I can really only recommend this game to those who appreciate and enjoy all the nitty-gritty of the Indy racing sport. If you are one of those people, add about 15 points to my score.

SAG offers a quick trip down memory lane, but repeated replaying of all four games will soon get a little stale.

Upgraded visuals, spot-on handling, and Xbox Live support make MotoGP 2 a must have racer.

What's worse is that the aforementioned combat system is more frustrating than losing a heel on prom night. Ultimately you're left with a game that's based on a really interesting idea, but as a whole is executed poorly.

An enormous game... Classic real-time gaming simply doesn't get much better than this.

While technologically more advanced than its predecessor, Evil Dead: Fistful of Boomstick proves to be no deeper or innovative than "Hail to the King."

Veteran shooter fans and adrenaline addicts might find it a bit too slow for their taste. For others, though, PlanetSide may be the perfect fit to fill a genre that's been waiting to explode for a few years.

The Live play is fun, but when the core of the game is lacking in so many areas, it turns into a battle to see who becomes more frustrated with the poor control and spaced-out ball physics first.

You barely exchange two sentences to Trinity, and she ignores almost everything you say in favor offering pre-scripted responses before quickly dumping you back to the hacking interface.

PS2 owners get the worst console version of a weak game.

A painful reminder that all the authenticity in the world can't help when the game is completely unpolished and the core gameplay is weak.

This is the most unfinished retail game I've ever played.

Too many movie clips and too little gameplay.

Over a hundred and fifty new objects, new interactions and actions, and a tongue-in-cheek look into the world of entertainment make The Sims: Superstar the best expansion yet.

Blitzkrieg can sometimes be entertaining in spite of these problems, but it's not the great WWII RTS we've been waiting for.

Many of today's action games compel gamers to race through them as quickly as possible, rarely stopping to enjoy the scenery, but Vice City is the total opposite. It's a game you want to soak in; a game you want to take in slowly and enjoy every moment.

Pretty basic in the gameplay department, but damn, it's a thing of beauty. Unless you're a hardcore fan of the flick, though, it really isn't worth thirty bucks.

Of the three versions, the Xbox Finding Nemo is the one to get … if any are really worth getting. The numerous problems with the core game ensure all but the most hardcore fans are going to pass on this one.

Whether it is the long loading times, the low framerate, or the poor control, there is really no reason for anyone except a hardcore fan to purchase this game.

What it does, it does quite well, adding 17 new scenarios and over 250 new elements to the game. Unfortunately, that's all that gamers can expect in this expansion, there are no tweaks, adjustments, or fixes to the game at all.

A great expansion for aggressive strategy gamers, although some of the subtleties of the original game get lost.

With Mutation kicking up the story and gameplay a much-needed notch I became totally addicted to this game. The addition of a sprinkling of some truly excellent boss battles throughout the game helped a bunch, too.

It is possible to have fun in this game. The bad news is that there are some underlying structural problems that make the game horribly unfriendly to new players and will probably keep the game from being as popular as it might be.

Combined with the budget presentation all around, Day of Defeat feels like a bit of letdown in the end.

The best portable Castlevania game yet created.

An also-ran that's too similar to, but not as good as, the top games on the platform.

The developers have really done a good job in trying to make the game work with the inherent limitations of a gamepad, but once you're used to the superior mouse/keyboard arrangement, the gamepad is a let down.

One of the best arcade racing games I've played.

It's poorly designed, poorly executed, and downright frustrating to play.

Very deep and is worth every penny of its price if you take the time to get to know it.

The brilliance of NBA Street Vol. 2... is that it retains the elements of the sport that translate well into the video game world, ditches the ones that don't, and makes the entire experience into a great game instead of a mere simulation.

Even those gamers that would normally cringe at the thought of playing a sports title will find themselves lapping up insane ball-dunking action over numerous digitally-rendered courts.

Never gets complicated, it never gets boring, and it will probably remain the best sports game of the year -- especially in the eyes of those gamers not necessary obsessed with stats and realism.

