A must have for King of Fighters fans, if they don't already have the games in another form.

If The Godfather films are among your favorite, there's no denying you'll enjoy this game.

A good story, decent length and immersive gameplay make the game shine, but lots of loading, vague subquests and camera control hold it back somewhat.

Although the campaign is more of a how-to, there are plenty of planets available with varying difficulties, promising hours of adventures whether you’re a fighter or a builder.

Sure there are a few new features, but none of them are so outstanding that they make the game significantly better. NHL 2K6 is a slightly beefier game than its current-gen brethren, but it just doesn't justify a $60 price tag, shiny helmets or no.

Not a bad game, but something about it seems off. The autosculpting rocks as a feature, but the stagnant gameplay is not exactly propelled by the story mode.

Not a huge leap in RTS gaming, but a good progression in the WWII RTS genre.

Armored Fury is the best multiplayer shooter game out there. The original game is just plain fun, and this Armored Fury booster is more icing on the cake.

Great multiplayer, boring single player. Needs wi-fi support to really fulfill its potential.

Again – I was completely blown away by how much fun this game offered, as the style generally isn't that appealing to me. The experience here is the real deal sealer – if you're a fan of explotation films, gratuitous violence and gore then this game is the one for you.

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

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.

All-Star Baseball 2005 may get the job done, but in a season as long as baseball’s, you’ve got to have that special something to keep you motivated, and unfortunately, this game just doesn’t have it.

Still, The Sims 2 has made a much smoother transition to the console than the previous versions. The new control scheme helps in this, with the direct control offering a nice option in place of the keyboard and mouse.

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.

If you're new to the franchise, but have played other, more modern FPS's, you might want to skip (or just rent) the game, as it'll feel overly simplistic when compared to Halo 2's AI and vehicle combat, Red Faction's destructibility, Unreal's weaponry and FEAR's atmosphere.

Kung Fu Panda the game will entertain you or your kids, which is more than you can say for most games in general, let alone ones based on a summer film.

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.

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

Like a really good comedy film, probably best suited as a rental.

An amazingly fun game that breaks the mold yet remains accessible and easy to pick up and play.

A pleasant surprise and incredibly fun, but far too brief and in need of some more polish. Count me first in line for the sequel.

There's seldom a dull moment in this game, and when one arises it's intentional. Raven completely outdid themselves with this game, delivering one of the best Marvel games yet to ship.

An intriguing plot tries to turn an action-oriented (and bloody) game on its ear, but the gameplay is too repetitive at its core to make you feel like you've really experienced something unique in the ever-growing world of sandbox games.

Play the earlier games, as this one's a huge letdown.

The co-op gameplay is both Army of Two's savior and burden, but the end result is still an enjoyable experience that fills a void not just in the Q1 doldrums, but in the shooter scene as a whole.

But it lacks long-term appeal, and so, its final score likewise suffers. As for SCPTT2 outdoing Pong, after 20 years, people still play Pong, but by the end of 2004, very few will play Smash Court 2.

The new boss battles, massive number of mini-games and intuitive controls make this one a winner -- in spite of its short single-player experience and half of the mini-games sucking in the first place.

It looks and sounds "next-gen," and the career mode is definitely deep, but it might be a bit intimidating for casual fans who just want to hop into a Grand Prix race and play. It could also benefit from more people actually playing online.

Skepticism would normally be justified regarding an RPG on the PSP, but Throne of Agony is amazing.

A surprisingly good racing game, and not just because it's a licensed title, that also happens to have fantastic 3D effects for those who have a 3D TV.

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

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.

Even faulted, the gameplay grows on you, but you probably won’t have the patience or desire to let it get to that point.

Nice multimedia as expected, but the AI has taken a dip. Fortunately, the multiplayer elements and Challenges keep things fresh.

The graphics are great, the new gameplay mechanics are nice, and the playcalling interface is a fantastic change.

If you love arcade style racing, you’ll love MC3.

So much promise, yet it's all dashed on the ice due to sloppy,unresponsive and frustrating controls.

It's not often we see 2K scrambling, but the controls feel like a panic move. With a bit more focus on the controls' convenience and practicality, NHL 2K8 has laid the groundwork for an intriguing season--in 2K9.

An intriguing take on the RTS model that provides a rich platform for trying out new strategies in different scenarios.

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.

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

With all the good going for Bomberman for PSP, it's tough to not recommend it to everyone, but that $40 price tag seems a tad excessive. After all, you've basically got what could be a $10 download game on the Web combined with an emulated version of a 10+ year old arcade title with a little WiFi (local play only, no Internet) on top.

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.

It's not quite as open ended as we'd hoped it would be, but the taste of freedom has whet our appetite for more, and the weapons upgrades keep gunplay fresh throughout the campaign.

Dawnguard is much more substantial add-on than Hearthfire, adding on a full storyline centered on a war between the vampires and the Dawnguard.

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.

Captures both the good and the bad of platforming, and it does so in a surprisingly fun way.

Boost mode alone is worth the price of admission, but the rest of the game is solid too.

