If you're the kind of hardcore NASCAR fans that will revel in the challenge of Career mode, you'll have an absolute blast with Thunder, particularly now that Tiburon has included a ton of in-game help and redesigned the interface to be massively more usable.

The lack of multiplayer options is a shame, but TTOEE is the best D&D title in recent memory, especially since parties of different alignments (good, evil, neutral) all face unique plots. This all adds up to one monstrous nonlinear RPG packed with plenty of replay value.

The missions are bipolar: either incredibly easy or insanely difficult. Smithers is a boss for cryin' out loud!

It's an action/RPG, and a pretty boring one at that - a repetitive dungeon attack that feels like an unexciting "Diablo."

Boktai couldn't have been done on any other system; it is uniquely Game Boy Advance, yet not at all like any of its other titles. A paradox, a conundrum, and creativity incarnate.

DC3's biggest problem is the visuals - not the look but the presentation. Camera angles constantly change perspective - often times during platform jumps - and you're forced to suddenly change direction on the controller.

If you're the kind of hardcore NASCAR fans that will revel in the challenge of Career mode, you'll have an absolute blast with Thunder, particularly now that Tiburon has included a ton of in-game help and redesigned the interface to be massively more usable.

A strong four-player Season mode does not a great wrestling game make. Raw 2 is a poor showing for a decent franchise. Its detailed Season mode is its only real virtue, and even that isn’t half of what it could have been.

A huge, fun monster-whacker that would hold up pretty well even without its Tolkien license—it is mini-Diablo, after all.

Once the action's underway, however, ESPN NHL is old school all the way in its approach to passing and skating, but it offers the most extensive array of moves, and everything just handles butter-smooth. For sheer playability, its controls rule.

It's as mindless as they come, and combing over the uninspired levels looking for needles in haystacks isn’t particularly fun, but if you're looking for a PS2 meatgrinder of a game, Wayward’s a top candidate.

Outbreak's gameplay differs little from that of the previous two installments...All that said, though, Outbreak is the most engrossing .hack yet from a story standpoint.

Though the single-player mode is a drag, Starsky & Hutch features a great two-player mode that fuses aspects of Driver with Time Crisis by having one player ("You be Starsky!") drive using a steering wheel peripheral and the other player ("I'll be Hutch!") shoot with a light-gun. It makes for great co-op gameplay.

Once the action's underway, however, ESPN NHL is old school all the way in its approach to passing and skating, but it offers the most extensive array of moves, and everything just handles butter-smooth. For sheer playability, its controls rule.

P.N.03's strong aesthetics add flavor to the repetitive gameplay...Sure, this may not be the deepest GameCube offering available, but for those who crave a shoot-em-up with old-school inflections, P.N.03 is A-OK.

Those who are into strategy/RPGs will find this to be one of the finest, forged in the genre's most perfect (i.e. portable) form. The pacing's right, the world is full of opportunity, and - surprise - the story is actually pretty remarkable!

XIX just doesn’t have the oomph of a "SmackDown" or even a "Raw." The Revenge mode is a cool idea, but the execution needs work, and the lack of a traditional season might chase off some fans.

The potential replay value for the game is enormous. Of course, until ESPN has had a full season under its belt, the jury’s out as to whether first-person view is major revolution or a nifty diversion...but it’s very cool.

A masterful effort. It literally redefines itself within the span of one videogame football season and is a worthy preseason Pro Bowl pick.

The easy tricks provide immediate gratification with a shallow learning curve, but there’s little depth.

While it's not for casual folk, the battles are so addictive that hardcore gamers may never need another strategy RPG ever.

Player-movement controls sport a nice pressure-sensitive touch that presents veterans with a good challenge toward perfecting their skills. But the gameplay stills feels a tad slow.

A must-have for all fighting-game fans, but its easy-going control is also ideal for the casual gamer who just wants to get a bit of aggression out and look good doing it.

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.

But the key is gameplay and control, and that's where Fever’s a little rough around the edges.

Spawn's struggles with the forces of good and evil in the comic actually make him the best fit, story wise, of the exclusive console characters. His powerful strikes and air-based attacks also make him an extremely tough character to beat.

Of the three console-exclusive characters, Link requires the most finesse to stay competitive but not so much that younger players will get frustrated.

Ghost Master's truly bloodcurdling flaw is its lack of customization options: There are no character creator, level editor, or multiplayer options.