Throw in a slightly Euro-trash sound track (with excellent play-by-play commentary) and a consistent and fluid control scheme and FIFA 06 is a great way for soccer fans to hook up for some foot-to-foot action via the online infrastructure mode or some solo season play.

Raven Software pushed the envelope with the amazing shadow effects in "Doom 3," but unfortunately Quake 4 lacks that same degree of pixel-shader pizzazz outdoors. From the blocky sky box to the drab terrain and buildings, the exterior details pale in comparison to the atmospherically cramped interior spaces.

Moderately pretty graphics and average sound don't offset the labored frustration that follows playing this stilted title. [Nov 2005, p.146]

The controls are tight, the action is fierce, and the game is funny. And for only 40 bucks, that's definitely A Good Thing.

Despite the signature twitch controls, fans of previous Rush racers will be disappointed if they expect more of the same, so it's hard to understand why the name is used at all beyond mercenary marketing.

For every good aspect of the game there seems to be a bad one, and when you balance that out across the board (or ski), it just adds up to a game that tries to evolve a winning formula but falls prey to its own ambition.

For every good aspect of the game there seems to be a bad one, and when you balance that out across the board (or ski), it just adds up to a game that tries to evolve a winning formula but falls prey to its own ambition.

The best bit of tennis software the PSP is going to get. [Nov 2005, p.130]

Vastly more playable, but still falls short of the series' graphical capabilities and ideological potential.

There are some awkward moments, but it shouldn't come as much of a shock that Dawn of Sorrow is otherwise wonderfully refined and enjoyable. [Nov 2005, p.132]

Dedicated fans of the series will find a challenge, but the cumbersome controls and questionable AI remain most effective kill-joys.

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]

An excellent set of unique-mini-games. [Jan 2006, p.99]

The control feels tight and fairly responsive on the analogue pad, making passing and scoring easy feats. Your teammate's friendly A.I. is also mostly reliable, save for the occasional hiccups that leave your buddies staring stupidly at rebounds and loose balls.

Dedicated fans of the series will find a challenge, but the cumbersome controls and questionable AI remain most effective kill-joys.

Maybe it would be more exciting if there was some actual challenge involved, but most of the battles amount to a rock, paper, scissors competition where your opponent is limited to 'rock' for their arsenal.

Quotation forthcoming. [Dec 2005]

Save for a handful of relatively current songs, most of which are unlockable, the music is purely recycled from earlier games. Some of the new gameplay modes are interesting, like playing online, but a "workout mode" hardly seems innovative.

A full-featured map editor and 16-player online play puts multiplayer at the forefront, and nearly every swaying piece of foliage and stunningly realistic body of water makes Instincts a technical treat, especially in 480p.

Bet on Soldier attempts to up the ante on the genre, but instead deals a conservative hand that only FPS fans will want to check.

The whole game comes across as the equivalent of a B-grade horror movie: exciting at times, ultimately unmemorable.

The thoughtful and varied designs of each mission are clearly linear, yet somehow avoid a stuck-on-rails feel, whether you're sneaking around in the dark, gathering photographic evidence, or tearing through the occasional action set-piece.

It pumps up the star power with plenty of show, but Superstar Freestyle doesn't ignore the go. Whether your real-life NBA team is headed for playoff stardom or a ticket to the lottery, NBA Live should make the 2006 just a little more enjoyable.

The whole game comes across as the equivalent of a B-grade horror movie: exciting at times, ultimately unmemorable.

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.

All this action is powered by a load of good-looking, intricate, new animations and improved character models to produce a great little NBA show. NBA 2K6 has great appeal for that gym rat inside all of us.

The biggest setback, however, is the tragically minuscule length of the main story mode, which we leisurely knocked through in well under ten hours. With such rich story options in a beautifully designed world it's a shame that there isn't more for Spidey to do outside of the mild mini-missions and racing for medals.

Brings the super stylish world of Marvel comics to life with beautiful and enjoyable results, but ultimately spins a regrettably short Spidey story-mode experience.