A successful translation from 3D action with great GameCube interactivity.

Flying around using your grappling hook is dynamite fun, but the actual fighting can be anticlimactic due to the limited number of weapons in your arsenal.

Isn't quite up to the spectacular standards of LucasArts' "Rogue Leader" and "Starfighter" shoot-'em-up franchises, but it supplies plenty of Star Wars-themed shooting action, and the Live support considerably boosts the replay value, more than making up for the brevity of the one-player campaign.

The promise of well-implemented squad tactics is completely undercut by terrible control and routine missions.

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 visuals alone haven't received the facelift they should have. Skyscrapers and other assorted buildings are still boxy and flat, hi-res textures aren't applied to the proper effect, and the creatures themselves lack distinctive bump-mapping and polish.

For some reason, the excellent racing engines from TOCA and Colin McRae were seemingly abandoned, replaced by a lackluster arcade-style physics model that feels like you're driving a slot car rather than an actual automobile.

Unfortunately, for my rapidly dwindling sanity, the PC version not only retains the basic gameplay, erratic camera, and simplistic level design of the original, it tops off that witch's brew of gaming mediocrity with a whole passel of problems unique to the PC version.

Only graphical impoverishments, a terrible secret-unlock method, and a lack of features prevent perfection.

An excellent racing game, with tight control and great AI that transcends its gimmicky "storyline" angle.

It's not so much that the enemies are hard to kill, or that the simplistic level design inflicts any brain-bending puzzles, but more that the inherent trial-and-error style progression through the levels gets tedious to the point of removing all the fun from playing.

Through a couple of years and multiple revisions, Sonic Team has taken a game that was incredibly solid and enjoyable at its outset and polished and added to it; there is so much to do (although there's still not enough to see, a common complaint with PSO) that you'll have no difficulty signing on for marathon sessions.

The progression of difficulty is actually quite linear and well-balanced. But, because the entire experience is so densely compressed, for most people the game becomes too difficult and too technical far too quickly.

X2 has a number of unforgivable problems. Most noticeable of all is the difficulty level, and in turn, the frustrating nature of the gameplay.

It's every bit as stellar as the original, though it's best played and appreciated by those that have gone through its predecessor.

It's not so much that the enemies are hard to kill, or that the simplistic level design inflicts any brain-bending puzzles, but more that the inherent trial-and-error style progression through the levels gets tedious to the point of removing all the fun from playing.

A nearly flawless conversion that adds more than it takes away... The transposition to Nintendo's controller is welcome, because the game now feels much more fluid and responsive.

It's harder than most, but the feeling of elation when you finally work those punk-ass CPU roadsters into submission is legendary. Rockstar's latest above-the-law offering is excellent.

A chunky mess of a game that bears some resemblance to the Crazy Taxi I know and love, but one which is lacking most of its fun.

While it's acceptable as a diversion, the action and atmospheric elements are too much at odds with one another.

The fastest, tightest racer on the GameCube to date.

The kind of great sequel that should be encouraged - it builds on the solid base of the original, cleans up most of the problems and manages to stake out its own territory in the process.

Where the PS2 version really shines is in the control department. The controls become almost second nature after only a few minutes of running around.

It's the closest one yet to capturing the spirit of the card game.

Another notable absence is weapons. You heard me right: No weapons!... A wrestling game without steel chairs is like Maxim magazine without the cover girl.

The central gameplay mechanic of Gallop Racer 2003, and the one I found compelling, is that it forces you to strike an ever-shifting balance between your horse's position on the track and its level of stamina.

The learning curve is a bit greater than it has to be because of some less-than-complete instructions, but the time spent figuring out the ins and outs of the game will be well worth it.

If you're a Disney fan, you'll be disappointed by the lack of any real Disney-ness to the game. Other than the grainy images of Mickey and crew, you get no sense of the characters' personalities, voices, or quirks. If you're a racing fan, the game's dreadful camera takes away any potential for high-speed fun and action.

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

The action is solid for the most part and the RPG elements add some depth. It's got its problems, but it's still a world ahead of most games based on a lucrative license.

