Aside from the enhanced one-on-one, the five-on-five gameplay also gets a bit of a brain boost. Fast-breaks and transitions spread the court in a more realistic fashion than before, and the two-person motion capture technique makes for some very cool animations on defense.

There's a dozen different enemies to add some variety, which is good because the fast-paced nature of the game makes that a necessity.

This may just be the best comic book–based game ever.

Complete with giant bosses, exciting gameplay, days of exploration, and an involving narrative, this is the best Castlevania game in years. More importantly, it’s Castlevania in 3D but done right.

I'm quite taken with this roguelike; it feels like a game that came out of nowhere and hits all of the dungeon-crawl buttons -- steep challenge, lots of loots, and a ton of monsters. Throw in its humor and soundtrack and you've got a roguelike that should appeal to anyone who likes a good dungeon-crawl.

Take the time to learn the nuances and you will be suitably rewarded.

The real meat of this Director's Cut, however, comes in the form of new content, although sadly, there are no new storylines or assassination targets.

Cearly, the new team feature needs to be better tuned as do the disappointing visuals. [Oct 2005, p.100]

Not only is it in on the joke, but it's willing to take the punchline-accompanying prat-fall and mandatory pie to the face.

But what Ys Seven lacks in depth it makes up with energy. There's little downtime, making it a good fit for a portable platform, and the boss fights are just fun enough to keep things from getting tedious.

This is Final Fantasy like you've never played it before.

As far as multiplayer goes, while a couple heroes dispatching entire enemy armies on their own might seem true to the spirit of the films, it hardly makes for a balanced and satisfying online encounter.

I suspect that some people will find their enthusiasm drained more than mine by the shallow enemy gene pool, but even they're bound to get swept away by the myriad pleasures of tearing up town as a ghoulish and preternaturally fleet-footed shape-shifter.

Dead Rising 2 is filled with quirks and lingering flaws, but they're easily shrugged off when delivering the business end of an Electric Rake -- that'd be a car battery and rake joined with duct tape -- to an unsuspecting zombie, as the pure joy of creation and destruction alike come together to create an enthralling action experience that's still unlike anything else out there.

In the PS2 version, the game’s depraved humor is intact, and the gameplay is still a refreshing variety of action and strategy, though the RTS aspects of the base-building missions have been simplified.

Dynasty Tactics makes the sometimes slow and daunting challenge of launching grid-based military campaigns fun and entertaining.

The gameplay is certainly realistic, but overall, the physics of how the ball moves feel a bit floaty at times. In the final analysis, ESPN MLB trails after "MVP Baseball" and "MLB 2005," making it a good choice for those who aren't satisfied with those league leaders. [Apr 2004, p.89]

A challenging game that tells a good story (if you get the best ending that is). Lots of replay value and let's not forget huge full screen bosses.

While regular Joes will miss nothing if they pass this up, the art galleries and new music are enough to make Origins worth it to hardcore FF fanatics.

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

The game's greatness lies in its intuitive interface and ease of use. Just about anyone can sit down and make music in a matter of minutes. [Aug 2004, p.68]

The game's controls are comfortable, but newbies shouldn't be deterred: Reckoning features an extensive tutorial mode that runs through the moves, from the most basic to complex holds and attacks. [Nov 2004, p.110]

Rochard the man may be ordinary, but the adventure he stars in is anything but.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is still a spectacle, but compared to the first time around, the hype feels far more subdued.

Rather than being unfocused, Catherine is probably too focused, with its binary split between light adventure gameplay and challenging puzzles. But it clicks.

Originally on WiiWare, there are some concessions to the touch screen with virtual buttons occasionally getting in the way of objects you need to move. This is a small price to pay for such a wondrous platformer at a fraction of the price.

The one-player game is a lot of fun, if perhaps a little on the short side, but at least there are plenty of side missions and things to do after you've completed the main game to help round out its lasting appeal. But I do think it's the multiplayer mode where most people will get their kicks.

The transition from the politics in episode 2 to the completely different slant of rock and roll in episode 3 never feels forced, out of place, or nonsensical. It just works because the writing is so damn good, and leads me to believe the creators of this series could cover any topic and still make a funny game.