For a one man project, Starshatter is a graphical tour-de-force. Infinitely customizable. Once the problem areas are tweaked, Starshatter will shine.

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.

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.

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.

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

Golf vets may be bored, but everyone else will have a ball.

Showdown isn't a terrible wrestling game, but it isn't a very good one, either. It's an improvement, though, so if using the stars of your youth is a draw, this one is worth a rental.

The learning curve is practically a cliff, but enthusiasts will have plenty to get out of this one.

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

Unfortunately, while brevity is the soul of wit, even at $29.99, it's hard to recommend a purchase of a game that can be beaten in a rental, and offers nothing beyond that in the way of replay value.

Holds up well, even after all these years. Plus, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to buy for Xbox than for Neo*Geo.

Cooperative multiplayer and the basic gunplay thrills don't quite make up for bad control and ugly graphics.

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.

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

The game tries very hard, above all else, to leave players with a lasting grin on their face. To this end, it succeeds. There are plenty of flaws, but the 'cool factor' is through the roof.

In the end, Shrek 2 is going to appeal to a pretty limited market. Older gamers aren’t going to want to bother with it much, but young children who idolize their movie heroes (and why do you think "Finding Nemo" sold so well?) will probably eat it up despite its mediocrity.

The variety of innovating aspects are balanced by multiple flaws, making this one strictly for the horror-obsessed.

It just doesn't have heart.

Fans of the Hitman franchise will have a distinct feeling of déja vu. Newcomers should have a good time, though.

Solid, but not spectacular. Even so, I'm tempted to give WTS 2005 brownie points simply because I can play as West Brom without them being in the Premiership. Boing boing!

Ballers is, sadly, less than the sum of its parts.

Capcom may be good at 2D fighters, but when going to 3D, controls matter all the more.

It's not the Xbox version or even "SOCOM: Navy Seals," but this version of Rainbow Six 3 is decent, on its own merits.

The accompanying hard drive is a neat toy, and there's no denying that FFXI is addictive. $12.95/month after the first one, though? That's a fair bit o' jack.

Perhaps the most interesting feature is that intelligent creatures will not forget Mr. Carver. They may give up on finding Mr. Carver, but they never forget the presence. It's almost like Metal Gear: Twin Snakes on alert mode, except when alerted the guards never do quite get up.

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

All told, ASB 05 hasn't really taken any major steps towards self-improvement, opting instead for a status quo offering.

The total package isn't as technically impressive as "MVP," but the lack of major flaws makes it a more enjoyable experience.