While this game takes place between the last and the very first Star Wars episode, I was expecting a bit more revelation in the storyline, instead it only reinforces what we already know.

It's disappointing that despite its great level design and adrenaline-fueled shootouts, Serious Sam is not always fun to play. But that's the fact of the matter. Unless you can deal with a wide range of frustrating quirks, you're probably better keeping this one off your Christmas list.

I could honestly say that this game will give you a mental workout that could ultimately make you a better Tetris player - but that requires work and dedication - two words that are not synonymous with fun.

Although the Dual Shock is mapped to function as all of the buttons you could ever need to contol your Sims, I found the interface to be clunky and unintuative. A keyboard and mouse would have made the experience a thousand times more enjoyable.

The only thing this game doesn't offer is replay value. There is only the single-player mode which a good gamer could complete in a weekend making this an excellent rental choice.

Mindless shooting is made better with co-op or survival modes.

It has all the cool extras that every other version before it had, minus Wiimote motion controls of course, but it doesn’t have much more.

I can honestly say that as far as wrestling games go this one is pretty darn decent. It's due to the grappling engine and the excellent graphics and animation.

Even with all of its problems, I genuinely love the technology. It feels like a strangely inventive step forward for Sony. And, if developers can get behind the tech, we might see a string of educational and entertainment titles hit the market soon. That'll just depend on the bugs getting worked out of the system.

Midnight Club: LA Remix delivers an extremely proficient racing experience. However, potential boons for the game – like the open world and RPG-like leveling system for your car – are its biggest problems.

I imagine that only fans of the comic book will be willing to fork out that kind of dough for such a short visit with their pals that have been magically brought to life in the digital medium.

The Xbox version is as close to the original as possible but the sloppy execution of accessing the interface is hampered by the limited control system.

Ivy is an enjoyable little game, if one that's a bit too short. An extra mode and collecting each of the ten feathers from the game's numerous stages adds replay value, though the stages themselves can be short.

The novelty of the controller could be compared to that of the lightgun. You don't really need it but once you play with it you can't live without it.

There are plenty of fun movie-inspired platforming levels, and the unlockable multiplayer modes certainly add some replay value. If you or someone you know loves the Ice Age franchise, then this game will certainly please fans without giving them too much of a challenge.

A decent little suprise. The price is right and the game doesn't suck... It works well as the only constant is Ash, voiced by the droll and often hilarious Bruce Campbell who delivers a tour de force when it comes to one liners and shlocky action hero lines.

Reminisce adds only a few things to keep the returning fans locked into the gameplay, but with a setup like this, where the story and progression of characters is broken up over multiple titles, the story is what matters most. Here, Reminisce delivers quite nicely.

A good game. I think most people will be bored by it, but RPG lovers will get a kick out of it.

If you're just looking for some mindless entertainment with occasional bursts of brilliance to keep you awake then look no further than Batman Begins.

If you still have the dancing bug in you, give Dance Central: Spotlight a shot. If not, well, it’s not like you are missing out on much other than a short 10 track offering.

While it's enjoyable to solve puzzles and uncover a story in a genre that doesn't receive a lot of mileage these days, it's a little unfortunate that the themes and humor borrow from this ancient Looney Tunes-meets-90s-attitude rather than create a new world and identity all its own.

The game will have you mashing buttons but it somehow feels right within the context... It's fun without being too cute.

A good enough game in its own right although it's a poor substitute for the real experience.

Hardcore gamers need not apply; this game does not push the series in any direction. In fact it kind of drags it back a little but that's fine as long as it hits its intended audience.

Mindless shooting is made better with co-op or survival modes.

Anybody who enjoys the music and action but hopes to see a steadily increasing damage curve through the game should definitely pick it up.

Packs a lot of concentrated, old-school fun.

Code Veronica was an incredible game with stellar visuals, a tense atmosphere, and meaty campaign to keep you busy for a very long time. But now that it's been reanimated for the Xbox 360 and PS3, it's obvious how poorly the last eleven years have treated it.

Travel Games For Dummies is a very good game for business travelers and casual gamers. Combining classics like Sudoku, Solitaire, and Crosswords together was a grand idea. Moreover, the addition of clearly taught strategy lessons to the mix is a great way for teaching or improving your knowledge of these games, and it helps to differentiate this title from other brain games out there.

New players will likely get a kick out of the interesting control mechanics. Things may turn sour, however, once they get a taste of the game's occasionally grueling difficulty.

Code Veronica was an incredible game with stellar visuals, a tense atmosphere, and meaty campaign to keep you busy for a very long time. But now that it's been reanimated for the Xbox 360 and PS3, it's obvious how poorly the last eleven years have treated it.

I would have spent a small fortune on this game at the arcade if it were released when I was an adolescent. The gameplay lends itself perfectly to the GBA. It's like a cross between "Pong" and "Bust-A-Move" with a good helping of Arkanoid thrown in.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage for Wii is another quality boarding title. However, the few improvements don't add up to a lot more than what was available last year; this really isn't a very inspired sequel.

