What makes Soul Calibur so brilliant isn't just the amazing graphics and great combos, it's the continuity and fluidity of the progression of the game. Moves seem to flawlessly transition from one combo to the next, making the game seem believable one moment and then outrageous the next.

Bigger and prettier than its predecessor, but it really doesn’t do much to move the series forward. Everything that made the original great is still here and improved, but there is very little that is new to the series, and even the things that are new seem more toned down than perhaps they should be.

Why the jumping puzzles? They were annoying in 2D, in 3D they’re less fun. In a 3D First Person Shooter, they are lameness incarnate.

At its core, it’s fairly shallow, and you really need to come into this game liking Pokemon, or pinball, or preferably both in order to get your money’s worth.

Few games leave my hands sweaty and clenched around the controller like F-Zero GX does. The difficulty level may scare away some new players (and maybe even some old ones), but it's a fun ride even when you're not winning.

The adventure mode is engrossing and fun to play even for those who don't like chess, because it plays more like a good turn-based strategy.

There's a code you can enter to unlock all the FMVs so you can just rent it for a day, input the code, and then return it. Don't say Alkaiser never did nothing for his peoples.

I was a bit disappointed in some of the bugs that existed in the title. At least once a game I noticed a flicker... It didn't hinder any gameplay, but it was noticeable... The bottom line here folks, is that Madden has once again set the bar high for its competitors and has flexed its digital muscles.

An above average action game for the PS2 that has some great character designs and a world that needs more fleshing out. Still with all it's small faults it's still a game I keep coming back to just to witness another beatdown, and if a game can do that it's not so bad in my book.

An audio experience that shouldn’t be passed up, especially if you are a fan of the series or survival horror in general. It is a shame the controls are difficult and the game is so short, or all would have been wonderful.

Stick with a two-night rental here folks, because you won't be getting airsick from the intense reality and high speed action... but because the game is incomplete and yucky.

A fun yet still quite flawed title. Had the loading times, glaring issues with AI, and that cut scene issue been fixed, this could have been an A title.

The game is inconsistent. I'll nail the ball perfectly, taking lie of the land and wind speed into consideration; yet the results are never what they should be. What I'm saying is, is that playing with the "auto" is much more productive than "playing for real". This really disappointed me.

It offers superb storytelling and a very engaging gameplay. Almost all puzzles are tough, but logical. Unfortunatelly, it will never appeal to a large audience; it’s not challenging enough for veteran players, it doesn’t offer enough eye candy for people spoiled by titles like Syberia, and it’s too low-key for the general gaming population.

Another major complaint I have about the control that bears mentioning is that the machinations one must go through to flip or spin are extremely annoying at best.

I will say one thing about TDK and Aquaman: The comic book character is unbearably pitiful and TDK managed to translate that perfectly into a just-as-pitiful game.

The gameplay is awesome, the graphics are great, and being able to completely immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe is a force to be reckoned with.

A guy can only sample for minerals, craft Mighty Rods of Fishing + 1, and shoot the same crap for so long before they realize that it's just freaking boring.

While the graphics are insanely impressive, the gameplay rolls in on the other end of the spectrum. It stinks.

The game isn’t really innovative, and it won’t wow anyone. But at the end of the day, you’ll find yourself still laughing about how the health meter cookies have the Japanese word for “monkey” on them as well as the subtle joke behind Pierrot the clown monkey.

This game needed to get a big kick in the pants in the gameplay and graphics area, and that plot seriously needed to be worked on. This could have been a lot more fun...but it definitely needed a lot more work.

An incredibly fun and addictive turn-based strategy game that even with its minimal improvements definitely overshadows what the original contained.

Wario World has many of the same qualities as its protagonist. It’s slightly rotten but likable, a bit too short, and awfully greedy.

Excellent visuals and audio with pretty much the same feel. Lara’s transition from the 32-bit world is a reasonably smooth one, despite the few troublesome quirks in the gameplay.

A good way for Sega to make up for the whole "we canned the Dreamcast because it wasn't popular in the US, but we had some really good titles on it that the US liked" thing.

Isn't the greatest game ever made, but it certainly isn't the worst. I personally had a very good time with it, and recommend it to anyone looking for a good, solid singleplayer FPS fix.

It looks like I will be playing this game online for months to come; I have yet to touch the offline game since my first time playing. It’s sad, too, considering that this game was supposed to be so well rounded.

The biggest problem, though, lies in the game play. When you first run into an area, you'll find it, more often than not, mind-bendingy difficult.

Probably my favorite "new" feature is the DK Attack mode. This allows you to pick a level and try to complete it as fast as you can. DKC keeps track of scores of statistics, so it's nice to see if you (or someone else) can beat your time/score.

Those who missed the open-ended questing in "Tribunal" will be pleasantly surprised, and those who wanted to try something new will have the werewolf to play with.

The repetitiveness of the game got to me quickly. With similar level designs, background music, and graphics, the single player mode made me feel like I was playing the same three or four levels over and over again.

