Sam and Max's return is both a funny, well-written return to form and a real testimony to the episodic format in general. Culture Shock shows remarkable sympathy for the strengths of the original game, and has a polished, streamlined presentation that nails its feel.

Its regimented take on open-world gaming is surprisingly well handled, and Hopkins' quest to put order to what is the Wild West of education, has been built with enough loving care that players will be compelled to follow it to its natural conclusion.

For the most part, Double Agent is like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes. There aren't really any new gadgets, although some of the old ones have evolved.

Ultimately, Battlefield 2142 is a game for the hardcore player. If you've logged endless hours into Battlefield 2, you're going to love the new class tweaks and you'll probably have half of the unlocks within the first week.

In the end though, what really makes Crypto-138 stand out from the pack is the combination of solid controls and side-splitting humor. It may not be politically correct, but it's going to keep you entertained.

This game lacks Batman's attitude, Green Lantern's gadgets, The Flash's quickness, and Superman's strength. It's a mediocre action-RPG through and through.

The beauty of the WarChiefs expansion is that it's not just a lot of new content, but it's a lot of good new content that affects how the game plays. If you're a fan of Age of Empires III, you're going to be an even bigger fan once you've tried this expansion pack.

With polished online play, great visuals, and the right mix of authenticity and accessibility, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is a solid package for golf fans. Unfortunately, the insulting shortage of courses on the 360 smarts a bit, and there's not a whole lot new since last year.

If you think about this game too much, then playing it can be disheartening, as it takes the feeling that you're completely wasting your time and really drives it home. However, some of the simple little mini-games are oddly addicting.

Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.

In a market that's crowded with guns, over-the-top graphical effects and heart-pounding action, FSX serves more to educate and amuse than arouse and enrage, and it does so in real style. It's a stunning achievement.

This game lacks Batman's attitude, Green Lantern's gadgets, The Flash's quickness, and Superman's strength. It's a mediocre action-RPG through and through.

In the end though, what really makes Crypto-138 stand out from the pack is the combination of solid controls and side-splitting humor. It may not be politically correct, but it's going to keep you entertained.

Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.

Think of it as the medieval version of being an air traffic controller: hard to recommend to everyone, but if you're up for a challenge, and can handle all that micromanagement, give it a shot. Just be prepared to go take a long lie down in a darkened room when you're done.

An entertaining and occasionally even deep role-playing experience able to stack up against classic entries in the "Final Fantasy" and "Dragon Quest" series.

But you won't be getting this game for the advanced graphics engine. Instead, you'll be getting it for the fact that during one early battle, someone sticks a piece of paper on your character's back that says 'Kick my ass'.

Mortal Kombat excels at offering plenty of great extras to compensate for its lukewarm gameplay.

By adding more stuff for you to admire and kill, and more places and ways to do it, Dark Crusade gives the already lively Warhammer RTS universe even more life, personality, blood, and meat. It's a gory, giddy delight, with more depth and gameplay than ever.

It may not be perfect, but the combination of movie authenticity, solid action, and exploratory gameplay adds up to one hell of a good time.

Yet these Gangs of London prove to be more like the Jets and Sharks from "West Side Story;" mildly amusing, to be sure, but potentially only dangerous to an 8-year-old boy who still has accidents when mom forgets to turn on the nightlight.

A passing diversion, totally bereft of the addictive zeal of the original. In this case that's a step forward, if only a very tiny one.

Graphically, this year's offering is a big step forward over last year's. However, it still has a way to go.

This could have been little more than a Flash game done on the cheap to cash in on this nostalgia. Instead, Introversion has created a chilling, thoughtful, and eminently playable real time strategy game, squeezing more atmosphere into 60MBs than most games can manage with 600MBs. Sometimes, less is indeed so much more.

If you like fantasy, and if you're ready to graduate beyond the must-haves like Civilization and Heroes of Might & Magic, then Dominions 3 is a unique game you won't want to miss.

There's a lot of fun to be had discovering the different units and strategies. This isn't a great RTS, and it's likely to be forgotten this time next year. But it is a good RTS and it's well worth your time.

Online or offline, as a campaign or a freeform scenario, Caesar IV is an inviting game, easy to like and hard to stop playing. It's got a fairly forgiving learning curve, and it will rarely plunge you into the sort of economic death spirals that can make other city builders so discouraging.

It has a decidedly limited range of licensed cars, an unsatisfying handling model, a dull course and a difficulty level that's way out of whack.