The core gameplay isn't balanced or rewarding enough to warrant a purchase, but it will more than suffice for a weekend of mindless action.

A decent mission setup doesn't offer much variety as you switch from character to character but the effort that has been given to create missions that make sense is appreciated.

It may have a very repetitive gameplay mechanic and even when you know something is lurking around the corner, yet it still manages to unnerve the player due to the game’s overwhelming atmosphere composed of great graphics, sound effects, and a demented storyline.

A somewhat dated gameplay engine shows its age on the 360 hardware...Better looking than the regular Xbox version, but not by leaps and bounds.

The gameplay mechanics, presentation, and available modes have all been supercharged, the graphics push the capabilities of the hardware without wavering, and the engine and exhaust noises are so glorious that you won’t even care about loading in your custom tracks.

Overall the same game that we’ve enjoyed for the past four years. New features like Crease Control, ProControl, and On-The-Fly Coaching are welcome additions, but this isn’t really a "next-gen" game.

Fast paced action, with a fast-paced storyline that ends much too soon. The game feels like an unbalanced mix of realistic combat and shooting gallery mechanics.

With smoother animation transitions, a better framerate, and a tad more pace, NBA Live 06 will look silly-good, as the rendering and motion capture is already there.

For fans of Tiger-style golf, you’ll probably be tied between which versions of the game to play; the Xbox version is more feature-rich, but the 360 version looks worlds better.

Shows promise, but it’s unlikely to be heralded as "next gen" by soccer aficionados.

With a bit more time and experience, the NBA 2K series will be an unstoppable, next-generation force that cannot be contained, even with the industry’s best D’ing up.

The story mode has plenty of depth and is fun to pass around with a group of friends. Multiplayer is severely lacking and it’s a shame that Amped 3 can’t reach its full potential without it.

Responsive, realistic and loads of fun to play. The variety of events and challenges will keep you busy for hours and the police pursuits give players more than enough reasons to check it out. Lack of more creative online modes chips away at a higher score.

The foundation for what will someday be unbelievable character models and environments, and the building blocks of spot-on football gameplay. If you are expecting more than that then you may want to hold onto that paper until "07."

A game that tries to combine killing animals with some popular elements from other action games, but sadly it falls fairly flat. Frustration is all too common and the missions aren't very involving despite their attempts at delivering some elements of a story.

I can easily say that I had just as much fun playing through the game on the Xbox as I first did on the PC, and probably even more so due to my personal preference of the controller over the keyboard.

It presents a very succinct and engulfing story that players will easily be able to get lost in given the opportunity. Native New Yorkers should also have a blast destroying their neighborhood and watching some of the city's most notable locales change with the rising (or falling) crime rate.

Practically nothing works the way that it should. Guns are bad, the camera is worse, and the mature departures that the story takes from the rest of the series are truly what will have the fans raging on the message boards.

This is a better overall game than the "Underground" series, with more depth on the pavement and in the garage. The presentation factor has also gone up tenfold, along with a serious improvement in graphical quality.

The overall scope of the story is much deeper and involving than other games, and the inclusion of multiple characters for combat and puzzles adds a bit more depth as well. The experience is still easy though, and won't pose much challenge to anyone over the main demographic.

It's all been done much better elsewhere. Ford vs. Chevy tried to borrow the ideas of its predecessors but it doesn't improve on any of them, thus they are left in the background of the gameplay.

Very slow moving and occasionally frustrating is the best way to describe the gameplay in Operation Flashpoint. The vehicles feel entirely too clunky and hurt the otherwise functional gameplay.

The magical spells don't feel as deep and compelling as portrayed in the books/films, and the overall game experience becomes stale and repeated by the end. Stand out moments from the story are included, so fans will have a hoot picking those events out.

The new focus on multiplayer expands the gameplay immensely. Duets are a real treat, while the "Sing and Dance" and Minigames don't live up to their billing.

It's tough to recommend GUN at its full sticker price for what it is, and that is an excellently told, eight-hour story wrapped up in the guise of an action videogame masquerading as a Western.

