It's not overly deep or terribly long, but for anyone looking for simple, cartoonish blood and brutality, this is very definitely the place.

Never before has the Jedi experience been this visceral and accessible at the same time, and Revenge of the Sith has something for hardcore fans and curious onlookers alike. The Force is strong with this one.

The developer's first baby possesses a real joie de vivre and handles like a dream.

A good, solid RPG that's right in step with the classic formula, sometimes to its own detriment.

If you like your fighters to be deep, complex, and thoroughly bizarre, then Guilty Gear is a recommended purchase and might just be the "different" you've been looking for.

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.

The AI is surprisingly excellent - if you send a batch of troops out to scout, they will take up careful positions, scale machine gun positions, engage the enemy, and redeploy defensively without any more commands having to be issued.

It includes weather, gardening, fishing, and a few new career paths. These features may not sound like much, but they're enough to make this one of the best expansion packs in the series...The main drawback to The Sims 2: Seasons is the price.

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.

Overtaking games like "Gran Turismo," Criterion Games' racer is more like ageing Sega classic Outrun on a heavy dose of speed with a touch of Red Bull to help push things along.

Anyone with more than a passing interest in the sport that was America's national pastime before Donald Fehr and Bud Selig screwed it up will find this to be one of the most absorbing sports games of 2002.

It's rare that something that truly strives for originality, and even rarer that it succeeds with any degree of success. Project Nomads does so in spades. Bravo!

With the jump to Xbox 360, Lady Croft feels right at home in a more beautiful world with better control and the same brain-twisting puzzles and level designs that made you drool over the series in the first place. Oh, and she's still smokin' hot.

With solid localization, fun fighting, and a smooth flow, Rogue Galaxy is a likeable role-playing game that impresses on several fronts -- while at the same time giving a peek at what the future of the genre may hold.

Perhaps the best thing you can say about Virtua Tennis 3 is that it's such a good game, you don't even have to like tennis to appreciate it.

The game has stability now to rival the games that have been on the market for years. While a few minor bugs and the occasional graphical glitch still exist, the game tends to play quite seamlessly.

If you're looking to make a long-term commitment to a strategy role-playing game, then Sacred Stones is as wise an investment as you can make.

If all the many mini-games in this release seem less than scintillating, at least a couple work fairly well, and the basic DDR engine is as fun and challenging as ever.

It's got some great physics that come into play during the game, but relies most on rapid-fire gameplay that only lets up to make you sweat even more.

Even with cuts made to the major game modes, NCAA 07 looks like a total triumph compared to the neutered Madden released last year for the Xbox 360. And it's definitely a fun, respectable game. But it needs to be more than that to really keep our attention.

Due to good physics modeling, sharp AI, and spot-on controls, no amount of wonky pitches and fiery players, watery stadiums, and moronic (if hilarious) commentary can detract from the solid gameplay.

A tight-feeling and great-looking game.

The attention to detail is rewarding, the incidental battlefield ambience is awesome, and -- geeky bonus -- the game does a magnificent job of translating the gritty feel of the painted-figure tabletop games.

We'd have liked some more multiplayer and customization options, but the highly exaggerated drifts combined with responsive controls make the game exceptional fun.

The story's not really any more involving, and the game still lacks the personality of Blizzard's seemingly insurmountable Diablo 2, but there's no denying its slick looks, interface and the hours of absorbing gameplay on offer.

Legends is a compelling game for those who aren't fans of the license, but it's an absolute must-have for X-Men followers; the bigger the fan, the more you need this game.

While a few frustrating missions and some obnoxious wingmen dampen the fun somewhat, Heroes of the Pacific is a genuinely entertaining game for those who dig WWII aviation but don't feel quite like diving into a hardcore sim.

This is fast. Seriously fast. Brain-crushingly, mind-numbingly fast. Probably faster than anything we've ever played before. It's not fast like "Wipeout" is fast - sure, "Wipeout" is fast, but not this fast.

A gorgeously slower-paced fighting game with an emphasis on combos and strategy over frantic button mashing... A refreshing change of pace, to be sure.

If you consider the competition games like "BioShock" and "Gears of War," Metroid is going to feel stilted and oddly paced. But if you're a fan of the long-running series, you'll probably be pleased how well this game fits into the canon, both in terms of gameplay and story.

Smooth Moves does have its share of missteps. Rest assured that most of them are minor, and don't detract from the main formula of the Wario Ware series: insane amounts of fun.

It's not the prettiest RPG out there, and it certainly isn't the best sounding, but it's got a massively long and interactive quest, plenty of land to explore, a number of interesting playable characters and a real dose of challenging gameplay.

