Playboy: The Mansion isn't bad – nor is it as good as it could have been. Every time the sunshine wants to break through the clouds, the game comes to a dead halt, a sure sign of rushed development and reliance on a known license.

If you don't mind the lackluster production and the somewhat simplistic gameplay, you may actually enjoy a bit of time with Cyberlore's title, assuming you didn't buy it to supplement your collection of items shipped in plain brown paper.

It's impossible to imagine someone not enjoying Stranger's Wrath, and while its innovations may seem superficial, all of the whimsical variations on the usual themes make for an exciting and eccentric game that must be experienced to be understood.

If you don't mind the lackluster production and the somewhat simplistic gameplay, you may actually enjoy a bit of time with Cyberlore's title, assuming you didn't buy it to supplement your collection of items shipped in plain brown paper.

With complicated controls, the lack of variety, too many annoyances, and the disappointingly short amount of gameplay time (roughly 20 hours at most; that’s practically two sittings) Full Metal Alchemist and the Broken Angel just isn’t anything better than a rental.

If you are squeamish at all steer clear of this game completely, otherwise you may find yourself smiling with glee as you lower a drill bit into some unlucky sap’s temple.

If you are squeamish at all steer clear of this game completely, otherwise you may find yourself smiling with glee as you lower a drill bit into some unlucky sap’s temple.

If you are squeamish at all steer clear of this game completely, otherwise you may find yourself smiling with glee as you lower a drill bit into some unlucky sap's temple.

In its own right, Suikoden IV is a fine game. It has decent gameplay, it looks great, it sounds awesome, and it has a good story. But compared to the past games in the series, it’s flawed, and it’s a complete downgrade from the third installment.

Its fantastic story and surprisingly good sound are just not enough to make up for missing gameplay elements and a short campaign.

Not since "Silent Hill 3" and "Eternal Darkness" has a survival horror game offered so much polish and fascination.

One of the most impressive aspects is despite the numerous simultaneous explosions, the frame rate doesn't skip a beat, which is a rarity in the genre.

Although the game is a bit short with six main dungeons and should take only about 30 hours to beat the first time, the gameplay additions and unique style definitely makes up for it.

While the game screams for online multiplayer action, it's sadly not a part of the package. Still, the game's single-player campaign is more than fullfilling, and Mercenaries' varied missions and large collection of explosives will have you glad you grabbed it.

A game that probably could have used a bit more focus and polish but despite that still does its job well. The single-player campaign is somewhat interesting and gripping, and players looking for the ferocity of multiplayer won't be disappointed.

The problem with Kingdom Hearts is it's definitely not the action RPG people fell in love with on the PS2. It doesn't carry the same mood along with the story (though it had a well-written plot), and with the pacing the game has; it can often feel a bit rushed.

Experienced players may be somewhat annoyed by the limited AI and rudimentary base building, but those drawbacks won't stand in the way of a surprisingly compelling game.

The story is still as engaging as any you have ever and will ever witness, but the technical issues are too abundant to ignore, which keeps The Sith Lords from reaching the status of last year's Knights of the Old Republic.

To put it plain and simple, Metal Slug Advance is one of the most entertaining Game Boy Advance games of the year, and if you even find the game easy enough to beat it quick, you'll want to keep going time and time again to improve your skill.

The gameplay is standard, if sometimes uneven and difficult, and the units aren’t anything we haven’t seen before.

Too bad that all of the "enhancements" made to the prince's fascinating virtual world are actually liabilities. We are glad Ubisoft toyed with the bits that needed improvement, but we wonder why they "fixed" the things that were never broken.

Too bad that all of the “enhancements” made to the prince's fascinating virtual world are actually liabilities. We are glad Ubisoft toyed with the bits that needed improvement, but we wonder why they “fixed” the things that were never broken.

Too bad that all of the "enhancements" made to the prince's fascinating virtual world are actually liabilities. We are glad Ubisoft toyed with the bits that needed improvement, but we wonder why they "fixed" the things that were never broken.

