Even when padded with so many routine elements, RPG players will probably enjoy Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana, and why not? What seems routine to a non-fan is just genre convention to an insider.

Although the controls feel slightly unwieldy and unresponsive at times, SSX Blur is still generally a lot of fun. The open mountain, tons of events and unlockable goodies, and motion sensitive controls go a long way to revitalizing the snowboarding genre.

I wouldn't say that Tokyo Jungle is a must play title by any means, but for just $15 I'd say it's almost worth it just to play one of the strangest games the PSN has to offer.

If you’re not a fan of online play, you’d do better to keep your germs to yourself.

Aside from the thrill of solving a few puzzles, though, there's little difference between playing L&O2 and watching NBC on Wednesday night.

Given that there is no ability to create your own rider or play online, the feature set is substandard to other extreme sports titles on the market.

While the game doesn't look as good as it should, the gameplay and online support is terrific, and the focus on team play puts it in a class by itself.

Considering the game's budget price tag of $20 is less than the green fees for most public golf courses, the repetitive nature of the sound and animations is hardly an issue if you don't mind some spanking, slapping, grinding, stroking, and gyrating in your golf.

Comparisons to the Super Smash Bros. series are apt, but PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale stands on its own. If you're looking for a rich single-player experience that brings together all your favorite PlayStation characters into one ultimate story, this isn't your game. It is very evident that much of the focus went into character combat design for the explicit purpose of a deep online community and that's where PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale excels.

The initial focus on training and gently bringing novice players into the fold is definitely one of the biggest selling points.

The new single-player levels are challenging without being impossible and break new gameplay ground without abandoning the things that made the original great.

An undeniably solid game... [but t]he lack of variety and the limited number of arenas make the premise wear prematurely thin.

The level design is mostly uninspired, but there are some great dogfight stages and one-on-one boss battles.

May appeal to hardcore football fans looking for a more customizable game of pigskin on the Xbox, but most gamers will lose interest rather fast. Not only are there myriad problems with the overall presentation, but the gameplay also fails to feel as tight or well tuned as this season's other football titles.

This ain’t the console equivalent of "Rome: Total War." Action fans might furrow their brows over the slow pacing, and the camera is stubborn, requiring you to manually adjust it to see your surroundings while moving around the enemy.

If you are a fan, you’ll find this a lot more impressive than last year’s Ultimate Ninja. It’s a better job of making a fighting game and a better job of bringing the TV show to life, with more characters, better graphics, and a deeper single-player game.

The striking visuals, the hard-driving licensed soundtrack, and the variety of events make for an appealing, fast-paced game that's perfect for venting a little steam.

What could have been a revolutionary and potentially genre-busting game is just a novelty for those who can manage to be titillated by polygons.

Definitely scores a high Bond quotient, and it's a decent game in its own right. It's short and has a few problems with its driving sections, but it does throw in multiplayer options and a simple blackjack game for good measure.

Plays it safe for the most part. It takes familiar gameplay and runs with it, without trying to innovate much beyond the fun brawling.

There just isn't much gameplay in this gaming gumbo to set it apart from the countless other platformers out there.

Fans of the "1080" franchise will find that other games have left the franchise behind on the bunny slope. Rent it, ride the avalanche, and return it.

A pleasant change from "The Sims" that is tailored to those who would find the constant reinventing of personal style an appealing diversion.

The toolset is immense but you're not required to use every feature to make a basic track. The familiar, albeit modified LBP user interface will make it easy for longtime fans to hit the ground running.

While the vibrant color, cheerful sound, and whimsical theme are classic Nintendo, the title’s surprisingly narrow scope will make you wonder if Touch & Go was originally supposed to be a minigame for another title.

All of this amounts to a content-packed but ultimately rather disappointing first crack at Skyrim DLC for Bethesda.

The game is arguably more suited to a handheld since the fast-paced, somewhat repetitive action is best enjoyed in small doses.

Simply put, Pride FC shines with details that will make any Pride fan or former match attendee misty eyed with nostalgia.

We're certain a veteran shoot-'em-up enthusiast can blow through it in just two days. But you shouldn't write it off, either. For immediate thrills, not many rivals can match its sheer staying power and intensity.

An announcer might have been nice, but at least we're spared any potentially awful voice performances. You'll get more out of the game if you can get your GBA in on the action, but the mini-RPG isn't a bad addition.

Over 20 truly bizarre and inspired characters, great backdrops, fantastic special moves, and plenty of game modes all add up to a solid, if faulty package.

The gun fighting and horse riding action is fun on the go, but the controls take a lot of time to get used to, and the overall game is still rather short.

The result of meddling with Joe's mechanics is pure mediocrity. Though lefties will scream in frustration, the action is never bad, merely bland.

