A relatively short game, occasionally repetitive, and has a few poorly structured missions. And we would've liked to see more anime sequences woven in between missions, too.

Signature company staples -- hordes of enemies, screens filled to bursting with explosive sprites, and a fiendish difficulty setting -- underscore a stunning, bite-sized seven-episode morsel.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

Madden 2005 is a benchmark in football simulations, because for the first time, it implements a realistic, versatile, hard-hitting defensive game that will pin you to the chair like a 300lb tackle.

Those expecting a "Rainbow Six 4" might be disappointed that this title holds little else than more of the same. But when the same is this good, how can anyone complain?

So perfectly constructed, so deliciously immersive and downright elegant, that demands for more seem crass. It might not be the very best shooter out there, but it's the more visually stunning and successfully atmospheric than any game we've had the pleasure to play.

The few frights it does have lessen considerably once you discern whether the spirit you're dealing with is friendly or not. Repetitive tasks and bland environments keep this one from being an enjoyably unsettling outing.

This isn't a story-driven RPG and it isn't a pure action game. But if you can appreciate the way Diablo fused the two genres, and if you don't mind the distinct anime artwork, Crimson Tears is a real gem.

The hell of the game is that the environmental puzzle setups look pretty good -- climb the wall, lash onto the nearest outcropping, swing to clamber chainlink fences, etc. It's just a shame the game actively fights your ability to navigate them.

The hell of the game is that the environmental puzzle setups look pretty good -- climb the wall, lash onto the nearest outcropping, swing to clamber chainlink fences, etc. It's just a shame the game actively fights your ability to navigate them.

With unparalleled visuals, a deep franchise mode, and tons of new and improved features, "Madden" is facing a 4th and very, very long this year.

More fun than frustration. Its beautiful environs and great combat system outweigh the less critical problems, and make the title a solid action-rooted RPG.

The hell of the game is that the environmental puzzle setups look pretty good -- climb the wall, lash onto the nearest outcropping, swing to clamber chainlink fences, etc. It's just a shame the game actively fights your ability to navigate them.

With unparalleled visuals, a deep franchise mode, and tons of new and improved features, "Madden" is facing a 4th and very, very long this year.

The hell of the game is that the environmental puzzle setups look pretty good -- climb the wall, lash onto the nearest outcropping, swing to clamber chainlink fences, etc. It's just a shame the game actively fights your ability to navigate them.

EA Sports has nailed everything fans love about the college football experience, making it equal to their flagship "Madden."

On the PS2, you get the usual options, but Live is more interesting with support for Optimatch and Quickmatch, and dynamic scoreboards of other games currently taking place.

EA Sports has nailed everything fans love about the college football experience, making it equal to their flagship "Madden." So quit waiting -- it's time to hit the field.

Assuming you can stomach play sessions that are short by nature, Athens 2004 offers amusing thrills in spurts.

The new modes feel more streamlined and the varied song selection works well, as well as complementing the original collection.

Continuing a short but respected series, the game does little to broaden the genre, but at least it performs with style and solid mechanics.

Not many games have walked the line between real-time strategy, stealth, and action this well, and fewer have done it with such variety and classy presentation.

While Perimeter's gameplay doesn't always work perfectly, it's refreshing to play a strategy title that stands out from the crowd both in its concept and its graphics. If you're fed up with cookie-cutter RTS games, give it a try.

All the best bits you'll see in commercials for the game -- bits likely to make viewers think, "Wow, that looks cool, I gotta have it!" -- aren't merely climactic moments of one-off boss battles... they represent the vast bulk of the gameplay experience.

Offers players the biggest, uninterrupted, free-roaming modern urban environment that console gamers have ever seen...Here is a game that manages to make even the most basic tooling-around-town a rewarding, engaging experience.

All the best bits you'll see in commercials for the game -- bits likely to make viewers think, "Wow, that looks cool, I gotta have it!" -- aren't merely climactic moments of one-off boss battles... they represent the vast bulk of the gameplay experience.

While Operation Exodus is not without flaws, it offers modes and innovations you won't find in competing real-time strategy games and is a very refreshing take on the genre. It also looks gorgeous.

The game is a mess of great touches and attention to detail that's hopelessly mired in critical flaws. One example immediately springs to mind: expect to download and install a patch before you can even begin playing online.

A no-brainer for all Mega Man fans out there. And even if you weren't an old-school addict, you can still dig in for some harmless fun... just be prepared for the frustrations and insane difficulty that come with many retro classics.

This deceptively simple little golf game is packed with so much variety and gameplay that it belongs on everyone's "If you were stranded on a desert island..." list. And you don't even have to like golf.

There are moments of controller-throwing frustration, but also many flashes of true craftsmanship and design excellence.

There are moments of controller-throwing frustration, but also many flashes of true craftsmanship and design excellence. DRIV3R is a game for those who love the feel of the wheel, but only for those with the patience to slog through the rough patches.

