The perceptive lack of lots of courses in Air Ride mode and the limited fun that the Top Ride and City Trial modes offer might shy away some gamers, but KAR is primarily a fast, fun, and novel take on the kart racing genre that shouldn't go ignored.

Compared to most wrestling games, the movesets here have been whittled down to almost nothing. The basic attacks are almost all simple strikes that quickly become half-hearted combinations (punch, punch ... kick!) for button mashers.

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

Compared to most wrestling games, the movesets here have been whittled down to almost nothing.

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

Mixing classic gameplay with modern sensibilities and an inimitable art style, Viewtiful Joe is one of the hippest-looking, slickest-playing, and coolest-feeling games around.

This is a hard game. Despite the intended juvenile audience, keeping your demons alive through even a single battle can sometimes be a real struggle.

It's really only its brevity and restrictive save game system that keeps this game from fighting its way to the top of the genre.

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.

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.

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.

If you're willing to endure the bad dialogue, limited carrying capacity, and annoyances inherent with a fully turn-based game, you'll probably find a lot to like about Paradise Cracked. It has an interesting story, plenty of gear to find and sell, and unique characters.

I've enjoyed playing Halo on the PC far more than I ever did on the Xbox, and the inclusion of Internet multiplayer with new levels and modes is a huge addition...When everything's clicking, it's the closest I've seen a shooter come to providing perfect combat

A great add-on that gives AoM fans plenty of new toys to play with that are not only fun in their own right, but make the game they're attached to much, much better.

A narrative-driven game demands a cohesive design, but mini-games are inherently schizophrenic, and Robin Hood is never quite able to overcome the contradiction.

It has all of the trappings of a bad RPG: extremely linear gameplay, over-the-top voice acting, frustrating camera angles, and a ho-hum storyline. What saves it, and what ultimately makes it a fun game to play, is the terrific combat model combined with stellar graphics.

Fans of the American Conquest and history buffs can look forward to more grand battles on a truly epic scale. For everyone else, there are plenty of better RTS games to play.

Beyond the familiar SeaWorld rides and shows, this game doesn't offer anything you can't find more of in earlier games.

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.

It's neither funny nor exciting, and the two genres it tries to meld are both shortchanged by the attempt.

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

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.

A throwaway title, and an afternoon of modest fun that kids will get the most out of, since they'll be least put off by the abbreviated levels and most challenged by the puzzles.

My biggest nitpick is that defense and rebounding is still an afterthought.

A great strategy game. If you liked the original, there's more than enough here to justify the upgrade.

DDR freaks have bemoaned the removal of the ultra-difficult Oni mode, but the inclusion of user-editable nonstop courses of up to 20 songs each, which can also be used in the Workout mode (yes!), more than makes up for it.

I don't think it has quite enough bells and whistles to dethrone "NBA Street," but if you loved Jam back in the day, you will find a lot to like in this incarnation.

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.

Worth checking out for platform and Sonic Team fans, but is likely too difficult and glitchy for more casual players.

It's remarkable that EA has managed to catch up to the incredible effort from Sega in a single generation, and if it weren't for an overly trying physics engine on the ice, the two would be in a dead heat.

All the features put together make a fun addition to SimCity, but only because the expansion packs in so many different additions to the game.

Delivers a much more authentic representation of the fastest game on ice and this is reflected in its tight checking action (low-scoring games are now the norm) and truer-to-life gameplay mechanics.

The addition of the specialized generals, however, pushes this expansion set over the top. If you've already got Generals, you cannot go wrong with getting Zero Hour.

It's everything reality television should be -- cruel, funny and heartless -- but it's over all too quickly.

While it could have been a more inspired finale, the multiplayer aspect makes up for the single-player shortcomings. The aging engine has been used for all its worth.

Challenging. Addictive. Innovative. Accessible. Deep. Polished...after 30 hours, I'm still completely hooked. The customization options are a complete success, and I'm sure I won't put Tiger 2004 down until I've collected every trophy, medal, and item in the game.

