It's pretty good as a game that casual players can fly through on the easiest difficulty setting, and its production values are as good as you'll find on the market. But it doesn't hold up as well for those looking for a story or a challenge. It's a fun evening, basically.

Many new buildings (and new gameplay modes) are already available in free patches, so if you're not interested in Destinations' vacationing layer (which, to be fair, adds another honest-to-goodness challenge to the game), you don't really need to drop another 30 bucks -- unless you really, really missed that monster-attack disaster.

It's an acceptable rendition of a time-tested classic -- a little too complex to stand beside its classic inspiration, a little too primitive to stand up to contemporary releases, but still decent.

Wanton destruction is still a lot of fun -- I just hope that future installments innovate instead of sticking squarely to the foundations set by the original game. And please, next time around, give us multiplayer that feels like more than an afterthought.

I want to like Flashpoint 2, but instead, I just feel like the game is telling me: "war is hell, sorry."

It does a lot of things right (great looking graphics, fun multiplayer, and quality voice work), but it's constantly held back by unfortunate design decisions that replace satisfaction with frustration.

The concept is quite good, but the problem is that...well, that's it. Once you've mastered the tricks, the monotony of routine sets in. Your Sim barely requires any care.

Shadows is halfway there. I experienced plenty of cool "Spider-Man" moments throughout thanks to the basic locomotion and combat and the occasional well-done cut-scene...but Shadows never really hits any sort of stride. Rather, it settles into a rhythm of repetition and drags out as its third act self-destructs.

If you've loved the Warriors games in the past, then I wholeheartedly recommend Warriors Orochi. It has all the hack-n-slash action that fans of the series want, with the add convenience of portability.

Ultimately, Secret Agent Clank just feels disjointed. Whereas developer High Impact Games' previous PSP effort, "Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters," played it safe with overly familiar levels and mechanics, this Clank spin-off squeezes a hodgepodge of half-baked concepts into the basic framework of a proper Ratchet & Clank game.

If nothing else, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is an apt representation of what you'd expect from a Transformers movie: a disposable, explosion-laden piece of mindless entertainment featuring robots beating the crap out of each other.

So while I'm excited about the changes to the formula for Galactrix, the downsides aren't sorted out nearly as well as I'd hoped, making this huge bundle of gameplay seem more like a chore than a boon.

Presentation isn't everything, so Hammerin' Hero's flaws and frustration take away from Irem's admirable effort in putting a fresh coat of paint on an old form of action game. Though even that can be detrimental, as those who expect something fairly easy to get into -- on the level of a classic Mario game -- should take note that underneath, this is some devious arcade-borne action.

If the developer had tried to keep anything from Silent Hill, they should have ditched the faux plot relationship to past games and gone after what makes Silent Hill truly unique: the psychological scares.

At 1,200 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live and $15 on PSN, Madden Arcade simply isn't the bargain of the $10 NHL Arcade. While it's $5 more, the experience isn't appreciably better -- in fact, I'd peg it as slightly worse.

It's by no means awful, as it's smartly-designed for what it is, but it asks for a certain amount of dedication that those who don't have an affinity for early '80s arcade hits may not have.

A pretty face only goes so far when there's no soul beneath the surface, and Shake It! is as hollow as they come.

A title that isn't all that great and doesn't make a hell of lot of sense.

While casting adorable MySims in a kid-friendly, superspy adventure is an idea filled with potential, the game suffers from the one thing a superspy shouldn't have to endure -- boring and repetitive cases.

It was only a matter of time until the PSP caught microgame madness, and while it's fun in bursts, it's also derivative and disappointingly insincere.

A really disappointing (but, as mentioned at the start of this review, inevitably still entertaining) Wii debut for the series. Perhaps the next game will truly take advantage of the Wii controls through and through.

The combat is engaging, the controls can be mapped however you like, and the load times could be worse. But the minigame additions to this version aren't nearly enough to justify a PSP port.

Gameplay aside, in a lighthearted adventure like this, the biggest crime is not being consistently funny...an offense of which Harvey Birdman is regrettably guilty.

The minimal presentation, weak interface and comparatively paltry selection of titles hardly seems worthy of a golden anniversary.

A kinder control and save system would've been nice, but as is, Gladiator will test the limits of your gaming patience.

