It has no pop, nothing that stands out. Every character, except Sierra, speaks the same way and more often than not comes across as completely clueless, even when talking about something they claim to know about.

This cut-and-dry fighting will get a bit tedious and boring for some, especially since Captain's moveset barely changes throughout the game, but it's easy to forget how more casual game players will appreciate the simplicity.

For the airport terminal and the back pew in church, this'll do you just fine... just have a good back-up game when you feel like your dictionary's gotten enough of a workout. Shouldn't take long.

A slightly better than average example of the MMO's out there, and brings a lot of the breadth of play from World of Warcraft along with some gameplay that is similar to City of Heroes. Despite my general disdain for chewing on my feet, I have to give this game two detached toes up.

Little kids might be willing to look past the unoriginality and outdated gameplay.

Star Wars Galaxies just doesn't offer anything new to the MMORPG genre and it never really feels much like Star Wars. Watch a group of brawlers running around hitting creatures with axes and sticks and you might never even guess it's a Star Wars game at all, unless you notice that one of them is a Wookiee.

A fun but frustrating action romp with some good unlockable content and a really short single player campaign.

Its varied attacks and dreamy underpinnings could prove as a bridge for the younger gamer looking to one day embroil himself in harder, more difficult quests.

Unfortunately, its style tends to outweigh its substance, leading to a fairly bland first-person shooter set in a very interesting universe. It breaks the routine, but that doesn't make it a killer.

Thanks to good controls and a truly imaginative take on the AvP universe, Extinction turns out better than expected. You can tell the developers really loved the movies. It's just too bad they didn't take it far enough as a game, serving up a short campaign and failing to offer any extra modes.

Strikeforce is a great step toward finally integrating the online universe with Dynasty Warriors and an unexpected excuse to lower your head as other gamers pass you by. You’re not hiding or hanging your head in shame, you’re just looking for items.

In the end, this is about as standard as fighting games come, though the strong graphics and smooth framerate keep it a step ahead of total mediocrity.

IO Interactive deserves credit for going in such a different direction from their usual shooter fare. Alas, the result is a beautiful game without a soul. Like a piece of gum, everything great about Mini Ninjas can be experienced in the first few minutes. After that, its sweetness is just a quickly fading memory.

In the end, Kingdoms doesn't do much that we haven't already seen in the original TA. The strategy, the engine, and everything else is pretty much the same as it was a couple of years ago. While it's not bad on a really fast machine, it's still a standard real-time strategy game that just didn't make me want to spend $1000 upgrading my computer to make it run smoothly.

Most games are fun for ten hours, after which you never play them again. Odama is fun for an hour, then you swear you'll never play it again only to go back an hour later for more. It's more like a Rubik's Cube than a video game, a weird enigma you can always pick up, just not for long.

Pursuit Force's sweet delivery belies its repetitive action and limited scope, leading to a game best enjoyed in small doses.

It's not that anything in Kinect Adventures is exceptionally bad. In fact, the games are great introductions to the technology, making it a decent pack in. Despite this, on its own, Kinect Adventures wouldn't be a worthwhile addition to your gaming library.

Too Human is amazingly short for an RPG, especially one that invites you to spend so much time collecting items and managing inventory.

The original Dungeon Siege was a study in gameplay refinement, introducing a multitude of simple concepts that really changed PC role-playing for the better. Though some of that is still here, it's not so thrilling anymore. Dungeon Siege II is so streamlined that it has lost its hardcore edge.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is a small game with small ambitions. Within that scale, it succeeds admirably. It has too many quirks that clearly show its PSP roots, but if you don’t have a PSP handy, this version is worth at least a few hours of your time.

If you played the first few FEAR games and you want to know what happens next to the faceless, characterless, protagonist then you could do a lot worse than FEAR 2: Project Origin. I really can’t recommend this to players that are new to either the series or the genre. The lack of reiteration of the first game’s story is rather perplexing.

Shadowrun’s impressive array of skills and magic gives standard first-person shooters a run for their money, but its lack of game modes or rewards or even a rewarding feeling slows this game to a walk.

It's a shame that with such outstanding production values and such a beautifully realized story and world, Dreamfall doesn't do more as a video game. It adheres quite strictly to its adventure roots but fails to provide a satisfying challenge.

