Konami’s handful of ideas to make driving sims better (VGS displays, Enthusia Life mode, etc.) are worth sampling despite a handful of odd decisions by the programmers (losing Enthu points to a rear end crasher??!!).

Despite unresponsive controls and average graphics riddled with a jerky frame-rate (elements that would normally kill any racing game’s enjoyment) Blazin’ Trails delivers a surmountable and fun but challenging struggle for first place.

The improved graphics make this the best-looking DW installment to date. Too bad the tweaks to the time-tested gameplay (smarter bodyguards, more balanced weaponry, etc.) and handful of new gameplay modes (Bridge Melee) are beginning to show more desperation than innovation or creativity.

Untold Legends’ lengthy single-player campaign and multiplayer options compensate somewhat for its underwhelming sound, forgettable story and mindless hack-and-slash gameplay.

It also carries the baggage of dated graphics, cumbersome controls and scavenger hunt mentality that was all the rage (get it?) back in 1999.

The bite-sized pace of the shrunken battlefields’ brawls robs DW’s gameplay of the urgency and hardcore struggle that characterized its console predecessors.

Not even support for the handheld’s online network and some decent graphics will be enough to entice anyone to overlook the poorly-implemented controls and minimal sounds in this first-generation disaster.

Multi-console owners should consider the Xbox version of Super Monkey Ball Deluxe (or either of the original Gamecube versions) over this slowdown-riddled and slow-to-load PS2 port.

The atmosphere isn’t scary or dreadful enough to instill fear in players, and the brevity of the experience is only matched by its lack of originality.

Despite online support and being the only hockey game on the PSP Gretzky NHL’s sloppy controls, lackluster sound and choppy frame-rate make it a less-than-stellar representation of the sport it recreates.

A mindless hack-and-slash experience with little to distinguish it from the many similar titles that preceded it, this rehash of last year’s "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence" engine is a good excuse to blow both steam and a free rental at Blockbuster.

A good game all-around and a great continuation of the planned six-part saga, Episode II still falls short of what you'd expect from a supposed epic.

Sega should have known better than to pick after Activision’s pile of rejects.

A terrible movie spawns a mediocre-at-best action game that compares poorly with both the motion picture it’s based on and the comic book that inspired them both.

Too bad the game’s bloody battles (starring Agrippa) far outpace its stealth segments (featuring Octavianus), resulting in an uneven experience that makes players anticipate half the game and loathe the other.

A poor man’s ".hack" clone with characters/sounds from the Virtua Fighter series poorly tacked-on for no reason other than name recognition.

When the smoke clears, it's just another third-person action game.

Suikoden IV’s unimpressive graphics, generic audio (except for the voice-overs), infuriating battle frequency and watered-down strategy (less party members = less variety of attack combos) aren’t going to cut it in 2005.

Hours of deep strategic gameplay, excellent music and interesting stories (particularly in "The Dual Darkness' chapter of the saga) make Growlanser Generations a keeper for RPG strategists in need of a noggin-shaking fix.

MegaMan X8's return-to-basics approach makes for predictable but reasonably entertaining gameplay antics IF you're a diehard fan of Capcom's series.

Kuon has beautiful graphics and haunting sounds (including a choice of English or Japanese languages) that go to waste on a survival horror experience that isn’t the least bit original or frightening.

Two years after its predecessor conclusively proved it Ghost Recon 2 reaffirms it: the PS2 doesn't have the RAM to do justice to Red Storm's intense A.I. routines and team-based gameplay justice.

Despite carrying on the legacy of one of the greatest First-Person Shooters of our time, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent fails to match up to the N-64 classic in almost every department... well, as far as a fun factor goes.

The low price (under $20) and handful of AAA classics still manage to make this an appealing purchase proposition IF you can tolerate its noticeable shortcomings and/or have an appreciation for the industry's history.

Poker videogames need either brilliant Artificial Intelligence for offline single-player games or excellent online modes that factor in human fallibility for multiplayer competition. World Championship Poker lacks the former, and the latter isn’t up to the standard of online poker websites.

It's a flawed and shallow button masher (very few moves and no technique) but also visually alluring and reasonably entertaining for a second-tier fighting game.

This isn't a terrible or bad fighting game, just an uninspired one.

Emphasizes flashy visuals, corporate sponsorships and ease-of-use over the seedy aspects of street racing. The competitors’ AI goes from dumb to aggressive in the blink of a tail light too.