Like a vine bursting with ripe fruit, TOAU may be in need of some balancing, in addition to some major feature tweaking (Besieged), but for all intents and purposes, it's like an injection of the lifeblood that once made this MMO so addictive in the first place.

Like a vine bursting with ripe fruit, TOAU may be in need of some balancing, in addition to some major feature tweaking (Besieged), but for all intents and purposes, it's like an injection of the lifeblood that once made this MMO so addictive in the first place.

Edited down to a tight package this could probably make a pretty good machinima feature (or Sci-Fi original motion picture for that matter). But as a game, it fails.

King of Fighters: Neowave has so much potential just waiting to be tapped, with new powerful hardware, a fighting engine based on a winning formula, and a dream collection of 43 fighters, but the things that it didn't do would fill up an entire stadium.

Edited down to a tight package this could probably make a pretty good machinima feature (or Sci-Fi original motion picture for that matter). But as a game, it fails.

It's not a game, and because you're never taught anything new, it's not really even "edutainment" -- Brain Age is a tool, one that sharpens your mind not just for playing real games, but living real life as well.

There are enough MMOs out there that deserve to be roadkill, and Auto Assault isn't one of them.

It's fine for gamers who don't mind waiting months between episodes, but if you want to get the real charm of the story and art, it's best to just read the comic book.

The premier choice for fans of the game behind the game.

For the first time ever, Lara Croft controls fluidly -- her world isn't divided into little squares, and she can perform complex series of acrobatic maneuvers without a pause (and often has to, later in the game).

For the first time ever, Lara Croft controls fluidly -- her world isn't divided into little squares, and she can perform complex series of acrobatic maneuvers without a pause (and often has to, later in the game).

Sure, it does have some taxing level-design problems, but its presentation and sheer wackiness and randomness saves it from being just another statistic.

If there's a real argument for getting BF2MC for the 360 it's that the real heart of the game -- its online multiplayer -- feels so at home on a machine that treats going online as second nature.

Survival horror has simply never looked this good.

For the first time ever, Lara Croft controls fluidly -- her world isn't divided into little squares, and she can perform complex series of acrobatic maneuvers without a pause (and often has to, later in the game).

Playing against a real person, the strength of the pitcher-batter face-off carries the game; playing alone, you're more likely to send this one down to the minors before the end of the season.

Combining pinball, real-time strategy elements, and voice-recognition commands into a ball (pun unintended), Odama straddles the line between 'whack' and 'wacky.'

But if you get your kicks closing howzatwork-gaps or scribbling 10-page After Action Reports (AARs) novellas on message boards, Doomsday's probably a $20 bargain-basement ticket.

If you like a little more meat to your basketball games, this is surely a great game with plenty to keep you occupied both online and off, but when pit head-to-head against a full field of competitors, what Phenom offers is different, but not quite in a league of its own.

Even if some parts are lackluster there's not much that's truly awful about it, and its unique elements are more than enough to make up for things like the handful of missions spoiled by suicidal Allies.

A competent, if not actually great shooter that introduces some novel ideas that don't always work all that well.

Tourist Trophy is highly customizable, and provides a chillingly realistic riding experience. While it may lack a few obvious features, this is still a strong start for the first real extension of the Gran Turismo franchise, and one that can only get better with time.

Even if some parts are lackluster there's not much that's truly awful about it, and its unique elements are more than enough to make up for things like the handful of missions spoiled by suicidal Allies.

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.

The extremely limited multiplayer system, the frustrating and ill-conceived "follow the blue dots" gameplay, and the hackneyed control scheme make playing through From Russia With Love like going toe-to-toe with a giant blond boxer as your country's fate is on the line -- stressful, with a likelihood of receiving brain damage.

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.

And even though the character float problem persists, the new tournament save option and improved aesthetics (some really nice lighting work can be seen in some of the outdoor courts) are worth the upgrade.

If you like a little more meat to your basketball games, this is surely a great game with plenty to keep you occupied both online and off, but when pit head-to-head against a full field of competitors, what Phenom offers is different, but not quite in a league of its own.