Very plain and ordinary, and without the Nemo license there wouldn't be much reason to actually own it.

Since Aria Of Sorrow is the third Castlevania in as many years, I'm also concerned that Konami is growing increasingly content to simply rest on their laurels.

There's nothing revolutionary to be found here—no innovative play mechanics, no stunning graphics. This is a rock-solid Nazi-blasting FPS, and nothing more.

No review will ever accurately convey the tension in navigating through a sea of multiple colored bullets that fill every inch of the screen or the joy in finally nailing a 100+ chain combo because Ikaruga, like all good shmups, is visceral.

Beating The Lost Age is going to require at least 30 hours (and more if the player wants to do all of the side-quests and find all of the hidden goodies) and maybe more if gamers aren't good at puzzles. There's nothing inherently wrong with a game lasting this amount of time (although it does seem long for a handheld RPG) as long as the gameplay warrants it. Too bad for The Lost Age that it shows all of its tricks in the first 12 hours or so...

InuYasha may not be able to compete with the big boys of the fighting genre, but fans of quirky anime games or those looking for a budget fighter won't be disappointed.

One of the most enjoyable, and addictive, games I've played in years. Never have I expected so little from a game and gotten so much. I truly relished every (split) second of it, not only as a great racing game but as a great videogame that happens to be about racing.

Just a decent sci-fi story mixed with some rather unambitious gameplay. Nothing is done gratingly poorly, but neither is anything done with any sense of innovation or panache.

Pleasant graphically, but disturbing as a more complete experience.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the game. It's just that perhaps I'll wait until a version with playable God Cards is released before I buy another Yu-Gi-Oh! game.

It's sad. It boggles the mind to think that this much time was spent on presentation and backstory when none of it resonates in the slightest.

The way that Amplitude is structured lends itself more to good reflexes, the memorization of patterns, and concentration rather than simply a good ear for music.

Because of the game's subtle tributes to the deeper complexities in life, the game is no less compelling than if I were playing it as a child. The difference is that as an adult, I can herald it as a true work of beauty.

It's an intriguing and ultimately fatally flawed entry in an already clogged genre, and a warning to other companies who would use games as a commercial vehicle: please be sure you can make a decent game, or it's worse than no advertising at all.

Resonates much stronger than Sony's otherwise noble hand at tactical combat. Not only is the game not held back because of certain console-based restrictions (controllers, options available, graphics, etc.), but the game seems to be less about nationalism and more about the dedication and strife anti-terrorist groups must experience.

While the game starts off on the right foot with a dark tale of schoolgirls, slaughter, and restless spirits, it immediately trips over the other foot with a range of directorial issues an overall lack of focus.

The fights are long and challenging, and the gameplay has an appeal all its own. With plenty of features, great graphics and sound and a surprisingly well-developed backdrop, Tao Feng's unique gameplay is a welcome step in the right direction.

It creates an experience that truly comes the closest to actual soccer as any other videogame to date.

As an historical RTS, Praetorians does an admirable job of integrating its subject matter with solid gameplay, as opposed to simply using the historical period as a backdrop for a slew of war scenarios.

Everything the first game was not, and far more. Not only did the developers correct, expand and improve upon every aspect, they have authored one of the most utterly perfect synergies of gameplay, direction and storytelling that I've ever witnessed.

Sonic is fast alright. Yet here's a game that openly discourages Sonic and his friends from fully embracing the thing that made the Sega's mascot so popular in the first place: raw, uncontrolled speed.

It's the level design that makes Rayman 3 stand out. While the early levels are mostly uninteresting, the game picks up as Rayman gains more of his trademark powers: the helicopter float, the wall climb, the super-punch, etc.

This self-referential back-and-forth sets this game apart from the crowded market of platformers that it mocks and imitates with equal finesse.

The control scheme deserves high praise, as does the evocative portrait of outer space. What doesn't deserve praise is its cloying use of randomly generated content, lack of creative mission design, and generally awkward narrative ambiance.

Even without the open-ended level design, it was every bit as absorbing as the first game was at its very best and then some. And because of its mission-based structure that allows for quick access to all unlocked levels, it became a very hard game to put down.

Much like Dr. Frankenstein's creation, this game possesses too many flaws that are hard to ignore and that prevent from appreciating the enigma it offers.

Xenosaga spins one of the most engaging science fiction tales I've seen in recent years.

The new methodology required to deal with this large scale makes MOO3 the first <I>progressive</I> strategy game and avoids previous mistakes of the genre, such as overwhelming floods of micromanagement near the end of the game. It is precisely this refreshingly dynamic experience that makes MOO3 so appealing.

The game is ultimately too stripped-down and simplistic to warrant a higher score; a more engaging surface world, compelling storyline and ambitious gameplay would have driven the final tally up considerably.

The fights, though violent, are unfortunately completely bloodless&#151;not a drop of claret is spilled&#151;and the bodies of his enemies, once beaten, magically vanish. This makes the game feel as tidy and antiseptic as a Disney ride.

