When the PC version of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic was released late in 2006, it had issues with both single- and multiplayer. Here we are a little over a year later, the Xbox 360 version doesn’t fare much better.

With Denied Ops, the fifth installment in the Conflict series, Pivotal Games chose to focus their attention on co-operative gameplay, and while there are some interesting elements found within the game, they’re overshadowed by a series of poor design choices.

When you get right down to it, Lost Odyssey plays like a mediocre Final Fantasy game, which isn’t so bad really. Hell, some Final Fantasy games have played like mediocre Final Fantasy games, and if you’re a 360 owner who loves classic RPGs you’re going to want to play it.

And so it’s difficult to recommend The Spiderwick Chronicles. It’s not an awful game, but it’s nowhere near a good game either.

And so it’s difficult to recommend The Spiderwick Chronicles. It’s not an awful game, but it’s nowhere near a good game either.

Overall, I’d say that Twisted Metal: Head On - Extra Twisted Edition is a great buy for both long-time and new fans to the series.

As it stands now, I wouldn’t recommend The Experiment to anybody.

If you give it a chance you just might find yourself locked in the trance that so many have come to enjoy.

By doing what they do best Criterion has made Burnout Paradise one of the most accessible and wildly entertaining arcade racers ever created.

By doing what they do best Criterion has made Burnout Paradise one of the most accessible and wildly entertaining arcade racers ever created.

Unfortunately for fans of EA's NFL Street series, your option this year is a relatively thinned out, shallow arcade football game.

Unfortunately for fans of EA's NFL Street series, your option this year is a relatively thinned out, shallow arcade football game.

Untamed ends up being plagued by far too many seemingly small problems that, on their own, wouldn’t be game-killers, but here, because there are so many and they’re so frequent, end up sucking the fun out of the game.

Untamed ends up being plagued by far too many seemingly small problems that, on their own, wouldn’t be game-killers, but here, because there are so many and they’re so frequent, end up sucking the fun out of the game.

Maybe the only real progress that EA Canada has made this year is the college basketball atmosphere. However it doesn’t make up for the other overlooks.

If it had free no-holds-barred multiplayer, UaW would be a very good game.

The best puzzle game of this past year. It’s fun and dangerously addictive.

Mass Effect is the epitome of a double-edged sword. It’s good enough to be worth playing, but you must be willing to accept the fact that while it gives with one hand it takes away with the other. Then it pats you on the head, scratches behind your ear, and pokes you in the eye. You just can’t go any significant length of time without being annoyed by something, and it really sucks because there are parts of this game that are so good they’ll make you cry.

In a season of really great shooters, Kane & Lynch is pretty much a dud. It’s sort of a style over substance kind of game, except the style isn’t even terribly impressive. The substance, what there is of it, amounts to a fairly so-so action game that’s kind of short.

I liked Next Life better than "Culpa Innata," but that’s about as left-handed as my left-handed recommendations get.

When I first began my review of UT3, I was very excited by all of it: the new graphics, the little changes that they had made to Onslaught, the inclusion of the personal hoverboard. The more I’ve played it however the more like UT2k4 it plays, and I’m left wondering what we were waiting over three and a half years for.

A fair presentation of a game that we’ve all played a lot of times before.

While TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

College Hoops 2K8 is your best college basketball option for this year. The game looks good, the gameplay is as sharp as ever, and the feel of college basketball is there. If you're a college basketball fan, then this one is easy to recommend.

College Hoops 2K8 is your best college basketball option for this year. The game looks good, the gameplay is as sharp as ever, and the feel of college basketball is there. If you're a college basketball fan, then this one is easy to recommend.

For some unknown reason Activision took a pretty respectable franchise (I still play SoF2 from time to time to this day, and it is still installed on my PC), and chucked it in the garbage.

With it’s stunning graphical presentation and Indiana-Jones-ish-1930s-serial storyline, players will be compelled to complete the entire experience.

The decision to move away from what has made the series so great and toward the simulation style is a questionable one. Fans of the series will be upset with the omission of the cop chases, illegal racing, and overall shady mood.

It’s good, simple fun. It’s just that it’s tough to be too upbeat about a game that you might finish in a single sitting.

For some unknown reason Activision took a pretty respectable franchise (I still play SoF2 from time to time to this day, and it is still installed on my PC), and chucked it in the garbage.

There was a time in PC gaming when A-list titles regularly pushed the limits of what computers were capable of. This might've been a necessity, but it forced developers to deliver new experiences. Crysis harkens back to that mindset, reminding me of why I became addicted to PC gaming in the first place.

Though it degenerates into a lot of fighting at the end, and makes a fair number of mistakes in its execution along the way, there’s something entrancing about this game and each of the amazing things you can do.

In a season of really great shooters, Kane & Lynch is pretty much a dud. It’s sort of a style over substance kind of game, except the style isn’t even terribly impressive. The substance, what there is of it, amounts to a fairly so-so action game that’s kind of short.

Though it degenerates into a lot of fighting at the end, and makes a fair number of mistakes in its execution along the way, there’s something entrancing about this game and each of the amazing things you can do.

