Roads to Victory achieved an impressive feat in translating virtually every aspect of the Call of Duty series to a UMD except the one that arguably matters most: control.

Despite being tremendously slim, Worms is still fun, looks glorious in high definition, and the controls translate very well to the Xbox 360 pad.

As it is, Spectrobes is little more than a dull game of collecting fossils with a momentarily enjoyable gimmick attached to it.

But as pretty as the game is, and as great as the soundtrack might be, the game's real draw lies in the eight amazingly detailed rumble locations. [Apr 2007, p.83]

Even with the lack of a Crash mode and no online play, Burnout Dominator is a wise investment, even for the Burnout first-timer, especially with a $40 price tag.

Everything about Dominator's gameplay just feels right. The welcome return of burnouts has infused an even greater sense of recklessness to a game that certainly wasn't lacking it to begin with.

If [you] live and breathe online gaming, GRAW 2 is undoubtedly a must-buy.

The gameplay stays varied throughout, but Master of Disguise ends up feeling a little gimmicky due to uninteresting characters, plot, environments and graphics.

Vice City Stories is a fun game that lets you jump into right into the action, but don't expect anything special or new from this game.

There's no sense in mincing words: Tekken 5 doesn't come close to capturing the full graphical potential of the PlayStation 3. In fact, as far as next-gen brawlers go, it's a bit on the homely side.

If you took a "Dynasty Warriors" game and stripped away every redeeming quality, you would more or less end up with March to Glory.

The good thing is, the game is priced as a value title, and for puzzle fanatics, or for fans of the PSP titles, this is a great package. But honestly, playing Lumines made me long for the intricate simplicity of Tetris, and it's just a reminder that perfection, once achieved, can be hard to top.

Clearly, the power of the PS3 has been successfully harnessed because the game's speedy gameplay does not come with any sacrifice to graphical quality. The cars, environments, and race tracks all look close to photorealistic.

The game's biggest defect lies in its terrible early-gen PS2-grade graphics. I haven't seen anything this blocky since the last time I played with my Legos!

Dedicated (read: sadistic) gamers willing to invest the time necessary to figure out the controls might get a kick out of this one, but the convoluted controls will turn off most players. The lesson here is clear: Wii developers need to start with a blank slate rather than graft old-school control schemes onto the Wii Remote because, as SSX Blur demonstrates, it just doesn't work.

Empires gets old quick. While it is fun to use your superior skills against giant mobs of enemies, game play and skill boil down to your ability to hit the buttons as fast as you possibly can.

MLB 07 looks and sounds great. It's amazing how specific the announcers' comments are, players look like their real-world counterparts and stadiums have the intricate details that will make any fan proud.

Finally, finally, we have a game we can experience the same way baseball games are meant to be experienced: every night for several hours.

A game that has enough personality to stand above the crowd, at least until its audience tires of its regurgitated gameplay mechanics.

Abe Lincoln Must Die pulls Sam & Max right back up from the slight stumble that was episode three and prepares them for what will hopefully be two more great installments before the end of Season One.

"Virtua Fighter 4" was easily the best in the series, and also one of the best hardcore fighting games ever released. While it doesn't represent as huge a step up as say, "VF4" did over "VF3," it can still claim the crown as the best Virtua Fighter to date. It's a rousing success on all fronts.

The game is tough, and not in a good way. You better tighten up that Wii Remote strap because you will feel the urge to throw the controller through the television, especially early in the game, before Sonic gets a lot of his abilities. But once you get Sonic up to speed, the game is fun, but still really challenging.

Crackdown is ridiculously fun, and that "Halo 3" beta code may go unused for longer than you think. [Mar 2007, p.88]

Homecourt has the flashy moves of a superstar but it needs to work on its fundamentals. Maybe then it'll elevate its game to true legend status.

While the quirky game play and novelty of random content may not keep younger gamers coming back for dungeon runs, Izuna will certainly entice old-school RPG fans simply as a challenge to their gamer's ego.

Trioncube doesn't offer much for a puzzle game. There's little depth or difficulty to be found, and while the odd story is surprisingly entertaining, it isn't enough to keep you playing for long.

Without a doubt, Supreme Commander is a game of epic proportions that will offer an outstanding RTS experience for the far foreseeable future, and for that it deserves an equally massive amount of praise.

The game's style suits portable gaming perfectly, it's just a shame that there isn't much there to keep any gamer occupied for long.

The game also has a tightly implemented control scheme, including an awesome strafe system that all but eliminates lock-on issues.

Pros: In a nutshell, it's Diet "God of War." Cons: The diet version is never as good as the non-diet version.

If you needed an excuse to pick up another Wii Remote and you have an extra Hamilton in the wallet, then by all means pick up Wii Play. Just don't expect to fully get your money's worth.

A lot of people may be turned of by the childish themes and plot, but anyone who puts real time in with the game won't be disappointed with how it plays nor with the unexpected amount of depth there is to be found.

The spiritual sequel to Konami's solar sensor enabled "Boktai: the Sun is in Your Hand," Lunar Knights is a deep action-RPG that could have been a DS classic if it weren't for a couple of major blemishes that detract from the game's greatness...Chief among these is the lackluster character development.

