Dark Void ends up a mediocre package despite housing such promising fiction—even if we wish the story of the Watchers, the Void, and even Will would have been fleshed out with more than texts found in-game.

When all is said and done, a playthrough of Return to Ostagar moves quickly with plenty of enemies to dispatch. Though it's a short ride, it's a sweet one that is a welcome reason to pick the game up again if you've finished the main story, and is certainly worth the money. Though, if you're still somewhere in the middle of the tale, even better: Return to Ostagar will also help to set up the rest of your journey through Dragon Age.

It may not be the most compelling shooter, but it can be an entertaining adventure with a dedicated friend.

At five or so hours, Blood Bath and Beyond is not a long game, but with its stripped-down gameplay and one-note humor, it begins to outstay its welcome some time before the final credits roll. As a $15 download it's certainly a better value than its full-price predecessor.

As you battle through the four Guardians and work out mild puzzle segments, Darksiders unveils itself as a franchise-worthy title.

As you battle through the four Guardians and work out mild puzzle segments, Darksiders unveils itself as a franchise-worthy title.

Its crazy-quilt story is balanced by stellar gameplay and visuals that sometimes clutter the screen, but usually do so with style and beauty. Bayonetta might not be the kind of girl you bring home to meet you mother, but she's a lot of fun to hang out with, flaws and all.

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.

All in all, MX vs. ATV: Reflex is a solid entry in need of expansion: the bare-boned framework is there for what can be a stellar franchise in its genre.

All in all, MX vs. ATV: Reflex is a solid entry in need of expansion: the bare-boned framework is there for what can be a stellar franchise in its genre.

LittleBigPlanet was a stepping stone for console-based, user-created content with gameplay options that were on par with its creative offering. While the PSP release of the game may not be a direct port in terms of being a multiplayer social event, the essence of Media Molecule's “Play, Create and Share” mantra remains intact.

It may be the gaming equivalent of upgrading from DVD to Blu-ray Discs since the core gameplay remains untouched, but whether you've played either of the God of War games or not, this two-for is the way to experience the classics.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a powerful entry into the first-person genre and an example of how linear gameplay could be exciting.

NITRO's point-based structure and pick-up-and-play gameplay caters well to those looking for quick spurts of action, but it's unlikely to see an intense cross-pollination from those in need of in-depth racing sessions on the Wii.

It may not be a ballad in the classical sense, but you're likely to find yourself singing praises for The Ballad of Gay Tony.

DJ Hero might not evoke such social activity, and it does have some lacking qualities, but with character and attitude throughout, and an impressive list of entertaining music, the game is a fun distraction from plastic guitars and drums.

A fairly unique composition in terms of first-person shooter meets role-playing gameplay with a stylized presentation, Borderlands offers hours of leveling to do and a never-ending supply of enemies to experiment destructive weapons on.

While the idea is there, and it's great to see a director and studio trying new things, the execution unfortunately falls a bit flat.

Among Thieves is not only one of the best games of the year, it's also the benchmark for action games to come.

Tight controls and an overall engrossing story told through equally as compelling direction and action make Dead Space: Extraction a benchmark for Wii shooters.

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.

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.

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.

In the end, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a standout licensed product; one that every movie-game tie-in needs to learn from.

Wheelman delivers in some entertaining driving-based action that tries extremely hard to capture any who lust for a Driver rebirth; however, there's just too much missing from the overall formula to make it an engrossing offering.

Despite its outdated control scheme, its ambiguity of being either survival game or action thriller, and the abandonment of all things scary, Resident Evil 4's true sequel is a completely satisfying experience.

The gameplay is nothing without the unique graphics Madworld sports. The game is entirely black and white except for the red that dots and smears the screen and gameworld when you slay a person.

Sure, we argue that the game may be a bit of a watered-down version of the PC-centric genre with some shortcomings, but with satisfying action, streamlined controls, and a non-Master Chief story that still holds your attention (done in cutscenes that are worthy of their own feature), Halo Wars makes for a strong introduction to both the RTS scene, and the UNSC-Covenant conflict.