It may not be a WoW-killer, but it certainly gives the Blizzard juggernaut serious competition.

Heck, even I was able to place bets on my single-player experience would heighten the competitiveness of even the most mundane courses and then I might even forgive all those darn menus I have to wade through to get to the racing.

For folks looking for a quick and casual experience, this game fits the bill, but for early adopters hoping for a meatier experience to go with their big system purchase, they may be disappointed.

Pile on the "Oh, yes!" moments of solving some really great puzzles, and there's every reason to start thinking about Game of the Year accolades. It's that good.

With a great new single-player mode, the addictive and engrossing Legacy gameplay, online Xbox Live matches, the usual collection of boxing's best fighters in history and the further enhancement of great gameplay and boxing physics, Fight Night Champion packs a punch of excellence as an undisputed champion of gaming greatness.

Crysis 2 is an excellent first person shooter and delivers a different experience than what other titles in the genre are currently offering. "Have it your way" is really the name of the game and whether you love frantic shooters or stealth based games, Crysis 2 has a little of everything.

As impressive as some of Nintendogs + Cats is on a technological level, I failed miserably to really get anything out of it. However, I'm not the target market in this case and my daughter had no problem awarding the game a very good score.

As impressive as some of Nintendogs + Cats is on a technological level, I failed miserably to really get anything out of it. However, I'm not the target market in this case and my daughter had no problem awarding the game a very good score.

With a good assortment of modes and wrestlers to unlock (and hopefully some DLC wrestlers as well) the hardcore fan should be appeased, and with the focus on movement rather than grappling less hardcore fans will find something to love.

Regardless of Marvel's heroes and villains, Pinball FX 2's realistic and engaging pinball gameplay is as close to bringing back the glory of pinball's Golden Age as it gets.

All in all, Bulletstorm was a super pick up for me and I enjoyed playing it more than most FPS games in the last few years. Definitely looking forward to a sequel if it comes out.

The lack of extras and choice of games makes this harder for me to recommend than I would like to. The fact that you get four reasonably good games in one package is nice, but knowing the size of these games there is no reason why between 6 and 8 games could not be included in a compilation.

It's like RPG comfort food. You've been here before, you know what to expect, so sit down – grab your stylus, and prepare for another journey.

Being able to snap the lid closed after a round and pick it up again hours later while I'm standing in line at the bank makes Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition the ultimate version of the title. The portability factor and ease of use, even without the production values of the console version, just made it easier for me to get into.

Homefront is an ambitious title with a solid idea, but lacked the courage to distance itself from the (media established) king of First Person Shooters.

These arcade games, while overdone, are still the best reason to own this collection - it's hard to completely hate any product that includes the relatively unsung Dig Dug II and Gaplus - but otherwise this whole package is little more than a quickie cash-in.

If you weren't swayed by its predecessors, then move along, but for everyone else, this is another standout entry in a series that stubbornly yet successfully stands by its trusted traditions that makes the series a continued classic across the world.

If there's one message everyone should gleam from de Blob 2, it's that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, or a game by its premise. What the game lacks in variety it more than makes up with its enjoyable simplicity (even if it also applies to the minimal difficulty) and collectible extras.

Ultimately, Dragon Age 2 still manages to be a good game, but it will also be a VERY divisive title among RPG fans.

Homefront is worth checking out.

While The River of Time has its fair share of technical flaws, the story, and combat in the game more than make up for this. Also, the game is only $20 which helps one overlook its shortcomings. The game quietly slipped onto the market at the start of the year, which is a shame because it certainly deserves the attention of RPG fans.

The whole game manages a great balance between action and more traditional role-playing elements. It's very good. I like the action parts and the stats/upgrading parts weren't deep enough to lose me.

With plenty of hours of casual gaming fun and a variety of modes that range from stress-free, go-at-your-own-pace, to timed arcade to mind-teasers, Chainz Galaxy is a very good puzzler that borrows from its Tetris inspiration while bringing a new element to the classic "connect three-or-more colored shapes/items" gameplay.

