When it is all said and done though, UTIII offers nothing new.

A fairly good RPG. Nothing stands out about it, nothing incredibly amazing has been done with it, but it is a serviceable and enjoyable game if you're a fan of the genre.

There really is minimal complexity to the game, no crafting for example, but yet it still has that addicting effect.

If you’re looking to satisfy your NASCAR craving, or you simply want to get away from the typical driving games, NASCAR SimRacing improves greatly upon previous NASCAR titles.

New Vegas is a proclaimed non-sequel, and it shows. By bringing little else new to the experience and with it being as buggy as ever, New Vegas could have been adequate as a smaller-sized expansion disc. Instead, it's a game where the play clock is measured in time spent plodding through loading screens and not actually doing much.

While there is a lot to be proud of scattered throughout the double-disc set, a hub system that drags the main game's action to a halt and some unnecessary inclusions detract from an entire package with an unjustified MSRP.

Surprises that turn into expectations; non-adventuring; facial animations that can't keep up with the scenery and objects in the game world without weight physics: these are all elements, that if done well, would round out the game to make it the epic it was hyped to be. In the end, I feel safer in Remedy's woods than I do in the actual backcountry of Washington.

Summarizing, Assassin’s Creed had so much potential, but seems to have out thought itself.

When it comes down to it, Rage is a pretty-faced attempt at combining elements done better in other games.

In a way, Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations is a game that is less than the sum of its parts—on an individual level the game’s graphics, gameplay, and sound are both intriguing and solid.

Yet the core of Pirates! is scurvy riddled, lacking the precious vitamin C gameplay nuance that would elevate it well beyond the ranks of average.

Without a doubt, Blue Castle Games and Capcom continue to show us abuse of the undead makes for good gaming-it's just unfortunate Dead Rising 2 accomplishes little else.

Other more robust PC software would be better for the true fan, but if you’re new and want to see if this is something you would like to pursue MTV:MG3 would be a good place to start.

Beyond the unusually attractive RTS gameplay variety of melee and strategy, and the advanced interaction levels granted to the game's main cast of characters, Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes doesn't quite achieve its own ambitions.

The lack of emotive content is conspicuous by its absence, as is the inability to wander from the game's restrictively linear path, as well as the option to accomplish mission objectives from multiple perspectives.

Though the multiplayer aspect of the game is beyond pathetic, the single player campaign is a mildly entertaining diversion from the drudgery of office paperwork. If that sounds like a limp endorsement for an action game, then that's because this is a pretty limp excuse for an action game.

Big Red One comes across as a nicely presented game with some impressive visuals and memorable moments, but it doesn’t have enough to make it stand out from the rest.

With detailed attention paid to its more lacking qualities, there's no reason why this couldn't burst into a full-fledged contender in the FPS genre. However, such was also the argument made for its predecessor.

A perfect sister specimen of the German Nazis; though it has high ambitions and generally operates as a differentiated tactical game and employs a wealth of detail, beauty, and intricate depth, it’s ultimately defeated by its own shortcomings and underdeveloped foundations.

While Massive Assault has the potential to be a massive assault on your free time, it falls a bit short due to the repetitive feel and limited depth of the gameplay.

Fans of the series will be satisfied by the amount of secrets and unlockable features in the game, but for the non-fans, this might be worth a rental instead of a purchase.

Hopefully, if EA and Criterion are allowed more time to develop Black's sequel, the proper attention can be made to fleshing out the total experience-and not just shining up the guns.

It flat out fails to cash in on its unique take on Major League Baseball. The Slugfest version of the game is dull and annoying.

The sniper-specific gameplay opportunity granted within Sniper Elite is interesting and strangely attractive; no other sniper game carries off the tension, isolation, and anxiety of war to this degree, and the arcade leanings of games like "Silent Scope" simply can't compete.

The omission of any kind of multiplayer aspect for the GameCube version in itself takes away a large portion of the title's potential longevity, particularly when the single player section won't take any more than a weekend's worth to plough through.

Although its core shooter gameplay is enjoyable, Singularity suffers from being far more derivative than original, with elements appropriated from at least a dozen other, better games.

The multiplayer modes are all tiresome and boring, barely even worth mentioning.

A simple, fun and well designed game, Kung Fu Panda doesn't offer the deepest narrative or most though-provoking gameplay for the more mature audiences; it's more of a guilty pleasure.

Those who don’t mind some muscle trimmed from their action RPGs may take to this most current Bard’s Tale adventure, but it’s mostly a lamentable devolvement of anything RPG or action-oriented.

Ultimately, as an expansion franchise, Medal of Honor's debut in the Modern Warfare League isn't a championship run.

Although the frame rate and sync bugs can be bothersome, as a whole this game isn't all that bad.

Unless you absolutely feel the need to play Quake on your 360, its technical issues hinder it from being worthy for most gamers.

Honestly, if this weren’t attached to such a fanatically nostalgic license and fan base, it would be just another vanilla robot action game.

A moderately solid action RPG that fails to live up to its peers in this generation. It just isn't as solid, gameplay wise, as games like "Baldur's Gate" and its humor is way too hit or miss to make up the difference.

