Like previous Lego games, two player co-op is available in this version but splitscreen only. While the game maintains the easy drop-in, drop-out multiplayer the series is known for, the long-desired cooperative online multiplayer remains absent.

Yet despite its innovation, the game gets old quickly and simply doesn't have enough depth to warrant much replay, turning the once-proud ape into just another goofy monkey.

Like previous Lego games, two player co-op is available in this version but splitscreen only. While the game maintains the easy drop-in, drop-out multiplayer the series is known for, the long-desired cooperative online multiplayer remains absent.

There are some very good reasons to play Dead Head Fred, but a lot of them aren't the moment to moment gameplay until surprisingly late in the game.

It's still arguably an above-average 3D platformer, even considering the flawed platforming fundamentals. The style, story, core gameplay concepts and attention to Disney history go a long way toward redemption. It's just so damn disappointing because a few short months ago, it looked like it would be so... epic.

Pitching is easy and fun, while batting is almost too difficult.

Yet despite its innovation, the game gets old quickly and simply doesn't have enough depth to warrant much replay, turning the once-proud ape into just another goofy monkey.

Xtreme Sports offers pretty graphics and varied gameplay, but the individual events are simply too limited for this to have a long shelf life. However, the new events really sets XS apart from other sports titles.

Like previous Lego games, two player co-op is available in this version but splitscreen only. While the game maintains the easy drop-in, drop-out multiplayer the series is known for, the long-desired cooperative online multiplayer remains absent.

For cheap thrills, ExciteBots gets the job done. The transforming creepy crawly machines are so much fun to watch in action that it seems unfair to judge this game too harshly. Unfortunately, it’s also hard not to feel that with a bit more time and care, the core idea could have been expanded into a brilliant kart-style racer.

While I wouldn't give it to an older gamer, the fairly clever level designs compounded with the puzzles make a good fit for the younger fan.

If you're an "E2150" vet, you can't wait to start cranking out more of your customizable-chassis units; if you're relatively new to the 3D RTS thing, all you can think is I've gotta get the hell out of here!

Unfortunately, I discovered a serious flaw in the game after a few days of play. The best strategy is not to intelligently place and rotate gems. It actually works better if you just drop them as quickly as possible and let the great god Chaos sort them out.

I'm quite impressed that they managed to make a computer version that actually follows all the arcane rules. Still, I can't see myself buying any more cards beyond the ones I already have.

Despite the ease of earning all of the Achievements/Trophies, the $50 retail price is a bit steep for the content when there is no multiplayer and the story, what little there is, isn't worth playing through again.

Like an MMA rookie about to get into his first cage fight, Supremacy MMA is wild and energetic but inexperienced and rough around the edges. It's got guts, grit, and growl, but not enough stamina to last a full match, especially when stacked up against other games that cost $49.99.

It may not pack the depth we’ve come to expect from the Gran Turismo games or offer online content, but that’s mostly made up for by the solid, fun gameplay, a nice selection of bikes, and smooth, clean visuals.

Despite the ease of earning all of the Achievements/Trophies, the $50 retail price is a bit steep for the content when there is no multiplayer and the story, what little there is, isn't worth playing through again.

Like an MMA rookie about to get into his first cage fight, Supremacy MMA is wild and energetic but inexperienced and rough around the edges. It's got guts, grit, and growl, but not enough stamina to last a full match, especially when stacked up against other games that cost $49.99.

All in all, Skate 2 end up feeling more like Skate 1.5. It’s got more polish and moves than the first, but most of the new ideas don’t feel like they were given the time to be fleshed out properly. There is a lot of fun to be had in the freedom of exploration, but the game lacks proper balance.

Has some funny moments and wild weapons, but it still can’t shake its straightforward gameplay. If you’re in the mood to just blow things up with no strings attached, this is the game for you, but more discerning gamers might be left wanting a little more.

When it works, it sucks you right in, and when it doesn't you just end up slogging through, expecting the good stuff around the next corner.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

Most adventure gamers will enjoy the frequent scares and pretty scenes of Fatal Frame III. However, the slow pacing and general lack of innovation to gameplay, scenery, or story keeps this picture just slightly out of focus.

