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

Given that "Hitman 2" was such a huge improvement on the original, it's inherently somewhat disappointing that the new Hitman: Contracts is really just a rehash. It's more of the same, replete with everything that was good and everything that wasn't so good about the 2002 game.

If you already own FIFA 2002, then there really isn't any reason to own 2002 FIFA World Cup, and if you don't own FIFA 2002 but are looking for a soccer game, you should get that game instead.

This version of Pandora Tomorrow was effectively gutted. Not only is it missing the other versions' most exciting feature but--much like the PlayStation 2 version--also it doesn't look nearly as good as its PC and Xbox counterparts.

There's no doubt that this is EA Sports' best soccer game to date on the pitch, but it's really unfortunate that the career mode isn't more user-friendly.

Hours upon hours, this little passion play repeated itself throughout my playthrough. Even after stopping everything to grind for experience, the next major area would present another drastic difficulty spike, with help nowhere to be found. Stacking debuffs on enemies was often the only effective recourse, forcing the enemy to unwittingly murdering themselves, rather than handle the task through my own attacks. While effective, it's also the least enjoyable way to experience a turn-based RPG.

Plug in your gamepad and brace yourself: Devil May Cry 4 on the PC is every bit the equal of the console versions.

Features an original tactical combat system and numerous gameplay twists that will surprise players well accustomed to the standard RPG blueprint.

Soul Bubbles is charming, beautiful, and soothing, but it won't keep you coming back.

The challenging and lengthy single-player campaign and the tough AI will keep you busy for a long time, while custom skirmish modes and multiplayer capability add to the game's value.

The extra bells and whistles that Sonic Rush Adventure add to the formula might not equate to much of an overall improvement, and the game might not have as much impact as its predecessor, but this is still a mighty-fine platformer that is guaranteed to satisfy Sonic fans.

Despite certain underdeveloped elements, this is the most ambitious and accessible Naruto game yet.

There's very little that's truly new in Tiger Woods 07, but it's still one of the best ways to get your golf fix while on the go.

This decidedly old-school role-playing game got a fresh coat of paint but not the complete overhaul it needed.

This fun take on the Pixar movie has lots of entertaining content for younger players, but control issues and a lack of depth limit its appeal.

This old fog needs to learn some new tricks.

Its stealth and action mechanics may be simplistic, but they're functional and regularly enjoyable. And the maps--with their impressive scale, open-ended objectives, and clever level design--coalesce these disparate systems into a creative and fulfilling whole. There are still some issues with AI inconsistency, a bland story, and some dull competitive multiplayer, but it finally feels like this series is living up to its long-standing potential.

Mutant Year Zero's clever focus on stealth and pre-combat preparation reward your diligence, its turn-based combat encounters are complex, and they help bolster its all-encompassing post-apocalyptic atmosphere. It is a superb tactical combat campaign that you shouldn't let sneak past.

New multiplayer additions make this the best Lost Planet experience so far, but there's not enough here to warrant another purchase for veterans.

The conclusion to DeathSpank's tale doesn't veer far from the original, but that doesn't make it any less fun.

A beautiful and charming point-and-click adventure, despite a few idiosyncratic puzzles.

The relationships you forge define your adventure through Ashen, and helping your new friends is a powerful motivator that drives you forward through the game's beautiful world.

While NightFire is hurt by its relatively short length, the game's single-player mode is well constructed, and its multiplayer mode is good too.

Crucially, every emotional breakthrough, every new revelation, every gut-stab of a memory in That Cancer, Dragon must be discovered, confronted, and processed, as it undoubtedly had to be in the minds of its creators as it happened.

It doesn't matter whether you're a hard-core simulation fan or you simply crave speed, destruction, and mayhem in your games -- if you want to play a very fun racing game, then Midtown Madness 2 is for you.

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.

The well-designed mechanics, combined with its sheer amount of content, make Culdcept easily recommendable to fans of strategy games and even to fans of role-playing games.

Digital Devil Saga's great demon combat and tenebrous world full of myth and mystery make it worthy of the Shin Megami Tensei name. If you don't mind cliff-hangers and lots of turn-based combat, definitely consider giving this role-playing game a try.