A slightly better than average game that coasts along on the fact that it tweaks the traditional RPG formula. The innovations in the title are a hit-and-miss affair that generally obfuscate the fact that the game is little more than a traditional dungeon crawler with a few new wrinkles.

The definition of what a perfect sequel should be, and an excellent game in its own right.

For a game that could have been that potential leap forward, it's a real shame that all Apex manages to do is present a mediocre-to-poor driving experience in a painfully threadbare setting.

Add to that some late-game plot twists, several path-altering choices, a wide variety of obstacles to overcome, multiple endings to discover, and a wealth of small touches (like your character's clothing deteriorating with each narrow escape) and you've got a progressively energetic game set in a fantastic locale: one step beyond everyday life.

A lot like the middle-class, suburban kid in high school that tries to make everyone think he's cool by wearing nothing but black and listening to Metallica. It's all an act; a dark pretense put up to hide a depressingly normal game that doesn't really know what it wants to be.

The most impressive and unique highlight of Pride FC is its international cast of playable fighters. Unlike UFC, which only has a handful for foreign-bred entrants, Pride's line-up consists of a wide-range of fighters with different fighting styles from around the world.

The illusion of an online community is maintained flawlessly.

The strength of this title still remains in the decision to simulate the promotion/relegation structure used throughout the major leagues of the world.

I'd much rather play as a horny male chauvinist in an engrossing game than as a strong woman in a bad one. Playing the part of a warrior queen should be fun, but my enthusiasm was gone by the time I beat the game's final boss. "I never have to play this again," I thought. "Thank God(dess)."

I tried playing sober for the first few times, but I just couldn't get into it. It took a bottle of wine and a few shots of Southern Comfort to inspire me to play long enough to come to the conclusion I've come to with this game: Galerians: Ash feels like one bad hangover.

GGX2 is probably the most vibrantly animated two-dimensional videogame ever made, with each attack and movement drawn to exceptional detail.

[Vyse's] simple and fun-loving personality is a welcome trait compared to the angst-ridden heroes of today's more popular RPG titles.

The most monumental loss is style.

Without marrying any substantial content or meaningful context to the visuals, this is the type of depth-free cheap titillation that we need to move past if we're ever to break away from the stereotypical gutter that society at large perceives current videogames to be in.

Getaway isn't a shining beacon for all to follow, but its greatest contribution is that it is a ray of light that brings progressive ideas and expressions to the gaming conscious and deserves credit for it.

The introduction of a new type of weapon to a military organization really hit home with me and probably added to the allure of this game.

The PS2 port certainly lacks the metamorphic quality of original PC version, but its reach and scope are far greater than many of the current titles available to the console crowd.

Suffers from a developmental imbalance between the excellent mechanics and the actual gameplay. The best example of this is illustrated by the difference between the superb two-player and the grating single player experiences.

Those susceptible to motion sickness be warned: Smilebit were able to devote very convincing flight physics to the camera and movements, some of the best ever captured in a videogame cartridge or disc.

The obvious incoherence of many of the design decisions allows the player to see past the realistic graphics and to observe the unrealistic logic that underlies the game.

The videogame equivalent of striking gold... I flat-out loved every second of this disc. The controls are spot-on, the graphics are clean and attractive, there are no camera problems, and it's just right for picking up and jumping in.

Its priorities are set on showing players that racetracks aren't deserted areas as would a ghost town be and that drivers still represent the heart and soul of racing. In this respect, Pro Race Driver is as close to reality as racing games can get.

Saving and reloading the game will give your party full health and magic, and since you can save anywhere, this bug removes almost all of the challenge from the game.

To the untrained eye, the Link To The Past cartridge may well appear to be nothing more than another videogame for kids and others who refuse to grow out of childhood. However, it is much more than that, being as worthy a narrative as many popular books out there can be.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

An effective game in terms of delivering visceral thrills and exotic sights. However, I'm not recommending it as a full priced purchase. The biggest reason is that the entire adventure is nearly over before you know it (my first play-through took about five hours).

The Phantasy Star games are classic RPGs (yes, even the third one&#133;which everyone seems to hate), and they deserved at least a little updating.

Nearly all progress in game design over the last fifteen years has been ignored, and it shows.

While Outcast is not perfect, what it does right it does damn well. It's a well-organized and planned platformer with the best elements of the Star Wars universe rolled in.

So the game doesn't have any real characters at all, the graphics are nothing special, and the story actually gets in the way of the gameplay... Now if someone would just make a game where these wonderful play mechanics made some sort of logical sense, we'd be cooking with gas.

Poor control, graphics, level and mission design. These are flaws, and major ones at that. Where the game really fails, though, is that not for one second while I was playing it did I ever feel like I was controlling Superman. Is there anything worse that you can say about a Superman game?

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

Creative, unique, accessible, and polished. It comes up lacking in a few areas, but is clearly the most effectively realized version of Mortal Kombat yet.

Sadly, the latest incarnation of that landmark effort doesn't have the personality, lush animation or blisteringly fast pace that made the original such a hit. What it does have is...not much.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

The game, like a movie trailer, provides various disjointed snippets of action without delivering the complete picture.

