Space Marine isn't a disappointing game, it's just an uneventful one. As such, fans of the series may find more to salvage here than the average gamer...If the pacing problems could be addressed, the addition of a campaign co-op mode, and more multiplayer maps leave a healthy amount of room for improvement for the future of this series.

The game's not realistic enough to satisfy sim fans...and it's too realistic to be as fun as Rainbow's previous games. It tries too hard to be a jack-of-all-trades, and masters almost none.

If you're looking for a more competent take on gaming-mascot Olympics, go with the DS version. But if you're looking for a casual party game, go with the Wii version -- it's just not the same without trash-talking all the Sonic furries.

Even with its quirks, I find it hard to put the game down -- it's so easy and fun to hop back in and whip up a couple quick, satisfying dishes. In its silly simplicity, Cooking Mama does what many can't: keep me heading back to the kitchen for one more snack.

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

The Xbox enhancements aren't all they could have been. The great majority of Tenchu is still the same as before -- the camera's still tough to wrangle sometimes, guards still forget about your presence six seconds after spotting you, and aiming thrown weapons like shuriken is still a crapshoot.

Less avant-garde than "Indigo Prophecy," far less self-important than "Myst V," Trace Memory is the very definition of a safe, comfortable, middle-of-the-road experience.

FlatOut basically feels like a slightly more frustrating successor to the original "Destruction Derby" series on the PlayStation 1 (well, the first two games). It does have a lot to offer, but it all feels a bit soulless somehow.

Seemingly because of the simple interface, however, none of the individual minigames held my attention for more than 30 minutes.

But even though the action can turn into a not-so satisfying grind (which really does kind of hurt the game's staying power), it's hard to ignore Kenka Bancho's charm. The presentation, including the rarely-serious dialogue throughout, and the complete pisstake on the rougher side of Japanese youth culture, is too good not to miss. When you let loose with that first menchi beam, you'll be hooked.

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.

But it's that wholly rebuilt, almost-a-sim physics engine that propels ProStreet to such heights. Tossing these weighty sedans and exotics around, knowing you're connected to the road by just four distinct contact points, then late braking into a turn and riding the very limits of adhesion through it, is ungodly fun -- and darned challenging.

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.

In the end, this one poses as a tennis game for beginners, but even tykes will only be mildly amused.

Full Auto may be viscerally stimulating and strangely soothing, but the real reason to buy this game is the overwhelming amount of content presented in the game's different modes.

Not a long game. The whole thing can be finished in just a couple of sittings. However, fans of the film, both young and old, would do well to give it a shot, as it's an entertaining platformer that complements the movie quite well.

A bit more ambition could've made this a true classic (how about some Wi-Fi co-op?), but as it stands, it's the next best thing to cramming GBA cult classic "Ninja Five-O" into your DS.

The online play -- particularly co-op -- gives HAWX significant replayability. Everything from the picture-perfect planes to the stunning real world environments looks great, even after multiple passes.

With bonus songs from Perry's solo efforts and a fully animated Steven Tyler swallowing the microphone, the game's target audience is very clear -- and for them, the game's existence is justified.

This year, the game has junked its poorest parts and replaces them with some seriously innovative goodies -- but there are a handful of reasons why we're not jumping for joy and declaring this the must-play baseball title of 2008.

Real-time battles aside, Rise to Power is a surprisingly good strategy game for the PS2. Its extremely steep learning curve will limit its appeal, but it's a rewarding experience for those with the patience to learn the game's nuances. And with the sheer amount of replayability it offers, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

The frustration many hit during punishing sections in this sort of game is never allowed to develop. All the skill moves still require the right touch; the designers simply opened the window of what constitutes the "right" touch just enough to let everyone in (with some practice).

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.

And that's a small taste of the poor control scheme. The slightest twitch or turn of the Wii-mote creates a wholly new effect -- and frequently, it's one you don't even want. It's even worse on the Wii Balance Board; by default, the turning is overly responsive, even after reducing the board's sensitivity. However, this makes it harder for the device to register a trick.

Trouble is, your computer opponents verge on comatose.

It's far from perfect, but for players who want to get more out of the Spore universe, Galactic Adventures is a worthy addition.

It's almost becoming a cliché to wrap up reviews of Nintendo games with statements like, "It's not quite a complete and satisfying experience, but fans of novel gameplay should give it a try" -- unfortunately, though, there's not much else to say about Swing.

Block Breaker Deluxe is a little low rent, and it certainly doesn't take full advantage of the Wii hardware, but for eight bucks it's easy to overlook the cheesy decor and enjoy this solid brick-bashing entry.