These movies was pretty good, but after the first ten bloody murders I was like, "Eh, seen it all." The more you watch, the more it just looks like what you just watched. The murders even got a little thin for Cash after a while, I think.

Online play could have done wonders for some of the repetition. But if you stick it out, you may be too drunk off the inebriating style and intense action to notice your 20th play-through. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System does what it does very well.

But if thongs and girl power RPG antics are wrong, then I don’t want to be right. Final Fantasy X-2 is a solid sequel that revives most of what made FF X a good game while offering some interesting (if a bit cheesy) dress-up features.

The deepest foray yet into the Star Wars universe and well worth the price of admission.

A solid attempt that unfortunately does nothing new or unique and suffers from some strange gameplay quirks.

I’ve played so many "Warcraft III" clones recently that it’s really refreshing to cover a game that’s actually doing something innovative. However, it’s the online and VS games that really flesh out Battlegrounds, since the single-player experience is pretty flat.

It's hard to recommend this incarnation to anyone who has already experienced the PC version, which is probably most of you since the game is so widely played. It's pretty much just the same exact thing. For those who missed out, you could buy Half-Life for half the cost of CS Xbox and download Counter-Strike PC for free.

Perhaps the only major thing that really holds back PGR 2 from challenging the likes of "Gran Turismo" is its lack of real progression. Considering the time I put into the game, I never really felt as if I was working toward a goal.

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don't know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

Online play could have done wonders for some of the repetition. But if you stick it out, you may be too drunk off the inebriating style and intense action to notice your 20th play-through. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System does what it does very well.

As good funny and entertaining as Whiplash is off the bat, I don’t feel I grew as a result of having played it, and might have even shrunk a little four hours in.

I've played so many "Warcraft III" clones recently that it's really refreshing to cover a game that's actually doing something innovative. However, it's the online and VS games that really flesh out Battlegrounds, since the single-player experience is pretty flat.

There’s just no reason to draft this underachiever when some big dogs are still up for grabs.

And despite its groovy style, XIII isn’t much more than a run-of-the-mill game. Its presentation is definitely worthy of a look (particularly if you own an Xbox) but its gameplay is about as straightforward - and in some cases boring - as it gets for an FPS.

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don't know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

Online play could have done wonders for some of the repetition. But if you stick it out, you may be too drunk off the inebriating style and intense action to notice your 20th play-through. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System does what it does very well.

An uneven mixture of gorgeous graphics, upgradeable street racing vehicles, variety of race modes, unique customization, lack of opposition, repetitive tracks, and no law enforcement presence... Involving and fun, although not quite as engrossing as "NFS:HP2."

An uneven mixture of gorgeous graphics, upgradeable street racing vehicles, variety of race modes, unique customization, lack of opposition, repetitive tracks, and no law enforcement presence... Involving and fun, although not quite as engrossing as "NFS:HP2."

More attention to the graphics and gameplay issues would secure its place as the preeminent college basketball game. Right now, though, it’s still on the bubble.

An uneven mixture of gorgeous graphics, upgradeable street racing vehicles, variety of race modes, unique customization, lack of opposition, repetitive tracks, and no law enforcement presence... Involving and fun, although not quite as engrossing as "NFS:HP2."

More attention to the graphics and gameplay issues would secure its place as the preeminent college basketball game. Right now, though, it’s still on the bubble.

Recaptures the simple magic that made the original a hit, but doesn't make much of an effort beyond that. The inclusion of two-seater karts is a nice touch and the multiplayer game continues to shine, but the single-player lacks substance and the track design is generally pretty bland.

An uneven mixture of gorgeous graphics, upgradeable street racing vehicles, variety of race modes, unique customization, lack of opposition, repetitive tracks, and no law enforcement presence... Involving and fun, although not quite as engrossing as "NFS:HP2."

It isn’t a perfect game by any stretch due to some glaring issues with the rebounding and control, but ESPN College Hoops is still the best NCAA game out there right now. It looks better than "March Madness" and the great Legacy mode is unrivaled.

Brings a fresh look to the party game scene with its unique brand of strategy and absence of plumbers, but it doesn’t have much of a life span. At $20, though, the frog, pig, chickens and things are better than you think.

It isn’t a perfect game by any stretch due to some glaring issues with the rebounding and control, but ESPN College Hoops is still the best NCAA game out there right now. It looks better than "March Madness" and the great Legacy mode is unrivaled.

It straddles the line between little kid game and hard platformer in such a way that I don’t think anyone will like it. I guess The Hobbit makes these strange concessions to game-play to make it a friendlier game, but it’s still frustrating as hell.

Legends of Aranna’s best selling point might be how much of a bargain it is, at least if you never bought the original game. Since it’s priced as an expansion at $30 but actually has two full games, it's one of the best PC deals this year.

But the saddest part has to be the staggering number of people who worked on this thing, including some well-respected developers. Just check the credits from the manual. I’m not counting them all, but that’s about 400 names.

