Atari UK LTD Panzer Dragoon Orta X-Box Games

Moving on from the cars of Driver and Driver 2, Driver 3--like Vice City--allows you to get behind the wheel of any vehicle in the game, with larger trucks and boats added for good measure. Sadly, though, the game will not feature any licensed vehicles. Providing more than the single cities featured in other games, Driver 3 is set in Miami, Nice and Istanbul, with huge areas of each carefully recreated. Each city will weigh in with around 30 square miles of roads, plus interiors to explore, so it's going to take you a long time to see everything the game has to offer.

The game itself is, somewhat predictably, a third-person shoot-'em-up not at all dissimilar to a more balletic version of Max Payne. It's somewhat surprising though, for such a high-profile game, to find the graphics are actually a little below par and the controls somewhat clunky, but generally it all looks and plays pretty well with all the classic Matrix-style slow-motion acrobatics relatively easy to pull off.

Easily the best bits of the game are the on-foot chase sequences, usually involving agents, which are actually rather tense and a great way to show off all the running and leaping powers you've mastered in the rest of the game. The worst bits are the car chases, especially if you play as Niobe and have to put up with the terrible car handling, instead of just hanging out the window and shooting as Ghost. Still, this is a decent game overall which, although unlikely to win any awards in itself, is sure to please most Matrix fans. --David Jenkins

The game itself is, somewhat predictably, a third-person shoot-'em-up not at all dissimilar to a more balletic version of Max Payne. It's somewhat surprising though, for such a high-profile game, to find the graphics are actually a little below par and the controls somewhat clunky, but generally it all looks and plays pretty well with all the classic Matrix-style slow-motion acrobatics relatively easy to pull off.

Easily the best bits of the game are the on-foot chase sequences, usually involving agents, which are actually rather tense and a great way to show off all the running and leaping powers you've mastered in the rest of the game. The worst bits are the car chases, especially if you play as Niobe and have to put up with the terrible car handling, instead of just hanging out the window and shooting as Ghost. Still, this is a decent game overall which, although unlikely to win any awards in itself, is sure to please most Matrix fans. --David Jenkins

Like NFL 2K3, NBA 2K3 is presented in the patented ESPN style. The game has all the sights and sounds of the NBA: the pomp and circumstance of pre-game introductions, accurate arena re-creations, realistic player animations and sizes, and fluid dribbling and shooting (including crossover moves and the ability to change shot direction in midair). All of this is accentuated with special touches such as alley-oops, tipped shots, the ability to make passes on the fly, fierce rebounding battles under the basket, and the added drama and excitement of the ball bouncing off the rim before it either falls in or goes awry.

NBA 2K3 offers a host of moves and modes on either side of the ball, with 25 offensive and 10 defensive plays from which to choose. Throw in fully customizable strategy options--everything from player clutch factor to computer shot tendencies, plus all types of shot percentages and fouls--and it's easy to create the ideal matchup and game environment. The limitless roster manager feature also ensures that league and franchise modes will keep from getting stale.

Street mode offers a break from the grind of NBA play, allowing you to go two-on-two or all the way up to five-on-five in nine playgrounds and gyms. Pick your favourite players from current teams or choose greats from the 50s through the 80s and go at it as the Ballers vs the Ringers. Street even features requisite trash talk such as "Yeah! You like that?" and grunts backed with "Get some!" --Larry White

Thanks to its smarter-than-average artificial intelligence, NFL 2K3 sports a somewhat steep learning curve that requires sound football simulation instincts. Knowing your team's strengths and weaknesses will ultimately be a big help if you hope to win at advanced levels. Be prepared to mix up your play calling and make adjustments instead of thinking the same old reliable plays will get the job done. Of course, practice mode is always there if you need to work the kinks out of your game plan and master the multitude of offensive and defensive sets at your disposal.

Graphically, sports games don't come much better looking than NFL 2K3. Among the highlights: player animations are amazingly realistic and lifelike, and a wide array of facial emotions appear that are relative to game scenarios; stadiums are painstakingly recreated to take on almost postcard-like feel; and replays access a wide variety of angles to put you right on the field or in the stands.

One area in which NFL 2K3 easily aces Madden is its game commentary. As part of the game's ESPN broadcast presentation, announcers Dan Stevens and Peter O'Keefe call every bit of the action in varied detail. Their comments are far removed from stale Maddenisms, offering worthwhile play breakdowns, player assessments, and quips that don't make you wince in disgust (at least not too often). Stevens and O'Keefe, along with the crowd, will let you hear about it when you bite it on the field. --Larry White

Like most of Sega's recent sports releases, NHL 2K3 hangs its hat on stellar gameplay and sweet graphics. Little, if anything, is overlooked: players move and react much like their real-life counterparts--goalies are especially acrobatic; the puck seamlessly glides, flips and bounces around the rink and off the posts and goalie's pads; players can be pinned to the boards during a scramble for the puck; missed shots are covered up by a diving goalie or slapped in off ensuing rebounds; arenas are painstakingly re-created and feature music and sounds specific to each. Off the ice, there's plenty of strategy and options to tinker with. NHL 2K3 boasts over 30 sliders to alter effects ranging from ice friction to referee collisions. And, of course, there's the franchise mode that allows up to 250 years of dynasty building. --Larry White

While its core gameplay is the very definition of old school, Panzer Dragon: Orta is much more than a shooter on rails. The dragon that Orta rides can shift into three forms: light, medium, and heavy. Success depends on a player's ability to quickly shift between forms in order to take advantage of each form's particular abilities. The medium form is most useful in the most situations. The light form is fast and manoeuvrable, ideal for quickly shooting down swarms of projectiles or attaining a favourable tactical position. The heavy form presents a slow, big target, but sports the most damaging weapons in the game. The shapeshifing aspect adds depth to the game, especially considering that each form can be upgraded with powerups and enables a unique special ability.

Clever shifting strategy and a sharpshooter's eye earn a player much more than victory and powerups. Skilled players are rewarded with extras such as passages of Panzer Dragoon fiction, concept sketches, additional playable characters, extra missions, and even the original Panzer Dragoon game from 1995. The goodies celebrate the rich history of the Panzer Dragoon series, and fill in the background of the game's unfolding story.

Disappointingly, the genuinely interesting story is told through subtitles instead of spoken English. Subtitles would be fine for slow sections or non-interactive cutscenes, but Orta's text is displayed during pitched battles. The frantic pace and constant action demand the player's full attention; it's difficult to spare the time to read text when you're desperately gunning down 20 incoming missiles while dodging around a cliff wall and trying to draw a bead on a flying battleship's weak point. In other words: the game is so good, you shouldn't be forced to take your eyes off the action for even a second.

Challenging, rewarding, and beautiful, Panzer Dragoon: Orta stands with Halo as one of the "must-have" Xbox games. --Mike Fehlauer