Faithful to such profiling, the EverQuest universe does not stray from the tried-and-true formulas. EQ2, from conception to execution, was never able to think outside of the box.

If the gunplay, pacing, plot, or characterization amounted up to its stunning visual style, then Tron 2.0 would certainly deserve its killer app subtitle.

After spending 20+ hours with this game I have no qualms calling it the best action platformer of 2004. It’s just so insanely polished, beautifully designed and amazingly addictive that it’s a wonder that it took me this long to review it.

The sound design is bad, Plan 9 From Outer Space Bad, meaning that it's so bad to the point that it's unintentionally hilarious. Without a doubt, this is the most memorable soundtrack of the year, but for all the wrong reasons.

The biggest problem with the game, however, is the repetition. After the first few missions, most of the game settles into "kill monsters, build town, repeat."

It’s a good game but it doesn’t try to do anything to make the series better, everything is simply re-treading old ground.

It does offer you a new twist on the genre, but it’s not necessarily one everybody will like.

Nice touches are strewn about the game such as dust clouds that arise in the wake of your characters, bright visuals that can blind a cat and my favorite, minute versions of your characters by the energy bar that mimic your character's current actions.

With a robust story mode, a deeper grappling system and the addition of online play, this is the best wrestling game available today.

The fighting is pretty straightforward, and once you get a few power-ups, even that becomes simply routine.

What you have here is the most polished, feature-laden, action-packed Grand Theft Auto title to-date. I've had my qualms with the franchise in the past but this is the first time that I was able to sit back, shut off my brain and enjoy the experience.

Rhythm games usually wear out their welcomes after a few weeks, but Taiko’s hands-on addictiveness provides months and months of wholesome family entertainment.

Even though I found myself somehow drawn in when I played, it often felt more like work than play.

They play upon an RPGers Pavlovian response toward barrel-bashing and rat-hunting, manifest one of the genre's most unforgettable anti-heroes, dutifully employ intelligent scriptwriting, and make it all a very enjoyable chord.

Be aware, however, that OutRun2 is very loyal to its ancestry, so if you’re expecting all the latest bells and whistles in a console racer, you will be disappointed.

You'll find the solid arcade golf game you've been looking for, but not a whole lot more.

Adults will hate the characters so much they'll probably never get past the second world, whereas the children will be turned off by the games dark look and steep challenge (especially towards the end).

This title just doesn’t have the longevity to get my recommendation.

The single-player aspect is decent but it gets much better if you have a friend around. That's because the developers wisely decided to include single-system co-op for the entire game. You and a friend can play through the entire campaign, split-screen style.

It’s not groundbreaking, but the intense action and decent mission structure will allow you to shut your brain off and have a great time.

It’s not a bad game per se, but it’s just got a lot of nagging issues that make it almost a chore to play.

Even for those not willing to hop into gaming’s “kiddy pool,” come on in: the water’s fine.

Even for those not willing to hop into gaming's "kiddy pool," come on in: the water's fine.

Playing these old games really gave me some perspective on the progress we've made in games since these were initially released. Midway has also priced this collection aggressively and at $1 a game you really can't beat the bang for your buck.

Even for those not willing to hop into gaming's "kiddy pool," come on in: the water's fine.

If you can turn your mind off for a couple of hours you'll have a great time with the third Law & Order installment.

A messy experience that just isn't any fun. The graphics look fine and the control is generally pretty good, but you've been here before with far better games.

If you’ve ever been a fan of the franchise you owe it to yourself to at least rent it. What starts out as a weekend rental just might turn into your next yearlong obsession.

I wish the fighting system was a little tighter and didn't feel so much like button mashing, but generally speaking, this is a step in the right direction for Mortal Kombat.

A fascinating real-time strategy game that will completely immerse you in the action.

Be warned, however, that there is a lot of work to do before finally wringing enjoyment out of this title, especially if one is new to the series.

Here's a game by a company that knows a thing or two about making fighting games, but you'd never know it by this product. The game just doesn't feel like it's finished, and lacks any of the appeal that made these characters popular in the first place.

Live’s game is purely offensive with little regard for defense or fundamentals anything else. And like Carmello, its severely overpriced and offers very little in return.

I haven’t played an RPG this good since "Dark Cloud 2." It’s so polished and ingenious that it’s a wonder that Midway hasn’t put more marketing muscle behind it. Make no mistake, this is the best RPG to come out this year and may very well be the best RPG to come out for quite some time.

It might be geared towards younger audiences, but it’s good enough to be placed up there with the big boys.

