While it generally lacks originality, its tight execution and heavy action elements ensure that things never become dull.

Looks slightly better than the PS2 and GameCube versions of the game, but its unstable frame rates can occasionally hamper the gameplay experience...If you have a choice, the PS2 version is still recommended.

Anyone who appreciates what makes a truly great game should be able to recognize Ikaruga for its elegant design, aesthetic beauty, and sheer challenge.

So what's the gameplay like once you get the logistics down? In a word, irresistible. Not only is the pace challenging from the get-go, Wetrix has taken the hidden constituent that makes most good puzzle games addictive, and has upped the dosage.

Call of Duty 3 plays every bit as good as its predecessor, and it has improved multiplayer and visuals, too.

"Epic" doesn't quite begin to describe the scope and scale of the latest Total War game--there's a lot of strategic depth, with plenty of amazing combat to enjoy.

The new additions, excellent gameplay, and Xbox Live support make this the best hockey game of the year.

Though it may seem difficult for beginners, Age of Wonders II sounds good, looks great, plays terrific, and improves on every aspect of the original game.

It's an engaging, addictive experience that outstrips its predecessor and brings innovation to the genre.

The first portable Syphon Filter is one of a rare breed for the PlayStation Portable--a shooter that offers not only intense stealth and action sequences, but also a control scheme that works.

It re-creates the NASCAR experience in spectacular fashion, and all of the included modes, series options, and extras provide an excellent amount of value for the cost.

It contains everything that was good about the previous three games while it adds a single new move and a modest set of new features that, once again, inject freshness into a formula that never seems to run out of steam.

The rivalry games are incredibly entertaining, and the dynasty mode adds a tremendous amount of replay value to an already great game.

A highly enjoyable, well-executed flight sim that perfectly blends the action elements found in the series' earlier games with the sort of narrative typically reserved for other genres.

Though NASCAR Racing 2003 Season isn't quite a revolutionary game, it is nevertheless a worthy finale for the series.

It's great because it combines elegance, interesting gameplay choices, and the attraction of card-collecting in what has to be one of the very best pure game designs of the year.

The "Madden" or "Tony Hawk" of stock car racing games. It's as close as you can get to the real thing.

Quite simply one of the most exciting PC sports games ever created.

Exciting, nonstop combat in wild settings, all brought to life with a stunning, state-of-the-art graphics engine that leaves its competition in the dust.

Twilight Princess contains the same expertly designed puzzles and time-tested gameplay that you've come to expect from the series, though parts of its presentation feel stuck in the past.

It provides plenty of interesting units and destructible environments to play around with, and it contains a ton of content, including three big campaigns, all of which result in an excellent, all-around real-time strategy game.

Its innovations with regard to timed-run and in-level goal designs are sure to become trends used in the next generation of alternative sports games.

In many ways, Madden 2005 is just a bit too much like last year's Madden for comfort--but it's still a truly excellent game of football all around.

It's an addictive, well-rounded game that is balanced, challenging, and, most of all, fun to play. If you're speedy, on the quick end it'll take around 40 or so hours to complete.

This terrific update to one of the best sci-fi real-time strategy games in years packs in a great strategic campaign and a grand total of seven different interesting, powerful armies.

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With the sheer number of courses available, the variety of gameplay modes offered, and the overall polish of the presentation, there just doesn't seem like a lot of room for improvement for "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005."

In a few fundamental ways, the game actually does manage to beat out the opposition, though ultimately it falls a bit short of being the best overall package. It's still a really great hockey game in its own right, though.