In a season of really great shooters, Kane & Lynch is pretty much a dud. It’s sort of a style over substance kind of game, except the style isn’t even terribly impressive. The substance, what there is of it, amounts to a fairly so-so action game that’s kind of short.

Need for Speed: ProStreet is a good game-to get that out of the way. However, the decision to move away from what has made the series so great and toward the simulation style is a questionable one. Fans of the series will be upset with the omission of the cop chases, illegal racing, and overall shady mood.

If controls weren’t such an issue for first-person shooters on the Wii, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 would be a very mediocre experience, but it remains a considerable issue and so the fact the game handles so well elevates it in spite of its shortcomings.

For some unknown reason Activision took a pretty respectable franchise (I still play SoF2 from time to time to this day, and it is still installed on my PC), and chucked it in the garbage.

Apart from exciting moments that are few and far between, the game is dull and uninspiring.

Apart from exciting moments that are few and far between, the game is dull and uninspiring.

Origins is better than it has any right to be, considering the PSP's history, its troubled development, and its new team. It's not perfect, but it does make me want to see what Climax would do with another game in the series, which is far, far more than I ever expected.

An almost success that lacks staying power, worth checking out if you’re big into Koei’s other franchises or at the very least not put off by a lot of repetition.

GoW lacks the sort of awe that I found in Bioshock, and it doesn’t really immerse you in the plot the way that Half-Life did, and it’s not so completely out-of-the-box like Portal, but it has a certain visceral Doom-ish quality that many of the more intellectual FPS games don’t.

The sum total is a pretty decent value, and a no-brainer for anyone who enjoyed the original F.E.A.R., though that’s about as far as its appeal likely extends.

No battlefield is ever the same, because the permutations of capabilities across all the players in a given game are just astronomical, and making choices that fit your play style is crucial.

Seldom do games combine top notch single player and multiplayer experiences, but truly Call of Duty 4 has done just that.

Seldom do games combine top notch single player and multiplayer experiences, but truly Call of Duty 4 has done just that.

No part of it worked for me -- the graphics, sound, puzzles and story were all sub-par -- and it actually manages to go to the bottom of the heap of the mystery adventures that I’ve played this year, which is difficult to do given that mystery adventures by and large haven’t been all that good. So avoid this one unless you’re truly desperate.

The scenery is dull and repetitious, and the monsters are slow and stupid, coming at you a few at a time to be dispatched easily when a serious bull rush might actually cause you some trouble.

So if you’re looking for a dark and moody role-playing game that is different than everything else out there, and if you have a reasonably powerful computer that can handle the engine, and if you don’t mind adult themes that are more than a little male-centric, then the Witcher is certainly a game to consider.

TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

While TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

Overall, I’d say that Virtua Fighter 5 Online is a remarkable game with a few missteps, but no fatal flaws. The intricate gameplay is better than ever, while the addition of online play adds an incredible amount of replay value to the game, even if it does need some improvement.

Taken as a whole, Stranglehold is a well-made, but short and shallow gaming experience that ends up being best suited for a rental and not worth its asking price for anyone expecting a game with a lot of depth to it.

Neversoft played it pretty safe with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. It doesn’t break new ground and it didn’t need to. The existing formula has made the franchise a huge success. They did add a local co-op Career Mode, boss battles to the solo Career Mode, and a multiplayer Battle Mode. They also focused on improving the look and feel of the game with tremendous results.

Neversoft played it pretty safe with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. It doesn’t break new ground and it didn’t need to. The existing formula has made the franchise a huge success. They did add a local co-op Career Mode, boss battles to the solo Career Mode, and a multiplayer Battle Mode. They also focused on improving the look and feel of the game with tremendous results.

All said, Conan the game, like the titular barbarian himself, is very one dimensional. It’s great for getting in a little much needed smashing time, and maybe for checking out some computer generated boobage, but after a run through or three of the story mode it’s pretty much spent.

All said, Conan the game, like the titular barbarian himself, is very one dimensional. It’s great for getting in a little much needed smashing time, and maybe for checking out some computer generated boobage, but after a run through or three of the story mode it’s pretty much spent.

TOD is a gorgeous, compelling and exciting title that seems to do everything right and does so with the style and grace seen very rarely these days.

Also, the production values for the game are excellent. All of the voice actors do a terrific job with their lines, which is a good thing considering how much dialogue there is, and the visuals, while not spectacular, get the job done.

Some ideas, such as the skill advancement and cover system, are underdeveloped while others, like the targeting system and overall mission design, are poorly executed. In the end, Target Liberty is more frustrating than engaging, more tedious than fun. That’s never a good thing.

For people new to the series, download the demo and see if the gameplay clicks with you. If it does, then you’ll probably get your money’s worth out of a purchase.

The controls are functional, but they don’t nearly take full advantage of the Wii’s motion sensing technology, and without online multiplayer the shortcomings of the single player game are that much more evident.

The missions are challenging, you get lots of options for how to play through them, and the 10-mission campaign takes about 20-30 hours to complete, which, all-in-all makes Death to Spies a pretty worthwhile purchase at its $30 suggested retail price.

