This game's brilliant A.I. on offense, the lightning-quick load times, the remarkably improved faces of Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, the new dunk competition minigame, and the removal of 24/7 mode are a load of positives that far outweigh the hang-ups.

A worthy beginning for what will surely be a long line of expansion packs.

Painkiller focuses little on AI, puzzles, or plot, and instead sets its sights squarely on appeasing the raw twitch shooter in most of us. At this, the game excels marvelously.

It's fun, inventive, cute, often hilarious, and occasionally heart-pounding -- nearly everything you expect a Wario title to be. It's just not especially challenging nor lengthy.

While 2K6 is an excellent game, it's not much different from 2K5, and EA's NHL series is rapidly gaining ground.

Even without multiplayer, Torchlight makes for a remarkably entertaining 10 to 15 hours, with plenty more custom content to come thanks to the powerful game editor TorchED, which you can download free of charge.

These games are much too late to receive any real critical raves, but the fact remains that you get a lot of game in Growlanser Generations.

With the flood of racing titles hitting the PSP right now, it'd be easy to miss Race Driver 2006. But if you're craving variety and great control in portable form, this is the game for you.

In so many ways, on many levels, Renegade Ops is one of the most refreshingly enthusiastic action games of the year.

Sure, "GTA"'s story and sense of humor were pretty infantile most of the time, but it was still damn funny and did a bang-up job of satirizing American pop culture and consumerism. In Saints Row, however, it all feels obligatory. Like it was something they just had to do, and the result is pretty lifeless.

Puzzle mode feels overly familiar, and the new Mission mode isn't actually that different than the Puzzle mode. Still, the core single-player experience is as addictive and elegant as ever, and this UMD will stay locked in your PSP for weeks to come.

Gas Powered preaches to the choir: They've improved just about everything the faithful could have prayed for -- but they're not nabbing many converts.

Drill Dozer is every bit as good as any current-gen portable title you care to name and succinctly encapsulates why the 2D platformer was so popular to begin with.

Ratchet: Deadlocked doesn't push any boundaries; it doesn't break any ground. It's not haute cuisine. But sometimes you're just in the mood for peanut butter and for that, there's nothing better -- it's a little salty, a little sweet, and tremendously satisfying.

It's Nippon Ichi's best strategy RPG, which if you've played Disgaea and/or La Pucelle ought to be enough to send you off to the store immediately.

Like any good sequel, Lego Star Wars II improves on the original in almost every way. But most importantly, it's about the good episodes now. For that reason alone, Lego Star Wars II is one of the most enjoyable games of this fall.

Freedom Unite is a huge game, and, naturally, a little intimidating. But not only are you getting the best installment of the Monster Hunter franchise so far (though Monster Hunter 3 will no doubt be just as grand), you're getting an enormous action RPG that gives you a lot in return for putting a lot in. And it can potentially keep you attached to your PSP longer than you ever thought.

I can't imagine it becoming the massive breakout hit NIS seems to be aspiring to, but it's bound to satisfy not only the Disgaea faithful, but anyone pining for an inventive take on the Mystery Dungeon formula as well.

Saint's 2's main deficiency, however, isn't the graphics, gameplay, or anything technical -- it just doesn't hold a candle to GTA's signature style. Not one character in the entire cast stands out as anything other than generic. The city, too, is an uninspired, washed-out metropolis.

Unsurprisingly, playing through this Anniversary Collection is much like listening to a ten-album Grateful Dead box set: it's very good for what it is, and some of titles included are genuine masterpieces. But taken together, the monotony is almost overwhelming.

From the very first snap, you'll notice this game runs a whole lot faster and smoother than last year's edition, thanks to the necessary bump to 60 frames per second.

The collection's frontend is clean, simple and clever without being too involved, making navigating from title to title painless and quick.

It scores big points by offering the most strategic Xbox Live experience available. Patient players willing to take the time to continually tweak and test their arsenals of skills will find themselves with a new favorite game to play online.

Graphical foibles aside, The Witcher demonstrates the growing creative energy of European game designers, who continue to take chances with ever more innovative games, even as American developers obsess over the next "Halo."

Maybe it's just the nature of an episodic series like this, but I find myself less and less interested in the actual play mechanics with each new installment, as the sometimes inane puzzle solutions and trial-and-error approach to adventuring can be tiring.

Unless you're simply determined to pay $30 for a painfully hard version of a game you've probably played countless times before in its previous incarnation, you can live without this one.