The best way to describe Marvel Heroes is, truthfully, average. Everyone should give this game a shot, just because it’s free and a fun distraction. But chances are you won’t be compelled to spend extra money on it. I wouldn’t describe these heroes as “super,” just “fun.”

While this game can be very slow-paced, it does have good entertainment value. And as tedious as this game is, it can actually get pretty hectic as you defeat armies of soldiers, archers, and larger enemy bosses wearing a good amount of armor.

If you like EA’s first venture into the MMA world, you will probably like EA UFC. If you are a UFC fan, you will definitely like EA UFC. Heck, the roster is over 100 fighters huge, and that’s saying something. However, if you are a fighting game fan, this isn’t the game for you. If you are looking for a sports like simulation experience, this isn’t the game for you. If you aren’t looking to play with other players, this isn’t the game for you.

A deluxe version of the GBA title and not a heck of a lot more.

It's a good coupling of gameplay types that makes simulation more entertaining whilst offering more to do than merely playing through mini-games. However, most of what's offered in MySims Party looks and feels awfully familiar.

Even with three difficulty settings the game doesn't last very long. If you're a Spawn fan you'll get a kick out of this game but I recommend a rental.

This is like "Contra" on acid. There is so much stuff coming at you at all times that it will you leave with nervous figgety dreams at night. You will literally be playing this game iin your sleep.

It's certainly one of the best RPGs out there and there's no doubt that some novices will consider it the best RPG they've ever played.

A game that will really appeal to those who love the story and the characters. It stands on it's own as a semi-solid title, but to get the most out of it, you need to really care about the story and it's progression of the series.

If you can get past playing as Micky, Minnie and Goofy, then you will really have a lot of fun with Disney Sports: Basketball.

With 15-20 hours of gameplay and the increasingly challenging levels, you can guarantee you will spend hours proving yourself as a Warrior.

Basically in the same leagues as "Fury" which is disappointing since "Fury" is more than a year old already.

It's a nice trip around the galaxy but it won't see hard time on your machine after you finish it.

If you have an interest in poker and you have Xbox Live, you will certainly get more out of this budget title than someone who only plays it offline.

A bit of a disjoined collage of gameplay elements. One must muddle through seemingly endless bits of stats, rules, and micromanagement but the end result is a very deep game that should keep you and another pal busy for months.

I just hope in the next game they amp up the free roam capabilities and truly allow us to dive into the world of the robots from Cybertron.

You won't get the Full Monty here but you'll see a lot of T &A. The language itself is very explicit and you'll find yourself shocked into bouts of laughter at some of the things that come out these characters' mouths. The voiceacting is darn good and interestingly enough the characters, especially the girls, have more depth to them than you would expect.

It's a really short adventure with very few trimmings. Multiplayer, however, is a big plus for the game.

It's very cohesive without a trace of linearity.

The game is one-dimensional though, and you will become bored quickly. Level design is mediocre and the lack of any single player mode makes the game feel unsatisfying.

The extra video with Bruce talking about the game and his experience over the years is worth the price alone.

The faster Sonic levels are a real treat, and Sonic Unleashed has many high points to balance out the lows. The real bummer is not so much the concept of the werehog sections as it is how these portions of the game painfully drag the rest of the game down.

With an eight-player tournament mode to look forward to after the single-player mode you're bound to get your money's worth out of this sequel.

For less than $15, Space Channel 5 Special Edition is one of this season's best bargains.

There's less action but more strategy. It's a nice change of format and one that is entirely addicting.

An arcade-style game that really hits the mark. It doesn't attempt to give you all the bells and whistles but what it does give you is quality entertainment. For the best value, make sure you rent it first.

As a traditional side-scroller, Astro Boy: The Video Game has just the right amount of new features to keep it from being an old-school clone. The backgrounds display depth and detail, although many of the textures look like sheets that were wrapped around the buildings and platforms.

I wish they would have made the game longer and included more options. It's the type of game that is great for releasing some tension and to have some fun.

An intriguing world steeped in mystery with plenty of action and unanswered questions. If anything, this game will create a population of rabid gamers waiting impatiently for the release of the sequel.

Just keep in mind that your enjoyment of this cart will be in direct proportion to how easily you adapt to the less than stellar control scheme. With analog control built into the DS, this game would have been off the charts, but as it is I think a lot of people who played the original will be shocked to discover just how different it feels.

The single player game will hold your attention and you'll get more mileage out of it if you play on the harder difficulty settings, but the real secret to milking everything out of this one is the online co-op mode.

It's the kind of game that doesn't need to change a great deal between versions, and its designers have wisely stuck to the basics while adding some entertaining twists to the gameplay with Operation L.

Hardcore soccer fans who wanted even more realism from this series will enjoy playing around with the new controls but if you’re a player who thought FIFA 2005 wasn’t a great game might as well rent this game or stay away from it cause you won’t be missing much.

