Amazing. Not only does it introduce a much-needed change in the story, it gives the series a breath of fresh air with some interesting concepts.

Super Mario Bros. was, is, and always will be a gaming masterpiece. Its oft imitated, yet rarely equaled combination of gameplay responsiveness, superb level design and visual flourish, combined with that special loving touch that only Miyamoto seems able to wield, makes it one of those rare games that seems to transcend time.

An excellent game and a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but unfortunately the game is far too short. I don't say that too often, but I was left craving more out of the title.

There are a number of good ideas in Spartan, and though they aren’t particularly well-executed, some of them are fun to tinker around with and try out. But only tinker: Spartan is a slow and boring game that few will enjoy.

There is just something incredibly satisfying about a great 2D shooter. Metal Slug 3 may be a few years old and minus a dimension, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the best action games currently on the Xbox.

Stands as a stark contrast to this normal guns-a-blazin' attitude, due to its meticulous stealth-based gameplay that demands patience, strategy and more than a little ingenuity on the gamer's part. This uniqueness of gameplay combined with great presentation and engrossing story makes Deadly Shadows a true gem.

Don’t expect a revolutionary change to the series; just expect the same fun we’ve experienced before.

One the best turn-based strategy RPG I’ve ever played. It combines so many great elements to come together to create a very friendly game that anyone can enjoy.

I can recommend Shrek 2 enthusiastically to kids and novice gamers, and marginally to all other fans of the movie. But to true action game aficionados, the game will surely be too simplistic to be sufficiently rewarding or compelling.

So that's L2 "PvP" for you -- seemingly dangerous at first, but then a disappointment and apparent breeding ground for grief and exploitation. Under any other name, it would just be consensual duels. And other companies were doing those competently years ago. The catch is that this is supposed to be the main draw of this modern MMOG. Without it, there's nothing but a steady stream of intolerably slow-moving experience bars and arrogant, immoral players.

The game is a real mess, with shoddy graphics, a badly constructed and executed plot, repetitive and flawed gameplay, bland multiplayer elements and a serious lack of atmosphere.

A very average fighting game in a market cluttered with good alternatives, so I can't really recommend it.

The graphics are appealing, the community is helpful and the game doesn’t bog you down with superfluous gameplay mechanics. If you’re a fan of playing turn-based games against other people, then this is one title worthy of your attention.

Painkiller is like a cold drink on a hot day; refreshing.

Maybe Midway will release a follow up with the same graphic engine, but with cleaned up gameplay and some two-on-two action. If that happens, I could definitely see my friends and I spending hours upon hours reliving all our old NBA Jam memories.

Why couldn't Midway just have added the option to play full court two-on-two as well as the one-on-one? It just doesn't make sense.

The saddest part about Breed is not that it’s a horrible game; it’s that deep inside there’s a good game. All of the ideas were right, but the execution failed on nearly all aspects.

If you are new to the genre and looking for a good entry level game then Sacred Plus is definitely a great game to start with and its available at budget price.

Let me make this clear, through capitalization: ANY GAME THAT DOES NOT SAVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU KILL A BOSS AND SEE THE ENSUING CUTSCENE HAS A BROKEN SAVE-GAME SYSTEM. I don’t care if it’s supposed to make the game more intense, it’s stupid, moronic, ridiculous, pointless and otherwise detrimental to the overall quality of the game.

Where a game like "Serious Sam" or "Will Rock" is just a repetitive mindless shooter, Dead Man’s Hand tries new things and tries to break the mold, and proves that even at a low price tag; a company can make an entertaining game that doesn’t regress.

It’s just an awful game, pure and simple. The action is broken due to the graphical problems, and the lack of variations causes my brain to hurt. Instead of buying this garbage, give the original film a purchase.

Ultimately, The Suffering tries a lot of different things, but it doesn't really do any one thing strongly enough to stand out.

Yes, it is both brief and linear in nature, but the story is presented with such a brilliant combination of style and substance that you'll want to come back and experience it over and over again.

I'll say it again, if the game had had the guts to end after the first ending it would have been great.

From start to finish, the main element that propels Ninja Gaiden above all others in the action genre is the dazzling combat-based gameplay.

This isn't the definitive Bond experience and you sure as hell won't be grabbed by the story, but for those times when you feel like taking on the world in style, this is it.

It’s simply too short and too frustrating to warrant a purchase, unless of course you’re a diehard Jet Li fan and want everything of his that you can get your hands on.

I will easily endure the boring bits in a quest to unlock my now third favourite ship, from R-Type Leo. I will continue to work at Final's most elusive ending and its more elusive unlockable campaign 'awards'. Indeed, after ten hours of play, there's still plenty of game left.

As a concept, .hack is a great one, but perhaps one which should not have been stretched past two games at the most.

It's fun for very young kids who may love the pokemon characters but be unable to cope with the complex rpg mechanics of the GBA titles.

