This riotous off-road racer provides plenty of boisterous fun, in spite of a few irregularities.

Awkward controls and shallow gameplay make Deca Sports 2 a game to avoid.

This enhanced version of Ninja Gaiden II is bigger, better, and more exhilarating.

Adding zombies into the mix isn't enough to revive Undead Knights from its stale, typical hack-and-slash action.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is a great adventure with a ton of heart.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road has its moments, but the novelty of strolling through the land of Oz soon wears thin.

It's cute enough, but this Katamari clone won't blow you away.

It's cute enough, but this Katamari clone won't blow you away.

This undead-themed dual-stick shooter is good, dumb, retro fun.

You won't want to come out to play with this clunky beat-'em-up.

Ion Assault is an engaging addition to the dual-stick shooter genre, but first-time players might want to look elsewhere.

This undead-themed dual-stick shooter is good, dumb, retro fun.

This fantasy massively multiplayer online game makes a great first impression, but almost every aspect of it devolves into a grind before you're even halfway to the level cap.

This simple real-time strategy game isn't original, but it's a lot of fun.

Rolling a katamari is as charming as ever, but you may have rolled most of these katamaris before.

An awesome campaign and addictive new Firefight mode make ODST a thrilling new entry in the Halo franchise.

This decidedly old-school role-playing game got a fresh coat of paint but not the complete overhaul it needed.

Spyborgs serves up competent two-player cooperative action on a nice-looking platter, but the dish is bland and unappetizing.

This clumsy and unsatisfying sequel is a major step backward.

This collection of 13 pinball tables offers more than enough variety to justify the price that you pay for infinite credits.

This collection of 13 pinball tables offers more than enough variety to justify the price that you pay for infinite credits.

This brawler has good combat and solid content, but it lacks the refinement and razzle-dazzle to earn a title shot.

Clumsy combat, a glut of bugs, and ancient production values tarnish this otherwise rich and complex online role-playing game.

Majesty 2 wastes its unique premise on quests loaded with repetition.

This enjoyable remake proves that bubble popping never goes out of style, but a few control quirks hamper the fun.

Though there is a certain roughness to the action, Wet is still a raucously entertaining adventure.

Though there is a certain roughness to the action, Wet is still a raucously entertaining adventure.

This third-person action game is a great open-world adventure for anyone with an appetite for destruction.

Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material. Miss out on this one and the joke's on you.

This flashy fighter is all style and no substance.

Shift is neither an arcade racer nor a simulation; it's stuck somewhere between the two, and while there's plenty of good racing to be had here, it's unlikely to completely satisfy fans of either.

Shift is neither an arcade racer nor a simulation; it's stuck somewhere between the two, and while there's plenty of good racing to be had here, it's unlikely to completely satisfy fans of either.

Resident Evil 5 is a fun and frantic evolution of RE4's breakthrough gameplay and the series' horror themes.

The bottom line with NHL 10 is that if you have NHL 09, you don't absolutely, positively need it. But there are enough new features and little adjustments and fixes both online and off that any self-respecting hockey fan should probably still go for it. EA Sports has once again done an absolutely tremendous job of simulating shinny.

The bottom line with NHL 10 is that if you have NHL 09, you don't absolutely, positively need it. But there are enough new features and little adjustments and fixes both online and off that any self-respecting hockey fan should probably still go for it. EA Sports has once again done an absolutely tremendous job of simulating shinny.

Heroes Over Europe offers some enjoyable arcade dogfighting, but it lacks the depth and excitement needed to keep you coming back for more.

Heroes Over Europe offers some enjoyable arcade dogfighting, but it lacks the depth and excitement needed to keep you coming back for more.

NHL 2K10 may be a shallow, straightforward arcade hockey game, but it isn't without its charms.

NHL 2K10 may be a shallow, straightforward arcade hockey game, but it isn't without its charms.

New motion controls make the Wii version of NHL 2K10 an impressive and unique arcade hockey game.

So while Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 may not take the series in a big and bold new direction, or benefit from the kind of refinement you would look for in a sequel, it does deliver the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect.

So while Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 may not take the series in a big and bold new direction, or benefit from the kind of refinement you would look for in a sequel, it does deliver the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect.

It's inelegant and underdeveloped, and it represents a major step backward when compared to the original. Halfhearted dialogue, bad AI, unimaginative level design, stripped RPG elements, and all sorts of other factors make the game feel as if it were pieced together on an assembly line and quickly tossed onto store shelves.

The staggering originality of Scribblenauts makes it a great experience and a memorable puzzle game that will have you laughing with glee while you frantically think up crazier and crazier ideas.

NHL 2K11 is a big letdown compared to last year's great arcade hockey game.

Both the past and the future look dreary in this bizarre and unsatisfying time-travel shooter.

Stellar presentation and vocal harmonies help make The Beatles: Rock Band something special in the world of music games.

Stellar presentation and vocal harmonies help make The Beatles: Rock Band something special in the world of music games.

Stellar presentation and vocal harmonies help make The Beatles: Rock Band something special in the world of music games.

This 2D hack-and-slash adventure lacks depth, but the striking backgrounds make it easy to get sucked into its world.

Whether you're big or small, there's a lot to like about these little ninjas and their lengthy journey.

Whether you're big or small, there's a lot to like about these little ninjas and their lengthy journey.

