The only problem is that LucasArts didn’t take the ultimate risk and create strictly a strategy game, because the fighting aspects sink this game faster than an ogre mage in quicksand.

Major League Baseball 2K11 has the fortunate (for 2K) distinction of being the only Xbox 360 baseball game, and one of just two on the PS3. However, it has the dubious distinction (for gamers) of being the one sports game this year that fans should absolutely avoid. If that means taking a year off of baseball, I definitely advise taking that vacation.

Billed as a sequel, it's more of a expansion than anything. And not much of an expansion at that.

Unless you are a die-hard fan of the series, there isn't enough game here to justify a purchase.

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

But for kid-focused entertainment and the knowledge that a movie-based game is actually well executed, it's hard to top these meatballs.

Still, that may have been an odd happenstance specific to our play space, so I won't downgrade the game because of it. Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure is a fun, albeit brief, trip down Pixar memory lane, and it makes nice use of Kinect motion controls.

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.

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.

It has all the makings of a top tier title, but due to a boring story, iffy AI and so-so combat mechanics, it just doesn't manage to pull out of the “average” ranking.

Controls are a bit complex for kids and too unoriginal for adults.

It's surprisingly fun and addicting...and tough to beat for 20 bones.

Still, Buzz! Master Quiz is the perfect title for a quick subway ride, or if you're the type of person who likes to play a video game for a few minutes before falling asleep.

Bitchin' fun, dude! Takes you right back to the roaring road-rage days of the arcade.

A huge yawn, even for the kids it is supposedly aimed at.

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.

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

The game makes great use of the Wiimote controls yet a lack of game modes and online play will leave you wanting more.

Would have made a better GBA game.

As I said, I've been a fan of the Need for Speed franchise for quite some time, but even I've been rubbed a bit raw by some of the franchise's evolution over the years. It's not like EA and Black Box were struggling to find an identity, but they seemed to always be looking to switch things up just for the sake of switching. With Need for Speed: The Run, it seems like EA finally found the right mix of action and challenge, and the sporadic out-of-the-car sequences give just enough of a break to keep you pushing forward.

Barely a sequel, it's more like a Death Jr. add-on pack, but still enjoyable for a short amount of time.

For me, it was easiest to trade-off turns: when the game was easy, I let the kids play, when it was too tough for them, I took over. But I can't see either side enjoying the game on their own, it's truly a family game to say the least, because without both kids and adults playing, it's not going to hold your interest.

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

For fans of the genre (or the arcade game) only.

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.

Considerably less enjoyable than the now two-year-old (and eminently enjoyable) "Massive Assault," which had better AI, a stronger political system and even better production values. Save yourself some money and pick up a copy of "Massive Assault."

But pretty pictures and good audio don’t always make for a pretty good game, as gamers both old and young can tell you from personal experiences. The gameplay is what counts, and in that sense, Shark Tale doesn’t quite hit the mark.