It's just not very distinctive.

It ultimately succeeds at creating a believable, open-ended game environment while telling a focused and memorable story, which makes Deus Ex well suited for anyone who's played through enough conventional action games or role-playing games to forgive its shortcomings in light of its great achievements.

It certainly doesn't maintain the same level of quality as the main games in the Rayman series, but it can prove to be a decent diversion for a short period of time.

While Hooters: Road Trip is quite bad graphically, its controls are even worse.

Quite easy. The only really difficult spots in the game are the few instances where it's unclear what you're supposed to do next.

A racing game that is easy to control but extremely difficult.

A thoroughly second-rate action game.

Kind of like having to eat a banana split with your hands--just because it's a little sloppy doesn't mean it isn't still good...One of the deepest and most satisfying multiplayer tactical shooters currently available.

A rental is definitely advised for those who are not already familiar with the series.

It isn't quite as great as fans of the series would like, but it still should be given a shot. It's also worth playing to those lonely for another vampire game or wanting a change of pace from all the first-person shooters.

If you play and enjoy "The Sims," you'll play and enjoy Vacation--and you'll just enjoy it more if you happen to have "Hot Date" and "House Party."

The game just isn't deep enough or complex enough.

A solid collection of games that are still just as playable as they were when they were first released many years ago.

A sharp-looking, amusing romp through a handful of levels that should please those with a taste for the game's whimsical nature.

While it may share some visual qualities with Konami's internationally popular "ISS Pro Evolution" series, it plays entirely differently.

Freedom Force has a winning personality and a developed style that's as good as PC gaming has ever offered--it joins the ranks of games like "Interstate '76" and "Grim Fandango."

Its basic design makes it very easy for players to pick up and enjoy, though die-hard fans of the genre will find it frustrating at times.

Addictive as a single-player experience and flat-out irresistible while playing in an online league, it shouldn't be missed.

An endearing and well thought-out game. It's neither extremely innovative, nor technically impressive--rather, it's an especially well-executed example of a fairly common sort of game.

Soul Reaver fans will find a familiar experience in Blood Omen 2, but the new game lacks the innovation and the surprising drama that made the Soul Reaver series great.

[An] exceptional rally game--one that has no equal on the PlayStation 2.

Sadly, the AI is very predictable, so after you've gotten the hang of the game, you'll have no trouble winning almost every race.

The ability to play as Chain, Buchu, Star, Blues, and the rest of the Yie Ar Kung-Fu gang is enough on its own to make this cart a must-have.

Completely linear and will take you 15 to 20 hours to finish...The story has at least a couple of fine twists, and Kain is as memorable of a main character as they come.

We were able to tear through the game's 15 levels of difficulty without breaking a sweat, thanks to this infinite spinning feature.

It also has an interface that seems designed to shield you from actually playing the game.

Everything of value here means little because of the sluggish pace.

While Smash Court isn't quite as polished or deep as "Virtua Tennis," there's still plenty of fun to be had with this game.

An incredibly deep game, and being able to play with all the physical cards you own makes this game the ideal companion piece for avid collectors who want to see their cards duke it out in 3D.

Although it has fewer features than other baseball video games, Baseball Advance is both fun and impressive.

Its wealth of gameplay modes dwarfs that of the competition, the gameplay can be slightly buggy at times but remains predominantly tight, and the graphics are more than adequate.

[It] will likely bore the older players and frustrate the young.

There's no denying that Warbirds is at once the most difficult, expensive, and ultimately gratifying online flight sim currently available.

Quite a fun game, and anyone who's the least bit excited by the history of gaming and the sights and sounds that started it all should enjoy it.

The frustrating gameplay will turn even the most eager gamer's experience sour after a few levels.

Manages to convey the same feeling of deadly tension that its PC counterpart was famous for, and the compromises that were made to make it portable are fairly minor.

