This career mode-intensive cycle-racer does a great job of taking gamers through a variety of Ducati-brand bikes (new and vintage), along with plenty of impressive challenges and races.

Certainly a feast for the eyes, but questionable AI and control issues keep it from instant-classic status.

Spastic action, beautiful graphics and robotic sound effects do not a classic make.

Great-looking models of some of the coolest planes ever made. Easy to jump right in and start blasting.

A no-nonsense boxing sim, which means that if you're dog-tired, you may have to go an entire round without throwing a punch just to get your wind back. This may seem ho-hum to "Street Fighter EX 3" fans, but for the hardcore boxing crowd, this degree of realism is the next best thing to a title unification bout.

989 Sports has a long way to go to be competitive with EA Sports, but FaceOff 2001, although deficient in almost every category, is an entertaining game that is certainly worth a weekend rental.

The eye-catching graphics, tight control, and enjoyable gameplay of this fine game really caught me by surprise. To all the PS2 users disappointed with the system's lackluster games, I highly suggest picking this title up.

The vehicles have a silly propensity to flip upside-down (even at 20mph), and stupid proportional gaffes abound, like a dune buggy that's able to muscle an SUV over a cliff. Which is just insane.

The controls take some getting used to and the AI can be infuriating, but, it's still an insanely addictive game. It's one of those titles that'll have you storming out of the room swearing that you'll never play it again, only to find yourself back in front of the screen, Dual Shock in hand, half an hour later.

Much like Journey's Greatest Hits CD, it takes the best of the '80s and serves up a timeless experience. It's a classic in the best sense of the word.

It's interesting enough, and you'd probably get a few hours of gameplay out of it, but it gets tired really quickly. Add this to the fact that the really cool battles -- the ones with lots of ships on each side that might have drawn you to this title--are nearly impossible to coordinate.

It's a bit of a step backwards, taking the more exploratory 3D incarnations into consideration. Still, if you're looking for some chaotic old-school 2D side-scrolling mayhem, it's worth checking out.

This isn't necessarily the Battle of Britain, it's YOUR Battle of Britain, and that makes it a game that anyone interested in that great battle, and flight in general, must have in their collection.

The best classic compilation yet.

Rayman is more like "MYST" -- a beautiful journey where nothing much is required of you, and nothing much really happens. And with the sun shining, the waterfalls sparkling, the magic mushrooms making pyramids, and a tummy full of Lums, that's just a pretty peachy place to be.

For all the complaints you can level at the game--serious though they might be--the fact remains that the combat controls are well designed, and kicking ass in this game is incredibly entertaining.

Ridiculously long load times. Even with added structure, gameplay eventually goes stale.

While the graphics are some of the best that I have seen in a racing title for a nex-gen system, this does not compensate for the fact that Driving Emotion Type-S has unrealistic physics that debilitate the overall enjoyment of the game.

Tremendously fun gameplay with an addictive online component.

I count myself somewhere in the middle, acknowledging the innovations of Oni while also being aware of its inherent flaws.

Worth checking out simply for its quirky faux contemporary rock theme song.

A guaranteed sleeper hit. While its edutainment background seems at odds with the subject material, these two worlds collide rather splendidly.

Aside from the graphics, the PS2 version of Live 2001 can't hold a candle to its PSX counterpart.

The Ward was obviously inspired by LucasArts' classic "The Dig" and Inscape's underrated "Drowned God," only it's nowhere as good or as innovative as either title.

Great graphics and storyline can't quite make up for its lackluster AI and tedious gameplay.

Everything you could possibly want from a driving game.

From the graphics to the execution to the gameplay mechanics, America is the poorest excuse for a real-time strategy game I've seen.

Like a mixture of "Mario Kart" and "Motor Toon GP," RC Revenge Pro's pint-sized racing terrors are armed to the teeth, delivering a totally lighthearted, fun and competitive racing experience.

Make weapons out of trash! (Disclaimer: probably not advisable as a real-life hobby.)

This disaster of bushido, on the other hand, Kengo right into the discount bin.

Hellish steering, steep difficulty and satanic AI. How it manages to be fun despite this boggles the mind.