The career mode found in the console versions is sorely missed, the visuals during the close-up views could be better, and the graphics could run much smoother.

Between the dull punchfests, the insanely accurate enemies, and the extra difficulty created by forcing the player to rely on autotargeting, completing Dead to Rights quickly becomes an act of will.

With graphics and a soundtrack that are identical to SBaM, and the eight returning characters unchanged by even a hair, this game is more like a re-release of SBaM than its own unique title.

It's exactly what you'd expect in a licensed third-person action/adventure. But that's the problem. We liked the additional characters and multiplayer options, but the gameplay and graphics are uninspired.

For its ambition and tackling of two genres at once, Battlestations: Midway ain't half bad. Its duality means that not a lot of players will absolutely fall in love with it, but there's enough here for most gamers to find themselves happily immersed.

It's not a bad game, and should hold your interest for several hours, but the things it does well are diminished by its myriad flaws.

Those that have yet to exceed level 40 and undertake some of the main game’s tougher challenges are probably unprepared for the trials this expansion pack has to offer and will likely find them frustrating and unrewarding. For those prepared to throw down the gauntlet, though, there’s a lot of fun content and gorgeous new areas to be discovered.

It’s not really fresh, revolutionary, or exceptional, but Alter Code F is a way to revisit old times, a history lesson on the early days of the genre, and a way for a game company to make a little extra cash.

It delivers a payload of pick-up-and-play fun, a goofy story and unlockable do-dads without resorting to overbearing plot contrivances or busy work.

Simple, yet fun, Polarium is an engaging puzzle game. It proves that the touch screen can be used for more than gimmicks.

Has its moments, but unless you're thrilled by the prospect of undergoing some tedious repetition to the beat of generic techno music in the name of your ninja training, you'll want to think twice about tasting this rusty, unpolished, ninja steel.

The flaws in the single player missions are very disappointing, as The Clone Wars could easily have been a near-perfect "Star Wars" title with more imaginative level design. As it stands, the multiplayer is so good that it makes up for most of the shortcomings elsewhere in the title.

"DDR" veterans are sure to Pump It Up, but if you're just starting out then it's best to start with something easier.

Sure, it’s more burger and fries than filet mignon. But it’s a really good burger and fries.

While TV Party doesn’t have the most amazing or original selection of mini-games, the inherent charm of the Rabbids make it unique and hilarious.

There’s a little Crimson Skies, a little Starfox, and even some Diddy Kong Racing. They took a bunch of good ideas from those titles and assembled a rock solid action game for the younger set.

Despite the balance problems, less gripping story, somnolent voice acting, and dichotomous soundtrack, Xenosaga II is still a playable RPG if you don’t expect it to set your world on fire.

A reliable, if unremarkable shooter. If only the story had been better reflected in actual gameplay we'd be getting somewhere.

If you’re interested in the authentic Animal Crossing experience, you can pick up the original for about twelve dollars now. If you don’t care about being an uber-Animal Crossing nerd, you will find a tremendous amount of enjoyment in this one as well.

From the opening sweeps to the penalty kicks, this game engages and entertains. For the PlayStation 2 there is no better soccer title to own.

It's a real treat to see footage of the original arcade Defender and listen to the thoughts of the man behind it and of the folks responsible for the new one.

For those of you who haven't played the original Dungeon Siege, it's included with this expansion pack for free. This is a tremendous value. For pure monster-hacking goodness, it's really hard to beat Dungeon Siege.

The Game Boy can be a surprisingly capable platform, but Revenge of the Sith just isn't ambitious enough to become a master in its class.

The slick character design and brutal gameplay should be praised. However, stiff animation and chunky battle controls prevent this game from getting [an 80].

Engaging, if not innovative.

But what Alien Invasion does so well is offer existing players a solid reason to keep playing. Those of you who left AO a while ago might want to pop back in to see what the fuss is about.

In a crowded market, it's extremely refreshing to see a developer trying something that's so completely different from everything else out there. The cover-based flight combat is a brilliant idea that fits in perfectly with the overall tone of the game.

The magic element makes for good fun, and shooting hoops with Mickey and the gang turns out to be both challenging and entertaining.

A fairly solid title, but it falls short of the mark for a big "Sonic" release.

One of the few ideal family games on the 360, Thrillville: Off the Rails is an impressive feat. The variety of fun mini-games mixed with an excellent roller coaster creation tool, and a surprisingly fun and light theme-park sim all add up to a good casual gamer romp.

$40 is a lot to pay for these games--even if they originally cost $300 each on the original Neo-Geo system.

With hard fought battles, simple controls, and destructive abilities associated with the four main roles, Frontlines' multiplayer offers hours of addictive fun, especially on the 32-player dedicated servers. Yet all in not rosy on the multiplayer front.