While it all could have worked out nicely and been a solid action game, the game's touchy and occasionally awkward control pushes the game past the "nice, firm challenge" stage and up into the "frustrating trial-and-error" difficulty level.

A very fun baseball game to play. The game's great graphics, involving gameplay, and great commentary all blend together to deliver an exciting and authentic game of baseball.

The best arcade-style football game on the home market.

The best arcade-style football game on the home market.

A game with fundamental flaws that limit its appeal to both the casual player and the ardent baseball guru.

With its memorable cast of characters, responsive controls, and attractive, highly stylized look, Sega Soccer Slam sets the bar by which any other soccer games of this type will be judged.

Its good premise is almost enough to outweigh its frustrating design flaws.

The real beauty of it is definitely in the gameplay...You can't tell right off the bat, but Virtua Fighter 4 is the best fighting game in years.

Gamers who like their games action-oriented may find Broken Sword to be too slow, but patient folks who like a good story that continually unravels will be delighted by this game.

Sure, there are more extras you can unlock, such as the original arcade Spy Hunter and more DVD goodies, but these features don't compensate for the game's muddled presentation.

A thoroughly original title that brings to a new audience, through parody, a touch of what makes Japanese culture so appealing to so many Westerners.

Though classical music aficionados may get a kick out of getting to conduct some of their favorite pieces, the gameplay will likely be too simplistic or boring for rhythm junkies and average gamers.

Its incredible similarity to previous Hot Shots Golf games may disappoint those looking for something fresh and new...[but] anyone looking for a consistently goofy, lighthearted golf game, will surely be pleased.

While it's almost identical to the PlayStation 2 version, the GameCube version is made slightly less desirable by the choppy, somewhat pixilated graphics.

A short game...its lackluster level design, poor enemy AI, and easy level of difficulty pile up to greatly detract from what it does offer.

The best part about this sequel is still the RPG-like hero development that so distinguished Warlords Battlecry from other real-time strategy games.

Nearly a carbon copy of High Heat 2002 in the way it looks and plays, and its only serious addition to the series is an array of bugs.

A very fun baseball game to play. The game's great graphics, involving gameplay, and great commentary all blend together to deliver an exciting and authentic game of baseball.

As good as the game looks, there are some noticeable deficiencies in the gameplay, including some of the most blatant rubber-band AI to ever be found in a racing game.

If you can deal with the culture clash and with the typical shortcomings of translations from consoles, then you're likely to find that Grandia II can provide plenty of charm and plenty of fun.

While plenty good can be said about Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, the often-bland visuals, sketchy frame rate, and somewhat frustrating targeting control ultimately hold Jedi Starfighter back from being a great game.

MotoGP commits the ultimate portable game sin by using a password system as opposed to a battery save option, which somewhat defeats the purpose of playing through some of the longer modes when you're on the go.

A boring, repetitive exercise in countering your opponent.

Extremely dated appearance and poor performance.

Other than the obligatory roster update and the inclusion of a link mode, you'd be hard-pressed to notice further improvements.

You'll honestly find some sequences rather creepy...As far as horror-themed games go, Fatal Frame is one of the most interesting--in regard to its premise and the way it plays--to surface in a while.

Technical limitations undermine the game's unique premise and impressive visuals to create a game that is far too frustrating to play.

Delivers the thrill of being in the ring with a totally new control scheme that offers players a greater degree of control over their fighters. Plus, the mobility of the fighters has been drastically increased.

"Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2" used to be the must-own action sports game for the Game Boy Advance. Meet the new titleholder.

Any Xbox owner who doesn't already own another version of the game would be crazy to not pick this one up.

This is easily the best driving game currently available for the Xbox, and no Xbox owner should be caught without it.

Responsive controls, great graphics, and a control scheme that offers players a phenomenal amount of control over the fighters in the game.

Even the most ardent snowboarder will find it difficult to like the snail's pace at which the snowboarder mode unfolds, and the confounding controls make it almost impossible to enjoy the rest of the game.

