Aside from these minor quibbles and instances of tedium, the story progresses at a respectable clip, with plenty of twists and surprises to keep things interesting.

There's nothing that can't be fixed by a patch, however. If you are an RTS fan, Empire of the Ants will deliver.

Historical shakiness aside, Legion offers some addictive gameplay, but doesn't quite rise to the glory of Rome.

A standard racer... None of the gimmicks it tries really work. You never get a sense of a dramatic underlying storyline.

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.

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.

Has its moments, but too often feels like a conventional, uninspired shooter.

Considering the amount of detail that clearly went into designing the lush landscapes, enormous environments, and character art for this game, it's really a shame that the fun factor seems like less than an afterthought.

It's just that LoW2 is missing that certain something … namely compelling gameplay.

The story concept behind the game is surprisingly interesting, diverging from the typical rehashing of a franchise universe seen in many similar tie-ins.

Fun, but it lacks the depth and originality of "Virtua Tennis" and "Mario Tennis."

Although several light years ahead of the quality present in "The Sum of All Fears," the major reason the PC original received such kudos ... -- online multiplay -- is missing.

Ultimately, the only notable improvements to this game over the SNES version are the inclusion of a new save feature (as opposed to the cruddy password system of the original), and the inclusion of an extra level (which serves to extend the shelf-life of this game to roughly one full afternoon).

Clearly, Tamagotchi Connection is geared towards younger gamers, as anyone else will become quickly bored with it. But hey, if you have a younger sister or a daughter who's just starting to get into games, this would be a pretty darn good start.

If at all possible, give the multiplayer a shot; it's the game's best feature. There's no doubt that some gamers are going to take to this title like a dragon to the air, but for others, the fun may not even get off the ground.

There's thus a decent and unique game hiding in Wizardry Online, but the failures of its presentation may prove impenetrable for many gamers.

What starts off so promising at first glance ends up being a pretty shallow experience. It seems everyone's heart was in the right place -- if only the game could have followed them there.

A game that combines building, development, and resource management with a feel reminiscent of Will Wright's "Sims," is an enjoyable, but flawed game.

This is one of those games that at the end of the day are totally and completely…mediocre. It isn't terrible, it isn't great. You might have a good time, you might hate it.

Sports some of the best visuals you'll find in a strategy game, real-time or otherwise... [but features] one of the most annoying user-interfaces for any strategy game in recent memory.

It has some minor gameplay annoyances, but overall it delivers the slow-paced but nonetheless thrilling experience of game hunting.

Couple the control and camera issues with the bland and slapped-together feel of the graphics, the glitchy control scheme, and a protagonist who does nothing for long stretches of time and then runs from danger, and it's hard to come up with a single reason (other than the big Lord of the Rings logo on the box) why anyone would want to purchase this game.

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.

From the boring art design to the painfully weak enemy AI, just about every facet of the game screams mediocrity.

Another annoying aspect of TMNT is its overly punishing difficulty. While you can coast through early portions by mashing away, later stages and boss fights can be stupid-hard.

The look of BR4 is seriously behind the curve. The single-player game is lackluster and the multiplayer, while the most exciting way to mix it up, is still just a button-mashing endurance contest. The game's "guys turning into animals" gimmick is the only thing going for it.

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.

If you're willing to devote serious time and effort to a harsh and unforgiving series that jealously guards its goodies from the uninitiated, there's a chance you could pick up Lost Raven and eventually get into it.

It does take advantage of the 360's power to deliver the nicest looking iteration of the game, but questionable gameplay set-up, quirky AI, and lackluster online play drag things down. This version is slightly more playable than its PS3 counterpart, but only slightly.

Yes, a lot of the gameplay is boring and clunky, but through books and movies we've come to think of Harry and crew as friends, so the true fan will be able to look past a lot of the game's quirks and have a relatively decent experience.

The lack of a strong storyline or multiplay hurt the game, though, as do the controller options, which leave you with a choice between the far too simplistic and the overly complex.

Knowing THQ could have done worse isn't a glowing compliment though, and at forty bucks and four hours, the little side-scrolling mini-game included (played by spending tokens you find in the main game) and lame unlockables add no real value.

