Play to win

The Fast and the Furious
PS2
Namco Bandai Games America

The Good
Good variety of licensed cars, aftermarket parts; it says “the fast and the furious” right on the box.
The Bad
Limited number of race types; tracks get repetitive quickly; inconsistent frame rate; early races can be easily exploited to kill any semblance of challenge. 
The Verdict
Aside from the name, this street racer has little to distinguish itself from an already crowded field.

Caesar IV
PC
Vivendi Games

The Good
You can easily get lost in building a complex and thriving Roman city; cities feel alive with the hustle and bustle of everyday life; lots and lots of content to go through, and you can also download user-made scenarios.
The Bad
Economy is a bit wonky and requires constant management to keep things going; building restrictions for walls and other defences can be painful; be prepared for long load times and stability issues, and the game can be a system hog.     
The Verdict
After an eight-year absence, the Caesar series returns with a slightly flawed but very engrossing game about ancient city building.

MotoGP
PSP
SCEE

The Good
Sharp, detailed graphics with authentically rendered tracks, riders, and bikes; adjustable handling settings let you play the game as both an arcade- and sim-style racer.
The Bad
Small selection of tracks; mechanical artificial intelligence makes for dull racing; the bikes are a bit too slippery.   
The Verdict
MotoGP is a good technical racing game, but the small selection of tracks and rigid artificial intelligence take some of the variety and excitement out of it.

Gangs of London
PSP
SCEA

The Good
Great voice acting.
The Bad
Story missions are disconnected from one another and frequently brief; third-person shooting controls and driving controls are lousy; an insane amount of mission repetition; free-ride missions and gang-battle modes aren’t much fun; in-game graphics are bland.   
The Verdict
There’s no shortage of things to do in Gangs of London — the trouble is that none of it is much fun.