If one were to describe EVE Online, the most accurate description possible would be "boutique MMO." It's not aimed at the WoW crowd. It's not trying to steal market share from the behemoths. Yet it has enough of a stable player base to elevate it beyond merely cult status.

No matter if you are a fan of the old-school classic GoldenEye or playing for the very first time, the Wii has its best FPS to date in GoldenEye 007.

Rock of the Dead does little to rejuvenate the struggling music game genre. Rock of the Dead is an interesting idea, but unfortunately the execution falls flat. If you want a new interesting take on the genre and want to learn a real instrument, you're money is better spent on Rock Band 3.

Despite some imbalances in the game's spells, and certain aspects of the game's difficulty being exploitable, there's still a lot to like about Magicka.

Capcom deserves all the praise in the world for bringing back the folks behind Rearmed. It's just too bad their attempt to win back Bionic Commando lovers after the devastating (in more ways than one) 3D experiment fell short.

For the diving board and fire hose audience, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 drains down to two modes: Arcade and "Story." Plenty of fun there with a live human opponent!

When the playability distractions are absent from Breach, though, it is a relatively good, albeit barebones, Call of Duty online military shooter substitute.

The game is nothing more than it pretends to be. It's about dancing and the music selection is great.

Overall, it might not be Pigsy's Perfect 10 – but it's definitely a solid 7 and worth downloading if you have the original game.

The game is competent but not compelling, adequate but not outstanding. Unless you are a big Michael Jackson fan it's a rental at best. Unless you can find that version with the glove. Now that will provide hours of fun and amusement.

If you are a big DBZ fan you've probably already picked this title up. If not, give it a try first before you take it home forever.

Playing Raging Blast 2 reminded me of all the fun from the anime series, but it also reminded me of all the shortcomings of that series as well.

With its emphasis on the merriment of nightlife, Late Night is the most electrifying jolt to Sims 3 everyday sameness that can be found.

Simply put, if you're not a fan of the genre, then Phantasy Star Portable 2 isn't for you. If you have been a fan for this long, then the good news is that there's more missions and loot for you to spend the next few weeks collecting, as well as a fully online multiplayer that's both functional as well as free. Whether you'll find an audience of fellow PSP players connected at the same time, however, is almost as uncertain as the universe itself.

But those looking for a mix of good multi-tiered fighting that's finally available online with some elements of an action-adventure (although nowhere near as engaging as the fighting aspect) that also provides long, fan-appealing anime cut-scenes that weave together another Naruto tale should be satisfied with the second installment of this particular Naruto-based franchise.

Dead Space 2 is enjoyable. It's a great action title but it's the deeper, complicated facets of the game that firmly puts it in the running for Game of Year, even this early in 2011.

No matter if gamers are a fan of casual PC/Mac poker of just looking for an easy way to score some Team Fortress 2 item upgrades, Poker Night at the Inventory is a great bargain that also happens to be a very good poker game with a most unusual collection of card competitors.

Too much of a good thing doesn't seem to apply to the Sly Cooper Collection. I went through all three games back-to-back and it just left me wanting to get hold of another Sly game rather than stick the collection on the shelf and forget about the series.

GHWOR does little to change the minds of those who thought the series was past its prime. Frankly, GHWOR could have existed as a track pack, but for what it's worth, Neversoft still manages to squeeze out some fun gameplay even if it is to the same old tune.

All in all, it's a decent game it just doesn't offer anything spectacular.

Fans of the Patrician series will doubtlessly find a lot to enjoy from the newest iteration. Those who haven't been exposed to it before will find a very deep trading and city building simulation, but the pace may turn off players who prefer their empires built in a day.

In short, if you enjoyed the original game enough that you would like to experience more of it, than Joe's Adventures is a worthwhile investment.

Unlike the Wii version, the fully functional online component means you (almost) always have access to some stiff human competition over Xbox Live. And it definitely looks much sharper.

