In many ways, Rise of Nations is better than the strategy games that have come before it. It's smarter. It's more challenging. It gives you more to do.

The gameplay is a mix of sloppy third-person action and even sloppier puzzles, putting the weight of the game squarely on Ash's tongue-in-cheek macho colloquialisms.

If you think you can surmount the game's learning curve and whip a squad of like-minded recruits into shape, you'll find that PlanetSide offers a unique and potentially very enjoyable challenge.

Only casual players with an undeniable urge to play online should be interested in the game as it is now.

The game is inadequate and tedious--22 levels of mindless button mashing that will come as a major letdown to anyone who grabs it hoping to relive any portion of the film.

The game's story isn't strong enough to stand on its own, and the gameplay simply doesn't save it, making the game worth a look for hard-core fans of The Matrix films, but a buggy disappointment for just about anyone else.

The game's story isn't strong enough to stand on its own, and the gameplay simply doesn't save it, making the game worth a look for hard-core fans of The Matrix films, but a buggy disappointment for just about anyone else.

The game's story isn't strong enough to stand on its own, and the gameplay simply doesn't save it, making the game worth a look for hard-core fans of The Matrix films, but a buggy disappointment for just about anyone else.

The game's story isn't strong enough to stand on its own, and the gameplay simply doesn't save it, making the game worth a look for hard-core fans of The Matrix films, but a buggy disappointment for just about anyone else.

Fans of the film will enjoy interacting with the lovable characters and playing through the movie-inspired sequences, but those diligent enough to go through and complete every objective will probably come away from the game feeling a little disappointed.

The first truly challenging expansion pack for The Sims... It adds lots of interesting and challenging new stuff that should keep any fan of The Sims busy for some time.

It's also rather unpolished. But while the game may not make a very remarkable first impression, it does have some strong gameplay elements that give it some real substance and help make it deserving of your attention.

If by some chance you've put off playing Vice City up till now, don't wait any longer.

While there have certainly been worse Disney games in the past, this adaptation of Finding Nemo is just an average game with a few kinks that mar an otherwise decent experience.

While there have certainly been worse Disney games in the past, this adaptation of Finding Nemo is just an average game with a few kinks that mar an otherwise decent experience.

The expansion's scenarios, and the ideas behind them, seem tired and overused, and the expansion itself is overpriced.

It's fun and more manageable than the original, thanks to the new campaign, and is ultimately a worthwhile addition to the original game.

Even if you really liked Infection, you probably won't like this second installment as much, since it's just like the first, minus the originality.

EVE offers little in the way of instant gratification, and progress in the game is slow and often unnoticeable.

Despite its flaws, Day of Defeat offers unusually intense gameplay with excellent pacing, good weapons, and a really fine combination of all-out action and teamwork.

Just a really great action game in the same vein as classics like "Symphony of the Night" and "Super Metroid" before it, and it stands tall among the GBA's best action games, including "Circle of the Moon" and last year's "Metroid Fusion."

A less-than-stellar RPG, though it's certainly competent, so undiscriminating fans of the genre who've played most other GBA RPGs already might as well give it a go.

A fairly uninteresting single-player game, but its multiplayer mode is a ton of fun.

In many respects, Stake is the antithesis of "Super Smash Bros. Melee" and that game's best features.

The crash mode alone makes this game worth seeing, and the inclusion of the well-done championship and multiplayer modes makes it the best pure arcade-style racing game available on the Xbox.

A turn-based role-playing game with a strange combat system, and at times it plays more like a poorly designed board game, where the rules don't make much sense but instead exist only to make you carefully scrutinize your every move.

A solid, complete baseball game, even if many of you have seen it before.

A textbook case of how to update a game like this--it makes a few solid improvements to the series' gameplay and visuals, and, most importantly, it doesn't break anything that was great in the first game.

A great game... Any fan of basketball who isn't necessarily sold on the complexities of your average NBA simulation will find plenty to love here.

A great game... Any fan of basketball who isn't necessarily sold on the complexities of your average NBA simulation will find plenty to love here.

This version of Splinter Cell is a good enough game on its own merits to tide over Splinter Cell fans looking for a portable version or GBA owners looking for a briskly paced game to have on the go.