It's just sort of a bummer not to see anything new brought to the table other than a digital Steven Tyler (which actually looks less freakish than the real Steven Tyler).

Most disappointing is the shoddy way this celebration of all things Metal Slug is presented.

It's a meaty release that doesn't bog the player down with complicating control configurations, drawn out cut scenes, and plot development that gamers will likely be familiar with already.

By diluting the elements that set NFL Blitz apart from other football games, Midway has left the door open for its game to be compared to "Madden NFL 2004" and "ESPN NFL Football." Unfortunately, there is no comparison.

Keeps a tight formation between fun and realism and is a great start to the year's run of PS2 air-combat games.

Its original plot and setting, polished visuals, and overall high production value make this a must-have for any skilled console gamer. It's unfortunate that its seemingly complex control scheme will alienate most casual players.

There’s something oddly compelling about the game. When you’re not online, you’re constantly worried about what’s going on. Once you meet up with other players, that worry becomes dread.

As a full-priced retail game, it would have been a dismal failure, but it’s a fun, cheap download that offers plenty of on and offline opportunities to kill some time.

But the single-player experience is ultimately too limited to recommend it as anything other than a rental.

The concepts are solid, the story is excellent, and the characters sustain. Aesthetically it is a beautiful piece of work. It's just not all that much fun to play, especially when bugs have left parts of the game incomplete.

Mission objectives are varied and quite satisfying, the graphics shine, and tons of replay value is provided.

Although the flaky sense of physics and controls bring it down a couple notches, Bandits: Phoenix Rising is still an entertainingly destructive auto combat game.

If some of the difficulty settings didn't feel so unbalanced, we'd have liked more time in North Africa, as that campaign feels the most fresh out of the three.

Serious gamers shouldn't give it a second glance. It's simply not designed for them. Anyone looking for a good time or an excellent gift-giving opportunity shouldn't pass the game up, though.

If you enjoy 2D gameplay, Glory Days 2 is certain to appeal. The mix of action and strategy is exceptional, and although the presentation certainly looks and feels 16-bit, the gameplay more than makes up for it.

Soulstorm is not only a ridiculously long title but a ridiculously very solid package of content. It’s a killer bundle for RTS fans that aren’t too picky about graphics. The problem is that fans of the series, who have already purchased the earlier expansions, are really only getting two new factions and a handful of units.

While the production values are pretty good, the gameplay is pretty shallow. If you're into action games, this is worth playing once.

It was my intention to give this game 3 out five, but we couldn’t put it down, despite its flaws, we had to see what was around the next corner, and that makes it 4 in our world.

The more discerning gamer will find themselves assailed by Soul Nomad & The World Eaters' obnoxious characters and confounded by clumsy menus and insufficient in-game tutorials.

It’s easy to make fun of a game series entirely focused at hitting the seemingly elusive teen and pre-teen girl demographic, yet games like Nancy Drew: the White Wolf of Icicle Creek pull most of the right strings.

FIFA 07 will still please enthusiasts with its enhanced ball control and realistic play, but it’s hard to validate this game as "the season" when it would have benefited from more seasoning.

If you're a fan of Neverwinter Nights 2 then this is a no-brainer purchase. The over land map section of the game is hardly revolutionary but does add a much more open feeling to the game - and finding random magic weapons and toys hiding in the trees on the way to town is always a nice bonus.

Looks good and plays well, though you have to accept that a tough puzzle or vague objective can bring your progress to a screeching halt at any moment.

An excellent "pick-up-and-play" title. The trouble is most will be satisfied enough by "picking up" the controller just once to play this.

Players on the fringe of the card game, however, will find more frustration than fun in Nightmare Troubadour.

While the production values are pretty good, the gameplay is pretty shallow. If you're into action games, this is worth playing once.

The best Godzilla game to date. It would be a good brawler even without the big green guy, as the fighting mechanics are solid all-around.

If there’s anything to complain about in Beautiful Katamari, it’s that vets will likely tear through the game in a matter of hours. Still, there’ll always be the online multiplayer aspect to keep them going.

A respectable compilation of the blue bomber's other adventures, though it pales a bit in comparison to the Anniversary Collection released a couple of years back.

Drawn to Life is perfect for younger or novice gamers who enjoy the artistic aspects the game offers and prefer their action lightweight. It’s a great concept and overall, done well, but once you get over the stylus drawing and coloring pad gimmick.

Warp is a pleasing blend of brain-teasers and stealth that feels half baked. A dull setting, shallow humor, and overly sensitive controls hold it back from being a classic, but it's still a satisfying slice of malevolent mayhem.

The biggest problem is the lack of communication among teammates. You can press a button to taunt or another to cheer, but that's it.

The characters and the trials they face simply aren’t cut out for the game they inhabit, and the game feels shallow and incomplete as a result.