Too bad that all of the "enhancements" made to the prince's fascinating virtual world are actually liabilities. We are glad Ubisoft toyed with the bits that needed improvement, but we wonder why they "fixed" the things that were never broken.

Those who missed out on "Final Fantasy Origins" can go ahead and pick this game up. However, unless you have a lot of patience, you can easily be turned off by the slow pacing and excessive random battles the games have.

On our 5.1 system, the sound was as overwhelming and exciting as the best battles, although there were times when the environmental sound made it difficult to hear an NPC's spoken dialogue.

The single player campaign of Rogue Agent leaves a lot to be desired, if you were thinking about buying this game for the story mode, do yourself a favor and ditch that idea.

The single player campaign of Rogue Agent leaves a lot to be desired, if you were thinking about buying this game for the story mode, do yourself a favor and ditch that idea.

The single player campaign of Rogue Agent leaves a lot to be desired, if you were thinking about buying this game for the story mode, do yourself a favor and ditch that idea.

But really, why fix what isn't broken? It's great to have a new iteration in a potentially classic franchise, and Viewtiful Joe 2 is as joyous to play as the first, some slightly more frustrating puzzles notwithstanding.

The series has been known for extravagant production values, but this one is without a doubt the top of the heap. Graphically, Snake Eater takes everything about "Sons of Liberty" ' which is still to this day one of the best looking Playstation 2 games ' and one-ups it in every way imaginable.

Half-Life 2's greatest triumph, however, is not in any of these individual elements, but in the Orwellian milieu created by constant reminders that you are not the hunter, but the hunted.

You're going to be feasting your eyes on some fantastic looking environments and some pretty good character models. The textures, aliasing, explosions, and the rest aren't so bad either.

This game hits the nail on the head in so many ways it really is hard to nitpick about the small shortcomings such as no in-game cut scenes or free flight. If you are a DBZ fan, don't rent this game. Buy it right now.

The amount of immersion the atmospheric setting gives you is almost unrivaled. If you've played the PC version, however, it's going to feel dated and somewhat mediocre in comparison.

Features a lot more action, is much more story driven, has better graphics and sound, and the game is a lot harder than its predecessor was.

Graphics wise Jak 3 is stellar. The backgrounds are fantastic and they seem to go on forever. The player models look grand as well.

Most of the new additions in the game aren't innovative on their own, but like with the original, Bungie combines almost everything that makes the FPS genre fantastic into one, nearly flawless package. Halo 2 is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest game on the Xbox, and arguably one of the greatest games ever made.

It is evident that the five years of development were well spent, and you can see that EverQuest II was, is, and will likely continue to be a labor of love. If you want a satisfying, intriguing title full with potential, look no further.

Just a fantastic game. Needless to say, it's the best in the series, the best platformer on the Playstation 2, and probably the best of this generation.

The strong multiplayer aspect may keep it barely afloat, but unless you simply must play a first-person shooter on your Playstation 2, we recommend Killzone for a rental, at best.

It is hard to find a game with the perfect blend of unique, action packed missions and interesting and enthralling non-mission events, but Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas pulls it off in convincing fashion.

Not only is it the best game in the series, it is quite possibly the best game in its genre. Beautiful to look at, enormously entertaining, and never boring, players should prepare to lose hundreds of hours to the best theme park title ever created.

There are a handful of abilities and items waiting to be discovered along with a little surprise to be earned after completing the game. Add that to the fact that the game's Four Kirby formula works, and you have a unique title.

A decent action game with a lot of nifty gameplay twists thrown in for good measure. While we wish BloodRayne moved a bit better than she does, no one can argue that she brings a sexy darkness to an action game (ahem) dripping with personality.

A decent action game with a lot of nifty gameplay twists thrown in for good measure. While we wish BloodRayne moved a bit better than she does, no one can argue that she brings a sexy darkness to an action game (ahem) dripping with personality.

Every single element to the game is polished to such a high degree that virtually everything you do in the game is highly entertaining.

As a showcase for adolescent high-jinks and a censor-pushing barrage of four-letter words, Larry succeeds as well as the average episode of Jackass; as a video game, it's a lackluster sequel in a series that once relied more on innuendo than on crude references and penis jokes.

