The online experience as a whole needs some serious work. I’m not sure if it’s lag-related, or simply poor coding, but it’s not unusual to see cars sort of “stutter” their way ahead of or behind you in turns. Collision detection is also fairly shoddy online.

Rent this and "Champions of Norrath," since they compete against each other, or just buy both if you're rich. Both are fine games with something great to offer.

It's undeniably better than "Fallout," which is basically just wearing the BG:DA skin, but it's clearly inferior to Snowblind's latest project, "Champions of Norrath."

Apes the best parts of "Dark Alliance" without much innovation.

This is simply too flawed a title to recommend for purchase, especially in light of the competition, but it's a fantastic guilty pleasure.

The audio, on the other hand, is nearly an unmitigated disaster.

It fits the party game build perfectly, but unlike "NFL Blitz," has the brains and the depth to stick around. The addictive NFL Challenge Mode alone has kept me busy for almost a month.

The first game in almost a decade that feels like a return to the series' roots in any fashion.

Blade and Sword tries hard to be a classically-designed action RPG, but doesn’t seem to realize such a product comes years too late.

The one weak spot in this otherwise bulletproof masterpiece of a game is the replay value. I got so into the action I was in and out in right around four hours.

If you’re a fan of The Sims on the PC or on the console, you must buy Bustin’ Out. Consider the game to be the last ‘must buy’ Sims title before the upcoming sequel, since the experience differs so much from the usual Sims gameplay.

It's not the "best" version, but it's the most complete. If that makes any sense.

Worth a look-see, but memory card requirements effectively banish this one to the realm of "Either buy it, or don't bother."

Since there's no way to rent PC games, most will want to pass on this and just buy an RC car instead. Good try, but next time, less physics and more fun.

Some framerate problems from the PS2 version and the great textures and flair from the Xbox version. Throw the two together and you get an odd half-breed.

Monster 4x4 is as wild as the trucks featured in the game; a real sense of control over your fate in the race is never established, since a wrong move can get you stuck thanks to some poor planning, and getting good turns and boosts seems more like luck than anything else.

Graphically, both King of Fighters 2000 and 2001 are nearly pixel-perfect ports. Unfortunately, this is as much a liability as anything. The character sprites are low-resolution, as befits three-year-old Neo-Geo games, and the backgrounds are muddy and annoyingly aliased.

If you do need a proper fix, just buy the movie and watch that instead, or rent another game. The wartime epic Dynasty Warriors 4 and ninja title Shinobi both make excellent candidates for replacing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on your ‘must play’ list.

Give it a rent if you're interested, but I'd recommend just renting an old "Ridge Racer" and having a blast with the past--or get another new, better racing game.

Prepare to waste your month(s) away, or just rent this beast and enjoy the unintentionally hilarious plot and general presentation.

The sequel raises the bar in the amount of things included, but the awkward use of Dragon Worlds and the Story Mode, not to mention the choppy and average fighting engine, makes this game a fan-only affair.

It's very rare when a title comes along that needs a STAY AWAY warning. Gotcha Force is that title.

Please do not buy this or even rent it. To do so would make you think less of Remedy and Max Payne 2, an absolutely terrific game on other consoles. Try another version instead.

A delicious blend of adventure, platform hopping, action and puzzle solving makes Beyond Good and Evil not necessarily revolutionary, but it's a wonderful combination nonetheless.

This would be an OK title worthy of rental (if such a thing were possible for PC), but Warcraft III still blows the game away. Get that instead.

Snowboarding simply does not get any better than this.

The Xbox version of Max Payne 2 cannot profess to be as sharp as the PC version, thanks to control differences between the two setups.

David Duchovny has an exceedingly flat voice. At no point does he ever really sound excited. Even when he should be excited, he really doesn't sound it. There's just a sense of resignation always seeping through.

The entire Ki Blast process is made meaningless, because regular fighting moves do more damage, specifically throws.

Spawn lovers finally have a videogame they don't have to hide in shame, and those not initially interested in the comic will still find an addictive action title at Armageddon's core.

Once you've customized your car to the max, there's nothing else to do except change its color; you can't even earn new cars to customize or anything, as you're stuck with only the one car.

Translation problems occur in the flight from PC to Xbox, and the smooth style that made Jedi Academy irresistible fun on the PC is now clumsy and awkward.

A harmonious coupling of open and linear gameplay is applied smoothly to a Star Wars license that actually helps instead of hinders, and the end result is an absolutely must-own game and a damn fine title.

If you liked the previous games in the franchise, leap on this one. All others, approach with caution.

All the laws of the universe are invalid. Flight of the Falcon is a Star Wars title with horrible sound. The standard TIE Fighter howls and laser blasts are all acceptable, but the theme music obliterates any good from those. The problem starts from the beginning, with an atrocious MIDI version of the Star Wars fanfare, and only goes downhill.

Not the worst thing we've ever played for the GBA, since unlike "Mortal Kombat Advance", it actually works. But still, the idea was terrible and the presentation doesn't help.

Hardly the social phenomenon on Xbox that it was on PC, but not a bad way to waste a few lazy hours on a Saturday, either.

"NHL 2004" and "ESPN NHL Hockey" are still the cream of the crop, but don't be surprised to see NHL Rivals join them in another year or three.

