It is a rare game to decide to completely break a popular formula in the hope of something better, and it even rarer for that to totally triumph in its aims. So I award this game the highest rating I have ever given.

There's so much to do in this game that it's outside of my range of imagination to be able to picture me reaching a 100% complete. Unfathomable.

It's a great game that will be a disappointment to some people due to the length of the single player experience but multiplayer easily makes up for any shortcomings the campaign may have.

Burnout 3 will remind you why you started playing games – not because of the competition, or to enter into some fifty hour experience grinding session online, but because of an experience that constitutes such pure fun that it's impossible to stop a grin breaking out on your face.

Blending the fast-paced “kill ‘em all” style of "Devil May Cry" with some enigmatic puzzles reminiscent of classic adventure games like "Zelda" or "Prince of Persia," God of War simply takes the best of these genres and packages them together in a blood bath of entertainment.

Burnout 3 will remind you why you started playing games – not because of the competition, or to enter into some fifty hour experience grinding session online, but because of an experience that constitutes such pure fun that it’s impossible to stop a grin breaking out on your face.

UT2K4 goes to 11. The scary part is…more and more people are buying it and joining servers, patches are getting made, the Mod community firing up. This game could actually get better. I don't think I shall ever see/a game as awesome as UT.

Another thing that adds to the entertainment is the fact that dying, although something you want to avoid, does not end up being the experience-loss tragedy or the time-consuming corpse retrieval it is in some other games.

The presentation is marvelous, the gameplay is terrific, and much of the strategy is tremendous. Strategy gamers, I implore you, buy this game!

The off-the-field interface is simple and intuitive, but even Madden veterans will need a little time to learn all the new defensive playmaker calls available before the snap.

Ninja Gaiden often feels like a very hard, but very generic action game after you get over the whole, "Wow, Ninjas!" thing that most people will have when they first play.

The off-the-field interface is simple and intuitive, but even Madden veterans will need a little time to learn all the new defensive playmaker calls available before the snap.

The Sims2 is even more addictive than "The Sims." The Sims' needs aren't as urgent, freeing up more time for whatever else you want them to get up to. The Wants and Fears system is not only interesting, but also often propels you towards meeting some of your own goals for your little Sims.

There is just so much here to do, and so many players to play with, all with their own distinctive styles.

EA sports does their best with MVP baseball 2004 to recreate this feeling of actually being there at the game, as opposed to just playing a game. They’ve done a damn good job, too.

Their only major failing was the combat system.

Minish Cap is a Zelda game that could have been right on par with Link to the Past if only it had more of the staple content for the series, such as dungeon puzzle solving and less senseless collecting.

There is just so much here to do, and so many players to play with, all with their own distinctive styles.

The amazing game engine that renders such detail at long range without using many tricks should have companies like ID and Valve a little paranoid. With a few more triple-a titles under it’s belt, Crytek can easily become an industry giant.

From start to finish, it brings the player into the story and doesn't let go. Tremendous visuals, sound work and engrossing gameplay is just a short list of what this game brings to the table.

Itâ??s a great launch title, but generally speaking a mediocre game. I just couldnâ??t get over the terrible third-person view, which forces players to deal with clunky and wholly frustrating gameplay due to poor design.

There's a sense of respect in the game, a sort of homage to the past, that isn't available in other WWII shooters. Couple that with a truly magnificent presentation.

One hit knockdowns were cheesy initially, but now they're a feature that renders multiplayer pointless.

Every location, every one of Bently's ridiculous heist plans, every character mannerism contributes to an overall sense of satisfaction. The gameplay, story, sound and writing simply deliver.

Go into a room, a closet opens and about a million monsters pile out. You shoot these things with a gun and go into the next room. I mean, seriously, it's Doom. What do you expect?

This game hits the nail right on the head. The first release was near perfection, and the expansion only makes it better. The biggest hurdle to overcome with Thrones and Patriots is the fact it is like a can of Pringles. Once you start playing, you just can’t stop.

With just enough simulation style presentation to wow gamers and blending in just enough arcade style gameplay to ensure that everyone can enjoy the title, Ridge Racer is a definite pick.

It feels much more like a mystery than a run’n’gun kind of game that people have become accustomed to after years of playing id games, and that is not a bad thing. This game has a real story and it’s a really great one to boot.

With 140 seasons the game has a lot of re-use potential.

The entertainment value of CoD:UO is only hampered by the short duration of the single player game.

This expansion brings something to the table for both the hardcore and the not-so-hardcore gamer. As previously mentioned, it also shows that SOE is willing to listen to its customers and make the game fun for them--a step that I truly hope is followed through on any expansions to be released in the future.

