Despite the flaws that it has, Eternal Sonata is still a visually stunning game with a charming story.

The Incredible Maze doesn’t quite live up to its name but it does offer some fun in short bursts.

Sniper: Art of Victory is a budget title and as such can be excused for some superficial failings. Unfortunately, some of its failings are more than superficial take much of the fun out of the game.

For both the young (who were either too youthful or not even born to have been around for the point & click adventure gaming rage of the early 1990s) and old (those who were lucky enough to have experienced the golden age of LucasArts point & click adventuring, including the classic Sam & Max Hit the Road), the Wii version of Sam & Max Season One is sure to bring more than a few rib-tickling chuckles and guffaws along with the superbly written story for a hilarious gaming journey.

As much as Dead Space should be a big mess for mixing genres and borrowing so many ideas and gameplay mechanics from other games, it manages to stand on its own as an extremely good game, especially for a new IP.

Beyond the storyline, there is not one thing that is truly well executed in this game.

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals is not a bad game – it’s just an average game.

However, if you loved last year’s Crash of the Titans or are a grade school-gamer with a love of offbeat humour, this game may just appeal to you.

This is unfortunate because this series has the potential to reach a much higher standard of gaming but as it stands now, it’s nothing more than average.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this title and you won’t go wrong picking it up. It’s not quite a slam dunk but it’s certainly no foul.

Like most RPG’s, you’re going to get a lot of hours of gameplay out of this one. You can expect to take your party of six out for forty or fifty hours before you’re done. The problem is there are a lot better options out there and so this one just ends up being average.

I may die a dozen times in as many minutes, but the simplicity of the controls and game mechanics and the great level design make for an experience that can be equally rewarding and damning.

If there is a sequel, and there probably will be, here's hoping Gearbox provides more squad management and little more complexity to the environments, since all the other pieces appear to be in place.

Pure is an enjoyable racing game even when an attempt to squeeze in one more stunt results in a pin-wheeling ragdoll rider and dropping a couple of positions. The visceral appeal of driving really fast and performing all manner of impossible gyrations is strong enough to make Pure a gotta play title.

The storyline follows the exploits of the pantheon of Batman villains after their escape from Arkham Asylum and the subsequent mayhem that ensues, but you don't need to be familiar with any of that to sit down and play along with your kids.

Baja: Edge of Control is a decent off-road racer with a healthy amount of vehicles, tracks, and options to keep racer fans happy, but ultimately it offers nothing that hasn’t been seen or perfected in other racing games, past or present.

Unequivocally, the world would be a better place if there were more games like Wario Land Shake It!

While the selling point of Multiwinia -- that would be, multiplayer -- is somewhat lacking in regard to number of players all the other pieces are in place for a very satisfying experience.

As a Warhammer table top player, all I can say is this game has been a long time in coming. If you are tired of the PvE grind in WoW or simply prefer a more tactically oriented PvP game, I heartily recommend WAR.

As much as I'll remember the awesome setting, the very satisfying conclusion, some really great outdoor set pieces, and just feeling like a bad ass Sith apprentice, I'll also remember the Star Destroyer Slap to the Face.

Pure is an enjoyable racing game even when an attempt to squeeze in one more stunt results in a pin-wheeling ragdoll rider and dropping a couple of positions.

Overall, The Witcher was a game which strived for the peaks of the highest mountains, but only reached the base camp.

It’s definitely shorter than the first episode, but more than makes up for it with way more witty banter and thoroughly enjoyable gameplay with more satisfying puzzles than in the first episode.

Despite getting slammed harder than a flying elbow smash to the cranium with some aggravating control issues and a somewhat short single-player experience, wrestling gamers, especially TNA fans, will be able to tolerate TNA iMPACT!

At this point in time, EA Canada has the NHL franchise down to a science. But this year, rather than just spit out another instalment, they took the time to do some really interesting things while refining things like hitting and getting the control aspects almost perfect. NHL 09 is highly recommended.

As long as you know what level to put your expectations, there's a decent enough hockey game here.

If you wanted quick summation of Battle March experience it would be that it's more work than fun, which is fine if you're into that kind of sadomasochism or you're a Warhammer fan without a PC.

It’s a good game – not a great one, but it will definitely keep you entertained for a good amount of time.

Certainly not as good as GTA IV, the similarly playing Mercenaries 2 still is enough of a blast romping through the jungles and cities of Venezuela with hot and heavy gunplay.

All told, Outcry isn't a bad game. It's not one I would recommend for players who aren't already a fan of the genre.

Would I recommend Tales of Vesperia? Sure, to a gamer that has no experience in RPGs or to try and entice an action junkie into the genre. Otherwise, hardcore RPG gamers will find it a bit too thin of an experience.

All in all, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 offers a lot of positives, and both casual and hardcore golfers should be entertained by this game.

If you want to play baseball on the Wii, try The Bigs or MLB Power Pros. Even though Sluggers does have fast paced action, giant baseball super pitches and fireball star hits, as a baseball game, Mario Super Sluggers is too simplistic for the average game player.

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty is short, beautiful and is perhaps just enough to tide you over until next year.

