Underworld is an incredibly abrupt experience, so much so that it makes me question whether content was removed from the complete game to be made available later as the previously announced downloadable content. Six levels in (seven if you count the prologue), the game just...ends. Sure, the last level is a cool showpiece, but it lacks any sense of built-up narrative and even a final boss -- simply a closing cut-scene that wraps up most of the loose ends all too handily.

As a Ghostbusters fan, this game comes through by delivering an entertaining experience with plenty of laughs and just the right amount of action. Instead of being a hashed-together port, the Wii version of Ghostbusters shows that when a developer puts real effort into tailoring the look and gameplay of a port to the system, the results can be every bit as enjoyable as the original.

Decent enough while it lasts, but not exceptional in any way. It's the sort of game you play through once and never pick up again -- in fact, the default difficulty is easy enough that this cycle can complete itself in a weekend if you give it some effort.

I just wish the game's signature (and somewhat watered-down -- go Teen rating!) Fatalities ("Heroic Brutalities" for the politically correct DC heroes) appeared in each character's move lists, as I'd rather not look up a button combination every time I want to shoot my opponent in the face or drop a Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet on his head. You know, the important stuff.

Evolution's new localization justifies this PSP port's existence for fans of the franchise. The PS1 version's overly literal translation and amateur-hour voice work was mercifully binned, replaced here with an expanded, well-acted script delivered by capable actors.

One of those rare games that manages to not only be creative and challenge many of the game industry norms, but do so within the confines of an extremely entertaining and polished game... One of the best games it's seen in quite some time.

For any other legacy, this game would have been just fine. For the iconic Godfather series, it really could have been something with more of a Brando stature. But even though it ends up as more of a Tony Soprano, The Godfather still manages to deliver a solid gangster experience.

While the game has its fair share of annoying problems and suffers from being a bit too straightforward, it offers a solid off-road experience; motocross fans will be hard pressed to find a title better than this one.

It's certainly not a bad game by any means -- it has plenty of depth and looks fantastic -- but it never quite rises above the sensation that it's just a warm-up for better things coming (hopefully next year) in the form "Dragon Quest IX."

While Umbrella Chronicles doesn't accomplish much of note besides solidifying the Resident Evil story thus far, it provides plenty of point-and-pull-the-trigger satisfaction for your buck (especially with a friend in tow).

Yakuza is a wonderful foundation for a new fan-favorite series. And as an entry into the ever-growing criminal underground genre, Yakuza is a wholly unique, high-quality package that, while possessing as many flaws as it does triumphs, is a crime drama worth mentioning in the same breath as "The Godfather" (the movie, not the game).

Area 51 is in no specific way a bad game, it's just an exceptionally dated game. The player's objectives aren't much more evolved than an old Doom or Turok game, and the graphic presentation isn't up to par with the genre's best.

And even though the character float problem persists, the new tournament save option and improved aesthetics (some really nice lighting work can be seen in some of the outdoor courts) are worth the upgrade.

An incredibly unimpressive port of the best hockey game of the year.

Outside of retro ports, there isn't a straight-up shooter on the DS quite like it. But make no mistake -- its progression flaw is a big one, and if you know you can't deal with the unforgiving trial-and-error nature of games like it, look for something far more relaxing.

Play and enjoy After Burner Climax for what it is: a thrill ride.

Behind the premise, though, the game hides a surprising layer of complexity and strategy. The tile-based settings invoke the spirit of tabletop gaming, which carries through excellently to its tactics-focused play.

Unless you really, really like the franchise, this collection will do nothing whatsoever for you -- it's six largely identical games of varying quality. For those who can't get enough of that robo-rock/paper/scissors action, the exceptional quality of these ports (and the promise of a "new" spin-off) should be more than enough to offset the repetition.

Battalion Wars 2 flounders because it lacks both the comic mischief that make cartoons like Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner so much fun and the tactical depth to be taken as a serious war game. The no-man's land in between isn't a place where you want to hang around too long.

Overlord 2 offers a lot of options for customization, be it in the form of minion upgrades, spell specializations, and purely aesthetic options like how to decorate your fortress and which of your mistresses you choose to favor.

Here's the problem: both the action-packed style and the stealth style show promise, but neither is fully polished.

But with a few refinements and over seven hours of new gameplay (far more if you choose to tackle the game's unlockable and aptly named Insane Mode difficulty), its $5 price drop from the original won't leave you feeling like an orange on the business end of...well...an old friend.

The big problem is durability. With a fun but shallow physics model, a dearth of tracks, no vehicular upgradeability/downgradeability, and so few options, Revo simply isn't set up for a long run. But it's a hell of a good arcade ride in the meantime.

Ultimately, The Forgotten Sands feels like an HD remake of the original Sands of Time; and having played both, I can safely say that Ubisoft's latest installment in the franchise definitely benefits from seven years of gaming evolution. But, in the same sense, there's very little new going on here.

What Clear Sky doesn't deliver is the abject, adjust-your-gamma terror of its predecessor.

Live 09's made significant strides, particularly in terms of innovation, but like the Houston Rockets exiting in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, it's the same old story here. NBA 2K9 continues to be the dominant basketball title, hands down.

The game's no longer only for the most die-hard NCAA basketball fans -- it can finally serve players looking for a change of pace from the year's professional hoops offerings.

You steer with the analog stick like normal, but then you can tilt the controller in a tight turn for a tiny bit of extra turning boost. And that's just dumb. It's like adding a "turn harder!" button that hardly does anything anyway.