If you like to play, you’ll find great teaching utilities to improve your game, as well as a powerful system to challenge you. If you have no interest in chess whatsoever, steer clear.

It's seriously fun and additive.... for a few hours. The game loses its flavor quicker than a pack of Fruit Stripes gum... its colorful and packs a ton of enjoyment at first, and a few minutes later it turns grey and tastes like a rubber eraser.

It is flat out gorgeous eye candy, it has decent sounds, and great gameplay. If it weren’t for the weak AI and limited environments, the game would have been nearly perfect.

I can't remember having played a game this unique, with this much character and originality, in a long, long time. That it's a heck of a lot of fun is an excellent added bonus.

Racing is pretty intense, and once making your way to the later tracks, the computer controlled racers get pretty damn start, and so you’ll either have to start re-thinking your racing plan, or go back and redo your bike's attributes.

Graphically, this game is amazing.

The load times in Boomstick are really bad, taking almost up to 3 minutes to load the game up when I first started playing. It got a little bit faster after that, but not by much and still was about a 1 1/2 - 2 minute load time before getting to play.

I have come here to tell you that I had no real problems with the control system for the Xbox, but I can see how some can find it tricky to use.

Making a game intended for children does not make poor game design OK. While children may indeed enjoy parts of Finding Nemo, it is likely it will greatly frustrate them in the long run, and frustration for frustration’s sake is simply no fun.

Easily one of the most unusual and beautiful adventure games released in the past few years.

The story included was strong enough to keep me interested.

It ain’t that same ol’ thing.

It shows flashes of inspiration in some areas, while being content to rehash ideas in others. If you're the type who wants another fun RPG romp without worrying about trying anything new, you'll have no problems with this title.

Just as fun as the first. Almost exactly as much fun, come to think of it. The new features add something to the game, but the fact that we've been here, and done this before negates those new bonuses, so it's essentially a wash.

As much as I loved the game, it still lacked that special "something" to make it a "10". It seemed many times (especially later in the game) that gameplay relied too heavy on two things: blocking and dunking.

This game managed to hit my nostalgia nerve, especially because I had a quick action itch, and this game was right there to scratch it.

Something of a tragedy. It is a game hindered by far more than just bad graphics; controlling “the X-Men’s most dangerous weapon” is far from fun, and borders on infuriating.

Ikaruga is for that special breed of gamer, who knows gameplay is more important than graphics; and skill is more important than power-up's. Believe me when I say "misery never felt so good". The game is tough.

It's a quick fun romp that is more pleasure than pain. But, the utter lack of tact make it more of a play on marketing rather than a quality FPS.

The slight flaws of the second are easily drowned out by the overall brilliance of the game play and intriguing storyline. While overall GS2 didn’t match the overall excitement I had for the original it did satisfy my RPG tooth until "FF Tactics Advance" comes out.

Play this to understand where Final Fantasy, which has done so much for gaming in general, has come from. Play this to appreciate how good things were even back then, even if they aren't really the same. But if you want what you had before, save your cash. Time and gaming has moved on - even if I haven't fully.

Simply what a game is supposed to be. No tricks, gimmicks, and no need for hype. It's pure, addictive, mind-buzzing gameplay.

I really wish it had been made more accessible - cute without being cloying, tricky without being frustrating, and so forth. While a decent intro to the dating sim in the United States, it will require a lot of work before this can ever catch on.

As far as replay value is concerned, Def Jam: Vendetta has absolutely none. Zilch. Once you run through the story mode with the four playable characters, that pretty much ends it.

One of those few games that anyone must have played in order to truly call themselves a hardcore gamer. However, if multiplayer is what you’re after, the PlayStation version might actually end up being more affordable in a few months than two copies of the GBA version.

The music, puts the game right up over the top giving it an epic theatrical feel that makes it a fun play every time.

One of the most notable features of the new incarnation of the game is that you can finally make your own character. The options for customization are fairly limited, but having the ability to make your own character is a plus nonetheless.

A remarkable game that captures fast-paced, mindless action in a colorful package, and it's fun. The multiplayer missions are the high point of this game, and the premise and controls are simple enough accommodate the novice player.

Graphically, Amplitude is as trippy as some of the songs it features.

All told, while I was extremely impressed with The Wind Waker, I didn't have a whole lot of fun playing it. In fact, more often than not, it felt like work more than play.

The gritty feeling portrayed throughout the game is genuine, and the action is intense. While Novalogic could have slapped the Black Hawk Down name on a cheesy "Quake 2" mod and sold a bazillion copies, they decided to take the high road and produce a quality game.

In the course of it's five levels, which are each separated into three sub-levels, MLF 2 provides the player with an excellent gameplay experience that tests their reflexes quite well. Although it cannot be compared to more hardcore shooters like "Zero Gunner 2" or "Mars Matrix," it's still a pretty good shooter.

You’ll get at least 30 hours of play time out of the main quest, and that’s assuming you don’t stop to smell any of the roses along the way.

An audio and visual mess, bottom line.