Honestly, when you want to tune out and just hack through hordes of rushing enemies for a half hour, Too Human fits the bill.

It's not quite worth the effort to chuck Space Siege out the airlock, but its extraneous mass that could be put to better use.

In the end, this iteration of Bangai-O is a fast, intense shooter that retains the unique feel that the game has had both on the N64 and Dreamcast, with the difficulty significantly ramped up

With fun puzzles and a funnier story in yet another of its game series, Telltale Games has shown everybody that the success and quality of its Sam & Max franchise wasn’t just a fluke, and that any developer/publisher that is interested creating episodic gaming has only to look Telltale’s way on how to do it right.

Bandai Namco did a great job with Soul Calibur IV creating an excellent fighting game for both casual players and technical masters.

Even with all the positives running for the game, I still felt a little bit underwhelmed by SCIV, it’s definitely still a solid entry to the series and finally being able to play online is worth the buy. If you are new to the series, I do not think you’ll be disappointed.

It may not have an official Olympics license, but it truly makes you feel like you are a part of something special.

Final Fantasy IV is not just a re-release of something that has been done a thousand times before, it is worthy of being called a remake as they added a lot of new stuff to the game as well as did a serious touch-up of many of the games aspects.

The only thing running against Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is the price. For about the same price as the game - $50US - consumers can download these tracks online to their PC for less.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress is a really good game. If this is your first time with the series, I would definitely recommend picking it up. If you own the first one you might be slightly disappointed with the improvements but there’s enough here to keep anyone busy for quite a while.

If you missed Overlord the first around or the Playstation 3 is your console of choice, there's no excuse not to have some fun with Overlord: Raising Hell.

The game’s straightforward interface, light sense of humor and cute graphics might be sufficiently charming to engage and possibly teach a thing or two to players who are moderately interested in electoral politics.

It may not surpass the game-of-the-year quality of Call of Duty 4, but certainly is a very good alternative, especially for those looking to fight the online battle with vehicular manslaughter as part of their killing repertoire.

Once players have heaved themselves over the massive learning curve, there is a strategy game here worthy of attention but the "price of entry" is so high Supreme Commander likely won't be attractive to anyone that isn't a hardcore fan of the strategy genre.

While Guitar Hero: On Tour is a very solid port of the franchise to the DS and the technology to get it working is brilliant - why don't more developers make use of the GBA cartridge port for DS games?

Wacky Races offers some fun for a half dozen races and a nostalgic trip back to a Hanna Barbara series that some may remember. Beyond that, the game offers little depth or replayability and is probably best looked at as a rental.

Space Invaders Extreme is a great retro redux of the original, bringing memories flooding back front and center to the conscious of those old enough to remember throwing many, many coins into Space Invaders cabinets back when arcades were where all the hardcore gamers fed their gaming addiction.

Far and away the most humour is found with Captain Quark's levels, which almost makes me wish SCEA would green-light a game focusing purely on Captain Quark.

For some reason I felt it was important to play this "final" chapter of the Metal Gear Solid series - mainly to see what all the fuss was about - and I have to admit that I did have fun with the game even without a background rooted in MGS lore.

If you enjoy something unique and want to change things up a bit, and if you want something that looks pleasing to the eye while you play on the go and is also fun to play, I would suggest giving Soul Bubbles a shot.

The biggest hurdle that I had - having put many, many hours into Elite Beat Agents - is wrapping my brain around not lifting the stylus from the screen. I had to fight my urge to just start tapping, which is my own conditioned problem.

For a first attempt at an established franchise, The Bourne Conspiracy makes good on its promises and gives us the chance to become the perfect weapon.

All in all, Grid is a lot like candy, delicious in small doses, but too much could leave you feeling sick.

As a result, Kung Fu Panda is easily recommendable for the younger set and to parents that are looking for a video game for their kids to play on those rainy days when homework has been completed.

As a light adventure outing, I can recommend Dracula: Origin if only for the puzzle elements because even though the source material is treated with a great of respect and care there's not a lot present to keep the tension up to find out what happens next.

Twilight of the Arnor does an excellent job adding more meat to an already meaty game. It's a bit raw and bloody deep in the middle, but still quite satisfying.

GTA IV is a rollercoaster of emotional gaming hidden under the typical killing and murderous maiming so perfectly provided by the GTA franchise.

In the end, Mario Kart Wii aims for a high level of fun and depending on how new you are to the franchise; it actually manages to do that. There's plenty of room for improvement though.

As with any game of this strife, the two-player mode elevates the experience. Arguing over who should get the machine gun, flame thrower, freeze gun, or extra health makes Target: Terror feel okay -- not mind-blowing, merely tolerable.

If the Wii is what you bring out for parties, Battle of the Bands gets a rental recommendation. Otherwise there's not enough variety in the gameplay department to hold a solo player's interest.

To work though the course of the game takes a few hours at most on the middle difficulty. That is, if you have even moderate gaming experience. For kids - in other words, not Teens - it takes a little more time and they're much more forgiving of the game's repetitiveness.