Conan isn't really a horrible game. There are moments when all the flaws fade away and you'll experience a great animation that slows down at just the right times and chops off just the right heads and you'll start to think that the game is actually pretty fun, but it's all extremely straightforward and lacking a lot of polish.

In the end, it's a definite thumb-basher, and not necessarily the worst game of its kind. It's just that the pedigree of the developer's past works suggests that NanoBreaker would turn out much better than it did, and that's a disappointment.

If you're hoping for something with the depth and substance of a true sequel to the likes of Ape Escape, the discovery that you're getting a party game is a bit of a letdown. It's like working up an appetite for a deluxe pizza and being given a plateful of "Bagel Bites" instead.

If you can round up three of your buddies who are ready to get their bumper car on, then you'll find more than your money's worth with Big Bumpin', and only that way. The drop-off from multiplayer to single player is vast.

Gameplay aside, in a lighthearted adventure like this, the biggest crime is not being consistently funny...an offense of which Harvey Birdman is regrettably guilty.

We found ourselves having some good beat-em-up fun, even if we found a way to exploit [its] game mechanics. But [the] storyline felt like it was thrown together in a few minutes, not really giving us much reason to want to go on. Maybe it would have been better being based on the movie, after all.

It looks great on paper, but in execution it just isn't enough.

It's unpolished, unfocused, and proves nothing more than the now undeniable fact that the series needs a serious makeover and a lengthy vacation.

Sadly, Gretzky NHL doesn't move at the smooth clip of other more impressive PSP games. Shots don't fly off the blade of your stick at the precise moments, and you find yourself doing circles like a figure skater trying to collect loose pucks.

Touch Detective's greatest failing -- winning is rarely a rewarding experience.

Conan isn't really a horrible game. There are moments when all the flaws fade away and you'll experience a great animation that slows down at just the right times and chops off just the right heads and you'll start to think that the game is actually pretty fun, but it's all extremely straightforward and lacking a lot of polish.

The controls -- namely character acceleration -- feel awkward and counterintuitive, as you're forced to hold forward on the left stick to accelerate while also trying to steer your character. The tracks are a mishmash of right angle turns and jumps that sometimes lead you down random paths, necessitating several playthroughs of each just find your way around the track.

It has lots of small pluses, but not enough of it feels new or captivating. Far too short on thrills, Okayville just needs more pizzazz.

Half-way through most boss battles, the game presents the option of executing a 'finishing move' that will remove the rest of the enemy's health in one fell swoop. Deceptively, this maneuver is initiated by pressing a single button -- except it doesn't work most of the time.

The minimal presentation, weak interface and comparatively paltry selection of titles hardly seems worthy of a golden anniversary.

Aside from the dynamic object interaction and music, the graphics and gameplay made me feel like I was back in high school, playing Resident Evil 2 after doing my homework. But that was then, and this is now, and Obscure just doesn't make the grade.

The biggest drawback to Wings isn't the slightly gimmicky way in which Square Enix basically doubled the size of the game world overnight (by repurposing the existing world and making it older), but in how the retail game shipped with precious little game intact.

The biggest drawback to Wings isn't the slightly gimmicky way in which Square Enix basically doubled the size of the game world overnight (by repurposing the existing world and making it older), but in how the retail game shipped with precious little game intact.

The absence of the thumb stick perhaps dampens game play the most. Like we saw with "Mario DS," 3D platformers are heavily reliant on analog control, and the DS touch screen makes for a very poor analog stick indeed.

About the only thing going for Kuon is the fact that it doesn't have "Resident Evil's" character-relative controls (but then, neither will "RE4"). That, and the story is actually pretty interesting... well, at least I think it is, anyway.

Metal Slug's simply impossible at times, and the brief joy of rescuing all of the POWs and reaping their particular rewards turns out to be short-lived; you'll rarely register the bonus that comes with rescuing them and then defeating the boss that stands between you and level's end.

When you think "Final Fantasy Tactics clone," your mind probably sees something like Disgaea: Hour of Darkness: a competent facsimile of the formula that stands on its own. But with Luminous Arc, you get the most similar, least-polished alternative yet.

Aside from the dynamic object interaction and music, the graphics and gameplay made me feel like I was back in high school, playing "Resident Evil 2" after doing my homework. But that was then, and this is now, and Obscure just doesn't make the grade.

By and large it reeks of wasted potential and a general sense of trying too hard. If you're really hard up for a pinball fix, it's certainly a lot more budget-friendly than tracking down an actual machine.

