A one-button action/adventure dress-up simulator.

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]

The gameplay is solid and fun for any skill level, but what's really amazing is just how good this game looks. The faces are scarily accurate.

Be forewarned: your Street Fighter skills will be made irrelevant within roughly 10 seconds. Here, tactical forethought and impeccable timing count for way more than brute force.

Be forewarned: your Street Fighter skills will be made irrelevant within roughly 10 seconds. Here, tactical forethought and impeccable timing count for way more than brute force.

The gameplay is solid and fun for any skill level, but what's really amazing is just how good this game looks. The faces are scarily accurate.

For experienced gamers, War Times is routine and simplistic... Still, Strategy First's effort will please real-time strategy enthusiasts looking for a throwback to the genre's glory days, and is fitting for armchair generals and WWII buffs that are RTS newcomers.

Yes, better communication, more content, and deeper story would all be welcome, but that's the default critic's list for almost every game. How many titles offer the chance to become a zombie and munch on former allies?

If you love the gameplay in "Dynasty Warriors" but are tiring of its setting, Crimson Sea 2 offers a refreshing change of pace with a familiar style of gameplay.

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.

Lacking base-building, deep resource control, and combat micromanagement, Nemesis of the Roman Empire seems to be rather sparsely featured. Even considering the unique supply line modeling, other RTS games have a great deal more to offer.

Sacred takes the best elements from the RPG genre and fuses them with a great deal of style. The polish, attention to detail, and obvious love that went into this game makes up for its minor shortcomings.

Micromanagement bogs things down just when your village is becoming interesting and productive. That a game has barriers or limits isn't a bad thing; that the barrier appears at the same point as the game becomes appealing is unfortunate.

If only Blade Warriors was a better, deeper, more fun game -- then it could really deliver for fans of these characters.

The PS2 version of Rainbow Six 3 lacks in nearly every department: graphics, gameplay, multiplayer, and weapons selection.

The general lack of thought and polish is obvious in almost every aspect.

Ultimately, The Shadow of Aku's excellent controls, just-right fighting action, humor, and easy-on-the-eyes visuals do the Samurai Jack license proud.

The general lack of thought and polish is obvious in almost every aspect.

Ultimately, The Shadow of Aku's excellent controls, just-right fighting action, humor, and easy-on-the-eyes visuals do the Samurai Jack license proud.

Aside from the chaining, the core combat system isn't worth getting too worked up about. It's still automated, requiring little more of the player than target selection. There aren't even tactical position bonuses or penalties, which is pretty weak. And forget the player-versus-player, at least in the game's current iteration.

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.

While Pandora Tomorrow doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, it maintains and often exceeds its predecessor's exceptionally high standards in playability, atmosphere, level design, and visuals.

Even backed by "Metal Gear Solid 2" technology, Cy Girls' long stretch of frustrating puzzles will leave players feeling more blonde than Bond.

The end result is exquisitely original multiplayer gaming that's a vastly different experience based on which team is chosen. It's only marred by a bizarrely overlooked bug that crashes the Xbox when browsing available servers through OptiMatch.

A tightly packed game. Despite the AI and graphics issues, it's simply a lot of fun to play, due in large part to the fielder cam and excellent pitching and batting.

The lackluster visuals, an unsophisticated setup, and tepid pacing render it more curiosity than keepsake, even for series die-hards.

Unreal Tournament 2004 achieves that near impossible task in video gaming: It appeals to every online shooter fan without making compromises in quality.

It all pales when compared to better PS2 military shooters like "SOCOM II." The series is in need of a real sequel, a graphics upgrade, and a new and more refreshing direction if it wants to remain a contender in the tactical military shooter wars.