Sadly, the horrible control scheme puts a damper on this dapper British agent.

For a game trying to give a realistic tennis experience, the ranking and simulation system is downright embarassing.

By any measure, Kingdom Hearts II is an outstanding adventure made all the more spectacular by its uncanny ability to weave disparate strands of fiction into a single, engaging conglomeration of iconic characters and settings.

Being the mother of rhythm games, Beatmania has been around before Dance Dance Revolution ever got popular. It took a long time, but it's finally here, and rhythm game fans everywhere should be rejoicing.

A pretty big step up from "Brotherhood of the Blade." The storyline has been upgraded and fleshed out to a nice degree, and the new attack types are fun to tinker around with and work in to your overall combat strategies. It's just the little things, like the now clunky menu, and the boring levels that really end up preventing the game from being a true success.

This isn't the deepest videogaming experience you can buy for sixty bucks. It's not going to change the genre. It's not going to be the game of the year. It's just something fun to do after killing a few beers.

While a fairly competent game, it just doesn't manage to add enough new content to make it worth a serious look.

While a fairly competent game, it just doesn't manage to add enough new content to make it worth a serious look.

Military strategists will certainly enjoy the close-up and personal tactics you must employ in the game. But for action shooters, Ten Hammers might be a bit too slow-paced--there's more running around than actual bullets-flying situations.

Unwieldy controls and average graphics stall this flyer. But the game is certainly not grounded.

Despite my annoyances with the controls and hit detection, there's plenty to enjoy in Red Hot Rumble, particularly if you're a huge fan of the show or the game series. The deep roster of characters is impressive, as is each one's unique attacks and abilities.

A mix of average to good games, along with some classic stinkers that should have probably faded away in to obscurity.

Challenges are also oversimplified. Where single-player challenges in previous Worms games had cool objectives such as shotgunning targets and parachuting to grab mid-air items, Challenge Mode in Open Warfare is merely team combat.

Whether through it's trademark music or unique take on the film's plot, The Godfather does something that licensed video games have tried and failed to accomplish in the past - give gamers a good time and an experience worthy of the film it's emulating.

While the controls aren't as counterintuitive as many have claimed them to be, the game has minor draw distance problems when you're Katamari gets too big and there're too many big objects on screen. You'll find that the game doesn't load the smaller items and you're Katamari will pick up objects that aren't even represented onscreen.

The beauty of Splinter Cell games has always been the flexibility and fluidity of their controls, especially on the Xbox. But Splinter Cell: Essentials fails to adapt the mechanics to the PSP, and the end result is a frustrating experience with lengthy load times -- an overall trimmed experience.

The major drawback of WG2 is that the game could have been accomplished on a PlayStation. Being a PS2 game, the detail on ships and overall graphics are not up to scratch. I would have liked to have seen more varied missions, maybe even some little men running around decks.

As a whole, Karaoke Revolution Country is another solid Konami karaoke package - one morechance to make an absolute fool out of yourself in your own home, especially if you're a country music fan.

If you have the patience to play a methodical strategy game wrapped around an action game facade then Acid 2 is for you. However, if you prefer direct control of your characters and disdain sorting through decks of cards then you're better off checking out the home console versions of the Metal Gear series.

If you have played any pre-Super Nintendo RPGs, you've played this game. The characters and enemies are uninspired; the dialogue is a little flat; and the twenty-leveled tower is agonizingly mind-numbing.

Whether through it's trademark music or unique take on the film's plot, The Godfather does something that licensed video games have tried and failed to accomplish in the past - give gamers a good time and an experience worthy of the film it's emulating.

Oblivion's more than just a game -- it's an entire world for the taking, the only single-player RPG that could possibly give a game like World of Warcraft a real run for its money.

Oblivion's more than just a game -- it's an entire world for the taking, the only single-player RPG that could possibly give a game like "World of Warcraft" a real run for its money.

Aside from an unresponsive touchscreen issue every now and then, Tetris DS is an amazing puzzle package, and is easily one of the best DS games to date - a perfect partner for the upcoming DS Lite.

Approximately as big as Metroid Prime on the GameCube, it's hard to imagine how Nintendo squeezed Hunters into a tiny DS cartridge. Metroid Prime: Hunters is a very polished game, suffering more from small quirks than actual flaws.

