The multiplayer offerings are still on a level beyond belief, and the ability to use fellow bots to lend a hand and upgrade your weapons to nuclear capability is a nice touch. This game is seriously Deadlocked for glory.

It could've used more in the two-player mode, as well as a customization feature, but it's still a game that clearly gets its message across, and doesn't hide behind an artistic license. Respect!

It's the bracelet-wearing champ of the current crop, at least as over the counter titles are concerned.

AI flaws and a couple of other things here and there keep it from being a must-have campaign. Still, fans will definitely want to invest.

Although this game is skewed to a young audience, I had a lot of fun playing through the tasks and making as much money as I could. Waiting tables was particularly fun, and kept me on my toes.

The 300+ stages guarantee that you'll be playing for some time, even if some are more taxing than others, and the inclusion of several mini-games in Party Mode guarantees you can get friends in on it.

Perhaps the biggest draw to the new Sims is the fact that your Sims can now grow old and die. This transforms some of the open-endedness found in the original game to one that is significantly more goal oriented.

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.

The game feels pretty good, the presentation is killer, and the abundant extras will probably keep you busy until the next World Cup tournament unfolds.

Like all Backyard sports games, Backyard Skateboarding is made expressly for kids, and it therefore has adorable animation and easy controls.

It's vicious, nutritious, and undeniably delicious, and you absolutely have to buy it immediately. Not only does it look gorgeous splayed across an HDTV, but it plays better than its predecessors.

The game is not too hard, and when Raven encounters obstacles that would be otherwise hard to get through, there is usually a moment when "ghost Raven" demonstrates how to get through it.

The lack of online play knocks this down the list of racing games coming out this year, but if you find yourself playing a ton of split-screen, this game is right for you.

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

Two Thrones is a heaping adventure that will keep you stirred throughout, even during the rougher Dark Prince segments. My problem is, it just ends a bit too quickly. What a finish, though.

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

Magnetica isn't the best puzzle game on the DS ("Tetris"...FTW), but it's still pretty damn sweet. I went into it not expecting anything special and was pleasantly surprised.

A really cute, fun game that kids of all ages will enjoy.

If only it had done something to keep the story mode a little longer, then it would truly be perfect.

Unless you've harbored a fantasy all your life to be a Captain of your very own submarine, you probably won't derive too much enjoyment from this exceptionally hardcore simulation.

Featuring a twisted storyline, a new karma ring system, pretty imagery, and tons of demons to consume, Digital Devil Saga 2 provides a somewhat different experience than the normal RPG fare, even though at its core there's nothing special about the battle system and the way you'll go about things.

It's the equivalent of gaming junk food, a fast-moving blast-a-thon that doesn't let up throughout its 20-plus levels. While the frame rate stutters from time to time and some levels appear to be missing, what remains is still quite the ride.

While it may not be that fully complete in terms of history chronicling and emulating, it does manage to provide hours of fun on end- and at a $20 bargain price, no less.

I still like the original slightly better, but I'll gladly take a second helping.

Sure, it's a developer's cut, in a way, but that's like an extra scoop of ice cream on an already-great banana split. Gorge yourself in the glory of Outrun.

The lack of multiplayer or online play does hurt the title a bit, especially when multiplayer has been included in previous Ace Combat titles.

An excellent mind numbing shooter that'll send a splitting headache crashing through your forehead like Astaroth's giant axe in "Soul Calibur" There's no doubt in my mind that like me you'll be begging for mercy, but that won't mean you'll be able to put down the controller.

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.