Civilization IV: Warlords 3 stars

The expansion "Civilization IV: Warlords" adds various tweaks and improvements to the game. And like any good expansion, it doesn't try to fix what isn't broken. What it does do is add a new emphasis on warfare with the new Great General unit, produced as a player's forces fight against the enemy. The Warlords aren't all that's new. Players can now become or take nations as vassals, there are several new civilizations and corresponding leaders, and old leaders' traits have been reworked. A handful of new units, Wonders, and other stuff help round out the package. And there's an extensive new set of custom scenarios in which a player re-creates a historical event -- Alexander the Great's campaigns, for example.

PUBLISHER: 2K Games
SYSTEM: PC
PRICE: $29.99
AGE RATING: 10-plus

Ninety-Nine Nights 2 stars

From the makers of the "Kingdom Under Fire" series comes this inferior take on the formula. On the surface it seems similar to the "Kingdom" games: Players take on the role of several one-man or one-woman armies as they lead troops in battle against hordes of foes.

The game looks great, but it's shallow. It has virtually none of the strategy elements of the "Kingdom" titles, stripping down troop commands to follow, wait, attack and defend. There's also none of the other series' online play, a real shame. The graphics and special effects are quite impressive, but the action's brainless and monotonous.

PUBLISHER: Microsoft
SYSTEM: Microsoft Xbox 360
PRICE: $49.99
AGE RATING: Mature

Tales of Phantasia 3 1/2 stars

Namco's "Tales" series of role-playing games gives its players a more active hand in battling than most RPGs do, a trait that began with the first game in the series. Now out for the GBA, "Tales of Phantasia" is a trip back to the mid-'90s that looks decent and plays pretty well, even if it does seem sluggish nowadays. Players can take direct control of a young warrior named Cress, guiding him on the battlefield and controlling his attacks in an action-game manner. His cohorts are controlled by the computer and their behavior is guided by player-chosen preferences.

PUBLISHER: Namco
SYSTEM: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
PRICE: $34.99
AGE RATING: 10-plus

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 3 stars

This PC version of the popular Xbox 360 game is played as a first-person shooter rather than the 360's default third-person perspective, the levels are larger and laid out differently, and the map screen can be used to issue detailed orders to the player's squad of soldiers.

But the game is still about squad tactics and precise, careful gunplay -- the player's character and squad can only take a hit or two before falling, no matter how advanced their gear.

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft
SYSTEM: PC
PRICE: $49.99
AGE RATING: Mature