Its cutesy image may not appeal to the hardcore crowd, but the core game is nearly flawless. It’s a game that you’ll want to continue playing – it doesn’t feel like “work”. The characters are imaginative, the visuals are outstanding, and the game is downright fun.

The game is slow going at first, and there are an abundance of technical issues that throw a wrench into the mix, but the core gameplay fundamentals are still worth checking out.

The best poker game on the market. Not by much, but it is nonetheless. The career mode, quick play, and multiplayer aspects of the game all combine to make a nice little package for your hard-earned twenty bucks.

If you or your kid just can't get enough of the Eds, then by all means add this one to your shopping cart. All others should tread with caution, as some technical issues and a basic lack of gameplay depth causes Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Mis-Edventures to be a bit cumbersome and to wear out its welcome quickly.

The puzzles aren't overly challenging, the enemies don't pose much of a fight, and the overall experience is lacking some much needed "punch". Not the worst movie to game translation, just uninspired and clearly looking for a payday.

Platform junkies will dig the challenges and combinations of different powers each character has, movie fans will enjoy the continuation of the story and their favorite characters, and gamers just looking for an innocent rental won't be disappointed either.

Perhaps the biggest downfalls are the targeting and shooting systems (the heart of any third-person game involving guns) which are adventures in their own right, and make for some trying times throughout each mission.

Things get stale rather quickly, largely in part to the game's propensity to confining players to a single path through the campaign. The multiplayer doesn't help things along very much.

Better than the original in almost every way, which says a lot for LucasArts' and Pandemic's commitment to their legion of fans. Space battle and playable Jedi are reason enough to run out and buy Star Wars Battlefront II, but 32 player online matches don't hurt either.

The emphasis in Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is on the complete experience, which just so happens to include a more scripted, movie-like gameplay experience. If you don't like the more "on rails" M.O. in your war game, then you may want to look elsewhere.

Four player co-op, a few pretty interesting modes, and a solid combat system equals a fair amount of fun.

Boss battles are fun, but the overall experience doesn't bring anything new to the genre of gaming.

A pretty slick little kid's game. The underwater venue itself immediately gives Shamu's Deep Sea Adventures an advantage over the slew of E platformers and movie-license-based adventure titles. The gameplay is solid for the most part, and the 720p graphical offering is quite dazzling.

Only the undead could enjoy a game filled with numerous glitches and a sincere lack of creativity across the board. Avoid this title like a flesh-eating zombie, unless, of course, you just have to have all things Romero in your collection.

Sure, the story isn't that deep or developed that well. Yeah, the graphics are not stellar. True, the audio is pretty much a disappointment. But oh that engine. Spartan controls with ease.

Don't let the wrapper fool you: Shrek SuperSlam is a competent fighter at its core, with farting and battle gnomes as layers of this unique universe.

Retro fans will easily drop $20 to secure themselves a piece of gaming history while more casual fans will most likely better served giving Taito Legends a rental, but either way, it's money well spent.

Aside from the flaws with the "detective" mode, and lack of direction the game provides, Cthulhu is a solid experience. An untraditional take on the FPS genre (no WWII action or one-liners here), players are sure to get taken in by the game's eerie levels, immersive world, and engrossing story.

The combination of an intriguing campaign mode and large-scale multiplayer action for up to 24 players is hard to mess with, at least in terms of the late-model combat stuff.

Plenty of depth and variety in the gameplay thanks in part to the varied control schemes and advent of the new relationship functionality. The new cooking features are a fun addition as well.

There is enough to entertain a Christian family, looking to bond on a Saturday night, but novelty will wear off rather quickly. The trivia questions repeat far too often and a few of the Challenge games should have been wiped from the stone tablets.

A poor use of a license, and a party game that is sure to end any get together rather quickly. This is an experience that would be hard for younger gamers to get into, and the older gaming set should steer away from as well.

