Like the comic books that inspired it, Freedom Force features slick animation and plenty of boffo, whiz-bang special effects.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

Though it adds a new playable character, tougher skill levels, and the option to speed everything up 20%, it still has the same annoying and unavoidable music, occasionally stiff controls, and that frustratingly limiting “chose your style of fighting” system that made the original Cry 3 a lot less fun than the first two incarnations.

And once you learn to handle swapping positions at the tap of a button, you'll realize that beneath the cuddly, kiddie veneer lurks a fiercely competitive game that's all about spanking the baby powder off your opponents.

The only "improvements" consist of a slew of extra outfits, yawn-inducing training missions, and a handful of bonuses that only the most avid Gear geek could appreciate. If that’s you, fine.

While these side-scrolling action games are still addictive and challenging, it's hard to get nostalgic over games with release dates from 2002 and 2003, respectively.

Unfortunately, none of the additions will distinguish this one for vets of the PC version, but tight controls, abundant targets, and beautiful scenery still deliver the most disturbing vacation package since Kathie Lee Gifford stalked Carnival cruise ships.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

Not everyone’s cup of vino, but a true toga party for fans of the franchise.

If you’re keen on tasteless, tongue-in-cheek jokes, smooth sailing lies ahead.

Offers enough twists to make us take the bait.

It’s all so much like the Xbox version, in fact, that you might wonder why the hell you spent money on it a second time.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

The graphics and sound (enhanced by the actual voices of the movie’s stars) were well-rendered and intricate indeed, but players soon grew bored with repetitive thrusting and parrying against evil Sauron’s monstrous hordes.

These intense, roller coaster–like tracks will twist and turn until you swallow your tongue and beg for mercy.

Play is especially intriguing online, where our hero's acrobatic skills, ability to find cover, and state-of-the-art weaponry deliver death matches to die for.

But even if you lack broadband, the bizarre characters and 13 arcade-style courses to choose from will keep you giddier than Carl Spackler on a gofer hunt.

We don’t like how the pesky pedestrians always manage to dodge your cab, but the graphics of the San Francisco–like city are amazingly detailed.

Your all-terrain vehicles come equipped with oil slicks, smoke screens, and acid bombs that are so fun to use that it's hard to tell if it's more fun to use contraband or smuggle it.

Eye-popping.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

For the casual player, this is archaic stuff that’ll provide about an hour of nostalgic fun.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Warning: Tenchu 2 requires a lot of patience and exploration, so if you’re looking for a mindless contest, maybe you should turn on a Presidential debate instead.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

The wacky sensibility will give you a few chuckles, while the insane difficulty level takes you on a masochistic tour of your squandered youth.

The ho-hum game play won’t wow you.

But after nine innings, it's basically the same game, including easy to master controls that'll finally allow you to be big man on campus.

With matches of five-on-five taking place on small fields with really basic controls, Strikers is classic arcade-style soccer, but the game gets an extra kick from power-ups, random Bowser attacks, and a Telemundo-style announcer.

This build-your-own-robot game gives grease monkeys a 20-story garage, hundreds of parts, and plenty of time to tinker with and create the ultimate 40-ton rig.

But after nine innings, it's basically the same game, including easy to master controls that'll finally allow you to be big man on campus.

An adventure game that looks and plays shamelessly like "Tomb Raider," only without the oversized breasts.

Most of the game consists of endless management, such as babysitting your kids, managing your dough, and constantly mailing postcards to your friends so they don’t resent your ignoring them.

It does have...a kung-fu penguin! And what's cooler than that?

Can’t be beat for fun, mindless destruction.

Welcome to the mile-high club.

Despite the occasionally clunky controls, Emperor’s Tomb does impress with its hand-to-hand brawls (Ms. Croft would be lost without HER weapons) and the free-range exploration allowed within each level.

The problem here is Blitz is a lot like Jerry Springer: if you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. This year’s edition does little to dispel that theory, since it comes with only a handful of new features, none of which include online play.

A little too complicated for its own good.

To say you need quick reflexes to survive this would be an understatement—it’s almost like you need to use a mystical, ambivalent power to help guide you through it. Sort of like the movie.

Despite the occasionally clunky controls, Emperor’s Tomb does impress with its hand-to-hand brawls (Ms. Croft would be lost without HER weapons) and the free-range exploration allowed within each level.

Difficult navigation and slow play require Zen-like patience, but riches await the persistent. You’ll revel in a bowel-loosening atmosphere, brain-twisting puzzles, and voice acting surpassed in horror only by "My Slutty Wife XIX."

The problem here is Blitz is a lot like Jerry Springer: if you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. This year’s edition does little to dispel that theory, since it comes with only a handful of new features, none of which include online play.

[Its] shortcomings make it hard to recommend if you’ve bought a previous edition in the past, but it’s just so damn fun to play and watch that it might be worth picking up anyway.

Now we don’t mean to be football snobs here, but there’s just something wrong when a downfield bomb takes longer to drop than the Goodyear blimp. Just ask the unconscious wide receiver that got clocked by a safety waiting for it to come down.

With Heroes, D&D has severed its dorky roots in favor of fast-paced, arcade-style hackin' 'n' slashin'.