The game will probably be remembered the same way that the original Tecmo Bowl was. It was a fun game with revolutionary features at the time, but in the end it will be known for some underdeveloped features that were corrected and surpassed in later versions.

Konami’s act of reconciliation for the original version. It makes up for all of the flaws of part one, and is even an improvement upon the few things that the original got right. The game is indeed difficult, but for the right reasons.

Sloppy and uninspired.

One of those rare games that is complete in every aspect. The content and the technique is nearly perfect, and it molds flawlessly into a genuinely entertaining experience.

This is the BEST version of Metal Gear Solid 2 you can buy, so if you didn't play through the game yet, well, go get this one.

The best baseball experience out there in a market that is glutted with baseball titles. It offers the best balance of realistic gameplay, deep, deep, deep options and above all else, fun.

Remarkably deep when it comes to gameplay... Beware of the load times, though, they can be bad.

The learning curve is low and the atmosphere engrossing enough for this game to be the perfect introduction to the adventure games genre.

Due to the game being a budget title, I am willing to overlook the bad voice-overs, weak character animation and technical problems. However, the game fails when it comes to balance.

Offers enough value to justify its purchase. However, it does not improve the original game, and only fixes some balancing issues that were introduced by the first expansion.

It is a shame as the game that I was actually able to play was really damned good, but the absurd overuse of cut scenes, terrible voices, and ridiculously clichéd storyline destroyed the potential that was within.

A game just waiting to be discovered. It does have its problems even beyond those involved in learning to play it, but they are minor in the grand scheme of things and, for lovers of the genre, it is the grand scheme that Master of Orion 3 captures best.

It is very short and even those that do enjoy it will most likely be left wanting more.

If you liked the "Power Stone" series, then you will love Kung Fu Chaos. For n00bs to the genre, it's hard not to like a game like KFC. It has all of the ingredients of a highly entertaining game, and once you add multiplayer into the mix it makes for a perfect party game.

About the only thing that I didn’t absolutely hate in The Emperor’s Tomb (but it was still lacking) is that there are a few cool big boss fights.

The pathetic attributes of this failed experiment are disgusting. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter is a poor excuse for an RPG. It is an attempt at innovation, perhaps. But it can also be the lazy solution for a group of developers who didn't want to put in the time to make a quality RPG.

Don't let Dark Cloud 2's mediocre predecessor deter you from experiencing this masterpiece which is about as close to a genuine work of art you can get from a video game... Easily one of the most addictive, most fun games available for the PlayStation 2.

Instead of building on everything that made "The Eternal Duelist Soul" a good game, they built upon everything that made "Forbidden Memories" a mediocre game, and then added enough additional confusion and frustration to the game to make it nearly unplayable for all but the most rabid of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans.

While .hack is not going to thrill anyone with its visuals or sound, the sheer replayability and depth of gameplay is incredible, and that’s what games are SUPPOSED to be all about. Bandai, you have guaranteed yourself a customer for your future .hack episodes.

The graphics and animations are the best I have yet to see in a RTS, and the in-game effects are powerful. Just get ready to laugh like a maniac at what the units say during the game.

What may amaze people the most is the sound quality in the game. The game's designers were of the opinion that video games don't have enough hard rock and metal in them, and I'll be, they were right. I suppose it's of no surprise that such edgy material works well with a fighting game, but the quality of the choices just enhances the game. You want to press the attack partly because the music is practically egging you on.

While Skies of Arcadia is not a paramount of technical achievement, the substance is worth buying. Great story and great gameplay elements are the very meat of this title.

A great game... just not as good as the original. I'm all for the evolution of a series and it's characters, but when it means slowing down a character so he/she will look cooler is just plain ridiculous.

Probably my biggest surprise was the overall fluidity of the controls. Gameplay is the game's strongest asset no matter what way you look at it.

What War of the Monsters lacks in story depth, it more than makes up for in presentation. One thing that the designers really took to heart was the B-movie atmosphere.

Surprisingly deep, complex, and accessible, SimCity 4 is the pinnacle of simulation games.

Unfortunately, Panzer Dragoon Orta came up short, literally, with it's complete lack of actual gameplay. This game felt like more of a coin-op than an actual console game.

I can definitely say that it does add to the lifespan of DW3, and that it is definitely worth a rental if you have the original and enjoyed playing it, maybe even worth buying if you can find it for under $20, like I did.

Forgettable but playable. With few faults, fans of the first who want more of the same should check it out. Otherwise, with so many great platformers to choose from on the GBA, I suggest N-Tranced only to the kids who have never experienced the joys of Crash on the bigger screen.

Unfortunately, Ryan comes off as an unlikable, whiney cliche. Being that this is a racing game, its ultimate success resides in the on track action, as it should.

The true tell-tale sign of a great RPG compared to a good RPG is how you feel after completion. With other great RPG's over the years, I had a true connection with the characters and was always a bit saddened once my adventure came to a halt. In this case I felt nothing.

Officially the first fun Dragonball Z game to hit the market. While it has a couple problems in the lack of jump or flight and a few strange mini-games in story mode, this fighter is remarkably deep and entertaining.