If you hate someone, and I mean HATE someone, give them this game as a gift, in the hopes that they’ll play it, because that way you can say to them, “haha, you’re an idiot who plays Big Rigs!” I wish I could think of some redeeming factors for the game, but there simply aren’t any.

I get the feeling that Raven Software rested a bit too much on their laurels instead of giving gamers a refreshing new Jedi Knight experience.

It’s rare that I get so excited over a game, but the interactive storyline, the solid gameplay, and everything else managed to make me a firm believer that the future of Star Wars will be bright one.

While not perfect, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time offers a poignant, uncommon challenge. Its world awaits, rich, wondrous, indomitable. Will you overcome it?

For all of you that are seeking a challenge and great adventure, give Prince of Persia a go.

Beyond Good and Evil is a game like no other, and while many aspects of its design are unoriginal snippets of genre, they all blend into each other to create something truly original.

It’s never truly bad, so I guess that’s admirable, but now that I’ve been there, I certainly won’t go back again (see if you can catch the nerdy reference in that sentence).

The fact that you can hit a decent round without having to rely considerably on spin or other advanced techniques means that new 'uns to the sport can almost pick up and play Links, whereas veterans can revel in more realistic gameplay than that of the competition, and feel right at home going after the number one spot on Xbox Live, whilst handing out helpful tips and strategies to people like me.

Old school fans and SOTN fans need not despair about 3D mangling their precious--trust that Lament feels the same, but thankfully, it's not at all the same. Everything old is new again.

SSX 3 offers an experience like no other, a rush that just can't be matched.

Mega Man X7 is a decent follow-up to the travesty of a game that was Mega Man X6, but it will still come off as a lacking action title for the gamers that have never been interested in the series. Nice try, Capcom.

The serious lack of replay value in Freedom Fighters is detrimental, but this is still one of the most exciting action games of recent memory. The level design is impeccable, the storyline is enjoyable, and the strategy elements make this game stand out from the rest of the pack.

A perfect example of what happens when the core of the game overweighs the plot, and quickly takes over it in importance.

This game has no story, almost non-existent controls, pathetic graphics, and audio quality that will make you twitch in discomfort.

For all of you Castlevania followers out there, be prepared for yet another intriguing story of vampires, the undead, and the supernatural.

The story is laughable; one could argue about the themes of escapism and loss of innocence, but a group of kids getting sucked into a book pales in comparison to what this game's predecessor showed off.

All the best things about the movie made it into the game.

The challenge of this game will bring out the best or the worst in a gamer, a true test of ability and skill. All of this is given to us with a great story, memorable characters, vivid settings, all wrapped up in a presentation that's second to none.

But if you can work with the game’s difficulty and take the time to learn the characters, you’ll find that Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution is a fighting game second to none.

Chaos Legion is one of the great unsung brawlers of the PS2. So the story is cliched beyond belief. So the characters are forgettable. Maybe its presentation could have been executed better. Big deal. The game is overflowing with some of the toughest brawling action you’ll ever face.

It isn't one thing that makes Knights of the Old Republic such a masterful RPG, but a remarkable amalgamation of brilliant gameplay elements, jaw-dropping presentation and a huge helping of that special Star Wars magic.

This is one of the few times where a sequel overshadows its predecessor. Even though the Advance Wars series will be seeing some time on the Gamecube sometime in the future, Black Hole Rising is still a blessing of wonderful quality, floating in a sea of mediocre ports and lacking games.

Every texture repeats over and over again until your eyes cry out for something different. Even the artificially produced skies are bland and generic, possibly so the clouds don’t upstage the boring enemies you fight again.

While this game not necessarily the most difficult game in the GBA library, it's still packed with solid and challenging gameplay.

An entertaining FPS experience. It isn’t perfect; it’s not going to leave an impression on you like Half-Life 2 or FarCry did, but at the same time it will entertain you and keep you glued to your seat.

Developed by Arush Entertainment, this urban-themed FPS game makes a few stabs at greatness but ultimately misses its mark by, oh, about a mile.

Like a good summer blockbuster, the action is entertaining, the thinking is kept to a minimum and most of the experience is forgotten when it stops.

Even Shikigami fans in particular will be displeased, because MLB2 isn't the flawless port that it easily could have been, featuring horrible dubs: Like school in summertime – no class (An enemy really pulls that unfunny Fat Albert insult out of his ass, I kid you not.)

I’ve uncovered a marvelous new gaming world that I love immersing myself in and now my nephew and I can talk with equal zest about our various Poké accomplishments.

It’s everything that we could come to expect from a game; it has an excellent storyline, a cast of remarkable characters, intense gameplay melded with style, and a presentation so vivid and brilliantly executed that you’ll feel right at home.

Mega Man & Bass takes us back to the old gaming formula, away from the RPG elements that now dominate the series. It's a welcome blast from the past, the lost gem of the Mega Man GBA series.

