The PSP's inability to match the functionality of the PlayStation 2's Dual Shock controller causes some problems and the degree of control accomplished by developer Kojima Productions under the circumstances speaks volumes of their expertise, but the results aren't perfect.

While the Xbox 360's Bayonetta runs smoothly at (mostly) 60 frames per second, Sony's version constantly chugs with slowdown and load times. Even if you're in the middle of a fight, the game will pause for a couple of seconds playing catch-up. For those of you who own Sony's machine, this isn't the end of the world, but it's a shame Sega couldn't get the game to perform the same on both platforms. The Xbox 360 is the obvious choice.

Options like the hotseat multiplayer turn out being a massive waste of time. Lastly, the expansion doesn't integrate very well with Medieval II, with each campaign operating like a stand-alone, multi-part, Total War scenario.

Looks a lot more exciting than it actually is. Nintendo fans will revel in the 2-D-meets-3-D world of Mario and company, and the recent drought of good Wii games makes this a welcome addition to any library. Yet, Nintendo drowns players in boring dialogue, and the ability to switch the 2-D world to 3-D makes the game too easy.

Each game session plays out very quickly, which is part of the charm and challenge.

The new Dervish and Paragon professions add a lot of flavor to both role playing and PvP. Yet, the game's story takes a long while to pick up, and some design issues from previous games still exist.

For its budget $20 price, this is a great introduction for those who missed the glory days of gaming or a pleasant welcome back to those who loved the original.

What could've been a five-star prospect quickly became a solid backup. Unless you're a college football fanatic, we suggest waiting for Madden NFL 10.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a cinematic masterpiece, an orgy of exquisite full motion video sequences, beautiful music and quality vocal performances. As such, it's not a movie. It's a video game, and as a game, Crisis Core is good, not great.

Darksiders has an engaging story, beautiful visuals and plenty of badass characters, but THQ/Vigil Games' reliance on tired concepts prevent it from being a must buy.

Ultimately, its poor music and one note gameplay mar the experience, but players in search of something off the wall will probably dig Rhythm Heaven's imaginative design.

Unfortunately, it also requires a lot of battling to keep characters learning new abilities, and the frequent encounters are often tedious in their simplicity.

It just about looks, sounds and plays as it did before, solidly but without anything "wow"-worthy to justify your $60 purchase.

Unfortunately, co-op multiplayer and the Zombie Mode didn't make the cut. World At War on the Wii ends up a distant second to the PS3 and 360 versions, but it's still a fun shooter.

Rock Band for the PlayStation 2 is like seeing a cover band over the original performers -- you'll have a good time but you'll notice something is missing.

Darksiders has an engaging story, beautiful visuals and plenty of badass characters, but THQ/Vigil Games' reliance on tired concepts prevent it from being a must buy.

Not a fast-paced shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. appeals to a deeper sense of survival, in which players scrounge for valuables and information in a world gone twisted.

Even for $5, we expected more creatures to blast, rooms to explore and weapons to fire. Those glaring omissions make Lost in Nightmares a good, but not great journey into the world of survival horror. Good luck.

The game provides a decent alternative to average hack'n-slash role-playing games, but it doesn't take long before it becomes tiresome and boring.

Overlord offers players a chance to let their imp armies run amok, looting and destroying the countryside. However, the gimmick grows stale and its charm gets lost with the buggy controls and the boredom of wandering around in circles.

It just about looks, sounds and plays as it did before, solidly but without anything "wow"-worthy to justify your $60 purchase.

Developer Yukes deserves nine Stone Cold Stunners for the game's lack of polish. Yet despite its flaws, SmackDown successfully retains its wrestling championship, thanks to its 67-superstar roster, 20 plus match types, deep General Manager and Season modes, gorgeous visuals, and finally, four person online play that's easy to set up and difficult to put down.

What could've been a five-star prospect quickly became a solid backup. Unless you're a college football fanatic, we suggest waiting for Madden NFL 10.

As always, Tiger's a fun game but the 08 version comes up short of earning green jacket status.

Instead of reinventing the franchise, THQ merely tacked on some additions to the formula. That's not enough to wrestle away our $59.99.

Even for $5, we expected more creatures to blast, rooms to explore and weapons to fire. Those glaring omissions make Lost in Nightmares a good, but not great journey into the world of survival horror. Good luck.

Hardcore gamers who grew to love grand adventure games from a decade ago will have a blast. The game mechanics are tired, but there's nostalgic value to it. Fans of the series will also enjoy learning more about the characters. None of this negates the fact, however, that a fresh coat of high definition paint can't mask the fact that the Yakuza series needs to end or change with the times.

The customization shop is one of the game's biggest features, letting you create cars and planes any way you see fit. The gameplay is quite entertaining, even though the steering controls aren't as tight as we expectedare loose.