The new courses, modes and features can't make us forget one simple fact: EA screwed with the gameplay. It's not our fault we were getting really damn good at your game. Don't send it back into the Stone Age with inaccurate swing mechanics and busted-up putting as punishment.

Takes golf videogames back to the '80s when it was a boring, elitist sport. It looks to have completely disregarded the shifting of the guard that took place when a certain tiger-striped phenom stepped onto the scene.

For $10, serious fans of the original who are still playing regularly, or those who are itching to pick it up again, won’t want to miss this. But, if you’ve grown tired with the game and need something a little more meaty if you’re going to get back into it (like maybe a campaign), save your pennies; two more tiny enhancements are promised in the coming months, all three of which will then be bundled together to form one, proper expansion -- maybe even with a new faction!

A mixed bag. Those who don't mind some badly written jRPG tropes will find quite a bit to love in combat, but the game is generally too linear and plodding to earn anything above the praise of "decent."

Even with such an elegant combat system, however, Reckoning does not know how to indulge it. The actual combat scenarios themselves are painfully pedantic and lose any surprise after the first few hours of play.

However, if you have never played Rock Band before, and you need to get your rock fix while you wait for the online-supported Guitar Hero World Tour, then these bells and whistles will quickly fade from your mind the moment you and your friends find your groove on a classic tune.

Evidently Square Enix didn't have the time or the inclination to do serious work under Valkyrie's hood. Instead, we get this sloppy emulated version, with all the warts of the original and more.

I was looking forward to it, but left very disappointed. It’s completely playable. Being about 7 hours long helps but I spent the entire game waiting for it to get good, to make sense, to make a case for all the incongruous elements of design, gameplay and story, and then it ended.

It's tough to keep calling FIFA on issues of accuracy, especially when Konami seems to have soccer realism cornered.

Decidedly underwhelming.

Stunning. "Oddworld" is better than it's ever been, and everything about "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee" is refined, polished, and utterly playable.

It’s a very polished, playable soccer game. The play by play is solid, the AI is challenging, and there are lots of options which allow you to tweak the experience to your liking.

It’s simple, yet still challenging and great fun whether on or offline.

It's the respectable hitting that makes all the difference. With solid action at the plate, MLB becomes the best handheld baseball game on the market. That it’s also the best-looking doesn’t bother us one bit.

The beefed-up single-player is nice, but when the main focus of the game comes up so short, it's hard not to feel disappointed.

There’s a definite hands-off approach to fitness when it comes to the games but we would have liked to have more structure and information about my fitness progression.

Despite the occasional dog in the roster, there is more than enough gold in Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection to justify the purchase at double the price. Older gamers looking for a shot of nostalgia will absolutely find it here, and younger gamers wondering what all the fuss was over that mysterious “16-bit era” they keep hearing about will find an excellent education in the digital classics.

Just flat-out fun. It's not the most complex offering, but there's something to be said for a title that doesn't overreach and instead focuses on tight gameplay and enticing features.

It's a full-fledged expansion pack that provides some great additions to the game. If you're new to "Disciples," this is the one to buy.

Both Capcom and SNK fighting fans will be in heaven. Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO is like a 24-hour arcade that requires no quarters, and the entire country is invited to play.

Horrible aerial physics, the trying control system, and the gradual build-up of stats make sure that the "Amped" series still has plenty of room for improvement. Amped 2 plays second fiddle to the "SSX" series as the most exciting snowboarding game on the mountain.

Dick Vitale spits out more “babys” than the local maternity ward, but he brings an air of excitement to the game that few announcers can match.

Harmonix's own "Guitar Hero" is still tops--mainly due to its cool factor--but if you need to entertain a rowdy group at your next gathering, nothing says hours of good times like Karaoke Revolution Party.

A nice diversion, but its clunky progression scheme makes tedious what has been natural for far too long.

Undeniably fun. It’s also incredibly derivative and still, after three tries, flawed.

This is a simple, laid-back game, but you'll be surprised at just how rewarding it is to create railroads and watch towns grow.

While it's lacking in the qualities necessary to convert the haters, it's nonetheless a game that will please the faithful.

This is the first time since the original that the series has been so accessible. With the full 3D engine and freedom of movement, Myst V is more fun and fast-paced than you can reasonably expect an adventure game to be, and is just as visually stunning as its predecessors.

It’s taken all the best bits of the first game, dressed them up, and created a game that both rookies and veterans will enjoy.

Overwhelming is probably the best way to describe this one. It’s a title that requires some level of commitment from you the virtual pilot, but with that commitment comes nearly endless rewards, rewards that may assist you in getting your real pilot’s license if you so desire.

Fans of anime-style action and stories will especially dig this game, with its heaping dose of Asian mysticism, fatalism, and drama. Beyond that, the strange, magical action and hordes of levels are sure to give action fans plenty of challenge.

if you're willing to take the time to get over the initial awkwardness of steering, you're in for one of the freshest and most rewarding water racing experiences since the original "Wave Race."

