This was doomed from the beginning. I played it with an open mind though and found some enjoyment out of collecting cards and managing my decks. Once the battles started all that enjoyment went away I went back to disliking card games.

NASCAR 2011 isn't bad for Eutechnyx's first effort. It's not horrible, it's not great, it's merely okay. But NASCAR should be a great video game. Past games on console and PC certainly provide enough guidance as to what does and doesn't work. Maybe my expectations were too high. The one revelation I found in NASCAR 2011 is I will never be able to race at Bristol. It's too much like driving in Chicago traffic.

Highly addictive, partly because of the trance-like music, but mainly because it’s just so much fun. Even when it’s 3am and your eyes are bloodshot and your hand is permanently shaped like a wretched claw, you can’t help but say, “just one more time” when you finally lose.

All in all, Fading Shadows is a welcome albeit modified blast from the past.

I loved the small hidden references throughout the title that made be just laugh to myself or in one case tell by friends about.

There is enough to like about Aerial Strike to provide $20 worth of entertainment to a good home. It may be a shaggy dog, but it is still a good dog.

It is a cute concept, and it is functionally fine. It only stinks that the gameplay becomes a blur of tedious monotony after such a short period of time.

BlackSite: Area 51 isn’t a terrible game. It’s not even a bad game. It’s just not that memorable in what has become an overabundance of FPS titles available on the Xbox 360.

As a turn based battle game however, it’s not very good. You are given a small amount of creatures, a single strategy that will win almost every time, and lackadaisical enemy AI.

Shrek Forever After is easily the best Shrek game I have ever played on this or any previous generation system, and is one of my top three "movie games" of all time.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a great game for kids, teens, parents…heck…everybody is going to love this game. I literally couldn’t put it down for five hours until I absolutely had to go to bed and then it was the first thing I played when I woke up until I finished it.

All in all, Cooking Mama: World Kitchen is a blast, and any gamer with the faintest interest in the micro-games genre will find something to enjoy in Mama's kitchen.

I spent the vast majority of the game sending units off into the darkness with little fear of death and all the tactics of a street brawl.

It also pales in comparison to the competition. It’s a bit shallow on content and the gameplay is highly unbalanced.

One suggestion, to make this feature better, is to use Push Notifications to tell you if someone beats your score or challenges you in real time.

Larry makes the transition to next-gen console perfectly and creates his own little naughty slice of niche-genre pie. If you love to laugh you'll love this game.

I wasn't expecting Splatterhouse to scare me. That's what Alan Wake is for. Instead, I got an old-school beat-em-up with excessive gore, excessive violence, excessive foul language, and excessive load times – and only the latter is cause for alarm.

I only hope that if there is a Mace Griffin 2 that they tap into the unlimited potential of the game and consider adding a multiplayer element.

The game succeeds too well in creating the emptiness of space—I want to feel the emptiness of space, not feel like the game is lacking way too much content.

Arguably, there isn't that much of a Bond feel to the game other than Craig's accent and a few familiar bars of the Bond theme music, but as action-shooters that mix stealth and melee, and a few car chases tossed in to spice things up, you won't find much better this holiday season.

What a shocker. A licensed movie tie-in – based on a relatively unknown property no less – that actually ended up being fun and entertaining for the whole family.

This was definitely a labor of love and it shows in the quality of the presentation and the attention to detail in every subtle nuance of the characters, their powers, and the way it all comes together in the gameplay.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a game that closely follows the story from the feature film and is about average.

There are some cool concepts here and I respect the designers for trying something new, but there just needs to be more varied and balanced gameplay.

A lot like a mediocre sci-fi novel. It has a great atmosphere, some fascinating and innovative tech stuff but flat characters and a mundane storyline that ultimately kill its potential.

I loved every second spent playing this game except for the final boss. I loved the backgrounds, character unlocks, voices, story line, and upgrade possibilities.

If you enjoy GRAW, Modern Warfare II, or any other quality FPS for that matter, then give this game a shot.