I also have to wonder what part of the world Uncle Sam dug up my own squad mates. They could often be seen running in circles and constantly blocking my line of fire. At least they were resilient; one of the guys was turned into Swiss cheese by an enemy bayonet and shrugged it off like nothing happened. Tough guys…tough guys.

Improves on nearly every facet of the original. I consistently enjoyed it, even in those frustrating moments up against entire gauntlets of robots or some enormous boss, and the RPG elements kept me coming back for more.

Whoever is coming up with ideas like the two Career modes and the ability to set practice schedules should get promoted. Then, they should go work for a series with more potential. Either that, or Sony should hire people who are serious about gameplay, because NCAA Final Four 2004 clearly is not.

But the saddest part has to be the staggering number of people who worked on this thing, including some well-respected developers. Just check the credits from the manual. I’m not counting them all, but that’s about 400 names.

Its online play is unique to the genre on the Xbox and the gameplay itself is decent. But the lack of compelling game modes, the underwhelming Career and the somewhat bland delivery make this old classic just look old.

I also have to wonder what part of the world Uncle Sam dug up my own squad mates. They could often be seen running in circles and constantly blocking my line of fire. At least they were resilient; one of the guys was turned into Swiss cheese by an enemy bayonet and shrugged it off like nothing happened. Tough guys…tough guys.

It straddles the line between little kid game and hard platformer in such a way that I don’t think anyone will like it. I guess The Hobbit makes these strange concessions to game-play to make it a friendlier game, but it’s still frustrating as hell.

I also have to wonder what part of the world Uncle Sam dug up my own squad mates. They could often be seen running in circles and constantly blocking my line of fire. At least they were resilient; one of the guys was turned into Swiss cheese by an enemy bayonet and shrugged it off like nothing happened. Tough guys…tough guys.

Brings a fresh look to the party game scene with its unique brand of strategy and absence of plumbers, but it doesn’t have much of a life span. At $20, though, the frog, pig, chickens and things are better than you think.

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don’t know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

Improves many of the niggling flaws of the original while updating the maps and graphics along the way, leading to a genuinely fun and at times, addictive game. Unfortunately, the disconnect ranking issue still need some ironing.

There’s plenty in FIFA 2004 to keep you happy until next season, when hopefully we’ll finally able to execute some plays of greater skill and complexity.

It’s bigger, longer and smarter than The Two Towers.

It’s great for kids and non-serious gamers and a fun party favor, but those of you with a taste for the finer things in gaming life will be let down by the largely disappointing games. It will make your mom and your girlfriend happy, though, and to us, that’s priceless.

A fun but ultimately forgettable RTS. It’s a guided, open-topped bus tour of Middle Earth where you only stop at a the tourist places, buy a snow globe with a miniature Lothlorien inside, eat some Frodo-Fries, and never get to see any of the real place.

You'll be laughing with delirious glee the minute you lay down 50 bucks and walk out of the store with two of the best console games ever made. Sure, they're older. Sure, they already came out on the PS2 and the PC. Some people prefer GTA III; others (like me) think Vice City is the better game. But what do you care? You get both!

It's bigger, longer and smarter than "The Two Towers."

There’s plenty in FIFA 2004 to keep you happy until next season, when hopefully we’ll finally able to execute some plays of greater skill and complexity.

There’s plenty in FIFA 2004 to keep you happy until next season, when hopefully we’ll finally able to execute some plays of greater skill and complexity.

It's bigger, longer and smarter than "The Two Towers."

The game tries to be everything for everyone by offering a great variety of gameplay styles, but doesn’t quite succeed at any of them. Each facet of the game has minor issues that hurt an otherwise enjoyable experience.

The game tries to be everything for everyone by offering a great variety of gameplay styles, but doesn’t quite succeed at any of them. Each facet of the game has minor issues that hurt an otherwise enjoyable experience.

The game tries to be everything for everyone by offering a great variety of gameplay styles, but doesn’t quite succeed at any of them. Each facet of the game has minor issues that hurt an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Terrific. It takes the most open-ended game around and adds more open AND more end, effectively turning a delicious double-scoop into a triple-decker.

It’s sad to think that with all its high-tech fanciness of the new console generation, TMNT can’t even muster up the personality and gameplay of the old arcade games.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

With such simple and smart gameplay, Call of Duty rocks in all the right ways. It looks outstanding and plays well without any needed patches. The single-player is very engrossing, really the best thing since "MOH:AA."

The one area in which Shootout actually trumps the others is online play. 989 has built a robust, efficient online matching and stat-tracking system, making it easy to find other ballers and get a match up and running. The stat-tracking and ease of setting up tournaments are impressive.

Many action-oriented gamers arena’t going to like this game at all, but you strategy buffs will be pleased that Gladius is such a strong contender, because you really don’t have any other options. There are no other games like it.

It surprises with its cool references and attention to detail, but loses a lot of luster in attempting to appeal to a wee audience.