And unlike previous baseball video games MLB 2K5 moves at a nice pace.

Compelling narrative and crippled combat make Jade Empire a case of form over function -- and depending on what you want from a single-player RPG, that might be totally OK. It's short (in the 20-hour neighborhood for first-timers) and sweet; just don't let the premise trick you into expecting gameplay that isn't altogether there.

If you found Forza or Gran Turismo to be too austere, polite, and reverent, but you still crave a bit of sim-style racing, you'll surely enjoy Shift 2 Unleashed -- as long as you're willing to deal with the consequences of its lack of manners.

Arguably the greatest light-gun game ever created, and the PlayStation 2 version is the best conversion imaginable. It plays beautifully with the GunCon 2, which is thoughtfully packed in for a reasonable price.

NFL Street is definitely easy to get into. Smooth controls also make this game assessable and welcoming for those who are unfamiliar with typical football games.

An unusual, creative, and very polished game that anyone with a Nintendo DS should seriously consider purchasing. The gameplay is addictive, even if it's restrictive.

With battles few and far between, then, your enjoyment of Sakura Wars really boils down to how well you can tolerate extended anime storytelling sequences. If you're like me and find them more amusing than annoying, you'll be perfectly content.

All 13 of the game's missions are well crafted and challenging, but after four iterations of this series, I felt a need for a new challenge.

Nintendo and Intelligent Systems succeeded in making the first Fire Emblem more casual, and is an excellent choice if you either found the previous games intimidating, or have never played one. Still, those looking for a hardcore strategy game will be sorely disappointed.

Age of Empires III takes the conservative approach to the conundrum of how to craft a new experience that remains faithful to the original. While that ensures fans will immediately feel at home with an old friend, it's questionable whether it sets another standard, or merely follows its own.

The main quest is entertaining enough to justify the $9 or $10 investment (based on your platform of choice), but the new and revised bonus elements really make Strong Badia the Free a comprehensive experience.

Toy Soldiers offers enough from a gameplay perspective to justify its asking price, but its GI Joe-meets-Red Dawn setting is what makes the game truly fun to play.

It attempts a lot of ambitious things and it almost succeeds at every one. But it's apparent that these grandiose ideas may have been a little too much to master the first go-round. But hey, at least the groundwork is laid for a killer sequel -- right, Ubisoft?

It's an ingenious puzzle game that's sure to challenge and please every type of gamer and comes highly recommended from this author.

Metro 2033's A.I. is terribly stupid and there's not enough variety in the weapons; yet despite all that it's still a compelling game to play.

It might seem like this review is a long list of complaints, and it is, especially regarding the time limit. But they're an assortment of small annoyances in what's otherwise a splendid puzzle game with a minimalist approach. And the ability to create and share your own mind-bending scenes encourages some homegrown M.C. Escherism.

Unsurprisingly, playing through this Anniversary Collection is much like listening to a ten-album Grateful Dead box set: it's very good for what it is, and some of titles included are genuine masterpieces. But taken together, the monotony is almost overwhelming.

It's a bigger, better-looking adventure that moves the series forward in some surprising and substantial ways, and it remains one of the few legitimately funny games out there.

Toy Soldiers smartly sticks to its roots, paying homage to the genre that defines it. But it also manages to strike out on its own with clever ideas that other tower defense titles could learn a lesson from. The old-fashioned charm melded with action elements makes a unique experience worth the time of any strategic masters, action aficionados, or history buffs.

This game is so well designed that time after time in my playthrough I thought, "Man, wouldn't it be great if this game had X?" and then, lo and behold, X appears, like the albatross to the Ancient Mariner, except in a totally good way that doesn't cause the mass suffering and death of my shipmates. Honestly, I can't think of any reason why anyone who loves video games won't enjoy JC2.

It's nothing revolutionary. It comes from a different kind of Id, one that would rather play with existing conventions than reinvent them. Conversely, it's the same Id that puts look and feel on the same high pillar, and it's impossible to call Rage badly-composed. I just don't think it's going to be remembered as anything but a sleeper hit of the fall of 2011.

Good enough. The stronger AI is nice, though the absence of overseas trade, national evolution, and the naval aspects are noticeable. Perhaps this is the streamlined game that Empire should have been, but 40 dollars and one year later, Napoleon should be more generous than it is. As it stands, the game is a decent addition to the series, but not essential.