The one factor that I love about this type of game is that you can either let the time lapse as normal (although I don’t think this is best) or you can speed it up a little so the unexpected can creep up and surprise you.

Having had no other experience with big rig trucking simulators, I can't say how Rig'n'Roll compares to its competitors, but it seems to run fairly smoothly and accomplish what it sets out to do as a truck-driving and trucking business simulator.

Definitely the best (if only) fighting game thus far on the Wii, and fans of the television series are bound to enjoy duking it out onscreen with their favorite characters.

Don't waste your time with the Order of the Phoenix unless you just can't get enough Harry Potter, no matter how low the quality.

The biggest thing lacking though is structure. There are no tournaments or event series for you to compete in. Every race is a single race and it just gets so boring to the casual race fan. All of these annoying gameplay issues plus the horrible so-called HD graphics really makes it hard for me to recommend this game to any but the most faithful fans of the franchise. There are brief moments of fun, but with all the other racing games out there you might want to look at one of those before buying or even renting this one.

Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest is one of the smash hits of the holiday season, not just for Move but for family gaming in general. If you haven't added a PS Move to your PS3 then this might be the game to push you over the edge. Whether you buy the game as part of the hardware bundle or just pick-up the title by itself, you definitely want to add this game to your collection. I haven't had this much fun with my PS Move in a long time.

For fans of Dynasty Warriors, you’ll be in heaven, but if you are looking for tactics, strategy, story, or even a game that makes sense, you’ll probably want to look somewhere else.

In some ways, Future Tactics' simplicity helps it a great deal. In others, more attention to detail (especially weapons and armor systems) is sorely needed.

It'll probably get a bit boring after a few levels, but as far as a game to pop in and play to pass the time goes... well, it works.

Starts off strong with a great story, flawless controls, and some initially impressive graphics, but the more you play the more the graphics start to reveal their flaws, as does the gameplay, when AI glitches and environmental bugs start to pop up and ruin the experience.

Frogger is quick and fun, pick up and play arcade action at it’s best. Got 5 minutes to kill, this game can help you with that.

Shaun should probably stick to the snow for future games.

Anyone older or more experienced will probably scoff at the two attack buttons and lack of sophisticated combos, but there is an inherent charm about morphing into powerful beasties and fighting with claws that just can’t be denied.

It won't win any awards for originality, but with quality visuals, outstanding voice acting, and challenging gameplay, Over the Hedge is guaranteed to entertain and delight young and old alike, and should make the perfect companion piece to the upcoming film.

Taken as a whole, Lethal Alliance lacks that variety required to keep a game engaging from start to finish.

No technical marvel, it’s incredibly easy, the graphics are only so-so, it ends far too soon, and there’s no reason to ever play it again once you’re finished. That said, if you’re a fan of the previous Scooby-Doo games, you’ll like this one too.

Superior graphics are almost enough to balance out the twitchy controls, but the entertaining multiplayer seals the deal for the PSP.

It won't win any awards for originality, but with quality visuals, outstanding voice acting, and challenging gameplay, Over the Hedge is guaranteed to entertain and delight young and old alike, and should make the perfect companion piece to the upcoming film.

In the end, the game is a wash and quite forgettable. You’ll enjoy some moments as you play but won’t remember them the next day.

A unique game for a unique type of gamer. If offers a challenging blend of real-time tactics in a 3D action setting reminiscent of "Diablo" and set in the energized world of televised sports and live audiences.

Rather disappointing. A lot of the strategic edge has been stripped away from the gameplay and there is no new content or bonus features to entice PC gamers to reinvest in a new copy.

The only thing that was holding this game back was its limitations put upon it by having to follow an established movie. Even so, the designers managed to get all of the Bond trademarks into this game.

This is a great, inexpensive game if you’re a fan, but it won’t hold much lasting appeal to most people for very long. Personally I need to have many drinks in me to enjoy playing Tapper for more than 10 minutes at a time. Not root beer, but real beer.

