The game's story manages to draw through its limitations, and the shoot-em-up gameplay is enjoyable for the segments when it's not so tough we're tearing our hair out.

If you aren't up for endless hacking and slashing, there's not much here. But for anyone who digs the genre, Gladiator is the most satisfying form to come down the Appian Way in some time, and is definitely worth a look.

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

It's a lot like its hero: packed with character, impressively capable, and never puts a foot wrong. What higher praise for a licensed game is there than that?

It's vibrant and fast, easy to pick up, and as satisfying as a speeding hedgehog can possibly be in the long run.

Nod's stealth, the GDI's heavy tanks, and alien bugs all come together and blow up as a sort of mac-and-cheese RTS that tastes awesome in that safe, you've-been-here-before-a-hundred-times way.

Every fan of the genre should revel in the ability to enjoy Valkyrie Profile without giving blood on eBay. RPG newbies are encouraged to indulge as well, though with a warning: don't expect to find an equivalent any time soon.

Though all the elements are familiar, IO has polished them up and the end result is like a favorite dish: You know what it tastes like, but you're still looking forward to eating it.

The economic model is robust enough to keep things interesting and the complexities of running a business will keep players hopping.

The game is a romp through 60s superhero cliches, mixed with excellent gameplay and a flexible character development system. Fantastic stuff.

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.

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

Genre-hopping games can be notoriously difficult, but with Spellforce 2, Phenomic has hit the nail... well, not quite on the head, but certainly in its general vicinity

It's a shame there isn't much in the way of non-military resolutions to disputes, as the game's combat system stands out as its key weakness. Even with that proviso, 1701 AD is a game fans of both the series -- and the genre -- will enjoy.

Kamikaze air attacks, det-pack-laden jeeps, hijacking enemy vehicles - it's rare for a round to go by without something amusing happening. With this expansion, DICE has taken the comedy potential of BF1942 to new heights.

This game is jam packed with a range of fighting moves, weapons and a particularly vicious but faithful attack dog that our Max could only wish for.

It's inoffensive and challenging enough to keep both the builders and the managers entertained for much longer than an outing to a real zoo would.

That co-op feature makes this among the best kids games out there, because parents and kids can directly play together.

The highly detailed graphics convincingly portray both might and oppression with a realism that is awesome, encompassing huge caverns, fathomless pits and sudden dead ends.

Props go to Electronic Arts for trying to improve the game for its next-gen incarnation and, mostly, succeeding. This newly made man upholds a very fine, if very violent, family tradition.

A game built on solid gameplay mechanics featuring fast-paced exploding action, that delivers nothing but fun.

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.

A solid, straightforward first-person shooter. It manages to stumble, gasping and grinning, from the no-man's land of "adequate" and into the green zone of "good," mostly due to the assorted flairs and presentational touches that make all the difference.

And fair warning to all of you obsessive-completist types out there: Your lives, as you know them, are over... at least for a while.

A welcome change of pace for horror games. It's tightly focused, suspenseful, and fosters a strong sense of personality.

Super-serious types who regularly dust their Ninja Scroll collections might have problems with its goofy, irreverent tone, but pure gamers will find a lot of pure fun.

But with a friend, Dark Alliance II's polished, addictive and comparatively deep gameplay, along with much improved replay value, makes it one of the best cooperative games around.

The Ship's mixture of intrigue, subtlety, and cunning makes it the perfect recipe for gamers bored with same-old same-old multiplayer shooters, but it does tend to show its indie roots a little too clearly here and there.