Ace Combat Zero is, without a doubt, the most fun I've ever had with a flight simulator, and it's the best one in the series yet.

The generic levels, poor audio, and sometimes downright confusing level objectives and bizarre CRT system become a little worse for wear.

The generic levels, poor audio, and sometimes downright confusing level objectives and bizarre CRT system become a little worse for wear.

Up against such performance powerhouses as "Burnout," "Gran Turismo," and "Midnight Club," it simply can't compete.

The core gameplay in all its monotonous glory is, unfortunately, entirely preserved, and while no one can deny the appeal of trashing pricey downtown real estate while noshing picture-snapping tourists and tossing trains, if you play one level you've played them all.

In all, 2006 FIFA World Cup is a no-brainer buy for soccer fans and is at least worth a rental for everyone else. [Jun 2006, p.82]

The control feels natural and responsive, but the Xbox 360 version features somewhat larger players on the feild than the PS2 - something gamers without big screens may wish to consider.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer DRIFT could have been a drift racing fans godsend, but the experience is soured by balancing issues and bad AI.

A solid racer, but it is definitely not for everyone. Take it out for a spin only if you're familiar with rally racing. Otherwise, this niche sport is worth passing up.

It's obvious a game is unpolished when you have to sit through a patch download each time you want to play. Auto Assault may be fun for the hardcore Mad Max fans, but the steep learning curve and frustrating controls are red flags for the casual gamer.

A huge, huge improvement over the last few wretched Tomb Raider titles. Prince of Persia fans should definitely take note.

If you value gameplay over graphics, there's no just beating the standard Xbox version of Legend -- it's just much, much smoother than its Xbox 360 counterpart.

A good game with a few bugs. If you're a fan of the anime series then you'll probably fall instantly in love with Sidetracked.

My suggestion: skip the single-player campaign and head straight to online play.

Condemned is intense, but it's more of an elaborate tech demo or proof of concept than a truly fleshed-out game.

If you value gameplay over graphics, there's no just beating the standard Xbox version of Legend -- it's just much, much smoother than its Xbox 360 counterpart.

Deep statistics are offset by a clunky interface. A deep career mode is offset by annoying seasonal goals. Hi-res graphics are offset by frame rate issues. Great musics and stadium songs are offset by flimsy on-field sound effects.

Odama is imaginative and is proof that you don't need to be more annoying than Jessica Simpson, like Katamari, to be a successful whacky videogame.

But with so many better looking and better playing b-ball games available, it's tough to recommend NBA Ballers: Phenom for anything beyond a kitschy weekend rental or a late night study break.

The control is tight and responsive, making any fatal face plants entirely your own fault, while the tutorial/licensing helps quickly acclimate you to competitive racing. All in all, the difficulty might turn as many casual gamers away as it will attract hardcore racing fans, which isn't always a bad thing if you're looking for racing authenticity.

Sadly, the horrible control scheme puts a damper on this dapper British agent.

For a game trying to give a realistic tennis experience, the ranking and simulation system is downright embarassing.

By any measure, Kingdom Hearts II is an outstanding adventure made all the more spectacular by its uncanny ability to weave disparate strands of fiction into a single, engaging conglomeration of iconic characters and settings.

Being the mother of rhythm games, Beatmania has been around before Dance Dance Revolution ever got popular. It took a long time, but it's finally here, and rhythm game fans everywhere should be rejoicing.

A pretty big step up from "Brotherhood of the Blade." The storyline has been upgraded and fleshed out to a nice degree, and the new attack types are fun to tinker around with and work in to your overall combat strategies. It's just the little things, like the now clunky menu, and the boring levels that really end up preventing the game from being a true success.

This isn't the deepest videogaming experience you can buy for sixty bucks. It's not going to change the genre. It's not going to be the game of the year. It's just something fun to do after killing a few beers.

While a fairly competent game, it just doesn't manage to add enough new content to make it worth a serious look.

While a fairly competent game, it just doesn't manage to add enough new content to make it worth a serious look.