Though it sees a nice addition in the lockdown stick, the game stays stubbornly true to its already paid-for code, repeating the fouls of its past and failing to graduate to the next level.

With Skate 2 released just a little over a year ago, it’s clear that Skate 3 was pumped out too quickly. The ideas are great, but the lack of polish is evident with every flip, flop, and flub.

Kinect body "controls" work surprisingly well.

Small tweaks like the Floor General and Freestyle Air make it a smoother all-around product than March Madness 2004, but the margin is so slight that owners of last year’s game shouldn’t feel compelled to buy this one, too. The bubble is starting to break.

Despite a big, engrossing story and some improved combat features, this second step in the Xenosaga series doesn’t manage to live up to its prior success. Hopefully, the next game will tone down the excessive storytelling segments and continue refining the combat.

The story is full of incredible stupid clichés, the dialogue dubbing is just horrifying, and there's not much that made me feel quite so embarrassed as my boss and a coworker walking in on my playing Naruto, in the middle of one of the titular character's strange and tangential rants.

Strikeforce is a great step toward finally integrating the online universe with Dynasty Warriors and an unexpected excuse to lower your head as other gamers pass you by. You’re not hiding or hanging your head in shame, you’re just looking for items.

The next Slugfest would be vastly improved if they ditched the attempt at Franchise authenticity and focused on fixing the mechanics and core baseball dynamics. Midway has some rules to learn before it breaks any more of them.

While EA scored big with the original, each successive Street has felt more and more like the repetitive plays in the identical playbooks - rote exercises to be performed in the endless pursuit of bling.

A victim of its own ambition. The good core elements are still here, but are lost underneath a gray cloud of control and graphical issues.

You have to credit Evil Dead: Regeneration for almost living up to its name by breathing some new life back into an abysmal video-game franchise. Still, this regeneration is a far-cry from a revolution and must be content with being familiar, satisfying, and diminutive.

Die hard X-Men fans should enjoy the game, if only because the characters remain faithful to their comic book origins...As a fighting game, though, MA2 is nothing special, as all the features have been done before and in fact better in other games.

Allowing the gamer to actually wander around Pokemon Island on their own would have added a much-needed layer of depth and exploration. It's also safe to say that the appeal of this game is very limited to Pokemon fans.

The story is full of incredible stupid clichés, the dialogue dubbing is just horrifying, and there's not much that made me feel quite so embarrassed as my boss and a coworker walking in on my playing Naruto, in the middle of one of the titular character's strange and tangential rants.

If you dig the sort of masochistic experience found in bullet hell shooters and beat 'em ups like Alien Hominid, there is a challenge, albeit a repetitive one, in Dead Samurai.

If you’re a One Piece fan through and through, and if you don’t mind the slow grind of finding items as long as the action is fast and furious, then this is booty in your video game treasure trove. But as much as there is enough swashbuckling to make you a badass pirate, there is just as much to make you a grubby landlubber.

Simple controls and decent graphics help, but the limited gameplay makes Next Dimension a rental rather than a buy.

And despite its groovy style, XIII isn't much more than a run-of-the-mill game. Its presentation is definitely worthy of a look (particularly if you own an Xbox) but its gameplay is about as straightforward - and in some cases boring - as it gets for an FPS.

Has the core of great puzzle game, from the range of game modes to the interesting characters. Unfortunately, the sluggish if workable controls put a damper on the overall feel.

Overall, World in Conflict is not bad, but if you've been keeping up to with other RTS titles, it will not come across as much other than a well-written single-player experience.

Unfortunately, though beating the crap out of Rancor is cool, it's quite flawed, thanks to the wonky camera and targeting system.

Online multiplayer in Hell’s Highway depends too much on your teammates adhering to their assigned roles.

Call of Duty 3 feels too much like a collection of outtakes from the other two Call of Duty games. It’s silly, fast and hilariously fun, but it’s also sixty bucks.

Let's Tap is pretty entertaining. It will go into rotation at get-togethers, just not set to Visualizer. It'll sit, unused on the shelf in the meantime, however, because a little game I like to call Let's Dust is more fun than Let's Tap if one has to play alone.

A surprisingly decent driving game. It has modes for every mood and no glaring flaws, although its short length and numerous frustrating bits will surely turn people away. But the game is also very demanding.

