Its extremely well-crafted gameplay, host of new modes and unlockables, upgraded presentational aspects, and truly amazing commentary easily outdo any issues the game might suffer from. The sum of its parts add up to one of, if not, the finest hockey games ever created.

If you're interested in action, without too many adventure strings attached, Wayward is worth taking a look at, but it's also a short enough game that you could easily get by with a rental instead.

If you're undaunted by the game's singular insistence on coordinated teamwork, and intrigued by its combination of shooter and real-time strategy elements, then Savage is worth checking out.

The gameplay isn't terribly deep, and the story mode isn't very long, but the game is still mildly enjoyable. What Starsky & Hutch does best is pay homage to the wonderful clichés of 1970s cop shows.

The gameplay isn't terribly deep, and the story mode isn't very long, but the game is still mildly enjoyable. What Starsky & Hutch does best is pay homage to the wonderful clichés of 1970s cop shows.

Though it divulges a few more bits of storyline, Outbreak's gameplay is simple and repetitive to the extreme and is even worse off for being just like "Mutation" before it, which in turn was just like the first episode, "Infection," which was marginally good to begin with.

BloodRayne may feature the va-va-voomiest bloodsucker in gaming, George Romero-style gore that includes lots of decapitations, and everyone's favorite goose-stepping bad guys, but gameplay is so predictable that you'll be stifling yawns even as you tear open jugulars.

A well-crafted, entirely satisfactory arcade-style flight combat game--much like its predecessor. In fact, Lethal Skies II is so much like its predecessor, in so many significant ways, it's largely the same game.

The gameplay isn't terribly deep, and the story mode isn't very long, but the game is still mildly enjoyable. What Starsky & Hutch does best is pay homage to the wonderful clichés of 1970s cop shows.

A spectacular follow-up to last year's NHL 2K3, building upon all of the best aspects of that game and correcting the bulk of its flaws.

As you guide her through one identical-looking corridor after another, shooting one identical-looking robot after another, you'll almost certainly be unimpressed with the repetitive and cumbersome action at the heart of this game.

While it's still extremely complicated, Shadowlands adds a tremendous amount of intriguing new content that helps make Anarchy Online much more worthwhile.

Though Lost Dungeons is clearly suited for dedicated EverQuest players, it offers little or nothing to bring new players into the fold or to lure back those who might have given up on EverQuest some time ago.

Those who fondly remember the original Final Fantasy Tactics won't find a story that's as engrossing or as complex here, but this is still a deep and involving RPG that offers dozens of hours' worth of entertaining tactical battles.

Though WrestleMania XIX is a definite improvement over its predecessor, the game's few graphical hang-ups and detrimentally bad story mode ultimately mar what could have been a really great game.

Calling Dynasty Warriors 4 an evolutionary game is a bit of a stretch--as the core gameplay is almost identical to that of its predecessors.

Its additions are extremely enjoyable to play around with and, in some cases, really change the gameplay of the original in new and intriguing ways.

While "Madden" is the most realistic-playing football game on the market, ESPN NFL Football is simply the most exciting football game on the planet.

While "Madden" is the most realistic-playing football game on the market, ESPN NFL Football is simply the most exciting football game on the planet.

Won't hold the Tony Hawk pro's attention for long, but it's still a fun, well-designed skating game.

The simplifications that have been made to the formula ultimately make the game best suited for novice players.

Won't hold the Tony Hawk pro's attention for long, but it's still a fun, well-designed skating game.

Won't hold the Tony Hawk pro's attention for long, but it's still a fun, well-designed skating game.

While some unique gimmicks and solid gameplay have made other god games fun to play, these elements are curiously absent from Heaven & Hell, leaving it a short, and otherwise dull, experience.

Doesn't improve upon Battlebots: Beyond the BattleBox in any meaningful way, and it's disturbing that Majesco is trying to pass off this collection of bug fixes as a brand-new game.

The racing itself is fine, but the flawed trick system makes things more simplistic when it should have added more depth.

It has pretty much everything you'd want out of a solid adventure experience, like diverse settings, a good storyline, wacky characters, and lots of complex puzzles.

This is one of those games that could literally last you a couple of hundred hours if you let it, and if that sounds exciting rather than just plain scary, then by all means give the game a shot.

It's just too bad that overly linear missions and noninteractive 3D action get in the way of the deep political strategizing of Republic's later levels.

The logic is complex, and the pacing is manic, but if you commit to the concept, the experience is undeniably exhilarating.

Exhibits bouts of outrageously bad AI and displays little quirks that make it seem as though the game is simulating incompetent high school football players as opposed to seasoned professionals.

