It's the non-descript gameplay between [the cut scenes] that bogs Futurama down. The unbalanced and tedious action will try your patience.

When "Gran Turismo" is too much, and "Mario Kart" just ain't enough, Smash Cars could be just the ticket.

Is it a deep role-playing game with a plot-twisting storyline ... or is it a Diablo hack-and-slash clone? Ultimately, it tries to be both, but doesn't succeed at being either.

Not as flashy as the competition. But its technical prowess and sheer depth give it an edge over every other game on the market -- even the vaunted, upcoming "Soul Calibur II," if only slightly. The game's immensely addictive, fun, intricate, and super speedy.

Definitely not a game for everyone... but it's an intensely satisfying and mind-bogglingly replayable game for those gamers willing to wallow in Asian history and pure strategy.

If you want to dig deep into Madden's highly touted franchise mode, there are some major holes that need to be filled before this portion of the game passes muster -- the game will not be truly complete until it's fixed.

With added depth to the on-field action and expanded management options, Madden 2004 is a game worth picking up regardless of whether you're a rookie to the series or a diehard veteran.

With added depth to the on-field action and expanded management options, Madden 2004 is a game worth picking up regardless of whether you're a rookie to the series or a diehard veteran ... even if the GameCube version isn't quite as good as its Xbox and PS2 cousins.

Lots to see and do for kart racing fans -- if they don't mind the atmosphere.

Repetitive, ugly, short, nonsensical, and boring -- a beat-'em-up that gets almost everything wrong, and that's wildly overpriced at $50.

There's lots of tension, and brief bursts of action, but completing a mission is not so much dependent on tactics as it is on your teammates having much faster, more "aware", and more accurate aiming AI than the enemy. Thankfully, they do.

The game's cartoonish nature and over-the-top attempts at humor may ward off prospective players before the game is able to redeem itself.

Don't expect to find radical gameplay changes or innovative open-ended mechanics here. Instead, come armed with a belly full of courage and a clean change of underwear, because I can't even remember when a video game has shoved this much grotesque evil down my throat in one serving.

Simply put: Korsun Pocket is a gem of a game and is one of the best wargames ever designed.

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.

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.

Scores with a handful of options and hardcore appeal, but needs more punch.

[Microsoft] has blithely improved an already great sim by giving it a new angle, bringing in some really sweet technological improvements, and making it even more accessible.

Despite its camera problems, its visual deficiencies, and the fact that it does some things worse than the original, I'm having lots of fun with Toadstool Tour.

Provides a lot of bang for your buck; it's loaded with additional features, tweaks, and is simply a more balanced game from top to bottom.

It's driven by the sort of maddening adventure game logic that had a hand in killing the genre. But there's no denying this is part of what defined the genre: clever (and often implausible) solutions from some weird corner of the brain most of us never exercise.

If it weren't for its middling trick system, Downhill Domination would be among the finest action-sports games on the market.

Somewhere inside Nexagon: Deathmatch, there's an interesting concept trying to get out, but the arena combat, base building, and futuristic sports theme never gel. The lack of clear instruction, the fun-killing load times, frequently lame combat, and some bugs and pathfinding problems don't do the game any favors.

Syberia is not a great game, but it tells a great story, despite its translation hiccups.

So atrocious that it's an insult to the art of game design, not to mention the people who mistakenly purchase it.

If you loved "Armored Core 3," you're going to have a field day with this.

A magnificent mélange of story, gameplay, and acting that takes many fascinating elements of the Star Wars universe and combines them with BioWare's penchant for first-rate interactive storytelling.

Tiburon outdoes itself and gives players the best college football game ever made.

An incredibly solid NCAA game that will keep you and your friends entertained -- you'll just have to play on the same Xbox.

Online play isn't an option here, and the training mode is nowhere to be found. While the core game is still fun, there is little reason to choose the GameCube version unless the little purple box is your sole game system.

The game is short -- way too short. A halfway decent player is going to spend more time watching the movie than playing through the story mode.

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.

It takes a fan to look past K-1's visual and technical shortcomings to find the rewarding game within.

