It can provide some wacky fun, but it lacks all of the finesse of a genuine fighting game. Budokai Tenkaichi 2 relies exclusively on a mediocre combat engine and the naivety of fans who will buy it because they want to play through the Cell Saga yet again.

Ultimately I came the realization that, at the end of the day, I would have been happier playing this game with a conventional analog stick.

Providing you’re the type of person who doesn’t have any trouble going back and playing 8-bit games, Final Final III is an excellent handheld homage to a bygone era.

The core of this fantastic superhero game is still in place, and if you have ever wanted to feel more like you were actually slashing with Wolverine’s claws, now’s your chance.

In the end, Sonic nuts will love it. Everyone else should stay away.

So this is what it must feel like to be the Arizona Cardinals: You’ve got a new home, but the results are just the same.

I definitely had some fun with this game, but when I was having trouble calling pre-snap commands I couldn’t shake the feeling that for all this title’s individuality, I’d still rather play regular Madden.

If you own both an Xbox 360 and a PS3, choosing which version of this accomplished WWII shooter to buy comes down to how much you like or dislike the motion-sensing elements.

The Wii version is hindered with noticeably weaker graphics and the inexcusable exclusion of the great multiplayer mode.

Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is an unimaginative and often times annoying game that hangs its hat on a Wii controller interface that is interesting because it is different, but easily forgettable after a few short hours.

The surperbly implemented online tracking and ranking services, plus the rich and varied content, makes Resistance's multiplayer one of the game’s strongest features. Graphically, the game is simply stunning, and when you tie in all the single player and mutliplayer components it is easily the PlayStation 3's premiere, must-have title.

All the beautiful graphics in the world can’t save a game as badly designed as Genji. Unless you’re looking for nothing more than a pretty face, stay well away from this mediocre-at-best effort.

This is one of the funniest games ever made, and a fantastic way to teach yourself the controls of the Wii while simultaneously charming friends into understanding why you just spent a few hundred dollars on this new game system.

There is some tactical entertainment to be had here, to be sure. When the game is firing on all cylinders, the battles are frantic and fun. Unfortunately, that’s a somewhat rare occurrence.

I couldn’t get enough of playing Gitaroo Man Lives, with its infectious tunes and gameplay, and I think that if you have any soul at all you’ll rock out to this game.

The core of this game is far too good to not enjoy. For fans of wrestling or fighting games in general, this annual series has become a required purchase.

Although the improvements made to this year’s entry will keep me hooked for months, I can’t quite call SDvsR 2007 the perfect wrestling experience. There are still flaws here and there that irk me, like Diva matches that feel far too automated and the difficulty balancing in some of the tougher game modes.

If you're a Caduceus veteran, the new controls, multiple difficulty options, and new surgeries and tools will more than satisfy. [Jan 2007, p.103]

Controlling your WRs, the different winning conditions, wall running, and increased Gamebreakers are all smart additions, but they get mired in the poor AI and unresponsive controls.

Just be warned: the sheen of newness that once glossed these games has faded with time, and several might be better left in your memory. But if you're committed to reliving the good old days, this is a reasonable way to go.

Unless you’re a hardcore fan of the book series and film, I’d take a pass on Eragon.

Unless you’re a hardcore fan of the book series and film, I’d take a pass on Eragon.

It’s sad to see so many good ideas go to waste. From the exploration of the wondrous world to the intricate political situation of its denizens, Gothic 3 nails a good chunk of the role-player’s wet dream. The character progression is solid and the core mechanics are good, yet I will never ever recommend this to anyone that I even remotely like. Yes, one broken system can ruin a game this completely.

The noticeable graphical uptick and the Sixaxis controller are not nearly enough to warrant a purchase over Sony’s own current-gen NBA title, and certainly not over the 2K series.

The production values are pretty abysmal, but this absorbing strategy title has hours of potential playtime packed in – more than worth checking out.

Heroes V still comes recommended to strategy gamers, and Hammers of Fate slickly integrates more good ideas into the game. There’s no reason not to like this expansion pack.

Unless you're a hardcore fan of the book series and film, I'd take a pass on Eragon.

There is a metric ton of game to be enjoyed here, and I heartily recommend it to anyone with a lick of interest in the subject matter. Small annoyances, like a mediocre overworld interface and the occasional unit AI breakdown in the RTS battles, are nowhere near enough to diminish this game’s overall genius.