The character models are excellent while the animation is fluid and lively, but the physics of fighting definitely lack polish and can create some frustrating situations. Yet despite these technical shortcomings, it's still great fun to clothesline, drop kick, and power bomb your friends in and out of the ring.

The character models are excellent while the animation is fluid and lively, but the physics of fighting definitely lack polish and can create some frustrating situations. Yet despite these technical shortcomings, it's still great fun to clothesline, drop kick, and power bomb your friends in and out of the ring.

High-impact action and lively animation save this brawler from mediocrity.

This mech strategy RPG is rusty and dull.

The latest entry in EA's venerable hockey franchise is the best yet.

Move over Blades of Steel, NHL 09 has earned its place among the greatest sports games of all time.

An entertaining story and a strong sense of visual style help make this brawling adventure worthwhile.

Air Traffic Chaos has all of the fun of controlling the friendly skies, without any of the gruesome consequences and desperate thoughts of suicide.

Though you won't find a paradise in your pocket, Viva Pinata makes animal romancing fun while you're on the road.

AI issues and the lack of any significant new features have NHL 2K9 skating backward this year.

AI issues and the lack of any significant new features have NHL 2K9 skating backward this year.

NHL 2K9 on the Wii boasts some innovative controls but suffers from serious AI problems.

This hidden-object game introduces a number of features that work well on the DS and has a good amount of replay value.

Lock's Quest's intuitive build mode and frantic, engaging battles are great for an action strategy game on the go.

Taken on their own, its pieces are nothing special. As parts of a singular ambitious vision, they work far better. Throw in the best customization tools seen in years and an enthusiastic community brimming with creativity, and you have a legitimately great game that will deliver hours of quality entertainment.

Spore Creatures is pleasant and charming, but ultimately forgettable.

FaceBreaker's impressive boxer-customization options are overshadowed by terrible gameplay.

FaceBreaker's impressive boxer-customization options are overshadowed by terrible gameplay.

NFL Head Coach 09 delivers a deep and immersive coaching experience, provided you can overlook the outdated gameplay engine and lackluster presentation.

NFL Head Coach 09 delivers a deep and immersive coaching experience, provided you can overlook the outdated gameplay engine and lackluster presentation.

Pirates and ninjas clash with other fantasy archetypes in dodgeball matches handicapped by a legion of drawbacks.

Shred Nebula is too stuck in the past to offer much excitement to the postarcade era. It's an okay diversion for a few hours, although at 800 points there are better bangs for the buck available over Xbox Live.

Commando: Steel Disaster takes its inspiration from some great side-scrolling action games, but it's too maddeningly difficult to be one itself.

This real-time strategy game's convoluted controls make it hard to play, much less enjoy.

A new campaign featuring orcs and dark elves is the only noteworthy addition in this expansion for Warhammer: Mark of Chaos.

Infinite Undiscovery feeds your need for narrative, but it's ultimately a shallow, flawed experience.

There's no trouble in this paradise: The second Viva Pinata is just as captivating as the first, with enough tweaks and new additions to make this great for everyone.

A year after its disastrous debut on the Xbox 360, Vampire Rain is still a pain in the neck.