An average shooter in which the presentation and education are more compelling than the game itself.

So much effort went into replicating the glaive's flight and awe-inspiring kills that every other aspect of Dark Sector took a noticeable hit in quality and polish, save for the visuals. Remove the glaive, and this game's appeal drops below mediocrity into a rinse-and-repeat nightmare.

The changes to Top Spin 3 are only good for hardcore tennis fans. For most gamers, the new animation-dependent learning curve will replace the fun gameplay elements with literal gameplay mechanics.

So much effort went into replicating the glaive's flight and awe-inspiring kills that every other aspect of Dark Sector took a noticeable hit in quality and polish, save for the visuals. Remove the glaive, and this game's appeal drops below mediocrity into a rinse-and-repeat nightmare.

The changes to Top Spin 3 are only good for hardcore tennis fans. For most gamers, the new animation-dependent learning curve will replace the fun gameplay elements with literal gameplay mechanics.

The ingredients are there for something good, but they need more time in the cauldron before this game can bubble to the top.

The bells, whistles and added off-court content are nice additions, but the game suffers from some nagging on-court issues that should have been addressed before the extra stuff.

EA introduces some new gameplay elements and injects some variety, but it's not enough to keep the game from getting repetitive, and the overall polish isn't as high as it was in the original.

But even fantastic graphics can't elevate H.A.W.X. beyond a simple weekend rental.

Unless you're absolutely die-hard about hard rock and heavy metal, Brutal Legend is one game you can relegate to a rental.

Technically there's nothing wrong with the game -- had it released in 2006. While it's great to have Visual Concepts back, they definitely left room for improvement for All-Pro Football 2K9, and improvement is certainly what's needed for this next generation of football games.

EA introduces some new gameplay elements and injects some variety, but it's not enough to keep the game from getting repetitive, and the overall polish isn't as high as it was in the original.

But even fantastic graphics can't elevate H.A.W.X. beyond a simple weekend rental.

Feels like it should have been designed as a "Dynasty Warriors" clone. It would have done a wonderful job as such. The environments and character designs are beautiful accomplishments, and the sense of scale is an incredible feat. But the RTS aspects hurt the game badly.

Technically there's nothing wrong with the game -- had it released in 2006. While it's great to have Visual Concepts back, they definitely left room for improvement for All-Pro Football 2K9, and improvement is certainly what's needed for this next generation of football games.

The combat is good, the production values high and the promise incredible, but unless you’re a huge fan of the Forgotten Realms storyline, you’re better off renting Demon Stone.

Unless you're absolutely die-hard about hard rock and heavy metal, Brutal Legend is one game you can relegate to a rental.

If rhythm and trippy visuals are your thing then you'll find this bazaar shooter worthwhile.

WALL-E is a fun character and film, but while the game explores more of the movie's universe, the gameplay doesn't explore anything by familiar ground.

Multiplayer is a nice addition, but it definitely takes some getting used to, and the updated graphics don't really do much for me other than give me a headache while trying to create clusters.

Too average to warrant purchasing at full price, but not a bad rental.

WALL-E is a fun character and film, but while the game explores more of the movie's universe, the gameplay doesn't explore anything by familiar ground.

WALL-E is a fun character and film, but while the game explores more of the movie's universe, the gameplay doesn't explore anything by familiar ground.

Cars and physics shine in this game, but the gameplay gets repetitive in an overlong career mode.

It's initially a blast and has outstanding mini-games, but it needs more game modes on the whole, and the replayability dwindles fast.

I typically find any platformers get old fast, but in Nightshade, the designers were wise enough to not subject you to platform hell, so there's just enough to keep the levels interesting.

All in all, Gradius Collection is a set of "fan's games," in that only someone who really loves the hyperactive side-scrolling action of the original can love this package.

Harry's fifth go-round is tailor-made for the Wii-Mote's ability to mimic a magic wand, but despite extensive efforts to bring Hogwart's to life, boring play and uninterruptible cut-scenes cast an ominous cloud.

Not a bad game by any means, but the slow initial pace combined with horrible voice work make for a game that most players won't want to make it past hour 5.

Tilting the Wii Remote to control the table is intuitive and feels natural. Color matching can be frustrating at times, but adds to the overall challenge of the gameplay.

If the design errors can be overlooked, Time Crisis 4 is what you expect: a fast, intense light gun shooter with decent graphics and the ability to make one's arm sore for days after.

My recommendation: let Wolfenstein stay in the other dimension and away from your Xbox 360 or PS3. There are other shooters this fall that can scratch your FPS itch a heck of a lot better.