In essence, the closest motorcycle fans are going to get to a bike version of "Gran Turismo."

To make a painfully long story short, even at a $20 price point, you won't eke a smidgen of amusment out of this product, unless you receive it as a white elephant gift.

The 3D engine is quite good, the interface is top-notch, and the gameplay itself stays within the standard mold of the genre; it just doesn't try to reach for anything beyond the mold. Or, if it did, it got mired along the way in a swamp of mediocrity from which there was no escape.

The first game on the PS2 that has made me look forward to owning one of my own.

The aspect of contacting and interacting with demons was also an element that I fully embraced. It broke the monotony of simply killing and killing in order to gain experience points.

If only this game had the good control and the creative puzzles of "Resident Evil," it might have been a damn fine game. Of course it's not a damn fine game. It's a pretty bad one, but at least it's short.

Has everything an F1 fan could desire. But for experts it may be a little too easy, and for outsiders it's just not as fun as some of the other racing games out there.

While this magnificently dumb galoot blatantly treads on common ground, it leaves a lasting trail of wreckage that gamers will happily follow.

Maybe there are fans of the movie who would have their interests piqued by this title, but those fans should do themselves a favor and buy The Road to El Dorado coloring or sticker books. They would be just as fun and as interactive as the game.

The PS2's first college hoop game doesen't blow the roof off the arena.

Needs a lot more to justify the price.

A decent game that's like class registration in college. Every course you pick seems cool, but only two will actually be interesting.

For practical purposes, think of this disc as a professional kickboxer's bombshell girlfriend--you can look, but bad things come to those who touch.

Other than the great graphics, the PC version has nothing extra to offer over its console counterparts, so I wouldn't recommend an upgrade if you already have it.

After spending a week tiring of this title's company, memories of the countless frustrations encountered are also taken away from the affair.

Captures the look and feel of Donald Duck's universe impeccably, and delivers a solid, fun, gorgeous platform romp the way folks like it--with style.

Fans of the cartoon obviously aren't sick of the Batman premise, but that doesn't mean they'll be able to tolerate this game.

The online play takes this game over the top, as you no longer just win money from your game console's unlimited bank, but you actually get to grab it from other human racers.

A solid--albeit brief--game. However, because of the game's flaws, it makes a prime rental candidate.

I never thought hitting someone with a lead pipe could be so boring.

A mediocre title that's way too short and only slightly innovative. However, if you can't get enough of these games, the price makes a purchase a no-brainer.

Well, this game is more than all wet. It's completely sodden. Water logged. Soaked. Drenched.

It combines several of my interests: kooky Victoriana, bloody fairytales, lush writing, bratty girls with knives, and talking cats.

Fantastic and beautiful third-person action among three races, with a wonderful sense of humor.

Shows brief glimpses of that old EA excellence with its new dynasty mode, but sadly, the overall game slides weakly into the realm of substandard.

It's the second-best RPG on the Dreamcast, and is surely a fantastic second helping that satisfies that next-generation RPG hunger that's only just been alleviated by "Skies of Arcadia."

Even with its flaws in gameplay mechanics and visual presentation, Capcom's port of Resident Evil 2 is a thing of beauty, preserving the euphoric atmosphere of a game that no other gaming company has been able to duplicate to date.

The result is a game even worse than the port it came from. It's not an awful game, but it is awfully mediocre.

For the true believer, it's all worthwhile when Ash cranks up his trusty chainsaw and lets loose with a hearty, "Yo, tree bitch. Let's go."

Those utilizing that modem in the back of the DC are sure to appreciate a lot of what this racing game has to offer. Anyone else, however, will likely find it sorely lacking in what should otherwise be standard features.

Though exceedingly difficult, this title's still a rollicking good time.

It's not pretty, and the sounds may drive you batty. However, if you can get past the primitive and cutesy graphics, you'll find a fun and addictive experience that offers an enjoyable--and certainly more cerebral--PS2 experience that's currently unmatched.

The sort of shallow and frustrating gaming experience that only a surfing fanatic or a masochist could ever enjoy.

Cool, complex, and full of action, Earth 2150 extends the tradition of classic sci-fi RTS warfare with a few new twists.