The most important aspect of any baseball video game is the controls, and while those found in MVP 07 will test your patience at times, they ultimately add to the overall experience. [Mar 2007, p.91]

What the game lacks in the battle and exploration departments, it more than makes up for in the experience of getting to know a girl intimately.

If the controls weren't so frustrating, the game play experience would have been a lot more enjoyable.

Assuredly, a great majority of RPGers have already beaten Final Fantasy VI multiple times, and while this game is pretty much a direct port, I still recommend it highly just for sweet nostalgia's sake.

Rogue Galaxy is what every RPG should strive to be: an immersive experience that places you in a new world populated by intriguing characters. It's backed by an engaging and accessible story, possesses an intuitive control scheme and maintains a sense of depth will have you gladly coming back for more.

Stepping into the cockpit of a dive-bomber or Destroyer-class vessel just isn't that much fun.

Run, don't walk, in the opposite direction of this one. With its boring collection of mini-games and cheap presentation, this one will only appeal to the littlest of tykes.

While it covers the same ground, there has been enough of a shift from the old roots to ensure the experience stays fresh while maintaining the features that have made the series the premier example of grand strategy on the PC today.

If someone had bothered to design an original game around this level of technology and artistry, we'd really have something. Too bad we got this mid-'90s relic instead.

Hotel Dusk probably won't appeal to every DS gamer, as it requires a degree of patience and thoughtfulness that only the aged (and insane) are capable of. But anyone looking for a cerebral and deliberate challenge should definitely check out this cool and unique title; just be patient with it.

Complex action games haven't proven especially successful on Sony's handheld but Pirates! succeeds by offering up simple yet intuitive controls and an easy to navigate interface. [Apr 2007, p.82]

The new locations, characters, items, and monsters are nothing short of awesome. The voice acting is perfect, the sound effects spot-on, and the score at times both ominous and uplifting.

Still, Justice For All demonstrates enough of the plucky spirit that made the first game so memorable. [Feb. 2007, p.82]

A certifiably insane party game that is a must buy for any Wii owner and just further proves that the Wii is the must-have console for when you have friends over.

At the end of the day, playing Lost Planet is like dating a supermodel with personality problems: it's great looking and has the potential for good times, but ultimately, it's just not worth the trouble. [Feb. 2007, p.64]

Meets or exceeds its predecessor in almost every way. The dialogue is better, the story is more interesting, and the puzzles feel like they serve more of a purpose.

Assuming you have a GameCube controller, these classic games are still a blast to play, but this particular release of them is hardly the tenth anniversary treatment the series deserves. Hopefully one day SNK will get the job done properly.

Legacy is fun despite these nagging issues if only by virtue of giving you the ability to control a task force of slick-looking futuristic starships all over the galaxy. And with an interesting story that spans the entirety of the Star Trek timeline and a fairly robust multiplayer, there's plenty of incentive to play.

The game can be annoying at times--opening doors is almost always a hassle, for example--and the limited time you have to find the Elebits makes things a little hairier than necessary but this is still one of the more original and fun titles available for the Wii.

The simple act of turning around in Vengeance is more difficult than wiping out an entourage of baddies in clear view. Plus, jumping (lift the nunchuk) and operating vehicles is more annoying that doing a sink full of dirty dishes.

A mediocre title that won't exactly leave you bragging to your friends about your shiny new toy.

The multiplayer modes are certainly good for a competition amongst friends, but the time consuming campaign and lackluster graphics will wear pretty thin for the serious gamer.

The GameCube controller doesn't quite offer the potential of the Wii remote, so slicing down enemies and firing arrows isn't quite as engaging.

Full Auto 2 is certainly worth a rental, if only for the high-resolution destruction, but it's plagued by too many other irritating issues to be a true candidate for purchase.

There are much better action games out on the PSP than this one, so pass it by unless you're obsessed with Star Wars.

A game that not only reaffirms the series' greatness, but is easily once of the best handheld games released this year.

Portable Ops still has a way to go- it still sucks being gang-stomped for the tiniest of sneaking missteps- but it's encouraging to see that Konami is willing to take chances with one of its main franchises. With luck, they'll take things even further in the future.

If you've got to choose between one version or the other, it's hard to go wrong, though the PS3's Get in the Ring mode is a tempting bonus. Otherwise, it's pretty much a draw.

If the clumsy controls and glitchy graphics hadn't already killed it, there might have been some game left to salvage.

The only thing we didn't like about Squeak Squad is that it's a tad on the easy side...But there is no denying the ineffable charm of this title.

With its sloppy controls and a total lack of online multiplayer mode - that's right, the Wii version has no "spies vs. mercenaries," battles, just a poorly implemented split-screen mode - it's tough to justify this version's existence.

The PSP version is as good as its console counterparts except for the criminal lack of multiplayer options. If you can stomach the thought of taking on the forces of evil without a human sidekick, then this is definitely a game you should buy.

The levels are still vast, the number of available goals is still overwhelming, and the multiplayer portion adds some replayability.

