PlayStation

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.

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

Upon close inspection of Shadow Man, I see a game that has a lot going for it. It is based on a dark and moody comic book and Acclaim has succeeded in bringing all of that into the game uncensored (anyone familiar Nintendo's censorship record can appreciate this as a huge accomplishment). To their credit, Acclaim pushed for and got a mature rating on this game. And after playing for only a short while, it is obvious that the rating is well deserved: Acclaim didn't hold back the adult content.

Game Description: In this third-person action-adventure with multiple views and player-controlled camera capabilities, a voodoo priestess has planted a spiritual mask in the chest of hit man Mike Le Roi. Imbued with the mystical powers of a voodoo warrior, he becomes Shadowman. Armed with conventional and black magic weapons, he walks between worlds to wage war against a cabal of undead serial killers and their legions of otherworldly psychos. The arsenal of awesome and varied flesh-wasting weapons includes the .50 Desert Eagle, the Violator, the Shadowgun, the Flambeau, the Calabash, the Asson, and many more.

Through its splendid graphics, ominous audio, and its well-scripted and well-acted dialogue, Shadow Man delivers a package that's respectable to the over 18 age group (but not by much). There's still plenty of bloodletting and overt cussing, but the majority of it is done within the creative context of the game and doesn't feel overly abused or cheaply implemented.

Game Description: More than a simple wrestling game, WWF Attitude puts you in control of the World Wrestling Federation. Over 40 wrestlers are at your command, including The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, D-Generation X, and Triple H. Fans of the WWF will recognize all the familiar match formats, everything from one-on-one, two-on-one, or three-on-one, to Royal Rumble, Tag Team, or Stable Match. You can even stage your own "pay-per-view" event. And for manager wannabes, there is a fun create-your-own-wrestler feature which lets you build and send your very own seven-foot , 450-pound giant dressed up in a black bikini out onto the mat.

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