The linearity of Metroid Fusion was definitely a disappointment, but not something to write it off... In terms of simple gameplay mechanics, control, boss-battles and overall design effort, it is top notch.

This is a very linear game, and... one can't but feel it's a wasted opportunity to limit the player's freedom in choosing how to approach a situation.

A shining example of how a classic videogame series can be vividly reborn. While taking an enormous amount of liberties with the original concept, it manages to zero-in on the spirit of the Metroid series and hit a resounding bull's-eye.

A fun game. But it is not as good a simulation of soccer as it could be. Too much of the gameplay feels scripted, and although you can pull off some beautiful moves, the unexpected occurs far too seldom.

The bottom line is that Resident Evil Zero's title perfectly describes the content and play value of the game itself.

Opponents cannot be forced off balance, pressured, or intercepted. Kaktuo Chojin rarely forces players to think, react, or adapt to their opponents. Worse still is the absence of a deep grappling system.

And the compelling nature of the online game is thanks to the same simplicity that makes the single-player game utterly forgettable. Simple to pick up and understand, the game mechanics allow the player to concentrate on the strategies of the various online games and immerse themselves in an action-based flow.

From its Lego-inspired visual style to its deceptive elegance, there's a certain undeniable charm-yet the actual play is disappointingly shallow, not to mention having one of the worst camera setups I've seen in quite a while.

The game's executions of different standards in platforming are almost mathematical in a sense that it's measured with surgical precision... The best the platforming genre has to offer right now.

RAD may not have a great story or impressive graphical opulence, but what it does have is an unbelievable amount of fun and originality where it counts: the gameplay.

Hardcore item-management fetishists might find some joy here, there&#146;s simply not enough balance or content for Phantom Crash to stand on its own, much less measure up to the competition (I&#146;m looking at you, "Armored Core 3").

Kojima seems to have recognized that he started running so fast that he forgot to tie his shoes, and thus Substance finally gives players the opportunity to more deeply explore the beautifully nuanced stealth engine that was so sorely undermined by his penchant for melodrama.

The maturation process of the series, and videogames, remain standstill because of the developer’s refusal to move outside racial and social stereotypes, and staying away from certain taboos of popular art, merely suggesting sex and drug use. Compared to what this game could’ve been, this is still kid’s gloves.

The series, especially this installment, has become among the most memorable game-playing experiences of my life.

Addictive personalities will no doubt find themselves caught up in the game to the exclusion of all else. There's always one more quest to undertake, one more rare to find, one more level to grow…it's these elements that keep people coming back.

Where Jet X20 falls short is in providing a single, consistent experience. The way racing and tricking are implemented, it is impossible to concentrate on both at the same time.

With other games I've felt similar feelings after beating an especially tough boss or solving a taxing puzzle. But when I truly master a song in DDRMAX, the sweat on my face and the swift beating of my heart magnifies the feeling. The soreness in my muscles and the burning in my lungs tell my body that I have actually done something worthwhile. It's a singular sensation that can make other games seem like meaningless fumbling with the controller.

There's something truly cathartic about blasting hordes of zombies, and that just never gets old. Zombies may not get any respect, but they sure do make great gun fodder.

The one glaring error in Worms Blast is the overly complicated and sluggish (or, uh, worm-ish) gameplay.

The game controls nice and tight&#151;a necessary element for successful fast action. Every button on the Dual Shock 2 is used, but it&#146;s an extremely comfortable and intuitive layout.

I&#146;d like to see Contra taken to the next level while retaining its identity... Give me something besides a carbon copy of action that has already been done, and done to perfection on older systems.

After playing Sneakers, I don't think the package declaring it's "Only On Xbox" is such a bright idea. They'd be better off keeping that sad fact a secret and quietly dumping all remaining copies of the game next to the steaming pile of "E.T." 2600 cartridges rotting in the desert.

What appears to be a simplistic, gratuitously violent game on the surface gradually reveals an impressive degree of depth, much in the way games like "Quake III: Arena" require much more skill and strategy than meets the eye.

Despite the logic issues, the lack of a two-player mode, and the utterly disappointing "secret" level and character, I still consider the game to be a success.

The total package. It's not some pared-down version of game that appeared on a next-generation console... There's tons of content and diversity in the addictive gameplay.

I wish I could say that there was some charming, redeeming feature that made my time with Pocky & Rocky with Becky worthwhile, but there isn't. The box art sure was cute, though.

It does everything an RPG should do and does it pretty well, but the lack of innovation is a bit disappointing.

The Geo Mod engine provides mere window dressing to what is nothing more than your standard FPS, complete with big freaking guns and explosions.

The game does offer a 4-way link for both singles and doubles matches, though finding four people with a copy of Davis Cup Tennis is likely to be the biggest challenge.

If you&#146;re the type of player that enjoys naval themes or even if you just like a lot of guns-blazing, shoot-&#145;em-up action, the game is destined to be a bona fide sleeper hit. Don&#146;t miss the boat.

This gleeful variety is ultimately what gives TimeSplitters 2 most of its staying power.