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.

Resident Evil 4 is heartstopping moment after heartstopping moment, paced nearly perfectly and executed flawlessly. 2005 has its game of the year, and that game is Resident Evil 4.

Mario Kart DS takes the best of all of the Mario Kart games and puts them together in a game people will still be playing when the next generation of Gameboy comes out.

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.

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

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

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.

Halo 2 met my own lofty expectations in virtually every way possible, minus two small exceptions: first, I would love to have been able to play two-player co-op on Xbox Live; it's unfortunate that this didn't happen. Secondly, while I found the story much more engaging this time around, I also found the ending a little bit jarring.

This is proof not only that the first game's greatness wasn't an anomaly, but also that true effort in game design can overcome even the greatest possibilities for a letdown. Samus is back, people; get ready to ride, for the most anticipated GameCube game of 2004 is here, and it rocks the house.

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.

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

What Spiderman 2 boils down to is a lot of "Hell yeah!" excellence with just a little "Aw, damnit" thrown in for good measure. It's still an excellent game, and it's a superb example of how a movie license should be treated, but in the end, it probably won't crack any top 5 lists.

You can play any given song at any of four speeds (Normal, Slow, Slower and Slowest), and you have the ability to select what portion(s) of the song you'd like to play. That has proven ridiculously useful as I continue in my Quixotic quest to complete "Free Bird" on Expert.

It isn't, you understand, that WipEout Pure is terribly revolutionary. No, the appeal of this game is that it returns to the roots of the franchise, and puts it in the palm of your hand with startling clarity.

To award a 10 on this well-crafted but by no means revolutionary game would be a disservice to titles that are out there really trying to rewrite our preconceived notions of videogames, but to go for a 9 also seems like lowballing a title that should be a must-own for so many.

Takes a winning formula and makes it better. Gamers looking for a good multiplayer title, or who just don't cant stand another round of "Doom3" should be sure to look up United Offensive.

If you can look past these flaws, you'll discover what I would call one of the best PlayStation 2 games so far this year. As an impressive technical demo it rivals even the next-gen stuff we're seeing on the market now, and the gameplay fills a gap in the genre that has long been craved. If you enjoy FPS games, then I can easily recommend Black for rent or purchase, and anxiously await a potential next-gen sequel.

A multiplayer classic, for those with the hardware. A fairly decent game for everyone else.

The lighting and reflective effects are truly impressive, sometimes on par with "Gran Turismo" or "Project Gotham Racing," while the courses have impressive texture work and detailed architecture all by themselves.

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.

GameCube fans can finally put their 20-sided die away, as Tales of Symphonia is exactly what they needed. It's an ace on any system.

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.

A truly wonderful and immersive experience.

What it boils down to is that they fixed the major flaws from last year's game: lefty power, and minor league development. Everything else is merely icing on the cake, but what a cake it is.

Perhaps best of all, however, is the way each level has multiple paths and solutions, not only during the 3PS (3rd-Person Shooter) elements, but also during the fantastic driving levels – which utilize the Need for Speed engine – where you’ll often have an option between Bond’s various automobiles.

With the tremendous gameplay that is the franchise's hallmark, beautiful graphics and animation, a fantastic soundtrack, and the kind of replay value that makes the phrase "bang for your buck" even more cliche than it already is, it's not even a stretch to consider it one of, if not the best game overall for the Nintendo DS.

I've seldom had this much anticipation for a sequel, and even more seldom had my high expectations met.

Raises the bar from what to expect from Media Vision, and leaves a lot for Wild Arms: the 4th Detonator to live up to.

The simplicity and fairly low challenge bely shockingly addictive gameplay. While big-name, big-budget sequels may dominate this year's holiday season, Katamari Damacy is a quiet, almost invisible candidate for Game of the Year. This is not a game to be missed, especially since it's only $20.

UbiSoft has really knocked one out of the park with this release-I can't wait for the third installment.

Where the series goes from here (Please, a cross over with the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" series?), it will have a mighty legacy to live up to.

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

I like that causing enough of a mess will give you the opportunity to collect multiple Crashbreakers within the same run, but at the same time, I'm really not fond of the manic button presses needed to secure and enact each Crashbreaker.

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.

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

In a sea of mediocre and washed out titles, Tecmo has delivered a stellar title for the Xbox that does not rely on the Live package, or massive bouncing breasts...Stylistic, challenging, and entertaining, Ninja Gaiden delivers on the promises that games like "Devil May Cry" made.

God of War isn't just violent; it's gratuitously violent, and the sex, while certainly a part of the era depicted, just serves to reinforce the notion that this is an "M"-rated title for very good reason.

One of the strongest titles to be released in 2004. The gripping story, maddening puzzles, and style of the game remains a stark contrast to the Half-Life's and Doom's typically residing on store shelfs.

It all boils down to the extremely high quality and production values of this title. The gameplay IS a bit old-school and the story isn’t extremely intricate, but that’s part of the magic to behold. Don’t let anything turn you away from trying out Square Enix’s latest blockbuster.

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

Even if Prey’s story didn’t leave me breathless from the masterful blend of sight and sound, I at least remained damned entertained. Sometimes that’s all you can really ask for.

Snowboarding simply does not get any better than this.

Treasure will make you believe that robots are your friends.

I cannot say enough about this game. It is hands down the best basketball game I've ever played on any system.

Easily one of the most ingenious games ever designed. Not only is it one of the most fun games you can play, it's one of the most innovative releases of this - or any - generation of games.

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.