It's like exhuming a dead relative only to find that he can't shake his state of decay or that rotting smell. Okay it's not that bad, but I couldn't resist a little tasteless metaphor.

A breath of fresh air filled to the brim with colorful characters and corny situations. In fact, you could think of Radiata Stories as the sitcom of role playing games. It's not quite as deep, but it's entertaining in small doses.

Don't even think of renting this game unless you're already familiar with such a program. Sure, there are things that the novice can do immediately such as adding sound effects and editing videos to existing songs but that won't hold anyone's interest longer than a few hours.

For sheer variety RallySport 2 is hard to beat. It doesn't really do any one thing great but it dishes out liberal amounts of fun in arcade doses.

Anyone should be able this game in about 10 hours or so. Other than that, this game is perfect.

Tokyo Crash Mobs isn't a game that you'll want to play for long periods of time, but it's good fun for short gaming sessions. It is certainly the perfect game to play while standing in line, ninja levels excepted.

It's not unplayable but it will require more work than necessary to compensate for the shoddy technical flaws.

There is a lot of content including tons of practice scenarios to learn the ropes, giving the game a solid length if you are a completionist like me, but at times it can be frustrating and difficult, even on the normal difficulty setting, which hurts the game's appeal a bit.

A great debut and one that should be applauded by gamers that want some variety and imagination put back into their platforming.

There are plenty of fun movie-inspired platforming levels, and the unlockable multiplayer modes certainly add some replay value. If you or someone you know loves the Ice Age franchise, then this game will certainly please fans without giving them too much of a challenge.

It gets stale after a while and there's really nothing to drive you to the end, save for facing another challenge of making it safely over a bizarre and dangerous collection of platforms.

Even still, I think this is a great game for families and players that don't mind some lighthearted fun.

The downer is that DMC doesn't support one cart play, so each player will have to own their own copy of the game.

In the end, the question of whether to give Dementium II a shot is a simple one. Do you want to play a survival horror game on the DS? If the answer is yes, this is the best place to go. If not, this is a good game, but not a must-buy.

One of the best looking games on the PS2 to date.

It's hard to recommend a game when there is a clearly superior alternative on the market that does everything so wonderfully. NHL 2K10 isn't bad and it is poised to make a run at the EA franchise sooner rather than later. But for this year, unless you are completely adverse to anything other than a quick arcade hockey fix, NHL 10 is the game to get.

It's short, addictive, and a wonderful novelty for gatherings. An online leaderboard would have been cool, but Wii owners are still getting a worthwhile addition to their library with this one.

Despite the variety of options there's just not enough variety in the gameplay. Much of it can be attributed to the nature of the sport itself.

Mega Man Zero 3 is not really a new game, it's the result of a refinement process based on a popular gameplay style. If you can't seem to get enough of Mega Man Zero 3 will satiate your hunger.

This is the game that "Dark Cloud" should have been. Dark Cloud 2 is truly a fantastic RPG though it really should have been entitled Dark Cloud One-and-a-half.

Even if your not a big fan or RTS games, Soldiers offers a unique experience that you'll be hard pressed to find in any other game in this genre.

While it may seem to be geared toward gamers who just enjoy mindless shooters -- and would therefore be enticed by the game's title -- it will likely be more appreciated by seasoned gamers who can appreciate the game for it's great sense of humor. But aside from that, the largest flaw with Big Willy Unleashed is that it's just not a very innovative game.

If you're looking for a seven-day party where every second thing that comes out of your friend's mouth is barf then maybe this ain't your game.

The fact that this game flies under the Star Trek banner is almost ridiculous. It’s really just a shooter, but it’s a damn good shooter. It just doesn’t belong in the Star Trek universe where cooler heads prevail.

The linear nature of the gameplay ensures that you will be forced into the various scenes as the director and developer intended. The puzzles and mini-games are fun but they are like eating candy floss; there's not much nourishment.

The faster Sonic levels are a real treat, and Sonic Unleashed has many high points to balance out the lows. The real bummer is not so much the concept of the werehog sections as it is how these portions of the game painfully drag the rest of the game down.

If you like Queen and Singstar, then this is definitely one to get. Though I can't imagine playing it for more than a few hours, it should be a hit at parties.

Graphics notwithstanding, the developers have done a reasonably good job of replicating the hunting experience.

Don't expect this game to knock your socks off. However, it is the best Scene It? released to date for any platform, and it will easily replace the DVD versions you might own.

The tired old Deathmatch may squeeze a few extra hours of enjoyment out of this game but it's just too generic for my tastes. An online mode would have been a much better addition and may have influenced my recommendation of a rental into a purchase.

When it comes to the brute mashing of many things, The Incredible Hulk proves to be a great source for stress relief. As a movie-based game, it suffers from an unclear storyline that requires you to have seen the film to get the whole picture - perhaps this is intentional.

It may not be much to look at, but at least the sounds are authentic.