It oozes character from every pore, yet bends rather than breaks the steadfast conventions of the FPS. For this reason, a partiality towards the Dredd franchise is not just a recommendation, but a practical requirement when playing the game.

By no means perfect, but the exciting gameplay and the multitude of features clearly overshadow any minor imperfections, making this a must-have game this season.

There is no damage in Gran Turismo 4. This to me was a colossal disappointment. It’s not like I was expecting it, but this is supposed to be the real driving simulator... not the real bumper-car driving simulator... There are absolutely ZERO consequences for slamming into another car around a corner or brushing a barrier.

It is action packed, artfully done, and has a wonderful story. Give it a shot.

Repetition, bad AI, and bad localization absolutely kill this game.

For the people who really enjoy the breakdown of the pitcher-batter match up, this is the only game I've seen so far since the "High Heat" franchise that has really captures this realism.

Leave this lying on whatever crummy shelf or bargain bin you manage to stumble across it and don't look back. Life is simply too short to bother playing a game as non-entertaining as Nano Breaker.

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, it's probably safe to say that Xenosaga II is one of the better movies to come out in 2005.

So, just like Keanu Reeves, you may be able to save the world from impeding enemies, but he will not be there to save you when you realize how much time you've wasted playing this lackluster licensed title.

Has its ups and downs, but it's easily one of the best hybrid shooters available for the Cube. It doesn't do any one thing excessively well, but rather strikes a good balance between the two genres it wants to straddle.

One half of Shadow of Rome is a solid, if mildly frustrating, bloodbath that will please anyone looking for a chance to let off some steam. The other half of Shadow of Rome is an annoying slog through a weak knock-off of Metal Gear Solid’s sneaky parts.

It is games like Death by Degrees that make the public shun games and dismiss them as the trifles of a child. Overt sexual overtones, but no actual nudity, and gameplay that consists of an insipid story combined with shallow, random acts of nigh-impossible, pseudo-heroic violence. Sounds like something aiming straight for the 12-15 year old demographic to me.

It seems like every EA Big sequel nowadays is just the previous version of the game with more ads, different licensed music/MCs, and a new "skin" slapped onto the game. This is getting really, really, really OLD.

It is better than its predecessor, but it hurts itself by trying to employ too many platforming elements.

I have a soft spot for games that actually bring something new to the table in an otherwise overpopulated market of rehashed ideas and half-assed sequels. It's refreshing to see, and even more enjoyable to play.

Completing missions and putting together issues of the magazine were a lot of fun at first, but because there was so much repetition, they became more like chores rather than a pleasant diversion.

Sadly, it's gotten to the point where you can't even feel sorry for Sega anymore. They've just put out so many bad games, and made so many bad decisions recently, that you realize that if you support them they're just going to parlay that support into something utterly stupid...like this.

If this game had managed to seriously advance the overarching plot of Fullmetal Alchemist, this would have been a great romp that would engage newcomers in addition to pleasing fans of the show. As is, this game certainly has the engine to be fun, but didn’t quite live up to its potential.

Interrogating enemies is a real treat and makes for a nice break between firefights. Add to the fierce gameplay the writing talents of Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti, and you have a real winner of a game.

Awful, awful showing, guys. I'm hard pressed to think of another existing franchise that has followed up a hit with such an utter mess.

Between the silly design flaws, lack of challenge, and short length, Black Monday would be better off being called an expansion pack for a Grand Theft Auto game - and even that would be over-praising the game. While the story flow is incredibly clever, the lousy characters are a deterrent to it.

This game has officially spoiled me. Literally everything about Resident Evil 4 is oozing with style and meticulous attention to detail.

The one shining ray of hope in this game is the hopefully more game companies will seek to utilize more Asian heroines with British accents. Come on, LucasArts...it's the least you can do after this stinker.

Improved in just about every way imaginable, Hears of Iron 2 will not only satisfy the fans of the previous game, but is now set up in such a way to entice an even larger market segment into enjoying the title.

