Dead Space bursts into the holiday season with the pulpy cracking sound of someone being torn limb from limb. Its visual presentation, unique gameplay features, and emphasis on exploration show that this title’s coming into the ring swinging hard and will be a tough contender to beat.

A terrible football game with some good ideas surrounding it, and a marked tendency to make me wish I wasn’t playing it. If you enjoy football games, stick to Madden; Blitz is not a serious competitor, unless you enjoy getting a bit squeamish.

A terrible football game with some good ideas surrounding it, and a marked tendency to make me wish I wasn’t playing it. If you enjoy football games, stick to Madden; Blitz is not a serious competitor, unless you enjoy getting a bit squeamish.

World of Goo pushes the downloadable game cliché out of the window, providing hours of dynamic and unique fun that a lot of fully priced releases fail to do. Get on sliming!

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.

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 may not be the end of an era for Crash, but it is certainly a disappointment. Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant could have been an entertaining game, but it has been rendered the video game equivalent of a nosebleed.

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.

American developer Double Helix has managed to stick its landing—right in the uneasy, dark parts of the mind that define the Silent Hill experience.

American developer Double Helix has managed to stick its landing—right in the uneasy, dark parts of the mind that define the Silent Hill experience.

Even with all the minor gripes, aside from the unfortunate plot spoiling, the JRPG elements are traditionally solid and keep the title from falling into the art of the rip-off.

It’s cheap, it’s fun, it’s challenging, and it’s a much less embarrassing way to relive the ‘90s than reuniting your old band.

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.

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

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

Pure is the new kid on the block, and if given a sequel or two to improve, it could grow into a brilliant beast of a man.

The game’s hidden strength, though, is in its visual presentation.

It's a whole lot of “blah” in a tiny piece of plastic.

With a unique plot, great characters, and gameplay that’s fun for both kids and adults, Lego Batman continues the sheer fun of the series and is a great game on all available platforms.

With a unique plot, great characters, and gameplay that’s fun for both kids and adults, Lego Batman continues the sheer fun of the series and is a great game on all available platforms.

With a unique plot, great characters, and gameplay that’s fun for both kids and adults, Lego Batman continues the sheer fun of the series and is a great game on all available platforms.

With a unique plot, great characters, and gameplay that’s fun for both kids and adults, Lego Batman continues the sheer fun of the series and is a great game on all available platforms.

What's here is just as wild and wacky as the original and it's a benchmark game for the Wii. If you own a Wii, this is one game you don't want to overlook.

Save yourself the tedium and dust off your old copy of SimCity2000 if you still have a machine that can run it.

One of the best experiences I’ve had with a Wii game since "Super Mario Galaxy."

Kirby Super Star Ultra is a solid title that could have been just a little fresher while still keeping Kirby rad. If only the little cream puff could run up onto some baddies that were a little more hardcore, his abilities might finally outshine his amazing super-cuteness.

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.

All the same, bravo, Mythic. Bravo! Do you know what you’ve done? Do you have any possible reckoning for what you’ve unleashed here? In one act, you have brought more ruin upon the geek community than a fall line-up thick with wonder! Already there were thousands, perhaps tens of thousands who would forgo the normal daily needs to get that extra edge over their peers. My god, sirs, you have opened Pandora’s Box.