The water effects and movement of the waves are brilliant and great at capturing the feel of the waves as you balance precariously on them or pull yourself over them to get to the next breaker out there.

Dialogue is fantastic. The script's professionally written. Foul language is common, yet used in the appropriate context. Weapons come off as carefully balanced, and won't disappoint.

By far the best simulation of boxing to date. Spectacular visuals, addictive, rewarding gameplay and the inclusion of many boxing greats are just the tip of a sparkling iceberg.

A must-have for fans of the original game. It adds enough new stuff and fixes enough old stuff that you won't want to miss it.

With the new swing and throw systems we had a better time here than in any other recent baseball sim, and got more attached to created players than that old digital Nomar. MVP 06 NCAA Baseball proves that an excellent ball game is exactly that, no matter who's on the cover.

The AI is surprisingly excellent - if you send a batch of troops out to scout, they will take up careful positions, scale machine gun positions, engage the enemy, and redeploy defensively without any more commands having to be issued.

It may not be revolutionary for the genre, but it's as good an FPS as you're going to get today, with decent multiplayer to back it up into the near future.

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.

A truly innovative action hit with mind-blowing graphics and a scattering of gameplay flaws that stifles the fun a bit. For the most part, though, this is a unique, well-crafted game with a solid, enjoyable feel.

Along with the AI issues, the handling between autos is a little suspect. Despite the fact that the game is loaded with exotic cars -- 36 to be exact -- they all seem to handle very much like one another. If there are differences, they're extremely subtle.

Let's be honest, who looks to party games for stunning originality, cutting-edge presentation, and engrossing single-player modes? It's Mario. He parties. So will you.

Although the single-player feels like a bit of an afterthought, the action-packed, entertaining and well-executed multiplayer is first-rate - and with the genre still so sparse, it's probably the best online racer you can buy on any console platform.

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.

Enough of the original's dark charm has survived to make even Carnate Island vets want to settle a spell in Baltimore. Or die trying.

The Fractured But Whole hits all the right notes from the show’s best episodes. The writing is some of the best you’ll find in a game, and it improves on “The Stick of Truth’s” combat and mechanics enough to make it well worth picking up.

Graphically, the Game Boy Advance comfortably does the game justice.

This expansion adds a lot more clutter, but at least it's interesting clutter. Sadly it doesn't fix some of the aspects of the game still arguably broken.

There's a lot of fun to be had discovering the different units and strategies. This isn't a great RTS, and it's likely to be forgotten this time next year. But it is a good RTS and it's well worth your time.

The game is an odyssey, a huge epic that has the ability to swallow your gaming time in a terrifying and seductive manner.

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.

Everyone wants to be an X-Wing pilot, don't they. It's one of the things that sets man apart from the animals.

By far the most realistic golf game to date and should be snapped up even by those with a vague interest in the game.

This is a Katamari game in all its glory, only a bit truncated. It doesn't have the longevity or the broad appeal of its predecessors, but it has the basic spirit, which is what counts.

Kept from greatness by the terrible camera, pacing issues, short quests, and general lack of continuity, making it a sequel that actually tacks more criticisms on to the series, instead of fixing them.

Polished and challenging, and the inclusion of the mission editor, new multiplayer options, and the new campaign for the British (which is quite good) make the tribulations well worth the trouble.

Graphically, SOAF walks a narrow line between ultra-realistic settings and way-too-sparse texture mapping.

While UM doesn't have the depth to go head-to-head with classic Aki titles from the days of Nintendo 64, it has done a great job of capturing the ludicrous fun of the show, with cel-shaded graphics and faithful character designs.

An impressive tool and game that will dazzle some, and bore others to death.

The problem is that it cannot escape its mod roots, looking very dated and feeling rather uninspired - ironic considering many of its features were the inspiration for the successful WWII titles that followed it.

Despite its frustrating lack of modes and features, I freely admit that I have had a blast playing Super Street Fighter V. It’s a genuinely fun fighting game that has a bright future. But its troubled present gives this mighty combatant a black eye.

This isn't a game of depth. This is quick football satisfaction and little else. Against a few friends over the weekend, Arena Football is an excellent diversion, but it won't replace "Madden" or even "NFL 2K5" until the weather turns cold again.

Remarkable, really, considering the mess most of the other Star Wars titles turned out to be. But we're not complaining.

It struggles to get out of its own way, featuring perhaps its most complicated buy-in system yet. Creativity knows no bounds, but your checkbook certainly does.

A pulpy, good time. Just don't expect to come back after completion for any particularly inspired level design or captivating combat.

As a more portable take on the Star Wars experience, it won't disappoint most gamers. However, the unappealing space battles and paltry multiplayer options keep it from being a feather in the PlayStation Portable's cap.

