It looks good and plays well, but is missing elements of action and suspense that make a game like this story-heavy vampire hunter easier to digest.

We only recommend it to fans of the series and RPG players who can't stomach all the fancy-shmancy-ness of RPG's like Final Fantasy and games of their ilk.

Although not the stellar accomplishment that "Splashdown" was for the Atari label, it's still a solid effort, and a good choice for fans of motocross.

A great action game – much better than the original.

This game will not be completed in a weekend – this is one of those rare games that will take a lifetime to play. Not a biggie – you won’t soon be bored with it.

There’s so much to do, so many secrets to find, and so many objectives to complete that this game will not be finished in a weekend – this is one of those rare games that will take a lifetime to play.

It’s a fast and fun (and accurate) basketball game with more additions and improvements than ever before. It’s also the best basetball game on the PS One.

This radical departure adds a level of depth to the series as a whole - MM fans should pick it up out of loyalty - anyone who's not a hardcore fan should let this one settle back into the big blue.

The graphics in this miniature version do the game perfect justice.

The game has not taken any new leaps and bounds towards improvement in the way that Sega Sports "NBA 2K2" has, scoring this game just a little lower in the overall fun factor.

The extensive Franchise Mode (which includes this year’s Houston Texans) is the best in any football game ever, and the Madden Cards once again hype the game’s replayability.

One of the things that made Doom so much fun back then, and still carries over today, is that feeling that danger (and madness) lay around each corner.

Although the female players are an excellent addition, and the create-a-player is another good move, there are noticeable gaps in the lineup, including Sampras and Chang.

It’s the best next-gen basketball game available, easily beating "NBA Live 2002" for the PS2, which is more of a roster upgrade than a revamping of the game.

The game won’t be taking home trophies for the game play, which is the most serious of the game’s flaws.

You may have a harder time with all the backtracking, the imprecise jumping and exploration, and the overall large-scale scope of the game. In any case...a solid performer.

If a copy of dis game should happen to fall off a truck somewheres in yas naybahood, pick it up. It's an offer you shouldn't refuse, capice?

A credible and solid outing, Top Gun is top fun – if you have the patience to stick with it.

It brings back all the web-slinging, smart-mouthing, fast action of the original, and adds layers of depth and richness to both the graphics and the game play.

Quite possibly the game of the year – if you liked "Onimusha," then Devil May Cry will definitely possess you.

If you want something more advanced for your Advance, pass this fossil up.

If you were looking for the ultimate NASCAR game, you’ve found it.

The real problem is that the game won’t hold your attention for longer than a weekend, which is unfortunate.

With a limited number of tracks and hidden riders to expand the game, you may find that it’s biggest challenge will be keeping you interested past the rental return date.

It’s fun, not terribly complex, and good-looking (kind of like my last girlfriend).

Takes the game in a new, and sometimes hilarious, direction. Revenge is a dish best served cold - we served it colder than others, but we still ate heartily.

This one is just a trip down memory lane that will bring a tear to the eye of old-school gamers, and tears of frustration to the eyes of newbies who don’t understand that this was gaming way back when.

It’s not awful, and is in fact a solid platform game, but it can be annoying, and even worse, pretty boring at times.

Can’t live up to its big brother on the PS2, but don’t let that stop you from playing it, especially if you’re a NASCAR fan. It’s fun, exciting, and very playable, but its hard to keep people who’ve seen the Sistine Chapel to appreciate graffiti.

It's a trimmed down and dumbed-down RPG for younger players that just may find an adult audience with its sense of humor and hilarious story line.

It may sound like a wacky premise, but if you like odd games with a special Japanese flavor, you’ll love this one.

If DW3 was the video game equivalent of "Braveheart," then Kessen II is Kuroswawa's "Ran" -- just a little more meat in your dish.

The graphics are superb for a GBA game, with colorful characters that take up a good chunk of the screen, and bright, detailed backgrounds.

A basic, solid, hardworking title, with just enough familiar territory to keep fans of the show happy, and enough work to keep persistent (albeit young) gamers satisfied.

Some really sick stuff. The imagery and grotesque design of the enemies is disturbing, and the grainy film stock adds an element of brutal realism to an already upsetting game. Needless to say, we loved it...Not only disturbing and scary, it’s actually a lot of fun.

Compared to "Spiderman," another Activision release, this game pales like Storm’s hair. It’s a good game, but an even better rental.

Simply the best hockey game ever released.

A pure adrenaline rush, a fun-filled fantasy representation of a sport that already has its over-the-edge moments.

It’s a well-crafted and loving tribute to the original, but it definitely spices up the action with a new millennium look and feel.

Not a car game just anyone can pick up and play. You have to be able to fully control the car, which is one of the game's biggest challenges; if you don't, you're in for a long and disappointing afternoon.

It’s like playing "Final Fantasy" without meeting any monsters. Pretty to look at, but ultimately a little light in the game play.

If you like your games brainy and scary, Alone in the Dark is just the medicine the witch doctor ordered.

A fantastic and playable miniature Spider-man that’s fun and visually appealing. What more could you ask for in a game?

Whereas last year the controls seem looser than Madden’s, and therefore more intuitive and fun, this year they seem way too easy.

Technically speaking, Silent Scope 2 isn’t much of an advance over the original Silent Scope, and in some ways it’s actually a step backwards.

Don’t let the soft controls or graphic glitches deter you, though. Arctic Thunder still has some fun in the engine, mostly in the breakneck pace of the races.

The best PS One fighting game to come along in a while, and probably the last great fighting game for the PS One.

