It's way too easy to dash off a cliff into an instant death, which seems totally out of place these days.

The graphics flow toward you with zero draw-in at a rock-solid 60 frames per second, creating a mesmerizing light show that can be captivating.

The story continues to simmer nicely if unexcitingly in Outbreak, but it's finally and truly dawned on me that we are paying Bandai $200 for one game. Yeah, I knew that going in, but the extreme lack of improvements from volume to volume is going from merely irritating to downright exploitative of the fans.

At first, the billion movements Sam can do and the stealth action will make you and your thumbs very happy, but you'll soon grow tired of the game's intentionally slowed pace.

Original concepts don't happen often in video games -- especially sports titles, and Ballers delivers. The more hardcore a basketball gamer you are, however, the more you may be brought down by the gameplay snafus. This is style over substance personified, baby.

Scary fun, but some control issues and uneven puzzles make it less fun than its predecessors.

I find it both unforgivable and amazing that any game would be released without the ability to save during the game. That's right - you can't save during each of the Conquests.

It's not trying to complete with "Half-Life 2" or "Doom 3", but if the plan is to entertain and freak players out, it's mission accomplished.

The tracks and tricks are interesting enough that it's worth taking the short time the story mode occupies, and creating a huge chained negative reaction is always good for a laugh.

Offers a unique racing format and getting to keep track of your defeated rivals definitely adds an addictive "gotta catch 'em all" quality to the thing. The negatives -- questionable driving physics and some less than state-of-the-art graphics -- are easily outweighed by all the game has going for it.

The puzzles kept me intrigued for days, the storyline was irresistible, and the e-mails and Internet research were a joy. Sadly, the ending left me cold and put a damper on the whole story, and some of the puzzles were so annoying they ceased being fun long before they were complete.

The qualifications -- short length, lack of replay value, and control issues -- knock the game down value-wise, even though I think anyone who's attracted to quick, violent squad play will have a good time.

There's no multiplayer, no online play, and only a couple of difficulty modes. But it does its work extremely well, and it's safe to say you won't play a similar game this year.

Perhaps the biggest draw for Gundam fans is the mode in which you create your own pilot and build up his or her stats in one-player missions, then fight other Gundam geeks in the two-player mode.

If you can play it, focus your efforts on the campaign -- it's fun, and for the most part works as advertised. Hopefully, by the time you are finished with Connacht's tale, a patch to fix the many multiplayer issues will be ready.

An entertaining collection of shooters, but it's kind of funny and kind of sad that it doesn't play to perfection with its namesake peripheral.

This game definitely is ambitious. Unfortunately, I would've traded things like the track creator and rider customization for tighter gameplay. Mototrax gets an A for effort, but about a B- in execution.

My disappointment in this disc's shortcomings is tempered by the sheer amount of great, classic gaming on offer.

The Blitzkrieg series has some good points, but what historical RTS fans are waiting for is a game with Blitkrieg's graphics, "Airborne Assault's" A.I., and "War Times'" 3D terrain.

Pool Paradise may look like a homebrew video game, feature the most colossal collection of lame characters to interact with since "Tao Feng," but the bones of this game are strong and solid. This plays an exceptional, nay incredible game of pool.

Drives a stake through the heart most license-based games, but it still falls short of being a top-shelf title due to some sluggish controls and framerate trouble.

If you can live without walks and the lack of steals and you don't care about Dynasty mode then MVP 2004 is a surefire winner.

Despite a lack of polish and the ineptly presented storyline, Kya: Dark Lineage had enough fresh ideas and fun scenarios to keep me pluggin' through to the end. It's not the prettiest game out there, nor the longest, or the coolest. It is, however, fun and original.

It's somewhat short (maybe five hours per character) and isn't the best action game you'll ever play, but it is the best action game based on "The Lord of the Rings."

The game's 3D engine, already showing its age on the PS2, is barely passable on the Xbox; the fogged-in horizon and massive slowdown seizures are particularly cringe-worthy.

Being able to explore Hogwart's as not one, but all three of your favorite characters is, as Ron would put it, brilliant. Older gamers will find little challenge in the game's simplistic block puzzles.

Another innovation with questionable value is the onscreen confidence meter. A cool idea to make the game seem more realistic, it just doesn't seem to work all that well.

A game with simplistic fighting and a tedious unlocking system, but it's a polished and faithful presentation of Dragon Ball Z with a fair amount of content.

The library of mini-games alone makes the game a must have for anyone looking for hours of mindless fun. Add to that all of the cool extras unlocked when linked with a copy of Spyro Orange, and you end up with an awesome cross-franchise certain to leave you craving more.