If you can't play online, this game's a 5/10. If you can't play online and are a fan of MechWarrior, the game's about a 3. Able to play online, an 8 in its current state, with the possibility of being a 9 if the kinks get worked out, and a 7 if they don't.

There simply just isn't enough substance here to justify a purchase, even for the novice football player. If you're really looking for a football fix, just go ahead and buy "ESPN NFL 2K5" instead; you'll get a more complete package and the game will stand the test of time much, much better.

Here’s the thing, to be honest: the fun does not lie in trying to get your characters through the story. No, the fun lies in trying to screw up the lives of Brett, Becky, and everyone around them.

An expensive game doesn't seem so pricey if it's good, but it seems even MORE expensive if it's bad. You'll get both feelings with the Growlanser: Generation experience.

Great characters, a vibrant galaxy to explore, and a seemingly-unstoppable menace make for an ambitious and cinematic play experience marred only by lacklustre graphics and infuriating lockups.

While the series hasn't changed drastically in its 9 year history, the latest Metal Slug is still, for some inexplicable reason, hard to put down. How many series can you say that about?

The two endings give you a overall thirst for more, and the quality of the storyline and gameplay simply astound.

For all of the welcome additions and sometimes appreciated changes to the games, Dawn of Souls has done little to alleviate the one major flaw with both titles and the series in general-- the level grind.

The vastness of the story, the volume of things to do in combat, the art direction, and the realm combat all rolls up into a wonderful package.

Still, those who loved the original GoldenEye may find the improved controls, unique weapon set up and hectic environments worth checking out, at least as a rental.

Definitely belongs in that elite class of quirky games, like "Rez" and "Katamari Damacy," that should at least be experienced, if not part of any self-respecting gamer’s collection.

I don't see why Crave decided to just stick with twelve variants of poker and not include other variations which could have added weeks of replay value to the game.

When all is said and done, Snake Eater achieves what no other game can on such a level: complete immersion into an action-driven interactive movie.

The graphics are so-so, the gameplay is repetitive and often dated, the difficultly level is uneven, the controls are unoriginal and the sound is pretty dull. Yet despite all this, I found myself playing Asphalt a lot.

The solid gameplay foundation and attention to realism really makes this game a true hidden gem in the 2004 crop of sports games.

I think this is probably the worst teammate AI I've seen in an FPS since "Daikatana." It's like every one of your followers are the Redshirt sidekicks from "Star Munchkin."

It had the best story in a game in a long time and an incredible voice acting effort. Unfortunately, the worst engine coding I’ve seen in a long time, along with simple quality control issues, bog it down.

An absolute mess.

What makes matters even less thrilling is the fact that many of the games are devoid of replay value, being little more than glorified puzzles.

Surprisingly solid in every technical aspect, which makes it all the more shame that it's falls so short in all the enjoyability aspects.

First and foremost, the amount of shots it can take to kill your enemies is absurd. It's so inconsistent that not even a headshot will always drop your enemies, and I have a HUGE problem with that.

A fairly bare-bones package, but it's a fun one, especially at a $20 price point.

My excitement was diminished after a good 20 minutes or so, and the tactics I was looking to learn from this title did not transpire when playing Halo 2. And in the end, my comrades over on Xbox Live were still there to ridicule me of my purchase, so I am here to inform you not to make the same mistake I have. Stay away.

The game suffers from a thirst of a quick cash-in by robbing gamers of a title that is all about conformity. Talk about creating a product that contradicts itself. Avoid this title at all costs, unless you want to recreate that feeling you get when you scratching your fingers across a chalkboard.

I was both blown away and extremely disappointed by Echoes.

A classic example of how to go above and beyond the expectations of a budget title. At $20, the game is an absolute steal, especially in comparison to the dismally limited "World Championship Poker."

There's cheesecake here, there's just not anything else. I think if they revamped this to fix the graphics, and plug in a deeper fighting interface with gauges and such to facilitate playability from the masses, they could pimp this out to be a rival to the "Dead or Alive" series.

