While CNK may not break new ground, it does a quality job of delivering another kart racer in Crash’s universe. It will put gamers' mettle to the test and offer hours of "wait, one more time..." gameplay.

This top-down arcade game based on Burnout's Crash mode is addictive, but it could've used a little more focus on mindless carnage and less on planning and repetition.

Even if the missions are lousy and the combat sucks, there's undeniable appeal in bumping into a real-world actor playing Morpheus or the Architect.

Graphics and sound alone can't save sub-par gameplay, however, and even the most staunch WWII shooter fan won't find much to enjoy with Heroes 2.

I was amused by Bloons TD 4 at first, but after a while the game's nagging balancing issues became more and more apparent.

There are predictable missteps--the driving sequences are awkward and twitchy, and the camera doesn't always behave itself--but on the whole, From Russia With Love is a convincing and enjoyable ride on the sixties Bond rollercoaster.

Thankfully, one of the earlier problems with the game - the lack of tables - has been somewhat resolved with the release of two new tables since Pinball FX came out several months ago, though players will undoubtedly take issue with the rather tardy release of new tables.

Fans of Conan will appreciate this game as much as hack-and-slash fans who've never heard of the franchise. It's a lot of fun, challenging without being frustrating and all in all, a great example of its genre.

It's by no means perfect, but Virtua Tennis 4 shows there is still life (and maybe a few trick shots) left in the tennis simulator genre.

Your teammates at times don't respond to enemy fire and don't take cover when necessary. Enemies are just as brainless: They rush through doorways without even noticing you and your men, or run right past you unflinchingly as you're firing off rounds.

While business minutia often drags down world-building sims, Operation Genesis offers enough variety and a bit of real action to not only set it apart but also keep players very satisfied.

If either half of Wrath Unleashed had been more fully formed, the game would have been easy to recommend, but as it stands, half a fighting game and half a strategy game does not make a whole game. [Mar 2004, p.64]

Serious Sam delivers all the requirements of an exciting FPS, and the 20-buck asking price is a sweet incentive.

It's just that missing level of polish that's more like an entire coat of paint they left off that holds this game back. 2K Sports knows how to make quality sports games, so I can't figure out why MLB 2K can't get its act together. But at this point it's going to take a concerted effort to put out a complete product before the series even approaches relevancy.

As the most challenging Dynasty Warriors to date, 5 is also the most satisfying - but with so little changes over the years this latest installment may feel like a rehash to most. [May 2005, p.96]

Exigo's multileveled gameplay is a good first step in an interesting direction, but unfortunately, that's not always enough to compete in the brutally competitive RTS genre. With more tweaking, Armies of Exigo could definitely give Blizzard a run for its money. [Dec 2004, p.126]

Knuckles is a blast to play with, because he can climb walls -- bringing a different aspect to the game from simply spinning and rolling like Sonic. Also, if you own Sonic 1, 2 or 3 in your XBLA game library, you can play as Knuckles in them as well, a little added extra courtesy of Seeeeeggaaa!

Sticking to a basic and virtually flawless RPG format isn't necessarily a bad way to introduce X and his frieinds to a turn-based style of gameplay. [Nov 2004, p.156]

Unfortunately, Kya is a very difficult game to play as the controls are not particularly intuitive and the camera seems to delight in going haywire during delicate jumping situations.

Although it is not a title for everyone, fitness enthusiasts will get a kick out of this simple title.

The biggest problem with Sonic Battle is the poor game design in Story mode. Earning Skill Points, and thereby new abilities for Emerl the Robot, is a grueling ordeal.

If you're looking for some racing-combat fun, this pod if for you.

Even though it's not a wholly fresh experience, Kingdom Hearts: Re:Chain of Memories is definitely worth a try, especially if you didn't play the original GBA release.

Casual gamers might be able to overlook these faults but longtime Sims fans shouldn't let the brand name fool them into investing in it. [Nov 2007, p.96]

We were also dismayed at how quickly the game lost its appeal; a few levels of the same old, same old and we were ready to call it quits. Beyond a few interesting boss fights, it rarely strays from its simplistic "kill everything and move on" formula.

If you've played a Pokemon Ranger adventure before, just be aware that Guardian Signs isn't much of a departure from the last two titles in the series.

Madballs offers a complete package for $10 but because of a lacking online community you will be playing most of the game in single player mode. Overall, Madballs is worth a purchase if you are looking for a fast paced shooter.

Goblet of Fire adds some interesting enhancements, like bonus-granting Collector's Cards that can be bought and equipped, but it's just too tightly wound to stale gameplay convention to succeed.