The sometimes simplistic graphics could still use another boost, and enemy taunts and anguished cries can grate on the ears in their repetition, but Fireteam Bravo 2 is too much fun for such irritations to scrub the mission. SOCOM may be stumbling on its console home, but it's standing tall at its portable post.

The minigames will wear thin quickly for adults, while the management will prove too confusing for the little ones. If you love building roller coasters or playing party games with your buddies, you'd be better off with Rollercoaser Tycoon or Mario Party.

Knights seamlessly melds a good 6 to 10 hours of highly entertaining gameplay and maintains the level of quality Oblivion is known for.

The minigames will wear thin quickly for adults, while the management will prove too confusing for the little ones. If you love building roller coasters or playing party games with your buddies, you'd be better off with Rollercoaser Tycoon or Mario Party.

Feels more like a botched sandbox-styled game with what little there is to do both poorly implemented and boring. It may be the best Superman game so far, but that's not saying much.

Rainbow Six: Vegas's gorgeous graphics, professional presentation, well-executed cover mechanic, and highly customizable multiplayer make it one the best first-person shooters on the Xbox 360. Heck, why beat around the bush: it's got my vote for Game of the Year.

College is all about learning to be creative, and College Hoops 2K7 opens up a world possibilities both on and off the court.

It's buggy and unevenly presented, which spoils what fun there is to be had. However, it did give me a taste of how FPS games can and will change on the Wii, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the genre will play out in the future.

The key to Twilight Princess' genius lies in its ability to evoke, and fulfill, a feeling of nostalgia, to return you to the bygone days when you first played a Zelda game.

What works about Excite Truck? Simply put, its use of the Wii Remote provides a more tactile feel to an otherwise straightforward destruction derby racer. Without the Wii's controller, Excite Truck would barely be worth a glance.

We can't help but enjoy the fact that we're getting a solid sports experience for nothing. It's definitely more fun in groups and won't have a great deal of longevity, but anyone who doesn't find at least some fun in Wii Sports has a heart of coal.

Monster 4x4 isn't a particularly deep title, but you'd have to be a fool to go into thinking that it would be. It's probably best as a weekend rental to blast through with your friends.

Surprisingly fun if you have a couple friends to enjoy it with and is definitely worth the bargain price tag. Overall, for what you'd expect from games of this price, we have a pretty decent showing.

Unfortunately, once you remove the lovable Nintendo characters from the formula and replace them with soulless agents of advertising, you've lost most of the appeal. You're left with a slightly disturbing and shameful mockery of what was once a cherished wholesome media icon; sort of like Michael Jackson.

I can only see this game having use as a cheap and definitely non habit forming method of sleep aid with nightmares as a possible side effect. Or a coaster.

Using tilt is unbelievably awkward. It's hard enough to land high-point combos in Project 8 that require the utmost concentration, let alone have to do it by jerking the Sixaxis controller like an idiot to land the simplest of grinds.

The controls are quite simple but a bit glitchy at times. Using the stylus, players can only move the lines vertically in their own columns. It feels more intuitive to be able to move them horizontally as well, but the challenge is in the restriction of the column.

Also disappointing was the lack of any head-to-head or multi-player functionality; there's no unlockable content, either. The games themselves are monotonous and don't really instill you with a need to play them repeatedly.

Also disappointing was the lack of any head-to-head or multi-player functionality; there's no unlockable content, either. The games themselves are monotonous and don't really instill you with a need to play them repeatedly.

The game is easy to pick up and great to look at, but there's little to it.

If you have a Xbox 360 console, stick to that version of Carbon.

The game provides an astonishing amount of playability, unique player interface, and covers nearly all of the 20 odd years of the Dragon Ball Saga. This game is a definite buy for both Wii gamers and DBZ fans alike. [Dec. 2006, p.113]

Sega should seriously consider monkeying around with the formula because it's starting to feel incredibly stale.

Through and through, this remake of Final Fantasy III has been a wonderful return to old school RPGs. Fans of Final Fantasy will definitely enjoy this nostalgic trip to a simpler time, and RPG fans in general would be well served to pick up this fun title.

While there is a greater emphasis on speed, you'll still have to take control of some slower characters like Silver and Tails, who now has one of the most frustratingly awful attack movesets of all time.

Madden 07 PS3 is lightning-fast and silkily fluid. In fact, after playing the two versions back-to-back, we're inclined to say that the PS3 version feels a smidge faster and more responsive than the Xbox 360 version.

It's a ton of fun, especially if a friend gets involved. The motion controls really adds to the competitive experience of the game and should lead to some intense living room battles. But the game itself has a distinctive retro feel, with its lackluster graphics.

The PS3 version's weaker graphics and moderately interesting Sixaxis controls come in second to the overall experience on the Xbox 360.

While the mini-games are cool, you will sadly spend most of your time fighting to control your drunken gun sight, and practice only yields marginal improvements.

Playing Downhill Jam is like watching an infomercial at three in the morning: it's sort of amusing and it passes the time but you're not enthralled by what's going on, either.

It's easily the best PS3 game available on launch day, and a highly playable action game that will satisfy even the most demanding FPS junkies.

Graphically, it's almost there but the gameplay felt like something I'd seen from multiple PS2 games in the past.