While we appreciate the new star power, the new too-difficult two-player Battle mode fails to impress and the new guitar, while sturdy and reliable, feels small in comparison to Rock Band's more realistic axe. Regardless, Guitar Hero still has that addictive quality. Combine that with an excellent soundtrack and online play, this mock rock simulator will have you jamming for months.

Although it doesn't entirely change the game around, this expansion makes enough improvements, allowing gamers to get lost in Middle-earth all over again.

Potential players don't need to fear it sucking away hours of their lives (although it still might), but they can look forward to an excellent game with some very amusing stories to tell.

While the game keeps its proverbial foot-tapping format, players must also wave their arms using the remote and nunchuk. New gimmick icons also enhance the gameplay, particularly the frozen arrows (which require two successful foot stomps) and confusion blocks.

Ultimately, the lack of mission variety cost Red Faction a higher score, but it's still an explosively fun time.

The word hardcore works for and against the game. On the positive side, BlazBlue features complex stories for each of its 12 fighters, magnificent art, special moves mapped to the right analog stick and lag free online play with detailed stat tracking. If you love anime, this is an essential purchase. On the negative side, however, BlazBlue's narratives make little sense, characters talk over one another before fights, others have long-winded dialogue and a steep learning curve will frustrate a lot of casual fighting fans hoping to button mash their way to victory; you just can't walk into this game expecting to unleash insane combos ala Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.

Even though its visuals and audio come up short, Monster Hunter Tri is one of Capcom's best. The gameplay grows on you after the first few monster kills, and teaming up with friends on epic quests never get old.

If you never got into the first game, then you'll probably skip this Ocean in favor of faster-moving waters. However, if you don't mind playing something with a laid-back pace, a gorgeous presentation, a strong co-op multiplayer component and lots of discovery, strap on the diving gear and enjoy this brand new world.

The multiplayer is excellent too, whether playing with someone locally or uploading scores to an online leaderboard.

Compared to the single player adventure, the multiplayer mode comes up short, but the 16 player firefights still offer some thrills.

Scribblenauts stands apart from the usual assortment of puzzle games, thanks to its charming design and wealth of possibilities. Don't let it fly under the radar. Go out and buy a copy right now.

The controls are great, as you can chain together Soul Charges and attacks without difficulty. Its graphics, despite a lack of widescreen support, look excellent.

Despite the fact that the game comes to an end quicker than expected, fans of Kojima's work and action/RPG games should pick it up without hesitation. Lunar Knights shines brightly... even without the power of the sun.

The bad news is that this edition doesn't really do too much new for the DDR series, aside from a nifty planet-cruising mode and a diverse song list. But the good news is that most of the crazy toe-tapping fun that you found in previous games is still present and accounted for, and this is the best the series is going to get for this generation.

The game can grow repetitive over time, but being able to use three multitalented superheroes helps the game significantly -- especially with two players working together. In addition, the graphics and sound excel, and at only $20, it's an essential purchase.

Multiplayer would've been cool, but these Legions will still keep you busy.

The controls click almost perfectly, the multiplayer options are through the roof, there's plenty to do on the single-player front and the characters and levels are like a treasure trove of Sega history.

Tekken 6 is still a quality fighter, from its straightforward and amusing gameplay to its rich presentation and huge roster. It falls short of Street Fighter IV, but it's still got enough power to knock you on your butt.

Even with the frame rate hiccups and the lack of online support, Earth Defense Force 2017 succeeds tremendously, thanks to its devastation and non-stop action. This piece of sci-fi cheesy goodness fits right in with Microsoft's meatier games -- very appetizing.

"Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo," with its various modes and options, makes this well worth the $30. Challenging a friend in AdHoc never gets old, whether shooting bubbles into nothingness or dropping mad block combos to clear the screen in a devastating manner.

In any case, the immensely satisfying micro-level gameplay far outweighs the minor difficulty problems in the game -- if you're looking for a new timewaster on the PC, 360 or PS3, definitely give Droplitz a spin.

EA did an excellent job blending both genres and we enjoyed the humorous dialogue, cut scenes and gameplay, especially when Henry wrecks bad guys while piloting a giant robot. Fun, charming and addictive, Henry Hatsworth is one of the best games for the DS.

This Wii version doesn't see much in the realm of visual improvement, but with a handful of new missions, characters and classes, as well as good use of the remote, this is a necessary purchase for those who missed out the first time.

The wonky voice and touch screen recognition annoys us, but we always give Brain Age 2 another chance, probably because we buy Nintendo's line that it makes us smarter.

The episode also features trickier puzzles than some of the past games, which makes the new hint system all the more worthwhile. Although there were moments of confusion, we were still entertained by the newest adventure.

A steep learning curve, however, may impede their progress, especially without the benefit of a tutorial. Aside from that huge omission, Grand Slam Tennis is a well-made and fun game appropriate for wannabe tennis stars of all ages.

Punishing artificial intelligence, unbalanced online play and annoying lag will have you chucking your controller. Those small issues aside, Soulcalibur IV is razor sharp.

Bangai-O Spirits lacks a story mode, but it makes up for this with over 160 stages of explosive shooting action.