Beyond some small quibbles, this is the game I had been hoping CoH2 would be. You kids and your lightening reflexes can have your Starcraft with your Zerg rushes. I’ve got some Nazi pummeling to plan.

Revelations 2 isn’t quite a return to form for the series or anything quite so dramatic, but it’s an example of doing more with less.

That being said, the story mode is just as long as the original and brings a satisfying conclusion to the plot, some of the new features like the sprint button and bullet penetration add a new dimension to gameplay, and the multiplayer suite is as robust as ever.

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, Vampire Smile is a major improvement over the first game, which was still pretty good in its own right.

LocoRoco is one of the most original and quirky titles to hit the PSP in some time. The controls are such that both hardcore and casual players alike can get into the game just as well.

American Nightmare isn't just a fantastic game that packs a ton of content inside a budget price, it's also a look into the exciting future of Alan Wake. I hope this isn't Alan's only assault on the arcade, because American Nightmare is good fun, and the Fight til Dawn mode is a welcome addition to the series.

Technical glitches aside, this is an excellent port of the console title that doesn't cut any corners with the story or a number of the features in the game, which is a feat in and of itself.

FIFA Soccer 09 looks the best it ever has, the controls make it user friendly, and the improvements to player movement and animations make it the most realistic soccer game on the market.

It has a very solid story which actually makes sense, a good atmosphere, and very good graphics. Definitely a recommended title.

While the inclusion of the vision cones and the concept of the Superstar mode were creative ideas, the actual implementation of the features ranged from inconvenient to improperly constructed.

Crysis 2 is more than just a pretty face. The single player campaign is well paced and at a running time of 9-10 hours is nearly twice as long as your typical shooter. Multiplayer draws heavy inspiration from the likes of Call of Duty and Halo (mostly the former) but still manages to hold its own thanks in large part to the Nanosuit.

Crysis 2 is more than just a pretty face. The single player campaign is well paced and at a running time of 9-10 hours is nearly twice as long as your typical shooter. Multiplayer draws heavy inspiration from the likes of Call of Duty and Halo (mostly the former) but still manages to hold its own thanks in large part to the Nanosuit.

Starlancer also features some of the most believable voice acting. However, I really hated Hawkee in the later missions, she was just plain irritating.

This is a decent expansion to Dishonored 2 and sets up a new, potentially interesting status quo for the series, but it takes out so much of what Dishonored 2 had under the hood that it feels a bit slight by comparison, and the few brand-new additions are heavily limited. I don’t regret playing it, but it’s hard to say more about it than that it’s a stripped-down pseudo-sequel.

A good shooter, perched on the boundary between realistic and cinematic. It's got a great story, too.

Double Impact is a good package, featuring two of the greatest co-op arcade games of all time. Final Fight is really showing its age now, but it's been twenty years, so that may have been inevitable. Magic Sword has aged a great deal more gracefully, and of the two, it's the one that I've been going back to.

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

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

So, if you've always wanted to try making a game for the PS2, or are just interested in design at all, then you should consider checking this out. Otherwise it's probably not for you. It all comes down to desire and imagination.

It may be a lot easier than the original, but in almost every other way--graphics, sound, atmosphere, storytelling, sheer style--it's a drastic improvement.

Civilization: Beyond Earth is a game that grew on me. I started skeptical, fearing it would simply be a gussied-up Civ 5 mod. But I’m now convinced it’s a damn fine game in its own right.

In the end, DiRT Showdown is an outstanding game and probably the most polished demolition-style racer out there. Online play is surprisingly smooth, and outside of relatively small issues like needing login data for Youtube and Codemasters' own Racenet service nearby, there isn't much I didn't enjoy about the experience as a whole. It's definitely a worthwhile purchase for either fans of the DiRT franchise or of demolition racers in general.

The gameplay gives you plenty of choices regarding progressing through a stage, and it looks good while you do so. It would've been very easy to churn out another boring murderfest, but instead we get a thinking man's game. Good showing.

It’s the best rally racer on modern consoles, and a fine debut for this DiRT sub-series.

With a strong dose of attitude, very accessible control scheme and creative spin on the sport of football, NFL Street is a bold and worthy addition to the EA Sports Big family.

NBA Live 10 looks great, and finally plays great as well. The Dynamic Season mode is the highlight of the game, and is worth the price of admission by itself.

It’s not often that you can say it, but this year the college game actually comes off better than the professional title. NCAA March Madness 06 features a more complete presentation of the emotional and tactical facets of the game.