My recommendation: let Wolfenstein stay in the other dimension and away from your Xbox 360 or PS3. There are other shooters this fall that can scratch your FPS itch a heck of a lot better.

Those 15 deaths, the difficulty imbalance, the weapon irrelevance and manual camera notwithstanding, the game was fine. But you know, those are all really big issues that drag down a game's score. Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault also is dreadfully boring, so I can't rate it anything higher than "average."

It shows its age, and some titles are better then others, but all the cinemas are intact and some games never get boring.

The game can be fun, but it's strictly a multiplayer affair, and it needs more meat. As it stands, it feels a bit like the publishers' way to lead owners into a world of endless microtransactions.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is a breath of fresh air in many respects, but needs a good breeze in others.

Brink can be awesome and annoying, euphoric and inexplicable, all in the same breath. Unfortunately, fist pumps are followed by fits of controller throwing all too regularly to make this one score much higher.

There's just not quite enough variety to hold my (or my son's) interest, and the occasional collision/gesture detection snafu doesn't help matters either.

Ignore the god-awful voice acting and plot, and you've got a moderately enjoyable FPS. It may not break new ground, but what does these days?

Even with the well-thought-out online options, the core gameplay is so basic, golf fans won't find this game interesting at all. If you're more the arcade sports player, on the other hand, you'll easily get your $20 worth from this.

Buggy but not broken, generic but not ghastly, Killzone lacks anything beyond an average amount of appeal.

Entertaining at times and overly basic at others, this sophomore outing is 'average' on the whole. Whether that speaks to the game itself or the expanding library of Kinect options is still up in the air, but the result is the same.

Could've just as easily been a current-gen title. Average graphics, annoying story and too-easy gameplay make for a ho-hum game.

Far from fresh or innovative, it's still a fun title to keep the kids happy or blow a rainy day playing.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is a breath of fresh air in many respects, but needs a good breeze in others.

Unlike a lot of hastily thrown together minigame collections, Carnival Island seems well thought out – it even has a story mode. The 35+ game modes will surely have at least one that will appeal to almost any gamer, and the cute collectable pets will keep the collectors happy.

MX vs. ATV Unleashed does a respectable job of bringing action sports to the PSP, but it fails to deliver on excitement, which is a requirement for any extreme sports game.

Technically, Goldeneye 007: Reloaded does nothing wrong, and in fact my hat's off to Activision for bringing a classic game to the modern era. The gameplay, though, in spite of its tweaks here and there, just doesn't have the impact as when Goldeneye was the one N64 game everyone owned.

It's really nothing more than a run-of-the-mill shooter with some serious balance issues. The story lacks any emotional impact, so you'll be constantly skipping the cut scenes, and rarely listening to any of the dialog, and that's just sad considering this game is set in the world of "Deus Ex."

If you own the prior games, don't bother. If you're new to the franchise, give it a rent.

A fitting end to Clover Studios. Vaya Con Dios, lads; you will be missed.

The Conduit is decent, but I wouldn't pay $50 for it; maybe $30. Between cheap enemies and not enough polish, The Conduit just falls short.

With an extra year to refine Lost Planet from top to bottom, Capcom should have delivered a PS3 masterpiece. Instead, the game's taken some painful steps backwards, which is probably the same thing PS3 owners should do when they see this game in stores.

Not a bad game, but not enough to keep your attention. The long levels of wash-rinse-and-repeat action will please only the Achievement-loving space cadets.

More compelling than "Ninety-Nine Nights," but that's not saying much. The graphics are disappointing and the audio should've been left in its original Japanese. Truly, with CG sequences this good, the use of cheap SoCal voice talent removes any sense of immersion.

Anyone who's played Tiger in the past, or even "Links 2004" for that matter, will find this an unnecessary addition to their library. It's not a bad game, it's just not a fantastic show-stopper of one either.

A fun game that tackles WWII from a different standpoint which is a breath of fresh air; marred by some sound issues and slight graphical missteps.

Beowulf lives up to its "M" rating, and there's plenty of hacking and slashing to be done here. But if you're looking for more than just bloody waterfalls and severed arms, you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you take the package as a whole, especially taking into account the amazing cutscenes and environments, it's a game well worth playing.

Occasionally touchy controls and an inexplicable feeling of repetition undermine an otherwise creative tactical puzzle game.

Far from fresh or innovative, it's still a fun title to keep the kids happy or blow a rainy day playing.

The single-player game is short, plodding and has a poor story, but the online options keep you coming back for more.

Units flow well and are easy to differentiate from one culture to another, but there’s something that keeps the quality a little below what most gamers are accustomed to with the more recent RTS titles, especially where character details are concerned.

