A breath of fresh air that has restored faith in platforming adventure titles. Within the first three minutes of gameplay, one realizes just how funnily bizarre this title is.

The atmospheric design is as good as it gets, the multiplayer options are aplenty, and no matter which perspective you choose, first or third, you'll still find some of the best combat you can dish out on a console.

If you thought "Fable" and "Knights of the Old Republic" were the best RPGs the Xbox had to offer, you need to think again. Jade Empire is the new king of Xbox RPGs, and it doesn't look like anything will be releasing this year to top it.

Reminded me of any given recent Steven Seagal film. Yeah, you'll have your guilty pleasure with it and like some moments of its over-the-top violence, but it really feels like the same old thing, like the after-effects of a good idea gone rather sour in production.

It has deep gameplay that makes "Need For Speed Underground" look like a Lego car.

The graphics aren't exactly awe-inspiring and neither is the gameplay. Hardcore RTS fans might want to consider this one, but if you don't qualify as hardcore then don't bother.

When Mercury is at its best, it's an elegantly simple and addictive action-puzzler. When it's at its worst, it's like a tedious pop quiz from an unpredictable, bad-tempered teacher.

Its story isn't as cool as it could've been and the lackluster monster design keeps it from matching "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill's" intensity, but Obscure is a fairly enjoyable game that's worth picking up, especially for the price.

There's no denying that First to Fight is a competent shooter, though some moronic AI decisions, clipping, and the simple fact that games such as this have been done to death make it less than impressive.

Releasing the likes of The Rise of Kasai after the testosterone-pumping brilliance that was "God of War" is like trying to reintroduce yourself to a McDonald's burger after you've tasted the glory of In n' Out Burger...why bother?

If the video game world was one big butcher's block, then Doom 3 would obviously come down to being one tough piece of prime rib. The game packs lots of hideous monsters to bring down and does so in a beautiful package, with the kind of sound and visuals that push the Xbox to its very limits.

Whatever you do, don't let its cute appearance fool you. The force is strong with this one!

Falls too often into the trap where it just feels like an add-on to the series, instead of a brave new sequel.

It has some good ideas but they're overthrown by a particular lack of anything that stands out, aside from the herky-jerky camera and the occasional booty shots.

The gameplay remains somewhat fun as you mix up combos and techniques, alone or with a friend, but the difficulty level is questionable and some parts of the game came up lacking.

I wanted to give Chaos Theory a five-star rating like its brother before it, I really did. But something held me back, probably the lack of so many co-op maps or something about the way the gameplay didn't jar me like it used to, as excellent as it remains.

The combat options are refreshing, and the ability to pummel up to 15 other people in a deathmatch is awesome, but the graphics aren't as smooth as they could be, and there's not that much more to do, due to the lack of a comprehensive story mode.

It's fast, it's fun, and full of quirky dark humor, over-the-top violence, and honest-to-goodness car-rending amusement.

I cannot understand why the open-ended exploration of the game had to take a powder. Almost everything is chosen from a menu system now, instead of you being able to ride across a wide terrain to your next challenges.

While the game may be brimming with the kind of content and challenge that may make younger and weaker gamers cringe, those hungry for something with meat on its bones will feast on the fantastic gameplay, breathtaking presentation, and impressive extras.

While the fighting engine is unique, and the city large and interesting, there isn't much to keep players glued to the game.

The collection's mostly a success, although when it falls backward, it falls hard, particularly with the miserable remake of "Golden Axe."

The only major problem with Ape Escape is it doesn't really offer a thrilling gameplay experience. Much like the original, it lacks that all important "wow" factor.

It wants so badly to be liked and allows you to break the rules like a good, over-the-top game really should. But it has flaws within its presentation, and it doesn't really keep your attention for long as you bust dealer after dealer.

The game surprisingly has some value this time around, particularly with the ability to race against others online and being able to use customized soundtracks during a race.

It uses the Dragon Ball Z license to ill effect, failing to offer any kind of memorable gameplay experience.

It suffers from the single player experience coming up so short and the lack of really stepping forward in the series, but I won't complain because it's still nothing but a good time for FPS fans, complete with a heavy load of arsenal and just enough butt to kick.

If only it had done something to keep the story mode a little longer, then it would truly be perfect.