Get this if you're one of the elite who already love the franchise. New to RTS? Start with "Starcraft" or "Dawn of War," then move on to this.

Despite its vast and seemingly bottomless variety, it feels like many mini-games of varying quality threaded together loosely around a hollow core. It aims high, but falls short and doesn't really excel in any of its many genres.

I recommend this game only with the caveat that you find it available at a budgeted price point.

If you have several friends with DSes, you should add at least [10 points] to its score, since you won't be spending much time in its single-player mode, except perhaps to practice. It's an excellent party game.

I have a hard time finding justification for the reduction in weapons and the tragic loss of the true campaign mode. While it is still a fun game to play with some friends, it had the potential to be more so, and it also had the potential to be vastly more entertaining for a single player.

This is one of the best uses of a film license I've seen in recent years. Controls can be a bit wonky, especially melee, but the gun battles are satisfying and reassuringly violent for you bloodthirsty wannabe mobsters out there.

Crime Stories suffers from some poor design decisions as well as a downright annoying presentation.

If you can handle slight annoyances every now and then and can stomach a prologue sequence that makes the beginning of "Kingdom Hearts 2" seem brisk and concise, Suikoden V is most certainly one of the best RPGs on the PlayStation 2, bar none.

It's almost impossible to play Me & My Katamari without the Prince developing a bizarre drunken stagger, veering constantly to the right or left as you play. As Me & My Katamari retains the occasionally-unforgiving time limits of the original game, this can lead to a lot of frustrating retries.

This game should have been as good and as much of a departure as the upcoming Splinter Cell is; instead, its gameplay piddles around with everything the series has already established.

The only real benefit I could find for buying a Sudoku game on the PSP is the ability to wirelessly download additional puzzles, free of charge.

Even as a party game, KR Country doesn't have the staying power of Party, the single genre restriction being more suffocating than it would appear to be at first.

A great strategy game, and its gameplay keeps the Metal Gear spirit close to heart, despite radical differences. MGS fan or not, this is much better than the first, and it will probably be the last.

A playable, if uninspired game, and one that you should definitely pick up if you're in desperate need of a decent RPG for your DS.

A game in the purest sense, even if there aren't any bosses to defeat or coins to collect. You could have been playing this game for 10 years (and, as the dated midi rumblings prove, this game shows its age), and if you haven't yet, I've got to maintain that your GBA is the best way to experience it.

The fact of the matter is that Godfather is a good game, but only if you can keep in mind that it's really a game, instead of a well-adapted license. Instead of expecting to play the movie, instead, simply take this as your chance to cause mayhem in the city that the film presents, and let loose your inhibitions.

One of the best packages of the past several years, with no element even average; everything is as close to perfect as can be expected.

Oblivion not only raises the bar in the visual and audio modules but also in the gameplay and presentation department, making it easily one of the most recommendable titles to anyone who has ever enjoyed the thought of truly doing whatever they want in a video game, in a world where actions actually mean something.

The single-player mode is compelling and fun, the graphics are above par, controls are super-precise, the sounds are perfect, and multiplayer makes owning a DS worth every penny.

It's nice to see that this level of complexity is seeping downward through the genres and markets because it only means that games will be that much deeper and complex as these savvy generations grow older and demand more from their games.

A lack of interactivity and an over-simplistic puzzle system quickly engender apathy and boredom.

I'm hesitant to call this the best PSP game yet because it still carries so many of the flaws of previous games – mostly in terms of control – as well as having fairly trite single-player moments.

The Driver franchise isn't quite ready for a bullet in the head, but it's definitely tired. Atari needs to let the series take some time off until there's a compelling non-financial reason to produce another installment, and Reflections should do some soul-searching to figure out which parts of the game work.

With such deep variety of familiar but accomplished gameplay, and visuals that are always immersive and frequently arresting, Daxter easily leaps ahead of the PSP platformer pack to put such concerns to rest.

Trying to wrap my brain around every aspect of this package has proven difficult, because each feature has such a distinct offering that it almost needs to be reviewed separately.

A playable, enjoyable, at times downright fun game, spreading brand recognition of the movie, and all at once giving your little nephew something to play while he's visiting your house for the weekend.

Because Red Orchestra is not reliant on a story or linear gameplay and has plenty of variety, it remains a fresh and a different experience just about every time it's played.

The lopsided AI isn’t the least of the problems in the single player campaign. Most of the levels involve marching down a single path, with the level typically coming to an end when you reach the end.

If you are looking for a masterpiece of racing as a genre, Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix probably isn't quite it, but it's plenty close, with open-ended free play where you can choose what to do freely.

If you are looking for a masterpiece of racing as a genre, Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix probably isn't quite it, but it's plenty close, with open-ended free play where you can choose what to do freely.

What "next-gen" ought to be. It embodies gameplay, graphics, multiplayer and style that we were expecting to see from the Xbox 360. Simply put, GRAW rounds out the total package.