With no multiplayer modes and a barely noticeable graphical upgrade, the only upside to owning GUN for 360 as opposed to any other current-gen platform are the ‘accomplishments’—unlockable rewards that contribute to your Xbox Live account’s Gamerscore.

But tie the high-brow nature of the cockpit-nerd content with the disconnected, unhelpful interface, and what comes up for the rest of us is a recognizable flight sim that’s very firmly grounded.

Shadowgrounds is a pretty solid game if you treat it as what it is, a game where you collect and upgrade weapons, and use them to blow away aliens.

The game makes no major missteps, but neither does it surprise, innovate or evolve the genre in any significant way.

The multitude of customizable features for the cars is the most impressive selection seen on PSP, but the gameplay doesn’t compare with titles such as "Wipeout Pure" or "Ridge Racer."

The creative use of player control to determine the gameplay and story delivery is an industry-leading feature.

Ultimately, Law and Order 2 slightly exceeds its predecessor, mostly due to simplified gameplay. The storyline and voice acting make this a must have for every self-respecting Law and Order fan.

A solid, enjoyable if ultimately mediocre RTS.

The Graphical presentation is a let-down, but the gameplay is entertaining. Not all is bad, however. Multiplayer modes add those few more hours of fun.

The game blends historical reality and sci-fi elements really well, and while its gameplay is perhaps too comfortably familiar, the inclusion of high-tech future weapons makes the experience diverting.

Yet, despite such solid aesthetic production value, Dreamfall ultimately lacks any real driving motivation with which to compel the player to endure through the masses of dialogue, explanation, and largely uninfluenced 'gamplay'.

I don’t think the storyline can get much more generic than this, and I honestly don’t think it’s told and directed very well.

Overall, the expansion boasts great new content, cool weapons, fresh looking monsters, the massive cities and insane perks. However, all the old content is getting a bit aged, especially the graphics, and it still boils down to killing hecklers for your main way to gain experience.

To cap the experience off, the brothers Wachowski have rewritten the ending of the last film to better fit the game medium-or, as most gamers will say, they completely lost their minds. All that the new ending accomplishes, complete with its annoying final boss, is the complete and utter end to any relevancy that the Matrix saga once had in popular culture.

A definite step-up from its series predecessors, and, surprisingly, it’s a fairly decent console shooter.

While a somewhat throwaway experience by its limited genre content, The Gottlieb Collection definitely provides a formidable gameplay challenge, and some of the specific goals laid at the feet of the player are nigh on impossible without masses of sheer luck.

If you played the previous game in the series and liked it, then the expanded story mode as well as the number of new characters may be enough to pick up the next installment. If you have not played the original Tenkaichi or did not care for it, the sequel is most certainly not for you.

But it definitely falls short of its potential, skimping on voice talent, mission variance and structure, and that principal fusion that makes the whole game feel like one big ball of fun.

EA's decision to move away from the stilting influence of closely confined conflict in favor of expansive battling proves its worth in a game of high tension and prolonged immersion.

A definitive version of Need For Speed Lite; fewer upgrade calories and less fatty visuals to chew on. What the game picks up on, though, is a key element of racing fun, with its unpretentious (if a bit ambitious) presentation of a glamorous racing sub-culture that fits in the palm of your hand.

Stacked against the pleasingly immersion-friendly fighting mechanics are a restrictive camera, lackluster sound, fractured A.I., and shamefully substandard graphics.

ProStreet may not be a comfortable mix of two racing genres, but it certainly is an interesting curiosity.

A let down; not a terrible game, but disappointingly short of its potential.

You'll have to get comfortable with the game's difficulty and spartan UI. You'll need to tame the camera and overlook the sometimes low-budget visuals, sketchy tech, long load times and a host of little bugs. It sounds like a lot of work, but Divinity 2 does have its charms and more often than not, I felt surprisingly compelled to see what was waiting around the next turn of the road.

Multiplayer was a huge disappointment. As I stated, random spinouts and over easy crashes make the game almost un-enjoyable at times.

All in all KOF 2000 and 2001 are average games. The gameplay is the same as in any other fighting game. Plus, there is a lack of customization in every department.

It would have been nice to see a co-op mode or something similiar to single play (with enemies, besides your friend) but it can provide a few half-hours of fun.

Dead Island's teaser trailer made it look as if the game was going to be one to actually bring the emotional conflict to the forefront, something they almost achieve in once instance out of many. Instead, the game's released as but another vehicle for insipid violence.

Clearing a derelict building of rival graffiti artists through seemingly relentless hand-to-hand battles and then spraying amusing taunts over their interrupted 'work' is strangely appealing, and to simply 'get in', 'get up', 'get out', and get away with it is always a perversely winning combination.

While it's lacking somewhat in content and variety, Shrek Superslam offers instant and easy cartoon scraps to those gamers either a little on the young side, or looking for quick fix, bite-size battles. It doesn't push the boundaries in any particular department, but remains true to the ideal of pure and simple fun.

