Hardcore (read: non-American) fans will find it vapid, but those same fans are far better served by "Winning Eleven."

If anything, Sing and Dance is a good idea on paper, but absolutely flawed in its execution. Arrows are laid side-by-side, making the more difficult patterns a pain to read correctly, and having to focus on scrolling arrows while watching your singing pattern (to make sure the game is recognizing it correctly) is incredibly counter-intuitive.

The presentation is straightforward and functional, but it doesn't pull any punches about what it is -- a training application with a very specific purpose. It accomplishes that perfectly well -- just make sure that you're expecting gratification through progress and not just mindless enjoyment.

Exploration and variety take a backseat to the constant stream of jokes (an unavoidable trade-off, given the series' episodic nature). Everything else is unmitigated and unapologetic fluff -- the joy is in Sam and Max's wit, after all -- and seasoned adventure gamers might find the game too simple to really sink their teeth into.

Surprising enough as it is for a modern strategy title, the lack of any multiplayer support rubs the last bit of salt in the wounds for a title that could have benefited so much from human competition to cover its weaknesses.

The gameplay isn't as rich as it could have been, and it generally doesn't live up to the stature of the classic PSone title, which is disappointing, but the smooth action, appealing graphics, and funny dialogue warrant this game a passing grade.

For those fanatic collect-a-thon types, we can easily see the game taking upwards of 60 hours to max out all characters and skills. And that's really what it comes down to.

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.

Since the game mechanic is so straightforward, BlowOut is a very good game to pick up and play for short periods of time without losing ground. Aside from occasional frustrations, it's cheap, mindless shooting fun.

Spike, through their years of crafting this intricate milieu, has given the fans what they wanted: a fun, exciting portrayal mirroring the spirit and ferociousness of Dragon Ball Z.

Majesco and Taito keep the classic Bust-A-Move gameplay intact while offering a few addictive new modes.

It's a tougher -- and leaner -- game than its older expansion-pack siblings, but isn't starting your own business all about being the toughest and leanest?

The controls hold up better than in most platformers, the levels are well-designed, and your character has a good repertoire of attacks.

And all that loading is double-whammy. Not only does it increase the length of each game, it puts a heavy drain on the battery. You probably won't make it all the way over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house playing Madden PSP on one charge, much less if you turn on the Wi-Fi adapter.

Maxis hasn't changed the game drastically and shouldn't have to for an expansion pack that is adding a new (and cute!) perspective to an already solid game.

The game's tightly focused plotting and puzzles work great in three-hour chunks and keep it free of the rampant illogic that most graphic adventures eventually succumb to&at least, when you consider the weird world that Sam and Max inhabit.

There's just something about raising hell and experience points in Dark Alliance II that makes it more addictive than any of the Dark Alliance clones out there.

It sounds cool on paper, but there's really no telling as to which weapon choices will result in which evolutions, so the entire feature becomes essentially useless to anyone but the truly hardcore who will play through several times.

The landscapes have opened up tremendously, the controls have been tightened, and the graphics have improved. They're not great, but serviceable.

The controls hold up better than in most platformers, the levels are well-designed, and your character has a good repertoire of attacks. There's a lot of variety, too.

Come for the intricate and frequently difficult single-player mode; stay for the entertainingly goofy minigames guaranteed to hook your most obstinate nongaming loved ones.

The control scheme is definitely the selling point here (tossing people around never felt more fun). However, for those who already own some incarnation of this series this comes as guarded approval. Ask yourself: How many times do you need to escort the Don to the hospital or take out the Barzini family before it feels too old?

Almost everything about this anthology speaks of class, care, and quality, and the ability to play several of the series' "missing" chapters should be more than enough for any American Gradius fan to take the plunge.

Though it certainly isn't without its flaws, Defiance stands as a solid title that fans of "Devil May Cry" and even the recent "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence" should have plenty of fun with.

Yes, it targets a small audience, but it hits a bull's-eye.

It's safe to say it's an above-average game and is certainly playable, but remains some way short of the best the genre has to offer.

Despite its lack of an online versus mode, Shin Budokai is a solid fighting game, even giving other PSP fighters -- namely Capcom's "Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX" and "Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower" -- a run for their money.

Like its namesake color, Black is bold in its simplicity, an elemental force that makes a strong, singular statement: It intends to be the most adrenaline-pumping, testosterone-infused shooter ever. And in that regard, it succeeds.