All of the absurd weapons, sliding around corners, and destruction players have come to expect from a title such as this are present, but its fun factor wears off fairly fast.

I can definitely see a "Splinter Cell" fan really getting into Sniper Elite. The subject matter is far different, and the sniping accent is unique, but the elements of stealth, gameplay difficulty, and general pace of play are reminiscent of many-a Fisher mission.

A perfect rainy day rental, Disney's Chicken Little brings nothing new to the platforming genre, but rather wraps up classic elements into a short and sweet little package.

Fresh, fun, and completely unique. While the story pushing the events of the game wasn't quite solid enough, and we weren't always sure as to the current mission, the gameplay throughout is still solid.

The gameplay engine is showing its age, and the graphics hurt the story mode with some pretty poor cut-scenes.

The online options are a worthy addition, but the game's sound and graphical abilities are severely lacking even if some of the presentation is borrowed from the television series.

An improvement over the original, Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball MAX'D is sure to impress devout FPS fans.

The weight of the game increases quite a bit with the addition of The Lost Chapters so fans who were deterred from a purchase when the first game was released now should have all the reason they need to go pick up a copy.

Bonus DVD and extra modes help justify a paltry asking price that really needs little justification.

The Campaign mode is worth the ticket into the stadium, and there's enough attitude here to keep you occupied well into the fourth quarter.

It's a well crafted, story-based experience that goes beyond anything we've seen from Rockstar in terms of storytelling. It sheds some very important light on the events that transpired before the time of the film while still staying true to the original for the sake of the fans.

A truly great gameplay experience for those who can appreciate the slower manner of play. Some of the tasks can be a bit laborious which could deter some weary newbies to laying down there hard earned green for this one. Be advised, you'd be missing out on a real gem.

Mindless gameplay could be making its final appearance on the beleaguered Xbox, so players who relish the opportunity at sending a bunch of empty-headed hooligans to an early grave would be wise to shell out for the ticket price.

Cinema style is slick, but not enough to save the core gameplay from dragging on after a short period.

Whether or not players enjoy the new look and feel the title took, it went for it all the way, and succeeded in mixing classic SSX gameplay with a new style. I applaud this direction.

Being that March Madness 06 is essentially an identical game as last year's it's hard to give this one props for advancing the series. The lockdown stick does improve on defensive mechanics but winning half of a battle won't win many wars.

The real question is; how much longer will this formula last before dramatic innovations will be required to keep up with today's rapidly changing gaming world?

Shooting a fly with a BB gun might be easier than hitting A.I. opponents in Splat Renegade Paintball.

The weak platforming gameplay and story do nothing to bring in non-fans, and even repeated viewers of the program should think twice before trading the coin needed for this disk.

Although the combat lacks fluidity, and the gameplay needs help in the innovation category, Oogie's Revenge stays truthful to the film from which it was spawned, and is sure to please fans.

In terms of presentation, technical gameplay, graphics, and audio, it's nearly impossible to rise above Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood in any area.

Not only does this latest DOOM title resurrect pure evil, it also resurrects one of the finest FPS Campaign modes you will currently find in the gaming world.

A fantastic multiplayer showing is belittled and stifled quite a bit by a rather disappointing single player mode. AI is this game's true failure which is a real shame considering the strides it has made in other areas.

Awkward controls and unbalanced AI aside, this is still a Worms title at heart, so fans are sure to enjoy. One or two coats of polish are needed on the overall production, but there is plenty of fun to be had.

If you just want to play soccer with a bunch of no names, it's "Winning Eleven" all the way. But if you have even an inkling of playing with any of the pro world's best or any official squads, then you can't really go wrong with FIFA 06 Soccer.

If tag-team action/platforming is what you're after, then Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit is an excellent choice.

The gameplay is so easy and simplistic that it's just not any fun, the graphics are just plain bad, and the sound is positively laughable.

With gads of planes and missions, a moving story mode, and total multiplayer functionality, Heroes of the Pacific sets it apart from the competition and puts this into the "worth owning" category.