Some of the tracks in the game are troublesome and the graphics look like they're straight out of 1997, but honestly, what are you going to spend your fifty bucks on? "Pokemon Colosseum"? Yea, I didn't think so.

A constantly impressive element is the rousing speech your general hollers before a battle.

A bit more thoughtful than many RTS games, Kohan 2 is perfect for those wanting a deeper real time strategy. With yet another rush of RTS games being released, don’t overlook this gem.

If you’re a true fanatic then you shouldn’t think twice about purchasing this game. It contains everything you’ve loved about the previous entries, coupled with some new mini-games and a bevy of new tracks to dance to.

While I would liked to have had a bit more variety (the ability to carry a fight inside a building, for example), it is a very impressive first effort for this new genre.

If you’re looking for a decent shooter you’ve come to the right place. Atari and Zombie could have done much better given the promise seen in the first few levels, but the poor level design and weak AI kill the game before it can truly get off the ground.

Given the overall complexity of Hearts of Iron, it’s surprising that Paradox found such a smooth interface. Everything is quickly available with just a few clicks or hotkeys, and helpful tooltips pop up for just about everything on the screen. After a short amount of time I was up and running efficiently, if not effectively.

It's going to take the average gamer about 20 hours to complete the game. I finished it in a little under 18 hours but that's because I skipped some of the optional Danger Room missions. If you're an X-men fan, than this is a must-own.

While the single-player offering is lacking, the well-polished skirmish modes make up for most of that deficiency.

A very fun, and very strange, take on the 2D platformer. Yet another example of why we need to continue to support our independent game developers.

When Gungrave is at its best, it's an extremely entertaining action game with a satisfying storyline. At its worse, it's still pretty repetitive and about as deep as a wading pool. Overdose doesn't break any new ground, but still manages to be a great waste of time.

Just watch out though because once the game digs its claws into you it’ll own your life. If you want to buy the game give your friends an early notice, because they won’t be seeing you for a long while.

To put it succinctly, the camera system is awful.

United Offensive is a lot more intense in action than the original Call of Duty. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing. You’ll rarely get a chance to rest in this one and I, for one, did enjoy the constant action.

A solid, but not mind-blowing game. I had fun with the title, despite very little prior knowledge about the series.

If you let yourself become engulfed in the world and take your imagination for the ride, you'll dive into one of the deepest and richest experiences ever. If you ask too much from the game you'll find yourself sorely disappointed.

The Viet Cong are everywhere in this game, and they just keep popping up out of the bushes, just like the war movies and stories I know we’ve all read about the Vietnam War.

Rather than adding another landmass to explore or a new job class to bat around, this pack puts players on a united defensive—a rarely explored concept for an MMO expansion. If you’re not alienated from a guild, then Alien Invasion is an inviting option.

Some huge balancing issues really mar this title. In a trait that seems to be a carryover from "UNLIMITED Saga," the game is incredibly unforgiving.

Again I’ll mention that there is plenty of reading to be done in-game. Rock-skipping past these elements will do you a disservice since a fair share of enrichment stems from these readings. Not to mention that several clues also reside within the texts.

When the poor sensation of speed isn't bothering you the soundtrack is.

One of the coolest things is how many airplanes there are flailing around in huge dog fights. At any time there could be 10 or more planes swirling around shooting at each other, and if you don't keep an eye out, at you.

The basic hockey in the game is just fantastic and a joy to play, It's just a shame that the rest of the game doesn't meet the standards of the game play.

When you set aside the horrible audio and the poor graphics a pretty good wrestling game lies beneath.

Astro Boy exceeded my expectations in every possible sense.

It was frustrating, it was overwhelming, and it never managed to draw me in. I’m by no means a military enthusiast or a wargamer, so I’m probably a bit biased against this sort of title.

The game is simple to pick up and play, and simple to enjoy. The graphics are much like a cartoon, but they get the job done easily.

If you're willing to take a chance I'd say that you should bench Madden and take "NFL2K5" for a spin. In our opinion, it's the better football game this year.

A fest for the eyes and ears, Doom 3 is a crowning achievement in allowing a player live through a sci-fi horror experience. You’ll be in awe and frightened by what you see and hear.

From a visual standpoint Sudeki is pretty much a letdown. Being that it was an Xbox exclusive, we were expecting the game to take advantage of the advanced hardware architecture. With the exception of some neat lighting and particle effects, it looks like a pretty basic PlayStation 2 title.