Completely skip the multiplayer aspect of Daxter, and you'll be pleasantly surprised to the game's accessibility and simple ways it draws you in for an all-around enjoyable adventure. Daxter finally proves that he can hold his own without Jak.

With a new budget price and gobs of bonus content, there's absolutely no excuse for missing what is arguably the best Metal Gear ever created. [Apr 2006, p.72]

While it's still Mega Man at heart, it's managed to grow up while also staying young. It's a gaming anomaly, but one that's worth a serious look.

Though a bit rough around the edges in places, The Outfit's fearless fusion of action and strategy pays off in a big way. It's engaging, it's addictive, and it's ferociously one-of-a-kind. [Apr 2006, p.74]

The visuals may be on target, but Advance Warfighter's controls in the single-player campaign bites the bullet. It's been an unfortunate and ongoing theme in the Ghost Recon series, yet the wonky control scheme still hasn't been fixed.

From the New World is filled with hilarious moments and memorable characters. Series fans will forgive the rough spots, even as newcomers mourn what might've been.

While it's clear that College Hoops 2K6 is capable of satisfying most sports gamers' thirsts for an NCAA licensed basketball game, we can't find a single reason why anyone should pony up the extra cash for the same game they could own on their recently abandoned Xboxs and PS2s.

Gameplay mechanics and controls are pretty solid, but there're a handful of missions where after a cut scene my shooting button actually ceased to function for a minute or two. Additionally, the ally AI is pretty dumb.

Even with these few select caveats, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is a stellar addition to the series and a new beginning for Capcom's fourth largest franchise. One has to wonder with all the multiplayer RPG aspects, will there be an online Onimusha title on the horizon.

Car models are incredibly more detailed than they were on the PS2 and Xbox, which results in not only better looking cars as they zip around tracks, but also jaw-dropping particle and debris effects when they crash.

Even with these few legacy issues and the limited multiplayer functions, Samurai Warriors: State of War is a far better game than its previous Dynasty Warriors PSP brethren, and worthy of checking out for your portable gaming hack-and-slash tactical strategy pleasure.

The adrenaline meter, however, hovers at medium until you reach the boss battles, and there's little replay value unless you're someone who can never get his fill of Naruto ninjutsu.

Naruto: Clash of Ninja is an engaging, energetic, button-smacking workout--whether you're a Naruto fan or not. [Apr 2006, p.31]

The game itself can be addicting, as with most puzzle games. The levels and bosses in Adventure mode get naturally more difficult and thus more addicting, planting a seed of competitive I-have-to-beat-this-level nature in any puzzle game enthusiast.

Improves upon the original in several fundamental ways. Most importantly, it allows you to build your fortresses and buildings anywhere on the map, rather than pre-set building zones, opening your strategy up and allowing for a lot more variation in gameplay.

If Black was created to produce an adrenaline-induced euphoria of maddening guns going wild, then it is a total success. In the sequel, as the end of the story sets up, let's hope the AI is improved and includes at least some type of multiplayer.

24 isn't the ambitious action opus it should've been, but its engaging quirks and variety of gaming experiences still raise it above the cash-in gutter.

While Streetwise's story progression is well thought out, the presentation and implementation of the game engine is sorely lacking.

Bad controls, horrible voice-over (it's just as cliche as it was last time), and the trademark and annoyingly pervasive EA Radio will tax not only your brain, but also your ears. Soccer may be a beautiful game, but it's about time to kick FIFA Street 2 to the gutter.

There are too many unbalanced issues in the game to make it a worthy handheld gaming experience. Street Supremacy is definitely better than its PlayStation predecessor, but not by that much.

Baseball fans might want to jump into all the new features, but really, this is the same basic game from last year, though a nifty online MLB news service is a nice added bonus for all those MLB fantasy fanatics.

If Black was created to produce an adrenaline-induced euphoria of maddening guns going wild, then it is a total success. In the sequel, as the end of the story sets up, let's hope the AI is improved and includes at least some type of multiplayer.

Bad controls, horrible voice-over (it's just as cliche as it was last time), and the trademark and annoyingly pervasive EA Radio will tax not only your brain, but also your ears. Soccer may be a beautiful game, but it's about time to kick FIFA Street 2 to the gutter.

The only ailment of Super Princess Peach is its severely easy difficulty, but that doesn't take the fun away from the game.