The biggest flaws with AvP: Extinction are the lack of a rotating camera, the unit micromanagement required, and the fact that there are only 21 missions in the game with no multiplayer at all... I wasn't disappointed with the game, and I don't think fans of AvP would be either.

While WotR is a good title that offers a lot of fun, it simply doesn't offer a game that's new or interesting enough to raise it from the pack of similar RTS titles available.

Even with all its flaws, Def Jam Vendetta is the best wrestling game currently on the market.

A very good RTS, and anyone who complains that it lacks the depth of a PC RTS is entirely missing the point.

For fans of the series who want to test their sleuthing, Dark Motives is a no-brainer. On the flip side, anyone not connected to the idiosyncrasies of the series should look for crime elsewhere.

It's not nearly as good as "Ace Combat 4," but it's enjoyable enough to tide you over until the next Ace Combat game.

While it's got a few problems, particularly with the load times, frequent checkpoints, and lack of multiplayer options, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is still a good game.

NOLF fans will likely find it lacking most of the series' charm, and as an action title, it feels strangely unpolished, falling victim to any number of basic problems.

The action is intense and the missions are just enough extra. Give me a little smarter targeting, some NPC allies every now and then, a little less stealth, and I may be willing to award this game's sequel with a medal of its own.

Oddball comedy and action galore -- sadly, it's the same simple action over and over.

Most people will find Sword of Mana to be a mediocre game, while staunch series fans will find that it gives them exactly what they want.

It was very addictive in its deceptive simplicity; just when I thought I had figured out the formula for success, the AI would show me up with something else. It's not a hard game, but it is a challenge.

In the time since its release, the developers have done a great job of supporting the game and a small but steadfast community has built up around it. Whatever problems Savage may have now, it seems to be a game with enough dedication behind it that it'll only get better over time.

Has solid gameplay, great graphics, and brings a little somethin' different to the beat-'em-up genre.

The best FIFA game so far, but it's still a few problems away from being a soccer utopia. EA really needs to perfect FIFA's control as much as it needed to make a better career mode. The old developmental mantra is gameplay first, options second.

As a play-alone game, it's well worth the money, but without even moderately acceptable multiplayer support it's going to have an uphill fight to find a larger audience -- and that's a shame because it deserves better.

While the presentation doesn't feel like an afterthought, it probably won't quite completely fulfill your live-action, comic-book fantasies.

The substantial, full game is included, with all the cool modes, as well as a host of new content...but the much-trumpeted online mode is a little too problematic to recommend without hesitation.

It's offensive, psyche-damaging, brutal, makes no sense, and is unforgiving and violent. And damn good fun.

When it came time to score Galaxies, I initially thought of all the bugs and broken areas, the steep subscription fee and poor customer service, the often slow-paced gameplay and as-yet unrealized potential of the game. And yet, even with all these drawbacks, I find myself hooked -- there's fun to be had, if you're willing to dig through the frustrations.

MMORPGs fans will find plenty to like with Horizons. Its crafting system is unmatched, getting your own place is a nice perk, and busybodies will love the multitude of quests.

While Boktai is a solid game in its own right, the game itself has been done before and whole sun thing (read: "The Point") undermines the game experience more than it enhances it.

It obviously has its share of problems, but plopping down $20 (or less) for an innovative concept like this isn't a terrible decision. I can see some people really loving it, and I don't blame them.

Those expecting action as intense or as challenging as that of "Resident Evil" or "Silent Hill," though, may be disappointed. But if you're looking for a good introduction to the genre and don't mind some control and graphics issues, the FBI is waiting.

On its own, it has plenty to keep most gamers entertained for hours. Add to that the connectivity options with Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Revenge and you end up with a surefire formula for success.

In my case, the funnin' exceeded the bummin', but not as much as I wanted. This just isn't the game that'll bring 2D gameplay back into vogue.

Tries too hard to appeal to all types of racing fans, without ever feeling like a complete experience.

It just lacks the depth, polish, and length of titles like "Prince of Persia" and "Ninja Gaiden." That said -- if you're looking for a quick burst of fun that won't require you to free up hundreds of hours, there are a few famous monsters that need to be offed.

It faithfully reproduces the classic action series, and the handful of modern conveniences are a nice addition. However, the display method the game uses looks bad and the extras are not quite there.

Original concepts don't happen often in video games -- especially sports titles, and Ballers delivers. The more hardcore a basketball gamer you are, however, the more you may be brought down by the gameplay snafus. This is style over substance personified, baby.

An innovative and solid shooter.

It does decrease the barrier of entry enough that the average gamer has a better shot at enjoying it. Combine that with superior level design and attractive graphics and my preference for it over "Shinobi" is obvious. It's still chock full of frustration and teeth-gnashing.