Soul Calibur II won't impress you as much as its predecessor, since you've seen most of these characters, their weapons, and their moves before, and the available gameplay modes are nothing out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, on its own terms, Soul Calibur II is by all means a great fighting game.

The gameplay still hasn't received the attention it deserves, and, as a result, GameBreaker still fails to get many of the fundamentals right.

A good fighting game that offers a good variety of attacks and reversals, but the real stars are still the blood and fatality moves you'll see during each match.

Superbly crafted production values (catered exclusively to the Xbox's hardware) and great gameplay that's tough but not impossible make for a game that's not just beautiful to look at, but entertaining and challenging as well.

The game might not have all the features that hard-core fans of the genre have come to expect, but it more than makes up for its shortcomings with a pick-up-and-play style of gameplay.

While it would be technically correct to call NFL Fever 2004 the best in the series, it still doesn't have the quality or quantity of features, the rock-solid gameplay, or high level of polish shown by its competitors.

Although this isn't one of the finest-looking games for the Xbox console, those who are even remotely familiar with the characters and stories in a typical Scooby-Doo episode may still get a kick out of it.

Soul Calibur II won't impress you as much as its predecessor, since you've seen most of these characters, their weapons, and their moves before, and the available gameplay modes are nothing out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, on its own terms, Soul Calibur II is by all means a great fighting game.

Soul Calibur II won't impress you as much as its predecessor, since you've seen most of these characters, their weapons, and their moves before, and the available gameplay modes are nothing out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, on its own terms, Soul Calibur II is by all means a great fighting game.

It's a great novelty, first of all, but it's also a real success in terms of gameplay, thanks to outstanding scenario design and an irreverent sense of humor.

For all its features and value, however, Mojo! isn't a particularly enthralling game, and it contains a number of frustrating and repetitive elements that keep it from being truly enjoyable.

It's hard not to enjoy Enigma. Streamlined but not dumbed down, the game captures the exciting feel of WWII naval combat even if it ignores many of the details.

An excellent, well-put-together action adventure game that most fans of the genre should be able to enjoy and any Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan will love.

The gameplay concepts tie into the film nicely, too, so hardcore fans of the movie should enjoy it as a nostalgic trip. On the other hand, Tron 2.0 suffers from too many generic and uninspired sections and dull combat.

Sometimes the game can lock your system up entirely. It's really a shame that Rebels: Prison Escape is so buggy. When it's working, it isn't half bad, but you should never have to say "when it's working" about a game you've paid good money for.

While the game is still charming and fun, it's practically identical to the first game, and on top of that, it's even easier than the original, making it more of a time-consumer than an actual challenge.

An excellent, well-put-together action adventure game that most fans of the genre should be able to enjoy and any Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan will love.

The extreme increase in difficulty will surely turn some people away before they've seen the 20 tracks and unlocked all the story mode chapters. But if you want a light-speed racer that looks and plays sharply while simultaneously offering some dramatic challenges, F-Zero GX is exactly what you're looking for.

An excellent, well-put-together action adventure game that most fans of the genre should be able to enjoy and any Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan will love.

Its short list of options, buggy gameplay, and generally tepid presentation prevent it from being anywhere near as enjoyable as the game it's trying to emulate.

The missions are still brief, the control is still awkward, and in 2003, those great graphics just don't look so great anymore.

The combination of elements from several different genres--action, strategy, and role-playing--works to keep things interesting. When flaws in one are discovered, you always have something else to fall back on.

It would have been nice to have seen some more variety in the environments, and the instances of backtracking through areas you've already visited are disappointing. But the game's exciting, free-form combat makes up for those deficiencies.

It would have been nice to have seen some more variety in the environments, and the instances of backtracking through areas you've already visited are disappointing. But the game's exciting, free-form combat makes up for those deficiencies.

The game's arcade elements aren't done well enough to ever balance with the simulation elements, and the end result is a game that's too wacky to be a sim game and too simulation-based to be an arcade game.

Unless you're a rabid fan who simply has to be in contact with all things Futurama, this game is playable enough to warrant a rental but little else.

The PC port may be on par with previous PC installments, adding higher resolution options while maintaining the gameplay that made the series great, but the narrow distribution and somewhat clunky external player-matching program make for a great game that's difficult to play online.

With the chess adventure, Majestic Chess does offer the best way to introduce any kid (or adult who would prefer lessons presented in an unorthodox and enjoyable manner) to the game of chess.

Unless you're a rabid fan who simply has to be in contact with all things Futurama, this game is playable enough to warrant a rental but little else.

Smash Cars isn't going to appeal to everyone, but its easy-to-pick-up style of play, often absurdly amusing level design, and budget price tag make it a worthwhile purchase or rental for any RC or kart racing fan.