The minimal presentation, weak interface and comparatively paltry selection of titles hardly seems worthy of a golden anniversary. These games may be classics, but Namco's really pushing its luck here.

It's madness to think that Climax can excuse Sudeki's awful storyline and blasé characters with some interesting stabs at combat, when there are so many competing RPGs that offer quality in every respect rather than just one or two.

The car never really feels grounded, but rather appears to float at a high rate of speed. It doesn't take much more than too much gas and too sharp a turn to start spinning, adding unnecessary aggravation to some of the longer missions.

Racing games have come so far since 1991 -- even on GBA -- I simply can't muster up an ounce of enthusiasm for such an archaic creation, regardless of how nicely it's been polished up. There's no question that GP Legend is well-crafted, but it's intensely boring.

I couldn't bring myself to dislike this game, and even had more fun with it than certain other Xbox games of the recent past. And if I liked it, even a little bit, who knows if it won't be an even bigger hit with the people it was meant for?

It's got a solid, enjoyable core experience, but Hudson isn't able to deliver enough quality content for the context.

Fare Wars would be a respectable conversion of the arcade and Dreamcast classics had the developers managed to keep the speed -- and thus, the excitement -- in the game. Now Crazy Taxi just feels slow and clunky, and all the minigames and extra cities to explore in the world can't fix that.

At its basic level, Transformers on the DS is a pretty average game. But at least Vicarious Visions tried to bring something unique to the table. It's kind of lame that you have to purchase two full-priced games to experience the entire saga (each title is about four hours long), but these are still the best Transformers-movie games you're gonna find.

Architecture pops up all over the place, warriors materialize out of thin air on a regular basis, and slowdown is frequent. And the dialogue and voice acting is often laughable. This series needs some serious polish.

Rent it to scoff at the absurdities, and play through it with a friend for some fun co-op.

After a few hours, it feels like you're going through the motions instead of getting caught up in the story and characters.

Slim on modes (no online), the storyline is poppycock, and the lone minigame requires multiple controllers (while stroke play and match play don't). Still, there's plenty of good here, but for every bit of it, there's a spoonful of frustrating (sounds like real golf, doesn't it?).

A very standard beat 'em up/third-person shooter that has many of the elements you'd expect (minor upgrades between levels, slow-motion special power) and none that you wouldn't.

Aside from the dynamic object interaction and music, the graphics and gameplay made me feel like I was back in high school, playing "Resident Evil 2" after doing my homework. But that was then, and this is now, and Obscure just doesn't make the grade.

At its basic level, Transformers on the DS is a pretty average game. But at least Vicarious Visions tried to bring something unique to the table. It's kind of lame that you have to purchase two full-priced games to experience the entire saga (each title is about four hours long), but these are still the best Transformers-movie games you're gonna find.

Even though the game eventually collapses under the weight of its own complexity, I'll give the developers credit for at least trying to break the mold with presentation, style, and gameplay.

Long stretches of each stage can be severely frustrating and annoying, but when they're not, it's still pretty fun -- and getting "in the zone" to complete an especially hard part in one try is always satisfying.

The game itself is polished and, for a while, a lot of fun -- it's just that, unfortunately, there isn't that much game here.

A little Crysis here, a little Half-Life 2 there, TimeShift's patchwork construction definitely shows. What you wind up with is a standard shooter where you blast away until things go sideways, and then it's time to mash the "easy" button.

Nervous Brickdown has style and relative variety, but it's twice the price it should be and a bit too late to the puzzle party.

It's mild, tame, and exactly what you'd expect from the genre and a title trying to capitalize off of a prominent license: more of the same. Though not broken or particularly bad, this one is clearly middle of the road material.

Given Fighter's Battle's very short single-player game (two hours at the most) and repetitive combat, it's a shame no minigames or alternate modes exist.

Outside of pushing around so many characters onscreen, which was really incredible back when the PS2 was brand-spankin'-new, the presentation in Samurai Warriors 2 leaves a lot to be desired. Architecture pops up all over the place, warriors materialize out of thin air on a regular basis, and slowdown is frequent. And the dialogue and voice acting is often laughable.

If you don't own an Xbox 360 and you're bored to death with Wii Sports' Tennis, then Table Tennis is worth a look, but the lack of any personality or features -- most notably the missing online support of its predecessor -- just doesn't give it enough gameplay to last much longer than a one-week rental.