There's no shortage of modern racers, but most of the current crop seem obsessed with the attitude of tuner culture than racing itself. Toca Racer Driver 3 has no truck with that: It's all about the driving experience. [Mar 2006, p.80]

There's no shortage of modern racers, but most of the current crop seem obsessed with the attitude of tuner culture than racing itself. Toca Racer Driver 3 has no truck with that: It's all about the driving experience. [Mar 2006, p.80]

MS Saga is like a cake without icing: it qualifies as a simple dessert, but it's just not tasty enough to be memorable.

RF Online delivers an MMO that focuses more on battles and less on stories and quests. For those who lust after solid plots and definitive quests, they can stick to their "World of Warcraft" and "Final Fantasy XI." For those who just want to log on and kick butt, RF Online is the prescription for you.

Sonic Riders certainly gives fans the velocity they've been craving, but isn't tightly tuned enough to be much more than an agreeable party game.

Head-and-shoulders above other EA Sports Xbox 360 launch games, and is the first game in the sports genre to evolve beyond the current generation, and is worth a splurge, even if just for a few hard hits.

Despite the pick-up-and-play allure, Fight Night Round 3 can quickly tire out of frustration. The PSP's limited number and close-proximity of its buttons don't do this boxer justice--fitting jabs, hooks, uppercuts, blocks, clinches, special moves, taunts, etc. for fast access just doesn't work well on the system.

Ultimately, Empire at War isn't just RTS-lite--it's RTS extremely lite. Hardcore RTS fans will rapidly grow bored, and even fans of the franchise are better served with Battlefront for its galactic conquest games, or Galactic Battlegrounds for a Star Wars RTS experience that's actually an RTS.

Frequent glitches and game engine freak-outs contribute to an overall less-than-mediocre graffiti/fighting/platforming hybrid.

Age of Empires: The Age of Kings beautifully leverages the DS's unique strength--its interactive touchscreen--to create a truly worthwhile handheld strategy game. With any luck, we're looking at the dawn of a golden age in DS strategy games.

The number of play modes is impressive at first glance, but since most are only slight variations of "drive-fast-shoot-to-kill" scenarios, the typically entertaining action can grow repetitive quickly. The control is also reliable and spot-on, but the wonky, loose arcadey physics are entirely unpredictable and make some driving scenarios tough to predict.

The brilliant graphics and intriguing combat system make Grandia III an excellent choice for PS2 RPGers-and should happily tide them over until "Final Fantasy XII" arrives. [Mar 2006, p.102]

Almost a mirror image of the first game, which is both good and bad. While it has a great story, it also suffers from some of the cardinal sins of action gaming. You'd think that by adding a kick-ass dragon in to the mix that you'd be dealing with a winning formula. It's just too bad, however, that this doesn't end up being the case.

Exit's gameplay - you're a slick wannabe superhero rescuing innocents from dangerous situations - is deceptively simple in that it has a relatively low learning curve, but once you get further into it, it proves to be far from simple.

Frequent glitches and game engine freak-outs contribute to an overall less-than-mediocre graffiti/fighting/platforming hybrid.

In an incredibly cool turn of events, you'll also be flipping your DS upside-down and side-ways, as some of the mini-games flip the top and bottom screens around in some innovative ways.

The PlayStation 2 certainly isn't left wanting for quality role-playing games, so though Tales of Legendia is competent and enjoyable, in the end it simply isn't memorable enough to carve more than a niche.

While the overall control scheme works well enough, kicking long range field goals through the notoriously tight uprights is far too simple. The limited playbook also gives the game a stale feeling and the half baked telemetry system fails to save the gameplay with largely unimportant statistical minutia delivered in eye-straining small fonts and obnoxious menus.

The game is essentially a port of a decade old fighter and it can be hard as hell, but all the horsepower the PSP brings to the table can't keep this game from being at times mind-numbing frustrating when it comes to control. Put simply, the D-pad the PSP has just isn't cut out to be used for a fighting game, where fast fingers and accurate directional control is paramount.

It's almost gut-wrenching to realize that with it has come all the problems that plagued it in the past. Add to this the newly implement touch-screen mini-games that feel like more of a distraction than an addition, and you're left with an experience that only the hardest of the hardcore fan could stomach.

While the overall control scheme works well enough, kicking long range field goals through the notoriously tight uprights is far too simple. The limited playbook also gives the game a stale feeling and the half baked telemetry system fails to save the gameplay with largely unimportant statistical minutia delivered in eye-straining small fonts and obnoxious menus.