A surprisingly good remake of an unsung classic.

The AI on both sides just isn't very intelligent.

The physics of whacking your opponents with the bat are also ... well, whacked. More often than not, a smacked enemy flies in front of your kart, slowing you down and putting you at a disadvantage.

For console owners, it's simply not worth the bucks to upgrade your PC to play this game -- Enjoy it on your console. On the other hand, if you've got the hardware for it (including a gamepad) and don't own a console, I'd recommend getting your hands on this game in an instant.

A fun but dated 2D fighter with too high a price and no new features.

The game's enemy AI is very good, a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that it apparently doesn't cheat -- it plays the same game you do.

The game falls short of its potential, serving more as a sort of interactive blueprint for a few decent episodes that would probably be more entertaining on TV.

If you've ever wanted to venture "Beyond Thunderdome," look no further, for this is action driving done right.

If you're dying to play a business sim in which customers regularly toss their cookies, you'll have more fun with the "Rollercoaster Tycoon" series than this mess of a game.

Despite all its strengths, it's just much too buggy and unpolished to recommend wholeheartedly.

All the ingredients were in place, and the resulting concoction isn't totally worthless, it's just that between the freaky game design decisions and poorly thought out content, this is a meal some gamers may not have the stomach for.

To enjoy this game properly you are going to need a keyboard and a mouse -- two things that are readily available on the PC -- so you might as well plan on going for that version instead.

A textbook case of the gameplay taking a backseat to the graphics... Auto Modellista's biggest problem is still the poor control.

Rather than approaching the controls from a PC-centric point of view, the developers seemed to be trying to graft the Xbox's analog stick control-pad system directly onto a mouse and keyboard setup.

If the idea of politics, sieges and large-scale warfare in your MMORPG appeal to you, and you're willing to wait out the stability and lag issues, Shadowbane may be just the game you're looking for.

If you’re an enthusiast of well-designed levels who doesn’t need twitch action to be satisfied, you should definitely give it a go. All others will likely nod off.

It makes only incremental improvements to the gameplay formula, as with the first and second sequel.

The core game is intriguing, it's just a lot better when you play it on the PC.

Instead of going back to the drawing board, Xbox SoE coasts on cheapness -- but new multiplayer modes are what sweeten the deal.

A solid game, but it falls short of being able to contend with either "RalliSport Challenge" or "Colin McRae." It suffers from difficult controls, a lack of different gameplay modes, and some occasionally odd graphics.

A solid experience, but won't have any appeal for anyone that's played the original PC title.

The fighting in the game is basic, a little humdrum, and hardly inspired. Graphically, it's nothing special.

While the gameplay is based on the same principles, The Sims is much more accessible as an overall product than Nintendo's pastel-hued "Animal Crossing."

Amplitude's chaff-heavy soundtrack and flavorless gameplay keeps it from reaching the top of the pops.

MVP Baseball 2003 has several obvious flaws and missing features -- such as the lack of an in-game player editor or a fantasy draft option -- but the prospect of what future versions of the series could be should make any baseball gamer extremely happy and anxious.

A work of gaming genius... There's no other game coming out in 2003 that'll touch The Wind Waker.

The game shines when you focus entirely on building up your cities and taking care of your people.

A few frustrating moments spoil the fun here and there, but overall Black Hawk Down is an entertaining shooter and an encouraging step forward for the Delta Force series.

A cool license doesn't save an otherwise bland game with nearly average everything.

While it's a serviceable MMA game, the UFC series has been dusted by "Pride FC" for PS2.

A great game franchise gets an even tighter engine. Frustrating AI may turn off some players, but this is still the best tactical shooter available.

An innovative and solid shooter.

The difficulty of the game's puzzles (aggravated by a poor interface), combined with tedious mazes and trudging back and forth through emptiness killed my enjoyment of the game.

It's a tight RPG that offers plenty of variety and replay value. It's definitely among the best GBA titles I've played.

I hesitate to call it a nice try, because in some ways they didn't even really do that.