There's so much more wrong with the game (especially the lack of multi-player, and password save system – would a battery have cost that much?) that even the great sound and mediocre game play are swallowed up by this product.

It sits squarely in the middle of fun and boring.

Nothing new if you’ve played the PSOne version, but a blast if you haven’t. Another problem -- it’s over way too soon.

For Dreamcast gamers who like to pilot their systems solo, Ooga Booga just seems like one long, boring trial.

Just too basic to really hold much interest, and it’s too difficult to figure out for such a simple game.

A true sleeper out of left field, packed with depth, style and replay value.

The soft AI doesn’t make its way into the Quarterback Challenge, easily the most fun part of the game (and developed well, it could turn into a game on its own).

Everything we could have hoped for – great new levels (with just a touch of the old levels left in), vastly improved graphics, and another great soundtrack.

But what Blue Planet did was to add elements of animation to the backgrounds, which are at once beautiful to look at and extremely distracting.

The create-a-player mode (welcome to the 1990’s - it’s 2001 already) and dunk editor didn’t make us bat an eyebrow...It’s an unwelcome rehash of a franchise that screams for a complete overhaul.

We take off an extra half point for the high overall difficulty of the game, rendering it all but impossible to play for anyone but the most seasoned war simulation veterans. On the other hand, it is incredibly realistic.

A quality football game with an excellent pedigree behind its game engine...the most serious deficiencies being in the undeveloped legacy mode and the horrendously bad commentary.

Worth the effort for gamer who likes their puzzle games fast and tough.

A fairly dry, emotionless golf simulation that’s competent in execution but lacks inspiration.

It's all the fun of the original in the palm of your hand.

A well-rounded, challenging game without much flash or innovation.

Although there are a few minor annoyances, it’s unbelievable speed, mind-blowing tracks, and great upgrade selection make this a definite sleeper hit for racing fans.

It's not perfect, but it does capture the all-important essence of seat-of-your-pants racing against other human opponents in officially sanctioned events better than any other console game ever. And yes, that includes GT3.

Zombie shooting at it’s best – and lets not forget the "Devil May Cry" demo. If you’re thinking about buying RE:CVX, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll be grateful for the dead.

If you compare it feature-by-feature to the other versions, you may come to two conclusions – it’s not as good, but it’s still as cool (and fun) to play.

Check it out if you love to fish, or if you just want to spend a lazy afternoon with a beer in one hand and your rod in the other.

What you need is patience, thorough reading skills (to get through the manual), and a real appetite for destruction.

A fine game – but it’s lacking the depth and realism that many of the more complex management type sims have. Those looking for a quick racing thrill without a lot of fuss will find a lot to like.

Once again, Madden leads the field in video game football, and as of right now, there’s no one near him in coverage.

It’s a great snack until the Hawk strikes back. Pick it up now and you’ll be done with it by the weekend.

Not as deep, heavy or pretty as the competition, but strangely appealing once the journey starts rolling.

Barely on par with your average "Tetris" clone.

As a multiplayer game it treads over most of the competition. The solo mode borders on evil thanks to its difficulty level.

A good game, with solid controls, but it’s repetitive and just a little boring after a while. This is a good bone to throw a younger brother or sister.

Far from an awful game due to its relative depth and difficulty. It just doesn’t do anything we haven’t seen before.

The game’s ugliness is its major flaw, though the free-roaming nature of many of the levels can be frustrating too.

Impressive for its visual and audio style, these Brothers need more help in the gameplay department if they hope to become a franchise.

It’s a rare game that combines style and simple, brilliant play, and a very worthy choice for King of the PS2 platformers.

A pleasant surprise, and some may actually prefer it to the darker, more serious "Unreal Tournament" or "Quake 3 Arena."

A much higher score would be given if the ridiculously long 90 second load time between levels had been optimized. Otherwise, it’s a great shooter.

It’s a fantastic college football game, and as of yet, completely without a collegiate equal.

Although not terrible complicated or intricate, it’s still a great game with a good interface and lots of scary stuff.

A great FPS. The most serious problem we have with the game is stability – we lost all of our save games at one point, and experienced random freezes fairly frequently.

The intensity of the missions, the fast-pace of the action, and the overall graphic flair of the game will have you coming back again and again, regardless of your patience levels.

This one should just lay down and play extinct for us.

An addictive and fun collection of Pac-Man games that looks a whole lot better than you’d expect.

It is a racing game – a good but flawed one, a technically masterful piece of work that still has not gotten the gameplay of racing against other drivers quite right. In some ways, it’s actually a step backwards from GT2.

Our only real gripes are the controls and the sluggishness of some of the titles on less powerful systems.

There’s as much to do in this game as there is in any other full-priced motocross game – and Motocross Mania is really no better or worse than most of those.

The graphics are the game’s strong point, with fluid character development and crisp backgrounds.

It’s a testament to the thought and heart that went behind Chrono Trigger that, despite a new loading problem, the game is still more fun than most of its present-day competition.

The best Advance multiplayer game to date (and you only need one cartridge), Bomberman blows up the competition when it comes to fun.

If you like your destruction on a massive scale, this game is the one for you – though it relies heavily on big explosions to entertain you (have we made our point yet?).

We have to be impressed by the number of included titles, faithfulness of the emulation, and the huge amount of archival material. Our only real gripes are the controls and lack of save support.

But if you want a serious butt-kicking good time, then this game Roars.

This ain’t no "Twisted Metal: Black." If Motor Mayhem had come out last October we might have recommended it; as it is, there's no real competition.