One of the best games ever made. Not getting this game should be a crime.

Forza is kinda like Danica Patrick: an attractive, rising star that isn't quite ready for victory lane...yet.

Even without the online element, Street v3 is still excellence personified.

While pure sim heads may be put off, Rallisport 2 will have plenty for veteran racing fans, as well as beginners. Without being overly complicated in the garage or on the track, Digital Eclipse has served up a pure racing experience.

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

San Andreas is a true epic, but no game should be this frustrating.

Highly enjoyable and infinitely replayable. It is easily the best game that I’ve played this year.

A multiplayer classic.

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.

Fans of the genre will easily get over 40 hours of play. Multi-player fanatics may double or triple that time frame. Simply put, if you are a fan of FPS games, you MUST add this game to your collection.

It's over too soon, but that speaks more to Clyde's addictiveness than to the brevity of the game.

Perhaps best of all, however, is the way each level has multiple paths and solutions, not only during the 3PS (3rd-Person Shooter) elements, but also during the fantastic driving levels – which utilize the Need for Speed engine – where you’ll often have an option between Bond’s various automobiles (yes, including the Aston Martin), or the Q-Bike, and even, on occasion, a helicopter.

While the majority of gamers kick around inside Gran Turismo 4, I know where my racing allegiance lies. This game even manages to destroy the hallowed Burnout series to easily claim the arcade racing crown, and that’s no small feat. Grab your wallets and, uh, race to the store.

Just as the SNES is frequently called the "RPGers' console," games like Ghost Recon 2 are giving Xbox an enduring reputation as the "shooters console."

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.

Plenty of variety and a wild sense of speed combined with tight control equals fun for the whole family.

Like a breath of fresh air in the GCN's action lineup. Sure, the fighting can be a little mash-happy at times, and the textures can be a little blurry, and the variety of random tasks can be repetitive...but the first time you leap off the top of the Empire State Building, pull off some aerial tricks while plummeting 90 stories down at high speed, sling yourself via webline around some lampposts, and hurtle into the back of an enemy to begin a merciless web-juggle combo, you'll experience a rush unlike most anything you've felt while playing on the six-sided system.

Both the graphics and the gameplay are incredibly slick, but everything is awfully short and easy.

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

They don't make action games any tighter than this one; Viewtiful Joe on the PS2 is like a ray of light peering through a dark cloud of cookie-cutter titles.

An enjoyable experience worthy of the Ratchet name...even if we're hoping the next iteration of the series pushes the envelope instead of merely experimenting.

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.

The funny thing about that is that there are probably enough sub-par things in this game to come down on it a little harder than I did, but the game is one of those deals where the complete work is greater than the sum of its parts.

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

A scintillating package of retro Capcom goodness; there’s something for everyone to love here, and the low price makes it a killer buy.

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.

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

A fantastic sophomore effort from Snowblind Studios, and is easily the best of the games spawned by the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance engine Snowblind originally created.

Although the game features some rough patches from a 3D engine that isn’t entirely seamless, Worms 3D has all the loveable qualities necessary to be worth a purchase.

I just be hating on certain aspects of Splinter Cell’s gameplay formula, and I think it’s about time someone threw a contrary opinion into the ring.

Gotham also sounds great. although I generally keep the soundtrack muted in the background in favor of Live chatter (when applicable) and the sounds of the race, which are as spectacular as ever.

While the game play is certainly more varied than other titles available, and polished to an extent above that to which many games go, the short single player campaign may be all some players will be interested in.

Worth a play if you didn’t snag the last one. Otherwise, how valuable is online play to you?

The game is a solid career sim.

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

Where it falls flat is in the delivery of the long-anticipated online play that should be the game's biggest selling point. If you've got enough buddies on Live or PS2 Online that you can get together a reliable carnage crew, go for it. You won't regret it.

One of the better platformers available on the PS2, certainly more so than games like Vexx and Sphinx. It’s not quite on the level of the Ratchet & Clank or Jak & Daxter series, but then, so few games are.

An excellent baseball experience, and it's a full $10 less than "MVP Baseball" from EA Sports. Hard to go wrong here.

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

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

The presentation is completely misguided, and the combat is largely unrewarding. Under all this, the platforming is as creative and addictive as it was in Sands of Time, but the polish and sense of wonder are sorely missed.

A wealth of multiplayer gameplay, but only after spending yourself poor on hardware.

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.

It's a love letter to Western fans that also happens to be exceedingly entertaining for the everyman gamer.

WSM has its hooks set deeply enough in me that even the frustration isn't enough to tear me completely away. I may put the game down for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. But like an alcoholic who's been clean for an extended period of time, all it takes is one drink - or two clicks on the World Soccer Manager icon - to fall right back off the wagon again. In this case, I find that I don't mind that so much.

I loved NFL Street 2, but in the end it refused to grab my attention as sharply as the original, perhaps because the key single player modes are inherently similar between the two games.

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.

I wish more games had the voice acting and overall audio quality displayed in Earned in Blood.

It won't have the longevity of "KOTOR," and the difficulty factor basically reduces to an enemy health multiplier, but Jade Empire is still an enjoyable romp.

Has everything a good game needs, but the non-interactive scenes overshadow the interactive.

There are a lot of good things in this game and I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed to see Neversoft revisit this franchise again, hopefully polishing the rough edges.

If you have multiple gaming consoles, I’d strongly recommend picking the game up on either the GameCube or Xbox, both of which support four-player mayhem without something as impractical as a MultiTap.