In the time since its release, the developers have done a great job of supporting the game and a small but steadfast community has built up around it. Whatever problems Savage may have now, it seems to be a game with enough dedication behind it that it'll only get better over time.

Plenty of new objects provide enough variety to make it worth the price, but the lack of effort on Maxis' part to fix the problems in the game is disappointing.

Drop-dead gorgeous... [but] one of Hegemonia's major failings is that its real-time combat is usually simplistic and dull.

The folks at SCE Studios San Diego have once again brought their A-game. They've somehow managed to cram an incredible amount of action into their fourth PSP hoops release.

Pales in comparison to the PlayStation 2 version.

There's no multiplayer, no online play, and only a couple of difficulty modes. But it does its work extremely well, and it's safe to say you won't play a similar game this year.

While the overall game experience ranges from frustrating to epic, there's something special about the title as a whole.

Rugby lovers will love how far this franchise has come since last year's version.

Everything is just as wonderfully crafted, over-the-top crazy, and mouse-crushingly intense as it was in the full game. It's more Painkiller, and that's what you'd expect from an expansion, right?

In terms of gameplay, longevity and room for growth, however, Bloody Roar: Primal Fury just doesn't have the legs to compare to the likes of Sega's "Virtua Fighter" series or Namco's "Tekken" and "Soul Calibur" games.

Unfortunately, in the process of fixing the game, they ended up stripping much of what made the first game so endearing by allowing the numbers to take precedence over the personality. What Black & White 2 gained in competence; it seems to have lost in soul.

More than a gimmick but less than a broad, full-featured experience, Pursuit Force might not be deep or addicting enough to become an actual pursuit, but the satisfying arcade-style gameplay and high marks across the board for audiovisuals make it a great distraction or diversion.

If you're not a big follower of Star Wars, you may want to just pick up "Age of Empires II" from some bargain bin. You'll probably have just as much fun.

With three diverse factions, an immersive 3D battlefield and nearly unlimited replay value, The Moon Project is leading the way for the next generation of real-time strategy games. An early candidate for the best RTS of 2001.

The combat system is one of the best you're likely to see in an action game of this sort. It's so solid that Crimson Sea 2's "kill everything that moves" formula doesn't become stale or tedious until quite late in the game, which is a huge accomplishment for a game based on such a simple concept.

Look past the gratuitous, fleshy outer casing and delve deep into the tight stealth/action gameplay provided. Manhunt delivers.

The game shipped with passable production values, dated graphics, and a minimal number of play modes, so it's hard to consider this a good value at the $59.99 price point. On the other hand, if you're a die-hard football fan and want to once again experience 2K's style of play, then this is your only option.

Sadly, with ultra-generic gameplay and a muddled story, there's very little in Emergence to hook gamers into future installments.

It's so darn stylish and such a great demonstration of the DS hardware. Unfortunately, it's over long before I want it to be, and there's not enough to keep me coming back to it after a few more rounds with it.

For such an intricate setup, Mafia II doesn't quite deliver on the promise of making you feel like a gangster until the last few chapters. You spend a lot of the game watching things develop slowly from behind the glass, as Vito makes a name for himself in action sequences separated by a little too much downtime.

It's by no means a terrible game, but it simply isn't any better than its older brethren.

If the idea of politics, sieges and large-scale warfare in your MMORPG appeal to you, and you're willing to wait out the stability and lag issues, Shadowbane may be just the game you're looking for.

When taken as a whole, Children of the Nile is a disappointment. It's not that it's a bad game. In fact, buried under the rubble of the game's interface is the germ of a classic.

The unique inter-weaving of online and offline play alone makes it worth checking out. Add to that the solid look and the open-ended gameplay and you've got another disc that'll put a smile on current-gen gamers living in a next-gen world.

While the cute little Elebits may not pack quite enough power to shine a spotlight on the game, there's at least enough juice to warrant some attention.

Fans of River City Ransom on the NES and brawlers as a whole will love this version.

A long and satisfying exercise in combat experimentation, character development, and heady mythology. The curious mechanics and calculated, indirect combat won't appeal to everyone, but anyone that appreciates outlandish character design and trippy visuals should at least give it a try.

Duels of the Planeswalkers sacrifices that customizability in order to present a friendlier, easier brand of Magic to Xbox Live Arcade. Without deckbuilding, and with such a limited card pool, this is ultimately going to be a novelty for any serious Magic player.

While the single-player game is worth playing through, you should play Frontlines: Fuel of War because it brings to bear the best of what made the Battlefield series so popular. Big maps, plenty of weaponry, and many different ways to approach combat make this a solid choice for multiplayer enthusiasts.

The word challenges and speed are challenging, and often funny, but the challenge level won't stop even a mediocre typist from finishing the game in just a few hours.

