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

While PC strategy veterans will find that the gameplay is pretty basic, console owners starved for a real-time strategy game should find Goblin Commander to be a worthwhile experience.

It's just a bad representation of real-life F1 racing, especially compared with EA's earlier "F1 2000."

While it may not be the world champion of team-oriented multiplayer games, Clusterball is an unusual and enjoyable addition to the genre.

An extremely ambitious simulation that provides plenty of original gameplay but fails to adequately refine its presentation.

While the game has a nice look to it and plays just fine, it doesn't really stray too far from the series' original design, and as such it feels like the same thing we've been playing for three years.

The improved visuals are nice, and some of the additions made to the fighting system are fun, but Budokai 2 still comes out as an underwhelming sequel.

For what it is, MM is a solid title, but the terseness of the game and the limited graphics and sound make evident that it could have been so much more, transcending the decent game it is now to become a truly excellent one.

It can be quite fun in parts, but other levels can merely be a chore to deal with while you make your way to the next.

Horizons is overly time-consuming and is inherently not well-suited to the average gamer, so those who haven't yet taken the plunge into and accustomed themselves to paying the monthly fees for this style of gaming probably shouldn't start here and now.

This is an enhanced version of 2004's Starshatter that adds improved AI and production values, but that's about it.

Diner Dash is a challenging game that will keep you on your toes from start to finish, but it's too simple to keep you coming back.

It is really too bad that the park competition is so incomplete and lackluster, as it virtually ensures that few people will ever purchase the game and experience the sheer joy of the more magically delicious vert competition.

Geometry Wars is a classy arcade-style shooter, but this PC release is missing a ton of features that would make it last longer.

Though the game's developer plans to make many additions to the game, for now, The Sims Online lacks many of the options that made the original game so intriguing, and it doesn't really replace them.

Dark Messiah wraps a dull story around repetitive combat. It's not a bad game, but its technical glitches really bring it down.

Four-player online support makes the Xbox Live Arcade version of this fantasy arcade classic a worthwhile, inexpensive indulgence for nostalgic fans of the good old days of gaming.

The game's arcade feel may discourage those looking for an off-road racing sim, but most everyone else will find it to be a fun pick up and play game.

Conflict: Desert Storm II isn't without problems, but it's not the worst squad-based game you'll ever play, and it's decidedly improved over last year's game.

Its lack of innovation may be acceptable, since Air Attack 2 for the PlayStation was a thoroughly enjoyable game, but unfortunately a few key graphical flaws make it a significantly less enjoyable game.

Provides a fair amount of entertaining, highly kinetic, action adventure gameplay at a very affordable price. But it's also a game that probably would have looked a lot more impressive if it had been released a year ago.

Delivers a sometimes thrilling sensation of speed and features a number of nice touches not found in other snowboarding games on the market, but it has very limited lasting value in its single-player mode, and the split-screen multiplayer mode and network play option don't do much to compensate for this shortcoming.

It may be a little too simplistic for some, but it's just right for younger players and those who find the Disney cartoon characters entertaining.

A very passive experience, and as the novelty fades, so will your interest...If nothing else, it has laid the groundwork for other games to borrow and improve upon its excellent premise.

A fun arcade-style boxing game that casual gamers will find entertaining for awhile.

Unfortunately, the gameplay feels too much like a mishmash of several other well-known gaming franchises and ends up overly simplistic.

There's plenty to do in SX Superstar, but the problems lie in the gameplay mechanics--such as the trick system and camera--which could've used a little more tweaking.

Despite a solid combat system and a decent presentation, this latest Castlevania is cursed with extremely monotonous levels that prevent it from being an engaging action adventure game.

If you're a pinball fan, Fantastic Journey is a pretty amazing feat, and the price is definitely right.

The artificial intelligence of TWINE's enemies is both shaken and stirred.

Intriguing nautical elements aren't enough to distract from a criminally short running time and rote 2D platforming elements.

The interface elements in the game are also fairly well conceived, but the overall package suffers from gameplay that doesn't offer much challenge, eliminating any sense of tension.

A fun arcade-style boxing game that casual gamers will find entertaining for awhile.

