With a 10-12 hour story mode, an optional new-game+, and a fairly high difficulty curve to tie it all together, CRO is a robust - if not all that replayable - RPG.

Test Drive needed this reboot, and the gritty, underground-racing angle isn’t bad; it just doesn’t feel as thrilling or daring as it should.

Visually, there’s lots to explore on every map, and the characters actually show decent detail. Cool voices and slick weapon effects complete a solid soundtrack.

Better suited for the GBA format than most of the muddy faux-3D titles out there.

When you get down to it, Infestation's excellent presentation and grim atmosphere outweigh most of its minor faults. The old-school gameplay offers a fun challenge and blends well with the source material to deliver an authentic trip through sci-fi memory lane. For a hardened Alien fan like me, that's reason enough to grab a DS and dim the lights.

Lost Magic strives to accomplish something innovative and enjoyable, it falls short in its implementation, resulting in a game that frustrates and disappoints.

The gameplay is fun but quickly gets tiresome. It's also somewhat frustrating because the DS screen is a bit cramped and the stylus controls sometimes resulted in careless errors.

I wish that the game had a slightly more consistent frame rate, and its learning curve is somewhat steep, but those awesome online features make up for the few niggling flaws.

Really short and super-easy. Mini-Ulala works mostly as a neato novelty act.

Matt Hazard is not a great game. It falls victim to a lot of the cliches that it pokes fun at and Matt Hazard doesn't have the star appeal of a Duke Nukem or a Marcus Fenix. It doesn't take the spoof thing far enough--they totally waste the voice over talents of the awesome Will Arnett--and the action needs three more coats of polish but it definitely has its moments. Despite its faults, I more or less enjoyed it.

While the incorporation of stealth may not be the strongest feature in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, it's probably the only change worth noting. Although there are other modes for you to try, they're really not worth the time. [Dec 2004, p.134]

For all its simplicity, there's no denying that Serious Sam HD has enough old-school charm and addictive gameplay to make it a worthwhile purchase for gamers that just want to get some killing done the old fashioned way: with a portable ship cannon, gatling gun and four-barreled rocket launcher in your pocket.

Sure, the chatter between characters is pretty hokey at times - and is that old guy a walking stick with a head? - but that doesn't overshadow that Culdcept is an interesting and unique game idea. It's worth a look to see if it will offer you a break from the routine.

Crackdown 2 is an action game with a very exciting and worthwhile set of core mechanics, complete with some interesting multiplayer options, but also a very disappointing campaign and too much familiarity after such a long layover.

Deadliest Warrior: Legends doesn't do anything to reinvent the fighting game genre, but it certainly does give it an interesting twist.

Problematic, though, are the sequences in which you have to swing around confounding and shoddily rendered 3D hub areas to capture Doc Ock, access new chapters, and unlock bonus missions against a timer.

The game isn't necessarily scary, but it will make you anxious as hell. Time-based puzzles are enough to make your heart explode, as are the variety of reoccurring traps.

As a high-octane slay-a-thon, Otogi knows what it is and what it's supposed to do, and as long as you don't mind leaving your brain at the door, you'll probably dig it. Just be prepared to get bored after the first couple of hours.

While not as advanced or socially oriented as the recent Bomberman releases, players will find the original Bomberman pleasantly and subversively enjoyable. [Sept 2004, p.93]

Even with its slicker production, PA2 still manages to feel a bit more muddled than its predecessor.

If incredibly sore hands and a serious feeling of relief after busting caps in countless Shogun hoodlums constitutes a solid console light-gun shooter, then Ninja Assault screams for your attention.

Overall this is a great puzzle game with both an entertaining story and mind-bending puzzles. The numerous locations are both a burden on the art style and a blessing for the expanded scope of the game.

A slightly better value than 2002 with tweaked gameplay and a few new features. The problem is that the competition has jumped ahead substantially within the same time frame.

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

The problem, however, is that there's simply too much going on. It's usually a mystery who's winning in any given level, or even where you are. The seemingly arbitrary point system means you can win all the levels, yet still ultimately lose.

You'll either immerse yourself in truly mastering one of the world's most powerful sports cars, or you'll find this about as much fun as taking your driver's test.

It’s the same exact game as the PlayStation version with little more than cleaned-up graphics and faster load times—not good or bad, just the same.

To be blunt, The Conduit is a by the numbers shooter that offers a couple of thrills but ultimately doesn't make much of an impact.