Sort of an allegorical comparison to "Inside Drive" itself. It wants to be one of the big boys, and it certainly has the potential to get there, but if you’ll pardon the pun, they both need to spend another year at the college level before they make the jump.

With a convoluted, twisting conspiracy-driven story, flashy graphics and exciting gameplay, XIII demands your money.

I can't help wishing that Totally Games and LucasArts had gone in for a penny, in for a pound, and made the whole thing Live-compatible. If we're not going to get "Battlefield 1942" from EA, this could have been the next best thing.

While the GameCube version isn't the best-looking of the three platforms (it's better than the PS2 version, but worse than the Xbox port), Prince of Persia is an artistic masterpiece.

A rarity in the gaming world; a game that brings a smile to your face by not taking itself seriously, and at the same time keep you on your toes gameplay-wise.

As such a strong multiplayer game, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! deserves your money. Ignore those cynical, angry critics; this game might not be a revolution, but it's a hell of an evolution.

The value is placed in the sale price, not in the replay, and after two hours you’ll most likely be done with everything.

FOF2004 still has room to grow as a series, but even with it's flaws, it is the best Football SIM available today.

Despite the technical limitations, SimCity 2000 remains an enjoyable, challenging way to pass the time. It isn't the direct conversion I'd hoped for, but for twenty bucks, it's plenty sufficient to the task.

Rent or buy, Double Dragon Advance brings a great update but is still too short. You decide.

The recipient of the "Coaster of the Year" award. Beer steins everywhere are smiling.

Like "NBA ShootOut" this year, the defensive AI is such that before you take your shot, you can simply run around until your defender gets stuck on other bodies, and then try throwing down a dunk or three until you score.

A soulless cash-in. Every aspect of the game seems hostile to anyone intending to actually play the game. The story is mediocre, the interface is obtuse, the combat is oversimplified and there's little to do or find.

It’s definitely rough around the edges, but such things are forgivable when the core is exciting and challenging.

Not as deep, feature-wise, as "Tiger Woods," but more realistic, and with a community aspect that Tiger's Xbox version can't match.

Ironically, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu has more extras than many superior games. This title is absolutely stacked; it’s just a shame you won’t want to play for as long as the game could theoretically last.

Fires on all cylinders until the end, but doesn't really put itself above superior competition.

The license alone saves the effort from mediocrity.

Gameplay mechanics are in place and polished to a smooth experience, and the game belongs in some handheld art museum. Simply gorgeous.

A multiplayer classic.

The game brought nothing really useful to PlanetSide, and all of the issues that needed to be dealt with were not. SOE continues to willingly avoid those issues...One of the poorest choices on the gaming market to buy.

Perhaps the biggest change is the smooth, clear graphics.

Addictive and entertaining, but a bit short on songs.

Horror buffs will want to check it out now, but FPS fans won’t find much joy in the game’s generic and unappetizing engine.

Amazing graphics present the isometric 3D view better than any GBA game I've previously seen. Wondrous.

Absolutely unacceptable. MMX7 not only fails to be fun, but barely works right.

The classical soundtrack is as emotional and well placed as any game I’ve seen before it, and Max Payne 2 also features specific attention placed on sound and environmental effects.

All the GBA's power is utilized here to make a truly gorgeous little outing.

Even if the jumping weren't horribly floaty and disastrous, the gameplay would still be generic at best.

Fusing the old-school of pinpoint control, simple, yet fun gameplay, and an excellent amount of challenge with a healthy dose of new-school flash, and coating the whole thing with one of the most eye-catching art styles in gaming to date, Viewtiful Joe is a much-needed refresher course in why games are made to begin with - to be tons of fun, an entertainment world no amount of popcorn blockbusters or cheap reality TV could hope to match.

It's a sad world when "budget gaming" is synonymous with "poke your eye out with a dull stick."

This is the last title that can come out using the old engine before significant reworking is needed, but Jedi Academy still places a performance that deserves a purpose.

This game is simply too polished, unique and good to fit the industry mold of a typical 'first time outing'.

A borderline purchase, mainly pushed over the edge because it's quite fun and inventive.

To say that the game's story and gameplay are massive would be a complete understatement.

It's still a buy, but fans hoping for something new are in for a sore surprise.

This is the stuff dreams are made of--tight control, classic Metroid gameplay and a few puzzling twists.

The storyline is so in-line with the current international scene that it’s a little frightening.

The rare total package of excellent music and sound, awe-inspiring graphics, incredible gameplay, and an epic story, mixed in with an unparalleled atmosphere that draws you into the character and quest like almost no other game...with at least 25 hours of gameplay and great unlockables to boot, you'll be behind the Visor for quite a chunk of time.

It's a game worth owning, for most, but it's not so revolutionary that it will make converts out of the skeptical. Perhaps in Grand Theft Auto 4. Time will tell.

A fun, challenging puzzle game with some great ideas and additions.

Of course, the real nail in the gameplay coffin arrives with something I’m sure every gamer fears: boredom. Zapper just isn’t interesting to play, and rarely makes attempts to make gamers smile.

The environments are giant and beautiful, sometimes taking up to an hour of gameplay before ever loading. The dark and grimy interiors and real time lighting effects are certainly gorgeous.

A simply addicting combination of the best RTS and strategy elements make for one hell of a gaming experience.