The saying "They don't make 'em like they used to" is totally applicable to video games, and Ninja Five-0 is a great throwback to how they used to make 'em.

A number of Xbox Live-compatible multiplayer modes for up to eight players (or four players on a split-screen) round out a good, solid Star Wars game that should appeal to anyone who'd care to relive Episode II's large-scale action scenes.

The interface and poor control are bigger enemies than the game's Iraqi soldiers ever are, and in the end, this is a game you can surely live without.

A generally uninteresting futuristic racer that doesn't do anything that hasn't already been done, and done better, by previous futuristic racers.

Quite shallow, and while it could easily tide over Godzilla fans for a while, it ultimately relies on the strength of its license to compensate for its weakness as a game.

It's simple, short, slightly buggy, and generally not very good.

A racing game that puts drivers in the spotlight without sacrificing exciting ontrack action.

For all its problems, the single most grating aspect of Wolverine's Revenge is its sound.

Purge still offers gameplay that is fairly unique. Unfortunately, balance issues, poor level design, and a lack of online players keep it from fully realizing its potential.

The most realistic rally game released for the PlayStation 2 to date, but it offers very little in the way of gameplay options and can occasionally prove frustrating because it makes you overly dependent on the instructions of codriver Nicky Grist.

A racing game that puts drivers in the spotlight without sacrificing exciting on-track action.

A game with some promise and some good ideas, but a half-cocked presentation and execution.

If you're completely new to the Phantasy Star Online experience and you're willing to pay the fees for online play, then you'll find an incredibly addictive game that will keep you glued to the TV for hours on end.

Anyone who appreciates what makes a truly great game should be able to recognize Ikaruga for its elegant design, aesthetic beauty, and sheer challenge.

A game with some promise and some good ideas, but a half-cocked presentation and execution.

Strings together a bunch of violent novelties without ever constructing a compelling game for them to support.

Makes some solid refinements to the series' gameplay, features a longer quest, and makes some nice tweaks to the series' presentation.

The fundamentals of Wolverine's Revenge are solid, but just about everything seems to fall apart in the execution.

One of the most popular, most successful, and best looking games for Microsoft's Xbox is now on the GameCube, and in some respects it's better than the original.

It performs well, but there are definitely more-interesting PlayStation 2 driving games on the market.

Ultimately, RLH is a game that simply wasn't good when it was first released, and even with slightly better graphics, a new level, and Xbox Live content, it still isn't a good game.

Isn't terribly different from the original Burnout--it just makes significantly better use of all the elements that the game does well, from its blistering sense of speed to its hilariously destructive crashes.

Fans of "Tropico" may wish that Frog City had developed a more direct descendant of the original--the mechanics are basically the same, but Tropico 2 is a very different game.

You'll have a great time experimenting with and effectively using Sam Fisher's variety of moves and gadgets, and the game's big missions should provide a significant challenge.

While its missions are complex and often satisfying, Emergency 2 is frustrating at times because of its clumsy interface.

Origins won't win over staunchly anti-RPG players, but for fans of the genre, this is quite a deal.

A serviceable, lightweight entry in the genre. It stays true enough to the source material, which should please fans, but the game's rather dry presentation may make it inaccessible to outsiders.

Due to its short length and relative ease, Men in Black II: Alien Escape is a game you'd probably want to rent rather than purchase, but it's fun while it lasts.

A pretty good shooter overall, offering up a short but sweet single-player campaign and a decent botmatch mode for a little extra lasting value.

It's not long on looks, but it's got no shortage of action.

A good shooter overall, offering up a short but sweet single-player campaign and a solid multiplayer mode for the long run. It's not long on looks, but it's got no shortage of action.

As a wrestling game, Def Jam Vendetta manages to succeed on most every level, providing surprisingly deep gameplay, quality graphics and sound, and a distinctive atmosphere.

A more well-designed interface, a less punishing learning curve, an independent and more robust betting system, and a more action-oriented gameplay system would all go far in bringing new players into the fold.

Plays very well, makes a great link cable game, and still stands as one of the best Tetris-style puzzle games ever made. Purists may find the slowdown a little disappointing.

An approachable arcade-style take on one of the world's most grueling rally races--and a significant improvement on its predecessor.

