Graphically, it's a bit of a letdown, especially the anemic explosions. Up high, everything is picture perfect, and the plane models are gorgeous, but close to the ground the terrain melts into a pixilated mess. This is offset somewhat by the inclusion of dense urban areas and twisting canyons that are thrilling to fly through. All things considered, Shattered Skies is the best mix of simulation and arcade action ever burned onto a disc. -T. Byrl Baker Pros: Photorealistic terrain (at least when viewed from high altitude) Nonstop action backed by an engaging story Intense dogfights, sometimes invo Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies is as close as console owners can come to owning a PC-class simulator. It still has the arcade sensibilities of previous entries in this popular series, but the graphics, number of planes (all with different flight characteristics), and story line kick this dogfighting experience into full afterburner. Things don't start out too well. Early in the game you're saddled with what amounts to a flying brick, and are forced to fly a few boring mud-moving missions. Stick with it, though. By the end of the game, you'll have earned enough money to buy a hangar full of incredible aircraft, each with special weapons, capabilities, and shortcomings. The F-14, for example, has a slow roll rate but can engage multiple targets at long range. The A-10 is horrible in a dogfight, but is devastating down low. You'll need to familiarize yourself with all the planes, as picking the right plane for the job always spells the difference between success and failure in the later missions. The game is nearly perfect in the audio department, with booming engine noises (taken from recordings of the planes' real-life counterparts) and constant radio chatter during missions. Graphically, it's a bit of a letdown, especially the anemic explosions. Up high, everything is picture perfect, and the plane models are gorgeous, but close to the ground the terrain melts into a pixilated mess. This is offset somewhat by the inclusion of dense urban areas and twisting canyons that are thrilling to fly through. All things considered, Shattered Skies is the best mix of simulation and arcade action ever burned onto a disc. -T. Byrl Baker Pros: Photorealistic terrain (at least when viewed from high altitude) Nonstop action backed by an engaging story Intense dogfights, sometimes involving dozens of planes Cons: Scripted mission design doesn't give players much freedom Pathetic explosions Terrain that loses detail when viewed from a low altitude This game offers intense aerial action in a futuristic setting. After an asteroid strikes Earth, surviving nations battle to maintain their power. You are a pilot with ISAF (Independent States Allied Force) who lost your parents to the war. With the ISAF pinned back, it is up to you to turn the tide of battle. For our ace pilot, though, the conflict is more personal than professional, as you seek vengeance for the death of your family, especially from the pilot who led the sortie that killed your parents.

You play as Carl Johnson, known on the street as CJ. This is an honest effort to create an engaging story about sympathetic characters caught up in a brutal environment that is on par with a movie or novel. Gaming Gangsters Where Vice City took its cues, with tongue firmly in cheek, from the 1980s television series Miami Vice, San Andreas is a sincere homage to early 1990s innercity gangster films like Menace 2 Society and Boyz ‘N the Hood. This is an honest effort to create an engaging story about sympathetic characters caught up in a brutal environment that is on par with a movie or novel. If that effort hits a few flat notes (you would have to be totally desensitized not to wonder if it's OK to make entertainment out of driveby shootings), it may also mark the first step toward video games growing up. The first thing that fans of earlier GTA games will notice is the range of action is much wider now: Along with shooting, running, and driving, there's now swimming, eating, working out, shopping, and, yes, getting a haircut. All this means the game has a fairly steep learning curve. But, though the pick-up-and-play appeal of Grand Theft Auto III may be long gone, your access to the action becomes fairly transparent after a little practice. My only serious complaint is that, with the controller now crowded with such previously unheard-of functions like "Gang Active" and "Talk Positive," you can drive only with the left analog stick. A minor point, but it makes cars a lot more difficult to handle. Bicycles take on a surprisingly central role. Vehicular Variety It would be hard to surpass the variety of automobiles available in earlier games, and San Andreas wisely does not for the most part try to compete on that score. Instead, it's bicycles of all things that steal the show. The bikes' speed and flexibility are perfect for many of the missions, and there is something about cruising through the streets and basketball courts on a BMX that just feels right. If you play far enough into the game, you will also be rewarded with the chance to fly a number of aircraft, and flying is something Rockstar makes a greater effort to get right this time (welcome news for anyone who struggled with the planes and ‘copters of the earlier games). Lackluster Graphics-but a Real Feel Graphics-never a huge priority for Rockstar-actually take a step backward from the luscious, tropical look of Vice City. Textures are rendered with only a cursory attention to detail, and contours are often blocky. It scarcely matters, though, because no matter how San Andreas looks, it feels real. This is due in no small part to voice work by an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Ice T, James Woods, Peter Fonda, and Outkast's Big Boy and a stellar soundtrack with tunes by Soundgarden, 2Pac, Public Enemy, and even a few country classics from the likes of Willie Nelson. But it's not just realistic, San Andreas is also vast, encompassing three big urban centers and huge swaths of rural land (complete with shotgun-toting farmers) between them. This vastness does mean, however, that there can be a lot of tedious driving to get to the missions, which, along with some awkward sequencing of the cut scenes (they are in places stacked one on top of the other), means that there is a bit too much downtime. But never mind the quibbles. Ladies and gentlemen, we have another classic on our hands. -David Stoesz Pros: Astonishingly vast game space Vivid character development Complex, engaging plot Enormous range of available actions Cons: Occasionally awkward game design You can no longer steer cars with the directional buttons Steep learning curve What's Your Strategy? Get mission strategies and detailed maps to achieve every objective with the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Official Strategy Guide.

The controls are justifiably complex, but adjusting to them is not difficult. You see your sims from an overhead perspective that you can both rotate and zoom. You direct their actions by moving a line cursor to where you want them to go or to what object or person with which you want them to interact. The game is surprisingly funny. Neglect your sims and they'll shout and wave their arms to get your attention. Allow one's energy to get too low and he or she will likely collapse and sleep right where they were standing. When that happens, Mom is likely to serve them dinner on the floor. Gamers may find that it takes a while to get the hang of The Sims' style and control scheme. Stick with it and you may find real time fast-forwarding by. -Porter B. Hall Pros: Interesting, open-ended gameplay Lots of quirky humor Two-player split-screen option Cons: Can be frustrating for those unfamiliar with strategy games Controls take some getting used to Long save times.