It won't light the world on fire, but this next-gen playground of destruction offers you tons to do (well, tons to explode), it's always enjoyable, and I dove right back in after the credits rolled.

Assault Heroes 2 is a down-and-dirty hoot.

It can provide a major freshening up for anyone who's already put serious time into the game. That's not a bad deal for eight bucks.

Arkanoid is, at best, mindless -- as is any variation of Breakout -- but that also makes it one of the better time-wasters out there.

If you're willing to overlook a few flaws and the occasional desire to punch a wall out of frustration, this is one of the better puzzle games this year.

Without a doubt, the prettiest and most graphically interesting of the Lego games yet.

Without a doubt, the prettiest and most graphically interesting of the Lego games yet.

A so-called sequel that doesn't really look or feel much different from the last one. However, that just means it fits perfectly on DSiWare, where casual, quick-hit software is the focus. And regardless, there are plenty of new, fun levels.

The characters and talents are almost enough to overlook the fact that the skills, which are where abilities like crafting and coercion reside, seem a bit uninspired.

It doesn't stand on its own quite as well as some of this year's other music titles, but it's still a fun, quick romp through pop music seen through a Lego filter.

Visual quibbles aside, Driver SF is a remarkable game that rescues the 12-year-old franchise from the scrap heap. The new shift ability adds impressive mechanics that are unique to a game about high speed chases and driving. Overall, it's a fun challenge too that doesn't go overboard as far as difficulty is concerned.

If you were hoping for another chance to jump in and explore Rapture, BioShock 2 probably won't disappoint you, but you're not getting the same caliber of twisted, engaging story this time around. It's a standard, straightforward tale, with a few too many holes to be called truly "great," but it's still a fun ride.

Visual quibbles aside, Driver SF is a remarkable game that rescues the 12-year-old franchise from the scrap heap. The new shift ability adds impressive mechanics that are unique to a game about high speed chases and driving. Overall, it's a fun challenge too that doesn't go overboard as far as difficulty is concerned.

FIFA 08 suffered from stilted, unnatural movements and imprecise controls, but 09 models players' physical weight, speed, and momentum with impressive verisimilitude.

Currently, online is too inconsistent to be taken seriously. Without the quality online play, the Tekken community will have to take their battles offline, limiting the potential for community growth. And the small details Namco Bandai neglected hurts the overall experience. Tekken 6 is excellent, but with better netcode, it would have been outstanding.

It's a grand, involving adventure, but it's one that plays by its own rules -- not by the rules of Final Fantasy. It's a game less likely to appeal to fans of the series than it is to people who are drawn to tough RPGs in the old-school vein; there's more of Shiren the Wanderer here than of Cloud Strife or Terra Branford.

It's easy to say that this is the best Resistance title, but it's also easy to say that it's not Insomniac's best game.

Maybe it's the spot-on humor based on the industry I work in, or perhaps just accumulated experience from the earlier episodes, but whatever the reason, 8-Bit Is Enough certainly embodies the maxim of saving the best for last. Well, until the assumedly in-the-works second season rolls around.

I enjoyed Blood Rayne in spite of my own frustrations. In part because of its novelty, 2D games that look this good are too few and far between, and those in HD are even scarcer. However, the game goes beyond its novelty and offers a fun yet challenging set of levels.

Thrilling on the ground, downright heart-stopping in the air, and beautiful throughout, Pure's a blast from start to finish. A career mode would've gone further than the game's "World Tour" in fully eliminating repetitiveness, but Black Rock has otherwise built a real winner here.

I enjoyed Blood Rayne in spite of my own frustrations. In part because of its novelty, 2D games that look this good are too few and far between, and those in HD are even scarcer. However, the game goes beyond its novelty and offers a fun yet challenging set of levels.

About the only moments of real tension I had were when I spotted an herb or other valuable item, and frantically tried to grab it before the camera swung in the other direction. Not to say the game is boring, though, because even though it's a little more passive, this will probably be the closest thing to a complete RE2 remake in our lifetime. Darkside Chronicles looks great, has a good amount of content, and is mindlessly fun without the mindless gaffes of its predecessor.

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.

505 Games and 1C did an fantastic job of not only crafting a fine flight simulator that just about anyone can pick up and play, but also doing a fine job of paying homage to WWII pilots and aircraft. This title is a far cry from a cash-in or a port -- it is the best combat flight simulator one can own on the console. Still, for the hardcore, you would be better off on the PC, where the flight simulator still reigns supreme.

Even with the issues, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade's a must-play for fans of arcade sports, and I want to commend the makers for mercifully extracting the pointless bloat of pre-game intros and a circling zamboni between periods.

I just hope that Sucker Punch can take the combat/traversal/power mechanics of this game, and then apply the pacing, storytelling, and flow of the previous game, to then create an utterly fantastic open-world superhero action game.

Even if 90 percent of the monsters you use said spells against are giant snails, battles are much more interesting than just tapping away at the X button over and over.

Even though it won't wow you with its inventiveness, ExciteBots succeeds on the st[r]ength of its fun racing that keeps challenging you to one more go without ever getting frustrating.