game.

Although the game’s graphics and music were as incredible as you can expect from these two very professional companies, the actual gameplay does get a tiny bit repetitive at times. Overall, Kingdom Hearts manages to be an incredible game.

Dissonance, in its detail, execution and style truly transcends its platform and for now, it's the best seat in the house for a trip to eerie Castlevania.

I kept thinking how this game might be better if it was turned into a behind the plane action game; like the old "Afterburner" or the Xbox Airforce Delta Storm.

You see, like The Matrix, no one can be told what Animal Crossing is. But if you take the time to experience it for yourself, you'll undoubtedly understand why AC is a must-have game despite its technically limited presentation.

Avoids the action overdose that plagued the film and manages to put up a solid but not incredible first person shooter experience.

The premise and execution is solid and entertaining.

It is a straightforward brawler that controls sloppily and attempts to mix in components like an experience-based system but fails miserably in almost every regard.

Ultimately, the scenarios are going to be a little too short to keep anyone interested for as long a time as "Rollercoaster Tycoon" or "The Sims" has been on the charts.

What makes Battlefield 1942 so playable is because it's so subtle.

Works so well because the plot, design and setup all execute in complete harmony.

Well made, but perhaps not remarkably exceptional. In its craftsmanship, it continues to be one of the best urban planning games, par excellence.

Mega Man Zero's developers hit the right note and the ensuing drama lends a sense of urgency to the action.

A fairly bland platform game that is interspersed with mini-games that manage to turn out even blander.

A solid and entertaining mech game with an unprecedented customization system that mech-fanatics will totally get off on.

I’ve played just about every MMORPG that’s on the market today and even some that aren’t. Earth & Beyond offers a brand new flavor to the MMORPG universe that is both unique and well received.

The same beautiful artwork is there, but now there are more puzzles, better, deeper characters, and, I’m not sure how to describe this, but a wonderful mood to the game. In short, Syberia is the best adventure to come out in the last two years.

Though the FPS levels are solid in design, the game’s mediocre flying levels constantly get in the way of what is good about the game.

The gameplay is more than a little unforgiving, there are a handful of speed-decreasing roadblocks in the game’s physics, and Riding Spirits won’t be winning any awards in the graphics department either.

Features a bundle of high points to turn any casual player of chess into a pro.

There is no denying the overt level of difficulty that Commandos 2 boasts but thankfully, it isn’t completely unforgiving; you’ll have the option to save your game anywhere in a mission so that you don’t have to restart each time you bite the dust.

Quite simply, Onimusha 2 is one of the year’s best offerings on the PS2.

What was most surprising about Chessmaster was its inclusion of a tutorial that teaches you in set games how to best maximize the use of your pieces, including tricky moves like castles and turning pawns into queens.

Considering that the original was a perfect balance of maneuverability and speed, this really turns TMB Online into an awesome title.

The quintessential difference between other gangster games and this one is the fact that the story gives reason for the action to exist. It doesn't work the other way around.

With brisk, action-packed deathmatches online, easily controlled game hosting and clan setup, SOCOM is one of those games that the online experience was tailor-made for.

Despite moving to Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition rules, the game seemed much too familiar, it didn’t look particularly good or run particularly well on my computer, and it didn’t even come close to capturing my imagination.

After waiting six full years for a true sequel to be released, a few gameplay tweaks and a graphical revamp is not enough to make up for the lapse of time between games. Nevertheless, Mario is back and I'll take what I can get.

Really, I’ve reviewed some bad games in my time, but Dino Island is the first that was completely and seemingly intentionally bad.

Scavenging resources is pretty much all you do, and there’s just not enough going on there to carry the title, especially when everything else about the game is bargain bin quality.

The campaign in Celtic Kings isn’t especially different than campaigns in any other real-time strategy game, and, in fact, nothing about Celtic Kings is especially different than what you’ll find in other games.

If "SOCOM" and "Max Payne" had a baby, it would be The Thing...A rare exception in a genre where movie-to-game titles rarely succeed.

Excellent, moody and atmospheric, and at some points downright creepy.

A mediocre game -- but in a good way. It’s got some problems that are patchable, but the pacing is good and there’s always a quest to go on.

This type of strategy title is not going to appeal to everyone. It’s peaceful, pleasant; a sorbet pallet cleanser between action titles, if you find yourself looking for such a thing.

I can’t believe I wasted hard drive space on this one.

It's anything but wild and after playing the game, I found I was about as happy as I was watching a Power Rangers episode back then; sarcasm in full effect.