The gameplay mechanics of Ancient Shadow are too standard, and the experience felt un-needed, and is hard to recommend to any gamers looking for a platforming fix.

I'm expecting Far Cry Instincts to receive lots of love in the online communities even though it's a "PC" title, and the strong A.I. guarantees groupies for the Campaign action. Ubisoft did a nice adaptation here that demands your attention.

If Cheech and Chong meet "El Mariachi" sounds good to you, then pick up Total Overdose stat. If you can't stand the notion of a Mexican shooting range scored on accuracy and presentation, then you may want to hold onto those pesos.

The highlights of the compilation are "Rush 2049," "Hydro Thunder" despite its lack of depth, and "Badlands" for its loveable devotion to the top-down two-dimensional look and surprisingly fun gameplay.

The stealth aspects of the game are clumsy and unimpressive, the action scenes are equally as un-fun, and it is all rolled up in a rather lackluster package.

Buy it, live it, enjoy it. This is where gaming started people, and with a cheap price of admission, plenty of history on each title, and some of Capcom's better works all on one disk, there is no reason not to pick this title up.

It simply crushes most of the competition in terms of art direction and audio composition. The gameplay is still a bit trite, and you won't need a PHD to figure out the puzzles, but the action is still more entertaining than the original.

I had a lot of fun playing the dunk contest in "NBA Live 2005," but I couldn't really get deep into the actual games. This is not so in NBA Live 06. I'm thoroughly enjoying the actual season games this time around and I have to attribute most of this love to the Freestyle Superstar system.

Some great gameplay innovations and the standard offering of online play are hampered only by a few AI missteps and some problematic animation sets. The 24/7 and Association modes join together to offer a solid amount of gameplay for fans of any brand of basketball.

A great game engine plus a web slinger equals a damn fine game. Venom and Carnage need their own games.

A lifetime's work of demolition awaits you since nearly everything is destructible in Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects. Camera and detection are sometimes issues, but this was kind of expected due to the gameplay style.

With a hearty single player experience, enough online goodies to shake a medieval sword at, and some pristine production quality to top it all enough, Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes equates to the perfect fix for those looking for a great action/strategy experience.

The story is fantastic and the way in which several characters interact and overlap in order to create a larger picture of what's happening is very well put together. The fact that players get to take part in each character's progression through the story is icing on the already great tasting cake.

Combined with a highly cinematic presentation supported by exciting gameplay and an innovative storyline that breaks new ground in the world of X-men, Activision's X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse is a must-have for anyone who tried the original game out and definitely something comic fans will want to check out.

Fifty segment Mission Mode, four difficulties, and a complete arcade ROM equal marathon game sessions in Ninja Gaiden BLACK.

With the addition of rivals mode, gamebreaker, and the advent of the shape stick there's enough to keep players occupied at least until the release of the Xbox 360 despite some of the visual shortcomings of the game.

The game was actually humorous and fun, and the introduction of two players is an unbelievable welcome to the series. However, the overall experience winds up being repetitious by the end, and rather short.

The story may not make total sense, but the action is fresh and furious. Gamers well versed in the ways of the Flawless Victory should get a kick out of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks as well.

A rental is definitely in order for Tecmo Classic Arcade, if nothing else but to experience many games that you probably passed up back in the day, or to beat a few of the classics.

Those looking for the best fishing and hunting game out there, you've just found it. With tons of items to unlock, bonus missions that you'll have the option to accept or refuse, and a host of other customizable options that help make this game the best there is given the subject.

The traffic checking keeps the wheel-to-wheel racing quite fresh, and the whole aerial portion of Crash Junction makes it more challenging and therefore more fun (for most of us).

There are certainly problems with the title, but the same gore and humor from the movies is intact for the game, which is key. Fans will love hearing their hero back in action again, and while short lived, will enjoy taking down the deadites as well.

Combat is a bit chunky and seems to be a crap shoot most of the time. RTS elements are strong and keep interest levels high. Enemy A.I. is suspect.