An excellent virtual-T&A delivery system, the best simulation of v-ball on the Xbox, and a guilty pleasure that kept me playing for much longer than it should.

An extremely solid and enjoyable expansion from Blizzard. Throw in the fact that you are getting plenty of gameplay and units that would normally constitute a full game from some developers, the price point of under $35 makes this even more attractive.

It's not the T&A fest that DOA Xtreme Volleyball is, but it isn't afraid to flash some skin (though no "nude code"). Where it's at its strongest, happily, is in the gameplay. The button scheme is in-depth enough to make the action challenging.

A beautiful RPG marred by numerous bugs which render it nigh unplayable.

A sad mess that not only has virtually nothing to do with the movie or the ride, but is a pretty poor game in its own right.

The best arcade racer to hit the PC in years.

A mess that 36-plus months of development time couldn't flesh out.

A wonderful platformer with a fresh gameplay mechanic and a great sense of humor.

There's just not enough new content to justify this expansion.

Almost fun enough, but overall too shallow to be worth a solid purchase to anyone.

A worthy successor to "Close Combat" ... at least until something better comes along.

A mildly entertaining console port that's heavy on gameplay but short on substance.

While many aspects of it are excellent, the gameplay is flawed enough to occasionally frustrate and sometimes make Magic Pengel feel less like a game and more like a chore.

It's well worth your time to play through, if only for the motorcycle and gun turret scenes, and some of the more freakish weirdoes to cull later in your romp.

An excellent downsizing of a cutting-edge game for a lesser platform, retaining the essential gameplay of the original while deftly imitating its audiovisual aspects.

Offers a lot more to fans of the sport than anyone else, but the overall variety in the game still leaves something to be desired. If you're really into this kind of subject matter, add about 15 points to my score.

I liken it to a big, dumb, friendly guy: an affable, warm-hearted chap that you'd be friends with in real life even if he doesn't offer any useful insights or advice. Reliable, trustworthy and true: that's Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits.

It's a goofy mix that will surely turn off more players than it turns on, but I find the combination a compelling one. Just the simple fact that I've never played anything quite like Warship Gunner makes my jaded self happy.

It may not be especially revolutionary, but Elite Force II is an often entertaining and consistently solid shooter that no Star Trek fan should be without.

Full of caring touches and a microscope-like attention to detail, F1 Challenge '99-'02 is the ultimate thinking person's open-wheel racing sim.

The game is short -- way too short. A halfway decent player is going to spend more time watching the movie than playing through the story mode.

The worst, and most important thing about F1 Career Challenge, is the jerky handling I mentioned earlier. It takes about an hour of game time to get acclimated to it. Even after that, the cars are nearly impossible to drive smoothly, and it never really feels like you are in total control.

There isn't a single original or inspired moment in any of the game's 16 levels...The level design is so pathetic that the game first recycles a background tile set from Level 1 in Level 3!

The best Battle Network yet.

A great game, and better than the first in all of the important ways, but the impact is lessened by the similarity to the first game.

The release, which tries to port too many visual features of its more powerful cousin, is just a pixelated, sluggish mess.

The game is short -- way too short. A halfway decent player is going to spend more time watching the movie than playing through the story mode.

For the most part, Wario World offers little above and beyond the standard 3D platform romp, and what is offered turns out to be very short and repetitive. That's not too say that the game isn't fun while it lasts, because it is -- I just wish there was four times as much to crack.

Mass Media has done a sterling job with the port, and if you can get past the slightly dated visuals, you'll find the heart of the stylish, carnage-filled ride beating away underneath.

To top it all off, not only is AOD almost unplayable when it's working, it's also plagued by a host of glitches that will make you glad that you can save the game at any point... An early contender for "Worst Game of the Year."

The surprising depth of the campaign mode, and the simple pleasures of smashing into oncoming traffic, helps negate the weak audiovisuals and onslaught of "yee-haw!" hee-haws.

A generic racer with worse-than-generic graphics.

A very cool combination of gameplay elements, and the most intriguing light-gun title for a home console since Elemental Gearbolt (anyone remember that one?)