Overall, I really enjoyed Aqua: Naval Warfare. Its gameplay is challenging and a blast at the same time. The mixture of a top-down shooter and tactical gameplay make Aqua an enjoyable adventure that I intend to return to.

The market may be over-saturated, but Stacked has the right hooks to attract the serious players and newbie learners alike.

Spiderwick Chronicles does offer a few hours of enjoyment, but I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone over the age of 13.

The numerous and repeating graphical errors along with slowdown in certain points just do further to sink the game.

With a whole new look, updated characters, RPG elements, and a simple but compelling story, Seven Sorrows is truly a futuristic retelling of a classic franchise that will delight veterans of the series and attract a whole new following of would-be adventures.

The graphics are dated, the gameplay is buggy, and the online mode is virtually unplayable.

Interface is really the main problem with Create, whether it is the actual puzzle solving, level creation or even the navigation of the online component of the game. Nothing comes easy regardless of what controller you use.

Just brighten up the levels and give me some camera scripting and this game would have scored a full [twenty] points higher.

Control is one of the most important things to truly let you connect with a game. With OMF I was unable to establish this connection and the game just didn’t really entertain me or draw me in. Fighting, the main thrust of the game, was often a chore.

For gamers looking for an old-school experience on their newfangled Xbox 360 they really won't go wrong with Moon Diver, especially if they were fans of the previous Strider games. Like a space-age Castlevania, Moon Diver will kick most any gamers ass – but in an old-school way that feels so good.

Casual shooters would be better off waiting for the next attempt at this genre or even better, check out "Coded Arms," another take on the FPS genre that offers a better, but somewhat repetitive solo game, and a much more engaging multiplayer component.

There is virtually no story, so you have no compelling reason to play, and once you resolve yourself to wading through the levels for the sake of completing them, you are met with repetitious design, disappointing textures, over-saturated colors that border on cartoonish, and smart, but generic enemies.

It’s great fun in a non-traditional game setting where you actually feel good about obeying traffic laws and driving safe, rather than running from the police and driving like a madman.

Definitely a major step in the right direction. But at the end of the day I can only recommend this game to Transformer fans. The solo play is interesting for a bit, but quickly gets repetitive.

I haven’t been able to get my hands on a copy of "Wario Ware: Touched" for DS. It’s actually kind of hard to find these days. This game offered a pretty enjoyable experience that sadly may be about as close as I will ever get to Touched.

The graphics may be hit and miss, but they are solid where it counts; in the gameplay, and the sound effects again, are merely average, but the two-player co-op mode is awesomely fun for gamers that are fans of the famed comic book series or action fans in general.

Well Timmy, after going with you through the course of the game, I saw many things. I saw graphics that just weren’t that great. Voice acting that, while somewhat funny, oftentimes felt forced or the acting was uneven. I saw stages that changed the gameplay too little from level to level.

The combination of great AI, a clean user interface, and an intuitive control scheme really makes Little League World Series 2008 enjoyable – much more so in fact than the recent Wii release of the same game.

For all that if offers, the entire time I was playing Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, either online or off, I just kept wishing I was playing something else.

I really enjoyed the combat especially on the Na’vi side. The multiplayer was cool with its well designed levels and various modes.

If, like me, you have a couple of kids, even teens, prancing around the house – go ahead and rent Fairly Odd Parents: Shadow Showdown for a weekend. They’re sure to get a kick out of seeing familiar characters onscreen, even if only for a few minutes. For seasoned adults, the gameplay will prove to be a bit tired, yet strangely addictive.

But since all the girls look pretty much the same, the challenge is artificial and there's a limited amount of animations (I mean, don't real Playmates know more than 5 poses or three sex positions?), it gets old quicker than it should.

Similar games can easily be played online for free via the Internet.

Only the most diehard fans will find anything in this game to last them more than a weekend rental.

The story line is cliqued, the gameplay is a 3-D blaster norm, and the graphics are just above standard. Then you have the standard multiplayer experience thrown in to eek more out of the game and its engine. Which is good, except that at this point in time, there is no one to play with, literally!