While there's some good stuff here, its sense of humor and playful vision doesn't extend to its repetitive gameplay. Must be another Commie conspiracy.

The only things that aren't very confusing are the graphics and sound. Aqua Aqua shows off clean and colorful visuals along with decent sound.

It's been a while since the Xbox has seen a good flight game and Yager's quirky missions will certainly keep you occupied for a spell. But with a handful of small problems and little replay value, there's isn't enough to keep you coming back for more.

But most of all, when you NEED TO KNOW precisely which friendly land or air unit you're using that handy menu to send off, you're often completely at a loss.

Someone had a good idea and great reference material, but the end product is repetitive and lackluster.

Boring repetition.

If you are just playing (or replaying) through Mass Effect 2, then grab this DLC and inject the added content into your adventure. But if you have been done with the game for a while, a lone new Achievement, an added team member, a very short new mission, and a scrap of new loot may not be enough for extended service aboard the Normandy.

Though it sees a nice addition in the lockdown stick, the game stays stubbornly true to its already paid-for code, repeating the fouls of its past and failing to graduate to the next level.

If the the old school Puzzle Quest is mega-addicting black tar heroin, then the new one is some brown weed that barely gets you high and leaves you with little more than a headache and a bad taste in your mouth.

Just like they did with "Def Jam: Fight for NY," EA Big ignored NFL Street's fundamental issues and instead added more flash and one or two new moves. While undeniably fun, EA Big has no right to call NFL Street 2 a sequel.

Unfortunately, though beating the crap out of Rancor is cool, it's quite flawed, thanks to the wonky camera and targeting system.

An awkward trick design and emphasis on speed over style keeps it from reclaiming its past glory, leaving this ex-champ struggling in the snow.

There’s just no reason to draft this underachiever when some big dogs are still up for grabs.

Assuming you just spent a mountain of money to own the newest of the new in video gaming, you'll probably want to leave this marine lost in space.

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 it tries to take a different gameplay approach, the result is something that is so frantic, players will have a tough time figuring out what exactly is going on...and that's a puzzle we can do without.

A surprisingly decent driving game. It has modes for every mood and no glaring flaws, although its short length and numerous frustrating bits will surely turn people away. But the game is also very demanding.

Really, though, there’s nothing wrong with the game itself, and it will appeal greatly to the legions of longtime fans. The franchise has always been difficult, and dying a lot has always been a part of getting through the games. Yet ultimately, Mega Man 9 is so difficult that it gives newcomers very little reason to pick it up.

It’s hard to really judge a game that hands its users a comprehensive modding kit. Because in six months, many of my complaints may be completely nullified by the modding community. Out of the box, however, Unreal Tournament 3 is a mediocre presentation, and brings little new to the table.

Nintendo didn't include enough extra fuel to give this otherwise fun endeavor the appeal of a "Mario Kart."

Feel free to take Lara out for the weekend, but don't go looking for a long-term relationship.

A very average FPS. While the framerate and graphics engine are a big letdown (these are the same folks responsible for the stellar gangster hit "Mafia"), there is surely enough going for it to turn the heads of jungle warfare aficionados and gamers who just crave anything FPS.

If you are just playing (or replaying) through Mass Effect 2, then grab this DLC and inject the added content into your adventure. But if you have been done with the game for a while, a lone new Achievement, an added team member, a very short new mission, and a scrap of new loot may not be enough for extended service aboard the Normandy.

If you’re willing to put up with its annoying design issues, drab appearance, and second-hand feel, you might find that, like a shirt with different-lengthed sleeves, Prototype holds up so long as no one looks too closely.

Nintendogs captures the essence of puppydom in its adorable stars and genuine charm, but focuses so much on being a cutie that it forgets to be a game. DS owners thirsting for companionship will certainly find some here, although it’s really just a virtual pet without enough interesting gameplay enhancements.

Despite its collegiate overtone, Big Brain Academy sticks to its grade-school roots by keeping the activities light and colorful, the multiplayer engaging and the price tag low ($20.) But no matter how you dissect it, this is still little more than a series of fairly innocuous tests released just in time for summer vacation. It doesn’t take a heavy brain to know how stupid that is.