Hitman: Absolution is a triumph, top to bottom. Fans of the series can look forward to the best entry yet, without question.

Everything from last year from graphics to gameplay has been polished and upgraded.

With the exception of a couple of new features that do indeed enhance the game, Empire Earth II still feels like it was made with a cookie cutter, culling most of the basic design ideas from other games.

As an action adventure held up against its contemporaries, its gameplay variety, interesting premise, and amazing graphics and sound make it a winner, identity crisis or not.

The level of player interaction and attention to detail rivals that of "Morrowind" and easily surpasses the "Baldur's Gate" series.

Subtle touches such as the clips from HotD2, voice acting, and mimicked designs of the series' various settings make PotD a fitting homage to the series.

So many excellent ideas are incorporated into this last outing, you'll be feeling the title's influence on similar products years hence.

While the game's difficulty will vary depending on each gamer's proficiency, the game will appeal to both action and arcade fans alike.

Nuts & Bolts has solid single player, but multiplayer has even more potential, making this Banjo-Kazooie game worth a buy.

If the developers can make playing defense as fun as the offense, tightening up the computer AI in the process, then future installments of the NHL series are sure to turn heads.

While Silent Hunter’s harder-nosed target demographic shouldn’t have to wait for more patching to fix this flawed diamond, chances are they will.

It’s definitely a flawed game. But the experience overall looks so good, and blowing stuff up feel so good, that we just can’t help but recommend it.

Though less challenging than "1503 AD", 1701 AD is a much more engrossing game.

While those who distained the first for being too weird and having annoying floaty physics won't like this one, fans will love it. It's a solid action title, with wall-to-wall destruction all wrapped up in an artistic and impressive, very Japanese package.

Is it too much to ask that JRPG’s grow up? That we stop letting “aww, pretty!” moments excuse cornball ones? There’s no reason an RPG like Eternal Sonata couldn’t be twice as well written and half as morally blunt.

Consider it an apology for EA’s underwhelming 360 sports lineup last year.

The game's soundtrack mix of classic football marches combined with hip-hop and drum loops...gets almost annoying by game two.

Despite the occasional dog in the roster, there is more than enough gold in Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection to justify the purchase at double the price. Older gamers looking for a shot of nostalgia will absolutely find it here, and younger gamers wondering what all the fuss was over that mysterious “16-bit era” they keep hearing about will find an excellent education in the digital classics.

The overhead camera feels constrained. We simply want an isometric view to get a better perspective.

LEGO fans will enjoy it, DC fans will love it, and fans of both…well, you probably already have it. With just the right balance of new ideas and familiar gaming comfort food, LEGO Batman 2 should please all but the most curmudgeonly of gamers.

Despite their simplicity, there's a lot depth here, and even those that don't remember their original incarnations will find a lot to like here.

A ton of different play modes await too, assuring you won’t tire of the disc anytime soon.

Characters, levels and even the game's menus are beautifully and tastefully designed. Grim Grimoire is a complete package, offering layered strategy play with an eye-popping art style and a cleverly told story.

The controls are intuitive, the operations are well-organized, and now that you can tweak the difficulty to your liking, you can challenge yourself as much as you'd like to. It may still bring back memories of playing Operation when you were a kid, but it's the best game of Operation anyone's ever made.

If you’re a stat-maxing, power-leveling, anime-watching RPG fan, this game was made for you. Expect a couple of hundred hours of entertainment.

The real strength of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is how expertly High Moon leverages the characters and mythology to create a cinematic shooter that stands on the strength of its design and gameplay, rather than leaning on its license as a crutch.

For Mortal Kombat fans, this is easily the best installment since "Mortal Kombat II."

With stunning graphics, strong tracks, and a great soundtrack, Wipeout 2048 is a solid launch offering for the PlayStation Vita, even if the load times will make you want to make you throw yourself in front of your own hovercraft.

Gameplay modes can't compete with those of the big boys from Sega and EA -- especially the franchise mode. And the hockey school is a waste of space...Still comes highly recommended as a four-player party game.

As close to a full-blown sequel as we've seen to the original "Sims," and is sure to hold most gamers over until 2004. More immediately enjoyable than "The Sims: Online," it's the type of open-ended game you can intensely play over time or just spend a few hours with here and there.

Gem Fighter for giggles, Alpha for nostalgia, Alpha 2 to see how a few critical tweaks can re-unite divided fans, and finally Alpha 3 for the whole caboodle and sheer pleasure of 2D fighting perfection.

NBA Live 06's seemingly small additions have improved the on-court action immeasurably, making it one of the best entries in the series to date.

Has excellent mechanics and ideas, but they don't come together into the cohesive, enjoyable whole that we've come to expect from the series. Drive a stake through this one's heart and keep your garlic handy for the next one.

The visuals are in need of an upgrade. It could be that EA is just phoning the graphics in until the next-gen systems arrive, and that's a shame. EA Trax is just as annoying as ever. Please stop it.

An exceptional game housed in an exceedingly generic shell. The parts that work well do so brilliantly, while those that don't only serve to make the game feel incomplete. There are things that will annoy the hell out of you, no question, but there's also a ridiculous amount of fun to be had.