Back to the point though, Splatterhouse is actually more satisfying than the original games, even with all of the game's problems. In that way it's a successful reboot.

At it's core Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is an arcade racer. It smacks all the right targets, my personal preferences regarding power-ups notwithstanding.

Donkey Kong Country Returns starts strong and offers a great gaming experience to players of any age. That's no small feat but it seems Nintendo has been doing it a lot lately.

As a Dead Rising fan I appreciate the basics of exploring and messing around with different weapons and just having fun. And while the conclusion isn't really satisfying the enjoyment getting there lets me give Case West a recommendation.

Dragon Ball Raging Blast is for the die-hard fans and only for the die-hards. I use to be obsessed with DBZ when I was younger, but have moved on since and consider myself just a casual fan and that's not a good enough of a reason to buy this game.

Although not much of a gameplay challenge for anybody over the age of 10, the Clue-like gameplay structure of Disney Guilty Party provides a nice little mystery party for wannabe detective Wii gamers.

2010 has been a busy year for the racing genre with games such as Need For Speed, Blur and GT5 all being released this year. SVR does little to separate itself from the competition and that's where it ultimately falls flat.

It looks good and it feels good at points but I'm afraid its shortcomings are going to make it a forgotten title.

It's a satisfying experience for younger fans, and fills a quota for comic-reading gamers.

Play for a little, get a hit of Mario nostalgia, challenge your brain, and continue with the rest of your day. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem makes for a great gaming fix.

The game is not perfect but it's extremely well done overall.

It's fun and non-threatening, and anyone watching it will be entertained.

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString was a good stab at adding something unique to the music genre, alongside its great set list. It's unfortunate that the overall experience is left wanting and that the guitar -- the thing you dropped all that money on -- really does prevent enjoyment seeping into your gaming sessions.

This game got released too early. Had it been released around the holidays, and with the collection of bugs and broken quests eliminated, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a great gift for gamers. As it is, I can only say that it's beautiful but tragically flawed.

Back to the point though, Splatterhouse is actually more satisfying than the original games, even with all of the game's problems. In that way it's a successful reboot.

Black Ops is a must have for any fan of first person shooters.

Vanquish is a complete action package and like any other spectacle on this scale -- movies, books, TV shows -- it's crazy fun, even if it doesn't stay with you beyond turning off your 360.

Evolution's cool parkour sensibility, where acrobatics and wall-running are the order of the day, is hampered by its tendency to lead "Anon" to his death repeatedly.

All in all, NHL 11 is a excellent upgrade over NHL 10 fixing a lot of those issues that we've had with the previous games. Perfect? No, but getting pretty darn close.

Simply put, this is one of the best titles of the year, and marks not only a proper return of the Castlevania series for consoles, but a starting point that future games would do well to follow.

Despite some schizophrenic and disagreeable at times controls, with a few new console-centric additions to the already excellent life simulation gameplay, The Sims 3 does a great job of retaining the awesome aura of the PC game while appealing to the console gaming crowd.

Blood Stone is a solid Bond title and an improvement over Quantum of Solace, but at the same time, it lacks any real substance. The short campaign and lackluster multiplayer make this title more worthy of a possible rental than a purchase.

Undead Nightmare, as a single-player upgrade, is an exceptional bargain for the amount of new gameplay that it provides. But including the highly entertaining Undead Overrun multiplayer mayhem makes this a cannot-miss DLC purchase for Red Dead Redemption gamers.

While the story mode has its moments, the toy box offers ridiculous amounts of customization along with hours of varied open ended gameplay.

No lying, with all the new multiplayer modes packed into it along with everything else it includes, RDR gamers definitely will not feel cheated in the least if they download this DLC.

If you're looking for a lengthy portable game that will take you around 35+ hours with a lot of customization, then Valkyria Chronicles II will not disappoint. You will not regret a purchase and hopefully this series starts to pick-up a larger fan base.

NBA Jam is good for you. Find it, play it, love it.