Definitely a more well-conceived game than The Power of Juju, and there are some genuinely fresh, inventive ideas at work here. The problem is, the whole experience is muddled by an inconsistent difficulty and slapdash level designs, and these good ideas don't quite coalesce into a good 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.

Has good qualities, but, ultimately, it tries much too hard to be something it isn't.

Calling All Cars! is a frantic good time that's cut short by a serious lack of content.

A promisingly strange premise gives Contact a strong start, but the often-boring combat and exploration sequences that ensue just don't live up to it.

While the narrative is still enticing, and the eclectic cast of characters remains a positive, aspects like a horrible seafaring travel system and an often outrageous enemy encounter rate detract much from the experience.

While Amped is visually impressive and loaded with options, its technical merits are drastically undermined by its shoddy gameplay.

It's a traditional adventure with some excellent plot elements, interesting challenges, poorly written dialogue, and below-average acting. The 3D engine is more of a gimmick than a true improvement.

It mimics "Serious Sam," but without any apparent understanding of the subtle particulars that made Sam more than just another generic shooter.

It looks and sounds incredible. However, the ease and extremely short length of the game, matched with other problems like horrific camera angles and lack of a multiplayer story mode, make The Bouncer fair, at best.

Younger children will be delighted to be at the controls, but seasoned gamers will want to look elsewhere for a more polished and challenging experience.

Unfortunately, Sentinel often undermines one of its biggest strengths by taking those captivating puzzles and turning them into extremely repetitive busywork.

The core gameplay is enjoyable enough if you actually spend enough time getting used to the complex interface, but the timid opponent AI keeps the game from being really interesting.

Diddy Kong Racing DS is a decent racer with plenty to do and some interesting new content, but the seemingly endless amount of tasks you must complete to enjoy all of it may irritate anyone who simply wants to race.

A decidedly awkward English translation, some lackluster production values, and a poorly implemented multiplayer mode all prevent it from having the same appeal as the games that influenced it.

Ultimately a flawed game, but its original premise and varied mix of gameplay create a refreshing experience nonetheless.

If you can get around the weaker aspects of the game, Rogue Ops should be a reasonably entertaining experience for stealth fans looking for their next fix.

This simplistic melee combat system combined with weak enemy artificial intelligence makes Rune an ultimately shallow and repetitious experience.

Just Cause is able to justify its relative brevity and disrespect for physical law with some extremely visceral and often satisfying action.

Though experienced PC RTS players may find Goblin Commander to be somewhat shallow, it's still a pretty decent RTS game for console players, with an interface that is nicely streamlined for controllers.

No matter how appealing any of it may seem at any point in play, Septerra Core's rigidly linear structure and reprehensible combat system unequivocally rear their ugly heads and weaken what could have been a better game.

A great-looking update of a classic platformer, but it can be frustratingly difficult to a fault.

It does give fans of the genre something new to try, though many will surely feel as though they've played this game before.

The game's incomplete interface, uneven pacing, and typical units all serve to make it less interesting than it might have been.

While Space Colony offers a great deal of breadth, and a surprising amount of depth, it never really capitalizes on either of these strengths to become an incredibly compelling or incredibly enjoyable game.

Neighbors From Hell's simple gameplay mechanics and quirky theme make it a fun, albeit easy and short, strategy game reminiscent of the classic '80s computer game "Spy vs. Spy."

It's relatively fun in small doses, but Project Nomads doesn't live up to the potential that its unusual design suggests.

It's the occasional appearance of something different--the alternate solutions, the flashback through another's eyes--that makes most of Post Mortem seem dull and typical in comparison.

While there's nothing markedly different between the Xbox and PC versions of World Championship Pool 2004, it's impossible to deny the fact that the game just doesn't measure up as well on the PC.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 has an appealing look and minigames that are fun at first, but the gameplay quickly wears thin because there's nothing to keep you playing.

Hot Brain's minigames are pretty good, but because there aren't very many of them, you might not get a lot of replay value.

Beneath numerous flaws there's a decent basketball game in March Madness 07, but you've got to dig too deep to find it.

Disney's Meet the Robinsons is a fairly satisfying movie tie-in that borrows heavily from a number of classic adventure and action games.

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.