There's a little "more" of everything, but nothing particularly new and exciting, save for the story.

First time through, play times will vary from twenty to thirty hours, and the overall package is impressive: But at what cost?

This has to be one of the most addictive games made since Tetris.

The entertainment of this game was only hindered by the fact that I felt there just weren't enough missions to play through. What Relic did deliver, though, is 13 missions which kept me eagerly coming back for more of a great thing. Kudos!

I really like the lack of “Sandwich Gameplay"...where you hit auto-attack and have time to get up and make a sandwich while your character kills stuff. In City of Heroes, you don’t have an auto-attack like you do in, say, "Everquest."

Not mindless fun, but rather fun with a slight level of intelligence. If you enjoy games with a lot of action, a decent story, and massive amounts of monsters, you should definitely pick up Onimusha 3.

The game really suffers from a lack of plot length, seeing as I spent over four times as long playing with the side-quests and mini-games than I did playing the main storyline. The gameplay that IS there is quite enjoyable.

Its style is like no other, and the mechanics behind battles are rock solid.

One of the most entertaining racing experiences ever, as was expected. Racing underground has been done before, but this game does it right. If you liked other NFS games, you will definitely love this installment.

There are so many places to go and things to do and cities to wreak havoc in, why would you ever want to stop?

The storyline is compelling, the graphics are good, and the action is exhilarating, so it has something for almost everyone.

Yet another great example of a company not scared to leave the core elements of a great game alone and simply make small improvements.

The game is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Unlike many games, you don't have to sneak through 80 percent of the game if you don't want to.

The game is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Unlike many games, you don't have to sneak through 80 percent of the game if you don't want to.

One of the most entertaining racing experiences ever, as was expected. Racing underground has been done before, but this game does it right. If you liked other NFS games, you will definitely love this installment.

Even though the addition of Classic mode is nice, otherwise it would appear that the game is trying its hardest to remain at status quo more than anything else.

Two games for the price of one is quite the steal.

While the story is small and does follow a pretty straight path, it adds a lot to the game. You will find yourself playing just to see the next storyboard and actually getting into the idea of becoming rich and famous.

The game is just amazing. I've always remained on the fringe of Paradox games, but after taking a deep look into Hearts of Iron II, I'm bordering on fanaticism.

One of the most entertaining racing experiences ever, as was expected. Racing underground has been done before, but this game does it right. If you liked other NFS games, you will definitely love this installment.

Good, old-fashioned, timeless, ass-kicking always makes for a good time.

SOE has managed to bring back the addiction. I don't know if I should thank them or curse them for that. I do know one thing for sure, though: Everquest II is the best MMORPG currently available on the market.

If you just forget the missions and go around beating thugs senseless, you can have hours of fun.

Many new features really add to the game, including the moves and vehicles. Having two game modes included add to much more playtime, especially if you are a casual THPS player.

The controls are tight and crisp and the interface is very user intuitive. With the jetpack and skiing abilities you will experience freedom of movement like no other FPS can offer.

Though I’d like to make one small request – can we please can the “extreme” direction that the series is taking and just make a Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 without the story elements? My brain cells would thank you.

While the story is small and does follow a pretty straight path, it adds a lot to the game. You will find yourself playing just to see the next storyboard and actually getting into the idea of becoming rich and famous.

I actually found myself going back and replaying some of the scenarios, I enjoyed them that much.

It's a short but sweet experience and unquestionably worth the effort to fight from the beginning to the end. Just don't expect to get very far on the first couple of plays.

One of the most entertaining racing experiences ever, as was expected. Racing underground has been done before, but this game does it right. If you liked other NFS games, you will definitely love this installment.

Do you have a buddy that wants to play with ya, also? Simple and easy to get him in. You don't have to have him restart with a gimpy character. You can just have him plug in his controller and join in with you, then just unplug it when he is done. This rocked.

It's a good game, and worthy enough to carry the Thief mantle, but it's also a perfect example of a game that is brought down by several minor flaws and a game engine which is, at times, very hard to get on with.

There’s a sense of respect in the game, a sort of homage to the past, that isn’t available in other WWII shooters. Couple that with a truly magnificent presentation.

The plain gameplay, awkward balance, and poor optimization are flaws to be sure, but they are offset by stellar graphics, sound effects, and voice acting (all of which make for a very immersive atmosphere).

I did enjoy the game itself, but I got tired of going back to find that one monster that would trigger the next area. The cutscenes are great, though I did find the storyline a bit weak. Then again, this isnt an rpg. It's a fps!!