As a wrestling game, Def Jam Vendetta manages to succeed on most every level, providing surprisingly deep gameplay, quality graphics and sound, and a distinctive atmosphere.

The lack of any sort of time trial, multiplayer, or randomized mode is disappointing, however, especially if you're one of the many who played this game to death nearly a decade ago.

An ambitious but seriously flawed shooter. Though much of its gameplay is otherwise decent, Devastation is ultimately plagued by too many incomplete concepts and annoying issues to recommend it.

Could have been ported over a lot more gracefully. Yet this is such an unusual, intriguing, and shocking game that despite the rough translation, it still makes for a one-of-a-kind experience on the PC.

An obsolete 3-year-old fighting game that doesn't even support online play as was originally promised.

Galactic Civilizations' strong AI, robust diplomacy, and variety of strategic options make it an outstanding turn-based strategy game.

CSI has a good premise, good tools, and good scenarios for an adventure game, but the developer clearly tried to make CSI accessible for a wide audience and in the process also removed all challenge from the game.

Knight Rider isn't all bad--the game's missions can be enjoyable, even if they're repetitive.

Good enough graphics, good enough sound, good enough mission design, and good enough action.

While the game offers a number of surprisingly complex ways to manage your casinos, the complexity doesn't really add any depth, especially since the game's interface is clumsy and inadequate.

Its technical issues are going to get in the way of some players' enjoyment of an otherwise solid and relatively original first-person shooter, and they'll likely convince other players to avoid the game altogether. Vietcong is still a very good game, however.

Despite a slightly flawed interface and presentation, provides an enjoyable and deep strategy experience.

An enjoyable game that should appeal to dinosaur buffs and park simulation fans alike, thanks to its attractive graphics engine and unique features.

Has a fantastic look, but its gameplay unsuccessfully tries to straddle the line between simulation-style tuning options and arcade-style handling and collision physics.

While Emperor's Tomb has a few control issues that will take some time to get used to, the game's fast pace definitely makes for an interesting adventure.

There's no denying that when you find a good group and you're fighting, chatting, and gaining levels, Shadowbane is at least as good as "EverQuest" and Dark Age of Camelot.

Primal's actual gameplay isn't quite as polished or engaging as the game's presentation, but overall, Primal is still easily recommended to those who enjoy exploring their games and not just plowing through them.

Dynasty Warriors 4 is good, but it's the same kind of good that Koei has been releasing for almost three years now.

An enjoyable experience, with attractive graphics, strategic gameplay, and unique features that provide up-close looks at the dinosaurs in action.

A really, really terrible game, and it always has been. In fact, it's so bad that a longer review would only give the game more validation, which it simply does not deserve.

While State of Emergency's arcadelike objectives and somewhat simplistic fighting system can make it feel a little shallow, the game's technical strengths, satisfying displays of comically overblown violence, and budget price make it worth a look.

Eden Studios has added another impressive rally game to that mix, one that boasts exciting action, a strong career mode, and attractive graphics.

Armchair tycoons who haven't already played RollerCoaster Tycoon to death on their PCs should find a lot to like here.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, The Sims is otherwise extremely faithful to the gameplay of the original game, shortcomings and all, and it's more or less identical to the PS2 game.

Just an average action game. Even if some of the technical problems had been resolved before the game was finished, that wouldn't have made the majority of the missions in the game less boring. The game is also quite short.

Virtually identical to the PlayStation 2 version, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, considering that the PS2 game actually made some interesting additions to the popular PC game.

It's an engaging, addictive experience that outstrips its predecessor and brings innovation to the genre.

While MVP Baseball 2003 isn't perfect, it's still an impressive first entry in a new sports series and a very good baseball game in its own right.

While some may be a little put off by the late-game item fetching and the game's easy puzzles and boss battles, The Wind Waker is nonetheless a strong achievement in every way, from its stunning graphical presentation to its tight control and interesting story line.

While it's true that 1503 A.D. does have a number of changes and improvements over the original game, it's really just more of the same, but fleshed out a bit.

It features some attractive visuals and a few particularly dramatic scenes. Still, Black Hawk Down is a deeply flawed shooter that has a moment of disappointment or frustration for every moment of fun.

While there are graphics, they actually make the game seem less like a game and more like an exercise in clicking on things for no good reason.