The lack of variety is actually a good thing. In an area of game development where being overly ambitious can destroy you, developer Luxoflux has instead created a smart, focused, and (most importantly) polished effort that should delight young fans of the film.

Even for a veteran strategy otaku like yours truly, the learning curve is intimidating -- but if you're willing to unwrap its numerous layers, R3KXI has a lot of USDA Select packed into it.

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.

Still, it's a fresh and generally strong start to a spin-off concept that stumbled out of the gate on PlayStation 2, but makes a case for full-time series status on PSP.

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.

While Team GrisGris clearly has a deficiency in game design, they should be commended for their ability to surprise and disgust with the most limited of assets.

A more generous perspective would say it's more of the classic Bomberman multiplayer we've all come to know and love. It's the comfort food of videogames, and if that's enough for you, this is more than sufficient as an 8-player hold-me-over.

Those new abilities feel a little gimmicky at times, but when considered together with the multiplayer, Wolfenstein provides enough firepower and over-the-top storytelling to satiate anyone's desire for occult, alternate history action.

OK, so maybe it is sorta piratey, after all. Either way, assuming you can find some friends to sail with, Booty's more fun than a barrel of grog with a wench on top.

Twisted Metal fans who haven't already picked up Head-On for the PSP should do so now, and potential double-dippers should consider the improved controls, the five new levels (which are all pretty good), and fewer technical hurdles for multiplayer.

Charged seems like an amped-up, carnivalized reincarnation of Nintendo's own classic Ice Hockey.

It's not impossible to ignore the the aggravation on offer, but it's also hard to ignore how much better this Star Ocean could have been.

Lego Indy's main quest isn't terribly expansive -- you can finish it in a weekend, and that's if you take your time -- but the game's unquestionably built for completists, with a ton of hidden treasure and extra characters (you can unlock pretty much every character in the films, right down to Last Crusade's castle butler).

It's an entertaining attempt to revive an old favorite without straying too far from what made it so good in the first place. It's not the most impressive game you'll see on DS this fall, but it's one of the most fun.

Maybe you'll just play online. Maybe you'll spend all day crafting tracks and new costumes for your online avatars using the schwag you win in races. If you do, you'll find ModNation to be a thoroughly enjoyable kart-racing knock-off.

Given the game's low price and close temporal proximity to its forerunner, it's unsurprising that the visuals, sounds, and gameplay haven't changed at all since Portable Ops.

This year, the game's graphical reworking tips off with the implementation of a Face Gen system that churns out countless random players. The effect is massive.

If you like frenetically blowing stuff up with old-school flair, you'll dig Aqua -- if you're looking for a gaming experience that stays with you long after the disc leaves the drive, you're gonna need to spend more than 800 Microsoft points.

EA has succeeded in making a fun party game that's easy for players of all ages to pick up and enjoy thanks to its superior controls and fast pace.

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.

If you have just that tiny hint of obsessive compulsion that a game like Animal Crossing speaks to, but don't much care for the pastoral setting or relaxing pace, this is the way to bring that kind of gameplay to you.

If you're looking for just having some dumb fun driving in a big sprawling city, smashing and shooting every last thing in your way, then Wheelman is a great pick. However, it never even attempts to reinvent the wheel from any other free-roaming action-adventure.

Admittedly, Half-Minute Hero does wear out its welcome towards the last handful of stages, and the extra modes generally feel like filler at best. But, for the most part, Marvelous' RPG parody is a unique and entertaining experience that finally has a chance to capture the hearts of an entirely new audience.

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.

As an enjoyable, pick-up-and-play package with a sublimely simple design, N+ succeeds, and it's hard not to recommend for the price. Just be wary of the inevitable eyestrain, and if you're only going to play it at home, make sure you've exhausted the XBLA and PC versions first. It's still the most badass ninja simulator around...just less so.

If you've never overseen the Keflings, this is the version to get. For Kefling veterans, all but the most dedicated giants may find the World a bit too familiar.

An enjoyable Star Wars experience that any fan can appreciate on the go. Not only will you get the same story found on the console versions, but you'll also get it packaged with some creative combat and fun minigames.

But looming over everything is the fact that the most fundamental gameplay element of Tiger Woods 08 -- the swing -- is essentially flawed. And so in spite of the solid competence of most of the rest of the game, I'd recommend you rent the game before purchasing. Just to make sure you've got the patience for it.