Assassin's Creed II is greatly improved over its predecessor. At the same time, it doesn't mess with what made the game so attractive to fans in the first place. The varied and refined gameplay along with the engaging story makes this title a must-buy for any serious gamer.

In the end it's just a rail shooter, but the campaign takes about eight hours and there are plenty of reasons to play it again.

Tony Hawk: Ride is not the broken junk heap some critics would have you believe. However, it is far from the revolutionary title Tony Hawk and Activision were counting on. In fact, it is actually a less enjoyable outing than lackluster games in the series such as Project 8 and American Wasteland. Still, if you're a skater, have the patience of a saint, or are a glutton for punishment (and frustration), there is a novel, skate-sim experience that can be uncovered.

Tony Hawk: Ride is not the broken junk heap some critics would have you believe. However, it is far from the revolutionary title Tony Hawk and Activision were counting on. In fact, it is actually a less enjoyable outing than lackluster games in the series such as Project 8 and American Wasteland. Still, if you're a skater, have the patience of a saint, or are a glutton for punishment (and frustration), there is a novel, skate-sim experience that can be uncovered.

With more modes, weapons, health items, special infected - you name it! - L4D2 feels like a massive upgrade from the original L4D.

Whatever its flaws, this game does a decent enough job of walking the line between sticking to the formula and mixing things up.

Whatever its flaws, this game does a decent enough job of walking the line between sticking to the formula and mixing things up.

Whatever its flaws, this game does a decent enough job of walking the line between sticking to the formula and mixing things up.

Whatever its flaws, this game does a decent enough job of walking the line between sticking to the formula and mixing things up.

LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues is a fun little entry into the series. The mechanics are more polished than the first game, and LEGO-game fans will likely find the core gameplay to be as satisfying as ever.

Whether it's the floaty and complicated vehicle handling, the confused radar, the repetitive nature of the missions, or the random and surprising difficulty spikes, Planet 51 gives players (especially younger ones) a multitude of good reasons to stay away.

Whether it's the floaty and complicated vehicle handling, the confused radar, the repetitive nature of the missions, or the random and surprising difficulty spikes, Planet 51 gives players (especially younger ones) a multitude of good reasons to stay away.

If you can forgive some wonky mechanics and come to the game expecting nothing but light-hearted fun, you'll get your money's worth out of Planet 51.

In many ways Assassin's Creed II: Discovery is big step up from its predecessor, and Griptonite's high energy, action-heavy approach is one that will sit well with many fans of the series. The downside is the overabundance of platforming stabby-stabbery tends to grow repetitive before long, and the trial-and-error nature of the level design is enough to make some players grow tired of the experience prematurely.

Clash of Ninja Revolution 3 is not a perfect game. It has plenty of issues when it comes to graphics and simplistic gameplay. However, it still manages to be a great fighter on the Wii. The online capabilities are what really boost this title past the competition. If you love Naruto or are looking for a decent fighter on the Wii, Naruto Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3 will probably be your best bet.

If it's LittleBigPlanet, you have to play it. It's not as expansive as the PS3 version, and there's no multiplayer, but with 35+ levels and a fully-fledged level creator, there are more than enough reasons to give this game a go.

God of War and God of War II are games worth playing if you're a fan of action-adventure gaming at its best. Plus, the updated visuals make these games a lot more appealing for current-gen gamers. Now, if you've played the games before, you might also have to do yourself a favor and replay them in this new format, not only because it's worth experiencing all over again, but because it will get you ready for the last chapter of the trilogy.

The game certainly has its problems, but they are generally overwhelmed in the face of great technical prowess, the big open-world, and impressive fluidity of gameplay. We only wish it was a bit longer, because the storyline will only take about five hours to get through.

The bottom line is that if you get stuck with Bright Lights! Big Screen! this holiday season, there's no reason to despair.

The bottom line is that if you get stuck with Bright Lights! Big Screen! this holiday season, there's no reason to despair.

The bottom line is that if you get stuck with Bright Lights! Big Screen! this holiday season, there's no reason to despair.

All of this is such a shame, because WorldShift is really a beautiful game with an intriguing premise. The levels are packed with interesting scenery, and the lighting and special effects are truly impressive. With a little better balance and some additional tweaking, this could have been a really memorable real-time strategy title.

With more modes, weapons, health items, special infected - you name it! - L4D2 feels like a massive upgrade from the original L4D.

Sadly, this is a good game, it's just not unique and there's very little you haven't seen before.

Sadly, this is a good game, it's just not unique and there's very little you haven't seen before.

New gameplay focused on "adventures," simple puzzle-solving, and vacationing, along with a decent amount of new content, make for a fun and enjoyable Sims experience, despite some technical bugs.

There are plenty of modes, and the career mode certainly provides plenty of flexibility, but this title just can't match the experience offered by other racing simulators.

The single-player is jam-packed with varied game modes. The simulation of Formula One racing is very accurate. As a bonus, playing with friends through ad-hoc support is a nice touch.