My only complaint about the story is that it's a little linear, but as the focus of the game is on combat, it's forgivable.

Amusing and might be fun for a couple of days, but there's not much here to hold your interest. If, on the other hand, you're an adult and a big fan of "Quake" or "UT," and you have a young sibling, relative, or child that you'd like to play games with (minus the graphic violence and gore in most games), this is a great game to try out.

Tack on a "Police Academy's" worth of god-awful zingers, third-grade-level dialogue, and "witty" remarks so sour they'd curdle milk, though, and you've got the makings of a highly playable, thick 'n' chunky piece of interactive fromage.

While it may not be perfect, it does a damn good job, and sure as hell gets you interested in the Yamaha line of products.

Part of the pleasure in playing Sheep is just experiencing its originality and sense of humor.

This becomes a case of hurry up and wait. I found myself frantically trying to fit all of my moves into the eight minutes that constituted my turn, then going and fixing myself a sandwich during the AI's eight minutes.

Nothing less than a solid role-playing game with old-school style and flair.

Tomb Raider: Chronicles is like a fruit cake. Sure, it looks tasty and the name sounds good, but then you actually taste the thing.

One of the deepest games ever created. Too bad all the time spent with the options couldn't have been devoted to gameplay instead.

The overwhelming production of this game immersed me in the story. So, when I finally tore myself away from the one-player game to give the online multiplayer a try, I quickly realized that Starlancer had silently blown a huge hole in the side of my head.

As my son put it, "This game was designed by mean old men who just wanted to twist our minds." I couldn't have said it better myself.

A revolutionary title, but terrible AI holds it back from being one of the best games of the year.

The game is very realistic, keeping scoring down, but lost is some of the fun that comes from chaos in front of the net.

A terribly average game, Chronicles is about jumping, falling, dying and reloading from the memory card every few minutes.

Innovative gameplay, clever level design, and an abundance of mini-games serve to spice up an otherwise generic experience.

Dinosaur tries so hard to be a good game for kids, but it just falls flat on its face due to the control issues. I can't imagine kids playing this game for long periods of time; it is so complicated for the wee people that it's more of a hassle than anything else.

Complex and simple at the same time, MechWarrior 4 reaches a Zen-like balance between simulation and pure fun.

The added bonuses in gameplay, such as critical hits and non-linear play, are what make this game definitely worth checking out. So get out your dancing shoes, and start slashing to the beat.

If I can prevent just one piece-of-crap game like this from coming to the market, it will be the right thing to do for gaming.

Unless you're obsessed with playing with little green men and don't think you're going to be abducted in the near future, stay well away.

Meshes tight control, serviceable graphics, and EA's trademark extras to set the standard by which future motocross games will be judged.

This is not a bad game on the whole. If you've got the patience to get through it, and if you can bear with the shabby controls and sometimes maddeningly awkward camera angles, there are plenty of rewards.

While fans of BMX will enjoy the cool licenses and game features (like the height meter for midair boasts), casual gamers who are used to training wheels will find both a plug-and-play arcade game and a deep career mode.

A good-looking FPS with a huge assortment of baddies, as well as a multitude of impressive environments. And although the action is fairly cut and dry, it is still a shooter's joy while it lasts.

The Hector "Macho" Camacho of boxing games: lots of style and flash, but no punching power.

Realistic season mode, improved graphics, and all of the WWF drama that you could wish for in a console game.

The biggest and most refined platform game ever.

Quite simply the worst game of hoops I've every played.

Good ideas clash with rigid mission architecture and fruity design work. This is the same game in which you can authentically throttle a foe to death, but half a dozen body shots won't ice an opponent.

It's always nice to see a license stretch its wings succesfully.

The fact of the matter is that the gameplay in this ramshackle title pales in comparison to these top-selling greats, as does its unpredictable design, boring multiplayer modes (deathmatch, pass the bomb, etc.) and outdated engine.

GunBird's the word, standing out as one of the best finger-crampin' exercises since the Rubik's Cube.

From the jaw-dropping opening sequence--really, my jaw did drop--to the production extras rewarding you for your efforts, TLJ will likely impress any adventure gamer and even some who'd shun the label.