While we’re generally pretty suspicious of anthologies and collections of this sort, King of Fighters 02/03 is a good combination of two complementary games for a reasonable price. If you’ve been looking for a decent fight, look no further.

You've come a long way, made some mistakes, and now you're trying to make amends for them. It shows a great amount of maturity on your part to admit that you're flawed and can be better a perso-er-hedgehog, but you've still got a long way to go before things are back to the way they were between you and me.

You've come a long way, made some mistakes, and now you're trying to make amends for them. It shows a great amount of maturity on your part to admit that you're flawed and can be better a perso-er-hedgehog, but you've still got a long way to go before things are back to the way they were between you and me.

It masks a lot of complexity in front of you without much of having a real impact, and the vague passes it makes at being a more complete baseball simulation are laughable at best.

Even on its lowest difficulty setting, Prinny 2 can be a beast.

It nails most of the important things, like the gameplay and the online content, but the game’s beefy, versatile Franchise mode is a technical wreck. Still, its sheer depth makes it a relatively safe choice for patient fans of video gridiron.

More work should have been put into the plot and storytelling of the game.

Most RPG fans will find some good fun here. However, it just doesn't live up to the older games in the series. It features some interesting perspectives with its dual stars, but its questionable delivery and lack of really compelling gameplay holds it back.

Though a solid platformer with a unique twist, the length of the game and its high frustration factor doom it squarely to rental land.

Professor Layton players can download new puzzles via their Nintendo Wi-Fi connection on a weekly basis. It’s a nice touch, though it doesn’t quite counterbalance the lack in ‘replay’ value.

Sure, you get a new continent, ten levels to gain, and hundreds of quests, but compared to "EVE Online’s" upcoming free expansion (which includes a total graphical overhaul) it’s easy to be a bit under-whelmed, and feel a bit overcharged.

More attention to the graphics and gameplay issues would secure its place as the preeminent college basketball game. Right now, though, it’s still on the bubble.

The game is really, really hard, but that's the nature of this genre. I just wish that there were more rewards for my efforts; it feels almost pointless to try so hard.

The AI - it ain't great. Computer players don't react much like their real-life counterparts and don't often run convincing plays. The only real sign of intellect at work is towards the end of the game, when the CPU will intentionally foul or bomb three pointers if it's losing.

If you're interested in the art of music mixing, Frequency's Remix mode is a good introduction...As a game though, this note is a little flat.

On the other hand, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and New World Computing should be very flattered indeed. Despite how derivative it is, Heroes of Might and Magic V is still a good, addictive game. It just isn’t a very new one.

The PSP-only CG cutscenes are gorgeous and dramatic. An ethereal soundtrack keeps the mythological mood in check, even though the voice-acting won’t win any awards.

Pays almost too much of a tribute to past Dragon Warrior games, offering sound, graphics, and writing that seem like a step backwards in their simplicity.

I’ve played so many "Warcraft III" clones recently that it’s really refreshing to cover a game that’s actually doing something innovative. However, it’s the online and VS games that really flesh out Battlegrounds, since the single-player experience is pretty flat.

More attention to the graphics and gameplay issues would secure its place as the preeminent college basketball game. Right now, though, it’s still on the bubble.

A fun and interesting use of the DS, and with enough practice and patience, can “astound and delight friends and family”, at least until the next Harry Potter movie comes out.

Viking is a weekend of relaxing ultraviolence, giving Xbox owners an easy thousand points to chase.

While it doesn't take the series into any new frontiers, either in terms of naughty content or gameplay, it's still one of the most unusual and entertaining RPGs on the PS2 market. It's not a whole new world, but it is a fairly cool one.

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

Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes is a blatant copycat of the Warriors franchise, and it doesn't care. Of course, when it does the formula better, it doesn't have to care.

If The World were released as a game by itself, it would be fine, but ultimately not that special. But by creating a game outside the game, the makers of .hack//G.U. Vol. 2: Reminisce (a studio called CyberConnect2) have created a world that’s a lot of fun to explore on many levels.

Tetris DS scores its biggest points for doing so many things with a pretty small number of shapes. Though most of the new modes are novelties, the nice variety coupled with great LAN play makes this some solid methadone.

There are so many rules, combos, mini-games and quests that it's easy to get more than a little confused. But the essence of the game is fun, and all of the variation leaves tons of room for competition.

Third Strike comes out marginally better than the previous "Street Fighter III Double Impact" only because of the additional characters, but viewed as a whole is still lacking inspiration and ingenuity.

I just have to say that despite my prancing and finger snapping, I could kick Michael Jackson's ass, despite the fact that one of his gloves is golden.

