Capturing cute, fuzzy animals and hurling them at enemies is good fun, even though some of the action gets repetitive and the replay value is suspect.

For a while, it is rather enjoyable to cruise by and experience the closest thing you'll ever have to being anything like Hef, but you'll quickly long for deeper gameplay or a more real sense of progression. Use that $50 on 3 years' worth of Playboy subscriptions instead.

Just a bad video game. Very young, very stupid fans of the series will likely enjoy running around in circles whacking at things, but we at GR do not.

I could have recommended Zoo Keeper for $10 or possibly even $15, but at full price, this is a complete rip-off.

The steady mechanics and sheer brutality of The Punisher save it from the slaughterhouse and lead to a decent rental, but repetitive gameplay and some stupid design errors make it hard to commit to Frank Castle's crusade.

The steady mechanics and sheer brutality of The Punisher save it from the slaughterhouse and lead to a decent rental, but repetitive gameplay and some stupid design errors make it hard to commit to Frank Castle's crusade.

An uninspired, unnecessary chapter in the Suikoden series. The game’s greatest failing is its incredible mediocrity.

British culture is certainly responsible for some fine works, like Shakespeare, David Bowie and Elizabeth Hurley. But as The Getaway: Black Monday proves, it’s also capable of some very bad ones, like the Spice Girls, blood sausage, Prince Harry's Nazi costume, and now Black Monday. Despite the name, we're pretty sure this game sucks every day of the week.

The combat gameplay is unrivaled, especially during some of the very creative boss battles. It's also the longest Resident Evil game yet, with 25 - 30 hours of gameplay on two discs along with a ton of unlockables that will make you want to do it all over again.

Certainly a big game, but the gang at Pandemic has seen fit to provide even more in the form of unlockable goodies. More weapons, more vehicles and even a few more characters (this is a LucasArts game after all) are tied to the free-standing bounties, extending the game’s already long shelf life.

Certainly a big game, but the gang at Pandemic has seen fit to provide even more in the form of unlockable goodies. More weapons, more vehicles and even a few more characters (this is a LucasArts game after all) are tied to the free-standing bounties, extending the game's already long shelf life.

The sheer joy of destruction, variety of mechs and plethora of game types result in a fun if slower-paced online action game. This giant robot might not save the world, but it's still a pretty good pal.

Just like they did with "Def Jam: Fight for NY," EA Big ignored NFL Street’s fundamental issues and instead added more flash and one or two new moves. While undeniably fun, EA Big has no right to call NFL Street 2 a sequel.

Just like they did with "Def Jam: Fight for NY," EA Big ignored NFL Street's fundamental issues and instead added more flash and one or two new moves. While undeniably fun, EA Big has no right to call NFL Street 2 a sequel.

Just like they did with "Def Jam: Fight for NY," EA Big ignored NFL Street's fundamental issues and instead added more flash and one or two new moves. While undeniably fun, EA Big has no right to call NFL Street 2 a sequel.

Thanks to some fancy "normal-mapping,' Escape From Butcher Bay can boast stunningly realistic environments. The entire prison world is beautifully and fully conceptualized, from the sickly green and orange lighting to the cracks in the doors.

There is no skill required to get through the game, only time, memorization, and enough patience to not hurl the thing into the fireplace.

The inclusion of Sylvia doesn't really add much to the sequel. But this kind of thing doesn't come along very often, so embrace Japan's love of nonsense and make this Joe a real American superhero.

The Battle for Middle Earth will not make you a part of the films any more than you were when you watched them, nor is it an RTS of incredibly epic scope. Instead, it is a solid, fun, slightly dumbed-down RTS.

The once-impressive engine is starting to waver and there really isn't a great deal of new material here despite a good year and a half since the original game stormed shelves.

The inclusion of the microphone doesn't have any notable impact on the quality of the game and the whole formula is starting to look its age.

A playable RTS and even marginally entertaining, but that’s only because its developers blatantly adopted every single hackneyed RTS convention they could get their hands on. Even the fall guy has enough self-respect to avoid doing that.