Tetris is Tetris. Nothing new, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If updated graphics and a unique aquarium screensaver are enough to make you spend ten bucks, then by all means, go for it.

Nothing to get too excited about, it’s definitely no "Diablo."

Pretty average gaming action with a fun story. A good rental or discount buy.

What was once so amazing barely conjures excitement on PlayStation 2.

Not a bad game, but not a great one either. Online modes and the loaded dynasty mode are sure to keep players busy for another year. A solid soundtrack fills out the smooth animations to make for a pleasing presentation.

Although the game's overall look is best described as "functional," and in spite of the card dealing just looking weird, what really matters with a poker game is its fun factor, and that's where WCP2 puts forth a solid effort.

One issue with Burning Horizon is the lack of online multiplayer. This severely limits the replay value of the game since once you have properly scouted a map and learned how to deal with a scenario there seems to be no reason to play it again. This is a crying shame as some of the greatest fun I had with the original was the online team combat.

While we're on the topic of spraying fire, Namco's made this even easier by letting you double up on your lead blasting abilities. In Crisis Zone, you can hook up a second Guncon (light gun) and go John Woo on the bad guys.

Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas (the movie) will adore this game, mostly due to it staying true to the milieu and characters from the movie. Non fans will still get a kick out of the game, as it's an enjoyable mix of platforming and music.

This game just drips with anime style. The visuals, while not being top tier, are still awesomely fun to watch in action.

It doesn't live up to the Gran Turismo creators' standards, and it doesn't even live up to the standards of the best motorcycle racing games on this generation of hardware.

An enjoyable Xbox title that actually doesn't have a single gun in it.

If you really like guns and explosions, this game is for you. Otherwise, pocket your points and save your ammo.

A decent first outing, but make sure you don't tire of repetitive racing games, because that's what you're getting here.

The game is fun and being the Hulk as never been such a chaotic thrill. However, the horrible voice acting and corporate Achievement schemes will bring even the Hulk to his knees.

Buzz: Hollywood Quiz deftly straddles the line between budget and quality, and if you're hurting for a movie-based trivia game, you can hardly go wrong here.

For a first-year outing, NBA Live 08 on the Wii doesn't even get honorable mention All-Rookie team. At least we know EA will make an 09 version, so there's always room for improvement.

There's nothing new to be found in this button combo platformer, but solid controls, drop-in anytime co-op, plenty of unlockable characters and upgrades, and surprisingly entertaining dialogue save this game from being a forgettable addition to the Spider-Man franchise.

Its "average-ness" makes it accessible to newcomers, but hardcore RTS or RPG fans will find there's not enough depth of either genre to keep them interested for more than a few hours.

Custom Events can be fun, and a few of the game's minor features are nice, but in the off-road racing landscape, MX vs. ATV Untamed just doesn't rev our engines.

Not a good game, but not a bad game by any means either. A surprisingly entertaining romp of repetitive mini-games that might surprise you by forcing a chuckle out once in awhile.

NBA Live 08 offers quick offensive gameplay, but the difficulty of implementing solid defensive maneuvers leads to high scoring games and frustrating moments.

It's still the same old Madden, emphasis on old. The mini-games are fun, but next time focus on fixing those bugs and giving us some more meat, OK guys?

Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas (the movie) will adore this game, mostly due to it staying true to the milieu and characters from the movie. Non fans will still get a kick out of the game, as it’s an enjoyable mix of platforming and music.

The game is fun and being the Hulk as never been such a chaotic thrill. However, the horrible voice acting and corporate Achievement schemes will bring even the Hulk to his knees.

A decent port job that adds enough to keep first time players entertained, but seasoned Godfather vets will probably stay away.

A whole lot of new content, but the gameplay feels the same as we've seen before.

Frankly, the game components could’ve been stripped out and this would’ve scored better as an anime DVD, but as a game, it’s going to come off a very tiresome to the average gamer.

Overall, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is mildly fun.

The campaign grows tedious in spite of its mixed-up gameplay, and the remaining mini-game modes are enjoyable more for their novelty and humor than for their actual gameplay. I'd still recommend the game for serious Star Wars fans, but if you're more of a casual fan and/or just have a passing interest, it's better worth renting than a full-on purchase.

The game is solid, looks good and plays well, but it just has a "feel" that's not for everyone.

Not a bad game in and of itself, but there's just not enough content here to make it seem worth the money you paid for it.

Custom Events can be fun, and a few of the game's minor features are nice, but in the off-road racing landscape, MX vs. ATV Untamed just doesn't rev our engines.

Definitely realistic, but sloppy AI sometimes feels cheap.