If you love adorable Nintendo games that are meant for eight-year-old little girls, then give Chibi-Robo! a try. Otherwise, steer clear of this mind numbingly droll title.

For those faithfully dedicated to Mega Man, such affronts will be perfectly forgivable, but for anyone else Maverick Hunter X proves to be a pretty, if rather pedestrian first outing on Sony's handheld.

Devil May Cry 3 doesn't do a hell of a lot to earn its Special Edition label as a new playable character and boss encounter aren't enough to justify a repurchase. [Feb 2006, p.68]

The top screen is completely cosmetic and, in actuality, you'll more than likely have your eyes trained on the bottom screen the majority of the time.

EA Canada did a worthwhile job in making this year's version of MVP stand out, even if it serves up a great deal of redone material. [Feb 2006, p.84]

EA Canada did a worthwhile job in making this year's version of MVP stand out, even if it serves up a great deal of redone material. [Feb 2006, p.84]

Academy's mini-games looks nice, but just can't compete with Wario Ware's non-stop style of play that is best suited for the stylus-equipped DS.

Ape Escape 3 runs smoothly and is worth your hard earned dollar. [Mar 2006, p.79]

An excellent flashback to old-school gaming in its finest hour. [Feb 2006, p.70]

An excellent flashback to old-school gaming in its finest hour. [Feb 2006, p.70]

It comes as a nice surprise to encounter a DS game brimming with originality and imagination.

If looks could kill, DOA4 would be called Murderer's Row. This game is beautiful; even while you're beating the tar out of your opponent, you'll notice that your surroundings are among the finest you've seen in any fighting game... Hands down the best installment in the series. [Jan 2006, p.38]

While the PSP port plays almost exactly the same as the console version, it also suffers from minor graphical sloppiness, bipolar A.I., and extended load times, which are on par with many of the graphically heavy PSP titles.

Watching these heroes pirouette amidst the violence is surprisingly entertaining, and while Seven Sorrows doesn't deliver fully on the promise and longevity of its progenitor, it does provide a fleeting good time.

In addition to a well-laid out story, the pixel art is incredible, the gameplay is sensible, and the music is enjoyable. Final Fantasy IV is possibly one of the best, if not the best, game of its series.

Watching these heroes pirouette amidst the violence is surprisingly entertaining, and while Seven Sorrows doesn't deliver fully on the promise and longevity of its progenitor, it does provide a fleeting good time.

One thing's for sure about The Sims 2 on PSP: when load times comprises 30 to 40 percent of the gameplay experience, it's excruciatingly boring.

A technological treat, with virtually zero loading, crisp colors, and a pleasingly quirky little soundtrack. There's no multiplayer, though Tokobot's single-player is engrossing enough to soak up your valuable attention for a good eight hours.

For the gamer that likes to live double or triple lives, or for an original Animal Crossing fan, this is a game to pick up. However, for the gamer that demands fast-paced action, storyline, and an imperative need for an ending, this may not be the best game to play.

It's easily the Mario Kart of soccer games and that should tell you a lot. Even if you think you're a confirmed soccer hater, Super Mario Strikers just might rock your world.

The voice acting is downright hideous, but Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones wraps up in a tight PS2 package that is, quite possibly, the best game in the series.

A solid and engrossing basketball game that may lack the high quality presentation and panache of EA's NCAA franchise, but holds its own with an engaging and fairly deep set of options and selectable play modes.

Some may yearn for a more complicated gameplay, but for those who do not, Partners in Time is still as funny and enjoyable as its predecessor.

In Puzzle League, players are tasked to match three pieces of the same color to eliminate them before the screen fill up--simple and entertaining.

The mind numbs along with your thumbs. Though the streets fill with indistinguishable enemies, clogging the frame rate, you'll never find the excitement you crave amid the mechanical melee, only a dull realization that you can't tell which thug is yours, and that you don't much care.

Flawed though it may be, the chance to fight as a giant ape is something gamers have dreamed of since the 2D days of "Rampage."

A solid and engrossing basketball game that may lack the high quality presentation and panache of EA's NCAA franchise, but holds its own with an engaging and fairly deep set of options and selectable play modes.

While the game faithfully translates Akira Toriyama's DBZ world onto the DS, the game stumbles in a few areas. Across the entire character roster, basic attacks from fighter to fighter are basically all the same. Meanwhile, the AI alternates between two wildly different moods--really dumb, or really cheap.