One of the best playing baseball games I’ve played in recent memory... This game is for purists.

One of the best playing baseball games I’ve played in recent memory... This game is for purists.

The animations are far from being fluid, and the PS2 version of High Heat suffers from some severe slow downs during gameplay.

But to start an RPG from the beginning just to save your experience is overly tedious. And starting from a save points at a loss of your stats is equally lame.

Not only does this version of Dark Cloud look beautiful, but it has a little something for everyone, action and exploration, character customization and development, magic and technology, city building, and a wonderful captivating story... [and] it does them all exceptionally well.

It's just frustrating from beginning to end.

What works so well in the game is the spontaneity of the destruction. You never know when it’s going to happen on an epic scale or create a small tremor.

While Vexx builds adequately on the 3-D trail blazed by "Super Mario 64," there are others who have taken the next few steps.

While Vexx builds adequately on the 3-D trail blazed by Super Mario 64, there are others who have taken the next few steps.

The best version of the fighter to date. Nothing beats the pulse-pounding nature of online play, coupled with the ease of use in Xbox Live.

While Vexx builds adequately on the 3-D trail blazed by "Super Mario 64," there are others who have taken the next few steps.

WTS 2003 plays like a dream. Tight and responsive controls help you perform all the headers, passes, and goal kicks with ease.

The controls are decent, but FPSs just don’t seem to work the best on the standard GC controller; That C stick is just too tiny.

A poor camera system slipped though the cracks that keep it from being a remembered classic.

Arguabl[y] the best 2D fighter on the planet... Mind you, the difficulty is high-high-high. The computer, she can be a cruel mistress, and there's no shame in getting frustrated about it.

Almost a directors cut, there has been many cut scenes and even some characters added to tighten up the storyline, making the GC version of Skies a different, and even deeper game than its predecessor.

The best part about "Devil May Cry" was the combat. The worst part about Devil May Cry 2 is the combat... The team didn’t think past the cool factor on this one.

It's not a terrible game of volleyball, it's just boring and easy. After the novelty of the scenery has passed, and I'm not just talking about the beach, the actual volleyball is shallow enough to play with one eye closed.

The novelty of kicking your friends from their bike in the heat of a race won't last forever, so once that aspect of the fun wears off so does any urge to hunker down to a night of ATV Quad Power Racing 2.

The novelty of kicking your friends from their bike in the heat of a race won't last forever, so once that aspect of the fun wears off so does any urge to hunker down to a night of ATV Quad Power Racing 2.

The atmosphere that this game creates with its dialog, character interactions, and its intriguing story set in the real life city of London is completely amazing.

There are plenty of objectives to complete and items to unlock, but ultimately the action can get a little repetitive and stale.

There are plenty of objectives to complete and items to unlock, but ultimately the action can get a little repetitive and stale.

Seamlessly translates the PC experience straight to console players with simple controls, a clean interface, better graphics, and the same babble-talk that PC owners fell in love with.

The novelty of kicking your friends from their bike in the heat of a race won't last forever, so once that aspect of the fun wears off so does any urge to hunker down to a night of ATV Quad Power Racing 2.

The single player game doesn’t last all that long unfortunately, and some camera issues can definitely become an annoyance, but the game is still fun for a while.

Technical sim junkies will have a lot to build, destroy, and monitor, but newbies might want to run for shelter.

The simple yet addictive gameplay, amazing and strategic boss battles, and wonderful sense of style make it a keeper and a must have for any Xbox owner.

Can be as mundane as real life... You’ll have to invest virtual sweat and tears to make it a worthwhile experience.

One of those games that will be remembered years down the road for anyone who plays this fine title.

Overall the combat system works quite well on the GBA version, however, old veterans of the Lunar RPGs of past will by turned off by the GBA version’s less strategic, more simplistic system.

While the options are bigger this year, I thought last year’s game felt more complete in overall game play.

One thing that Sega’s game has over EA’s is options.

With fantastic level designs, great enemies and power-ups, as well as the addition of some fun and entertaining multiplayer modes, Kirby is a must have.

Game play is spot on "NBA2k2," which is good and bad at the same time. The controls are tight and responsive, but the force field issue mentioned before makes the game feel constrictive in ways.

All 3 versions play the same, but with the option to go online, you may want to stick with the Xbox or PS2 versions.

A fantastic port on the GBA, but the controls hold it back from being a great title on the system.

I had a hard time pulling myself away from the RoC mode, even though my instincts were telling me I was tired of playing it. It has that kind of affect on you, even though it's only a slightly above average race engine.

The game definitely does not attempt to take itself seriously, and I personally found most of it hilarious...The one real problem I have with the game is the camera.

While the options are bigger this year, I thought last year’s game felt more complete in overall game play.

While the options are bigger this year, I thought last year’s game felt more complete in overall game play.

Poor graphics, poor controls, and a theme based on a bad movie makes Reign of Fire a game to avoid.

A major disappointment, outside having a super impressive roster of old school wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, Iron Sheik, George “the Animal” Steele, just to name a few. It falls short in every category that makes a great wrestling game fun.

If you're looking for a challenge, Super Cop difficulty approaches the Xbox level, and the truly masochistic can always use the Hard-Boiled cheat as suggested by Namco.

If Jedi Outcast was on Xbox Live it would be among the best games of the year.

The mix of ranged and hand-to-hand combat is smooth, deep and satisfyingly challenging.

Anthology has a mesmerizing quality about it. Once I started playing and listening to some of the old '80s tunes, it just became real comfortable to keep going.

I saw it quickly deteriorate into yet another cash cow trying to capitalize on a Hollywood hit.

If LucasArts can clean up that collision detection issue, it would be a near-perfect third person action engine for future releases.