While not the most exciting title, it’s still enjoyable and a refreshing change from all the WWII RTS’ out there.

The gameplay is exactly what you've come to expect from a LEGO game, but the graphics look better than any LEGO game before. The issue is more a matter of the franchise it's tied to, which isn't as memorable or charming as the other movies with LEGO tie-ins and thus doesn't provide the same number of memorable levels, scenes or characters.

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

A revolutionary dancing game, but it’s certainly an evolution of the genre in its dance pad orientation and addition of a center button.

There's seldom a dull moment in this game, and when one arises it's intentional. Raven completely outdid themselves with this game, delivering one of the best Marvel games yet to ship.

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.

The new elements are intriguing but not quite enough to make the game more than slightly above average.

If you can make it past the horrendous "action" elements and sometimes overly simplified puzzles in Dreamfall, you just might enjoy the deep storyline and character interactions.

It's just more of the same, which is a big missed opportunity for Nintendo. Once the novelty of Wii Speak wears off, there isn't any incentive to continue.

Not a ton of depth, and it's fairly short in single player, but as a whole it's a good addtion to your DS library.

Captures both the good and the bad of platforming, and it does so in a surprisingly fun way.

A surprisingly deep fighter. Occasionally the fast combat can degenerate into button mashing, but the strategic elements are there if you can keep your wits about you.

SingStar 90s isn't as flashy as Guitar Hero, nor does it have all the instruments of Rock Band, but it plays well, takes up considerably less space and is a bargain price-wise.

Old-school 2D fighting at its best.

Needless to say, Worms Revolution is a great game. From users who have enjoyed the game series since its launch back in 1995 to the completely new users, you will no doubt enjoy this game. The multiplayer alone brings in a ton of content that will result in a new and crazy battle each and every game.

After hours of working with this game, unless you’re a history buff or ruler-in-training, you will likely find yourself overwhelmed and lost.

If there's one word to describe this game it's frenzy. You'll find plenty of fast action and the gameplay never really takes a break.

If you're looking for a fun game to pick up and play for a few minutes at a time, or if you've heard about the fun of "Metroid Prime Pinball" but own a PSP instead of a Nintendo DS, you can't go wrong with Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection.

As a Star Wars video game, The Force Unleashed just takes too many missteps to be a masterpiece. But as Star Wars canon, The Force Unleashed does very little wrong.

If it existed in a vacuum it'd rank better, but this is a strong holiday for videogame shooters.

Both the single and multiplayer modes offer tons of fun, and those secret videos it shoots while you’re playing are sure to embarrass you time and time again.

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

There's very little criticism here; if you're looking for a sure-fire winner for the young Disney fans in your house this holiday, buy Kinect Disneyland Adventures.

It's nothing revolutionary, but the Big Button Pads add a new competitive element, and the new questions will entice fans of silver-screen trivia. This could actually see a lot of action during holiday get-togethers if you've got a bunch of movie buffs in your family.

Good stuff for RPG fans everywhere, though a bit too difficult and time-consuming for the casual gamer.

The third time is definitely not a charm. Multiplayer is better in concept than practice, and the rest of the game just feels "tired." Even fans of the series will lose interest.

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

Drawn to Life makes excellent use of the DS touch pad by allowing you to easily design your own characters, weapons, and various transports. Unfortunately, the rest of the game can become quite a chore and often becomes redundant.

It's hard to recommend this game to anyone other than the most diehard DBZ fans due to the bad camera angles, repetitive button mashing gameplay and the lack of online multiplayer. I suggest the developers start concentrating on quality over quantity.

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.

You won't find a better deal than this overflowing bag of content. However, if you're not a diehard Twisted Metal fan, there probably isn't enough motivation or variation for you to really get immersed in the game.

Excite Truck isn't the kind of game that's going to win "Racer of the Year 2006," but it sure is a lot of fun.

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

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

Siren is a good game with plenty of innovation, but the general "sightjack, sneak, repeat" gameplay gets stale after a short bit of time, and the lack of action makes the game hard to stay interested in.

Omega Five is a rose: great to look at but painful to handle.

There's a nice amount of content, but the updates do little more than gloss over lingering issues, and choosing to upgrade the audio over the graphics is just plain puzzling.

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

Innovative, addicting gameplay launches Gripshift out of mediocrity, but the lack of motivation to play everything, a ghost of a multiplayer mode, the 600-Microsoft-Point price tag and eventual frustration makes the game plummet back to Earth.

Blowing stuff up with a buddy absolutely rocks, but the AI is anything but intelligent and the graphics are a bit disappointing.

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.

More a learning tool than a game, Endless Ocean will appeal best to anyone interested in marine wildlife or gamers who cannot resist "collecting them all."

The surround sound may be great, but bad voice acting is bad voice acting, no matter how many channels it comes from.

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

A solid shooter with some fun twists.

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

The DBZ series' next-gen debut looks and sounds good, but its gameplay has some minor annoyances that are poorly timed, considering Soulcaliber IV isn't all that far off. You're better off waiting for that one instead.

Cheap AI, lame graphics, dull gameplay. It's all there for the suffering.

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.