A downgrade in the look and sound combined with increasingly annoying platforming and camera issues get in the way of this warrior's ultimate victory.

A downgrade in the look and sound combined with increasingly annoying platforming and camera issues get in the way of this warrior's ultimate victory.

A downgrade in the look and sound combined with increasingly annoying platforming and camera issues get in the way of this warrior's ultimate victory.

With its army of minor improvements and thoughtful touches, Blizzard has blessed all MMORPGers with the genre’s finest, most polished title to date. Whether you enjoy hardcore role-playing, shameless griefing or something in the middle, you will find what you’re looking for in this brave, new world.

With a great style taken directly from the pages of a deranged art student's sketchbook and fun if occasionally frustrating action to boot, this little alien proves that you don't need a big, fancy ship to invade a home console.

What we are left with is a remake of one of the greatest games of all time, which in and of itself is an accomplishment worthy of praise. It's just as addictive as ever.

With a great style taken directly from the pages of a deranged art student’s sketchbook and fun if occasionally frustrating action to boot, this little alien proves that you don’t need a big, fancy ship to invade a home console.

It’s a little odd looking so far back into Nintendo's past as we invest in its future, and you can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu while traipsing through what is essentially a port. That's not exactly riveting for a launch title.

The inclusion of Sylvia doesn't really add much to the sequel. But this kind of thing doesn't come along very often, so embrace Japan's love of nonsense and make this Joe a real American superhero.

The result turns what should be an engaging, clever and straightforward story about a super-agent out to save the world into a never-ending, philosophical after-school special. Luckily, the gameplay is still so good that we'll surely forget Kojima's ego and his lack of tact when Snake's next course is served.

Small tweaks like the Floor General and Freestyle Air make it a smoother all-around product than March Madness 2004, but the margin is so slight that owners of last year’s game shouldn’t feel compelled to buy this one, too. The bubble is starting to break.

An addictive game that any fan of games like "Animal Crossing" will appreciate. It doesn’t take full advantage of the DS capabilities, but it’s still one of the better games currently available. Look above you for the hovering diamond and give it a shot.

Unfortunately, the lack of any sort of Franchise mode cripples the replayability, making this little more than a decent romp on the gridiron in between rest stops.

I would love to drive an indestructible car that could never, ever flip in my ordinary, everyday life, but when we play games, we like to break things. After playing some Asphalt Urban GT, you’ll just want to break your Nintendo DS.

Small tweaks like the Floor General and Freestyle Air make it a smoother all-around product than March Madness 2004, but the margin is so slight that owners of last year’s game shouldn’t feel compelled to buy this one, too. The bubble is starting to break.

It presents the most exciting single-player first-person game you'll find on any system this year. It's a shame that the product is marred by issues that have little to do with the game itself, because ultimately, the games are what matter most.

The developers spent far too much time making sure Fight Club looked good in screenshots rather than making sure it would look good during play.

The collision detection issues become especially irritating when dealing with projectiles, since they’ll clearly appear to miss you, and yet you get smacked.

There is no reason to buy or play this game. It’s a thin, worthless piece of spam on a hook that will hopefully be gobbled up by the countless better games available this holiday season. Even if you get nothing for Christmas, be thankful you didn’t get this.

A weird idea and plenty of kitsch value doesn’t make for a good game, although it certainly makes for one helluva song.

A frustrating platformer with broken combat, repetitive missions and a totally misused second screen.

The most helpful camera angle is positioned about three feet above the table, and though the table looks messy from above, at least you have a fighting chance to hit the ball... until you eventually give up on this buggy game.

What was once an intricate, tactical action game has effectively been dumbed down to appeal to a wider audience, and the technical issues and inconsistent A.I. leave the fun relatively AWOL for the hardcore Ghost Recon vets.

The physics and collision detection are adequate for minor collisions, but are cartoony and simply laughable in major ones.

Fans of Backyard Wrestling may want to try this game out, but then again, they might have more fun with a blowtorch and video camera. Lord knows I would.

The combination of an indecipherable plot, throwaway character design, 90% standard platformer gameplay and the world's most irritating music counteract what should have been some interesting additions to an old genre.

