Delivers the thrill of being in the ring with a totally new control scheme that offers players a greater degree of control over their fighters. Plus, the mobility of the fighters has been drastically increased.

Like its predecessor, it isn't the most balanced game in the world, but that doesn't keep it from being a great deal of fun.

This is easily one of the best sports management games on the market, and it's second star only to Sports Interactive classics like "Championship Manager."

Utterly exciting and addictive. Counter-Strike is a model of its kind and a thrilling action game.

It would have been nice if the game had updated graphics and better squad AI, but as it is, this is a great game nonetheless.

A nonstop action ride that starts out on a high point and manages to remain there for the entire game. Gameplay elements that can be tedious, such as jumping puzzles, are limited, while the use of Force powers is accentuated.

While it's a bit disappointing that Afrika Korps doesn't address any of the weaknesses of Barbarossa to Berlin, it's still a great wargame, and its tank-friendly and diverse environments make it the best installment in the series.

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.

Great fun, from its hysterical cutscenes to its extremely tense police chases.

Best suited for anyone fortunate to have played the previous game, Original Generation 2 is a great little space opera in its own right.

Ridge Racer 64 takes ideas from the first two Ridge Racer games and puts a new spin on them, introducing the arcade racer to the Nintendo 64 in a way that will interest even longtime fans of the series.

Its polished interface, accessible gameplay, and exceptional graphics make Dungeon Siege a first-rate action RPG.

But where Indigo Prophecy truly shines is in its story, which is a deep, captivating, and sometimes disturbing tale of one average man's journey to solve a murder that he himself committed.

Lumines II is a game that feels fresh for the first few hours, but once the newness of the music wears off, it's pretty much the same as Lumines. It's still one of the best puzzle games of the year, but it's hard not to wish that the game played at least somewhat differently.

A highly streamlined sequel that shifts the series' focus away from management and diplomacy to surprisingly fast-paced combat.

While Street Fighter Alpha 3 for the GBA does cut a few corners here and there, it takes a discerning fan to notice any real difference between this version and the arcade original--and that's pretty amazing.

As a wrestling game, Def Jam Vendetta manages to succeed on most every level, providing surprisingly deep gameplay, quality graphics and sound, and a distinctive atmosphere.

A great update of a classic game. While some portions of the game have aged better than others, and while the control could've been a little tighter, the game is done right enough to make it a faithful update for fans of the original; new players will certainly find a lot to like here, as well.

There's no remarkable new gameplay to speak of, so the game is clearly intended for fans of the series, who've been impressed by Silent Hill's unusually dark and psychological style.

An extremely solid game that takes the series in a promising direction.

And while it doesn't achieve the same epic sense of scale as Jackson's movies, it's still an engrossing and well-made real-time strategy game that captures the essence of J.R.R. Tolkien's wondrous world.

The actual racing hasn't changed too much, but the ever-present police make this game a whole lot more interesting.

Wild World doesn't toy with the original Animal Crossing formula, but simply being able to take your town with you on the go makes it an easy recommendation.

Even though there are some rough edges in its franchise mode, ESPN NBA 2K5's basic gameplay mechanics are extremely well done, making the game easy to recommend to any basketball fan. It hits the mark in just about every aspect of basketball, including post-up play, rebounding, and passing.

A stunning shooter that's got a bit too much plot and is over too soon, though it's still incredibly intense and, by all means, worth experiencing.

Even though there are some rough edges in its franchise mode, ESPN NBA 2K5's basic gameplay mechanics are extremely well done, making the game easy to recommend to any basketball fan. It hits the mark in just about every aspect of basketball, including post-up play, rebounding, and passing.

While die-hard Resident Evil fans will be turned off by the game's length, others will find it to be the survival-horror game for people who don't like survival-horror games.

At the heart of this game is an interesting and well-thought-out combat system, and there are so many viable combinations of characters and skills to experiment with that this game could easily keep you busy for much longer than most games do these days.