There's a lot to see and do in Dead Rising 2, even after the credits roll. Loads of nooks and crannies to explore and strategies to develop. Money well spent!

As the only game franchise that my wife actually wants to play, I have no problem giving the Unwound Future a massive stamp of approval.

Did I thoroughly enjoy Halo: Reach? Yes, very much so. Will I ever watch a cut scene from this game ever again? No. Will this game continue to remain in high play rotation on my Xbox? Very yes.

NHL Slapshot does a great job playing to the strengths of the Wii, which makes for an accessible experience and smooth on-ice action.

I really liked playing Spider-Man: Shattered Dimension because every level seemed to have something different to do, and failing that, at least it always looked radically different from level to level.

If you love story driven games, then I recommend Mafia II, just don't expect to get the same amount of replay value as similar games already out on the market.

In the end, Mafia II has the makings of a quicker and darker paced GTA clone that is unfortunately short of greatness due to its forced driving and overall sterile setting.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days doesn't evolve the third-person shooter genre in any way.

But even though it's certainly not as huge as the second DLC, gamers looking for some new Red Dead Redemption gameplay with an expanded map of locations for gun-a-blazing enjoyment (and a great new weapon) should saddle up with the Legends and Killers Pack.

But LIMBO is easily among the best XBLA titles of the year that anybody who plays it won't soon forget for its magnificent art design, tough puzzles and dismally sad story.

If you are a fan of Tetris or Bejeweled and are looking for something a bit meatier, give this one a try.

While the character advancement scheme and tactical battle maps are improvements worth keeping, they feel almost wasted on unworthy antagonists in the service of a wretched storyline.

Dragon Quest IX doesn't do much to break new ground in the genre, but adheres quite closely to elements that have helped define the series over the years. Thankfully it does this very well, providing an entertaining experience well worth spending some time with.

For all it's faults, Blacklight certainly has the potential to be a great little game. If it can overcome the shortcomings of its design by adding on to it, and if it can get a much larger and more active player base, it could be a viable contender to Modern Warfare 2. Until that happens, however, it's not quite good enough to outright recommend, nor bad enough to outright dismiss.

While somewhat mysteriously a new developer was employed for the if-it-ain't-broke-don't fix-it Crackdown 2, thankfully all of the volatile fun that made the original game such fun for the orb-collecting Xbox 360 denizens makes the return trip to Pacific City.

Singularity might not grab the collective gamer consciousness but it's a game worth playing, not just for the shooting and adventure of it, but to play the meta game of trying to identify the references and homage, intentional or not, from Half-Life 2 to Chronomaster to LOST to System Shock and many more.

APB had a simple concept, one that anybody who used to be young and a dead shot with a squirt gun could have gotten behind, and Realtime Worlds managed to screw it up completely.

When the smoke clears, Operation Arrowhead is a decent addition to ARMA II. It adds more avenues for players to experience military operations, and view them with decidedly different perspectives.

For those who have sinned in calling the Wii a casual console, this game is your punishment. But boy does it hurt so good.

Despite the quirky, really-unnecessary cartoony factions attempting to infuse some humor in a game that's never been based on humor and being made part of what should be a hard-core strategy game, the opportunity to play with the classic RISK rules and gameplay really saves RISK: Factions from its own Waterloo disaster.

Overall, even considering the frustrations, this game is above average and if you love the source material you're going to love the game even more.

Overall, this game does what it says it will on the outside of the box but with limited gameplay modes and a scant song selection, you might want to look at renting it first before you make a full purchase.

Whether or not you should get GDRB is fairly simple. If you like Green Day, then the answer is fairly straightforward. If not, then perhaps you should wait for the next installments of Rock Band or Guitar Hero.

Snoopy Flying Ace gives new meaning to a dogfight, that's certainly for sure. With a bargain price for a full-featured game, Snoopy Flying Ace is an ace's-high shooter with plenty of entertaining arcade-style plane combat, including challenging online play, for XBLA gamers.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, this may be one of the deepest fighting games I've ever played.