The Xbox 360 version is supposed to be the higher-end version on the market, but instead, you wonder where the extra $10 investment has gone. The game is sorely lacking in modes and extras that exist in the other versions, and its graphics and gameplay have some hitches that could've been remedied in production.

Gun is a blazingly original game that's made with guts and pride, booming with an intense storyline and booming with all sorts of amazing content.

Despite their age, these two classics are still quite playable thanks to various tweaks, which include the ability to save anywhere, additional dungeons, and new storylines.

If you're the type of cerebral gamer who relishes in attacking enemies from behind to do extra damage, or perhaps placing everyone perfectly for a combo attack, then La Pucelle is just as good as the best entries in the genre.

In this light-hearted whimsical title from one of the largest online gaming companies in South Korea, Ragnarok Online combines simplified RPG controls, bloodless combat, anime art and addictive social communities to create a truly unique online experience.

Despite little quirks here and there, it's still one of the definitive fighting collections out there, and the inclusion of the insane Super Gem Fighter MiniMix alone should warrant a purchase, just to see fighters do some wild stuff to get the victory.

The developers failed to create any sort of balance, and even though the defensive intensity has been bumped up several notches this is still a run and gun basketball game.

Hardcore Castlevania fans may be disappointed with Lament because of its emphasis on action and Konami's decision to break up the castle into levels instead of keeping it whole.

With the new control system there is a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're not familiar with other RTS titles. However, if you give the game a few missions and a chance to learn the controls properly, BFME2 should appeal to most RPG and Strategy fans out there, and even a few of the action-oriented gamers.

The biggest drawback to this title is the small playlist of songs that play like a soundtrack for Summer 2003. However, it's worth a look when you couple the lower price with an unbelievably complete set of features.

It's got an addictive control system that works pretty well, along with plenty of modes to dig into and a superb visual experience that emulates WWE telecasts nicely.

I think the package could have benefitted from the inclusion of the Street Fighter Alpha games, but that's more than made up for with the Xbox Live play and the extras.

A great pinball game doesn't need 25 different tables and a plethora of unlockable crap. All it needs to do is play well, and no argument can be made that Metroid Prime Pinball's gameplay is lacking.

I think Criterion could've done so much more with this game to turn it into an instant classic. As is, it's a great sugar rush that's worth a few hours of your time, but doesn't really justify the full $40 price tag like it should.

Prey has been a long time coming, and if the game just had a bit more to offer in terms of challenge and a more calculated death/revival system, it could've been a classic to unseat Halo 2. On its own, however, it was definitely worth the wait, with marvelous design ideas, fun gameplay twists, and a presentation that shows some effort.

A thrilling experience that, despite its lack of features, is a great game to play in short bursts.

While some of you may be annoyed by the title's difficulty adjustment, namely, the inclusion of a power bar and unlimited continues, you'll still be amazed by the intense action that the game offers, and its collection system is pretty sweet as well.

Long-time players will appreciate the changes, such as mission instancing, more-so than anyone who is new to the series.

Controls are easy to pick up, and completing the modes and learning new tricks is fun. But after awhile, it feels quite repetitive and when you beat it, there's not much reason to play more.

If you love chess, Ubisoft's Chessmaster is an essential selection, as it is a genre defining title that features a high level of polish and satisfying gameplay.

It's fast, it's fun, and full of quirky dark humor, over-the-top violence, and honest-to-goodness car-rending amusement.

If you're tired of Sonic's antics and you've been yearning for some innovation, you won't find it with this title. The multiplayer does its best to keep things interesting, but it's not enough to make Sonic's latest outing a must have.

The interactivity is a joy, and the amount of content included in this expansion is amazing.

A reminder of everything that was great about the series, including the superb control and beaming visuals and sound presentation, and it throws in some new goodies to keep fans shooting well into the future.

Boasting an impressive amount of tunes to dance to, modes to play around with, and online and offline goodies to dig into, it's clearly the choice for dancing fans this holiday season.

New characters and the ability to customize your weapons and armor add to the title, but it's still very much the same game.

A real sequel would have been spectacular, but, for $30, this isn't too shabby.

From the innovative highlight stick to the "run-to-daylight" feature, the PSP version of Madden has it all. Add in the ability to take your PS2 franchise on the go and you have the best handheld football game not only in years, but perhaps of all-time.

Packing some great environment design, gameplay that manages to pick up to a rather addictive level, and boisterous online features that will leave the nagging frag genes within you itching for more.

Some slow down, a questionable camera, a nasty control glitch, and the excessive back tracking seriously hampers the overall gameplay experience.

The game isn't quite on a level with EA's "MVP Baseball 2004," but it does compete (which is saying a lot when you look at last year's installment) and it's fully capable of providing you with hours of entertainment.

