Outbreak would have been a much, much better game had it had online voice communication. There's simply no excuse for omitting this feature in a game hinges on being able to communicate rapidly between party members.

One of those frustrating titles that showed promise, but is brought down with a few nags that could have been prevented. But even with its gaffs, it's still mildly addictive.

The combat system is one of the best you're likely to see in an action game of this sort. It's so solid that Crimson Sea 2's "kill everything that moves" formula doesn't become stale or tedious until quite late in the game, which is a huge accomplishment for a game based on such a simple concept.

An overpriced PC conversion of a gimmicky console game. The gimmick is its offensive fire system, which allows the heavily armed protagonist in this third-person shooter to fire around corners and use cover as a tactical asset.

Fails to live up to the standards set by the first game. It's not that it's more-of-the-same, which would have been OK, but Syberia II takes characters and a storyline that were deep and compelling the first time around and turns them into cardboard caricatures of their former selves.

Midnight Nowhere has a very creepy atmosphere, excellent puzzles, and great voice acting. If it weren't for the terrible translations, it might be one of the best adventure games of the year.

What makes Nemesis of the Roman Empire truly stand out, however, is the artificial intelligence. On the easy mode, it's a breeze and presents very little challenge. On the tougher levels, it's a real bear that is sure to give veteran real-time strategy gamers a tough test.

In the end the bugs and problems simply aren't worth the tradeoff for the few interesting ideas the game does employ.

No matter how badly Capcom wants it to be true, the cast of Onimusha just doesn't cut it when it comes to this kind of game. This is primarily why Onimusha Blade Warriors feels so half-assed and contrived.

I enjoyed the experience of both single- and multiplayer. From a feature standpoint, this version is missing a lot of the selling points of the Xbox and PC versions (smaller levels, less players available online, etc.), but if you haven't gotten immersed in those versions, ignorance is bliss.

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.

The game's lack of personality is underscored by its lack of difficulty. Playing through Samurai Jack is about as challenging as watching an episode of Samurai Jack.

At first, the billion movements Sam can do and the stealth action will make you and your thumbs very happy, but you'll soon grow tired of the game's intentionally slowed pace.

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.

The game's lack of personality is underscored by its lack of difficulty. Playing through Samurai Jack is about as challenging as watching an episode of Samurai Jack.

Another great feature is the skill chain system -- like in Square's "Chrono Trigger," weapon skills can be combined for extra damage, and then followed up with compatible spells for even more damage.

Far Cry doesn't just boast cutting-edge technology and a surplus of breathtaking visuals, but also pulls off the amazing triple play of open-ended gameplay far beyond the standard A-to-B-to-C of most shooters.

The new multiplayer, when it works properly, makes a very cool addition to the Splinter Cell franchise. Pandora Tomorrow's single-player campaign plays it too safely, though, mostly offering more of the same.

For fans of the series who want to test their sleuthing, Dark Motives is a no-brainer. On the flip side, anyone not connected to the idiosyncrasies of the series should look for crime elsewhere.

The A.I. is stellar, being random and properly intuitive; the level design is impeccable; the HUD display is laid out with precision, optimizing gameplay to the max. On and on, I could go. To think, Ubisoft Shanghai finished the game in little over a year's development time. A miracle, by modern gameplay standards. [*5stars=95 on GameSpy's scale]

Acclaim's long-running series continues to get on base with its fundamentals, yet strike out when it comes to flash.

A visually clumsy representation of the card game with an even clumsier and clunkier way to play against another duelist.

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

Lords of the Realm III doesn't look like a budget game -- its production values are high, as the 3D graphics are serviceable and the sound very well-done -- but at times it certainly plays like one.

Those expecting action as intense or as challenging as that of "Resident Evil" or "Silent Hill," though, may be disappointed. But if you're looking for a good introduction to the genre and don't mind some control and graphics issues, the FBI is waiting.

It's a stunning comeback for the franchise, a fantastic mix of the fresh and the familiar, and enough content to make this the only game you need for the next few months. [**Reminder: GameSpy's "How Our Ratings Work" equates a 5-Star review with 95.]

You'll have to look to multiplayer to get the greatest enjoyment from Jungle Storm.

It's still not quite on the same level as the highly polished "MVP Baseball" from EA Sports, but it's nowhere near the cellar dweller it was last season.