It's the lack of spectacular leaps, jumps, and tomfoolery made famous by the series that makes this knock-off all the more embarrassing, sure to sicken fans of the original game.

If you or a kid you know loves Sonic, this game will suit your purposes just fine. If you don't love Sonic, but love any racing title you can get, then check it out. If you don't fall into either of those categories, then we're sure you're probably not even reading this review.

My biggest objection to this game, however, is just that it's not the "spiritual sequel" to "Transport Tycoon" -- it IS "Transport Tycoon." It's not even "Transport Tycoon Deluxe," the enhanced version of the game that fans have been playing all these years.

If you've wanted to play Rogue-like games in the past, but found them to be a bit too unforgiving, this is an exceedingly good alternative to look into.

Just a third-person action game with a respectable storyline and an interesting soundtrack paired with gameplay that simply can't deliver the goods.

It's truly saddening to see the Rainbow Six series plummet to these depths. As it is, unless the next installment is a return to the series' glorious past, Lockdown will be the last Rainbow Six game I ever play.

While it's not going to make you shelve your copy of "NFL 2K3," it is a surprisingly deep take on the gridiron game.

We can't help but think how much more enjoyable this game could have been with some better jokes, a few more interesting mini-games, and the ability to explore without loading screens every 15 seconds.

If you can overlook some minor gameplay quirks, you'll be rewarded with one of the more unique and in-depth action games you've played in a while.

This year, if you want to play NBA '08, you'd better make sure that's a Sixaxis or a PSP in your hands. You're not going to have a whole lot of fun with your DualShock 2.

Extra goodies aside, Flash Focus doesn't fall far from the Brain Age tree, so anyone who gets a kick out of using their DS to put their bodies and minds to the test will enjoy this.

Despite a few bugs, Crystal Key 2 is a fabulous adventure game, with an interesting story, challenging puzzles, and beautiful graphics.

Not only fails to re-create the Playboy lifestyle, it achieves the incredible feat of making it seem like living in a mansion filled with scantily-clad 20-something Playmates is about the most boring way you could spend your days.

True to its manga roots, there's plenty of goofy dialogue and eye-popping artwork alongside a surprisingly robust boxing engine.

If you don't know a Liu Bei from a Lu Bu, you're not going to be interested, but those who understand the thrill of taking down the thousandth enemy in a single battle will enjoy it. Just be sure to give the new Renbu system a chance.

The game isn't a complete donkey, but it's painfully undernourished in the fun department. A real Mickey Mouse game, to be sure.

The easy difficulty setting and lighthearted tone might cause older gamers to scoff, but there's no denying that Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a quality game that the whole family can enjoy.

Only for the truly hardcore street racing fans. It's not a good enough racer to attract the wide base of casual videogame race fans, and we can't recommend more than a rental even for the die-hard gearheads.

It's just a crappy movie tie-in, pushed out just in time for the upcoming film.

Won't win any awards for innovation, but it may be worth playing through if StarCraft has lost its challenge.

Keep an eye on the patches for Kingdom Under Fire, once the major AI and multiplayer issues are resolved, it will be worth a second look.

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.

A decent enough shooter that just doesn't do enough to stand out in the Xbox's crowded FPS market.

MLB Slugfest 2006 isn't going to revolutionize baseball games, but even at less than half the price of the competition, it still can't be recommended.

There are some things the game does right -- the drive-by shooting is pretty sweet -- but problems with the controls for the driving -- essentially the guts of the game -- more than suck any sort of fun out of the thing.

It's laidback, good-natured, and a fine example of the quirky game design that only the Japanese seem to deliver.

Most importantly, the gameplay feels just a bit looser and less controlled. That's not to say it fails -- it just could have been better.

Provides some great online action but lacks in the longevity department.

Despite the game's sub-par graphics and repetitive gameplay, it still manages to be entertaining enough to be worth a look.

Although it takes a little bit of time to adjust to the sluggish controls, the game still delivers a solidly entertaining experience.

There were times when I was getting into the action despite the repetitive fighting. A lot of the levels are well-designed and if you're a Pirates fan, it does a pretty good job of transporting you into Jack's world.

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

The novelty of the different musical styles just doesn't make up for the highly repetitive gameplay.