It's bland food that is only slightly improved by the huge portions.

While both games more or less occupy the same video game space, Virtua Tennis 4 is less of an aggressive winner down the line and more of a straight, albeit simple, shot down the center of the court that lands deep enough to force players into a competitive but friendly rally.

While both games more or less occupy the same video game space, Virtua Tennis 4 is less of an aggressive winner down the line and more of a straight, albeit simple, shot down the center of the court that lands deep enough to force players into a competitive but friendly rally.

Comes out just slightly better than your average ho-hum kart racer. It's got sweet graphics and the Looney Tunes, but not a much beyond that.

While it may just seem like glorified Karaoke, there is more going on here than meets the eye and a sequel could be even more fun if they polish up the interface.

If you already have some of these games, I'd advise just blowing the dust off the old Genesis, because there isn't enough good extra stuff here.

One of the best written DLCs for a Fallout game ever. It plays a strong part in the post-New Vegas story that the DLC packs are building, With that said, it's also one of the worst paced, with some of the most boring fetch quests you're likely to find in any Fallout game. It feels like an excuse to deliver excellent dialogue and humor, but with very few instances of quality content to actually play through.

This is a family game that even the most die-hard antigame activist could not possibly have a problem with, and is a great addition to your video game library if you have young ones about.

One of the best written DLCs for a Fallout game ever. It plays a strong part in the post-New Vegas story that the DLC packs are building, With that said, it's also one of the worst paced, with some of the most boring fetch quests you're likely to find in any Fallout game. It feels like an excuse to deliver excellent dialogue and humor, but with very few instances of quality content to actually play through.

If you're looking for a crazy-action shooter to throw you back to the most hardcore of skill levels and reaction times, I would definitely recommend the recent Deathsmiles and the infamous (and downloadable) Ikaruga over this, but Otomedius Excellent is up there.

One of the best written DLCs for a Fallout game ever. It plays a strong part in the post-New Vegas story that the DLC packs are building, With that said, it's also one of the worst paced, with some of the most boring fetch quests you're likely to find in any Fallout game. It feels like an excuse to deliver excellent dialogue and humor, but with very few instances of quality content to actually play through.

This is that rare title that sort of defies grading, seeing as how the game isn't really a game at all.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for deeper, goofier, more obsessive, more fan-service-oriented, more grind-those-characters-up, Japanese-wonkoid strategy than this, then you are up Shitake Creek without so much as a broken oar… and you are also one scary, scary otaku.

While the "Mega Man Anniversary Collection" contained more meat, there's simply a ton of robots to blast, dozens of armor capsules to grab, and really no good reason not to let ol' Blue back in your life once again.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game's delivery is the sound, which is some of the best ever.

A solid all-around improvement over last year's game. Still, EA should focus on really nailing the online play missing in "Winning Eleven" and stop embarrassing the franchise with petty control tweaks.

With no real item trading or online community to rival those of the online RPG's, Shattered Galaxy is more of a diversion than a full meal.

It refuses to take any meaningful gambles. Fans may enjoy having more of their favorite game, but they might also find it drab and boring after so much of the same.

While offering a decent helping of fun, the bland textures and ubiquitous gameplay make for a somewhat unexciting PS2 start.

Lost Planet 2 is filled with too much mediocrity to be a great game, but it is decent, and odds are that if you like third-person shooters, you'll at the very least enjoy the multiplayer modes. Just don't expect this to be the phenomenal game changer.

We're glad to see Ubisoft spare their Prince from becoming a pauper by ditching the dreary aesthetic, but the minor improvements along with too many familiar gripes keep this game from being king.

Stuntman is purely about skilled, balletic driving. The redundancy of trying the same stunt over and over again is an exercise in tedium, yet the visual pay off is huge.

An arcade game, plain and simple. Unfortunately, that just doesn't cut it with today's console systems.