Although Spider-Man contains no multiplayer options, the game is filled with extras.

If you want a strategic military simulation with immense amounts of depth, coupled with incredible visuals, Kessen is your game.

The most striking aspect of the new environments is how skilled Mythic is at art direction.

The customization element is a definitely a high point, but without interesting and rewarding missions built around them, they just aren't as meaningful as they could be.

There's plenty of ball-rolling fun to be had here, as long as you keep it to brief intervals, or as often as the pain in your hands will allow.

A surprisingly good remake of an unsung classic.

Acclaim's long-running series continues to get on base with its fundamentals, yet strike out when it comes to flash.

A respectable effort, but disappointing reminder that when you swap content from platform to platform, something often gets lost in the transition.

There's still something addictive about this game once you get past the initially slow start. There are dozens and dozens of things to unlock, and charting your progress through the title really sucks you in.

The visuals and story aren't going to bring anyone new to the fold, and you have to be a very dedicated sort to want to invest the incredible amount of time necessary to play a single game from start to finish. At $39.99 dollars, though, you do get a lot of game for your money.

I'm left wondering who Lego Rock Band is really for. It seems to be trying to cater to everyone, but it ends up simply unfocused, and occasionally outright sloppy. It doesn't actively offend, but it's nowhere near a must-have, even for serious music-game fans.

There's still something addictive about this game once you get past the initially slow start. There are dozens and dozens of things to unlock, and charting your progress through the title really sucks you in.

A long-lasting experience that's simply a lot of fun. Part guilty pleasure, part blazingly successful experiment in game design, Scarface: The World is Yours is definitely worth a shot.

The learning curve is steep, but those who enjoy a challenge might just end up embracing the greater level of realistic gameplay that only Top Spin 3 can offer.

Solid, immersive gameplay that sadly does lose some steam after extended periods of time. But, it's a fun ride for those looking something a little different from the norm.

There aren't a lot of nice things to say about the single-player experience, which fails to deliver on multiple fronts. Still, if you want to check out one of the best multiplayer experiences the Xbox 360 has to offer, look no further.

An amusing romp through the bizarre Crash Bandicoot universe. It's not the best game of its kind, but it's certainly worth a visit.

One of the most entertaining games to hit the PSP this year.

A truly remarkable experience. And, while the game itself may not have broken any new ground, the world it introduces more than makes up for that. It will leave gamers hungry for more.

A pleasant surprise. While its story elements are predictably clichéd and patronizing, the varied minigames and fun card battles make up for the annoying but easily ignored connective sequences.

Despite some nice features, the overly repetitive gameplay will probably wear thin after a bit.

The core game is intriguing, it's just a lot better when you play it on the PC.

The Blitzkrieg series has some good points, but what historical RTS fans are waiting for is a game with Blitkrieg's graphics, "Airborne Assault's" A.I., and "War Times'" 3D terrain.

At best, Acid is a really fun time for a very small percentage of gamers. At worst, it's a good game that a lot of people will find boring.

A game that has a refreshing story, a wonderfully unique leading man, great voice acting, good graphics, good music, and a mediocre combat system.

Offers a distinctly Japanese-flavored experience for the GameCube, and those looking for something a little different could do a lot worse than Chibi-Robo.

It's unfortunate that pointless busywork and a poorly designed and integrated puzzles end up throwing roadblocks in what should have been one of the best adventure games in the recent memory.

It's regrettably hindered by below-average stealth elements. The result is a game that oozes potential but ultimately fails to deliver greatness.

Despite its exclusions, though, Collection's large selection of titles for $19.99 is a tough thing not to recommend to anyone who calls himself a gamer. Even if a few of the games undeniably suck.

Combines great gameplay with entertaining characters and extremely pretty visuals for a surprisingly fun gaming experience.

Not counting those pauses and time spent scratching my head about obvious puzzles, The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav clocks in at around six to seven hours, which makes me balk a little at its $30 price. Comparatively, Walking Dead is $25 for the season of five two-hour episodes, and Resonance is $10 -- two adventure games you really should play this year. Satinav, on the other hand, carries with it a number of disclaimers that you need to be aware of before jumping into this fantasy adventure game.

Gameplay issues aside, Showdown is still a very enjoyable game, mostly due to the fact that it offers a wide variety of game modes.

While not all of the new additions to the series work completely -- the wingman concept is interesting, but could use some tweaking -- there are enough new ideas here to make the game feel fresh and show why NFS remains one of the top racing franchises for the system.

It's certainly as competent in execution as the original and the developers did toss in a few nice console-only goodies, but as a whole, this expansion is quite forgettable.

Arguably the best game in the Myst franchise. It takes everything that made the original game a success and brings it to a new level.

