There's no denying it: Blood on the Sand is completely senseless, wholly obnoxious, incredibly thoughtless, and insanely fun. Hampered by a sore lack of multiplayer, Fiddy's second console excursion still remains an entertaining, if completely mindless experience.

The scroll-fighting action is pretty solid, the redone graphics and music are excellent, and the numerous unlockables and modes will keep you coming back -- but it all involves getting past that initial control barrier first.

More variety in the levels and mini-games would have made it an absolute must-have.

Lost Kingdoms may not have much of a plot, but the battle system makes it a fine game worth the attention of all action/RPG fans.

Even with it's impressive handheld graphics, assortment of interesting characters and intriguing steampunk setting, Will couldn't help but feel that he'd played this JRPG somewhere before.

With tongue planted firmly in-cheek, this wacky platformer serves up some insanely original action that's definitely worth checking out.

Another surprising feature in Original Generations is the amount of customizability featured in this game. You'll be able to level up character attributes, learn new skills, customize your mechs, switch weapons out, and even assign pilots to specific mechs. There's so much to do that it can actually get rather confusing.

Overall, I was actually pleasantly surprised by GoldenEye: Reloaded. There are enough nods to the source material to keep the game from being a complete derailment of the franchise, and while the multiplayer will never measure up to the original, it still has its English charms.

Every year the NASCAR series seems to emphasize a different aspect of the sport. But this year, the focus is back where it belongs: on the driving and on-track competition. [Nov. 2006, p.102]

Mevo & The Grooveriders offers incredibly addictive achievements, enough to keep your appetite full with a never-ending plate.

It's obvious a game is unpolished when you have to sit through a patch download each time you want to play. Auto Assault may be fun for the hardcore Mad Max fans, but the steep learning curve and frustrating controls are red flags for the casual gamer.

Of course, "Hot Shots Golf 3" is still the definitive “everyone’s game” that appeals to all skill levels, but parents looking for something to play with young kids can’t go wrong with Disney Golf.

Though flawed and not very much like previous Arc titles (Random battles! In an Arc game!), Twilight's fast-paced fighting and decent story save it from RPG oblivion. Don't worry—it does pick up after the beginning.

The controls are still the most frustrating part of the game: They’re sloppy, inexact, and derivative of Street Fighter's with a dash of Tekken's thrown in.

The impressively goofy/cool audio effects and tunes ring amazingly true to the original’s.

Battleship is actually more enjoyable as a downloadable game than as a board game. Fun sound effects, an attractive board with ships that sink, and even gently rolling water make this a sweet looking game.

Overall, I was actually pleasantly surprised by GoldenEye: Reloaded. There are enough nods to the source material to keep the game from being a complete derailment of the franchise, and while the multiplayer will never measure up to the original, it still has its English charms.

With vector graphics and line-drawing mechanics, A.I.R Defense has just enough to distinguish itself from other tower defense games. But its brutal difficulty and limited depth may turn some players away.

Playing Dr. Mario Online RX for an hour or so virtually guarantees a smile and good mood to follow. Precious few full-price Wii games are that much fun, and a $10 game that delivers and that every single member of your family is likely to enjoy playing - is frankly a bargain.

If you're playing alone, or looking for a competitive online rampage, Army of Two teeters between middling fun and frustration, but if you take the time to give the meaty co-op component its due you'll find yourself sucked in by one of the few gun-obsessed romps worth playing through again and again.

Offers a smooth ramp of power, fast-but-strategic combat, and a real variety of gameplay. Alone, it's cool. With friends, it's a blast.

Tenkaichi succeeds in all the areas that DBZ fans love: brilliant, innovative graphics, a gajillion (more than 60, actually) playable characters from the beloved anime series, and (everyone together) Saiyans!

The action has a "vanilla" feel. Although the missions are engaging and fairly exciting, you've played ones just like them dozens of times before, and the hefty helping of silly, ornate gadgets and Bond-girl quips is cumbersome.

Could be worse, but it could also be a lot better.

With a GBA link cable, the head-to-head Byrd Rescue mode is a blast. Tight, responsive controls seal the deal, making Attack of the Rhynocs the most enjoyable GBA Spyro title to date.

Slick, detailed visuals are marred by inane camera work, and while the creature, explosion, and limb-whacking sound effects are all boffo, developer High Voltage should have jettisoned the dance beats and synthetic guitar strains for something more along the lines of Slayer.

Some frustrating A.I., however, causes Shrek 2 to suffer badly as a single-player game (or any time the computer controls a party member), and switching between the characters to overcome the menial obstacles feels like a chore when playing solo. [Aug 2004, p.68]

It doesn't measure up to "Rainbow Six" for gameplay, and the controls are complex, but Hidden and Dangerous can give you a fun run for the money.