Interacting with the animals and learning their different idiosyncrasies is compelling and fun, but it takes a backseat to the conventional platformer mechanics that the genre is slowly leaving behind.

Isn’t really The Sims as you know it - it’s more like "Animal Crossing" with human beings instead of sapient anteaters.

If it weren’t for the sloppy handling, Rogue III could have flown a perfect flight.

When it comes to sports games, the GameCube’s controller always seems to suffer in points due to its unconventional button arrangement, but surprisingly it's not an issue this year. The default setting has been specialized for the GameCube, and it works wonders.

Combining the addictive life-simulation aspects of The Sims with real-time strategy elements, Firefly Studios has produced Space Colony, a tough, funny, and very charismatic hybrid.

A huge amount of slowdown, even when there’s little going on, detracts from the overall simple shooting-n-slashing frenzy. A sloppy targeting system and the inability to strafe make the controls more of a pain than painless.

Despite these shortcomings, Destination Berlin’s blend of battlefield strategy and sneaky infiltration will appeal to experienced strategy fans. Novices should scout out another battle.

A platformer only by heritage, Naughty Dog’s latest is an enormously entertaining, surprisingly dark, and enduring shrine to what makes games fun.

It’s repetitive and, at times, stupidly frustrating, but overall the insanely awesome outweighs the bad. You won’t find more intense action on PC, and no game will make you feel like more of a badass.

If the offensive and defensive balance were just a bit more fine-tuned..., NBA Live 2004 would have the legs for multiple plays through the Dynasty mode and a clear shot as the top hoops game.

It's very demanding and frequently frustrating, but it's a lot of fun (more fun than the original, for sure) for those who have what it takes. The game also rewards the elite more than any other game of its type.

If the offensive and defensive balance were just a bit more fine-tuned, and the Xbox and GameCube versions had online support, NBA Live 2004 would have the legs for multiple plays through the Dynasty mode and a clear shot as the top hoops game.

Sadly, the game falters during certain combat segments. While the control mechanics enable locking in on an attacker, at times, there are so many charging that it’s difficult to target a particular one.

Detailed textures and a fast frame rate let you savor the disturbing damage, and the precise controls never fail.

It's more different than fun, but once you get the hang of it, Air Ride's quirks become strengths.

You’ll often spot limbs and objects poking through solid surfaces, but you’ll almost never see your opponent properly framed—the camera angles are simply dreadful and rarely offer a decent view of the combat (or even the immediate surroundings).

It feels sloppy and looks simple, but from time to time the brilliance of the game design shines through.

The control setup just doesn’t work - especially when you’re trading bullets in real time with a bunch of Republican Guards. Directing your entire four-man squad to move, shoot, give cover fire, swap items, heal, and everything else that comes with a Special Forces group constantly on the move is tiring to the fingers.

Viewtiful Joe is immediate, extremely challenging, and grows progressively deeper as you advance. It is frantic, exhilarating, and addictive. In short, it is a classic and everything a game should be.

Strong voice acting and sound effects (listen for the subtle heavy breathing when running), and a patriotic score set a believable mood, while the dark, detailed, war-torn streets of New York City are almost too tangible.

It’s a fairly mindless shooter with some cool strategy elements, and aside from some optional tactical coolness, it’s pretty straightforward. It’s a fun and violent game with a really great reward structure.

Crippling frame rate problems tarnish an otherwise engaging single-player experience. Ultimately, the addictive online multiplayer is the main attraction; without it, there’s not much to see here.

The feel of parody is gone; rather than being a wild action game based on hockey, this year’s edition is a hockey game with some wild action.

If "serious" is the last thing you associate with hockey games, you'll have a blast hammering out checks on Hitz’ rink - especially since Midway’s rolled back the price a notch.

If "serious" is the last thing you associate with hockey games, you’ll have a blast hammering out checks on Hitz' rink - especially since Midway’s rolled back the price a notch.

The resulting relaunched game is worthy of its weighty legacy. "NBA Street" has a better all-around arcade-style game, but if all you care about are big dunks and big points, NBA Jam will deliver you to highlight heaven.

A first-rate challenge for anyone with a mind for military strategy.

Simply put, DDRMAX2 is the DDR that players know and love, but slightly flashier. Fans won’t be disappointed.

"NBA Street" has a better all-around arcade-style game, but if all you care about are big dunks and big points, NBA Jam will deliver you to highlight heaven.

So much of it is familiar that it walks a tightrope between being fresh and being too derivative.

Despite the novel ideas, Billy is, at its heart, a fairly normal platformer...but with Sonic Team at the helm, you really can't go wrong.

Some of its ideas are brilliant innovations, some are wisely appropriated standards, and some just flop - but the overall result is fun, action-oriented, authentic hockey with a few troubling flaws.

The mix of true physics, newbie approachability, gameplay depth, and even a sly sense of humor makes Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 thoroughly enjoyable.