May have the most interesting lineup of bonus features of all the video b-ball releases, but its sub-par gameplay keeps it from hanging on the same court as EA Sports' or Sega's game.

The WW2 shooter has been done to death, and this game doesn't do anything at all to breathe life into the genre.

The first time I played the game, I thought that the speakers on my DS had blown out. Background noises that were supposed to sound like running water instead sounded like a harsh mix of radio static and feedback.

The overall feel of controlling Seth is noticeably imprecise. While the controls aren't bad enough to be a great hindrance to the action, most gamers will likely find the lack of refinement in Seth's movements to be at least a slight annoyance.

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.

One long exercise in frustration.

A tremendously flawed product. Yet, there are many redeeming qualities to the game which hold great promise if developed properly in the future.

Extremely low replay value.

Manages to capture the clunky inapproachability of the d20 rules while keeping none of their underlying elegance, making it tough to recommend it to anyone.

A victim of its own mediocrity.

Playable, but definitely incomplete.

Everything developer Pitbull Syndicate has achieved in LA Rush has been done before, and usually with more flourish.

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.

If the concept of a samurai in cowboy country is that appealing to you, scrounge up a copy of "Rising Zan: Samurai Gunman" for PSone. Its gameplay, graphics, and camera are by no means better, but at least it embraces the setting for all its worth, and even gives the main character a kick-ass theme song!

File #2 doesn't break a lot of new ground like Resident Evil 4 did. For better or for worse, it's simply more of the same with a few cosmetic tweaks.

A weird uncomfortable reminder that computer games aren't really ready for this sort of explicit sexuality. Until it can be handled with a more nuance, I'll stick with the implied "Sims" stuff, thank you very much.

Bleach: Shattered Blade fails in many key areas. However, we'd be willing to overlook the dated graphics, horrid voice acting, wonky controls, or lack of depth if the game was one thing: fun. Hopefully Bleach diehards will enjoy it, because most players won't.

There's ostensibly a big game in here, but it gets old quick, so your best bet would be to borrow FIFA Street 2 from a friend rather than drop any dough on it.

Granted, the snappy graphics are pretty boss, even in standard definition (and you'll notice a difference if you use an S-Video cable instead of the plain old composites), but that's just not enough to warrant the label next-gen -- not when you've got a machine as powerful as the PS3 flaunting its Cell processor.

Another problem comes in how Conflict: Vietnam handles aiming. Whenever I drew my weapon in first-person view, a bulky rifle sight popped up and took over a good chunk of my screen. Making matters worse, the sight proved to be completely ineffective.

While initially exciting, the thrill of the speed will wear off within the first hour or so, leaving you with a poor arcade racer that's neither exciting enough to last beyond the initial play nor realistic enough to provide the depth of a real racer.

Won't hold up to extended play anyway because of the too-small question set. It's a shame; it's a well put-together game otherwise.

Mutant Nightmare, while wholly competent, goes down like pabulum and possesses all the (as the kids are wont to say) mad flava of boiled water.

Alone in the Dark seems to hold open contempt for its players...You've seen survival horror done scarier and better elsewhere. Don't get burned by this one.

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

Poor framerate, small cast and moves, and poor replayability among other issues. "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" sells millions for a reason -- this just isn't it.

For the hardcore this game won't be much of a "whirl," but younger gamers might find it amusing -- at least for a while.

A game that combines the micromanagement of "Civilization" with the intrigue and politics of "Diplomacy," adds in a "Railroad Tycoon 3"-style dynamic economic and resources model, uses a layered interface ... and then somehow expects you to manage it all in real-time.

A mere shadow of its Xbox counterpart.

Altair's Chronicles occasional control speed, framerate, and camera issues make us think that this would have been a superior game in 2D, but no one's returning our calls about making classically-influenced 2D platformers for the DS.

Regardless of whether it's been done before and arguably done better, the game is reliable and solid fun.

If you judge TMNT on its own merits as a platform-hopper with a dash of semi-imaginative combat thrown in, then it's a fine game.

Think about building up the biggest, most elaborate base you can imagine in an Age of Empires game. Now imagine it takes four times as long as any other RTS game on the market. Then imagine that all this elaborate building leads up to a strategy portion that would have seemed primitive and simple back in 1997 when "Age of Empires" first came out.