The two-player mode feels tacked on and the presentation has its hitches, but Touch the Dead still provides enough bloody joy to warrant a recommendation.

Freestyle Street Basketball's low cost makes it an appealing option for people who crave easy, fast-paced competition. In addition, it lacks the complex controls found in more expensive sports games, and costs just $19.99.

Despite the improved visuals, MLB sports a few nagging glitches, and although the game's fun, it doesn't feel like a huge step up from its predecessor.

Shrek the Third disappoints in every single category.

The ogre's latest looks better but plays worse on the Wii.

The PS2 version is the worst of the bunch, with incredibly lackluster visuals and gameplay seemingly stolen straight from God of War. In addition, numerous glitches plague the game, further ruining the experience. Everyone should stay away.

The big green ogre saves his best outing for the Nintendo DS.

Fortunately, the game's slick cel-shaded presentation shines with delightful looking animations, particularly with the prisoners. They scamper about with a vaudeville-like appearance and pack lots of attitude -- even while being flung in the air.

The game's numerous quirks and weak voice acting might turn a few people off, but the non-stop action, superb graphics and excellent physics makes it worth playing through at least once.

Electronic Arts applies the control scheme from its previous PC to console real time strategy game, "The Lord of the Rings: The Battle of Middle-earth II" with excellent results, offering gamers a user-friendly scheme that makes controlling units and building structures simple.

The controls require some getting used to, but the game's biggest problem comes from the fact that it only has LAN multiplayer, and lacks any kind of online player match-up capabilities.

It plays well, but instead of creating an innovative product, developer Sumo Digital followed the Grand Theft Auto template, relying on a list of familiar and boring jobs including escort and carjacking missions. In addition, the game looks dated.

Downhill Jam could've been so much more than a quickie port with just a few key ingredients, such as more tracks and online play. This downhill run may be fun for a little bit, but the uphill climb that follows is too much to bear.

Despite spectacular graphics and strong attention to simulating real-life combat weaponry, ArmA: Combat Operations falls victim to some major bugs, one of which causes those graphics to fall apart. Additionally, the weight of its complicated menu system slows down the game's pace.

Spider-Man 3 might dominate the box office, but its glitchy video game counterpart totally tanks...Shoddy graphics, poorly configured character models way-too-easy or too-hard difficulty levels and strange lag times -- on the ultra powerful PS3 no less.

With downright ugly graphics, minimalist music, an underwhelming use of voice acting and some of the sloppiest controls ever, keeping this last-generation version of the game in one's collection can only be justified if they lose the receipt.

Spider-Man 3 on Xbox 360 stands out as the best version, thanks to slightly improved graphics and numerous achievements to unlock. Unfortunately, the awful camera, frustrating combat, bad character models and cheesy voice acting make it less than stellar.

The graphics never rise above abysmal, with disappearing textures tag-teamed and an uneven frame rate. The controls, however, ruin the experience. While web swinging offers a few fleeting moments of joy, the tedious combat and horrific camera controls (even worse than the other versions) kill the fun, causing achy wrists.

Straightforward intensity and manic action keep Heatseeker from burning out.

An innovative traits and title system, unique social-networking -- like an in-game music system and player-driven Wiki -- and the rich storylines and subplots that stay true to the source material easily make this name-brand role-player a hot contender for PC game of the year.

The atmospheric first-person shooter retains all of its tension, along with the neat slow-down option that lets players pull off some brutally imaginative kills. However, the graphics look like they've been reworked for a PlayStation 2 version instead of for the PS3. Furthermore, the weak response time of the SIXAXIS pad ruins the experience and the game takes too long to load.

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.

Despite the differing game play, at least one element remains shared between the various situations and scenarios of Eureka Seven Vol. 2: boredom. With no real skill required to complete the simple challenges, most gamers will breeze through the dull segments given enough time and button mashing, leaving them to question the point in repeating those same bits of play over and over again.

Although the single-player quests might invoke a sense of deja vu, Pokemon enthusiasts will love the brand new story and other small tweaks added to the game. The new online battles, however, make this a Pokemon essential for anyone's -- fanboy or not -- DS collection.

Although the single-player quests might invoke a sense of deja vu, Pokemon enthusiasts will love the brand new story and other small tweaks added to the game. The new online battles, however, make this a Pokemon essential for anyone's -- fanboy or not -- DS collection.

Players will find tiring game play that doesn't make proper use of the PSP's digital pad, while putting up with some of the lamest opponents imaginable. Worse yet, the ball physics waver all over the place and the artificial intelligence attempts shots that would get it laughed out of a real pool hall.

True, the graphics and music feel aged and the game could've used online play, but even with these flaws, it achieves what it sets out to do, deliver "destroy everything"-themed action for the somewhat moderate price of $29.99.

Several ideas don't work well, particularly the lame light-gun bubble shooting mode and multiplayer. Having eight players in a game can be entertaining, but it relies more on blind luck instead of skill.