The mix of true physics, newbie approachability, gameplay depth, and even a sly sense of humor makes Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 thoroughly enjoyable.

Hits a nice middle ground between realism and action.

The mix of true physics, newbie approachability, gameplay depth, and even a sly sense of humor makes Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 thoroughly enjoyable.

A nice middle ground between realism and action.

A "Jedi Outcast" follow-up that feels more like an expansion pack than a whole new game... [It] won't bake your noodle or drop your jaw, but it's certainly a fine answer for those of you looking for more Jedi Knight.

Offers a smooth ramp of power, fast-but-strategic combat, and a real variety of gameplay. Alone, it's cool. With friends, it's a blast.

Mind-boggling quick, XGRA is quite possibly the fastest entry in the futuristic racing subgenre - so fast that a lot of time is spent playing knock-hockey against barriers despite tight controls.

If you're the kind of hardcore NASCAR fans that will revel in the challenge of Career mode, you'll have an absolute blast with Thunder, particularly now that Tiburon has included a ton of in-game help and redesigned the interface to be massively more usable.

The lack of multiplayer options is a shame, but TTOEE is the best D&D title in recent memory, especially since parties of different alignments (good, evil, neutral) all face unique plots. This all adds up to one monstrous nonlinear RPG packed with plenty of replay value.

The missions are bipolar: either incredibly easy or insanely difficult. Smithers is a boss for cryin' out loud!

It's an action/RPG, and a pretty boring one at that - a repetitive dungeon attack that feels like an unexciting "Diablo."

Boktai couldn't have been done on any other system; it is uniquely Game Boy Advance, yet not at all like any of its other titles. A paradox, a conundrum, and creativity incarnate.

DC3's biggest problem is the visuals - not the look but the presentation. Camera angles constantly change perspective - often times during platform jumps - and you're forced to suddenly change direction on the controller.

If you're the kind of hardcore NASCAR fans that will revel in the challenge of Career mode, you'll have an absolute blast with Thunder, particularly now that Tiburon has included a ton of in-game help and redesigned the interface to be massively more usable.

A strong four-player Season mode does not a great wrestling game make. Raw 2 is a poor showing for a decent franchise. Its detailed Season mode is its only real virtue, and even that isn’t half of what it could have been.

A huge, fun monster-whacker that would hold up pretty well even without its Tolkien license—it is mini-Diablo, after all.

Once the action's underway, however, ESPN NHL is old school all the way in its approach to passing and skating, but it offers the most extensive array of moves, and everything just handles butter-smooth. For sheer playability, its controls rule.

It's as mindless as they come, and combing over the uninspired levels looking for needles in haystacks isn’t particularly fun, but if you're looking for a PS2 meatgrinder of a game, Wayward’s a top candidate.

Outbreak's gameplay differs little from that of the previous two installments...All that said, though, Outbreak is the most engrossing .hack yet from a story standpoint.

Though the single-player mode is a drag, Starsky & Hutch features a great two-player mode that fuses aspects of Driver with Time Crisis by having one player ("You be Starsky!") drive using a steering wheel peripheral and the other player ("I'll be Hutch!") shoot with a light-gun. It makes for great co-op gameplay.

Once the action's underway, however, ESPN NHL is old school all the way in its approach to passing and skating, but it offers the most extensive array of moves, and everything just handles butter-smooth. For sheer playability, its controls rule.

P.N.03's strong aesthetics add flavor to the repetitive gameplay...Sure, this may not be the deepest GameCube offering available, but for those who crave a shoot-em-up with old-school inflections, P.N.03 is A-OK.

Those who are into strategy/RPGs will find this to be one of the finest, forged in the genre's most perfect (i.e. portable) form. The pacing's right, the world is full of opportunity, and - surprise - the story is actually pretty remarkable!

XIX just doesn’t have the oomph of a "SmackDown" or even a "Raw." The Revenge mode is a cool idea, but the execution needs work, and the lack of a traditional season might chase off some fans.

The potential replay value for the game is enormous. Of course, until ESPN has had a full season under its belt, the jury’s out as to whether first-person view is major revolution or a nifty diversion...but it’s very cool.

A masterful effort. It literally redefines itself within the span of one videogame football season and is a worthy preseason Pro Bowl pick.

The easy tricks provide immediate gratification with a shallow learning curve, but there’s little depth.

While it's not for casual folk, the battles are so addictive that hardcore gamers may never need another strategy RPG ever.

Player-movement controls sport a nice pressure-sensitive touch that presents veterans with a good challenge toward perfecting their skills. But the gameplay stills feels a tad slow.

A must-have for all fighting-game fans, but its easy-going control is also ideal for the casual gamer who just wants to get a bit of aggression out and look good doing it.

As a high-octane slay-a-thon, Otogi knows what it is and what it's supposed to do, and as long as you don't mind leaving your brain at the door, you'll probably dig it. Just be prepared to get bored after the first couple of hours.

