In Shadowbane, the players get to remap the world, and that's something that just hasn't been done before. It's a significant achievement, and an engrossing gameplay experience that should be applauded, albeit cautiously.

Pure action-junkies may lose patience with Primal (if the prolonged, "enforced tutorial" beginning doesn't outright kill them), but those who like to sit back and soak in atmosphere are in for one hell -- one Hell -- of a moody ride.

Different, imaginative and entertaining, it's even more deserving of success than its predecessor.

Although MVP Baseball 2003 has a few rough spots, it is worth checking out, especially if you're a little tired of the routine baseball game interface and want to get more hands-on when you take to the mound.

Enchanting, entertaining, inventive, elegant, rewarding and captivating from start to "finish."

Although 1503 offers only a few modest innovations, it's still a solid example of how gratifying it is to spread your own civilization, whether it's this century or 500 years ago.

An exhilarating special ops action game, with finely crafted missions and amazing graphics. For anyone who loved the "shock and awe" of the movie, the bloody action and non-stop shooting, this game will provide the same kind of visceral thrill, and then some.

Match-up restrictions aside, Raven Shield is not only a great multiplayer game, but a welcome next step in the Rainbow Six series for gamers that should meet, if not exceed, many of its fans expectations.

It utterly breaks the subdued mold of the series.

A poor excuse for a Tenchu-style fighter, thinly veiled as a story-driven stealth action game a la Metal Gear that's so laughably bad it actually makes "Batman: Vengeance" look like the best superhero action game ever created.

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.

Complete in nearly every way and is a good bet for casual fans who just want to slap a few balls out of the infield and diehards who will settle for nothing less than a full career simulation.

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.

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.

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.

Praetorians isn't the deepest RTS going, but for fans of the genre and/or the era, it's a no-nonsense, well-presented package.

The game tends toward actual-world realistic, but in a fancifully dull way.

It's too hard to steal bases against the computer and throw computer stealers out. Computer batters are far too patient at the plate... It is worth checking out.

Just too much fluff and not enough fun.

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

It's too hard to steal bases against the computer and throw computer stealers out. Computer batters are far too patient at the plate... It is worth checking out.

Complete in nearly every way and is a good bet for casual fans who just want to slap a few balls out of the infield and diehards who will settle for nothing less than a full career simulation.

A short-lived single-player mode combined with repetitive multiplayer gameplay make this game a title destined for the bargain bin, rather than greatness.

There are no surprises in Sonic Advance 2... The lower your expectations, the more you'll enjoy this game.

Sure, the arcade side of the game remains commendable, but with broken franchise AI, a lack of mouse support, horrifically frustrating interface, and no online play, High Heat 2004 is one of the worst console ports imaginable that regrettably shouldn't have been developed as a console port in the first place.

Displays almost Zelda-like creativeness in its monsters and environments.

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.

Once the initial thrill of playing such a violent and visceral strategy game has worn off, you're left with an RTS without most of the things that make RTS games entertaining, like planning, economic balancing, and developing your base.

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.

Seriously lacking in terms of pacing and challenge.

There's no denying that "IL-2 Sturmovik" is a great sim and therefore Forgotten Battles is a great sim by extension. As a sequel, however, it's a bit underwhelming.

None of the other games come close to this one in terms of gee-whiz frills and bonus content. But ASB 2004 doesn't really get the job done on the field.

The story is solid, the puzzles well integrated into the plot, and the pace is quick moving enough so that you can finish the game in about the same amount of time as you can finish a good suspense novel.

If you are the kind of gamer who generally wants to button through game cinematics anyway because you think they're a pain in the ass, you should avoid Xenosaga like it was a proctologist with a history of methamphetamine psychosis.

Features have been piled upon features in an attempt to enhance gameplay, but this has only succeeded in bulking things up to the point where you risk an aneurysm if you try to figure everything out.

The storyline features such ridiculous contrivances as diving to find the ingredients to make aspirin for someone's grandmother, who has back pain. Ugh.

The ultimate laugh-out-loud party game.

What Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb amounts to is lots of riddles, lots of combat, too many deathtraps and jumping puzzles, and a decent, if contrived story.

None of the other games come close to this one in terms of gee-whiz frills and bonus content. But ASB 2004 doesn't really get the job done on the field.

None of the other games come close to this one in terms of gee-whiz frills and bonus content. But ASB 2004 doesn't really get the job done on the field.

It's designed to be played through multiple times, and won't show anywhere near the whole of its plot or locations first time out.

One of the best console RPGs you'll ever play... The sort of masterpiece that could only be made by people with a preternatural insight into what makes gamers tick.

Outstanding graphics, excellent, balanced and enjoyable gameplay, an interesting career mode and plenty of tracks and cars.

When these sorts of loaded odds are all you get in lieu of a competitive computer player, the whole thing feels like you're being cheated rather than challenged.

A much-needed change of ammo in the way-overused gun barrel of 'survival horror.'

No other racing game on any platform simulates the NASCAR experience this accurately. Graphics have been improved for this year's update, but lack the arcade pop on the consoles.

There are bosses with personality and the fighting is pointlessly gratifying enough to distract for long periods of time, but those hungry for some kind of innovation might be left a little cold here.

Despite some dated-looking visuals (it REALLY does look like PSO), Dot-hack is an impressive bit of high-concept work, and scores lots of points for its presentational excellence.

The designers at EA Pacific were able to bring us the contemporarily relevant content of C&C: Generals, with the fluidity and immersion-level we always hope to expect... and all this without any of the pansy-assed 'political correction' that dominates these days.

