A natural for online play.

Outside of my complaint with the racing level and a few very minor issues, Mafia is a really immersive game. The story is very good, and the cutscenes and voice acting are of the highest caliber.

Overall, SOCOM is definitely at the top-tier of PS2 games in terms of sound, and can hold its own in graphics.

There is so much to manage and so much waiting to do, that many people might not enjoy it too much. If you love slowly building up a complex economy, though, you'll find a lot to love in Cultures 2.

Designed for RPG veterans and particularly those familiar with Dungeons & Dragons. The game comes with an excellent and thorough manual, but at well over 100 pages it might be overwhelming to a newbie.

Pretty basic. Without the need to manage resources beyond controlling villages, the game's economy is about as simple as it comes.

More interactive movie than third-person shooter, The Thing is an enjoyable diversion loaded with atmosphere.

An homage to "Diablo II" that fails to capture any of the magic that made that game so much fun.

Although the strategic aspect of the game is merely average, this game can be recommended based on the strength of its incredible real-time battles.

If you found the first game to be very challenging, this expansion has the potential to frustrate you to no end. It also lacks the elements that made the first game suspenseful and packed with atmosphere.

A lot of gameplay modes and some pretty darn good football to boot; you can't go wrong with Madden NFL 2003.

The player faces are expressive, and you can see their eyes move as they look around.

A lot of gameplay modes and some pretty darn good football to boot; you can't go wrong with Madden NFL 2003.

To really enjoy the game in all it's glory, though, you'll need to play it in dynasty mode.

As for control, it is fluid and precise.

If you're a college football fan, you can't go wrong with this game - you'll love it.

If you're looking for some "war gaming lite" or are new to war games, Strategic Command's simple play mechanics and grand scale might make it an enjoyable diversion for you.

If you loved "Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis," you'll definitely enjoy this game. However, the degree of difficulty, taken with the poor save game system and non-intuitive squad command system, might make it a frustrating play for some.

The yardstick that will be used to measure strategy games for some time to come.

The disappointing business simulation and the drone-like guests make it difficult for the game to hold your interest for too long.

A well-researched and designed game that's a bit of a departure from your standard war game.

In serious competition, it suffers from the same drawback as the real world version of the game - players with deep pockets can buy themselves more powerful decks.

Unless you really, really love monster trucks, the game's poor execution will prevent it from keeping your interest for too long.

The sheer variety of units and maps alone make for a wide variety of strategic approaches - unlike some games you can not rely on the same basic strategy while mowing your way through the scenarios.

A poor single-player campaign and quirky interface issues make the game frustrating to all but the hardcore death match crowd.

If you're looking for a challenge or an in-depth game covering the Roman Empire, you might want to look elsewhere.

Both fun and challenging, and very nicely walks the fine line between realism and playability.

The designers did a good job of capturing Duke's persona, and he makes his way through the game with his signature one-liners. However, the biggest question is the game's staying power.