The fast paced music helps in getting your blood pumping and gets those blocks moving.

The complete package has a bit of a sour aftertaste because of the great potential the visuals failed to reach. DKC is a perfect example where gameplay triumphs over graphics, but it's a shame that the capability was there but not taken advantage of.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem from the core title still hasn't been addressed, and that's the extremely limited number of available workers.

The best game you've never heard of. It's also the first game I've been officially addicted to in over a year, and I play a lot of games, so that should tell you something.

An absolute must buy, and I hope that the company releases another volume in the future.

Seeing as how it's $20, MGS:DGN is one of those "what the hell" purchases. Even if you're not a Metal Gear fan it's worth checking out, if for nothing else than to admire the slick art work and check out a confusing story that you might have missed.

The addition of online play and team customization will definitely keep hardcore football fans glued to their sets. This one doesn't just have meat on its bones, but big, pulverizing limbs. Prepare to get pounded.

While the difficulty level won't be for all gamers out there, it contains a great wealth of RTS elements combined with being able to rip through armies with your squadrons.

It's certainly a quality product, but the stiff controls, the back tracking, and the predictability is soooo 2004.

The gameplay remains top notch, and the graphics and sound are vintage Street Fighter. Dig in and get your Shoryuken on.

A fine FPS for the Xbox, giving you lots of opportunity to unearth the trials of war through a number of intriguing campaigns.

It has a hilarious story with wonderful characters, but the lackluster graphics, twitchy gameplay and repetitive levels make this just another mediocre shooter.

Shaolin Monks redeems itself by not only keeping the tone of the series perfectly intact, but crafting around it a solid beat-em-up engine with moves aplenty, outstanding two player support, and cool little touches here and there for the avid MK fan. TOASTY!

Liberty City Stories is by no means a terrible game, as it still manages to deliver most of the goods we remember from the PSP effort we went through last year in console form. But it could've used a little bit of touching-up to go along with its terrific price, so that the game could've gotten the same kind of respect and recognition that its previous chapters received.

The franchise and online modes have been touched up, remaining the best in the business; the new Cinemotion gives a major boost to the above average presentation; and while the gameplay isn't significantly new, it still works like a charm, both for arcade players and hockey nuts.

The gameplay is refined better than before, the presentation is mostly sharp, and there's lots for hockey fans to do. Here's the Stanley Cup contender right here.

A meaty first-person shooter with lots of action and some great features, especially with its multiplayer components.

It's not the most original game in the world, and some of the game's unbalanced difficulty will leave you kicking up more than dirt, but in general, it's still a focused, entertaining ride, offline and on.

It's a fantastic two-player affair, but that's as good as it gets. The improvements and new additions can't save the gameplay, which winds up being even shallower than the first game's due to the inclusion of GameBreaker 2s.

Whatever you do, don't let its cute appearance fool you. The force is strong with this one!

Loaded with features and pound for pound one of the best games of the year (and it's only $29.99), Alien Hominid's a treat for the senses.

MVP seems to capture the feeling of hitting and pitching more realistically, but ESPN is certainly easier to pick-up-and-play.

So if controlling virtually every aspect of a baseball team, not to mention the entire history of baseball - even down to the concessions at a ballpark, is your thing, then this game will be right up your gap to left field.

An amazing game. It has an extremely fun adventure, filled with insane beasts and exciting battles. The gear, the classes, and the many combinations of each bring hours of joy.

Not only does it feature addictively simple pick up and play gameplay, but the stage-oriented design allows players to either go through a few stages or a few playthroughs at time.

While this DDR is solid, some of songs are repeats from past versions, and the use of the EyeToy comes off as more of a gimmick than a real extension of the gameplay. Still, fans of this series will be pleased at what Konami's put together.

It's worth purchasing for the World Cup and Free-4-All modes alone, but be aware that this isn't the defining hockey experience it could have been.

The game's vast city landscape will take hours to submerge through, and the various modes will keep you busy. It's not blazingly new, but it still feels just right.

It even goes so far as to improve on the Advance Wars formula, the ability to layer troops adding another strategic twist and the online features adding a significant amount of replay value.

Older gamers may want to give this a spin for kicks, but younger gamers will appreciate the challenges and fun that Hamtaro: Ham Ham Games brings to the table.

People looking for a fast-paced RTS should give this one a pass. Those who are interested in something that is a little different and like facing near-impossible odds should give Soldiers a run.

But too many things come up short, like the haphazard combat and gun systems and the fact that most of the missions run the same, with the dumbest cops in the world getting outran and you getting the best of goons.

With all things taken into consideration, this game offers a ton of value for the dollar.

This frantic and wildly intense FPS is clearly the superior version because of its slight graphical enhancements and its improved online component, but these changes are too cosmetic to influence me to purchase it.

