Battlestations: Midway strikes just the right balance between action and strategy to create a game that's as unique as it is enjoyable.

Those looking for a quick fishing fix without getting dirty will be more than pleased with this offering.

Isn't an excellent game, but it's very good.

With additions like a frighteningly deep franchise mode and online play, SlugFest's already option-laden package gets even deeper this year, though some of these additions are better suited for the game than others.

Ultimately, Madden NFL 06 is a highly playable game of football, but in comparison with the leaps forward the franchise has made in previous years, 06 feels like a false start.

A good game that has a few problems--which range from minor control issues to placement of challenge points--but none of them are substantial enough to ruin the overall experience.

While the PC version of GRAW offers the most impressive and expansive campaign, the extreme system requirements and multiplayer headaches make this tactical shooter feel rougher around the edges than it should.

The gameplay is simple enough for beginners to enjoy, which should please those turned off by "Fire Pro Wrestling," but there's also enough advanced strategy to keep you occupied long after landing all five championships.

DR:NE has better visuals, more tracks, improved gameplay, and enough secrets to induce a gaming fugue state in all who dare to play it.

Improvements to the game's turn-based combat engine, graphics, and its still-captivating plot ensure that fans of story-driven role-playing games and the Xenosaga series itself will still find much to appreciate about Episode II.

Tomb Raider: Legend is a very good action adventure game on the GameCube, which makes it all the more disappointing that it ends so quickly.

It's not the ultimate track and field game by any means, but if you read on, you'll find out just how close Konami's latest effort comes.

In terms of gameplay, it's a by-the-book entry in an established genre, but its American perspective and a successful sense of humor set it apart from the pack.

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.

It should satisfy players who don't care about all the miscellaneous nuances of the sport, or who aren't looking to immerse themselves in a complicated franchise mode.

It's unfortunate that some elements of "NBA Street's" sense of style was lost in the translation between basketball and football, and the lack of a consistently enjoyable single-player mode is a problem for sure, but the game's excellent multiplayer component and its great level of graphical polish ultimately make NFL Street a game well worth playing for any fan of the arcade football genre.

The game's relative ease combined with a very short length prevents Sly Cooper from becoming the next big platformer. But it's great while it lasts.

A great-looking and fantastic-sounding game, though, unfortunately, it's on the short side.

Certainly, the updates it does include make it a richer game of football than Madden NFL 06, but it's hard not to look at the game on PC as something of an afterthought in the grand scheme of Madden's release calendar.

Easily the best chess program for the seasoned chess player, and, if you can work through its occasionally clumsy interface, it may well be the best overall chess program for any pawn pusher.

Isn't the perfect program for hardcore chess aficionados. However, if you're looking for a good chess program that's packed with a plethora of features and all the bells and whistles, you'll be very happy with Chessmaster 10th Edition.

It may not look as nice as the PS2 version, but for all intents and purposes it feels identical.

The game's twisted sense of humor and tendency toward overindulgence make it that much more enjoyable. If you're looking for a fun, pick-up-and-play shooter, and don't mind a lot of senseless brutality, Urban Chaos is the game for you.

The formula still works just fine, and with support for eight players using only one copy of the game, this is a fine choice for anyone interested in a strong multiplayer game.

Open Tee isn't really any more or less accessible than Tiger, but the playful visual style will likely appeal more to those with no interest in real-world golf, and established Hot Shots fans will definitely find this to be their preferred game.

A good return to the roots of the series. It doesn't do anything new or different, but it has a great blend of action and adventure that will always keep you moving and interested. The problem is that it moves a bit too fast, and it's all over way too soon.

Crackdown creates an exciting open world and gives you a lot of interesting abilities, but there isn't enough main-game content to truly take advantage of the game's strengths.

While the gameplay isn't quite as unusual as the premise, S.W.I.N.E. is a solid real-time strategy game with plenty of humor, all wrapped up in a beautiful shell.