At last you’ll infiltrate the secret lair, where you’ll discover…you’ve been playing a very standard-issue game.

And while it's more of a tech demo than a test of reflexes, after a long day of crime and combat, it's just what your overworked thumbs need.

Ultra-deep.

Such virtual destruction may once have seemed innocent, but these days the whole thing hits a little close to home.

And while fans of such modern shootouts as Halo 2 will scoff at its Super Nintendo–ish look and gameplay, anyone who can remember the last decade without the aid of I Love the ’90s should come away smiling.

Stevie Wonder could breeze through this first-person shooter in under five hours.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

You'll add valuable mech piloting skills to your résumé in punishing combat situations that are as close as you'll ever get to the real thing...were these machines not totally fictional.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

While the graphics are different from previous Taxi incarnations, the goal of this romp is the same.

Keith Jackson is good for an occasional chortle, and brings realism to the game.

The unique fighting system keeps things lively—martial arts and gun battles play out by aligning "moves" on an action bar—but whether or not there are enough Matrix fans out there to populate this huge, lush world remains to be seen.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

But the game's focus on cooperative gameplay with an AI fighting partner feels more forced than fun. If we wanted to be this bored with another person, we’d have gotten married.

Despite its replay value, this is little more than a restructured stroll down memory lane. Next time, let's hope Nintendo enters the 21st century and puts this puppy online.

If the steep learning curve has you hollering "Mayday!" a little too often, you can always switch sides and play as a Japanese pilot—and plan a little do-it-yourself Pearl Harbor.

The multiplayer is engaging and the storyline suitably absurd, but in the world of PC games the first-person shooter bar is set high, and with Half-Life 2 out there, it's hard to imagine choosing this shorter, less clever game instead.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

What’s really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends—assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

A letdown for NRA enthusiasts, surely, but they will enjoy the best spy perk of all—a license to kill.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

Sharp graphics, explosive action, and an Internet multiplayer mode earn a big ten four.

Unfortunately, you spend more time scaring the crap out of people than blowing the crap out of people, which slows down the action.

What's really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends-assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

While the tough, stealthy game play won’t grip you in a chokehold of novelty and surprise, it flashes a lethal look and feel.

This confrontation between Crash and his massively noggined nemesis, Dr. Cortex, is the most innovative yet.

Sure, Arena Football may look and play almost as good as the pros (featuring all of the teams, players, and fast-paced fury of alternative smash-mouth), but time out here: who cares about the AFL? Oh, that's right—no one.

If you want a glimpse of what the NBA might look like if Vince McMahon were the commissioner, then you owe yourself a look at NBA Hoopz.

It’s the perfect cross-breeding of "Super Mario Brothers" and "Hooters!"

Sure, Arena Football may look and play almost as good as the pros (featuring all of the teams, players, and fast-paced fury of alternative smash-mouth), but time out here: who cares about the AFL? Oh, that's right-no one.

While the tough, stealthy game play won’t grip you in a chokehold of novelty and surprise, it flashes a lethal look and feel.

Unfortunately, the controls are still choppy compared with Dreamcast blockbuster "Soul Calibur," which defeats the purpose of splurging on a new PlayStation 2.

Yeah, it’s still just a video game version of pinball, but at least it won't steal all of your quarters like the arcade version of "My Little Pony."

It’s not the deepest game you’ll find, but its oddly satisfying.

Painstaking detail and suspenseful play make this a thinking sofa slug’s delight, though the deliberate pace might frustrate action fans.

The game’s lack of realism (your cars can’t get damaged or dirty) takes away from that devilish feeling that you’re doing something naughty with the family car.

Decent graphics and gory (if kinda short) game play will keep most players nailed to the controller, but sometimes wretched camera placement sucks harder than the minions of Dracula at a Red Cross blood drive.

If sending a single bullet through someone’s head thousands of yards away sounds like a good Friday night to you, then Silent Scope is right up your alley (and therapy might not be a bad idea, either).

Decent graphics and gory (if kinda short) game play will keep most players nailed to the controller, but sometimes wretched camera placement sucks harder than the minions of Dracula at a Red Cross blood drive.

The concept and play consistently deal a royal flush, just ignore the choppy visuals, which can irritate like a pesky infection picked up at Miss Kitty’s Cat House.

While the kill-and-kill-again objective may be low in frills, the simple, straightforward action is a welcome break from a sea of complex games that currently take longer to set up than to play.

But the game's star is really Nevin's cool, morphable costume, which gives new meaning to the phrase "class action suit."

The concept and play consistently deal a royal flush, just ignore the choppy visuals, which can irritate like a pesky infection picked up at Miss Kitty’s Cat House.

The whole shooting match feels kinda Xeroxed, but for fans of the genre, it's worth the rental after a long day at the rock pile.

But the game's star is really Nevin's cool, morphable costume, which gives new meaning to the phrase "class action suit."

Some of the better moves defy gravity and reason—such as the four-man pile driver. The game doesn't reveal who these freaks are or why they're fighting, but extensive research has revealed they're based on a line of rubber toys and a disturbing '80s TV show.

Nothing beats running around cramped dungeons seeking treasure and revenge while hacking, arrow-ing, and spell-casting your way through hordes of Lord of the Rings rejects.