Improves on the features that were introduced in the previous game and implements some new features that longtime fans should appreciate. On the other hand, it also retains the same graphics, audio, and basic game design that have been with the series since its inception roughly four years ago.

A fun and accessible tennis game with some playful gameplay touches, but it's hampered by a dully sophomoric sense of humor.

A deceptive game, because while its theme suggests fast-paced arcade-style golf, the actual gameplay really isn't like that at all.

The objective-based system works well within this particular environment, the storyline--though incredibly mediocre--is successful in what it sets out to do, and the trick system is easy to get into.

Fans of the classic 2D games will no doubt find much to love in X5, while those who can't get into the aging conventions and mechanics probably won't care a great deal for it.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the versions of NHL 07 not made for the next generation of consoles offer little in the way of new content.

The plain graphics and cookie-cutter objectives can make some of the levels drag a bit, but the storyline and the sheer size of some of the game's levels make the whole package easier to swallow.

A better game than Treyarch's previous efforts, but it still relies too heavily on the novelty of swinging around the city and beating up the same bad guys over and over again--a novelty made less so by the simplification of both mechanics.

Live 07 won't blow your mind, as many of the changes from last year are of limited value, but it's certainly worth a look if you like your basketball games a little up-tempo.

Technically impressive, but its gameplay flaws really get in the way of the excitement.

On the PS2, where you can compare it directly to the three Grand Theft Auto games that have appeared there, the whole package is significantly less interesting, even considering the PS2 port's budget price.

Minigame tasks and plot scenes crop up frequently, and the character animation is so smooth--not to mention hilarious--that most players will come away genuinely entertained when all is said and done.

The game is part puzzler, part platformer and it offers a decent implementation of the stylus and touch screen for control. Unfortunately, the novelty of the interface can wear thin, despite some different wrinkles in gameplay that you encounter over the course of the game.

By all means technically proficient, but it's uninspired and will probably give you the sensation that you've already done all this before.

Rayman Raving Rabbids is a fairly simple collection of minigames that manages to win you over largely on the merit of its personality.

Between the character-switching with Farah and the unique ability to rewind time, there's enough new stuff here to keep you at least mildly entertained even if you've beaten all of the GBA Castlevanias and their ilk.

A solid entry in the "beat up anything that moves" genre.

There's not an awful lot of game here, but flOw still makes for an attractive and soothing showpiece.

Caring for a zoo full of your own miniature animals has its own charm, and despite its visual flaws and less-than-spectacular sound, Zoo Tycoon conveys this charm well.

Capcom's latest PSP compilation has some emulation issues, but there's enough of the good stuff on the disc to make it worth checking out.

Playing Chibi-Robo can sometimes feel like a chore, but the game is redeemed by a great sense of humor and colorful cast of characters.

Though the game is old and has been followed up by plenty of other, deeper games in the series, The Legend of Zelda still holds up quite well, making it one of the only games in Nintendo's Classic NES Series that is worth the $20 price tag.

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

Rayman Raving Rabbids is a fairly simple collection of minigames that manages to win you over largely on the merit of its personality.

If you don't mind another variation on an oft-played theme, Cossacks has more than enough variety to ensure fun empire building and colorful clashes.

The lack of light gun support drags down Operation Wolf, but with games like Elevator Action and Bubble Bobble on board, Taito Legends offers good classic arcade action at a budget price.

If you only played the Xbox version of Mafia, you'd still get a sense of the game's ambitious nature, and you'd enjoy some of its finer points, but you'd also miss out on the PC version's outstandingly good graphics and its more seamless gameplay experience.

Despite its slightly aged appearance, the accessible strategy and comical violence retain most of their appeal.