IGN

• PC
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

Why haven't more people stolen this idea yet? I mean, seriously. Since the original Deus Ex came out over three years ago, only titles like Morrowind and Knights of the Old Republic have tried to allow for this type of emergent story-telling. I can only surmise that it must be damn hard to make a game like that. Come to think of it, given the quality of linear, scripted RPGs of late, that seems pretty likely. Though I finished it in less than twenty hours (about half the time it took for Knights of the Old Republic, about a millionth for Morrowind), I dove right back in again to try out some different things and see how some of the big either/or decisions worked out. Sure, some people will say that the game's made too many concessions to convenience -- no more skills and one kind of ammo spring to mind -- but all this means is that you have fewer concerns distracting you from the main point of the game, your experience making decisions within the game's story. That's the real draw here -- the sense that you're playing an active role in shaping the destiny of the world. Starting as a relatively ignorant pawn of the powers that be and moving up to be one who actually makes or breaks those powers is nowhere more engaging than in this game. What are you waiting for? Go play it already.

• XBOX
• 8.2 / 10
• États-Unis

We liked Armed and Dangerous. Yes, it's all about shooting and blowing things up, but when did that become stale? In our minds, it hasn't. Of course, there are some games where shooting is very boring. Luckily, Armed and Dangerous, believe it or not, is a smart shooter that actually requires some brain activity and/or superhuman reflexes. We also really loved the humor in the game. Without it, the game would still be a good shooter - just not as fun. If you're looking for a deep story, look somewhere else. The narrative for Armed and Dangerous is merely used a vehicle for assigning (sometimes) outrageous goals rather than telling a rich story. Still, the light-hearted nature of the story is enjoyable bringing to mind a more vulgar, Mel Brooks-produced Shrek; not the story really, but the overall feel and theme of the humor. On the other hand, if you're looking for a challenging shooter that features tight controls, nice graphics, and a wicked sense of humor, Armed and Dangerous is your game - it's easily one of the best action shooters on the Xbox, hands down.

• PS2
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

• XBOX
• 10 / 10
• États-Unis

• NGC
• 2.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Beyblade is a baffling game that is both so niche and so ill- executed that I can only recommended to the true fanatics out there who devour anything the franchise has to offer. Everyone else will be downright insulted by the simple, stupid game mechanics and horrendously outdated visual and audio presentations. This title does not look, sound or act any differently from its PS1 predecessor, which is a travesty. Stay as far away from this unfortunate digital afterbirth as possible.

• PC
• 8.9 / 10
• États-Unis

This is, by and large, the most impressive looking and playing surf game ever created, whether you're looking at the water technology, the extras, or the design itself. I happily admit to being totally biased toward all surf games. I have played them all, and I can't wait to play this one 17 more times. It's sort of like the same thing for RPG or football fans -- it's hard to resist playing them. And so if Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer doesn't spark a huge interest in videogame surfing, well then sh*t, nothing will. But after the talk of technology dies down, and the rush of admiration for these incredible athletes wears off, what's left? Core gameplay. And Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer is a well-designed surf game, the best there is. What I particularly like about it is Treyarch's intelligent focus on the sport of surfing, instead of the tacky arcade tricks like adding ducks, turtles and other silly objectives (though Treyarch is slightly guilty of this, too). But the developer's dedication to delivering the wild, radical sport of surfing to the videogame medium is pure and direct, and for that I am deeply grateful.

• PC
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

Knights of the Old Republic is an outstanding game because it covers every single angle in terms of audience expectations. It's got enough Star Wars to satisfy the fans and enough pure fun to draw in people who normally wouldn't get into role-playing games. You'll see this on several Game of the Year nomination lists if not at the very top soon enough. It grabs you early on by giving your character some cool toys to play with and some familiar Star Wars critters to welcome you back and next thing you know you've got a space ship, a light saber, a wookie and a droid. With Knights of the Old Republic, the galaxy is yours, get out there and get some.