What wasn’t disappointing, though I expected it to be, were the John Woo-style quick-time events

Has some funny moments and wild weapons, but it still can’t shake its straightforward gameplay. If you’re in the mood to just blow things up with no strings attached, this is the game for you, but more discerning gamers might be left wanting a little more.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

It's not a bad game, but it certainly isn't worthy of the hype. The lack of sufficient multiplayer support and the repetitive, underwhelming Campaign steal some of the thunder, which a shame since there's some good, solid gameplay in here.

A solid addition to the Armored Core series with its bevy of cool new options and upgrades, but it still only caters to those well-versed in the esoteric world of AC geekdom.

The presentation shines, from the clean visuals to the seamless in-game hints and banter. Even the missions themselves are named after songs appropriate to the era, such as “Bad Moon Rising” and “Break on Through”. You don’t often see a budget DS action title that is “understated” or “cool” in any way, but I have to give it props on both counts.

A fun but ultimately forgettable RTS. It’s a guided, open-topped bus tour of Middle Earth where you only stop at a the tourist places, buy a snow globe with a miniature Lothlorien inside, eat some Frodo-Fries, and never get to see any of the real place.

How do you score something that is so hellish (in more than one way) one second and so awesome the next? Hellgate: London probably just needed some extra time in Beta. Maybe pushing for Halloween was too much. I'm in the camp that would rather have a game delayed than have it get over-looked due to technical issues that could've been worked out beforehand.

Along the way, a lot of the little touches keep this from being the complete package, a lack of blood going everywhere (like it should), and that whole bit of online play being unbalanced. But taking into account the top-notch single-player experience, this is a title good enough to hold the attention for the hours necessary to finish it.

If you're looking for a long-term relationship with a complicated, temperamental (I have nervous breakdowns all the time), frustratingly smart game, then baby, I'm your man. Otherwise, I'm just trouble.

UT3 would have been a stroke of genius ten years ago, but now is just a passable entry into a genre that has exploded since the series was first introduced. Is it good? Sure, but if your multiplayer diet is already given over to consuming much better games, there’s no reason to make the switch.

Essentially, Madden 2001 is just another upgrade, and it's becoming clear that EA has bigger plans than the PSX...namely, the PS2.

Quake Wars is that odd girl you find at the bar at eleven o'clock on a Saturday night. She may look like a repressed librarian, but when you've drunk enough to stop caring about how she looks, she'll take you along for the ride of your life.

Genuinely translating an action film is hardly done with as much effort as High Moon Studios has put into it. Although the combat suffers from a lack of refinement and complexity, it still keeps up with the vigorous pace and calculated intensity of Jason Bourne.

Unfortunately, Def Jam drops the mic again by not providing any sort of Character Creator.

Even if the campaign is too easy, too frustrating, and too obtuse, the turn-based strategy element, Arwing-focused combat, ranked multiplayer and single cartridge Ad-Hoc matches are all awesome features, making this a fox worth mounting on your wall.

A solid single-player experience… and if you happen to have three History Channel-watching friends who have also purchased this particular odd-bird World War II strategy title, you’re set for what passes for a wild war gamer’s Samstag Nacht.

Wet is definitely enjoyable for those of us who like our action games with plenty of hack and extra slash, but like most of these titles, it’s not going to break the mold.

Even though it's limited by the PSP, it's a good time waster that doesn't take itself too seriously. But like my undead friend here, though, this game is a ghoul in a very crowded horde of the living dead. One that's starting to stink a lot.

Populous DS can be addicting once you get past the quirks that are unique to this series. This god-sim is an incredible challenge, and it's a refreshing shift from more modern, conventional RTS games.

Here we have a game about a character-driven movie, where the character shines. It may not be stellar, but Napoleon is plenty fun all around.

The game itself is mostly forgettable, but the fluttery feeling you’ll get when the two of you bump virtual chests isn’t.

Kameo isn’t the deepest or most challenging game in the Xbox 360 launch window, but it looks awesome and offers solid, if fleeting, fun.