Scratches is not "F.E.A.R." – it is infinitely more subtle. It is not "Monkey Island" – it is far darker with less arbitrary puzzles. Scratches is a work of art in the horror genre, and if you aren't willing to appreciate it as such, you should not bother.

It flounders with its winning premise for most of the late goings, but the fact that it took the chances it did in the early going is a huge advantage for the game.

Despite some thrills in the early going and the novelty of encountering new gangs, Pursuit Force depends too heavily on the clock to maintain excitement, eventually becoming a casualty of its own simplicity.

The visuals don't merely look like an overhaul, the sound is as amazing as ever, and it definitely makes good use of high definition and Xbox Live.

With a large cast of warriors and a diverting map system, character-building and charm-casting effectively replace storytelling to encourage continued combat, even if a slow-to-react camera and under-decorated environments make it a less-than-perfect execution of the huge-clashing-armies formula.

It manages to fit some of the series' feel into one of the most generic genres ever. Unfortunately, severe play issues limit its playability, and very few gamers of any age will get to enjoy some of the extras that Tomy took the time to add in.

For us older fans (especially those raised on the fansubs) and people with even a tiny knowledge of how fighting games work, one shouldn't even bother giving this a second look.

While it does not bring anything significantly new to the genre, Battle for Middle Earth 2 is a solid RTS.

To be blunt, Atlantis Quest is just too hard, and after a few levels, the entertainment gives way to frustration.

The newbies will graduate to deeper, better games and the hardcore will shelve it when they can’t play it with their friends, and both will be disappointed by how short it is even as they are nonplussed by its gameplay.

If you're looking for the kind of style a more traditional MMo offers, you'll not find it here. I, however, love D&D Online: Stormreach, and I have no qualms whatsoever recommending it to anyone who loves an entertaining action-RPG experience.

There isn't anything special about it that "Alundra," "Shining Soul II," and a great number of other games haven't done before it.

Generation is simple in a way that requires dozens of obtuse concepts to be learned with little justification. It simply isn't a good game, and it is definitely the weakest game in NIS America's lineup.

The production values are slick and well done, but the game itself could've used a bit more tweaking to make it more enjoyable than it wound up being.

One of the most solid expansions I have ever played.

It isn't finished, so it isn't worth your money.

Crafting one of the best versions of their game in years, 989 Sports also succeeds in crafting one of the best games currently on the market.

I was exceptionally disappointed in Etrom. I wanted so desperately to love this game, as it seemed to have all the makings of a rich, rewarding play experience. (Post-apocalyptic dystopian future?? Sign me up!!) However, the ocean of poor design ideas slays all of the potential before it can even begin.

The challenge BLACK presents is not to outwit enemies, but rather to stay interested in dispatching them with extra style. While it may not appeal to fans of more narrative or tactically oriented shooters, it hits the spot for those for whom there is no such thing as style over substance.

Aside from those pesky loading times, the game does a very admirable job of translating the console experience to a handheld system.

Just a fantastic strategy game that no fan of the genre should pass up. It is refreshing to see a title that can challenge your mind while entertaining you to no end.

It never really takes the kid gloves off and makes you deal with the realities of running a real estate empire.

Just don't believe the hate.

It is perfect for short sessions of play, possesses serviceable multiplayer functionality, and its sufficient production values make for one of the most unexpectedly fun times on the system.

This is one of Bandai's better Gundam efforts ever, but it still doesn't play like a full-featured, real Japanese RPG. Let's hope for a sequel, I guess.

Succeeds on all the levels it's meant to; it adds something for everyone, deepens the end-game for those players who show the most overall loyalty to the franchise itself, and expands on the in-game history and lore.

It has good art assets, visual design, and sound. However, I cannot recommend this title to veteran MMO players or to those seeking to get into the genre.

Just don't believe the hate.

Congrats to the Fight Night team for putting this together; for the time being, this is as real as video boxing is going to get.

While Fight Night Round 3 was delayed from being a launch title, I can't help but feel that some aspects were skipped or omitted due to time constraints, mainly because there are portions of this game that are flawless.

Depth, and oddly enough, simplicity, have been sacrificed for portability, making this a mixed bag when all is said and done.

There are enough flaws in the compilation, however, that a purchase can't be truly recommended.

The $50 price tag might seem somewhat high for a game that takes one idea, tweaks it a bit, and calls it a whole new play function. However, when one takes into consideration the extensive replay value that the multiplayer functionality brings to the table, that price point seems less intimidating.

The frustrating ease of death, an uninteresting story and characters, washed-out visuals and uninspired gameplay do not a successful sequel make.

It drapes itself in branding, of which Marc Ecko's rhinoceros is but a single offender; exactly what am I rebelling against here?

Age of Kings' endless tactical calculations more than compensate for slightly fuzzy graphics and logical curiosities, and reward patient engagement with countless hours of empire-scale strategic combat.

If you don't approach it expecting any clever gameplay angles on the combat or the mass destruction, you can squeeze a respectable amount of enjoyable racing out of Full Auto.