The duet mode extends the replay value of the game considerably and the solid playlist will keep people happy for a long time.

As a multiplayer experience, however, Halo 2 is simply unparalleled. No other game provides the sheer amount of variety, both in terms of game types and opponents, as Halo 2 currently offers.

Mario Power Tennis certainly has a lot going for it, but there are several factors that keep it from being truly enjoyable, most notably the lack of a decent doubles mode, the problematic Power shot, and the poor menu navigation.

Absolutely a must-have title. It is one of the best games of the year. The gameplay is highly addictive and the cut scenes are hilarious- especially Captain Qwark's hand-drawn battle plans.

The game just doesn’t scream “play me” after the first time or even after a few hours. The interesting little hooks are just too few and far between.

Veterans of action games will likely despise the game's low difficulty level.

A fun game, but its main mode is a step down from "Guilty Gear X2." However, it is easily the best four-player game for the Playstation 2 (not that it had any real competition here), and Guilty Gear Boost mode is certainly worth a playthrough.

For such a derivative game, if you have any fondness for Japanese RPGs or Tolkien, Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is actually quite a bit of fun. For others, this will probably just be one more license game they will never bother to play and although I enjoyed it, I can definitely understand that side of things.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is to the gaming world what "The Matrix" was to the film industry: it breaks so much ground and introduces so many significant things that it will no doubt have an impact on how games are made for a long time to come.

A rhythm game lives and dies by its music. Taiko Drum Master is packed with songs that you can find yourself playing for hours, and get a decent upper-body workout from too (hey, you try pounding through Oni mode for a couple hours without burning some calories).

Like a really hot looking Mercedes with only an AM radio, no cruise control, and cloth seats. It looks great, and it's fun to drive for a bit, but without all those sweet extras that are offered with virtually every other luxury sedan out there, it loses its charm rather quickly.

It reminds me of that old report card comment- the game has a lot going for it, but it isn't working to its full potential.

I found myself pretty disappointed with this purchase. The lack of offline multiplayer and minute fun factor really steered this game from any characteristic of a satisfying purchase.

It's EXCELLENT fun with the flight stick, but it's also $130 plus tax for that bundle...it had better be that good. (Add a +1 onto the gameplay, replay, and overall score for the scores with the Flight Stick.)

Until game companies stop using the GBA as their platform for "rough draft" games like this, stop buying them. Don't waste your cash on what amounts to a bad version coasting on the success of another, much higher quality game.

The game's so soundly mediocre I really don't have one thing to complain about.

It’s a sad waste of programming, and I still shower twice daily in the hopes that the stench of the game will come off. It’s ultimately like a fungal infection on DVD – foul-smelling, painful, and a relief to dispose.

Even the non-stellar titles are at least playable, and nothing that I would consider "bad," since they all had their own sort of innovative aspects.

The only negative thing that I can say about this game is that it is extremely addictive; players can expect to find themselves completely engrossed, blissfully unaware of how much time has passed since they picked up the controller.

This review was originally written before Jerry Orbach passed away. As a longtime fan of the series, I would like to add that he made the show truly great. He will be sorely missed.

There is no attempt at a quality title at all, this is a rushed copycat job in every way shape and form.

The game bases itself on immense amounts of repetition, which is an absolute dealbreaker. There is absolutely no reason to even rent this game; it's just not worth it.

Hopefully, Activision will finally decide that this is the year to take off and reinvent the series; otherwise, I won’t need to play "Tony Hawk’s Underground 3"; I’ll have played it six times already.

An enjoyable sequel, but shows signs of deterioration. Sorry Tony, maybe it's time you put away your board and retire while you're still on top.

It had the story, humor and graphics worthy of a Monkey Island sequel. Unfortunately, the game included several tedious and repetitive tasks, as well as a very frustrating arcade sequence, all of which managed to destroy the joy of playing and negated all good that the game offered.