I enjoyed the experience of both single- and multiplayer. From a feature standpoint, this version is missing a lot of the selling points of the Xbox and PC versions (smaller levels, less players available online, etc.), but if you haven't gotten immersed in those versions, ignorance is bliss.

A lone EyeToy-keteer is going to get bored rather quickly with Groove. It's like playing Scrabble by yourself -- it can be done, but it's just not the same without encouragement or competition.

It may look nice and deliver speed, but it's bested by "SSX" 3 in just about every way.

While some of the areas are bigger than the ones found in the original, almost all of them are less interesting. The game's dungeons and outdoor areas are, for the most part, boring.

The graphics, while generally underwhelming, flow smooth and fast, and the controls match the graphics turn for turn. I wish all of the game was as polished as the best parts.

The game has improved -- most notably by including some very thorough online abilities -- but not to the degree that the EA and Sega games have.

I'd certainly sign on for another tour of duty, especially if the guys who created my interface iron out some of the glitches. In all, I'd say this is a compelling World War II experience.

As simple as these games sound, you'll likely break a sweat trying to wipe the screen clean in "Wishi Washi" or keep up with the Samba de Amigo-esque "Beat Freak."

If you loved Vietcong, you'll probably love this expansion; just don't get your hopes up about finding anything groundbreaking.

A competent and occasionally compelling hack-and-slash, but fans of the PC games won't give a damn about it, and "Champions of Norrath" is a more satisfying and more technically impressive example of the genre on the PlayStation 2.

Overall I enjoyed the game, though the campaign is a bit lackluster and the game doesn't offer anything new to the RTS scene.

There isn't much replay value, and not much else to make F1CS2000 stand out as a racing game.

This game is simply a heck of a lot of fun to play with a friend.

It's smart, funny, and worth a look. Just don't expect a ton of replay value from Vince -- unless you really want to go through and collect 100 percent of the collectables.

Doesn't come close to surpassing the bar that Splashdown has set.

If you're looking for a true sequel, you likely find yourself a bit disappointed -- it's clearly the weakest entry in the series to date.

Some enjoyable driving missions, but a whole lot of throw away first-person sections, leaves me with a game for which I'm shaken, not stirred.

The longevity factor makes it a rental for even vaguely experienced players. On the other hand, as a young player's introduction to gaming, I-Ninja is nearly the perfect tool.

Mario, get with it -- get hipper, get slicker, and get as good as you outta be. Right now, you're phoning it in.

It's just too bad that the second game in the series turns out to be a bit tarnished instead of the exemplary hobbyist tool it deserves to be.

The game will take the average player only about six hours to beat, but those six hours will be spent experiencing some really great visuals, imaginative game design and some classic Nintendo magic.

There's no multiplayer, no online play, and only a couple of difficulty modes. But it does its work extremely well, and it's safe to say you won't play a similar game this year.

You'll have to look to multiplayer to get the greatest enjoyment from Jungle Storm.

The new simulation aspects are a good attempt to make this year's game appeal to every type of hockey fan, but the game still feels like it's caught in transition.

I came away really liking XGRA despite its flaws, though it's possible that the very touchy controls and high learning curve on many tracks may keep some players away. XGRA is the most satisfying heir to "Wipeout" the PS2 has seen in years.

The most striking aspect of the new environments is how skilled Mythic is at art direction.

A fun action game, but at its heart, it still feels like a year-old console title. There's no multiplayer, and the action is frequently interrupted by multiple load times.

One of those frustrating titles that showed promise, but is brought down with a few nags that could have been prevented. But even with its gaffs, it's still mildly addictive.

While the yin and yang of treading the fabled thin blue line is intriguing, the gameplay of True Crime is hampered by a host of negatives. It's a fun game, but it's hard to recommend to hardcore PC gamers.

Unless you're a fan of repetitive beat-'em-ups that require dozens of hours of devotion to unlock every last item, level, and character, RotK won't have much to offer.

A competent first-person shooter with a good sense of humor, the sort of middling fun you should enjoy between those truly taxing blockbuster titles.

Packs a surprising amount of appeal.

A slightly schizophrenic brew. The true-to-the-sport side won't please the football gamers used to deeper titles from EA or Sega, and those who just like the idea of flagrant late hits might be disappointed that some of the lunacy seems to have been toned down.

One can't help imagine what might have been if more units had been added and specialized tactics would have been allowed to take shape.

Ridiculous brawling aside, the game's control is smooth, with a good button layout and a responsive feel.

If you think that you're up to wrestling with sensitive controls, then V-Rally 3's formidable package would be well worth investing in.

The few puzzles in the game are quite easy, and most experienced gamers will barely even be aware of them.