In a move that shows that the designers had far too much free time on their hands, each of the bobble head dolls can be manipulated and bobbled, just like in real life. Hell, I'd pay $20 for this aspect alone.

There may be some benefit to the exclusivity that will result from the pricing.

This is the deepest football game to ever be released on the planet. From players transferring because of a lack of playing time, from your star quarterback cheating on his exams, if you want the most true to life, exciting football game available, NCAA Football 2005 is definitely your choice.

This is the deepest football game to ever be released on the planet. From players transferring because of a lack of playing time, from your star quarterback cheating on his exams, if you want the most true to life, exciting football game available, NCAA Football 2005 is definitely your choice.

This is the deepest football game to ever be released on the planet. From players transferring because of a lack of playing time, from your star quarterback cheating on his exams, if you want the most true to life, exciting football game available, NCAA Football 2005 is definitely your choice.

After you get past the glossy menus and the cutesy mascots you have what can best be described as an average track and field experience.

I enjoyed all the unique aspects of terraforming, unit transformation, and using the Perimeter field, but for some this may just be too much complexity in an RTS.

If you can get passed a little repetition and some frustrating boss battles, chances are you'll find Manhattan to be a great place to spin your web.

Atari set out to make amends for the debacle that was Taiketsu, and I feel that it came through quite nicely. There are some rough edges in the game, but if you can forgive the fighting system for its lack of depth, there will be plenty for you to like about this game.

The Legends games are just awful, no matter which way you look at them.

If you’re like me, and the PS2 is your only game system, you will still be amazed by the graphics, gameplay, and overall amount of fun you’ll have playing Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.

Chronicles of Riddick literally came out of nowhere to mesmerize us with its polished gameplay, immersive plot and unique gameplay elements.

Just be prepared to get into it for the long haul with this game, as you’ll constantly find yourself giving this game another play through just for the great story.

The game is very accessible.

A solid title that oozes replayability.

What’s interesting about Far Cry is that it is a linear game without being overly linear. You have to address all of the problems and puzzles in the game in a specified order but how you address them is up to you.

I wouldn’t hesitate to say that it’s the best pure online FPS ever made.

Unplayable is the best word to describe this debacle.

Aside from the camera issues I'd say that Ninja Gaiden is everything that I could have hoped for in an action game. It's got intense action, a deep and varied combat system, lush visuals and the overall challenge that I had been waiting for.

It’s also one of the few first person shooters that made me jump from ambushing Nazis.

There is a pretty cool thrill to chasing down an enemy through a canyon and finally getting a nice kill shot on them only to be taken out by his bastard teammate before you can finish him off.

The big questions are if the game can hold up against the cheaters and what cool mods will be created once Gearbox released the development kit.

The missions themselves are excellent and the writing behind the game is remarkable (even surpassing most of the movies).

By far the strangest game I've ever played, and it is also one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played.

A robust tutorial. Classless character builds. Overwhelmingly open-ended gameplay. Ship designs you’ll need to wear a bib for. And a breed of PvP that’ll make adrenaline junkies sign up for rehab. Sci-fi worshipers: This is your Mecca.

The animation is also top-notch. When you watch Link engage in a sword duel, the fluidity of it is remarkable, and unparalleled. There are just so many times where it blew me away.

AI is very hit or miss but because this game is more dependant on your actions rather than your enemies, it becomes serviceable in the end.

Rain falling and bouncing off your gun, a blast of steam fogs your visor and leaves condensation on it, a bright flash of light lets you see your own reflection in the visor. These are just a few of the many effects that make Metroid Prime stand out above its peers. I nearly wet myself the first time I fired my weapon rapidly and noticed that heat waves came out of the barrel.

There is so much in this package that any sane gamer should not even think twice about passing it up. Everything in the game just reeks of shine and polish and though it's flawed in some areas, it's still one of the best games to come down the line this year.

X-Plane may not be for everybody because of its focus on accuracy and its sometimes steep learning curve, but it will reward the diligent user with a simulation worthy of the word.

A waste of your time. Its total offering is an antiquated platformer-adventure that’ll last you all of three hours and a four-player multi throw-in. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of the show.

Overall, a fun little puzzle game with a few nice quirks. Being able to build your own machines was a nice touch as well. However, its not really knockout stupefying or gorgeous, as the graphics are merely decent and the game's creative energy tends to drag a bit at times.

Ankh is a return to the days of graphic adventure. It offers a fast moving story with likeable characters and a good sense of humor. If only the game wasn't so short and easy it might actually be a worthy addition to your PC library.