If it's a classic you're looking for, I don't know if this will completely fit the bill, but the feel is definitely there. If Dream Trigger didn't feel so awkward to play (and painful on the hands after a short while), it would have been graded higher. But as it stands, it's a nice, little distraction, and marks one of the first times that 3D on the system that doesn't feel tacked on.

The solid firefights make for fun action sequences and the laugh-out-loud NPC dialogue really helps the progression of an otherwise uninspired storyline.

Even though going to a school like Hogwarts is out of the question realistically, I can at the very least wrap myself up with LEGO Harry Potter and imagine my school to be one hell of a kick-ass playground. But I'll imagine playing in it without the A.I. and targeting system, thank you very much.

The structure of the game is the same, fighting bosses is janky, and if you've played any Dead Rising game, the bulk of the experience is going to feel a bit stale.

After all of the dizzying, head-spinning tricks learned from playing Air Conflicts: Secret War, maybe you'll actually want to take control over real flying machines. Just don't get the idea on my Southwest flight next week. This isn't the flight simulation people will write home about, but it gets a thumbs up for trying.

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.

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.

Its gameplay is genuinely good, particularly in the way it emulates the touch and feel that are such hallmarks of the real sport, but its uninspired delivery and dated Career design leave it a step or two behind the ball.

Another solid entry in the series. It's nothing more than that, however, and simply porting it to the PSP with no notable additions seems a tad lazy.

A must for Marvel fans, a good buy for everyone else, Ultimate Alliance is an epic in an old package, kind of like those massy boxes of comics you have hidden away in your attic, gathering ebay value like dust.

Get used to the controls and level shortcuts and you should have no problem leaving the cops with their donuts and the Mafia alone with the fishes.

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 quite as satisfying as the Celtics adding Kevin Garnett and, Ray Allen to support Paul Pierce in one off-season, but what is?

Unfortunately, it's only half a great game. Clocking in at around 6 hours, it might be the shortest adventure-horror game out there and has almost zero replay value.

The problem is that potential is not the same as value, and it's hard to recommend Age of Conan as it stands right now. In six months, however, it should be spectacular.

Even though there's quite a bit to complain about in Red Alert 3 Commander's Challenge, the overall package is worth the 800 Microsoft Points (or ten dollars).

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.

You get the feeling that they're on the verge of something great. With a few more strokes of the design pen -- more control, better AI, improved graphics -- this could be a fantastic game.

And that's where Space Colony breaks down a little - way, way too much to deal with. At times, you'll be so busy just trying to keep up with every gameplay element that it starts to lose its fun.

If the tablet came with Pictionary instead of just the bland drawing and coloring book software, I could totally see the appeal. But with the game retailing at a full forty dollars and the uDraw a very full eighty bucks, I just can't really recommend it.

This isn't a superb game by any stretch of the imagination, but it also won't cause you permanent damage like some of the other Army Men games.

The game engine underneath is still strong, but somehow it lacks the same charm and fun as before.

It's got decent graphics, lots of depth, a cool combat system and it's really long.

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.

The lack of any online play hurts the Gamecube version only, once again making it the version to avoid if you have multiple consoles. The future looks good, but far from perfect.

Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice is grounded by its single acrobatic gimmick. The game itself is a well-presented - but ultimately shallow - series of car chases, shooting sequences, and escort missions.

[It's] hurt by the lack of any substantial underground flavor and is wounded by weak customization and no online play.

The skimpy single player game, the lack of an internal matchmaker, the clean but very simple graphics and the inability to save your game make Moonbase Commander feel more like a hobby than a commercial product. That doesn't mean it's not fun.

With incredible sensitivity to the brand, Space Marine lets you pound thousands and thousands of Orks into the ground, it just doesn't know when to quit.

It's a pity such an immersive and gorgeous endeavor is plagued by so many unnecessary bugs.

There is a fair bit of content to hack your way through, if you don't mind the repetitive and unfriendly-ness that this game hits you with if you decide to undertake your spelunking alone.

With incredible sensitivity to the brand, Space Marine lets you pound thousands and thousands of Orks into the ground, it just doesn't know when to quit.

Pitting 2K's college game against EA's is a close call, but ultimately I suppose that this game's better price and A.I. give it the edge. Someone needs to fire the coach before it's guaranteed a tourney berth, though.

A solid collection that is worth a look, provided the price is right.

If I were Bob Dylan, I might ask, “How many versions of this game must we suffer, before we get something really new? “.

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.

LIT's emphasis on trial and error might turn off the more impatient player, but if you are the kind that can't say no to a good puzzler, there are unlockable game modes to extend your play.