The developers spent far too much time making sure Fight Club looked good in screenshots rather than making sure it would look good during play.

The unique combat is very addictive and a welcome aspect to the RPG genre. Some more innovative RPG elements and a few tweaks to the timing issue would turn this quirky gem into a very serious contender.

Does a pretty good job capturing the tuner scene with fast races and flashy cars. However, some lingering A.I. issues and the excessive time it takes just to get where you need to go keeps this ride from shifting to fifth.

The physics and collision detection are adequate for minor collisions, but are cartoony and simply laughable in major ones.

Does a pretty good job capturing the tuner scene with fast races and flashy cars. However, some lingering A.I. issues and the excessive time it takes just to get where you need to go keeps this ride from shifting to fifth.

If you want more of what you enjoyed in the first Metroid Prime, expect to be pleased as it is duplicated here in vast quantity. High production values, solid gameplay and classic Metroid design combine to form another winner.

It should have waited for the next generation of 3D hardware before going 3D and should have been left in the development oven a bit longer to smooth out the control and gameplay issues.

Though it sticks very closely to the franchise's formula and has a few flaws, the excellent story, great presentation and varied gameplay make this 'final' episode a good one.

Does a pretty good job capturing the tuner scene with fast races and flashy cars. However, some lingering A.I. issues and the excessive time it takes just to get where you need to go keeps this ride from shifting to fifth.

If you already own the original and Volume 2, it makes sense to expand your horizons and grab this one, too, if only for the cool multiplayer modes.

Despite a genuinely better plot this time around, the short, linear campaign and unresolved ending will certainly aggravate those hoping for a more evolved single-player game. But make no mistake – what Halo 2 lacks in its single-player it more than makes up for in its great gameplay, gorgeous delivery and flat-out addictive multiplayer.

It takes place in a gigantic world with loads of great content, and the seemingly endless number of small quests means that if you only have a half-hour to play, you can actually get something done. However, Everquest II isn’t terribly intuitive or noob-friendly when you’re just starting out.

A reliable, fun game that puts some nice, new spin on an old sport. If you can look past its limited depth, you'll have a ball.

Pulse-pounding scripted events and great presentation create a nice backdrop for the Pacific theater of operations, but small annoyances such as enemy pop-up and lengthy load times stifle the package.

Unfortunately, its style tends to outweigh its substance, leading to a fairly bland first-person shooter set in a very interesting universe. It breaks the routine, but that doesn't make it a killer.

Really the only problem with Up Your Arsenal is that it doesn't do anything new so much as merely refine the heck out of its past.

Small innovations such as the camera jostle and dash screen blur would normally indicate a developer's attention to detail, but a slew of minor frustrations add up to make Killzone a cardiac in a jewel case.

As promising as a role-playing game based on The Lord of the Rings mythos sounds, The Third Age’s reality is one of strict linearity, wacky plot foibles, and generic turn-based action.

While the multiplayer fighting system is flawed, the solid gameplay is largely unchanged and the extra modes add a nice dash of variety.

As promising as a role-playing game based on The Lord of the Rings mythos sounds, The Third Age's reality is one of strict linearity, wacky plot foibles, and generic turn-based action.

As promising as a role-playing game based on The Lord of the Rings mythos sounds, The Third Age's reality is one of strict linearity, wacky plot foibles, and generic turn-based action.

As a standard third-person action-platformer, there's nothing substantially wrong with THQ's take on The Incredibles, but neither is there anything original.

As a standard third-person action-platformer, there's nothing substantially wrong with THQ's take on The Incredibles, but neither is there anything original.

As a standard third-person action-platformer, there's nothing substantially wrong with THQ's take on The Incredibles, but neither is there anything original.

Generally disappointing. It's a decent game, but just nowhere near as enjoyable or impressive as the many new FPS recruits who have recently landed on the retail battlefield.

Its sardonic take on typical conventions is thwarted by its own weak design, and its tongue-in-cheek humor fails more often than it succeeds. Laughter might well be the best medicine, but a bad joke is the worst ailment.

