Technically, graphically and aurally it's impressive, but if you're not into the act of driving or not on Xbox Live, it's best suited to be a rental. The multiplayer socialization and implementation is really where it shines.

A chaotic ride through the Marvel world. Exciting, fun and even moreso when you play with friends.

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

I'm surprised and saddened that this was outdone by a two-year-old game. EA's trying some new things here, but they don't quite work yet.

Good for fans, but action-RPG gamers probably already have a better game in hand.

A good addition to the stealth genre, but Garrett would much rather run and hide than to stand and fight.

COD3 packs more impressive features than any previous installment: gorgeous graphics and audio, an intense single-player campaign and a wealth of multiplayer options. Even if it isn't the most original WWII game, it's certainly one of the finest.

The Wii's enormous "casual" gamer base will eat Mario Kart Wii up with its accessible pick-up-and-play controls. Veterans aren't left out either with online play they've been clamoring for well over a decade.

2K Sports has introduced a lot of concepts and perfectly captured the college arena atmosphere, but the game itself needs a bit more work on all of its moving parts.

The game includes more updates and upgrades than I expected, and it's nice to have Master Chief back again even if it is in a game we've technically all played before. Certain sections seem more linear and artificially extended than I recall, which is disappointing, but when you account for the game's reduced price, it's still a good value.

While not a perfect PC to console translation, C&C3 is a great evolution of the control scheme for RTS gamers who've migrated to the home console world.

The sticker slap is my favorite new addition. The trick takes the place of the wallplant and enables the skater to turn a wall into a pitstop on the way to a huge combo. Leaping out of a grind into a sticker slap will send a skater right back to the rail, where he (or she) can retrace the path that already produced a good line.

Still, these neat little touches can't justify the purchase of this game by themselves, and the rest of Midnight Club Los Angeles just has too many less-than-next-gen issues to warrant choosing it over the outstanding Burnout Paradise.

Halo Wars, as solid as it is from a gameplay perspective, is not an appropriate game for kids weaned on teabagging and fragfests.

If you're looking for a racing game on which to spend your holiday cash, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift definitely deserves a look.

The production and sheer addiction make it easy to overlook the occasional camera problem.

Simple fun doesn't mean simplistic play. Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds stays within the bounds of pick-up-and-play fun without alienating more "refined" golf-game fans.

It’s scary, different and great at what it does, with only a few missteps and a story that needs some more fleshing out. Bring on the sequel!

The presentation and feel of the game is near-perfect, but the actual gameplay, particularly on offense, comes up short and frustrating. Lock-On D is a nice feature as well, but it can be a crutch.

The Team Tour mode is fun, but everything else about the game has been seen/done before. Maybe a $25 price should be next year's "added feature."

The presentation and feel of the game is near-perfect, but the actual gameplay, particularly on offense, comes up short and frustrating. Lock-On D is a nice feature as well, but it can be a crutch.

The shooter has outstanding graphics, addictive gameplay and solid multiplayer components, but it’s held back from becoming a true classic through its disappointing narrative and mediocre soundtrack.

It doesn't possess any flaws, but it's missing key upgrades to the original game. New skins and a couple of novel modes are welcome, but they don't overshadow the feeling that this is a slightly updated version of the original. No online component also holds the game back.

Heavy weaponry is still the name of the game, but the absence of Clank takes away a little of the magic.

It doesn't offer anything innovative, but it's good old-fashioned fun, which is something the Xbox 360 seems to be missing.

The combat forces you to think, which is a nice change of pace. For half the price of most other games, you'll likely get twice the enjoyment from Phantom Dust.

There’s some good gaming here for people new to the franchise, but some parts will feel old to experienced AOE vets.

The open-world genre has never looked so good, but it could've played a bit more realistically given the subject matter. A few fewer Biblical references would've been nice, too.