An incredibly charming adventure.

For the most casual of the casual gamers who also happens to own a Wii and be a die-hard Grey’s Anatomy fan, this game is for you. For everyone else, the game just doesn’t have enough to offer in terms of actual gameplay.

Microsoft may not have crafted the finest RTS of the year, much less the generation, but they set out to make a fully functional RTS that is optimized for consoles, and in that, they’ve succeeded.

Although on the surface H.A.W.X. seems like an Ace Combat 6 clone, a deeper examination reveals that it has taken the Ace formula, and improved upon it. The incorporation of satellite imagery, a leveling system, and new control mechanics are enough to make this most recent Tom Clancy title soar over the competition. As a huge fan of the flight action genre, I can say that H.A.W.X. is this generation’s true ace.

The incorporation of satellite imagery, a leveling system, and new control mechanics are enough to make this most recent Tom Clancy title soar over the competition.

Visually it’s a success, with wonderful blur effects and animations accompanying the colorful world. The gameplay is even something worth paying attention to, as it shows that Sonic Team hasn’t entirely forgotten how to make a Sonic game. However, it falls apart, and the repetitive nature of the missions can become grinding.

Gamers deserve better than another mediocre effort.

It’s hard to believe that the same company that makes the absolutely stellar NBA 2K series is responsible for the travesty that is Major League Baseball 2K9. In all honesty, MLB 2K9 plays like it might have been a good game three or four years ago, but it’s graphical inconsistencies, lackadaisical AI, and gimmicky controls feel very dated in today’s gaming climate.

Despite a few flaws, this game is quite possibly the best baseball video game to ever grace a living room.

What was once the be-all-end-all of baseball video games on the PSP is quickly becoming a shadow of its former self. Like so many storied professionals, age is finally catching up to the series.

Without the blu-ray disk drive and its ridiculous storage space, the textures couldn’t be as high-resolution and photorealistic as they are. Without the cell-processor and its amazing power, the game couldn’t support as many light sources as it does at once. Without the PlayStation 3, you cannot get the Killzone experience anywhere else. If that was the game’s goal, to prove that point to gamers, than they’ve done their job, and given PS3 owners one hell of a title in the process. The single player definitely hurts without cooperative play, but the multiplayer and overall stunning presentation should earn Killzone 2 a spot on any gamer’s shelf.

A bad shooter with worse excuses, and there’s little chance you’ll enjoy playing it as much as Vicious Cycle enjoyed making it. The developers relied too heavily on cheap laughs, and didn’t take advantage of the satire nearly as much as they should have. Instead, they used it as a crutch, explaining missing features and other problems on the game’s premise – an excuse that grows thin quickly, as far too often, it’s used to the detriment of the player instead of to their benefit.

A bad shooter with worse excuses, and there’s little chance you’ll enjoy playing it as much as Vicious Cycle enjoyed making it. The developers relied too heavily on cheap laughs, and didn’t take advantage of the satire nearly as much as they should have.

Stoked wasn’t exactly the brilliant snowboarding game I’ve been waiting for, but it was definitely entertaining. I may have gotten frustrated a few times, but I kept going back for more, and I loved the sense of satisfaction I got when I pulled off a particularly difficult challenge.

Seriously, it’s a good game! The graphics are all right, the gameplay is addicting, and story is good, stupid fun.

Despite the freezing, and the other minor complaints, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is still a great game that far exceeded my expectations. In my opinion, it’s the best game in the series, and I find myself actually sad that it is supposed to be the last.

Aside from the ridiculously terrible story, the 6 year-old graphics, broken AI, and lack of replay value, ShellShock 2: Blood Trails doesn’t sound too bad does it?

Overall, Legacy of Ys: Books I & II is a great value and will offer many hours of gameplay, but its appeal is limited.

The series remains the only true blending of the two genres, and Galactrix, if nothing else, proves that the Puzzle Quest definitely has room to grow. Hopefully inevitable sequels will be able to refine the tutorials, learning from PC strategy games in easing players into mechanics, instead of piling them on from the outset.

Even though Blue Dragon Plus is a lot of fun, it doesn’t really do anything particularly innovative.

From the exhilarating single player campaign to the frantic multiplayer offerings, Relic has again achieved greatness, and it came from blending the ideals of traditionalist real-time strategy with the rapidly changing shooter market.

It’s an extremely tight, well-paced fighter that allows for widely varied fighting styles, but also serves as a fair and definitive test of skills for long-time fighters. Seth, the game’s biggest drawback, along with some long load times and a lack of variety in the Super and Ultra Combos are the only things keeping the game from receiving a perfect score.

In terms of new content, Lost & Damned is bursting at the seams.

The wonderful graphics and catchy music feel almost wasted in this release, and it definitely feels more like a series of side-missions than its own adventure.

This is the first chance Americans have gotten to see where this classic franchise got its start, and upon playing it, it’s easy to see how it became so beloved.

The main problems are more accurately missed opportunities, and much of the time playing the game will be spent wondering what could have been created if Monolith would have taken more creative risks instead of allowing themselves to craft a game too deeply within their comfort zone.

Sure, there are definitely hurdles to jump in order to create a cooperative game with slow motion, or to get the mechanic to work in a multiplayer sense, but that doesn’t excuse them for not trying. Then again, that's all nitpicking, and to be honest, there's really nothing "wrong" with the game at all.

The main problems are more accurately missed opportunities, and much of the time playing the game will be spent wondering what could have been created if Monolith would have taken more creative risks instead of allowing themselves to craft a game too deeply within their comfort zone.