To make up for the weaker aesthetics, PS2 gamers do get an extra single-player level (along with some tweaks to the existing levels), and a post-mission stats readout that might give players something to brag about online.

In many ways, Joint Ops is the game that "Battlefield: Vietnam" should have been. It may not have the same sense of style, but it's better balanced, has more interesting maps, and is much, much bigger.

The game's mediocre in too many areas, and is generally inferior to its predecessor. Yes, mechs are cool. Yes, it adds maturity to the genre. However, "Disgaea," "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance," and "Advance Wars" all blow Front Mission 4 out of the water.

Dull, depressing, and monotonous. Although the combat system is reasonably interesting, the game doesn't come close to making the most of it.

A little frustrating, a little predictable, but like many a Hollywood blockbuster, it's a thrill ride worth taking.

You'll need a high level of tolerance for boneheaded design choices, but there's plenty of fun to be had. Psi-Ops has all the right ideas, but it trips itself up in the execution.

You'll need a high level of tolerance for boneheaded design choices, but there's plenty of fun to be had. Psi-Ops has all the right ideas, but it trips itself up in the execution.

The best tennis game in years...Whether it's rapid-fire one-off matches or a protracted solo mode that floats your boat, the game has you covered with a brilliant mix of rowdiness and realism.

The top-down 2D look of Four Swords Adventures seems anachronistically simple -- and yet, it's still among the very best Nintendo games, and certainly the current high-water mark of GBA connectivity.

Crash Purple doesn't come anywhere near the superb mayhem of "WarioWare," while the platform segments are poorly developed and feel like an afterthought.

It's a shame that a better marriage of the imaginative and compelling mini-games of "Crash" and the interesting platforming segments from Spyro couldn't be found. If you're determined to pick up one of these games, Crash is a slightly better choice.

The combat difficulty level is forgiving, and the game guides you through the puzzles with helpful clues and hints from the other characters. Less experienced gamers -- who, let's face it, are really the ones the game is aimed at -- will find its light touch very rewarding.

The combat difficulty level is forgiving, and the game guides you through the puzzles with helpful clues and hints from the other characters. Less experienced gamers -- who, let's face it, are really the ones the game is aimed at -- will find its light touch very rewarding.

The combat difficulty level is forgiving, and the game guides you through the puzzles with helpful clues and hints from the other characters. Less experienced gamers -- who, let's face it, are really the ones the game is aimed at -- will find its light touch very rewarding.

A fascinating strategy game mixed with a lot of tactical shooter elements. Additional online modes and some gameplay tweaks would have earned the game a higher rating, but as it stands, it's a thoroughly entertaining and involving experience.

It's a shortish ride, and dark -- pitch black, if you like -- but a great one.

But for those that love simple, arcade shooters that blister thumbs and leave permanent marks in your D-pad, this is the pinnacle of the genre. It's great, quick fun that can be played for five minutes just as easily as five hours, and the animation contains huge amusement value.

Without the guns, gadgets, and radars of modern-themed games, it's a much tenser experience, and the cunning level design and excellent sound effects really draw you into its world. The variable difficulty levels mean no one should get seriously stuck, but there's still plenty of challenge for those that want it.

The combat difficulty level is forgiving, and the game guides you through the puzzles with helpful clues and hints from the other characters. Less experienced gamers -- who, let's face it, are really the ones the game is aimed at -- will find its light touch very rewarding.

Despite the game's limited length and distinctly Japanese presentation, River City Ransom EX remains a winner overall. From a punchy, bleeping score to cheesy kung-fu sound effects and esoteric script, the game comes off as a killer blast from the past.

Without the guns, gadgets, and radars of modern-themed games, it's a much tenser experience, and the cunning level design and excellent sound effects really draw you into its world. The variable difficulty levels mean no one should get seriously stuck, but there's still plenty of challenge for those that want it.

Visually, this is a good example of what the GBA can do, with clean lines and solid character animation. There's a bit of slowdown on crowded screens, but the controls are tight and generally the game moves smoothly.

If you're a longtime Battlecry player hoping for a revolutionary improvement, Warlords Battlecry 3 will be a disappointment. But if it's high-quality RTS gameplay you're looking for, it's here in spades.

Transformers has just enough of a bright, toy-like look to tickle the nostalgia of those who grew up with the cartoons and the hype, but the game stands up well on -- sorry again! -- its own two feet.

It's an uneven mix of the flashy, the goofy, the hectic, and the insipid -- that pretty much sums up the Custom Robo experience.

For the uninitiated who favor endless combat over plot, it's also a great place to jump in, since the emphasis is on action and character rather than history.

Riveting duels, killer combination moves, and buckets of blood see the cinematic adaptation effectively mimic the flick that inspired it.

Riveting duels, killer combination moves, and buckets of blood see the cinematic adaptation effectively mimic the flick that inspired it.

If you can forgive the unimaginative AI and time-intensive design, Omega Strain stands as an accomplished shooter.

Aside from the damage, Rallisport 2's physics are impeccable, and a definite improvement over the first game.