It's remarkable that EA has managed to catch up to the incredible effort from Sega in a single generation, and if it weren't for an overly trying physics engine on the ice, the two would be in a dead heat.

A stellar title, and it's mainly the inherent differences with the GameCube controller that make me hesitate from giving it a full recommendation.

It's remarkable that EA has managed to catch up to the incredible effort from Sega in a single generation, and if it weren't for an overly trying physics engine on the ice, the two would be in a dead heat.

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.

Its pace is often slow, almost to the point of being sluggish, but the game's story which is revealed both through in-game conversations and cinematic, between-level cutscenes (it is a Blizzard game, after all) definitely helped to pull me into the game despite the frustration I felt with its controls.

Both a souped-up "Gauntlet" and a stripped-down "Dark Alliance"; it's not as pretty as it should be, but the gameplay is rock-solid, and the multiplayer mode is can't-miss entertainment.

It's possible that the very touchy controls and high learning curve on many tracks may keep some players away, but there's a great racing engine here.

The meat of the game is in the career mode, which is incredibly deep, but takes a real time commitment to get the most out of.

If you can find the '01 Rugby on a "used" rack, I'd pick it up before this one; it doesn't accurately emulate as many aspects of the sport, but it's a better video game.

A rock-solid RPG that faithfully re-creates a classic adventure. It's only a few interface issues, lackluster storytelling, and a limited scope that keep it from being among the best in its genre.

Though Homeworld2 may technically be a sequel, it too doesn't distance itself very far from the original, and in some ways feels like a mission pack itself. However, that doesn't stop it from being a completely addictive -- if sometimes incredibly difficult -- addition to the Homeworld universe.

Very fun and very funny; it deftly satirizes "Grand Theft Auto" while being almost as entertaining -- and it even bests GTA with its instant mission restarts, superior in-game navigation, and more easily accessible collection of vehicles.

It may not unseat "NASCAR Racing 2003 Season" as this year's premier PC NASCAR sim, but the NASCAR Thunder series is now right on the leader's tail.

A super-deformed take on Diablo, wholly devoid of strategy or audiovisual pizzazz.

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.

Should have been a campy romp; instead, it's barely more enjoyable than "Run Like Hell," with a camera that constantly fights you and combat that constantly bores you.

Very fun and very funny; it deftly satirizes "Grand Theft Auto" while being almost as entertaining, and even improves on several gameplay aspects of GTA (instant mission restarts, a superior guidance system, and an easily accessible collection of vehicles).

The only area that the Xbox version of this game really pales in comparison to its PS2 brother is in the lack of an online mode -- a pity when the system has the necessary hardware built right in!

Very fun and very funny; it deftly satirizes Grand Theft Auto while being almost as entertaining, and it even improves on several aspects of GTA's gameplay (instant mission restarts, a superior guidance system, and an easily accessible collection of vehicles).

While significant improvements are obvious in most aspects of the game, the ghost of the original title's schizophrenic gameplay still haunts Anchor's latest.

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.

An engaging, action-packed adventure that admirably re-creates the captivating atmosphere of the films.

What makes Grunty's Revenge work so well is that it never becomes boring or overly repetitive.

A huge improvement over its predecessor. Being surrounded by a pack of creatures that want to tear the flesh from your bones doesn't get much better than this.

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.

While the drive-and-shoot gameplay of Starsky & Hutch unavoidably becomes repetitive, the solid level design and great two-player mode combine to make it one of the best budget titles for the PS2.

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.

Often sloppy or silly, but it does feature loads of outrageously violent action.

Other than its "Janglish"-infused plot and low-altitude issues, Lethal Skies II is an excellent air-combat game; the arsenal of real-life and fictional planes is outstanding, and the action is doled out in perfectly sized chunks.

With its unique two-player mode and very reasonable MSRP, Starsky & Hutch is a no-brainer of a purchase for light-gunners, penny-pinchers, and people with friends. This is one of the best budget releases I've ever played.

If you're partial to some good shooter action, then check out P.N.03 -- it's not the longest game ever made, but it's stylish and challenging nonetheless.