In the end, I was left with a surprisingly good feeling about Devil May Cry 3, despite my idea during hour 5, still on the second level, of breaking the disc into tiny shards and sticking them in my eyes. The latter part of the game becomes quite enjoyable.

A good import of a mediocre board game, Lights, Camera, Action! is worth a look for fans of the original game or others who are looking for a new game night experience.

A fairly impressive beast. It might not be smart, polished or new, but it's wonderfully violent, varied and bloody. Plus, it’s proof that two heads are better than one.

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.

The game is worth the attention of Trekkies, due in part to the fact that the multiplayer action quite simply kicks alien ass. When two players of relatively equal skill go at each other, each carefully bringing their ship's unique abilities to bear, each misering the last nanojoule of energy for best effect, the experience is unparalleled...and oddly, very faithful to the tense, armrest-gripping feel of a Star Trek duel.

It's essentially a pre-chewed bone that has long since been digested by most fans. So come on Capcom - throw us fans a new bone and stop repackaging your hits over and over again.

It's a niche title that takes time, open arms, and very, very fast hands.

As it stands, Deception is just an obese version of "Deadly Alliance." There's a lot more fat to chew on, but very little new substance.

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.

The feeling of tension and suspense the player gets while playing through the first two games is strangely absent here. Whereas before I would hug the walls and creep silently through corridors looking for the enemy, now I find myself calmly standing in the middle of a room nonchalantly picking off baddies.

If you’re the type who typically sits around playing video games as a solo endeavor, expect about eight or ten hours of arguably novel gameplay… and not a lot more. If you’re willing and able to drag friends into the online hostilities that are Fracture, you’ll get considerably more reward out of running up that hill.

It might not improve on the original in any meaningful way or fix any of that game's glaring flaws, but it's still a deep, smart and entertaining PSP game. A rare card indeed.

The horrible ending to this game has ruined what looked to be a good contender for the best Playstation game of the year. All the potential is there, but Eidos and Crystal Dynamics simply released an unfinished product.

A fun little golfer whose attitude and extras keep the game from getting too dull. Some problems with minor slowdown and the lack of creative courses are a disappointment, but the game doesn't suffer too greatly.

Viking is a weekend of relaxing ultraviolence, giving Xbox owners an easy thousand points to chase and PS3 owners a short, sweet adventure to pad their shelf.

If they eventually fix the bugs (like the other online games have), AO will definitely be a winner and more than just "Everquest in space."

A decent game, and if I were a 7-year-old high on the movie, I'd have a decent amount of fun. The graphics, sound and design might not thrill older gamers, but we've seen a lot worse.

While the fighting engine is still decent and the combat graphics are fine, Mortal Kombat: Deception does little for the series. It's a victory, but hardly a flawless 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.

Its online play is unique to the genre on the Xbox and the gameplay itself is decent. But the lack of compelling game modes, the underwhelming Career and the somewhat bland delivery make this old classic just look old.

But take heart, horror-inclined gamers. Any random two minutes of Ties that Bind's blood-soaked gameplay is likely to give your parents, stuffy friends or sensitive authority figures of your choice the dribbling shiznits, and pretty much all the first game's good stuff has remained intact.

Even though Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO for the Xbox is about as fresh as a two-day old bagel, the online capabilities of the Xbox revive this tired title.

Unfortunately, it's only half a great game. Clocking in at around 6 hours, it might be the shortest adventure-horror game out there and has almost zero replay value.

Even though going to a school like Hogwarts is out of the question realistically, I can at the very least wrap myself up with LEGO Harry Potter and imagine my school to be one hell of a kick-ass playground. But I'll imagine playing in it without the A.I. and targeting system, thank you very much.

Coming in at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode Two is a safe buy for fans of the crazy comic strip and the past game.

A genuinely-useful vocabulary-expanding tool, and just palatable enough in its activities for the conditioned gamer. It’s on the dry, academic side, of course - it’s an ‘edutainment’ title, isn’t it? - but it’s definitely challenging, and might even make you sound smarter, or pass the SAT.

The handicapped shooting elements, the inconsequential mini-games, and the lack of connection between them will probably turn off diehard shooter fans. It’s not the biggest game, nor the most technical, but it is original—absurd and effective despite its faults.

It isn't amazing, but it's a competent effort and certainly one of the better LotR games to come along. Isn't it about time that the smaller characters, bland as they are, got their due?

It would be even more fun, though, if I had more ships at my disposal earlier, in a campaign that weren’t so linear, or so dull. Still, for twenty bucks, this is a game worth probing.

Simple, useful, and keeps you motivated.

A decent baseball game and is genuinely better than the last offering, but you get the sense that the developers are more spending too much time with cute bonus features like the EyeToy support and headset commands rather than focusing on ways to improve the gameplay.