But the key is gameplay and control, and that's where Fever’s a little rough around the edges.

Spawn's struggles with the forces of good and evil in the comic actually make him the best fit, story wise, of the exclusive console characters. His powerful strikes and air-based attacks also make him an extremely tough character to beat.

Of the three console-exclusive characters, Link requires the most finesse to stay competitive but not so much that younger players will get frustrated.

Ghost Master's truly bloodcurdling flaw is its lack of customization options: There are no character creator, level editor, or multiplayer options.

The game looks incredible on a P4 2.7 GHz with a Radeon 9800 Pro, but still looks extremely impressive (and played wonderfully) on an Athlon 1.7GHz running a lowly GeForce 3.

Ultimately, if you're not a Pokéfan, this game won't change your mind…but if you don't mind the adorable monsters, there's lots of unusually satisfying gameplay here.

Reclaims the crown "Wipeout" stole from F-Zero with lots of stuff to unlock, a stout Story mode, and lots of group fun - but it can be frustratingly difficult, too. The chemical response of your adrenal gland could be hazardous.

On the whole, the puzzle construction is logical and rewarding, but it has major lapses of logic that prove maddening. The multiplayer mode is where Chaos Bleeds really shines.

A unique action game that’s repetitive in its style and level structure, Alter Echo is kept from being boring by its over-exaggerated morphing combo system and a wide variety of enemies that adapt to your attacks.

A fun mixture of addictive action, tough obstacle course maneuvering, and actual wit.

Beats its predecessor with souped-up visuals, new characters and moves, improved tutorials, hundreds of unlockable items, and the amazingly deep Quest mode. And this is a Greatest Hits title? Insane bargain alert!

For Romance followers, this addition to the series is the best yet. An unlimited number of accounting practices combined with more depth to the lives that you control can be an overwhelming if not humbling experience for wannabe rulers of the land. Just make sure you’re up for a long lesson in advanced bookkeeping.

Of course, the game feels best when played with the PS2 controller. The Xbox and the GameCube are fine, too, but their button layouts force sometimes awkward finger stretching.

On the field is where Madden is money. All the player models have received another megadose of polygons. The PS2 looks even better than last year's version, but the Xbox and the GameCube really shine.

This 2004 edition maintains the traditional love affair with the NFL that football gamers have come to expect from the series while adding some dynamite new features.

It’s too easy. You'll be able to breeze through the game's 13 levels and only encounter about three tough bosses, which comes out to roughly $17 a challenge.

The best part of Island Thunder is its price tag... Though it may seem to be a simple add-on, Island Thunder has enough features to make it feel like a brand-new game.

The two-player mode isn’t all bad, but for such a solid game, it’s a flaw that’s keeping this otherwise plenary racing game below the ranks of "Mario Kart" and "Diddy Kong Racing."

For all its similarity to Silent Hill 2, the third installment still manages to set itself apart with more variety, slightly improved combat, more logical puzzles, a different enough story, and even better visuals in their own grainy nonconformist way.

It’s a fun mixture of high-speed racing with a tight balance of racing and tricks.

The fact that the game is so close to perfection is what makes the multiplayer so damn disappointing.

By taking two killer licenses and placing them in a real-time strategy setting, Zono Inc. has crafted a compelling, addictive, and challenging-as-hell game.

The game surfs on the well-executed difference among the Alien, Predator, and Marine gameplay styles, but the strategy lacks depth and defaults to the throw-piles-of-guys-at-the-enemy style of gameplay.

The audio and visuals are pristine (gotta love that water), the core gameplay's solid as ever, and as a party game, there are few equals. If you wanted a revolution, you probably wouldn't be buying this anyway.

Less enjoyable is the amazingly blatant product placement—bike brands like Trek and Specialized make sense, but while you pedal, billboards for online auction sites and energy bars peddle under the guise of earnable sponsorships. Gamers will tire of it quickly.

Missions get yawn-inducingly monotonous after awhile, and the game's final motorcycle chase sequence is one of the most frustrating ever designed.

Silent Line’s claim to fame is the new first-person view, which looks very cool but ups the practice requirements, too.

BioWare has fabulously succeeded in taking a very PC-like title and making it palatable (not to mention obscenely addictive) to the console audience. The result: the best RPG on the Xbox and arguably the best Star Wars game to date.

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

Easily the most gorgeous and immersive game in the genre. Huge cities, vibrant wildernesses, and highly detailed player character models help nail home the sheer Star-Warsiness of the game, while the Star Wars sound suite does its usual awesome job of grounding you in the world of the films.

The graphic and sound departments could have used just as much depth. Instead, the visuals are reminiscent of how the first-generation PS2 games look—not refined with average detail.

Presentation wise, the wide range of characters and vast courts look great and feature a high level of detail. Animation can be a bit stiff looking, but this is still one of the best-looking volleyball games ever.