Shadowlands is like a love letter from Funcom to its fans. It is an example of how an MMO can grow and change, becoming richer without alienating new players or neglecting the hardcore fans who've stayed with it all along.

The gameplay, graphics, sound, and replayability combine to offer an exquisite mélange that fans of strategy and role-playing games must experience.

A serious and right-minded improvement over "Wrestlemania X8," and offers a preferable engine to "Smackdown!" for wrestling purists. If only the single-player mode had anything (and I do mean anything) to offer except a steel chair to your expectations.

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.

The so-called "secret weapons" aren't worth the price of admission alone, and the maps aren't as good as those from The Road to Rome, but the combination of the two makes Secret Weapons an expansion any Battlefield fan should give serious consideration to.

It is the near-seamless integration of the ESPN look and feel that sets this game apart.

It is the near-seamless integration of the ESPN look and feel that sets this game apart.

Could have been an interesting game, but the simplistic game mode means only the most casual of strategy gamer could possibly find anything to like for more than a mission or two.

I thought I had totally burnt myself out, playing for over four hours a day for over a week. I wondered if it was possible to ruin a game by playing it too much. But 60 hours in, I still want more.

The best advice I can give anyone playing this game is to keep the poorly written manual close at hand, because you'll be referring to it frequently. In fact, I can easily say that this game is almost impossible to play well without it.

The one-player puzzle quest is a disappointing throwaway, and the strategy of the multiplayer mode is too chaotic to be entertaining, but the core gameplay remains simple, solid fun.

It may not be hanging out in the rarified air that Madden and Sega's ESPN game breathe, but it finally deserves to be on the same playing field as them.

The addition of weapons to the fighting game mix has put the Soul Calibur series in its own arena; the intensity of clashing blades and the strategies afforded by their behaviors makes the game feel more visceral than any of the other fighters on the market.

Once you step on the field, things start to unravel.

The sheer number of gameplay modes the cart brings to the handheld keeps the action fresh whether you're tackling the forces of evil or just your buddy.

Even with its niggling control issues, Otogi is a beautiful and entertaining action romp.

Its single-player mode can be frustrating, the player models are lumpy and odd looking, and the on-the-field gameplay achieves the impressive feat of feeling both too slow and too fast at the same time.

It's the best version of an extremely excellent game, on the most powerful system of this generation, and that's something to relish.

The addition of weapons to the fighting game mix has put the Soul Calibur series in its own arena; the intensity of clashing blades and the strategies afforded by their behaviors makes the game feel more visceral than any of the other fighters on the market.

You'll even be willing to endure the frustration of restarting the mission just because you want to try another ghost and see if it works better.

Easy to learn and a challenge to play, Enigma: Rising Tide is one game naval enthusiasts and non-simulation fans won't want to miss.

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.

One of the most polished and entertaining titles of 2003... A stellar game, one that dares to venture beyond the standard shooter formula and pulls it off with style.

Rebels is just competent enough to be a satisfactory exercise for fans of the Commandos-style puzzle play, but its technical advances fail to distinguish it, and its performance and some questionable design issues knock it down to mediocre at best.

The game is a blast, possessing excellent pinball basics, surprising depth, and an addictive collection overgame.

The look of the game is also solid. Creepy catacomb textures and eerie lighting effects crank up the spooky mood of the game. Character models are also solid, with Buffy and crew actually looking a lot like their TV counterparts.

I can't remember the last time I played a racer this challenging and difficult to master. It's no picnic, but the rewards are plenty for those of you with the will and determination to keep on winning.

Not just a way to make a quick buck off of diehard Buffy fans, it's a game that is as deep and fun to play as anything else on the system.

The problem is that after the initial unique feeling of intrigue you may get by playing a game that takes place entirely underwater, it's just not very fun.

The coolness of the character-morphing and combat are overshadowed by the repetitive and linear play and a lackluster look.

Fans of the show may be able to put up with the sometimes ponderous gaming just to get a peek at an all-new adventure, but not many else will. Like riding a stationary bike for a half-hour to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! -- it's just not worth it.