It's a drag that some serious AI issues still plague the simulation, but the EyeToy interaction and ball physics make MLB 2005 worth a look. A readily available online component even alleviates some of the AI tics.

In terms of gameplay this title is a gem. There are loads of tricks for you to master and a stack of challenges for you to complete.

Has everything you could hope for in a DS Monkey Ball: lots of stages, great mini-games, and nice presentation. The less-than-perfect control and the over-saturation of new Monkey Ball iterations, however, make it less attractive to the gaming masses.

It ends up below the quality of "Dark Cloud 2," and right around the level of Sega's "Blood Will Tell." Whether that's enough to get you to hop on this train is up to you.

Just don't be surprised when you find the game length to be dangerously close to the running time of an average Bond flick.

This game is a brave try, but most players will regard it as a step backwards from the previous game.

Graphically, this is the finest game we've experienced on the new handheld console and once you've seen some of the incredible character animations, you won't know whether to laugh or cry in sheer amazement.

Go ahead and say that EDF is repetitive, but we had more fun trying out the 150 weapons than in almost any other recent shooter. Every level is packed with pure, nerdy fun, and the five difficulty levels prodded us into taking new weapons back into early levels to see how we'd fare. Weak-kneed animations and silly dialogue made it that much better, just this once.

The control is satisfyingly tight and responsive, and the stealth kills (spookily augmented by the controller's vibration function) are right on that clinical line between gratifying and, well, a bit disturbing.

New players will find a passe and not-scary survival horror relic, but old hands will enjoy the nostalgia of a fine old classic with a couple of new features. Take your pick.

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.

A game that is jack of all trades, but master of none. It's fun to play at first, but tends to get fairly tedious when you realise it's rather limited - when you realise you can't change your ship, actually take on any missions, or do anything of any real interest.

Though the offline game will only satisfy the most hardcore four-wheeling fan, the online racing makes up for most faults.

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]

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.

If you can get past the irritating introductory cutscenes and if you don't mind all-pervading cuteness, there's a depth available to plumb, and fans of micro-management will be in heaven.

Hardcore space simmers are likely to be disappointed with its lack of depth and unusual controls, but where they see shallowness and unrealism, others will see easy learning curves and familiarity.

PlayStation2 owners should revel in the fact that Path of Neo looks and feels best on their console. While Sony's hardware generates a relatively smooth framerate, the Xbox suffers a real stuttering problem, and the PC has an absolutely terrible control set.

Most of its faults are forgiveable, and the excellent controls coupled with the intense action often make for an engrossing experience.

A very comprehensive strategy game that is surprisingly easy to pick up and just gets deeper and more addictive the more you play it.

Thankfully, the game's humor and action overcomes the technical glitches. The brain-crunching animations are so much fun that, coupled with the peoples' cries for help, it's easy to get lost in Punchbowl, even as you realize that there's not much there.

The franchise may not be as wacky as before, nor as realistic as the competition, but it hits hard, doesn't let up, and is great entertainment for a group of friends looking for something less simmy and more instantly accessible.

While flawed, Blitzkrieg II makes a good single player wargame because it successful models the cold ruthlessness of war and the importance of using reinforcements wisely.

The low system specs are a nice deal and The Sims Pet Stories is a well implemented gateway into the Sims world, but EA has definitely skimped on the full gateway functionality by not allowing Stories to play with other releases in the series. In other words, if you really get hooked, be ready to cough up for the full-sized version.

There's very little middle ground in Nanobreaker. Either you're having a blast, playing through some innovative sections and loving the deep combat mechanics; or you're hating life, suffering through aggravating parts that are nearly as numerous.

Graphically, things haven't much improved from last time, but the 80+ new missions, more comprehensive ship designs, and added weapons make for a solid follow-up to a genre-busting first game.

In the same league as the disposable horror flicks that fill video shelves and late-night cable. It's not particularly frightening, but good atmosphere and short-lived twitch satisfaction is enough to sustain interest for a while.

In general Star Trek looks and sounds better than it has in recent console incarnations. The graphics are a little jagged, but the ships look great and the interface is well designed. And the sound is excellent, from the sweeping symphonic score to the spot-on weapon systems.

Unfortunately, Spider-Man might be able to temporarily slow down time, but there's nothing he can do about the irritating clock countdown in most levels. The age-old developer's trick of imposing an artificial deadline to extend longevity lives on in this game, and it's just as frustrating as ever.

Fun for a while, and the customization is quite compelling at first, but before long the innate repetition, linearity, and ultimate emptiness really begin to grate.

Full of overt and covert nods to the classic, Pitfall: The Lost Expedition is a worthy, entertaining successor to the proud, creaking lineage.