PS2

Man, I really wanted to like this title. The minute I loaded the disc, I marveled at the stunningly clear introduction movie and drooled over the countless customizations for Armored Cores. I was even impressed by the mock e-mail system used to give characters life and progress story details. Suffice it say, the game had me the second I hit the start button.

Game Description: From the creators of the original Armored Core franchise on the PlayStation comes Armored Core 2 for the PlayStation 2. Featuring amazing graphics and tried-and-true gameplay, the first official sequel to the mission-based robot battler is a must own for long-time fans of the series and newbies alike. Each mech included in the game is completely customizable even their paint jobs can be toyed with. Grab a friend and enjoy Armored Core 2, the definitive robot fighter for the PlayStation 2.

So there's a bit of irony that with Tekken Tag Tournament, the series that was once a trendsetter is now reduced to one of the also-rans. Why does the game take a fall from grace? There's nothing inherently wrong with Tekken Tag. Simply chalk it up to the lack of notable evolutionary advances in the face of high-quality competitors.

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence

About six months before the release of the original PlayStation, I was fortunate enough to attend a small CES (Consumer Electronics Show) near my home. After waiting in line for nearly an hour, I rushed inside in hopes of getting my hands on a demo unit for this crazy, unknown new game system put out by Sony of all companies. My first experience on the PlayStation was Battle Arena Toshinden, and regardless of what people may say about it now, at the time it was stunning. Still reeling from the mind-blowing experience at the show about a month afterwards, I ran into an arcade machine for the original Tekken.

Game Description: Forget the fancy full-motion video intros of the past. The cutting-edge gameplay that is promised in the extended intros of fighting games is finally realized in Tekken Tag Tournament. This visually stunning action game contains fully rendered 3D characters that can execute smoothly animated martial arts moves. With polygonal characters and texture maps this real, you'll end up looking for the coin slot on your PS2. With more than 30 characters to fight against or beside, this game allows you to pull off the ultimate human combo: tag-team fighting.

Yu Suzuki and his development team, AM2, all purported driving fanatics, set out to create one of the most realistic racing experiences ever made while staying true to the idiosyncrasies of the F355 itself. The result is a driving simulation that is as close to the real task of driving the Italian sports car as many of us will ever get.

Of all of the countless racing games that have been released over the last few years, only a small few have managed to be true pioneers in what is possibly the most over-saturated genre in video games.

Game Description: The latest—and undoubtedly strangest—in a line of virtual-pet games, Seaman will have you mothering (or fathering) the most surreal creature yet to grace the Dreamcast: a fish, known as Seaman, with a human face. Drop some Seaman eggs into your virtual aquarium and watch them hatch into larvae, then baby Seamen (no giggling please), and eventually into adults. In order to raise happy, fulfilled Seamen, you'll need to do more than just feed them and regulate their water temperature and oxygen levels—like most pets, they need your regular attention. You interact with the little guys as a disembodied hand that can tap on the glass of their aquarium, tickle them (they love that), and drop things into their tank. Seaman also comes with a microphone; you can talk to your critters. Voice-recognition software built into the game will enable your tiny mermen to learn your voice and, in time, hold conversations with you. In fact, these Seamen are notoriously moody and may even make fun of you at times. If you neglect them, they will definitely let you know!