The most disturbing thing about .Hack is how short it is. Perhaps the whole series, or at least two of the games, could have easily fit on one disc.

While it features an excellent overall presentation, the actual gameplay comes off dull and uninspired.

As insulting as the gameplay is, the storyline should be highly commended. It’s not too often that a narrative in a game is so successfully thought out and executed.

The gameplay is mostly involving and the graphics are impressive. Though the game is far too short and the lack of variety in the enemies is disappointing, I can’t help but recommend this game.

It may be nearly devoid of the exploration aspects that older fans appreciate, but it is still a game that all GBA owners can cherish.

Not the best fighter on the Gamecube, but it still has enough gameplay elements and unlockables to keep you busy. Besides, there's no better way to vent some stress than to dish out a few fatalities.

But despite an old story, this legend is still holding his own on this new front of gaming consoles.

It tries to offer some humor and a little bit of fantasy to an otherwise bland game. But it suffers from a lack of difficulty and a few control and glitch issues.

It could have been great, but some poor design choices, like the way your allies cannot fall in battle, really ruin the experience.

An underrated gem.

One big, kaiju-sized lump of crap. The monster selection is crap, the gameplay is crap, the audio is crap, but the graphical presentation is fairly good. So, does that sound like a game you would enjoy?

We are captivated, taken by Hotsuma's grace of movement, the clarity of his sword's simplistic song, the will of the wind that fills his scarf. But far too soon, much like the programmers responsible: we’ll forget.

It has the right blend of intense gameplay, an intricate place to explore, several hours of gameplay, a great selection of 80’s era music, a wonderful (if not a little cliched) story, and one of the most memorable antiheroes to ever set foot on the gaming scene.

Like its predecessors, simply doesn’t have the presentation strength or storytelling depth to match up with the very best in its genre. But with an interesting array of puzzles, a likeable cast, and a unique Western motif, the game is able to set itself apart, however superficially, from the Final Fantasy clones of the world.

The lacking controls and questionable hit detection kills off much the technical aspects of the fighting.

It’s not really all that scary, and the action isn’t all that great. There. That wasn’t so hard.

This lack of polish could be forgiven in a game with tight gameplay, but that’s not Battlecry. Your Veritech feels wimpy and clunky in every mode.

While short, I really loved Sly Cooper. As soon as I finished it, I went out to the store and quickly bought the sequel.

The need for strategy, technical handling, and overall expertise with a character has been but on the backburner in favor of interactive environments and limited space to fight.

It's levels and puzzles have little if any appeal. Its continual emphasis on completing tasks and finding items seems more of a tedious job than some fun gaming.

Falters where others have persevered, the weak link in the trio that make up the Castlevania GBA series.

It's easy to see why everyone in Europe was importing this from the US; there is simply nothing else like it.

Nothing short of brilliant. It has its fair share of highly frustrating niggles, but they are almost totally eclipsed by the real joy and excitement the game can conjure up inside you with such alarming frequency.

But in all honesty, this is a game I'd be embarrassed to own, and I own "WCW Nitro."

Despite the surprising replayability, the amazing brutality of the kills, and the excellent targeting system, Mark of Kri is “only” an above-average game. The blandness of the levels really lessens the worthiness of brave Rau’s quest.

If you want to relive the good old days of the pinball era, try tracking down a copy of this game. And if you're itching to smack around a few more zombies, look no further than Pinball of the Dead.

Playing through Way of the Samurai unlocks a battle mode for you and a friend, but it’s still missing something, and just remains average, which is the main fault of the game.

Sadly, the ego is about the only somewhat original idea present in Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project. The stages reek of incredibly generic design. Is there an icy stage? Check! A level in a sewer? Plenty of them! A level in space, an abandoned factory and some underground lairs? Check, check and check.

Voiceovers by Bruce Campbell and some excellent unlockable features just aren’t enough to make this game worthwhile. Watch the movies or read the comic instead.

Modern TCG fans will probably either love it for being simple and different, or hate it for being old and unlike the current game.

Though a little slow at times, unique gameplay at incredibly quirky characters will provide plenty of entertainment. Depending on how you play, you could be in for a remarkable stealth game or a tense, action packed crusade against your giant prey.

As far as driving games go, this is a must-skip.

Feels nearly perfect. Aside from the lazy camera, really, it’s as good as it gets.

35% of it is quite good. It’s just that other 65% that is disappointingly lackluster. The moments where you’re soaring through the countryside burninating trolls and stuff are great but the bland dungeons are far too prevalent.

It’s quick, inexpensive fun that will be forgotten the moment you uninstall it.

Rez may not be the greatest rail shooter of all time, but its brilliance cannot be denied.

Shadow Hearts has its share of flaws, no doubt. The graphics are weak and the battle system grows monotonous quickly. Fortunately, the unique setting and above-average storyline makes this one worth checking out.