A few AI problems keep it from reaching expectations.

I'd certainly sign on for another tour of duty, especially if the guys who created my interface iron out some of the glitches. In all, I'd say this is a compelling World War II experience.

If you like relentless beatings with no real plot or thought required, definitely pick this one up.

The sheer number of gameplay modes the cart brings to the handheld keeps the action fresh whether you're tackling the forces of evil or just your buddy.

Despite the somewhat limited multiplayer mode, Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure is still top notch. The Dragon Ball fans will love it, of course, but even if you're not into the series, it's definitely worth checking out.

The game's 3D engine, already showing its age on the PS2, is barely passable on the Xbox; the fogged-in horizon and massive slowdown seizures are particularly cringe-worthy.

In terms of platforming gameplay, what's on offer here is pretty basic and simple, and certainly not anywhere near as deep or rewarding as "Super Mario Bros. 3" or "Super Mario World."

Damned if I didn't enjoy it enough to get hooked early and often. I can't help it; I still love tactical-RPGs and this game has more than enough battling, plot-advancing, and customization to keep my affections.

Perhaps the best brawler on the Game Boy Advance, and a good nostalgia trip for Double Dragon and beat-'em-up aficionados.

Leviathan's core problem though is that it's a DLC created to answer questions that nobody was asking, after an ending that itself answered too many, which you know from the start isn't actually going to mean much in the great sweep of things. If you can ignore that though, or simply don't care, it's fun addition to Mass Effect 3 and a great reason to be excited about whatever new adventure comes next.

A surprisingly fun first effort that is well worth looking into if you're a fan of collectible card games.

It should be noted that the team got a lot of things right, particularly in the graphics and gameplay departments. While the first PSP game in the series has a few issues, it's still the only game in town.

You'll likely be so enthralled by the riveting story that you simply won't notice the hours flying by. Of course, that's also due in no small part to the fact that the game is unsatisfyingly short.

The plot jumps around too much to be coherent, most boss battles aren't captivating, and some stages drag on far too long. Origins sags with plenty of problems, but it's still a cut above most Hollywood-licensed pap.

It won't replace the fun of facing off one-on-one with your friends, and those bluffing techniques you've perfected are all but useless, but when your friends are unavailable or you're hit with a bout of insomnia, MtGO is your best alternative.

The puzzles kept me intrigued for days, the storyline was irresistible, and the e-mails and Internet research were a joy. Sadly, the ending left me cold and put a damper on the whole story, and some of the puzzles were so annoying they ceased being fun long before they were complete.

Fans of the comic-book series certainly won't want to miss it as the game's brilliant art design and voiceover work come as close as any game ever has to putting the player inside a comic-book world.

The ability to play as both the Prince and Farah is an interesting addition, but in practice it devolves into standard "you stand on this switch and I'll stand on this one" gameplay. The resulting balance leaves the replay value quickly sucked dry once you've had your fill of the game.

A strange beast. While the visuals and sounds are immaculate, I quickly found that after a few hours of playing -- including messing around in all the different modes -- I was a little bored. There was simply too much repetition involved.

The storyline is laughable and not always in a good way. On the other hand, you get a pair of entertaining multiplayer modes to entertain those friends with a single PSP in addition to those with a network connection and a system of their own.

It's just what a good puzzler should be: simple and addictive.

It's essentially the same game in a prettier engine, mowing down waves and waves of enemies with the all-too-infrequent vehicle sequence or boss battle to break things up.

The best PS2 golf game out there.

The best-looking baseball game ever.

This brilliant re-creation of the Robotech universe is a dream come true for fans of the animated series -- but it won't appeal to many others.

What really breathes longevity in Agent Under Fire is the bot support, something missing from the PlayStation 2 version.

The graphics won't amaze you and you may be under whelmed at the multiplay, but it'll put a smile on your face and give you something to do while you wait for the dude from EB to call to tell you your PS3 pre-order is in.

It's definitely fun and easy to get into, but the game lacks any real technique that will keep you coming back to it after the initial thrill has worn off.

What we get is an amalgam that is best labeled "Battlefield Warfare" -- an admittedly entertaining concoction, but one that tastes awfully familiar.

It succeeds as a conversion. It succeeds as a more mature racer. And it succeeds as a pure shot of vehicle-fueled adrenaline that you can take anywhere.

One of the best things about the earlier games in the franchise was the feeling that you could be taken out at any time by a hidden terrorist, which made player approach each situation much more carefully. With the addition of the heartbeat sensor, you can simply scout out every room before you enter, allowing you to easily pinpoint enemy locations.

After such an uneven effort, there can be no other assessment made: the game gods must be displeased.

Fans will eat this game up, obviously, and everyone else will find it to be enjoyable if not terribly involving.