Even the overdone gore isn't realistic enough for the morally unhinged. It's a lackluster experience and part-time embarrassment to the hardware potential of this game system.

The additions are nice, yet it's obvious that Sega didn't even try addressing the well-known shortcomings of the Dreamcast game.

Infinite lives can't make up for gameplay that rivals NES games for cheap deaths, many of which are caused by shoddy controls. RTX Red Rock is an experience in pain.

The lack of secrets and multiplayer modes also means an utter lack of replay value, but I felt nothing but satisfaction at the rousing conclusion.

Everything you never wanted in an RPG -- an awkward and tedious mess.

A great single-player adventure that also offers new tools for mod makers. Gamers that prefer non-melee classes better be up for a challenge though.

A barely playable disappointment that'll spend less time in the hands of gamers than it will in the hands of the lawyers representing Lady Miss Kier.

A very satisfying single-player FPS, coated with a fat-free topping of space combat. The lack of secrets and multiplayer modes also means an utter lack of replay value, but I felt nothing but satisfaction at the rousing conclusion.

The real stars of the game are the two cities, which are huge arenas ripe for careening around in.

While not quite perfect, it's one of the most worthwhile Mega Man platformers in years, as it shakes the boat in a bunch of cool ways.

Because of the complexity of the level design, part of the game's appeal is in attempting to find as many solutions as possible. You can always replay a level to try a new strategy or see a new area.

The surprising depth of the campaign mode, and the simple pleasures of smashing into oncoming traffic, helps negate the weak audiovisuals and onslaught of "yee-haw!" hee-haws.

Teases more than pleases. It feels like half of what a good expansion should be, but at the same time is a great buy for those new to the series.

With its cleverly designed levels, sweet controls, and challenging gameplay, Wakeboarding Unleashed is an excellent game that action-sports fans will love.

The most imaginative and engaging action-sports title in quite some time... It's an adrenaline-charged blast that shouldn't be missed.

On GBA, the second verse is the same as the first -- just a little bit smaller and it seems a bit worse.

If you're a wrestling fan with a sense of humor, a love of Japanese absurdity, and modest expectations, Ultimate Muscle: The Path of the Superhero is definitely worth your time.

The result will please gamers that are fans of the show or those searching for a simple fighting game, though fans looking for the next incarnation of "WWF No Mercy" will have to keep waiting.

A good game buried under a lousy interface and a steep learning curve.

Bugs aside, Bloodmoon is a smart buy for fans of the original game simply because it's not just more-of-the-same; the quests are well designed, and the werewolf slant changes the entire flavor of Morrowind.

A prettier, tighter game on Xbox, making it the number one racer on the system -- at least in my eyes.

Without any multiplayer value there is no justification to drop cash on this thin package, leaving it a rental for the curious.

While it's easy to nitpick its gameplay to death, the one area where Iridion II is beyond reproach is its graphics.

An interesting if ultra-niche title, and while Tecmo's Gallop Racer 2003 provides a larger and more entertaining overview of the sport of kings, G1 Jockey 3 provides a considerably deeper racing experience.

All the PS2 will get you is some interface problems, a lack of anyone to play with online, and maybe a headache from the abundance of flickering text in the game's many high-resolution screens.

SX Superstar isn't a mess, and it's not an unplayable game, it simply lacks the ambition and creativeness necessary to turn a racing game into a truly great ride.

Too simple for its own good, yet somehow likable in the end.

Some mindless button-mashing fun here, but that's about it.

A game that's really repetitive, but fans of the Hulk should get a kick out of it.

A great third-person action title with a neat squad twist. Sometimes the missions might get a tad repetitive, and it might not be the biggest revelation in terms of gameplay you've ever seen, but throw in some friends and you'll have a blast.

Too simple for its own good, yet somehow likable in the end. While the beat 'em up action is undoubtedly repetitive, it was just solid enough to keep me playing for another level.

The series is beginning to fall behind the times, and BR: Extreme is a bit shopworn, but it's still a good time.