The escalated difficulty of mixing all these together (now instead of one or two game types, you have half a dozen) and inconsistency in pacing the sequences ironically makes the holistic package less accessible.

Some graphical flaws, musical issues, and lightly overbalanced play cast a shadow on the game. However, if you can overlook these issues, you’ll find a good title to sustain you throughout this season.

With the games that are currently on the gaming public’s plate, this cheaply made piece of software will and should pass under the radar of all gamers out there.

With aliens preying upon predators, it becomes brute force upon brute force, making it less about finesse and more about action. That in itself does away with the horror and terror that the franchise, both film and game, is known for.

Solid online gameplay along with its constantly updated stats and rosters are a major advantage for Gameday, turning the game into every fantasy football players best dream come true.

Surpassing "Wolfenstein" and the delectable "Ecks vs. Sever," Duke Nukem Advance is a title without peer in handheld form, both in terms of visual quality and speed.

Control of the players, and the actual balance of the game, is abysmal. The first indicator of this is with the control scheme for the game, which is automatically set.

Short and simple and repetitive, and it has really awful graphics, but for some reason I sort of liked it anyway, maybe because I also liked the television series it’s based on the one season I watched it.

All the experience and toil Angel Studios went through for the Playstation 2 has created a thoroughly entertaining piece of work for the Gamecube.

NFL Fever 2003 continues to look good, sound great, and play fast, resulting in a solid yet slighly unrealistic arcade football experience.

Dedicating all your time, you can finish the game in about fifteen hours, which includes the completion of all Baumusu’s challenges, unlocking of arenas, and other rewards. This seriously decreases the replay factor.

The trouble with Enclave is the camera system. It seems geared toward exploration, one-on-one combat and not mass combat, therefore allowing even a group of lowly enemies to inflict significant damage from 'cheap' shots.

The weak artificial intelligence is beginning to show itself, particularly with Resistance's emphasis on conserving supplies and conserving personnel.

Underlying all this, though, is an excellent first person shooter game. Its primacy in tactics, detail and realism should convince at least some people to sign on--even if they're not in America proper.

Graphically, Warcraft III is breathtaking.

Lee's debut on the Xbox does not resemble a dragon, but prefers to plod along like a sloth, short on all the crucial fronts, lazily bumbling along everywhere else.

The problem with Rock Manager is that once you create the song, there aren’t that many things to do, and what you can do doesn’t change much from scenario to scenario, and so it gets repetitive.

A very accessible racing title that is easy to play from the start so fun is also a word that comes along for the ride. But in spite of the variety, I came away with the feeling that there was too much and then at the same time, too little of a game.

The game does not deliver a satisfying experience in any way.

Clearly, Dagger only serves to tarnish the Delta Force name that NovaLogic strove so hard to redeem in Land Warrior.

The control scheme and the dependency on rote memorization, not to mention the immense difficulty level diminishes the quality of the game.

One of the most deathly boring games you’re ever likely to play.

If you’re into lighthearted, capricious flight games whose inventive and creative graphics are matched only by its gameplay, than you’d be well advised to pick this game up.

Movie-to-game titles usually tend to be a lot less playable than this, so at the very least it is worth checking out.

It’s everything a role-playing fan could ask for. Decent graphics, a great story and endless possibilities with the Aurora toolset makes this a must buy for the hardcore RPG fan or even the casual in-between-classes RPG fan.

What Dead makes up in return is a good dose of ironic humor, irresistible charm and exuberant swagger, which are all the more strengthened if you've played "House of the Dead" before.

The problem with the concept, at least with Jazz and Faust, is that you get two small, simplistic adventures instead of one interesting adventure, and it’s one of those cases where two halves don’t make a whole.

When I finished the campaign, it was with a sense of relief that I could move on to something else.

Certainly a riveting storyline could be the salvation for those who are not enamored with the Robopon concept. Unfortunately, the one included in Robopon 2 is merely functional.

I know that a large amount of people will pick it up merely for the sex and violence the game portrays. But I think that a lot of golf enthusiasts or curiosity seekers may actually enjoy taking a look at this title.

Even with the pending release of Bioware titles on the Xbox, I see very few titles that are going to approach the scope, grandeur and majesty that this one is able to exude so naturally.

It continues to remind me a lot of "Futurama."...Cheerful, sarcastic and energetic fun.

I found Gore to be kind of mundane.

It has all the form of a great epic game but when put to the test, misses the chance to capture victory.

A nice enough adventure. It has some depth, and you won’t breeze through it in under ten hours, but it’s also a little sloppy, and the voice acting is awful.

It could have had more action, a little bit more detail, and most importantly, better control.