Teen (13+)

Game Description: Virtual wrestlers are grappling with reality in WCW Mayhem, a true-to-life wrestling game featuring a roster of 60 World Championship Wrestling celebrities, over 600 motion-captured moves, and re-creations of the arenas from the WCW television events, including a dozen pay-per-view super events. In his signature, over-the-top style, each wrestler enters one of 15 different arenas featured in the WCW series. But unlike other wrestling games, fighting in the ring is just a formality. WCW Mayhem wrestlers are free to take the action ringside or backstage, where a variety of tools of the trade--folding chairs, tables, and other smashable objects--are within reach. In career mode, players slam their way toward the championship. Other game options include single match, tag team, triangle, four-way dance, and battle royal.

Just as unlikely as it is for Stone Cold fans to embrace Goldberg, Mayhem isn't going to make converts out of WWF fans. Attitude will still remain their swan song as well as the overall genre leader. But for rabid WCW fans looking for fresh pixels to pummel with a steel chair, Mayhem should more than suffice.

For all its depth, though, I quickly discovered that I had little control of the game after the early part of it. No matter what I did or what kind of responses I gave [to the non-player characters (NPCs)], the story progressed regardless of that. It has been a running trend with Sakaguchi since Final Fantasy III (FF3) that furthering the plot takes precedence over player involvement.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes

Game Description: A revolutionary new Battle System has been created to add more customization to your characters by way of the Junction System. The latest features such as Dolby Surround Sound, Pocket Station compatibility and CG movie integration have also been incorporated into this masterpiece, making this title a showcase in technological game advancements.

In a word: "overrated." Alongside games like Tomb Raider and Resident Evil, Final Fantasy VIII (FF8) will go down in my book as one of the most overrated games of all-time. I'm convinced that if this role-playing game (RPG) did not bear the Final Fantasy moniker, it would have been universally panned as a poorly written obnoxious piece of CG fluff by the public and press alike.

The developers, KCEO, obviously set their sights high for this game. One look at the cinematic intro for the game and this point becomes apparent. Its length and use of voice-acting is initially very impressive for a cart-based game, but upon further inspection, it becomes a metaphor for the rest of the game and is ultimately what's wrong with Hybrid Heaven.

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

Game Description: Classic gameplay genres combine to create a whole new animal in Hybrid Heaven. You’ll take to the underground tunnels of a dark and dangerous New York City in this action-packed, role-playing, hard fighting, puzzle-solving adventure for your N64. Blast sci-fi bots and strange creatures with your defuser gun, find hidden clues, and battle hand-to-hand with enemy thugs. You can also learn new combat moves and level up your character Diaz, in the gritty, mysterious missions of Hybrid Heaven.

Hybrid Heaven doesn't have terrific graphics (which Dale described as 'bland') and it doesn't have a great control scheme either. But it does have an excellent storyline (unfolded through some of the best cut-scenes to grace the N64), emotionally complex characters and some interesting ideas towards gameplay.