As a showcase for adolescent high-jinks and a censor-pushing barrage of four-letter words, Larry succeeds as well as the average episode of "Jackass;" as a video game, it's a lackluster sequel in a series that once relied more on innuendo than on crude references and penis jokes.

As a showcase for adolescent high-jinks and a censor-pushing barrage of four-letter words, Larry succeeds as well as the average episode of "Jackass;" as a video game, it's a lackluster sequel in a series that once relied more on innuendo than on crude references and penis jokes.

With the inclusion of Classic Mode and the continuation of this quite natural evolution of the franchise, Neversoft has done most everything short of bringing Tony Hawk to your doorstep to put a smile on all of the fans’ faces; old, and new alike.

With the inclusion of Classic Mode and the continuation of this quite natural evolution of the franchise, Neversoft has done most everything short of bringing Tony Hawk to your doorstep to put a smile on all of the fans' faces; old, and new alike.

If you can get by the game's mediocre sound or another poor execution that we call a Mario plot, you'll find a really entertaining game of pinball in Mario Pinball Land.

With the inclusion of Classic Mode and the continuation of this quite natural evolution of the franchise, Neversoft has done most everything short of bringing Tony Hawk to your doorstep to put a smile on all of the fans' faces; old, and new alike.

With the inclusion of Classic Mode and the continuation of this quite natural evolution of the franchise, Neversoft has done most everything short of bringing Tony Hawk to your doorstep to put a smile on all of the fans' faces; old, and new alike.

Not for the impatient type, but if you are willing to struggle through the often laborious brain-teasers, you may find the final reward surprisingly fulfilling.

The drums are responsive and the music isn't bad, and that's really all you need with Donkey Konga.

Does away with swords and sorcery, and instead gives us an excellent action RPG populated by Marvel Comics' band of heroic mutants.

At twenty bucks, this game is a steal, and the unadulterated joy and hallucinogenic aura you experience makes it a must-play for anyone with a Playstation 2.

Sadly, the often cumbersome controls and sometimes lackluster execution of its psychic abilities means the excellent narrative has to carry the bulk of the title’s weight.

Defeating swarms of countless bad guys is one of gaming's oldest and purest joys. X-Men Legends is a prime example of a game that taps into the fun to be had in that, offering a wonderful variety of characters who possess a wonderful variety of powers you can use to battle your enemies.

Sadly, the often cumbersome controls and sometimes lackluster execution of its psychic abilities means the excellent narrative has to carry the bulk of the title's weight.

If you'd rather not bother with these RPG-style elements, the game nicely offers the option to have the points automatically placed, though you still have to access the character menu in order to do it.

Sadly, the often cumbersome controls and sometimes lackluster execution of its psychic abilities means the excellent narrative has to carry the bulk of the title's weight.

Delivers on all fronts. Sure it has its minor flaws, but with a stellar story, crazy amounts of celebrities, licensed soundtrack, and fun fighting engine, you would be hard pressed to find a game as enjoyable as Fight for NY.

Just gushing with tons of gameplay options. The game offeres more than what you'd expect from the series.

Delivers on all fronts. Sure it has its minor flaws, but with a stellar story, crazy amounts of celebrities, licensed soundtrack, and fun fighting engine, you would be hard pressed to find a game as enjoyable as Fight for NY.

Gamers that wanted more freeform control, as well as those requiring greater focus to keep them interested will be happy to find augmentations in both directions.

With just the main game and the Score Attack mode, it's a bit short on play options; however, for what it does offer, you get a lot of game for just $30. If you're into this type of game or if you have even a remote interest in space shooters, you need to buy this game.

Not only are the graphics and gameplay solid, but the audio is just as good as each of those areas, and in some ways better.

A little too much like last year’s game...However, its defensive gameplay mechanics are more than enough to warrant that this is a must-play game if you’re into football, and it’s a lot more user-friendly than ESPN is.