It doesn't bring anything new to the table, and while its party games provide some casual fun, it relies far too heavily on the Viva Piñata license for the bulk of the entertainment.

A kinder control and save system would've been nice, but as is, Gladiator will test the limits of your gaming patience.

A satisfying role-playing experience, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. Hardcore players may actually lament the slight ease in difficulty and the fact that the game doesn't give them the character development freedom it really should. But as far as portable RPGs go, you could do a lot worse than Hoshigami.

No matter how badly you want to get into the game, to find the flow...the game doesn't let you. And that's too bad, because it really does look great, the multiplayer mode is basic yet competent, and there are flashes of true SSX brilliance.

If only the developers had focused on delivering a simple, fun experience rather than trying to create something far beyond their reach.

It's just addicting enough for you to stick it out for the entirety of the game, but unless you're in the mood for a stress headache you probably won't bust it out again.

Not to self: some interesting concepts and lot of technically outstanding mechanics don't make for a good title when delivered improperly.

The enemy AI tends to be pathetically stupid. Whole garrisons of enemies stand around waiting for you to attack, and when you do they simply charge your men and chaos ensues.

The Show is a solid game, but where the PS2 (and PSP) versions are inspired, the PS3 offering doesn't give the same feeling of "real" baseball. It's a no-contest this season: For the best new-gen baseball, stick with the most beautiful choice: "MLB 2K7."

It's hard to imagine Battle Chip Challenge appealing to anyone but the tiny, dedicated group of MMBN link battlers to whom it's a love letter.

Even with the flaws, The Bigs on the Wii is still fun thanks to the good implementation of the batting. The cocky presentation alone makes it hard to set down your Remote, and you simply can't swing -- really swing -- for the fences anywhere else. But the fielding and baserunning need some more work down in AAA before they're ready for the big show.

To a fan, if you can get over the fighting's sluggish pace, there's much nostalgia to be had. For the rest, this is one ghost file that best remains closed.

It's not a matter of whether it's challenging or not--the difficulty level you select at the beginning of the game determines that--it's that, despite the juicy subject matter that Stardock could have taken and run with, there's less depth here than there is in the average puddle on Pennsylvania Avenue.

There are even certain instances where you can find yourself focusing on your stealth tactics rather than struggling with the interface, and in those instances the game plays out quite well. It's just too bad those are the exception rather than the rule.

While Heroes 2 does feature some of the strongest motion controls yet (though they still lack the precision of analog) and includes a great light-gun game, it has so many issues with A.I. and multiplayer that, as an FPS, it still ends up proving more frustrating than fun.

Besides the higher-resolution visuals, you'd be hard-pressed to tell this apart from the PlayStation game that kicked off the series nearly seven years ago.

OK, so there you have it. Buy this game to learn the how the rules of the different Texas Hold'em games differ (essential if you're going to Vegas soon)...don't buy it to get better at poker... My suggestion? Liquor in the front, poker in the rear.

A very standard beat 'em up/third-person shooter that has many of the elements you'd expect (minor upgrades between levels, slow-motion special power) and none that you wouldn't.

Extreme Justice throws a lot out there and hits the mark on a few counts, but it doesn't all come together as a cohesive whole.

A very standard beat 'em up/third-person shooter that has many of the elements you'd expect (minor upgrades between levels, slow-motion special power) and none that you wouldn't.

Soldier of Fortune doesn't cross the line of being a bad game, but it hardly ever breaks the surface of mediocrity either. The visuals and sound show lots of polish, but the generic story, horrible voice acting, and cut-scenes, along with the kamikaze A.I. and boring level design, simply don't.

Long stretches of each stage can be severely frustrating and annoying, but when they're not, it's still pretty fun -- and getting "in the zone" to complete an especially hard part in one try is always satisfying.

Even when considered as an action-driven arcade game though, the awkwardness of controlling the namesake swords takes too much away from the overall enjoyment.

If you're a longtime fan or just looking to get into the show, check out the DVDs instead. Or hell, just go on the Adult Swim website and search for free clips from the show -- you're guaranteed to laugh more, and you won't have to plonk down $40, either.

It's unpolished, unfocused, and proves nothing more than the now undeniable fact that the series needs a serious makeover and a lengthy vacation.