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.

This is a wonderful synthesis of elements. Kingdom Hearts II is all about story, character, and the recreation of classic fantasies, and it excels at all.

It's the way the game is laid out and immerses you that makes Half-Life the cat's golden milk-drenched whiskers.

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.

Get through the initial stages of frustration and you'll realise what an incredibly title Men of Courage really is. Missions are far more involving, objectives much more focused.

It's the fluid and perfectly measured pace of Sonic Team's new game that makes it so good...Absolutely superb stuff.

If you’re just in it for the solo games — and let’s face it, Uncharted is at its best when it’s just you and Mr. Drake clinging to things together — the Collection is a fine choice.

Given free range to vent their most outrageous, vivid, degenerate, and depraved fantasies on an unsuspecting player, Bethesda's developers have crafted a unique world that shares the same quality of writing and attention to detail as Oblivion itself. Appropriately enough, only the most insane Oblivion addicts could refuse such an opportunity.

The bottom line is that there's no other real time strategy game that creates as grand and broad an experience as Supreme Commander. There's a wonderful amount of choice among different types of units, and buildings, and economic options, and map sizes.

An amusing, engrossing and addictive play. The missions represent around 20-30 hours of entertaining gaming.

Nothing short of superb - it takes "Fallout," expands upon it, enriches it, enhances it in so many ways that it makes one feel as if the original was immature.

Who'd have thought such an unassuming little guy would be the star of one of the best Nintendo DS titles available, and easily one of the most innovative platformers you'll ever play?

What's amazing is that Criterion was able to create such a tight control scheme, when other PSP racing games have felt floaty and flaky. By any standard, Burnout's control is rock solid. It's possible to dodge right though the same small spaces that entice players on the console game.

EA's game may be slightly deeper from a control perspective, but it's not as much of a blast to play. Between the classic ice and addictive battle mode games, we're more than willing to substitute this game for the real thing, if need be.

When something is this well done, just because you've seen it all before doesn't mean it's not worth seeing again.

Truly a gem of a game...The only problem I have with Onimusha is that it's a little too short. You can complete the adventure with a game time of five to six hours.

Sure, the graphics and physics haven't changed, and this year's release beats you over the head with in-game advertising, but the enhanced career mode, online play, and other additions are more than worth the price of admission.

Cuphead is a love letter to not just the decades-old cartoons it apes, but also gaming’s classic boss battles that have fallen to the wayside, as well. It’s far from easy, but don’t let that spook you out of playing this wonderful work of art. You’ll need patience and a steady hand, but you’ll absolutely be able to win out in the end.

We're disappointed that Resistance isn't a 1080p wonder. But it's a wonder for totally different reasons -- how many launch games exist that are worth playing six months down the road? Resistance is definitely in that elite camp, and with the strong multiplayer element, we're betting that it will maintain a presence for a lot longer than that.

Recent releases have seen plenty of tweaks, but they merely nudged the gameplay. This year's implementation of a quarterback's cone of vision really changes things by rethinking the foundations of passing the ball.

Mercenaries is what we play video games for -- it's that simple. It's action-packed, outlandish, violent, often humorous, and makes nicey-nice to the creatively thinking player.

If you managed to afford that high-end system then treat yourself to a game that will keep you hooked for some time to come and that will have your friends' jaws dropping in awe. It's a fresh game and a deserved GDR Gold winner. The real-time ante has been well and truly upped.

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

Where Beyond the Sword will really win you over is with the new scenarios and mods. There is some truly wonderful stuff in here.

It's both a parody and tribute to the four-color pages of yesteryear when spandex heroes fought against world menaces, using a mix of brain, brawn, and unrestrained hyperbole. The game captures this with a wink, but also a great deal of love.

One of the most important reason[s] that Dungeon Siege is such an improvement over its action RPG predecessors is that the interface is just downright perfect.

While it won't make as much of an impact as its predecessor, KOTOR 2's strong gameplay mechanics, interesting and well-voiced characters, and genuine, unforced sense of atmosphere make it almost as compelling to play. You won't be disappointed.

Packed with atmosphere, accessible gameplay and sweet visuals, Beyond Good & Evil has most definitely reached beyond our expectations. Don't miss it.