• GBA
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

Quidditch World Cup on the Game Boy Advance isn't bad, especially since the development is a solid one on the GBA. The link between it and the GameCube version, for example, is a really great example of connectivity. But it is admittedly a shallow game design and leaves a lot of room for improvement if it wants to really establish itself as a sport. And maybe that's the designers' intention, to make the game a series much like the games in the EA Sports franchise. Before they crack down on the next generation, though, a lot of rethinking has to be done about the rules, or at least the points-balancing between teams during the Snitch chase. It's an admirable first attempt, but yes, a drastically improved 2004 version is definitely in order.

• GBA
• 6.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• 6.1 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS2
• XBOX
• PC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

There are few moments in the videogame world that are as satisfying as finding something that exceeds expectations. And that's exactly what happened when we sat down to give Acclaim's Sword of Vengeance a thorough playthrough. Far from being perfect and definitely open to improvement, Gladiator isn't going to win any awards or change the way we look at videogames. What it will do, however, is help pass the time away for nine to twelve hours with its mindless but ultimately fun approach to the genre. In fact, we'd have to put it up there right alongside kill.zone as one of the premiere guilty pleasures of the holiday season. And we can't imagine a better weekend for videogame fans other than sitting down in front of the television set to give those two a try.

• GBA
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

It's a real shame about the slowdown in Crash Nitro Kart for the Game Boy Advance. Without these patches of sluggish action, the game would be a close contender for best kart racer on the handheld. It has it all: tons of characters and unlockables, great track design, excellent variety in the mission objectives, wonderful handling, multiplayer support, GameCube connectivity, Internet rankings, and, most importantly, an original and fun racing game mechanic. But it's just too much for the engine to handle, and the gameplay suffers because of it. If you're able to see through these patches, though, there's a lot of fun in Crash Nitro Kart.

• PS2
• XBOX
• PC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

The failure of flight sims has become something of a joke in our industry. As gaming has gone more mainstream, there's less patience on the part of gamers to wade through a 200-page manual just to find out how to feather their props. Even putting a plane on the front of your box can dissuade many gamers who might appreciate the more action-oriented approach found therein. Crimson Skies for the PC is a great example. And while Totally Games has done a pretty good job of preserving some sense of realism in what is basically a fantasy flying game, I think the concessions have been weighted more on the side of convenience than realism. I can appreciate it as a fun action game but it holds little of the weight you'd expect from a World War II dogfight game. The lack of a compelling narrative enhances this pick-up-and-play mentality and detracts from my own involvement in what's going on. Secret Weapons Over Normandy makes a much bigger splash on the PS2 than it does on the PC and Xbox. Admittedly there haven't been many action dogfighters on the PC lately, but the system does have a considerable backlog of titles that offer better experiences than the one we have here. Likewise, the recent release of Crimson Skies for the Xbox, similarly hampers Secret Weapons' success on that platform. In the end, it seems as if Totally Games was holding back, hoping like hell not to overly smartify the title for a console audience. Before you start flaming, that's not a rip on the ability or attitude of console gamers at all; I just think console gamers are perfectly capable of rising beyond the challenges presented here. But the developers seem to have hedged their bets on this one, opting instead for greater accessibility at the cost of increased immersion.

• PC
• 7.2 / 10
• États-Unis

I like Battle Engine Aquila. It was a solid game on Xbox and PS2, but it comes up a little bit shallow on the PC. With other great mech games up for comparison, BEA just isn't up to snuff. The controls are clearly designed for a console and were never properly translated to the PC. Hardcore gamers will probably scoff, but those looking for a fun action title that offers several hours of diversion, this one may be worth picking up. Aquila's main design flaws can't be ignored. Had Lost Toys spent the past few months refining the AI and creating a system of gameplay rewards and penalties for your tactical decisions, there'd be a lot of replay value and a lot more joy to be had in the later levels. As is, BEA is your standard action fare with a few minor drops of lemon added to sweeten the taste.

• NGC
• PS2
• XBOX
• PC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• GBA
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

No conversion of Silent Scope will ever be as good as the original, unless, of course, Konami finds a way to offer a home-version rifle that the arcade version utilizes. But Silent Scope on the GBA is surprisingly fun in a mindless, twitch-action sort of way. The multiplayer mode that lets four players snipe away against each other on a target range is a great addition to a solid, if limited, action game.

• XBOX
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

• NGC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis