With the feel and look of many of the Super Nintendo and Capcom shooters like "UN Squadron," this is a sharp looking, entertaining flyer.

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.

It's very derivative, and beyond a few puzzles requiring you to use all four characters in tandem, there's not a lot that's new here. At the same time, it's mostly enjoyable while it lasts.

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.

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

A schizophrenic but enjoyable combination of gameplay styles, and it's worth slogging through the solid Sphinx segments to savor the Mummy magic.

The intelligent touches and relative difficulty make Rogue Ops generally fun for fans of the genre. The unevenness in the presentation and controls keep it from really setting the genre on fire.

The first-person shooter action doesn't compare with the likes of "Half-Life" or "Red Faction" and the team-based strategy element couldn't carry the night vision goggles of either "SOCOM" release.

A schizophrenic title that can't really decided what it wants to be. It's still a fun and different take on the sport of football -- especially as a multiplayer party game -- it's just not as much fun as it used to be.

You can "create the ultimate coaster -- and ride it!" But at the same time you can do very little else, and while the ride might be the ultimate, too much else just seems to be missing.

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.

A schizophrenic but enjoyable combination of gameplay styles, and it's worth slogging through the solid Sphinx segments to savor the Mummy magic.

A solid and pleasantly deep arena beat-'em-up with lots of longevity, and through the presence of the Hedgehog and his posse adds absolutely nothing to the game, it's nice to see them getting work in these tough economic times.

You'll have fun fighting in Defiance, and feel lucky, because it happens quite often. But if you've been following the series, you'll also know that it's quite heavily reliant on aimless wandering and boring box puzzles.

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.

Hardcore fans will find a lot to like, but until the AI and balance issues are fixed it remains merely a good game but one that falls a bit below expectations.

Like an interesting tech demo with a sometimes tedious and frustrating game built around it.

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.

It is a wargaming grognard's dream, but may put off anyone else. That would be a shame, because underneath this detailed spreadsheet-type interface is an intriguing strategy game.

I was happy to find that the game is well-balanced, requiring even use of all three abilities, and multiple pathways can be accessed by exploring areas with different team leaders. [*See GameSpy for their new 5-star conversion scale]

Even with the new systems, the core mechanics are losing their edge and the tournament structured story isn't helping things, either.

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. Still, what it gives us in 2004 is a solid and entertaining package.

It's arguable that Capture the Enemy is worth the price of admission, being one of the brightest additions to the series in a long time. But considering the ratio of great to mediocre content, you should think twice before parting with the $30.

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

The quick-paced gameplay also means that you'll have to make even more snap decisions when engaging against a human opponent and this will result in some heated matches.

An official apology for last year's dreadful "DBZ: Taiketsu." It gives gamers a true sense of the high-flying fighting action that makes up the anime series.

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

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.