There really isn't much to Medal of Honor Allied Assault Breakthrough that you haven't already seen before, and it's definitely not a product that will make people go out and buy Medal of Honor Allied Assault if they haven't already.

Unfortunately, some of Crash 'N' Burn's central ideas--the persistent wrecks being the most obvious example--introduce complexity that, in the end, will leave you more frustrated than thrilled.

Rogue Trooper is at times a very exciting and enjoyable shooter, which makes it all the more disappointing that it's over so soon.

This just isn't an especially engaging game, so it's unlikely that anyone past the youngest of audiences will get too much fun from it.

TMNT has some legitimately neat platforming sequences, but it's more frustrating than a kid-oriented game ought to be, and the combat is completely brain-dead.

It doesn't bear much resemblance to the movie, and it's short. Nevertheless, the DS rendition of Meet the Robinsons is a fun run-and-gun-style shooter.

The game tries to break out of the third-person shooter blueprint by offering sometimes-gory interrogation sequences, but these portions don't do enough to change what is otherwise a very by-the-numbers action game.

Technical problems and frustrating difficulty levels mar an otherwise solid game.

Unfortunately, the game's lackluster visuals and simple and easy gameplay prevent this experience from being anything remarkable, especially in the wake of the much better, much older games that inspired it.

Space Empires V is a space strategy game with plenty of depth and complexity, but it's so riddled with bugs and issues that it is ultimately tough to recommend.

A mediocre action game with a terrific license.

While the game at times relies too heavily on its frantic pace, and its graphics aren't very interesting, it does provide a fun new perspective on the traditional pinball game.

The game may feel a little too familiar as many of the stages are lifted right out of previous games, and the touch-screen control can be a little awkward to adjust to, so you'll likely find yourself falling back on the D pad to control your monkey.

It's not a bad game by any means; it's just a repetitive and disappointingly short one.

TMNT has some legitimately neat platforming sequences, but it's more frustrating than a kid-oriented game ought to be, and the combat is completely brain-dead.

The core gameplay is actually quite good, and it's tempting to just overlook the bugs and missing features and focus on the game's strengths. Unfortunately, there are too many of these bugs and missing features to ignore.

It attempts to deliver some simulation-styled thrills, but the driving physics and options simply aren't up to snuff when compared to other, better games. On the other side, the addition of brake assist turns the game into an overly simplified affair that reduces the gameplay to holding down the gas pedal and steering.

Lumines Live! has the same addictive gameplay as the PSP original does, but you don't get a lot for your money.

The structure of the game is pretty sound, but moving the tricks into a racing scenario completely changes the game, and not always for the better.

Extreme Onimusha fans will probably find something to like here, and anyone after a "Smash Bros."-like fighter on the PlayStation 2 will have some fun, but in the end, there simply isn't enough to Blade Warriors to keep anyone interested beyond the time span of your average rental period.

Suffers from some major problems--juvenile writing, a lame ending, a clunky camera and interface, some ill-conceived puzzles and action sequences, and major bugs, among other things. Still, fans of old-school adventures who can put up with a lot of problems should find the game reasonably entertaining.

Outbreak was an interesting experiment a year ago, but since we've now seen the Resident Evil series finally move on with its incredible fourth installment, dealing with the archaic gameplay conventions of File #2 today feels a little like taking a step backward.

A game that is accessible enough for the younger crowd, yet it still packs enough challenge and quality production that more mature gamers will appreciate it too.

As the spiritual successor to "Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge," Zapper delivers more challenging action puzzle gameplay in a colorful, upbeat setting.

Even with all the competition, fans of the original Contender will undoubtedly enjoy the sequel's familiar - yet vastly improved - look and feel.

While the game does a lot of things right, severe technical issues surface at almost every turn and really drag down the game's high points, leaving behind a game with tons of untapped potential.

The awkward controls and camera in particular often take the wind out of the game's sails.

Brave finds some decent variety with its standard action adventure format, but it's neither a particularly challenging nor ambitious game.

A few modest improvements have been made in porting Budokai 2 to the GameCube, but the game just feels late, and a little irrelevant.

While it's certainly a competent racing game, Ridge Racer DS's awkward driving and collision model feel very dated by today's standards.

Ultimately lacks the focus of the original game.