Could've been a great game, but focuses more on being funny and irreverent than being a solid action/RPG and ends up being pretty average.

The gameplay is easy to grasp, but while good for some short-term fun, it ultimately falls short.

The Fable faithful might love the look of this adorable take on the franchise, but those who favor gameplay depth over a fan-pleasing presentation, won't find more than thumb-blistering brawling beneath its charming exterior.

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."

For a game with a name that screams “party”, Bust-a-Move Bash! Doesn't offer much to keep the gang occupied.

Actually, the increased difficulty isn't such bad news. If you're a loyal player who has stuck with the series this far, your character is a considerably buffed presence by now. Indeed, one of the cooler aspects of the game is that some of your missions involve helping newer, greener players.

A short, stupid, bite-sized treat. Like a bag of Funyuns, it's good for a while, but you can only take so much. The game's biggest shortfall is the fact that it rings up at a whopping $15, which is probably about $10 more than I would be willing to pay for the quality it delivers.

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.

In terms of performance, the game fares better than the PS2 version, with a fairly consistent frame rate that conveys a decent sense of speed. The game occasionally slows down, but only when the screen is overpopulated with racers.

The reliance on old school game mechanics does make the game dated. It’s a bit like playing a clone of the original Doom after you’ve finished Half-Life 2.

The Vendetta Online community, though small, is fantastically helpful and supportive. The VO forums are not filled with whiners. The game is not filled with jerks.

Had the missions were more expansive, and the multiplayer broader, this would have been a must-buy—especially on the PS3. As it is, Armored Core 4 is the best in the series, and a decent action game.

A solid, fun addition to the extreme water sports genre. Borrowing liberally from "SSX's" winning bag of tricks, the game proves entertaining, if not innovative.

With smartly designed levels and a variety of tasks, there are much worse ways to spend a weekend. Don't expect the trimmings of a big-budget title, but it's a bloody, twisted good time to those who are neither squeamish nor easily offended.

Casual hockey fans should give this series the cold shoulder until the developers take better advantage of the new platform, something that will likely happen with "NHL 2K7."

But the interface provides the real horror show, with cryptic icons, buttons that have mysterious functions, and information displayed in a way that's difficult to understand.

Future Tactics makes a few blunders, but simple and intuitive rules, dynamic and destructible battlefields, and a few great ideas make for a fight worth fighting in the end.

Without a doubt Pokémon Emerald is the best Pokémon RPG to date, but if you've played Ruby and Sapphire and didn't care enough to catch them all and memorize all of their cute little names, then there probably isn't much here for you.

The game can at times be a repetitive, dreary experience in any case. Ostensibly distilled down to lure console gamers, EverQuest Online Adventures is less about lofty quests than about repeated bouts of monster-hunting, loot-grabbing, and leveling up.

What began as a simple tale of a dog and the flower he loves has become a farcical, overblown imitation of a cheesy action movie with little challenge or replay value. As unfortunate as it is for gamers to be let down so early in the new year, it must be said that PaRappa 2 is the first disappointment of 2002.

The short completion time means you'll always walk away having accomplished something, and the random maps mean you'll always be in for a surprise. But it likely won't be as surprising as just how fun Nosferatu is.

The graphics are fine and the gameplay is adequate, but mundane level objectives and a lack of refinement keep it buried in the middle of the extreme sports pack.

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

The controls are responsive and the ride is smooth. Add to that an impressive sense of speed and plenty of content (including head-to-head link battles) and you have a very attractive model on your hands.

Sufficient gameplay of third-person shooting, stealth, and a hefty load of campy newscasting that fortunately can be skipped.

If you were hoping that the Need for Speed series would ditch the underground in favor of some sunshine, Ford Racing 3 is your type of game. The outdoor environments are fun and memorable, and the events grow increasingly competitive as you rise in rank from an amateur to a pro.

Understand going in to this game that you're going to die a lot. And you're going to have to replay the same scenes over many times before you get past them. And if you see Cthulhu, give him our best.

It's a gifted, but often-troubled arcade game that forsakes depth for good old-fashioned death and debauchery.