You could easily fill an entire review with the grocery list of games from which Outland cribs its gameplay elements -- Ubisoft's own marketing specifically calls out Ikaruga and Prince of Persia as "inspirations," for heaven's sake. But doing so seems unnecessarily reductive to me, because Outland manages to take those "inspirations" and create something that feels like genuine innovation.

You might die a little too easily at times, but with such a short campaign, and puzzles that are easy to figure out (if sometimes are hard to pull off) AYIM's is an indie game worth owning on Wii.

It lacks the eye-popping unpredictability of its predecessors. And fumbling to conform to some of the more arcane controller positions can take you right out of the game. Despite these modest shortcomings, though, WarioWare should be a welcome addition to any Wii library.

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. Even if you aren't waiting impatiently for Diablo III, Torchlight's a great value at a mere $20.

I don't know that I'd necessarily recommend London Life as a standalone release, but as a freebie with a solid story-driven puzzler it's a no-brainer. In fact, the question of whether or not The Last Specter is worth a purchase is the easiest Layton puzzle answer of all.

This is the type of game you can play to pass the time on the morning commute, while watching TV, or waiting in line for your husband to buy power tools. Touching is good, play well with others, etc. -- Nintendogs is a unique game that brings something new to the DS.

As a current-gen game it's stunning. The Xbox version is notably impressive, and even moreso when you see it side-by-side with its sibling on 360.

While the 360 version of NCAA Football 08 is finally a BCS bowl contender (after two limp seasons), the PS2 incarnation continues its steady march as the USC of last gen -- it's consistently dominant.

This is likely where Papyrus would be, had the company survived -- and that says a ton.

2010 FIFA World Cup is one of the best sporting simulations I've ever played

The swordplay feels so fast, fun, and addictive that you'll unfortunately feel tempted to breeze through Ryu's adventure in record time: Don't be surprised if you've lacerated your way to the game's conclusion in five or six hours.

The amount of mileage Nintendo squeezes out of Rhythm Heaven Fever's two-button gameplay is remarkable.

The year of development shaped Rise of Kunark into an admirable expansion. Even though PVP content is largely ignored and midrange characters will level elsewhere, it's apparent that SOE's finally hatched an add-on that puts a shine on the entire game.

The level changes remove the garbage found in Gaiden 2, while creating an almost new experience, and the Team Mission mode introduces thoughtful, meaningful ways to test your skills. Any doubts about whether Team Ninja could succeed without their former boss now sit on shaky ground -- the developer seems to be thriving.

Between its genuinely clever elements and its preposterously over-the-top ridiculousness, Square Enix and TOSE have crafted a spin-off that captures the appeal of the source material in an amusing and unique way.

While Contra 4 doesn't necessarily improve on the respected series template, it's unquestionably a return to form, likely to sate rabid fans while simultaneously terrorizing unprepared newbies.

Rhythm Heaven does its job with style and aplomb, but anyone who's played the GBA original knows that the concept has been done better. No one who enjoys pure fun should miss out on this game...but once you've had your fill, be sure to track down a copy of the GBA original for an even better time.

Despite the minor qualms I might have, Puzzle Quest 2 is still a very good game.

Stacking proves that lively character and set designs, catchy music, and clever writing are far more important in making a good game than simply simply adding filler to extend the quantity of gameplay hours.

The conversion from Super NES to GBA is rock-solid, and American gamers who are only familiar with this "lost" classic from its shoddy PlayStation repackaging will be pleasantly surprised at how incredibly fast this game is.

It's a great feeling seeing something you shoot explode into tons of little chunks (which looks similar to when buildings explode in "Return of the King" -- another EA blockbuster title), and some of the racing scenes define the word "epic."

It's unfortunate that we'll probably never see what was originally intended to evolve out of Tribes 2...Vengeance is still a worthy heir to the throne, though, and it may convert more players to the Tribes style of online action than either of its predecessors managed.

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.

An exceptional game despite that one controversial decision, and is still an experience that guarantees hours of fun and enjoyment.

The second way the songs are better is how they're played. The notes and chords are laid out in natural and engaging patterns that make sense musically and with the way your hands are moving.

If anything, Alan Wake reminds me of the first Uncharted. It is a great, but flawed work (hello ugly daylight, quirky animations, and a script that mocks the viewer even more than Lost or Twin Peaks) that lays the foundation for what could be an absolutely amazing follow-up. I just hope it doesn't take another five or six years.

The main problem is that it doesn't feel like it was poorly designed, but that simple things were simply forgotten. But really, those things don't make the story any less entertaining, the rock god theme less enjoyable, nor the characters' well-animated faces less expressive. And with long practice and good friends, the multiplayer can be incredibly rewarding.

Evolution evolves the series, and it does so wonderfully. I suspect a future follow-up will involve a complete overhaul, but until then, GTR Evolution -- and Nordschleife in particular -- is where every good driver should be.