Card battling games have a very distinct target audience, and as so games like Marvel Trading Card Game will not appeal to everyone. But for those gamers who have been raised on Pokemon and Magic, Marvel Trading Card Game will fit right in to their collection.

Using a masterful combination of web shoot and D-pad combinations you can swing, or zip line vertically or horizontally across rooms. Everything feels so natural, just like a full-size console. Some of this can be attributed to the DS design but there is no denying that the design team put a lot of effort into the gameplay mechanics.

While I respect the ambition that went into this project the final execution just reminded me of those non-Infocom parsers that never understood my typed-in commands anymore than Rio could understand my vocal commands.

But with party games, when all is said and done, it ends up being nothing more than button mashing, making it hard to recommend in the light of the other Grade-A titles out there.

Obviously, MX vs. ATV is not a perfect game, but it does perfectly fill the holes left since Mario Kart’s release all those years ago.

A great action game and there is nothing else like it available on the GameCube. For fans of the Spawn franchise, Manson fans, or fans of Goth-horror in general, this is a no-brainer.

Despite the disappointing graphics and the frustrating gameplay I have to admit I still had some fun with Hunted: The Demon's Forge, both playing alone and cooperatively. The splitscreen sucks but I guess those without Internet still deserve their chance to play with a friend, and at least you only need one copy of the game. Considering we don't have any Army of Two or Kane and Lynch titles coming out this year, Hunted may be your only alternative for true two-player co-op gameplay. If you can get past the design issues there is a good time to be had, but I'd still probably rent or at least wait for the price to drop.

Just not a very good game. It's playable, but even in that aspect it has some strikes against it versus other PC games thanks to bad camera work and a frustrating character control scheme.

TRAPT is one of those games that is wickedly fun to play, but it’s not all that deep of an experience or even that challenging until the very end where the enemies have an almost unnatural ability to detect your traps.

Thanks to solid gameplay, realistic AI, value pricing and especially the unique online features – Host Migration, persistent funds, EyeToy and USB headset support – World Championship Poker can proudly stand near the top of the bargain bin.

While Atlantis Quest is not the most innovative or fun puzzle game out there, it does a decent job as a game designed to pass the time and keep you occupied for a little while.

Luxor: The Wrath of Set isn’t a bad game, but it just seems a bit thrown together. You can just as easily play this game or dozens like it on countless other formats, even your cell phone or PDA.

Simply put, this game will put you to sleep faster than reading a book on the history of anthropology.

Crash: Mind Over Mutant is a charming game that will certainly delight fans of the franchise, but it can also wear thin on the more discriminating game player who doesn’t like a lot of repetition.

They have stretched imagination and creativity in a few scenes with things like being outside the train while looking at a few of the doors to compartments instead of the standard inside view. Other than these occasional bright points Murder On The Orient Express is just not much above average.

Definitely a better game than its predecessor, but only because it fixes what was wrong in L.A. It never really tries to go anywhere new (aside from the East Coast), and the familiar gameplay might get a bit predictable and even stale before you finish this big city adventure.

A raucous blend of third person action gaming and light real time strategy to a package that is enjoyable, intuitive and immersing.

While Apprentice isn’t lacking in small challenges, the hardest part about getting through the game is having the patience to move through all the more boring sections, since it does get pretty repetitive after a while.

This game truly rocks my socks. Great gameplay, graphics, sound and value. You just can't beat it. EA shows their skill against the gaming giants in Japan and delivers another classic hit for gamers.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2 is a complex game for the Yu-Gi-Oh! battles and an interesting way to go around and collect and trade the cards you need. But the storyline is pretty incidental to the game and how you play.

If you try to play the game through in continuous sittings you are going to get bored real fast. Despite the RPG elements and the various combat modes, the endless combat just wears you down.

Puzzle Scape seems to try too hard at imitating other games, especially Lumines with its addictive gamplay.

The controls are cramped, the AI questionable, and the pacing and gameplay seems more geared toward an action-shooter than a stealthy military sim.