Z.H.P. is a great introduction to the roguelike genre for those unfamiliar with it, as well as a solid title overall. It still won't appeal to those with a severe dearth of patience -- or those who hate the idea of any sort of permanent penalty for failure -- but if you're looking for a fun (and funny) trip into one of gaming's more underappreciated genres, Z.H.P. is a great time.

The game's difficulty curve is a bit too sharp, but it's fun to experiment in the environment, even if it takes a while to get a puzzle right.

Saint's Row 2 deserves props for its phenomenal customization and inventive multiplayer modes-including drop in and out cooperative play-but it's derivative design lacks polish and panache. It's entertaining, but it's also outclassed by its competitors.

An awesome new first-person shooter with the chops and options to tangle with the best.

Of the three, only the PS2 version seems prone to annoying split-second jitters and pauses that break up the animation.

Whether you plan to acquire it as a collector’s item or just want to get acquainted with Mega Man’s past, you can be sure it’s going to be one heck of a trip back into time.

Even with its A.I. problems, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance will restore gamers' faith in the pioneering fight series with its amped-up gameplay and delicious visuals.

If you’re looking for rowdy, raucous action backed by unusual staying power and that familiar Midway gameplay, you’ll savor the smell of what Hitz is cooking.

The one snag is the character graphics, which are nicely detailed but look slightly indistinct (particularly for the enemy combatants) and are not quite up to the caliber of the rest of the visuals.

World Cup–level graphics and realism have to struggle to make up for controls that keep getting yellow cards.

I would love to see this title moved to a console, where the controls could be streamlined and hopefully the load times reduced. As it stands, The Witcher is an extremely fun game with the nasty habit of succumbing to narcolepsy at the most inappropriate moments.

Weirdly enough, although the console version of Dark Void was supposed to be the main focus for Capcom, this little side project turned out to be an arguably better game.

It's really pretty incredible how dense this game is.

If you've already paid your full subscription, get to downloading Dangeresque 3 right now and enjoy the best episode yet. If, for some strange reason, you are on the fence about committing to this series, this is the episode that will hook you.

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.

The game was number three in a field of three last year, but this season it looks great and has dramatic gameplay improvements for all skill levels. [Apr 2005, p.97]

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 combines beautiful graphics with excellent controls to bring all the excitement and frustration of golf to your iDevice.

If you're not so keen on the more sim-like nature of Forza or GT, it's a great buy. And if you like either or both those games, but want to experience raw and exciting racing, Shift 2 certainly delivers enough frenetic action to make it a great additional purchase. In that respect, it's a winning formula.

Granted, it’s a very short game that certainly won’t mesmerize you for weeks, but the value of its multiplayer side as a killer party game makes it a very worthy addition to your PS2 library.

The story is laughably bad, and McKane has to be one of the most unlikable protagonists ever. Even worse, the racing gameplay just isn’t that exciting, largely due to lackluster handling and A.I. competition.

The first-rate gunnin’ action takes precedence over everything else in the game. This is one crisis that all pistol enthusiasts should make time for.

Everything from the story line to the sword-slashing gameplay is both fun and captivating, launching Musashi into the realm of outstanding PlayStation RPGs with "Final Fantasy VII" and "Breath of Fire III."

Controls are as sharp as ever, and the opponent A.I. is tight.

Offers true harmony between arcade and simulation football games, but with more attitude than both of them put together. Oh, and it’s fun, too.

Even if needles make you squeamish or you feel faint at the sight of blood, Trauma Center is a cure for what has been a spell of mediocrity on the DS. [Nov 2005, p.131]

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.

The open, expansive world of Hitman is certainly what makes this game an enjoyable experience. There's a good mix of stealth and action, and your enemies are smart enough to give you a challenge to the very end.

Ultimately, AOE III has clearly won the battle for graphical supremacy, but for all its improvements elsewhere, it has yet to win the war for RTS dominance.