With a superb story, Fusion characters, a killer soundtrack, and a decent (albeit repetitive) combat system, Buu's Fury lets the series go out with a bang. The game does a great job of packing nearly 100 DBZ episodes into a 20-25 hour game.

Fable really shines in the sound department. The game has a rich, evocative main theme by rock musician-turned-composer Danny Elfman, and the music throughout the game fits the various settings and adapts to befit the on-screen action.

Without a shadow of a doubt the best in the series and arguably the best arcade racer in history.

Even after five years, Nintendo has managed to rekindle the gameplay and addictive qualities that brought us to this game in the first place.

Even after five years, Nintendo has managed to rekindle the gameplay and addictive qualities that brought us to this game in the first place.

Without a shadow of a doubt the best in the series and arguably the best arcade racer in history.

The only thing that will keep you coming back to this game is the garage, not the racing. If you dream of building up an unstoppable marvel of automotive ingenuity, then this game is for you. If you want Vin Diesel’s skills to rub off, it won’t happen here.

The problem with many of the conventions in Spy Fiction is that they don't make the game more fun. They just seem kind of strange and unnecessary, and feel like things that a little bit more effort in the game's design could have remedied.

If you don't mind waiting, the Xbox version of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection will arrive in early 2005 and will feature online play. That alone makes the Xbox version seem far superior but for those of you that just can't wait, this game is easily worth the money.

Star Ocean 3 lays out one of the most fun, intriguing and overall best role-playing games not only from just this year, but in any time recently.

Nippon Ichi strikes again with one of the most charming, creative, and fun games on the Playstation 2 this year.

For the women playing this game, be prepared to be insulted by the coy, superficial, and silicone based character models. This aspect of the game was implemented to keep the men going once the rest of the game got boring.

The only thing that will keep you coming back to this game is the garage, not the racing. If you dream of building up an unstoppable marvel of automotive ingenuity, then this game is for you. If you want Vin Diesel's skills to rub off, it won't happen here.

If you can get by all the yelling by your pikmin and the constant self-calling of Olimar and Louie, you shouldn't encounter any problem with the sound.

Too bad: we like Astro Boy and wished there was more to it; it's akin to getting into a good book, only to find yourself reading the last page, just as it started to get interesting.

Every element is well-designed and engaging, and they come together to create a game that is just a joy to play.

The unlockable content alone is enough to keep a player busy for quite some time; couple in the sweet little extras like ‘celebrity’ golfers, and mini golf and the enjoyment can go on for quite some time.

Stardock has created an easygoing, charming title with a lot of pick-up-and-play appeal. Give it a shot, and like us, you may be pleasantly surprised.

A little too much like last year’s game...However, its defensive gameplay mechanics are more than enough to warrant that this is a must-play game if you’re into football, and it’s a lot more user-friendly than ESPN is.

A little too much like last year's game...However, its defensive gameplay mechanics are more than enough to warrant that this is a must-play game if you're into football, and it's a lot more user-friendly than ESPN is.

A little too much like last year’s game...However, its defensive gameplay mechanics are more than enough to warrant that this is a must-play game if you’re into football, and it’s a lot more user-friendly than ESPN is.

A gorgeous sci-fi shoot-em-up featuring the most stunning production values yet seen in any game, its pacing and ambience are enough to overlook its linearity and lack of variety and originality in its gameplay.

The atmosphere is chilling and the heart-pounding encounters with spirits add a lot to an otherwise standard adventure.

It has some solid gameplay concepts, looks good, and does some nice things with its source material. Too bad that the stubborn camera and unwieldy controls, along with its mediocre storytelling, ensure that we never get to see the gem that shines just underneath.

While playing Sudeki, one might sense the potential it had to be a far better game. Unfortunately, a lack of truly engaging puzzles and a somewhat flawed combat system hold it back.

It has some solid gameplay concepts, looks good, and does some nice things with its source material. Too bad that the stubborn camera and unwieldy controls, along with its mediocre storytelling, ensure that we never get to see the gem that shines just underneath.

Tales of Symphonia features something rarely perfected by any other companies; great voice acting.