The gameplay remains fast and furious, and the simple controls do a masterful job of literally keeping you on track. The interplay between the characters in two-player mode is particularly impressive.

Anyone looking for a classic AD&D gaming experience to hold them over until "Baldur's Gate II" arrives should definitely check out Icewind Dale.

Although the PS2 game comes some three months after the Xbox release, this version is the better of the two—mostly because of its superior controls.

On the field, player controls are as smooth as a 6-4-3 double play.

The only downer to this solid racer is the cumbersome controls.

Where the original sold itself at least partially on the "wow" factor of its then-impressive pre-rendered visuals, Donkey Kong Country Returns is all about what matters most in a high-quality platformer: Inspired, challenging, and inventive level design, backed up by a delightful, cartoon-like atmosphere.

A breathtaking experience. From the inimitable graphics to the hypnotically addictive gameplay, it’s captivating on every level.

Where the game really shines is in its story, which offers class-based warfare amid jocks, nerds, bullies, greasers, and preppies. As Bully progresses and Jimmy finds himself enmeshed in his struggle to survive, the game blossoms, and players will find themselves desperate to see what happens next.

The good news is that the game is absolutely worth the investment, and even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the changes Treyarch instituted or you run into a bunch of morons who are hell bent on ruining a particular mode for you, you have plenty of other options to keep you engaged for a good long time.

Portable Ops still has a way to go- it still sucks being gang-stomped for the tiniest of sneaking missteps- but it's encouraging to see that Konami is willing to take chances with one of its main franchises. With luck, they'll take things even further in the future.

I'll be honest -- this is not a game for people looking for a lightweight, pick-up-and-play baseball game. Despite its cutesy appearance, Superstars is about as hardcore of a simulation game as you can get.

What seems like the perfect game for kids is actually a challenging game for adults. Who knew? Still, Zack & Wiki is a terrific game that will stick with you for a long time.

It’s basically a port of the PS2 version, but on the Xbox, its graphics are so much sharper and—despite the beating the Xbox controller seems to be taking—the joystick-dependent interface feels just right.

A blitzkrieg of metal-mauling combat and strategy, purely for stick jockeys. It’s no sim, but it’s not simple either.

The word "charming" never described a game more aptly. You could play Animal Crossing 30 minutes a day, every day for a year, and still not discover everything the game has to offer.

While it isn't perfect, Spirit Tracks does enough things right that you won't regret persevering through the initial sluggishness. Once the game picks up momentum and speed, it packs a locomotive sized punch, one that doesn't reinvent the wheel but still manages to do the storied franchise proud.

There are so many courses, cars and race types in DiRT 2 that it's almost overwhelming to look at your world map. At one point I had almost 30 unlocked, un-played events just waiting to be tackled. It's a dense game with a lot to do, and you'll want to do it all.

Add in the ingenious PokeWalker, and it's clear that this is a perfect experience for both old-school trainers and the newest generation of Pokemon fans.

Not surprisingly, NCAA Football 07 is a no-brainer buy for the college football fans and is well worth a look from even the most casual of sports gamers. [Aug 2006, p.84]

A spectacular experience from beginning to end, and with an enormous amount of choices to make, cities to visit, dungeons to crawl, NPCs to interact with, treasure to find, quests to complete and crafts to master, I feel pretty confident in saying that Dragon Age: Origins is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable and immersive RPG experiences I've had since my Infinity Engine days. [Jan 2010, p.66]

Good, but it never really lives up to its title - a vision that could have benefited from a little more focus... Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. [Jan 2004, p.110]

An intriguing blend of real time strategy, life development and role playing action, Little King's Story proves itself as a fun-filled and wholly engaging experience for even the most jaded gamer, all wrapped up in a deceptively cute package.

Capcom really did a great job of walking the fine line between paying homage to the classic and moving in a new direction. Of course, Rearmed isn't perfect: the controls take some getting used to, the hacking mini-game's sort of lame, and the game is still brutally tough--curse you spiked floors!--but it's a great update that I heartily recommend to old school NES fans and new gamers alike.

Serious Sam has some of the most exciting and addictive shooting action in years.

A pack that responds to each race's events is an outstanding concept that should elevate the gameplay, but NASCAR 2005's execution of it is too unbalanced to create the hoped-for effect. [Nov 2004, p.142]

A deeply rewarding simulation experience... Once again, the Xbox version has the best overall effects and looks the sexiest.

Those expecting a true sequel here will be disappointed: Substance strictly builds on the success of existing material.

MVP retains the Gold Glove for controls, but the competition has made up ground. [Apr 2005, p.97]