I loved The Unfinished Swan. It's the sort of experience that requires us to further refine the definition of the term "video game." While there are certainly elements of play here, I don't think that Swan qualifies as such. Instead, it slides in along the likes of Goodnight Moon and the Shel Silverstein library as the latest modern classic in the realm of children's fiction.

A lot of work obviously went into the battle engine, but it's buried underneath such a thick layer of dry minutiae and inconsequential plot.

In short, this is "The Sims" game for people who don't necessarily like "The Sims," but it's also one that will appeal to fans of the series.

Although the set-up is weak, and the emphasis on commercialism and bling is rather trite, Def Jam Fight for New York: the Takeover is a surprisingly adept fighting game.

Those who are willing to give it a shot will find that it's a great package, offering wrestling fans more than enough to keep them entertained until next year's games offer something bigger, badder, and better.

Ridiculously difficult.

All told, Sam & Max fans have plenty to celebrate with three top notch (albeit brief) episodes.

Square Enix set out to correct the issues fans had with the first game, and they have succeeded across the board. With improvements to combat, exploration, and storytelling, it feels like this is the game that XIII should have been. But it isn't just a sequel, as it carves out its own tale to stand among the Final Fantasy pantheon.

Ship movements are heavily physics-based, which can make even simple movements near space stations or other ships problematic for anyone unused to this sort of gameplay. Docking is especially nightmarish for new players.

The gameplay is limited in scope and the maps are repetitive in theme, if not design. The visuals are decent enough, but definitely not up to the standards of most modern releases.

Fulfills bare minimum expectations of the typical fighting game sequel. It delivers more of the same with slight tweaks in the character roster.

What's most surprising is that titles such as "Pitfall" are still a lot of fun, and even the included sports games still offer a decent amount of replay value.

The animated sequences are less than stellar, the plot is trite, and the game feels like it was pared down at the last minute. Despite all those flaws, the running-based gameplay makes you want to forgive everything else. No other game is quite as exhilarating and uniquely exciting, and it’s this part of the game you’ll remember most.

The simple controls and short bursts of gameplay make it perfect for handheld consumption, and a wireless multiplayer mode that allows up to eight other flipper-flappers to play with just one game card pushes its value rather high.

The old school gameplay holds up nicely. Thanks to the incredibly sharp high definition treatment, the primitive animation style manages to still impress.

In short, if you like FEAR, you will love FEAR 2. It may be too scary for some and the wobble of your character walking might induce a slight bit of motion sickness, but it’s a well constructed horror/action title.

An hour a day will probably give any shooter fan a thrill, but prolonged and involved play makes all the small flaws more apparent and all the pyrotechnics more numbing.

It's the clunky design that, in my book, fuels Retro City Rampage's undoing. This is a game that plays better on a design document than it does in reality. It is pretty much exactly what the trailers and previews have sold it as, for better and for worse.

While it has a few issues (namely the lack of analog stick hitting/pitching) that keep it from being the hands-down, across the board best baseball on the market, MLB 09: The Show does just about everything else it can to give players a challenging, rewarding and realistic baseball experience. It looks incredible, plays smoothly, and offers enough on field and off-field goodies to please/occupy baseball fans for a long, long time.

It's the breakneck pace afforded by Tommy's spirit world resurrections and the dizzying effects of promiscuous gravitational pull that makes Prey such a fresh gaming experience.

If you can ignore the acting or enjoy it for camp, the rest of Gothic II is an incredible experience.

There are glimpses of genius here for sure -- the landshark gun, the topsy-turvy mine, and some of the level design and humor come to mind -- but it doesn't add up to a complete game.

Its best assets -- the branching courses and the grumpy girlfriend -- are almost 20 years old. Even drifting is now ancient. Perhaps a quirky story mode or a more detailed skill-progression system would have elevated OutRun 2 to higher status.

SNK has done a remarkable job of creating a new Metal Slug experience that feels nearly perfect on the small screen. Frenetic action, great graphics, and classic, refined gameplay are all highlights here.

It came so agonizingly close to being a great one. With some camera tweaks and a more effective method of combating multiple foes, this could have been a truly special title that would have appealed to more than just devotees of the "Buffy" show.

Action-based combat controls aside, Tales of Vesperia is a perfect example of why the Japanese RPG is so venerated. The game deals with serious issues like corrupt government, tyranny, crime, honor, friendship, and other familiar elements, yet seldom bogs itself down in overdone drama.

For many, it will simply be the fantastic graphics and sound that seal the deal.

If you have time to think, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The latest version of EA's yearly hit isn't the quantum leap ahead of last year's, but it's improved enough to keep it at the top, drinking from the virtual Cup.

New content is nice, but this piecemeal addition at $20 a pop of what should be sequel content is starting to feel more like gouging than a company generously giving its loyal customers what they want.

If you can still hum the theme to "Gigantor" and the line "I'll form the head!" means anything to you, Robot Alchemic Drive was made for you.