Rather than doing one thing and doing it very well, it tries to do everything and achieves only limited success.

Aside from the kinks related to combat and level layout, the game's control feels a little bit loose when you're simply running around...[but it] will likely manage to draw you in, especially if you can get into the creepy aesthetics and earnestly engaging story.

Addictive as a single-player experience and flat-out irresistible while playing in an online league, it shouldn't be missed.

In spite of these kinks in its layout, Ecco provides a consistently smooth experience; you'll honestly feel like a deft aquatic mammal and experience the liberating, exciting things that compose a dolphin's everyday life.

Unfortunately, none of the events are done particularly well.

Despite its short length and a few other problems, Star Trek Bridge Commander is an innovative, entertaining simulation.

The game does have some noticeable problems, though C&C fans may find themselves having too much fun to care.

Thanks to the street-ball mode, it's like there are two games in one--the graphics are on par with most any basketball game on the market, and the gameplay is tight and intuitive.

All-Star Baseball 2003 has High Heat 2003 licked where graphics are concerned, and the inclusion of the franchise mode makes Acclaim's hardball simulation all the more enticing--[but] you can't go wrong buying either one.

With its main story mode clocking in at around five hours, there's little long-term replay value.

While not incredibly complex, the tactical combat and unique IAS system remain compelling and fresh throughout the 20-plus hours it will take to finish the game.

Even taking the lack of MX games into consideration, this game is bad for everybody, and it's our sincerest hope that potential players will take our advice and stay very, very far away from this game.

Suffers from a series of problems ranging from stilted animation that adversely affects its gameplay to downright poor AI.

But ultimately, The Huge Adventure is a fairly basic platformer that doesn't really have some of the innovation of other Game Boy Advance platformers.

Despite a few rough edges, Jet Set Radio Future manages to shine because of its addictive, original gameplay and its stunning graphics.

It has a deep franchise mode, accurate player ratings, and all the small details that make baseball fans giddy with excitement.

The graphics leave a bit to be desired, and there are some slight quirks with the gameplay, but compared with last year's bug-filled installment, All-Star Baseball 2003 is [a] winner.

Real Pool 2 may offer pretty graphics and tolerable ball action, but it comes up short in so many other areas that it cannot be heartily recommended to enthusiasts of either the real-life or virtual pastime.

Just about every aspect of the game's design has undergone some type of change, from the radically improved swing interface and the use of 3D golfer animations instead of digitized motion-capture footage, to a powerful camera option that gives you unlimited access to the gorgeously rendered courses.

The host of graphical and gameplay improvements featured in the 2002 edition make this year's Tiger Woods far superior to previous entries in the series...the best golf simulation currently on the console market.

Whether or not you'll enjoy Ultima Online depends on whether you find appealing the prospect of establishing your own objectives within a virtual sandbox and then constantly repeating a number of relatively mundane tasks to achieve those goals.

It's simple, but the game makes brilliant use of the classic's design, and the whole retro style never seems forced.

Actually competing in a deadly chariot race is an intriguing concept for a game, but Circus Maximus doesn't manage to make the experience all that exciting.

It's a rigorous, realistic simulation of what it's like to command a brigade of combined-arms troops in modern warfare.

The game's short length is what makes it so engaging...an addictive little game much like "Bejeweled" or "Tetris," but instead of being a puzzle, it's a little adventure that you can lose yourself in for a few minutes at a time.

The lack of a link-cable option, the limiting of power-ups to the jam mode, and an absence of mid-shot passing are the three problems that ultimately keep NBA Jam 2002 from attaining all-star status.

Now, a game that was less than impressive on the Dreamcast is even less so when presented on the technically superior GameCube.

Arguably the most original and inventive rhythm game since the advent of "Dance Dance Revolution" or the original "Parappa the Rapper," and it's easily one of the best rhythm games for the PlayStation 2.