Daytona is back to show us that the fun of driving in a video game doesn't necessarily require realism.

It's all not as bad as it could have been, but nothing you can't get from dozens of other games.

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.

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 pretty good as a game that casual players can fly through on the easiest difficulty setting, and its production values are as good as you'll find on the market. But it doesn't hold up as well for those looking for a story or a challenge. It's a fun evening, basically.

As a $15 game, though, The Red Star is a great deal, considering it was at one point set to release as a full-priced game. For old-school action game fans, this one's a must-download.

All told, unless you've got a special place in your heart for this white-eyed, blue-skinned, four-in-one sci-fi warrior, you'll come away with an experience you'll likely forget within a few days -- and a newfound appreciation for the better shooters.

It's hard to say whether you'll have the patience to create a life of virtual luxury, or lose your sanity and find yourself seeking the quickest way out of the life of a castaway.

It has lots of small pluses, but not enough of it feels new or captivating. Far too short on thrills, Okayville just needs more pizzazz.

If the difficulty curve were balanced a bit better, and the production values were higher -- meaning graphics, because the dialogue is awesome -- Raze's Hell would fare better in the score department.

It's an enjoyable fighter even with its flaws, and it's a pleasing sidestep from Arc's edgy world of "Guilty Gear."

Obsidian's attempt at adding story elements fails to impress this time -- which stands out even more due to how plenty of other RPGs (especially Obsidian's) pull off a much better narrative.

If you have friends to play with and any measure of nostalgia for the arcade original, there's no doubt that you'll get every penny's worth from NBA Jam. If you have plans to play it alone or against random strangers, there are better options out there -- and it doesn't even take calculus to figure that out.

Though it's improving each year, SmackDown vs. Raw could really use some friendly (or TNA's case, not-so-friendly) competition.

The sense of purpose and accomplishment comes from making your creature grow -- to be king of the primordial soup. And while there are levels, enemies, power moves, et cetera, flOw is more of an entertaining diversion than what we're used to calling a "game."

Not letting people in the same room communicate with each other while facing imminent death is neither scary nor internally consistent -- the scare would have come in if there had been some kind of communication system (either voice or keyboard) when it made sense to do so, and leave the player isolated when it didn't.

Even the stilted voiceovers and off-kilter humor have a distinct charm.

As with so many boldly innovative games, Avalon proves that the main downside to new and untested ideas is that they've yet to be refined into something that works smoothly. There's a lot of quality content here for anyone with the patience to suffer through the clumsy implementation in which it's presented. Yet despite these incentives, Avalon ultimately feels like a promising prototype for a brilliant game that has yet to be created.

This slowly-increasing sense of challenge is what elevates Pac-Pix above so many of the clever tech demo that comprise the DS library.

Lips is the best new karaoke platform to come along in ages.

A potentially great game with flawed execution. Still, the Inside Edge scouting reports are the best addition to any sports franchise ever; they should drive sim fans wild.

Ultimately, however, we think you'll prefer to have a friend close by as you experience the game. Root of Evil may not be to die for, but for $40, it's an easy way to kill a weekend.

All told, unless you've got a special place in your heart for this white-eyed, blue-skinned, four-in-one sci-fi warrior, you'll come away with an experience you'll likely forget within a few days -- and a newfound appreciation for the better shooters.

While the action can be uneven -- though never bad -- creativity and charm carry the game to a higher level. The humor will get you through the slow levels, the authentic voices and writing will satisfy your fanatcism, and the cameos... will keep you entertained.

It's an approachable, enjoyable, but ultimately somewhat insubstantial game, and the 3D visuals add a nice touch but don't have a material impact on how it plays. Hmm...I guess the game and system have a lot in common after all.

Fruit Ninja Kinect feels like an Eyetoy game from last gen -- and if you're familiar with Sony's attempt at motion gaming this shouldn't surprise you -- but the level of precision feels much better executed here thanks to the technology.

The 3rd Birthday's emphasis on fast-paced combat and the Overdive mechanic help the game overcome its more abstract flaws (despite some occasional repetition). Still, for old fans of Parasite Eve, the game's treatment of its heroine and legacy is frustrating.

Nothing is more impressive than seeing good 3D graphics on a system considered "underpowered" in that area (see also: "Panzer Dragoon" on the Sega Saturn), and you get the whole package with Deadly Silence.