Just an average game. It started out strong, but then it simply lost steam toward the end.

The best game I have played in months. The game managed to create the most complex yet most simple to navigate gameplay mechanism I have ever experienced.

Last year, I was absolutely incensed by "NBA Live 2004." The game that became the gold standard for basketball games back in 1995 had thrown up a brick...Another year, and I find myself looking back at my NBA Live 2004 review a lot...to cut and paste text for this year's review. They fixed virtually nothing; it’s practically same game.

For being something we celebrated so much, it's really just a mediocre game with one of the best tunes of all time, and that's not truly enough to be nostalgic about.

A solidly mediocre crossover fighting game. Hardcore fans of SNK's works may enjoy this one, as may folks who have no fighting games on their XBox. As for the average gamer, pass.

Even though I'm not blown away by the gameplay or even the different modes of play, I can definitely see a fair amount of replay value in this game.

It's a LONG role-playing game, but that's not necessarily a good quality when it becomes more of a chore than a hobby.

Donkey Konga's Tarukonga feels flimsy. The drums are too small to give a solid thump with your hand and so the layer of abstraction that's supposed to be formed there (i.e. you feel like you're playing an instrument, not hitting buttons on a controller.) is VERY quickly peeled back.

The best part is that players can zoom in to watch the battle in glorious detail, and players will want to zoom in just to sit back and watch the action.

Unless you decide to blow huge amounts of cash on the nicest floor pads available (and I mean the top-of-the-line metal ones, not the excellent Ignition pads that RedOctane puts out), this game is unplayable except with a standard controller. And let’s face it, this game is Dance Dance Revolution, not Finger Tap Revolution.

The kind of game you’ll either love or hate right off the bat.

The AI-controlled team mates are shockingly ineffective. They have the power; they have the abilities. Why can’t they take matters into their own hands more often, then?

The best $20 you'll spend all year. It truly defies description; it's one of those games that is so simple that it almost sounds boring, yet is nearly impossible to put down once you’ve picked it up.

Second Sight finds common ground between length, story, style and freshness to deliver a game that won't disappoint. Even though it may be a tad on the easy side, you'll have fun simply by toying around with your abilities and solving some of the puzzles to be had.

Capcom used the only good idea they had for a RPG featuring the Blue Bomber with the Battle Network series, and even that is running out of steam. Mega Man X: Command Mission was poorly executed in every stage of development, and it's hard to imagine even die-hard fans of the series enjoying this title.

Point blank…if you need a serious bare-knuckle fighting game in your collection, look no further. Def Jam: Fight for N.Y. is everything the hype boasts about and then some. Solid, diverse gameplay makes this title one of the best fighters this year.

A decidedly average Star Wars game that is extremely fun as a rental, but wears thin with repeated play.

I also have to say that I've only played the game as Brandon and Juji. This is because Rocketbilly Redcadillac is the single worst character ever created. Imagine Vash the Stampede with a guitar that shoots bolts of electricity and talks like a hick. (Or more precisely like the English voice for Chou from Ruroni Kenshin.) Not good times. Bad times.

If there's to be a Gradius VI, please, Konami, ditch the insistence on the six power-ups. Give your weapons a lot more variety, give the multipliers options, too. Equip them with say, rate of fire and damage boosts, maybe even so AI so they stray and stay locked on to the boss when the player gives the order. Anything but the same maps, system and enemies we've fought before, only in 3D.

Sly 2 is a fun game, but players will have to look through several layers of unnecessary makeup to find that fun.

Treasure threw together this game that, beyond the art style, barely resembles the original game at all. In fact, if not for the cameos of the original game's characters at opportune times, I would have sworn that this wasn't a sequel, thematic or otherwise, at all.

Mark my words, just as "Grand Theft Auto III" was a glimpse into the future, so is Fable. Be a part of gaming history. Get the game, enjoy it for what it's worth and for the love of Master Chief... Take your time.