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.

NBA Ballers: Phenom might mark a change from its predecessor with a new story mode and faux third-person exploration, but it ultimately tries too much and does too little. Compared to EA’s more complex series, this is one street baller you’ll want to leave on the curb.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NBA Ballers: Phenom might mark a change from its predecessor with a new story mode and faux third-person exploration, but it ultimately tries too much and does too little. Compared to EA's more complex series, this is one street baller you'll want to leave on the curb.

Kingdom Hearts II is a blast - playable by nearly anyone, smarter than you'd expect, and built to a consistently impressive standard. Cartoon and RPG fandom isn't even required, as the story is outlandish and creative enough to ensnare even those wary of Disney.

Though it isn’t the freshest rhythm game in the world, Beatmania hits the stage rocking thanks to a pretty large list of tunes, a groovy controller and tons of modes and options.

It also could have been a lot worse. It’s powered by a solid engine, features a ton of unlockable content, and is rife with humorous potential, which we hope Konami taps in the inexorable "Rumble Roses XXX."

The unimaginative single-player experience and that awful, awful chatter almost leaves this plane in full retreat. Despite some snazzy graphics, it’s really the terrific multiplayer that manages to snatch a mild victory from the jaws of this near-defeat.

While there are some cool view modes and the front-end is nice, you’d have to be quite a die-hard to shell out forty bucks for Final Fight, Strider, Street Fighter and a bunch of stuff no one even liked in the 80s.

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.

Long loading screens and some bad design decisions make this game a tougher sale than it should be, but a great story and excellent voice acting make for an easy rental.

A lackadaisical, recycled romp that tries to emulate the Splinter Cell experience. But without the good graphics, A.I. or multiplay, all it does is put the “Why?!” in spy.

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 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.

The number of options is so vast, it's nearly paralyzing figuring out what it is you want to do next.

And astoundingly, everyone speaks. Though the voices occasionally repeat, it's pretty impressive that they managed to cram so much voiced dialogue in here, and most of it is high-quality work.

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.

It's high-quality work all the way, from the production design to the responsive (if crushing) controls and utterly smooth online play.

It combines engrossing and detailed online play with a smart and difficult single player campaign, and wraps both packages up in style, with solid graphics and great audio. So make like Narcissus, and get lost in this reflection.

The formula from the original series has been transplanted to near perfection and the Ready at Dawn crew has added a few gems that will keep you coming back for more.

It's a likable retelling of a classic series with enough content to keep most gamers entertained for weeks, and the ability to play as all these old-school bosses is sure to strike your geek nerve.

Despite its interesting strategy mechanic, The Outfit winds up feeling pretty typical. Its lacking single-player campaign is saved in part by its genuinely frantic, yet derivative multiplayer.

Though the single-player content is a few bullets short of a full clip, this package is a mission accomplished.

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.

Other than some small graphical tweaks, this is an unchanged port that costs a whopping 30 bucks more than the other versions. It's not a bad game by any means, but nor is it a new one.