Midway has successfully straddled a fine line; Loaded remains quite accessible to casual fans of the sport, while hardcore baseball enthusiasts, if they give it a chance, may find the game just as entertaining. I know I did.

The skill levels are very well balanced, meaning you'll probably beat the easy songs and then get destroyed when you switch to the hardest difficulties, but that's definitely a good thing.

A fine return to form for the series. It's nothing revolutionary, and it won't change the fact it still needs a little tinkering, but considering what depths Ubisoft sunk it to with the last two chapters, it's a nice step up.

The music selection could've used more work, and some parts of the game drag when they shouldn't. Still, this is a great sequel.

The gameplay holds together fine, the graphics look great enough to keep the game moving, and you got to love being able to go online and rub a wheelie in an opponent's face.

Still, regardless of what might be missing, or the overall lack of anything incredibly new and unexpected, Heroes of Might and Magic V is still a very addictive game that easily sucks players in with its strategic gameplay. When you get right down to it, this is still HOMM, and it's still great.

It wasn't designed with perfect care, but just enough for comic book fans and newcomers to swing around in sheer joy.

During your time with the game, you'll enjoy the adrenaline rush and the constant action that it brings. However, I just wish Criterion thought about the long-term, as the game can only survive so long on such a short push of action.

An insanely deep RTS game that requires a little more brain power to complete than some of its competitors. With that being said, prepare to be yanked in a billion different ways as there are all sorts of problems that need attending to, but then again, who said that ruling all of Europe would be easy?

It grew on me! MR4's an addictive battle monster game that's amazingly deep and a lot of fun.

This is definitely a genre that needs some serious reinventing.

The new enemies, areas, quests and story elements make this a must-buy for anyone who plays Final Fantasy XI, as well as those that have yet to go hunting in Square Enix's MMORPG masterpiece.

Feels like a by-the-numbers sequel.

It still doesn't offer deeper business tactics once you do become the Don of New York, nor full online play ala "Saint's Row." It also leaves out important little things that keep it from nailing the dramatic essence of the film it's based on as well.

The best part is, unlike PC users, you don't need save data from Doom 3 in order to enjoy it, and enjoy it you probably will. I just wish there was a little more to it, especially since the last quarter of game is quite rushed.

The perimeter shield, one of main selling points of the game, causes a severe power imbalance which is not helped by the fact that opponents have identical unit types.

The gameplay picks up right where "Phantom Brave" left off with a few new additions that change the gameplay from leveling up to strategy.

Shining Force is a game that's as easy to slip into as those pants one size too large you bought on accident that make you feel thin.

Legacy Interactive has done a marvelous job of not only immersing the player into the mythos of the show, but also allows them to see if they have what it takes to be a real-life crime fighter.

You can only ride on the license for so long before things get stale, and that's exactly what's happened here. If you loved the first two, you'll still probably love this one, but when do fighting game fans get to have fun with a DBZ game?

Things can get a bit tedious, but the game picks up in its multiplayer co-op and Xbox Live options.

I'm not sure whether my brain's actually benefiting from this special treatment, but I do know that Brain Age is fun to mess around with for several minutes a day.

This is an extremely enjoyable blast fest that features a very slick 1940s presentation, a plethora of modes to check out, and plenty of real world planes to pilot.

I was surprised at WM19's gameplay and couldn't put it down, but don't expect much from Revenge mode. You can only beat up on security guards for so long.

Perfect for kids, which accomplishes the goal of Extreme Skate Adventure.

Once you get the feel of the odd controls and figure out how everything works, every one of the single player modes are a throw away.

It's an old game, but it's still fun, and as long as you're not a tournament level player, you'll enjoy the game despite the slight hiccups during online play.

Despite the fact some entries are missing, the collection here is still varied and show how much the series has evolved over the years. The number of options and bonus goodies that are available are nice, and the jam-packed action of the games themselves should enthrall fans of the series and gather up a flock of new ones along the way. This is simply a must-have retro collection that should keep you plenty busy until the PS3 Gradius that's been hinted at arrives.

Blocky characters, stiff movement, clipping issues and a generally dated look that makes this game look like it was developed in the 1800's, detracts from what could have been a very influential game.

The graphics look surprisingly crisp, and the music helps to perfectly set the mysterious tone of the game. If you are a fan of Kim Possible, or are just looking for a really cool video game, definitely check out Kim Possible 3: Team Possible!

The gameplay is engaging but isn't really challenging over time, and the music selection could've been a little more varied, not to mention plentiful. However, there is fun to be had.

Metal Slug 3 is hard. It's a bit outdated in comparison to the newest chapters. And it doesn't really look like a next-generation Xbox title. However, we can't help but recommend it because it just kicks so much ass.