The combat system is frustrating and delivers very little fun after a couple of hours.

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

By not providing more details on where to find the items needed to progress fully, however, it just becomes an exercise in frustration and drags down what could have been an above-average title.

The combat system is frustrating and delivers very little fun after a couple of hours.

The PS2 port is an excellent adaptation of a classic fighter.

If you’re looking for a challenge, Super Cop difficulty approaches the Xbox level, and the truly masochistic can always use the Hard-Boiled cheat as suggested by Namco.

With more polish and character balancing, Midway could have crafted one of the best pick up and play fighters in existence – but combo timing issues hurt the overall score and that’s a shame.

Just too damn short! I logged in roughly six or seven hours and finished the game, though, those six or seven hours were some of the finest gaming hours of my life.

The painstaking detail in the architecture is a huge draw in making the game as believable as it is. Everything looks exactly how you would envision it in real life, with hallways, open areas, offices, courtyards, everything modeled correctly.

The best game to hit any system in the past few years. No game has captivated me more or been more fun than Metroid Prime in a very long time.

With more polish and character balancing, Midway could have crafted one of the best pick up and play fighters in existence – but combo timing issues hurt the overall score and that's a shame.

The challenge is tough too. You'll be hard pressed to make it though the movie mode on normal difficulty without a good number of continues.

Konami has created a title that manages to hit the group it was developed for, while still appealing to the rest of the world. And hey, what’s cooler than watching Mickey slide tackle into Minnie? Not much.

With more polish and character balancing, Midway could have crafted one of the best pick up and play fighters in existence – but combo timing issues hurt the overall score and that’s a shame.

The game definitely does not attempt to take itself seriously, and I personally found most of it hilarious...The one real problem I have with the game is the camera.

The game definitely does not attempt to take itself seriously, and I personally found most of it hilarious... The one real problem I have with the game is the camera.

Now with the loss of those overachieving looks and through the passage of time, no amount of bonus missions or unlockables can make up for the lack of engaging gameplay.

Now with the loss of those overachieving looks and through the passage of time, no amount of bonus missions or unlockables can make up for the lack of engaging gameplay.

The complex inventory and quick enemies might have you screaming, but most of the time it’s in a good way.

I had a hard time pulling myself away from the RoC mode, even though my instincts were telling me I was tired of playing it. It has that kind of affect on you, even though it's only a slightly above average race engine.

What was once a somewhat promising game, has easily become one of the worst of the year...Right up there with "Rise of the Robots" and "Shaq Fu." Stay away.

A great, easy to pick up action game that will feature numerous hours of play online.

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

Challenging and sometimes overwhelming.

While a great collectible, the Sonic Mega Collection is still full of games that most of us fans still probably own in one form or another and it is also a bit too similar to "Sonic Jam."

I was fairly impressed by Faceoff’s presentation, player models, and intuitive controls. However the weak animations and sub par franchise mode in the game keep Faceoff from achieving greatness.

Quirky, frightening, addicting.

Ratchet and Clank might have some of the most impressive environments yet in a game of this type.

If you're looking for solid, addictive gameplay, lots of customizing, good graphics and interesting audio, this underdog might surprise you.

Terrible gameplay, terrible animation, terrible AI, the addition of new modes that actually detract from the original, revamped controls that manage to both suck and blow at the same time – if given a choice between playing the GBA version again or eating the cartridge, plastic and all, I’d be firing up my microwave and looking for a plate.

With great gameplay, varied missions and solid controls, Defender is another Midway classic tuned for a new generation of gamers.

The greatest next-generation wrestling game on the market and completely makes up for the control issues that THQ foisted upon us last year in "Just Bring It."

I don’t think they're ready to make a playoffs run… this year.

Puts the word sequel to shame. Rockstar Games has really taken the time to put together a game that not only fits in perfectly in the GTA universe, but ups the ante for itself and others as well.

Shenmue II's story is really what makes the game so enjoyable, and the plot is about as epic as they come...It has a few annoying flaws, but overall, it's my pick as the best Xbox adventure game of the year.

Lack of online play, so-so visuals, and familiar gameplay doesn’t really bode well in the end.

Recaptures what made gaming so magical when we were younger, simple gameplay combined with very addictive game concepts.

It could be the best 50 (game only), 90 (game + 1 gun), or even 120 (game + 2 guns) dollars well spent, depending on your appetite.

Even if you aren't interested in the online portion, Activision and Neversoft have still nailed down another extremely solid sequel to the Tony Hawk franchise.

If you enjoy the first few levels and the repetitiveness of the gameplay and the jokes keep you laughing, you might enjoy the whole thing.

"Polished" is the best way to describe THPS4 for the Xbox. The visuals, the sounds, the gameplay, the interface, everything is about as good as it is going to get in this generation...I really feel the series has plateaued.

Go ahead and pick your favorite system and help yourself to another dose of the best skating game franchise on the planet.

With great gameplay, varied missions and solid controls, Defender is another Midway classic tuned for a new generation of gamers.

A mind-bendingly tough game that you simply cannot put down.

All of that may appeal to very young kids of roughly the same age as Barney's fans, but playing the game is another matter. Any child old enough to hold a controller has outgrown the concepts here.

There is a surprising amount of strategy as well considering we're dealing with a made up sport. This is mainly due to excellent attention to detail on the physics of the disc used for play.

With great gameplay, varied missions and solid controls, Defender is another Midway classic tuned for a new generation of gamers.

Another flaw with the game is it's lack of A.I. I'm not talking about the computer controlled characters, but rather the unfairness that occurs throughout any standard 4 player match.

Outside of some lethargic controls, there is definitely some fun to be had with this brawler.