Commendable, lacking only in more targeting controls and somewhat dull first impressions. Its gameplay quality will depend greatly on a large enough supply of well-mannered group members.

You might not enjoy looking back on the repetitive track design and poor graphics, but you won't recoil in shock or anything. It's more likely that you won't be able to remember anything about this game at all.

Roughly a third the size of its predecessor, meaning that you'll be able to go from eagerly installing the game to disappointingly removing it from your hard drive for good in just two or three nights.

The hands-off battles and overall lack of challenge make this game feel somewhat like a very long, yet entertaining book that's totally lacking a climax.

The ominous industrial-soundtracked wanderings change from tense to boring and finally kind of infuriating, as you find yourself being forced to visit and visit and re-visit again areas you've already cleaned out.

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.

While DICE probably should have included a few more maps, and some editing material so that modders could more easily build on what they've been provided (you can release that software developer's kit any time now, EA!), it's hard to argue with this expansion when everything included in it is so good.

Sappy, sure, but the enthusiasm is infectious and ultimately effective.

Control is also woefully imprecise, to the point where combos can seem time-delayed a second or more.

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.

The volleyball is actually quite good, but it's far too limited and all the other nonsense just gets in the way.

It has a lot to live up to, and although it does manage it on several counts, the frustration from its down points tends to grate just a little raw on fractured nerves.

Those last few major battles will only take five years from your life from battlefield stress syndrome. Six, tops.

Because of the excellent job EA has done in its implementation, this new graphics engine feels comfortable and natural.

A deliciously cheesy romp into the giant monster genre.

It's crushingly addictive, especially with the fascinating new possibilities offered by having your cities trade with each other for resources. Fix the stability, add some scenarios and we might be looking at a five star game.

Often the game throws ten or twenty enemies on screen at once, together with goodness knows how many bullets, but the framerate is pretty much solid throughout.

The graphics and sound both capture the action well, and the character animation is particularly strong.

Animal creation, plot, and fast-paced multiplayer and skirmish options all lend a certain amount of charm to the proceedings, although play is much more boring than you'd expect in a game where you can breed an unholy attack force of elephants with scorpion stingers and pincers.

Unlike the offline game, The Sims Online lacks the mad energy and pleasant frustration of managing a complex system of happiness, goals and limited time.

Does one thing and one thing only: it adds one more RPG to the Xbox line-up, and whether or not that's a good thing depends on how desperate you are for a dungeon crawl.

Treyarch has done a masterful job with this game, satisfying the needs of serious hockey fans without losing sight of the fact that a sports game has to be fun.

A fun game, and the inclusion of a character driven -oh ho - plot to be the right direction for the genre to go. But it’s not for anyone who is either looking for the next-generation visual thrill of its competition, or heavy realism.

The biggest improvement in STUN: DG is subtle but critical: the interface has been greatly cleaned up and streamlined. With one exception, the interface is now intuitive, consistent and quirk-free.

It's one of those rare games that manages to combine detail, historical accuracy and playability to make a truly engaging and entertaining strategy game.

If Silent Hill 2 is your first PC horror game, then congrats -- and woe -- to you. Pleasant dreams.

More like somebody's high-school programming project than an actual commercial game. And even then, it's only worth a D.

Worlds' unappealing characters, boring gameplay and woeful presentation make it one that probably even the hardcore should skip.

Playing this game is as tedious and as painful as your morning workout on the stairmaster, without the pain-for-gain benefit of developing six-pack abs.

A real disappointment.

This is only a bad computer game, after all, even if it is one that is broken in almost every fundamental way and is an uncanny combination of tedium and insane frustration.

An incredible, if flawed, experience. You'll need some tolerance and patience, but ultimately, if you want in on the most realistic mech game ever devised, this is it... To paraphrase the legendary Ferris Bueller: Steel Battalion is so choice. If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up.

For the gamers who want a combat-heavy fantasy world to lose themselves in without the frustrations of the first generation of MMORPGs, Dereth is where you'll want to head.

If gamers aren't put off by the distinctly lack-lustre character visuals, they will be by the dire English voice-overs, stilted and forced from a poorly translated German script.

For starters, it's boring...You generally just button mash as quickly as possible and hope that the cops fall down before you do.

Could have been great, but relies too heavily on the "Jango Fett is cool" idea, and doesn't have the depth of gameplay needed to hold most people's interest.

The ridiculous frustration in the early levels will deplete most gamers' patience.

Treyarch has done a masterful job with this game, satisfying the needs of serious hockey fans without losing sight of the fact that a sports game has to be fun.

A pleasant surprise. The characters are amusing and a little different, the game is smoothly produced, and while it's somewhat derivative, it's still a lot of fun.

For all its problems, Vendetta is a laugh and offers some fun moments, although has little or no value once placed against some of the better console FPSs.

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

As a simple enough idea, the unwieldy concept of a medieval trading/intrigue/court politics title has grabbed us by the short and curlies and refuses to let go for the near future. In a nice way, if that's possible.

Its short length, bland storyline and by-the-numbers gameplay aren't going to win over the new, more demanding generation of gamers.

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

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

But what's most remarkable about the visuals is that no compromises were made. Although everything is big and bright, this hasn't meant the elimination of fine details.

The computer cheats in a rather spectacular fashion, particularly in movie mode.

Level design is often irritating as well. Poor graphic design makes it hard to tell where you can step and where you can't, so some jump-heavy areas become frustrating exercises in trial and error.

Perhaps the most competent boxing game we've come across in a long while, if not ever. It manages to be a worthy film tie-in that remains supremely playable and strangely compulsive.