Though 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand can boast fluid controls and a well-designed co-op mulitplayer, there isn't much to push the game past it qualifying as either an expensive XBL/PSN arcade title, or interactive merchandise for the 50 Cent brand.

One of many mediocre platformer games available today. If you are looking for an in-depth captivating experience, then there are certainly better games on the market to fit your needs.

In all, what we're left with in The Bourne Conspiracy is a game which tries really hard to capture the action of the films, while not completely selling out Ludlum's novel character.

The game would’ve benefited from a few more obvious enhancements, but it is still extremely easy to be captivated by the enthralling storyline and engaging strategy experience.

Scant little more than a badly reared puppy that’s bound for the pound.

I can't and won't say Guerrilla was a perfect game, but it was far and beyond more ambitious and entertaining than Armageddon.

Though I'm sure the timetable may have been tight and the work not easy, especially with a newly formed studio, to make this sequel, it's simply disappointing to see such light fare being passed off as a new SKU. Crackdown is certainly a franchise-worthy IP, but if Ruffian and Microsoft plan to green light a third iteration, they need to hit more than a few nails on the head.

Yes, the story is intriguing and wanting to know what happens next will drive most players to battle through the gameplay tedium, but the experience the plot delivers is in no way exceptional and certainly nothing that couldn't be surpassed by the rental of a decent DVD.

In conclusion, Timeshift is a decent game worthy of a weekend rental. If you enjoy FPS’s like FEAR and are not concerned with story, you may enjoy this game.

Unfortunately its graphics, sound effects, AI, and various other things are way below par.

While the customization is very limited, there is still a plethora of cars to select from, each with their own specific feel.

The game play is pretty simple, but reveals a few nuisances. The most notable was the sparkles. Those damn sparkles! When your opponent serves, there is this big sparkly flash when they connect with the ball, almost completely obstructing your ability to pick up sight of the ball.

A fairly average blend of driving, action and puzzle elements. While the idea behind the game seems promising, the gameplay mechanics simply fall short.

Along with the lack of replayability, there's not much to encourage anyone to more than opt for a rental.

A complex strategy game, challenging both for its detailed economy and its various spheres of military operations.

Being very mildly priced, this compilation is a worthwhile purchase if you're interested in venturing into retro gaming on the PC without delving into the world of emulators.

A mediocre game. It is suffering from many annoying problems like repetitiveness, bland graphics, and horrible sound effects.

In the audio-visual department, the game shows how little it has matured since Worms 3D yet is still bearable, and the cartoony feel draws comparisons to Saturday morning cartoons.

When all is said and done, Speed Racer: The Videogame is a licensed title that is actually a fun game, but it's just not complete.

The biggest aspect of Lost in Blue is repeating daily tasks and trying to stay alive on the island. After a while this can get somewhat annoying when players want to go out and see what’s on the island, but can’t because they still need to gather food or supplies.

Earth Defense Force 2107 isn't a great game, but it's a really fun one and unlike the grease bomb you score from the local burger emporium, it won't have any long-term deleterious impact on your health.

On the whole, the game feels like it struggles with itself: On one hand it presents some enjoyable artistic and campy elements, as it plays homage to an old film genre, and delivers a star cast of mildly acted voice talent complemented by a superbly fitting rockabilly soundtrack; while on the other, it tussles with quirky gameplay mechanics that sometimes just don’t work.

The control scheme could be improved upon, but as it stands, the motions are fairly intuitive and you won’t have a major problem with steering sensitivity.

Overall, DEF JAM ICON is a decent game, although a little disappointing in that the story line is unaffected by your actions and decisions throughout.

I was frankly surprised at just how easy and flexible the coaster construction tools were; and the mini-games that introduce training, ride and attraction types were a nice change-up to the usual sim/coaster model.

Roughly six years ago, the man known as Morpheus once said that to know the path is different from walking the path. To all Matrix fans, gamers, and fellow human beings, please take the following advice: steer clear of the Path of Neo.

Be prepared to turn off the sound as soon as you install it. I do not exaggerate when I say your opinion of mankind will plummet after hearing these voice actors mutilate some of the worst scripts ever to leave the desk of a Dragonball Z fanfic author.

An interesting premise and setting is torpedoed by a lackluster presentation, and while Bleedout definitely kicks things up a notch for high-level players, it's hard to recommend Crimecraft for the kind of long-term commitment an MMORPG typically requires.

The attractive graphics, excellent voice work and relatively coherent , if convoluted, story offer some promise, but a there just isn't enough game in this game.

With a bit more time refining environment textures, clearing up framerates, and creating a narrative, Web of Shadows would have been a solid game; as it is, its a buggy experience you have push your way through.

In short, if Lost Planet 2 was a budget-priced multiplayer-only title, it would be hard not to recommend it; unfortunately it's a full-price game with a seriously flawed single player experience.

The bottom line is that the game really just isn't much fun.

In the end, the repetitive nature of the game kills what could have been a stellar title.

A Tear of Vermillion is yet another example of shameful missed opportunity for the sake of safe expectations and profit margins.