While certainly not the most inspired of concepts, it’s still quite fun to explore, experiment and integrate the game’s additions into your Sims’ world even after the novelty of its spells wears off.

Many action-oriented gamers arena’t going to like this game at all, but you strategy buffs will be pleased that Gladius is such a strong contender, because you really don’t have any other options. There are no other games like it.

Its small flaws are outmatched by its solid gameplay, excellent graphics and nice online support. It’s also as close as you’ll get to Anna without worrying about that pesky restraining order, and that’s gotta count for something.

The only thing that redeems this game from total mediocrity is the multiplayer, and the more people you have (up to four) the better. Like Mario Party, it’s nearly pointless to play alone, but gets more fun with a group and a case of beer.

A solid attempt that unfortunately does nothing new or unique and suffers from some strange gameplay quirks.

It surprises with its cool references and attention to detail, but loses a lot of luster in attempting to appeal to a wee audience.

Many action-oriented gamers arena’t going to like this game at all, but you strategy buffs will be pleased that Gladius is such a strong contender, because you really don’t have any other options. There are no other games like it.

It surprises with its cool references and attention to detail, but loses a lot of luster in attempting to appeal to a wee audience.

It’s a massive, exceptional product that expands every aspect of its predecessors without sacrificing much, though it’s a better game on the PS2 than the Xbox or Gamecube thanks to its great online functionality.

It’s a massive, exceptional product that expands every aspect of its predecessors without sacrificing much, though it’s a better game on the PS2 than the Xbox or Gamecube thanks to its great online functionality.

It’s a massive, exceptional product that expands every aspect of its predecessors without sacrificing much, though it’s a better game on the PS2 than the Xbox or Gamecube thanks to its great online functionality.

For the many casual gamers wanting to subvert their non-gamer friends and significant others, Karaoke Revolution is among the best, edging out the "Eye Toy" and even the traditional "Dance Dance Revolution." It’s just about the best party game around.

With its excellent graphics and myriad game modes, ESPN NBA Basketball is a good, strong title. The gameplay quirks like rebounding difficulty and the canned animations are there and can be frustrating, but are easily overlooked when you take in the big picture.

It’s sad to think that with all its high-tech fanciness of the new console generation, TMNT can’t even muster up the personality and gameplay of the old arcade games.

The atmosphere, graphics, scope, versatility and ultimately fun gameplay keeps the bad bits in check enough to keep you up long hours coming back for more.

With its excellent graphics and myriad game modes, ESPN NBA Basketball is a good, strong title. The gameplay quirks like rebounding difficulty and the canned animations are there and can be frustrating, but are easily overlooked when you take in the big picture.

Oozes style and substance, matching its PC counterpart bullet for bullet and raising the stakes with its upgraded control.

Simple and quirky, but ultimately too short and repetitive to really break out.

It’s sad to think that with all its high-tech fanciness of the new console generation, TMNT can’t even muster up the personality and gameplay of the old arcade games.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

With a little effort, they really could have done a lot more with Pirate Hunter, like adding some personal stats and experience to you character, skills like swordfighting or cannon-laying or allowing you to hire specific crew members with different skills.

Problematically, it just doesn’t do too anything new and doesn’t space itself out from the crowd. It feels like you’ve played this game before and you probably have - in better, more interesting forms.

Problematically, it just doesn’t do too anything new and doesn’t space itself out from the crowd. It feels like you’ve played this game before and you probably have - in better, more interesting forms.

Rebel Strike takes a rough shot to its power core with the terrible on-foot segments and short single-player campaign. The delivery and dogfighting is still top-notch, but they really should have just stuck with what worked instead of trying to add in unnecessary gameplay styles.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

And that's where Space Colony breaks down a little - way, way too much to deal with. At times, you'll be so busy just trying to keep up with every gameplay element that it starts to lose its fun.

The Zero series on the GBA trumps X7 with its tightened classic feel. The "Mega Man Legend" series (including Tron Bonne) worked the 3D controls much better. I'm all for change, but it has to come with improvement. The Blue Bomber has bombed out.

A quality experience for the hardcore strategy gamer. The biggest drawback is that it’s so similar to the older Commandos; frankly, you may have already experienced this battle before.

A great storyline, excellent delivery, top-notch voice acting and fun, varied gameplay help Jak II continue Naughty Dog’s tradition of high quality games. It’s simply not to be missed.

About as slick as they come, with a presentation and verve that supercedes cutting-edge. It's a short one, but good things do come in small packages after all.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

Besides the two seconds of fatality joy, the only other redeeming quality of this game is its price. Major retail outlets tag it at about $20. That’s still about $19 overpriced, but at least they’re not trying to pretend this decorative coaster is anything else.

Besides the two seconds of fatality joy, the only other redeeming quality of this game is its price. Major retail outlets tag it at about $20. That’s still about $19 overpriced, but at least they’re not trying to pretend this decorative coaster is anything else.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

The one button gameplay is frustrating and silly, resulting is an uneven, uninspiring racer that doesn't do the gumball justice.