The original Metroid is also an unlockable bonus, which provides a great demonstration of how far video games have come in just under two decades.

Shiny has taken an interesting concept and come up with a polished implementation which combines superior gameplay and sheer style.

Stylistic RTS ambrosia, mana from heaven and a cornucopia of gameplay and replay value. This one is fit for the gods.

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

Walking down the steps into one of the larger cities, Balmora, for the first time is a moment that will stay with players for some time to come. It's the best-looking RPG to date, undoubtedly, and certainly ranks among the most graphically-impressive games around.

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.

The mood is right, the graphics good, and the plot compelling. I found the tactical combat system refreshingly intelligent, and the multitude of ways you can approach the game from a stats point of make a wide variety of styles possible in the game.

Where Gran Turismo is probably a little more graphically rich (mostly because of all the diverse locations), it's the actual racing experience that makes NASCAR 2002 Season a better game. Each race has its own story.

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.

Enthralling and beautiful, Jade Empire melds adrenaline-inducing combat with a compelling RPG structure perfectly. Here's an RPG that anyone can enjoy -- Jade Empire is sheer pleasure.

The best skateboarding game out there and it's much more than Tony Hawk 4 ever was. That being said, while some of the new features are great, others just aren't up to the level of quality that we've come to expect from Neversoft.

Few games deserve the high praise we're willing to lavish on F-Zero GX. Finely tuned, tightly balanced and exceedingly fun, it is a step above and beyond any similar games that have come before.

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

Arguably the best GBA game ever released. It's addictive, ingenious, and makes no mistakes.

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.

If tedious leveling up, dull combat, or uninspired player vs. player gaming are your quibbles with today's massively multiplayer offerings, Guild Wars is the cure.

Ace Combat 4 delivers all the necessary thrills at a blistering Mach 1 style pace.

Its predominant flaw is that it whets our appetite for something unimaginably amazing but only fulfills half of that unveiled promise.

It seems to be improved for being on a console - third person games have always worked better with a decent gamepad, and this one is no exception.

If there's one department in which MVP can't be beat, it's player animations. From the plate to the mound and out into center, these guys move with a jaw-dropping grace and fluidity.

It's disappointing that the three sides -- the USA, the USSR, and NATO -- are the same except for their accents and artwork. Also, there's a lot of nuance among the tactical powers that will be overwhelming to new players.

Judged against its peers, Burnout Revenge sets the standard for breakneck speed and destruction in the action racing arena. Anyone new to the series should rush out and add this to their collection.

A great experience, although it suffers from a lack of innovation. Gameplay is all too familiar, and the new additions feel quite superficial. Having the best part hidden away as an unlockable doesn't help matters.

Every brilliant little detail of N4 serves to remind you, over and over again, that this is a sim of real class.

The sequel is a better game in every way, but the original was so successful at combining extreme sports stunts with real basketball that there was little room left for improvement.

Outstanding graphically and sonically, Far Cry's gameplay doesn't quite match up to its looks. That said, the AI and imaginative set pieces make it easily the best single-player first-person shooter of the last few months.

The maturation of a genre. More "Civilization" in scope, feel, and satisfaction than even the popular "Age of Empires" series, Rise of Nations is the world's first 4X RTS.

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.