To anyone whos played Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64 (DK64) can give you a serious case of déjà vu. First off, the two games look strikingly similar. In some instances, it looks like worlds were plucked right out of Banjo-Kazooie and pasted into DK64. The textures and colors of the landscapes, although a bit more detailed and abundant, seem familiar and barely changed.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Animated Violence

I have to admit that after trying my hand at the demo of the original Rainbow Six on the PC, I was so overwhelmed by the strategy and planning that went into it that I never gave the game much of a chance. Having played Rainbow Six for the Nintendo 64, I realize now that that was a huge mistake. Granted as Chi said, the game is more simplified, this is a good thing in my book because the controls were a lot more approachable and the planning phase didnt feel like homework.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Blood & Gore, Animated Violence

Maybe it was the way the Wu-Tang Clan pushed the game onto publishers that got Activisions attention, maybe the passion they had for the game just came through and Activision jumped at the chance. Maybe Activision and Paradox came across some data that showed some sort of connection between rap fans and martial arts. Or maybe Activision just needed a reason (any reason) to use the Thrill Kill engine and found that this game was it. Whatever the reason, Shaolin Style ultimately comes off as a gimmick game.

Shaolin Style surprised me again after spending several minutes practicing with a few of the characters in the training mode. I immediately noticed the amount of depth and complexity that went into the vicious over-the-top attacks. It's clear that the developers put forth a solid effort in conceptualizing a wide variety of attacks for the multitude of characters in the game.

It must not have been sitting well with LucasArts to see a game franchise that was once credited for spawning Lara Croft being thoroughly surpassed by her. I'm sure the developers went to work on Infernal Machine with the goal of unseating Ms. Croft from her throne. Unfortunately, it could also be possible that like every other developer in the world these days, they looked at the success of Tomb Raider and decided if they locked themselves in a room with Tomb Raider I, they could make a clone and watch the money roll in.

Are all the games, calendars, magazine covers, memory cards, toys, and craptacular wares bearing her buxom figure finally wearing thin on the public? Apparently so, because before the fourth game featuring her, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation has yet to even hit store shelves, skeptical media and fans alike have already expressed tepid reactions.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Blood, Animated Violence