Its arcadey addictiveness and cinematic style successfully lands it in a sweet spot right between those two genres, taking players for a ride that's totally on par with the summer movie excitement it emulates.

While it's a bit pricey for what it offers, Backbreaker Vengeance is football at its most enjoyable, basic level. If you're a football fan who can accept this game for what it is as opposed to what it's not, you're sure to have fun with it.

On the control side, Hunt mostly handles just fine. It feels a little funky when you try to rotate the direction he’s facing (to deposit a body in the shadows, for instance), and the item switching is a little clumsy, but neither issue is serious.

Crystal Bearers is slick and polished but it somehow comes off feeling like a half-finished product.

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."

Auto Modellista’s gameplay doesn’t match its outstanding visuals. Unfortunately, the driving technique at the heart of this driver doesn’t perform well.

The best way to describe Disaster Report is "Silent Hill without the monsters."

The most impressive feature in Tapout 2 is the redesigned visuals. Dream Factory chose to completely redo the graphics to make them look more life-like and as authentic as the real deal.

Overall, the unique approach of NFL Head Coach makes this game a smart pick for football freaks and sports gamers looking to add some analytical and intellectual flavor to their library.

I have to give that fight a hand, however, for at least daring to be, well, daring. Most of Legacy plays it safe, opting for a by-the-numbers approach that never really pushes any of the right buttons. Unless you're a Dragon Age II diehard, you're probably better off skipping this one.

While it does offer some features, including the fact that it's the only hockey title with Wayne as a playable skater, the overall gameplay just can't compete with the other two titles due to Gretzky's stiff-looking animations, limited control options, and suspect A.I. [Dec 2004, p.146]

It's not perfect, but it's a polished, exciting ride.

If you were hoping the new management would give Crash a big kick in the pants, however, this is one pair of pants you will find quite unkicked.

Brings more than just fierce punches and kicks -- it features an engaging story and plenty of gameplay modes that offer a high replay value. Hands down, this is one of the best PS2 games.

Visually, SSX’s twisty 3D environments look excellent but are maddeningly monotonous.

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

Deep statistics are offset by a clunky interface. A deep career mode is offset by annoying seasonal goals. Hi-res graphics are offset by frame rate issues. Great musics and stadium songs are offset by flimsy on-field sound effects.

Hardcore "Bust A Groove" fans will probably like the sequel more than neophyte PlayStation dancers, who they might get more out of the original.

Tons of people used to play this game in the arcade. It was cool then, and this version is the same, only smaller...and with a track designer. [Sept 2004, p.93]

If you ignored Dark Sector on consoles, have a reasonable PC, and are itching for a solid action game during a slow release month like April, that meager price tag will not steer you wrong. However, if you've already experienced Dark Sector once, there's really no reason for you to bother with this port.

On its own, this game brings little to the table. Past its chuckle-worthy "Welcome to Die" and "Master of Magnet" moments, outside of your nostalgia for your arcade days or your enthusiasm for the comic, there's very little game to be had.

Despite its neat exterior and innovative puzzle design, due to some persistent issues with the quality and reliability of the gameplay, it's clear that Red Ball 3 could have stood a few more run-throughs.

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.

There’s nothing particularly special here for classic TV fans, but classic shooter fans will find a battle worth fighting.

Death Tank is a well made game but does not offer any mind blowing features. At the current overpriced price point, Death Tank is tough to recommend.

The gameplay is diverse, and it’s backed by strong graphics and audio...The main downside is with the nontraditional controls.

Despite its averageness, WinBack: CO is fun, satisfying stealth/action fare. If it were the only game you had, it’d be great.

NHL Arcade falls short in too many areas to be highly recommended. Unless you're a diehard hockey fanatic you can pass up this title. It's a shame too, we needed a good hockey arcade title for PSN/XBLA, but we haven't gotten it yet.