Despite the changes made to simplify Dust Strikers' core fighting engine, the combo system is surprisingly comprehensive.

Poorly made platformers were a big part of the 8- and 16-bit eras, too, so maybe things are just coming full circle. Fortunately, most of us still remember how not to spend our money on crap like this.

My issues are that this game is so damn generic, shallow, and content with being nothing special, it surprises me that it asks you to pay full price at the door.

Fans of the system should have no reservations about picking up a copy; it was put together under the supervision of several of the console's original programmers, and their love for Intellivision shines through in the detail and polish of the package.

Ultimately, this simply isn't the fresh start Sonic fans were so desperately hoping for...but at least it's not as execrable as the last two efforts.

It seems to be perfectly suited for a casual audience who just wants to push buttons and watch things happen. But those looking for anything more had best look elsewhere.

No single aspect will blow you away, but there's enough variety, the puzzles are fun, the controls work well, and you keep moving quickly, so it's a fun ride that's unlikely to bore you unless you try to play through it a second time.

So, sure--Beijing may not be gold-quality throughout, but it's the best Olympics game we've had since, well...probably ever.

If framerate problems doesn't annoy you, then the stupidity of the A.I. may force you to say, "that sh*t is wow, bananas." Enemies are stricken by stupidity, as they'll simply stand there and allow you shoot the living daylights out of them.

Reviving Dreamcast games for the HD generation should involve a little more effort than putting out a slapdash port of the original.

At 1,200 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live and $15 on PSN, Madden Arcade simply isn't the bargain of the $10 NHL Arcade. While it's $5 more, the experience isn't appreciably better -- in fact, I'd peg it as slightly worse.

Touch Detective's greatest failing -- winning is rarely a rewarding experience.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the game from a hardcore perspective is a lack of precision. With many weapons, you only have a small amount of control over where you can fire -- at your opponent, just to the left of them, or just to the right.

The most remarkable thing about Space Siege is just how utterly unremarkable it is.

Populous DS floats somewhere between a time-waster and a strategy game, but it never provides the addictive "hook" of either genre.

It'd all be mitigated a bit if you could unlock the arcade version, but you can't. I hate to say this, given the comparative effort that goes into a full remake versus a simple port, but if you're really jonesing for a turtle throwdown, get the XBLA version of the first arcade game. It's cheaper, less jarring, and every bit as much fun.

As I played through Dynasty Warriors 6, the series' first entry for this console generation, one thought kept permeating my head: "This is exactly the same game I played in college."

With its slick visual polish and ample bone-crunching sound-effects, Urban Reign could have come out on tip. But thanks to an endless series of increasingly maddening and increasingly boring stages, you'll find yourself saying "No thanks," and turning off your PS2 and bringing this game back to the store. Xbox owners, be thankful you were spared this agony.

There's simply very little allure to Cube, outside of the slim satisfaction you'll glean from solving the more challenging levels.

The game should be called "Harry Potter and the Half-Assed Game." Even though Endless Day mode allows you to visit the Hogwarts grounds at your leisure after the primary game finishes, letting you round up the rest of the collectibles and deal with any unfinished dueling or Potions challenges, I felt as though EA delivered only half the game I had hoped for.

If you're a longtime fan or just looking to get into the show, check out the DVDs instead. Or hell, just go on the Adult Swim website and search for free clips from the show -- you're guaranteed to laugh more, and you won't have to plonk down $40, either.

It's just a damn shame that the nigh-amazing "The Rocketeer versus UFOs" premise crashes hard into "tepid Gears of Uncharted knock-off" ground.

BlackSite the narrative and BlackSite the game never meet in the middle.

The game does look good, though. And control is tight. Which means that while it may not be inspiring, it's perfectly playable -- arguably the best handheld racing game ever made.

If you want a good dungeon crawl, play the punishing-but-oh-so-satisfying Shiren the Wanderer. If you just want to collect 500 cute little guys and power-level the hell out of them, you can't go wrong with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

Here's the major problem: You're only allowed to control the main commander during the skirmishes. When you're not issuing seemingly useless orders to your head honcho, you're forced to sit and watch your nameless grunts swing wildly until they eventually hit something (the enemy, if you're lucky).

It's got a solid, enjoyable core experience, but Hudson isn't able to deliver enough quality content for the context.

Time Crisis 4 isn't broken, and the GunCon3 generally works as advertised; it's just appallingly unentertaining after ten minutes, insultingly expensive for what it offers, and has absolutely no place in the PS3 library of anyone but the most desperate gun nuts and Time Crisis devotees.