A perfectly enjoyable and satisfying finale, that seems to eliminate the aggravatingly grating Soda Poppers once and for all, along with a grand wrap-up of all of the season's storylines, make "What's New, Beelzebub?" a must-play for all Sam & Max fans until the as-of-yet-unannounced-but-highly-likely-coming-soon Season Three makes its debut soon.

That's pretty limp, but the games themselves are good enough to stand on their own as a worthy purchase for collectors and those that may be curious about the series.

At any rate, Overclocked: A History of Violence has a good story going for it, you just have to know that will only come after some "digging."

For action fans, Dark Sector is definitely a game worth checking out because it hits all the right notes.

A lot of reviews of Kane’s Wrath seem to have knocked the overall expansion pack down a few notches because the 13-mission, single-player game is told solely from the Nod perspective. But with a roster of fan-pleasing material and future access to the C&C: Red Alert 3 beta, the $30US price tag is justifiable and worth it.

Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds should easily meet the expectation of fans, even if it doesn’t really change the basics of the game. It’s the best looking iteration of the series and it’s just a relaxing way to wind down the day.

Even with the minor warts, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 still provides a great experience, both on and offline. And that's what we all want from our "sequels."

Chariots of the Dogs is impressive in its story’s complexity while still retaining a good amount of the trademark Sam & Max humor (although because of the intricacy of tying so many plots neatly together, Chariots of the Dogs isn’t quite as rib-tickling funny as most previous episodes).

If you're patient enough, and can regularly resist the urge to throw your DS against a wall, you're likely to find a really good handheld RPG in Ring of Fates. For those with less patience, you might want to give this one a pass, if only to preserve your DS from violent impacts.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters isn’t a bad game (even if the camera is troublesome), but judging by the forum feedback and general critical feedback it doesn’t seem to hit the same high water marks the other games have, which is likely why I can only see completionists grabbing a copy.

Besides my complaint about not having enough extras, Anthology also suffers a little from not having an online component.

Otherwise, it’s the absolute pinnacle of the Smash Bros. series and a fun game to boot.

Army of Two’s solo mission doesn’t match the firepower of its two-person co-op play, either in the offline game or online. But it does have plenty enough gun-filled action to satiate any violence-fans fill, and if the online gameplay is functionally free of lag or connectivity issues, Army of Two is one of the better recently released titles in regards to Xbox Live gaming.

The developers might have had their hearts in the right place, but the DS platform is just not the right way to go for what they might have been trying to accomplish. Spitfire Heroes buys the farm on this sortie.

Simply put, God of War: Chains of Olympus is an amazing title.

While it's getting long in the tooth, the Dawn of War series is nicely expanded with Soulstorm.

After some effort is put into actually learning it, the flow of the game actually feels pretty good, even to me.

Not everyone is going to take a liking to Shiren - it's a game where you need to actively seek out its pleasures, and other than some occasional advice from wandering NPCs, you'll need educate yourself by reading FAQs or interacting with other Shiren players.

Most puzzles games should be easy to pick up and play, yet hard to master. But Puzzle Guzzle forces you to think diagonally, which can be a bit mind bending.

Frontlines: Fuel of War was designed with multiplayer junkies in mind. The single player won't hold your attention for very long, but the online play is certainly the main attraction.

Nintendo has given its gamers a game to keep them healthy with Wii Fit. Unintentionally, And Then There Were None has given them the perfect sleep-inducing game to follow a rigorous Wii Fit session.

Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed has its heart in the right place – if it weren’t for the haphazard control and the aggravation that stems from it, this would actually be a good entry for new players and fans because it is a relatively funny game and maintains the spirit and conventions of the past games.

I can't say that I would recommend spending your money on The Club if you aren't already an action fan, but if you are just looking for a fast-paced game with lots of shooting you might want to give it a shot.

The Club is one of those games that you are really going to fall in love with, or discard fairly quickly.

Conflict: Denied Ops is closer to the back of the class, but is saved from failure by including a straightforward co-op mode, with the emphasis on blowing things up rather than any kind of military tactics.

Conflict: Denied Ops isn’t a very good game, but it’s hard to actively dislike because the co-op mode can be a lot of fun even if you have to cope with the game’s other failings.

But for long time role-playing fans, the game is familiar enough to feel comfortable with; and there’s enough depth to the combat and twists to the story (especially with the relationships that develop over the course of the game) to keep them interested.

Once more, gamers won’t be able to find a more smartly and funnily crafted story along with the usual Sam & Max hijinks to enjoy.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village looks a lot like old time adventure games – like The Adventures of Willy Beamish – with great hand drawn backgrounds and the occasional stretch of animation, complete with sound.

As a first release and a re-launch of the Turok franchise, the team should be proud; the action moves at a good clip, it looks great, the sci-fi clichés make us comfortable, and it’s fun.

If you enjoyed the first title, this one definitely has improvements and will satisfy your craving for more.

Despite a somewhat-less-satisfying replacement for previous crash modes, fans of the franchise will find this Burnout to be their idea of paradise, with red-hot racing in a large environment that provides plenty of asphalt-burning events to keep gamers putting the pedal to the metal for mile after scorching mile.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin comes with the highest recommendation – the only thing preventing wider appeal for the series, is its difficulty level which is high even for experienced players.