Freedom has always been the GTA hallmark, and in that regard, San Andreas piles on the features to ludicrous proportions. Comparing San Andreas to any other game is like comparing King Kong to the other monkeys; it is the Overgame.

For one hundred dollars you could buy a keg, a stripper, a clown, or make a down payment on a bouncy castle. Now THAT'S a party. While Taiko Drum Master's novelty value is clear, you might want to skip this beat in favor of a cheaper groove.

Its sardonic take on typical conventions is thwarted by its own weak design, and its tongue-in-cheek humor fails more often than it succeeds. Laughter might well be the best medicine, but a bad joke is the worst ailment.

While it doesn’t have the complexity or depth to compete with the likes of Burnout 3, it easily holds its own in the arcade race arena. Looks like the glory days still have some glory left in ‘em after all.

The video game equivalent of a bag of M&M's: candy coating on the outside, mindless hack'n slash on the inside, and not a lot in between. That was fine the first time, but we expect a little more nutrition out of our sequels.

Generally disappointing. It's a decent game, but just nowhere near as enjoyable or impressive as the many new FPS recruits who have recently landed on the retail battlefield.

A great game. There are some missteps that a later patch or expansion should definitely address, but right out of the box the look, gameplay style and level of depth make this an easy buy for PC action gamers.

The game tries to get by riding the coattails of its 10 year legacy, but it doesn’t offer enough to compete with the likes of "Soul Calibur 2" or "Virtua Fighter" and has lost any edge it might have had over 2D games like "Guilty Gear."

Better suited as a free online Flash game than something sold at retail. It fails to live up to its odd premise and relies too heavily on being offbeat, ultimately turning into more of a cute diversion than a full-fledged game.

It’s a good game of soccer and sports a few nice, unique features. However, if you care more about responsive control and a better overall gameplay experience, look next to FIFA on the retail shelf and find your allegiance with "Winning Eleven." It's still the king of the pitch.

If you care more about responsive control and a better overall gameplay experience, look next to FIFA on the retail shelf and find your allegiance with "Winning Eleven." It's still the king of the pitch.

If you care more about responsive control and a better overall gameplay experience, look next to FIFA on the retail shelf and find your allegiance with "Winning Eleven." It's still the king of the pitch.

Despite its lack of serious innovation, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is another fun, high-quality RPG. Its humor, gameplay and delivery combine to create an excellent romp through familiar terrain.

One of the worst games we’ve ever seen. As much as we’d like to see more sexual content in games, we’re afraid Magna Cum Laude will do for Mature games what "Showgirls" did for NC-17 rated movies.

The game looks hot and puts out, so if you just want a fling, it’s not a bad choice. But for a long term relationship, I need much more depth. She ain’t getting a ring, that’s for sure.

One of the worst games we’ve ever seen. As much as we’d like to see more sexual content in games, we’re afraid Magna Cum Laude will do for Mature games what "Showgirls" did for NC-17 rated movies.

Sets the stage for success with an awesome track list, but fails miserably with its totally weak skills. Please, put down the mic.

It's been a while since the Xbox has seen a good flight game and Yager's quirky missions will certainly keep you occupied for a spell. But with a handful of small problems and little replay value, there's isn't enough to keep you coming back for more.

One of the worst games we've ever seen. As much as we'd like to see more sexual content in games, we're afraid Magna Cum Laude will do for Mature games what "Showgirls" did for NC-17 rated movies.

While the fighting engine is still decent and the combat graphics are fine, Mortal Kombat: Deception does little for the series. It's a victory, but hardly a flawless one.

Neversoft has refined the gameplay to the point of it being almost a meditation exercise, letting you grind, manual, revert and flip with a Zen-like calmness.

As it stands, Deception is just an obese version of "Deadly Alliance." There's a lot more fat to chew on, but very little new substance.

Neversoft has refined the gameplay to the point of it being almost a meditation exercise, letting you grind, manual, revert and flip with a Zen-like calmness.

Neversoft has refined the gameplay to the point of it being almost a meditation exercise, letting you grind, manual, revert and flip with a Zen-like calmness.