A more deeply developed plot and some tweaks to the control would have given more heart to this tin man.

A solid if unspectacular start for EA Sports' next-gen hoops. Fans of the series will be genuinely pleased. But compared to what Visual Concepts is doing with the "NBA 2K" games, Live has a long way to go before it makes it to the Finals.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion may showcase a few beginner's mistakes, but they're nothing to scream 'malpractice' over, and you're far better off mastering the scalpel than any other blade currently on offer for the Wii.

Manages to breathe new life into an old formula. I love the new rules and hope they show up elsewhere in the Bomberman series.

The fighting mechanics have been enhanced and edited to the point that any room for improvement is nearly all in the extras (and if TNA iMPACT! has anything to say, in the animations and the clipping). WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2009 is the strongest next-gen title in the franchise, no questions asked.

And as much as we wish the whole thing was bigger, stronger and faster, we’re happy with it just the way it is and recommend recruiting it for your PSP collection.

While the unlocking system is a pain to get used to, the unlocks make it worth suffering through, for the most part. And like the first Worms, Armageddon supports DLC, so there's a good chance extra content will be showing up by the time you are through with everything it has to offer. Worms, assemble!

Its fluid gameplay, loads of content and decent multiplayer makes for a pretty solid fighter. It's still a port of the most rehashed franchise ever, but at least this old student has learned some new techniques.

A solid game and a good Adventure/RPG in the style of "Deus Ex" or "System Shock 2." Like those games, its real strengths lie in allowing multiple styles of play and multiple solutions to problems.

The ability to explore and choose how you want to approach each obstacle is great, albeit a bit simpler this time around. It’s also much shorter, clocking in at around 15 hours, but again, you can play each level in various ways.

A solid mission pack, adding a whole new team element. Team organization is something that is evolving in online multiplayer gaming, and it's nice to see Quake join the fray.

Unpolished and unsure – too long for an epilogue, too short for a stand-alone title. Still, an enjoyable romp with an intriguing story can be found somewhere between the two, and you won’t have to be wide awake to see it.

This year they tried to futz with the gameplay, but the changes are so minute that most veterans will seamlessly transition from last year’s game to this one. Whether or not it’s worth the green fees depends a great deal on your love of the game, but chances are you’ve already aced this course.

The repetitive nature can wear on you if you play Puzzle Quest 2 for more than a few hours, but it's still one of the best pick-up-and-play, zone-out-for-a-while titles the Nintendo DS has to offer.

The campaign, though, keeps you occupied for at least eight to ten hours and is suited for everyone: the cheesy and quirky characters will have children enamored and even the witty humor will make adults chuckle.

Future episodes will likely have to introduce deeper gameplay, since it's easy to master Episode One. But on its own, Penny Arcade Adventures is a very solid game with a unique and refined take on role-playing gameplay that would stand on its own even without the Penny Arcade brand of humor.

There’s plenty of game happening in Tactical Assault, comfortably framed in adequate writing and a fair look and feel.

Still funky and fun, but not altogether fresh anymore. It almost feels too soon of a release after "Konamix" earlier this year.

Kudos to Neversoft and Activision for creating an amazing game, the sole competitor in its self-created genre, and curses upon them for distilling it to the point of absurdity.

After playing Kung-Fu LIVE, you'll hope Finnish developers Virtual Air Guitar get a lot of notice for their game, but you won't want them to step out of this inventive, fun little indie nitch they've found.

In a genre full of stinkers and throwaways, the care the developers put into making this game special is notable. While it won't change your life, it's a suitable distraction.

Releasing Mario Party to the smaller screen has turned many of its ho-hum qualities on the console into considerable assets.

It’s a quirky, refreshing mix of action, sandbox, and mini-games with enough style and charm to Trotmobile past its aggravating technical flaws.

And what I really appreciate is having everything spoken to me in Japanese. It does wonders for authenticity.

Left 4 Dead 2 may have lost some of that new zombie smell, but its cooperative play is still among the best.

Though improvements are obvious in the looks, the controls leave a bit to be desired.

The only major gripe I have is the targeting system. You often have an enemy two feet behind you, but the game refuses to target it since it tends to only target things in front of you.

The frustrating linearity, at times crappy AI and dated graphics keep it from snatching a place in history as a markedly innovative title.