As for best in the pseudo-series, it's a tossup between this and "Disgaea," and will likely come down to a debate over the free-roaming battle system and the confinement system.

If you like card games or twitch combat then this one is definitely for you.

This truly is worth every single penny. As a novice to chess myself, there was a variety of tools and features that I'm sure will enable me to enhance my chess skills.

Online play could have been something more, but just ended up being a deathmatch mode. It could have been so much more. The story mode was fun to play through, though.

I think my wife and children have sent out a search party for me. This game had me sitting up for hours creating and feeling like a theme park god. I have been discussing this game at work too.

Midway went the extra mile and added new, fresh gameplay options, full online play, and a nice helping of polish into an already quality title. If you're a Mortal Kombat fan (or fanatic), you can't pass this up.

They've taken all of the best gameplay elements from "Immortal Sovereigns" and wrapped them in a breath-takingly beautiful package.

The game feels a good bit more real as compared to earlier incarnations.

Multiplayer battles over many different maps are excellent fun and are a definite departure from the traditional fast-paced deathmatch you'll find in other shooter games.

Do you have a buddy that wants to play with ya, also? Simple and easy to get him in. You don't have to have him restart with a gimpy character. You can just have him plug in his controller and join in with you, then just unplug it when he is done. This rocked.

A solid game that, with a few AI patches and voice-overs, could be one of the great tank games of the decade.

If you just forget the missions and go around beating thugs senseless, you can have hours of fun.

Though it might not be real-time combat, the card battle system works well and does give combat a fast pace. The only real problem is the lack of good cut scenes.

It leaves out what I, and many others, find annoying about the RTS genre - the base building. It lets you focus simply on the fighting and taking control of strategic points of the map...The best strategy game I've played in the past few years.

Sure, it has its minor problems that any big game with new technology has, but the overall play is simply fantastic. I sweat in the fights. I get anxious when I am hiding from the police, and I actually feel some fear when my life is in danger.

If you just forget the missions and go around beating thugs senseless, you can have hours of fun.

Gameplay is fairly solid and the creature design alone is enough to make the game worth playing., but staunch fans of the survival horror genre might find the game lacking a bit in the horror department. The endings were all unsatisfying and ultimately detract from the story.

This is an excellent, extremely versatile tool for those wanting to exercise at home for whatever reason (children, budget, weather…) and might be a fun holiday gift (or self-gift) for an exercise video/DVD nut.

A great RPG that does a great job filling the void that is the sci-fi RPG genre. Combining tried and tested RPG elements with new tweaks like the combat system and mapping system, Star Ocean fully satiated my RPG hunger.

The technology progression in Empire Earth II is nothing short of spectacular.

Do you have a buddy that wants to play with ya, also? Simple and easy to get him in. You don't have to have him restart with a gimpy character. You can just have him plug in his controller and join in with you, then just unplug it when he is done. This rocked.

With a nice story and hours of strategy to create, you can not go wrong with this game. I found myself wanting to see the next part of the story even though I knew 3 hours of sleep was not going to get me through the day.

A great game for those looking to try out the Korean style of MMORPG, but it really fails to rise to the standards needed to compete with the current heavy hitters in the industry. On the plus side, Gravity is gracious enough to give all of their potential players a free 15 day trial to see if Ragnarok just might be that MMORPG that they have been yearning for.

You receive 20 potions that will instantly completely fill your mana or hps; much better than a short term particle effect.

One of the more fun extreme sports type games I have played in recent memory. The gameplay is easy to pick up on, but not easy to master.

Aside from the stunningly bad end-game sequence which really needs to be seen to be believed, there's just not much here to recommend.

With a horde of weapons, enemies, and strategies, PS2 gamers will find themselves smiling happily to themselves. The Project was a success.

The graphics were an absolute delight, blatantly cartoon-y and so bright and colorful that my first sight of the game always made me smile.

Puncturing the pretentious balloon of Star Wars with amusingly colored bricks is a noble goal. And if nothing else, there’s always the light puzzle that triggers NPC disco dancing to a techno remix of the Star Wars music.

Nostalgic, frantic and fun. At $30, it's well worth buying for anyone who loved the side-scrolling shooters of the 8-bit console era.

You’ll find yourself playing involved games over a period of months rather than days, as you come and go from the computer. On more than one occasion, my wife has asked me why the GalCiv icon is always displayed on my task bar.

Definitely aimed at a different vein of gamers, but it gives the veteran gamer something different besides the typical twitch-fest.