Blur is fast, chaotic, and flashy. It may not be particularly original or memorable, but it could make for some great post-bar silliness with your friends on par with a bad kung fu movie. Like a skittish commitment-phobe, as soon as you start to take Blur too seriously, it all falls to pieces.

It's not long, it's not deep, but sometimes that's just what you need: a fun – albeit short – hit to keep you going.

I applaud Zoo Games and SuperVillian Studios for packing a great deal of charm and humor into Order Up!, from the edgy style to the free chef hat.

NBA Live 06 is fine, decent, entirely competent, but who wants that again? We want bite, and even though this game has Marv Albert, it barely manages to break last year's skin.

The streaming content is impressive, but no matter where you go, the rickety framerate comes with you. Still, this is a great big game that lands more tricks than it misses, and is worth a spin on your Xbox 360.

Bittos+ is an engaging puzzle experience and worth 800 Wiiware points. However, it's impossible to ignore the missed potential: It could have been bigger and more attractive without too much extra work.

It’s also a very original title - you don’t see too many turn-based stealth/strategy games, and we respect the fact that Konami took a big risk with their flagship franchise in an attempt to deliver a true PSP-only game.

The writing and design are fresh and clever, but the actual gameplay can drag at times.

I really enjoy this game. It's just that too many things slow down what could have been a truly amazing experience.

The melee fighting and driving are bland, as are the environments, but the story is compelling and the acting is impeccable. For forty dollars it's a good offer, but not one you can't refuse.

If the Statue of Liberty could be driven like a car, it would be much easier to handle and control than the characters in "Tenchu 2."

There's no denying Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram has a lot of charm - it's a robot fighting game. While the controls could've been less finicky, there's certainly something special about going against your friends on Xbox Live and just button mashing just for the hell of it.

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage reminds us what a great beat-'em-up at its core is all about, as long as you're playing by yourself and hopefully in spurts.

The selling point of Postal is still its best feature - unabashed anarchy and a willingness to go where other games haven't. The gameplay is average; really no new ground is broken, and at its core this is just arcade style action. But the fact remains that Postal has upped the ante as far as what is accepted in the mainstream gaming world.

It's still a great weekend rental, but even the Jawas wouldn't be able to do much with it when you're through.

Abe, Munch and all their pals are hilarious, but the gameplay gets repetitive, what with all the Spooce collecting and somewhat uninspired puzzles.

A great multiplayer trip; it just doesn't have enough to keep the single-player afloat.

While the series is definitely far from its prime, it manages to prove once again that EA and Madden know a good game of football, just not a very new one.

It takes risks, which we love, and builds off the risks of yesteryear, which is even better. However, little in this game is streamlined or intuitive, the fielding is awful, and some of the lapses are unforgivably sloppy.

Unfortunately, Tactical Strike's story isn't that immersive.

The game is longer, the gameplay is more fun and flowing and the main character is a bit more interesting. The only parts requiring more work are the story, the visual interface and the camera.

It's a great choice for the wee Wii gamers in your life, but if you're old enough to get arrested for lurking around a real-life playground, you won't find the virtual version any more welcoming.

Air Attack 2 breaks the mold and is actually pleasing to the eye. While the opening FMV is a tad glitchy, the game itself looks great. The areas and vehicles are extremely smooth.

A one-of-a-kind video game experience. Just don't expect a pretty one.

The limited variety of each type of weapon, the fact that Nazis can see through disguises too easily, the lack of auto-targeting for melee combat, and destroying Nazi property with dynamite over and over again does make boredom set in faster than it should.

Bottom line is, if you want to learn some of the finer points of how painters do what they do, or are really devoted to improving your visual art, you could likely find some help in this.

It's not quite as satisfying as the Celtics adding Kevin Garnett and, Ray Allen to support Paul Pierce in one off-season, but what is?

It seems content simply toying with features found in other first-person shooters and doesn't really go the distance with any of them. The result is a decent if predictable shooter saved by a beefy online component. It might be inspired, but that doesn't make it inspirational.