Your flunkies also embody Overlord's one weak point: Loosen the iron grip, and they'll stupidly drown themselves chasing after a bug...or race headlong into overwhelming odds. Maybe the boneheaded A.I. is intentional; maybe they're supposed to be feral lemmings, and the game's forcing you to slow down for tactics -- but I ain't buying it.

But because the "sport" itself is so simplistic at its core and there's not much beyond the standard exhibition and tournament modes, $29.99 would be an easier price to swallow.

Notably absent from the multiplayer options is a mode that allows you to play a multiplayer game with a single copy of the game. It's not often that you're going to get eight PSPs and eight copies of the game into the same place at once, so it's kind of odd that there's no provision for a good old-fashioned session of "pass the PSP." Shame.

This isn't a game where any session's likely to be "relaxing," but it is a game where every session's going to be rewarding.

It's unfamiliar, challenging, abstruse, and yet intensely original and fascinating.

It's a great game in the same way its predecessor -- "SSX 3" -- was a great game. It is not, however, a great game in the same way "SSX Tricky" was before that -- that is to say, it won't go on to be <I>one of the greats.</I>

The game's been completely rebuilt from the ground up, yet stays ineffably faithful to the original.

Honestly, though, that's part of the problem. Way too much of your new game feels like you're just playing it safe.

Taken as a whole -- online included -- Fireteam Bravo 2 is a notable, laudable step above its predecessor. But for those of you with no interest in playing in infrastructure mode, don't expect too much more of a good thing. It's a step up, to be sure - just not a very big one.

The ambiance and atmosphere are usually enough all by themselves to suck you in; but never quite enough to make you ignore the hundred little things that matter.

Maybe it's just the nature of an episodic series like this, but I find myself less and less interested in the actual play mechanics with each new installment, as the sometimes inane puzzle solutions and trial-and-error approach to adventuring can be tiring.

The good news is that developer Eurocom has managed to craft a new GoldenEye that, despite a few hiccups, makes a valiant effort to straddle the divide between nostalgia and a new generation of first-person shooters.

Patapon 2 melts the time away and before you know it your PSP will need some juice.

The design constraints of Nintendo's system forced the developers at Platinum Games to be creative, and they followed through on their creativity by putting together a thoroughly enjoyable brawler with just the right amount of the ultra-violence.

Flat out, this is an amazing shooter. You can fight through over 50 levels, upgrade your weapons, take control of enemies, recruit enemies to help you fight, drive different types of tanks, and a lot more -- think "Ratchet & Clank" fused with "Halo."

An awesome addition to a deservedly-lauded series. Now excuse me while I finish my powered-launch, 3000-foot air-powered supercoaster. The peeps are gonna love it!

It's no better and it's no worse than what you will find on Microsoft's side of the console space. It may not be much of a showcase for what the Playstation 3 can do. But for golf, you can't go wrong with Tiger.

The expansion neatly captures the frenzied pace of college, the numerous things you can discover and do, the strange secrets every campus is rumored to have, and of course, streaking.

It attempts a lot of ambitious things and it almost succeeds at every one. But it's apparent that these grandiose ideas may have been a little too much to master the first go-round. But hey, at least the groundwork is laid for a killer sequel -- right, Ubisoft?

I am happy to say that EA Sports Active finally bridges the gap between house and gym, earning it top honors as the best exercise game currently out for the Wii.

The pick-up-and-play impressions started out positive, but as I spent more time with it, the less I enjoyed the novelty and just wished I could play good football... It's all in the game on the field, and with a defense that's allowing old-school, Hail Mary money plays pretty much at will, this doesn't cut it.

LostWinds is a solid, charming little platformer, and it's a really promising start for the WiiWare line.

What we have here is about as close to a perfect-port of such a massive title that we're going to get.

Thanks to some tough (but never unreasonably frustrating) battles, a healthy dose of fan service, and a quality localization, Revenant Wings is a thoroughly enjoyable hybrid. It's hardly the second coming of Final Fantasy XII...but somehow manages to turn that into a strength anyway.

SCV reinvents the series again, and implements a number of changes that add layers of complexity and depth to a winning formula. The new Street Fighter-centric direction is surprising, but one that still works within the general framework without being overpowering. While plenty of single-player content can keep you busy for months -- much like the original -- in the end playing with friends and real opponents is the best way to experience Soulcalibur.