Believe me, Seven Kingdoms Conquest is a wreck you want to avoid.

As has already been pointed out in many other places by many other people, The Orange Box may be the single greatest value in gaming history.

As has already been pointed out in many other places by many other people, The Orange Box may be the single greatest value in gaming history.

The crazy thing is you’ll undoubtedly spend more time playing Puzzle Quest than most of the $60-70 games in your collection. It’s fun, addictive and easily ranks among the very best offerings on Xbox Live Arcade.

The singleplayer portion is a little on the shallow side, what with the brief campaign and the one-night stand nature of the Galactic Conquest mode, but the multiplayer portion is ripe with replay value.

Overall, FIFA 08 is a wonderful soccer game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. It looks great, plays great, and is back on the right track for taking the crown back from the Winning Eleven series.

Overall, FIFA 08 is a wonderful soccer game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. It looks great, plays great, and is back on the right track for taking the crown back from the Winning Eleven series.

The game itself is bright and happy and optimistic, it’s well made, and it includes enough content to be well worth its suggested retail price.

The PC version is sometimes difficult to control (the mouse is severely underused, and you’re not given any options for redefining hotkeys), but the game itself is bright and happy and optimistic, it’s well made, and it includes enough content to be well worth its $30 suggested retail price.

The game remains worth playing because for the most part, it avoids tinkering with successful formulas, while still incorporating distinctive aspects like its levels and complex objectives.

The end result is a very mixed bag.

The complicated control scheme will undoubtedly be a sore spot for some gamers and to compensate, the enemy AI is dumbed down a little. Still, as far as stealth action games on the PSP go, it doesn't get any better than this.

As a fan of Bizarre’s racing exploits since MSR, I’d say that this this their finest effort since "PGR 2."

It’s a shame that the game is essentially killed by its lack of depth, because if it had some, this would be a worthwhile game.

If you're a fan of basketball games, I definitely recommend picking this one up, as it is the best basketball offering this year.

If you're a fan of basketball games, I definitely recommend picking this one up, as it is the best basketball offering this year.

NBA Live 08 is a good game. It's not a great game yet. It has plenty of problems, and I must say it's still not quite on par with the impressive basketball simulation that is NBA 2K8. But the gap has closed this year. It plays, looks, and feels better than last year, and if it keeps improving, we'll have the great NBA Live series of old.

NBA Live 08 is a good game. It's not a great game yet. It has plenty of problems, and I must say it's still not quite on par with the impressive basketball simulation that is NBA 2K8. But the gap has closed this year. It plays, looks, and feels better than last year, and if it keeps improving, we'll have the great NBA Live series of old.

It’s a little short and a little easy, but the puzzles are well laid out and they make sense, and the interface makes it easy to navigate your way through the game.

Arguably the best poker game on the market these days. The enhanced AI and depth of the career mode make the game more than just poker. However with the overlooks of the few visual effects, it has room for improvement in the coming editions.

It simply combines the best parts of Halo (wide-open, diverse environments) and Halo 2 (dual wielding weaponry), and throws a few new weapons, vehicles and enemies to the mix. The result is a thrilling and ultimately satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

Arguably the best poker game on the market these days. The enhanced AI and depth of the career mode make the game more than just poker. However with the overlooks of the few visual effects, it has room for improvement in the coming editions.

If you are a skating fan, it will be a game worthy of your cash. Even if you are not a fan, you just might find yourself having a blast ollieing all over the joint with a rental.

When I think of expansion packs (despite that fact that this one can be installed independently) this is more or less exactly what I envision. It adds a significant helping of additional single player action and new playable factions that are far more than just cosmetically different from existing factions already in the game.

Though it falls well short of greatness it does manage to be pretty good, and the multitude of upgrades make for a huge improvement over the original.

Multiplayer is far better. It is almost a cross between a strategy and an arcade game in that clearly some strategy will take you a long way, but you welcome to just jump into a game and blow some stuff up and then jump out without a big commitment of either time or brain power on your part. I found it quite addictive.

There’s a lot of stuff built up around the actual racing—pictures of pretty girls, a frenetic soundtrack, and a whole Driver DNA mechanic that doesn’t really seem to do anything at all—but once you cut through all that to the content itself it actually ain’t half bad.

If you are a fan of the genre and have been hoping for something new and fresh, this will suit you quite nicely.

For all of its compelling gameplay, stunning visuals and enjoyable story, Heavenly Sword is definitely worth the afternoon you will spend completing it. Whether those six hours are worth ten dollars an hour is up to you.

I called Skill Stick one of the greatest innovations in sports videogames last year and now that EA has had another year to fine-tune the system, and add a new skating engine, NHL 08 is the best game on ice.

It was more like a nightmare than a dream for me. I didn’t enjoy any part of the game, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.

I called Skill Stick one of the greatest innovations in sports videogames last year and now that EA has had another year to fine-tune the system, and add a new skating engine, NHL 08 is the best game on ice.

On the ice, NHL 2K8 has improved by leaps and bounds in the graphics department.

On the ice, NHL 2K8 has improved by leaps and bounds in the graphics department.