The game is as homogenous and unimaginative as a tabloid cover, and is as far past its prime as Billy Dee Williams. It’s still a decent RTS, but it wins with quantity, not quality, just like Colt 45.

The big problem is that, well, there isn't really any problems to solve at all. Right when you think some kind of clever action or maneuver is required to get past a tricky bit, you realize the answer is smack dab in plain sight with big neon signs pointing out the way.

Brings a fresh look to the party game scene with its unique brand of strategy and absence of plumbers, but it doesn’t have much of a life span. At $20, though, the frog, pig, chickens and things are better than you think.

The single-player campaign is on the short side and the AI definitely isn’t the most tricked-out droid in the sandcrawler, but the medal-unlock challenges and multiplayer definitely give this shooter some space-legs.

The developers and testers got so used to this game's ponderous interface and extreme complexity that they lost sight of the average gamer, whose primary goal is to have fun.

Despite the change in systems, the graphics still aren't great. The monsters look halfway decent (Godzilla 2000 looks the best), but are still weakly textured and suffer from mediocre animations.

The bugs and the lame graphics show that MLB 07: The Show was a rush job. And that’s a shame, because there’s a lot of good stuff here.

Though a graphical marvel, Black is too brief, too straight and too lacking to be considered much more than a cool tech-demo, and the absence of multiplayer hurts it immeasurably.

2001 runs at a pretty slow pace overall and fails to capture the frenzied pace of professional hockey. In addition, you'll notice some bizarre slowdown when passing the benches.

It flexes its muscles with artistic creativity, much like "Ico" and even "Rez" before it. But those two were much, much stronger in the gameplay department.

Simply put, adventure games just aren't meant to be so narrowly (literally) limited within the confines of a train. On the other hand, anyone who's played this can't argue the fact that tremendous amount of effort was put into the game design and production.

Possibly the most misleading title of all time, since this game hasn't evolved at all.

For one hundred dollars you could buy a keg, a stripper, a clown, or make a down payment on a bouncy castle. Now THAT'S a party. While Taiko Drum Master's novelty value is clear, you might want to skip this beat in favor of a cheaper groove.

Playing through the campaign cooperatively and online multiplayer also aren't as fleshed out as they could have been. Apache Air Assault is an overall enjoyable flight simulator, but its lasting appeal is as short as your joystick.

Darkspore isn't bad, but the developers really failed at focusing on the elements that are good and stripping out the other noise. I would actually score the game better if it had no multiplayer and no creature creator. Instead, we've got clown-heroes and griefer matches. Pass.

Shadowrun’s impressive array of skills and magic gives standard first-person shooters a run for their money, but its lack of game modes or rewards or even a rewarding feeling slows this game to a walk.

Mario Strikers Charged is enjoyable on a lark, but it’s a tiny baby step just to advance a single feature of the Wii.

If you played the first few FEAR games and you want to know what happens next to the faceless, characterless, protagonist then you could do a lot worse than FEAR 2: Project Origin. I really can’t recommend this to players that are new to either the series or the genre. The lack of reiteration of the first game’s story is rather perplexing.

Playing through the campaign cooperatively and online multiplayer also aren't as fleshed out as they could have been. Apache Air Assault is an overall enjoyable flight simulator, but its lasting appeal is as short as your joystick.

Similarly, PES 2009 is a drunken misstep for the series, but because I’m a sucker for the underdog, I’m hopeful that Konami will get it right the next time around. In the meantime, we’re left with a game that looks, smells, and feels a lot like regret and a hangover.

This be a game for the little Treasure Planet fanatic, but the veteran captains might be findin' it too small a vessel to chase.

In terms of variety there are deathmatch games, and a cooperative mode in which all players have to tough out waves of never-ending foes for as long as humanly possible… and then, that’s about that. The lack of any split-screen options is also a lamentable oversight.

It's a little hard recommending a port of a four year-old game for the full $40 price tag. Couple that with the ruthless difficulty caused by the continue system and it becomes clear that this is for hardcore shooter vets only.

Really, though, there’s nothing wrong with the game itself, and it will appeal greatly to the legions of longtime fans. The franchise has always been difficult, and dying a lot has always been a part of getting through the games. Yet ultimately, Mega Man 9 is so difficult that it gives newcomers very little reason to pick it up.