 Killzone Guerilla
Killzone offers PS2 fans a decent first-person-shooter, with 11 massive environments. Expansive missions with multiple brain-teasing puzzles require solutions before moving on in the game. Character movement is lifelike and realistic, with special mention for the ladder climbing and crouching. The computer AI adapts to your playing style as the levels progress, and truly impresses with its responses. The only downfall to this game is that you can't jump, greatly limiting your options during fire fights, especially in multiplayer games. –TM
 Chronicles of Riddick
Has it really been five years since the movie Pitch Black came out? Who would have guessed this cookie-cutter horror/action film would spawn an entire universe of anti-hero-loving action? Not to mention the release of the sequel The Chronicles of Riddick, and its video game counterpart on Xbox, that was so widely received, it was released for the PC, with all-new content and super-crisp graphics. In an already congested genre, this game manages to keep its head above water, with great shooting physics, and some pretty sweet sneak attacks. The feeling of "kill or be killed" comes across beautifully, adding that nice adrenaline rush when massacring the masses in the dark. –CS
HALF LIFE 2-VALVE (SIERRA INTERACTIVE-PC)
If you are a fan of the FPS (first person shooter) genre, you know the name Valve. They released the most played game of 1998, Half-Life. Following the same storyline, Half-Life 2 steps it up a notch. New-and-improved physics, where objects possess real-life textures, weights, and interactivity options, and well-thought-out AI, has the enemy flanking, retreating, and actually using objects they find to thwart your progress. In 12 Chapters of deeply immersive content, rich, fully textured graphics, and amazing new sound have this game living up to its long-awaited release. So suit up, grab your crowbar, and bust some heads! –CS
 Gretzky NHL 2005
(SONY COMPUTER & ENTERTAINMENT-PS2)
With the current players' strike, and the juniors' tournament finished, hardcore hockey fans are hurting for a little ice-time on the TV. And 989 Studios has been producing sports titles for years-but will the latest instalment of Gretzky's NHL fill our hockey void? The graphics engine seems borrowed from hockey-games-past, with stiff, standard one-button controls, and sometimes useless AI players. Though there are some great highpoints to the game, the scores typically end up high, keeping the games moving at a fast pace, and manual shot aim allows you to pick top-corner when putting some mustard on that shot. –TM
 Katamari Damcy Sony Video
Okay, this game is so simple and weird in a Japanese way that everyone must own a copy. From what I can gather, the story goes that some god or deity has lost or maybe destroyed the stars. You, as his son/daughter/servant/whatever, must help make new stars for the sky. To do this, you simply start rolling a ball like a snowman through a 3D-environment. Except this ball picks up small objects. As the ball gets bigger, you pick up larger objects, like people and penguins. Finally, when it's really big you can roll up buildings and bridges. Once it's big enough, the god/deity dude scoops it up and makes a star out of it. There are no bad guys and the only control you use is one of the analog joysticks for game play. That's it. -SA
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