Playing it may bring back memories of the multi-disc RPG epics the PlayStation often played host to, full of promising storylines and lovable characters. They often felt like they fell a little short of the mark in the end, and Grandia III in some ways shared that feeling.

It's repetitive and technically deficient, but the fact that they managed to squeeze this concept onto a console woefully inadequate for it and still come out with a fun game at all is surprising, and provides hope for the future.

Exit isn't entirely immune to style-over-substance accusations, and while it certainly doesn't suffer any shortage of prettiness, plenty of satisfying puzzle-solving still manages to stand out among all the polished sights and sounds.

Unlike just about every other "street life" game that's come down the pike since GTA: San Andreas, Getting Up shows tremendous potential, contains gameplay that isn't mindless, and overall, doesn't go out of your way insult your intelligence with its premise.

You can easily find a lot to like in The Rub Rabbits!, and the diversity of gameplay keeps you hooked for a long time, but like those booth games at the carnival, you will probably grow bored or despise many for their simplicity or frustration factor.

If you're an RPG fan looking for something new and different ... stop kidding yourself and go look into the Shadow Hearts series.

The Rebirth mode is a welcome addition, and it offers a harder quest, more enemies and new puzzles, but touch screen support is minimal, and the knifing battles feel more like hastily created mini-games rather than well-integrated portions of the quest.

Unless you're a train enthusiast, there will be a little to no enjoyment to be had out of Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006.

The traditional Tony Hawk gameplay has several twists - some for the better, others not so much - but has had the difficulty significantly dumbed down to the point where Story Mode is boring much of the time, and is insufficiently counterbalanced by Classic Mode.

As a $50 PS2 release, this would have been nearly unacceptable. But 30 for a portable version, that plays as well as this one does, is wonderful. Hopefully the rest of the X games follow.

In the market for a pulse-pounding, white-knuckle action game for the Nintendo DS? Walk into your preferred game store and grab a copy of Metroid Prime Hunters, making sure not to accidentally make eye contact with the dusty, twice-returned Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball MAX'D on the shelf above that has been doomed to helplessly watch the years ooze by.

When all is said and done, all I have left to claim is that GT Legends is the single best racing game I've personally ever played. Bold words, I know, but I truly feel that way.

Even if you are not a fan of the sport at the collegiate level, at the core of MVP '06 lies the same game of baseball, maybe in its purest and most competitive form, which we all love and enjoy.

With 26 characters to play with, even if some of them are completely worthless, Samurai Shodown V is a quality 2D fighter from a developer that usually knows its way around a quality 2D fighter.

Even if you are not a fan of the sport at the collegiate level, at the core of MVP '06 lies the same game of baseball, maybe in its purest and most competitive form, which we all love and enjoy.

It's Max Payne without the bullet-time, the control, the atmosphere, or the fun. Avoid at all costs. Don't even try to get it to have a good laugh - you'll still end up apologizing to yourself.

It's almost unbelievable to me that some very small problems, all related to the nature of the system the game chose to appear on, can turn a mediocre but charming game into a mess with little play value, but that's certainly what happened with Ape Escape Academy.

Truly a textbook case of how one major flaw can bring down an otherwise outstanding game.

25 to Life is the kind of hideous trash that damages gaming's reputation, resulting in the genesis of the Jack Thompsons of the world. I need to go play Pokemon or something, to get this awful taste out of my mouth.

Unleashed has numerous severe issues; however, the core of the game can still be very fun, especially if you are a fan of dirt racing, or at least have watched a few races at a real track.

The character’s irrational beliefs make the story impenetrable, and the rest of the game doesn’t hold up well in the face of the PS2’s RPG library.

It has a pleasing look and feel, and it’s simple but forces some cognizant thought to play it.

Dead or Alive 4 has enough new content in it to set it apart, and although the gameplay itself is liberally borrowed from the previous title, it also remains the same solid fighting engine and definitely doesn't feel like a rehash as much as it does a resemblance.

The dynamic strategic campaign is also a welcome addition and works well. However, where the game’s strength should lie is in the tactical mode, yet this is disappointingly weak, particularly in single-player mode.

Fritz 9 is ideal for players interested in seriously developing their chess games, but fails to do much for the casual player or players new to the game.

If you're looking for an excellent wrestling experience and you don't want to be leashed to a television, Smackdown vs Raw 2006 has just obsolesced all your other options.

If you're looking for a Gauntlet game in the tradition of the original, you can find "Midway Arcade Treasures" for cheap. If you want one more like the recent N64 releases or Dark Legacy, this is the only game in town.

This is a package that contains a large number of fun, classic games that play well enough to pass for whatever qualifies as "accurate" in our aging minds.

The gorgeous visuals and often-fun puzzles of 80 Days drown underneath the crushing weight of bad design; the poor controls, questionable physics, and repetitive (ad nauseum) elements all hinder what could have been a great gaming experience.

Although Space Station Sim offers up a unique experience and is the only game that gives you the opportunity to actually manage a space station and the astronauts who inhabit it, it doesn't offer the sort of excitement and intensity you'd expect.