Whether you're big or small, there's a lot to like about these little ninjas and their lengthy journey.

IL-2 Sturmovik's dogfights and bombing runs are exciting enough to satisfy anyone with an interest in air combat. It successfully caters to both novices and veterans, and it's good to see such a faithful sim appear on a console.

If you have any interest whatsoever in off-road racing you'd do well to take this beautiful and thrilling game for a spin.

If you have any interest whatsoever in off-road racing you'd do well to take this beautiful and thrilling game for a spin.

It doesn't matter if you're a huge fan of off-road racing, the Wii version of Dirt 2 is best avoided.

The ideas were there, but Darkest of Days doesn't deliver where it counts.

Accessible controls and spectacular supermoves help make this a fun fighter.

Reborn is a solid add-on pack, but it's too expensive for what you get.

This exceptionally balanced tower defense game will keep you coming back to fight off the alien invasion for just one more wave.

There's not much wind behind the sails of this oceanic combat game.

With a few more weapon types and vehicles that actually worked, Section 8 could have been a lot more exciting. As it is, this is a satisfying take on the genre that makes up in fun what it lacks in innovation.

The first portable SoulCalibur is very good, but it lacks both compelling single-player content and online play.

Wide-ranging improvements and an excellent new Party Play mode make Guitar Hero 5 a great way to bring some rock into your living room.

Wide-ranging improvements and an excellent new Party Play mode make Guitar Hero 5 a great way to bring some rock into your living room.

Before you take the plunge, ask yourself whether you're looking for a new virtual world to call your second home or whether you just need to cleanse your palate with a bit of streamlined superhero action. If you're in the former group, Champions Online isn't broad or deep enough yet to make it your game of choice. If you're in the latter, you'll get more than your money's worth for the initial retail price, and the month or so that it takes to fully explore its vibrant nooks and crannies.

The Warriors series continues to set the standard for repetitive button mashing in this dull, ugly sequel.

The visuals are fancy, but this kung fu game suffers from uninspired combat and unresponsive controls.

The visuals are fancy, but this kung fu game suffers from uninspired combat and unresponsive controls.

Raven Squad is 90 percent first-person shooter, 10 percent strategy game, and 100 percent bad.

This Himalayan horror adventure will send chills up your spine, even though the controls are as cursed as the titular mountain.

Regardless of whether you're getting sucked into the Story mode or competing for high scores in the Challenge mode, Batman: Arkham Asylum does an outstanding job of letting you be Batman. Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material.

Regardless of whether you're getting sucked into the Story mode or competing for high scores in the Challenge mode, Batman: Arkham Asylum does an outstanding job of letting you be Batman. Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material.

This role-playing/fighting hybrid is more than just fan service: It is a fun and flashy game that keeps on giving.

With a few more weapon types and vehicles that actually worked, Section 8 could have been a lot more exciting. As it is, this is a satisfying take on the genre that makes up in fun what it lacks in innovation.

You'd think that a "persistent world next-gen shooter" would have a persistent world. What you get instead is a static universe filled with traditional non-player character vendors, crafting facilities, auction houses, and a distinct lack of adventure.

Professor Layton's second adventure offers more clever puzzles to solve, more varied and interesting areas to explore, and another thrilling mystery to unravel.

Racing these speedy little cars can be fun, but Smash Cars is disappointingly light on content.

Mass Effect's latest add-on is an insult to fans clamoring for new content.

By focusing on the core themes of exploration and high-intensity combat while treating you to lush graphics and multiplane complexity, Shadow Complex is an excellent current-generation take on a classic gaming genre.

Bugs and glitches mar an otherwise fair attempt at bringing the gentleman's sport to the PC.

Big bosses, crazy weapons, and exciting scripted firefights are the focal point of this nutty tale. It's also an ample one if you take on all the side missions and scour environments for intelligence, hidden tomes, and secret money stashes. Yet while it's pleasingly old-fashioned, the unimpressive AI, aging technology, and general lack of refinement make this sequel feel like a missed opportunity.

Nazis and necromancy mix once again in this flawed but fun sequel.

Nazis and necromancy mix once again in this flawed but fun sequel.

Unsophisticated mechanics and repetitive battles plague this generic space adventure.

This crafty and calming puzzle game won't addict you, but it will lull you into the occasional trance.

This futuristic shooter is frustrating, flawed, and murderously difficult.

It's almost as if Madden 10 represents a back-to-basics philosophy for the franchise, taking the focus away from fancy modes and even fancier presentation elements for the purpose of making the sport itself the main draw, but there are still many lingering problems.

A number of features make Madden NFL 10 a more realistic and enjoyable portrayal of football, but a few problems--both old and new--continue to trouble the series.

Madden NFL 10 on the Wii makes some great strides in differentiating itself from its counterparts, but it also neglects the major aspects that make those other versions so engaging.

Phantom Brave is a charming and challenging strategy role-playing game that should satisfy both new and returning players.

The rerelease of this classic brawler will gladly take you for a ride, but the trip isn't without its share of potholes.

This downloadable prologue is a bit barren, but it still packs a delightfully destructive punch.

This downloadable prologue is a bit barren, but it still packs a delightfully destructive punch.

This exciting racing game is full of spectacular crashes and addictive time challenges, but it's a little light on content.

A disturbing story and traditional puzzles put a coda on the Still Life adventure series.

This archaic first-person shooter is lousy to its core.