The limited AI and by-the-numbers level design completely backfire. And while quick kills form combos that pay off in cash, little is done with the system. Even the multiplayer feels tacked on.

A solid game that leans towards the easy side. The only real flaws are an iffy camera and iffier reading of its potential audience. It's still the best interactive thing to happen to the Shrek universe thus far.

A solid game that leans towards the easy side. The only real flaws are an iffy camera and iffier reading of its potential audience. It's still the best interactive thing to happen to the Shrek universe thus far.

A solid game that leans towards the easy side. The only real flaws are an iffy camera and iffier reading of its potential audience. It's still the best interactive thing to happen to the Shrek universe thus far.

Although it doesn't have the breadth of its competitors, it makes up for it with exciting combat and easy-going gameplay... not to mention the sheer exuberance of its setting.

If Rise is a game you still play, suffice it to say Thrones and Patriots makes the experience much richer and more satisfying.

More ambitious and interesting than its predecessors, the game offers the same excellent action-packed gameplay, even if it does suffer from several of the same drawbacks.

This isn't a game for the twitchy or easily distracted. But get into Siren's head and you'll find a singular horror experience that keeps its teeth in your neck from start to finish.

A handful of glaring errors and nagging problems hamstring the title, preventing it from garnering overly high acclaim.

A handful of glaring errors and nagging problems hamstring the title, preventing it from garnering overly high acclaim.

The action icons on Groove are more sluggish than on Play, which will mean a lot more furious hand-waving action and frustration that things can't move along quicker.

After you see through its repetitive gameplay, gimmicky execution scenes, and tiresome, self-consciously obscene dialogue, there isn't much left. Manhunt's gameplay isn't deep or varied enough to match up to the alternatives on any platform.

Its single-player is engaging and varied, and the multiplayer is even better. If you're looking for something a little deeper than the usual GBA fare, Shining Soul II is sure to put a smile on any gamer's face.

It proves a suitable fix for bloodthirsty gamers, yet hardly the remorselessly addictive diversion many had been hoping for.

After you see through its repetitive gameplay, gimmicky execution scenes, and tiresome, self-consciously obscene dialogue, there isn't much left. Manhunt's gameplay isn't deep or varied enough to match up to the alternatives on any platform.

Meaty weapons, fast action, and overwhelming odds bring a Doom-like vibe to its high body count. And thanks in no small part to the excellent physics engine, Painkiller is an intense and visceral game.

A one-button action/adventure dress-up simulator.

A one-button action/adventure dress-up simulator.

The Gamecube version presents the microgames as the kitschy things they are by placing them on a multiplayer pedestal. Sitting on a sofa with friends, when it's not apparent what you're supposed to do, a certain kind of unique frustration arises. [JPN Import]

The gameplay is solid and fun for any skill level, but what's really amazing is just how good this game looks. The faces are scarily accurate.

Be forewarned: your Street Fighter skills will be made irrelevant within roughly 10 seconds. Here, tactical forethought and impeccable timing count for way more than brute force.

Be forewarned: your Street Fighter skills will be made irrelevant within roughly 10 seconds. Here, tactical forethought and impeccable timing count for way more than brute force.

The gameplay is solid and fun for any skill level, but what's really amazing is just how good this game looks. The faces are scarily accurate.

For experienced gamers, War Times is routine and simplistic... Still, Strategy First's effort will please real-time strategy enthusiasts looking for a throwback to the genre's glory days, and is fitting for armchair generals and WWII buffs that are RTS newcomers.

Yes, better communication, more content, and deeper story would all be welcome, but that's the default critic's list for almost every game. How many titles offer the chance to become a zombie and munch on former allies?

If you love the gameplay in "Dynasty Warriors" but are tiring of its setting, Crimson Sea 2 offers a refreshing change of pace with a familiar style of gameplay.

While the laidback style and slow pace won't engage action junkies, it serves to focus attention on the environment and events. Occasional hassles aside, Syberia II is both a welcome and worthy sequel.

Lacking base-building, deep resource control, and combat micromanagement, Nemesis of the Roman Empire seems to be rather sparsely featured. Even considering the unique supply line modeling, other RTS games have a great deal more to offer.

Sacred takes the best elements from the RPG genre and fuses them with a great deal of style. The polish, attention to detail, and obvious love that went into this game makes up for its minor shortcomings.

Micromanagement bogs things down just when your village is becoming interesting and productive. That a game has barriers or limits isn't a bad thing; that the barrier appears at the same point as the game becomes appealing is unfortunate.

If only Blade Warriors was a better, deeper, more fun game -- then it could really deliver for fans of these characters.

The PS2 version of Rainbow Six 3 lacks in nearly every department: graphics, gameplay, multiplayer, and weapons selection.

The general lack of thought and polish is obvious in almost every aspect.

Ultimately, The Shadow of Aku's excellent controls, just-right fighting action, humor, and easy-on-the-eyes visuals do the Samurai Jack license proud.

The general lack of thought and polish is obvious in almost every aspect.