It's primarily a hack-and-slash game, but the combat tends to be unsatisfying, the production values seem dated, the difficulty is uneven and sometimes excessive, and the original alternate-history setting isn't enough to compensate.

Last year's "Virtua Fighter 4" bordered on perfection, and this new game is technically even better.

Won't win any new converts to the strategy genre, but it's a good game that ought to please devotees of the series.

Covers nearly every facet of professional football, but what makes this year's entry in the series so special is the fact that it ties all its components together seamlessly. Even the new gameplay features have been integrated incredibly well.

One of best football games to date. Madden NFL 2004 covers nearly every facet of professional football, but what makes this year's entry in the series so special is that it ties all its components together seamlessly.

There are a number of things that EA Sports could have improved upon from the previous game, but this series is still far and away the best for anyone looking for a traditional football game on Nintendo's popular handheld.

Covers nearly every facet of professional football, but what makes this year's entry in the series so special is the fact that it ties all its components together seamlessly. Even the new gameplay features have been integrated incredibly well.

Covers nearly every facet of professional football, but what makes this year's entry in the series so special is the fact that it ties all its components together seamlessly. Even the new gameplay features have been integrated incredibly well.

The real problem with Monster Truck Madness is that it's strictly a single-player experience.

Has some enjoyable moments, but the course design and weapon selection are pretty standard.

The lack of gameplay options also hurts Tennis Masters Series 2003, despite the fact that, fundamentally, it's a fairly sound game.

Only about five hours long, which is probably for the best, since the storyline is so nonsensical and the action is so repetitive that you'll quickly be begging for the game to end.

If you're completely new to the series, Island Thunder functions just fine as a stand-alone introduction to Ghost Recon, and with the full single-player campaign, the large number of maps and weapons, and the solid online support, there's a lot of bang for your buck here.

The game does have its moments, but the racing simply isn't very exciting.

There's no remarkable new gameplay to speak of, so the game is clearly intended for fans of the series, who've been impressed by Silent Hill's unusually dark and psychological style.

The world courses are absolutely packed with detail, and they feature some really spectacular special effects.

State of Emergency isn't exactly the deepest game on the market, but with its timers and its high-score lists, the game is definitely shooting for shorter, arcadelike play sessions.

The game does have its moments, but the racing simply isn't very exciting.

Tries very hard to capture the atmosphere and style of the Dinotopia books, but for the most part, it just isn't a lot of fun to play.

Korsun Pocket is an excellent game, is compelling and addictive for anyone interested in deep strategy games, and is easily the best 2D wargame for the PC to date.

A fairly simple fire-fighting simulation that manages to capture much of the thrill, energy, and suspense often associated with the profession.

A thoughtfully designed, complex, and pretty fun game to play. Alas, a dearth of supplemental features and some flimsy presentation drag down what could have been a more solid overall package.

The game's clever premise is overshadowed by the game's repetitive nature.

Even the most hard-core Aquaman devotees will likely find little use for this short, shallow, problematic ramshackle game.

A thoughtfully designed, complex, and pretty fun game to play. Alas, a dearth of supplemental features and some flimsy presentation drag down what could have been a more solid overall package.

A well-meaning title that seems to have all the necessary ingredients, but its key features simply feel too underdeveloped to be any good.

More planes, better graphics, and more options than ever before right out of the box, but the game will likely reach its full potential only if it receives great support from its player community.

The game is rich with Nintendo personality and delivers a solid game of golf, though players who have spent serious time with Mario Golf for the N64 may find it a bit too similar to that game.

Does a great job of improving on its predecessor's shortcomings and offering deeper, more-balanced gameplay.

Breaks no new ground and puts too much emphasis on puzzles, but its meticulously detailed world and paranormal detective story generally keep things entertaining.

Despite its lengthy production cycle, has a bevy of horrible problems that render the game practically unplayable.

Feels like pretty standard fare for the extreme sports genre, although it moves at an unusually high speed.

A fairly unique game. Unfortunately, sluggish controls, missing features in the interface, and a nonexistent online community detract from an otherwise decent strategy game.

Aside from some small rough spots, Syberia is a superb adventure with an engrossing story, a truly imaginative gameworld, and stunning visuals.

Even the most hard-core Aquaman devotees will likely find little use for this short, shallow, problematic ramshackle game.

Tries very hard to capture the atmosphere and style of the Dinotopia books, but for the most part, it just isn't a lot of fun to play.

Perhaps if the developers had focused more on the stealth part of the game and less on the other aspects, we'd have a game that's less varied but more fun to play.