Though that simplicity can be an asset, in many ways it's the game's greatest weakness as well. The personality will carry you through the campaign, but repeating battles of attrition wear thin too quickly; Ronimo has some great ideas in this little package, even if the end result falls a little short of becoming an RTS classic.

An interesting, engaging, witty game that takes full advantage of its portable platform's strengths.

After years of online fumbles by developer EA Tiburon, our annual war cry for an online dynasty mode has been answered. Not only is NCAA Football 09's most impressive innovation brilliantly seamless, but it's full-featured as well (from recruiting and scheduling to talking sure-fire pros into staying on an extra season).

It's not a particularly original adventure, but MvsDK is a classy reminder of where these games all started. And as it happens, it's pretty fun, too.

If you're looking at the game for continuing the fun, campy Mortal Kombat legacy, you'll find a lot to like here. If you're looking for highly technical fighting matches or evolved modern game storytelling, you'll do better looking elsewhere.

Like the legendary sword the game's named after, Muramasa easily cuts through all the unnecessary fluff and gives you just what you want: tons and tons of flashy sword action.

Occasionally, Reckoning plays it too safe. As good as the combat is, it cannot make fights against giant rats any more interesting. Crime follows the Fable route of, "if you disappear and come back later, all is forgiven." Reckoning teases with consequences, but either doesn't follow through or does so in wacky ways.

From the cleverly designed puzzles to the ability to speed up or slow down the scrolling of the cards at will, every part of this game feels painstakingly adjusted for maximum enjoyment.

Even if you're lousy at shmups -- a category I definitely fall into -- Jamestown is very approachable, allowing you to slowly hone your skills before you tackle some of the trickier stages. And as Final Form Games' debut title, Jamestown can't be called anything but a fully realized labor of love.

The setting, story, and graphics of Kohan II are so full of cliches that one is almost surprised to find a wonderfully original and engaging game beneath the generic packaging.

For all the additions in this game, some sensible, some less so, there's one constant: The gameplay is sharp, and players move up and down the court with purpose and meaning.

The battle system helps make the rest of the game come even closer to Final Fantasy X, and this time, that's a compliment. The result is a game that's faster and a little more fun to watch.

While MC:LA won't necessarily wow you beyond its technical achievements -- it sticks too close to the feel and formula of preview MC games -- it still offers plenty of thrilling (and sometimes frustrating) driving.

The addition of the online play really is a huge deal.

Sadly, just like with "NCAA Football 08" and "All-Pro Football 2K8," PS3 owners are stuck with an inferior version of Madden. While the game runs at 60 frames per second on Microsoft's box, Madden only clocks in at 30fps on Sony's console. The result? The gameplay isn't nearly as smooth as the 360 version and even stutters at times.

So merely by presenting the clearest puzzle design and most interesting combat yet seen in survival horror, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly has already staked a strong claim as one of the genre's finest moments.

While it'd be a mistake to call Secret Weapons Over Normandy a Luftwaffe-caliber revolution in flight games, it'd also be a mistake to dismiss it completely for its arcade leanings.

Each little cartoon snippet you unlock is fun, but eventually you find yourself asking why you have to do so much work for them -- it's like watching a cartoon on a DVD player powered by a hand crank.

OW2 still looks and sounds great though, and offers more content than any Worms before it. It might have scored even higher if it had been $10 cheaper (it would have truly been a must-buy for all DS owners at $20), but it's still an excellent value and a wonderful addition to the portable action-strategy lineup.

A superb and strikingly polished game.

It's nothing revolutionary. It comes from a different kind of Id, one that would rather play with existing conventions than reinvent them. Conversely, it's the same Id that puts look and feel on the same high pillar, and it's impossible to call Rage badly-composed. I just don't think it's going to be remembered as anything but a sleeper hit of the fall of 2011.

More than enough fun to last through the main story -- especially if you bring a couple friends -- but whether you'll be returning to it again and again over the course of months is dependent largely on your superhero obsession and tolerance for repetition.

SVR 2010 is the ultimate wrestling gamer's sandbox. And the combination of one of the most finely tuned 3D wrestling engines with the ability to create and download so much new content, makes 2010 the best SmackDown title to date.

Dawn of Dreams is a solid action game with a lot more play in it than its predecessors. More importantly, it's a title that shows that Capcom isn't afraid to mess with the formula.

If you're looking at the game for continuing the fun, campy Mortal Kombat legacy, you'll find a lot to like here. If you're looking for highly technical fighting matches or evolved modern game storytelling, you'll do better looking elsewhere.