Classic monsters and load of pumpkins can't make up for repetitive gaming action.

A fun but dated 2D fighter with too high a price and no new features.

Extra grainy footage or not, and lame returns to the campaign to dig up cheat codes aside, this Medal of Honor experience is just good enough to romp through on a rental, should please fans of the series, but this is certainly not enough to justify a purchase.

It's exactly what diehard gamers feared that the casual gaming revolution was going to inflict on the industry: shallow, gimmicky software whose main selling point is that no one is too young, old or uncoordinated to be able to play it. Buy a real videogame or buy a board game, but don't be a dummy and let Smarty Pants walk away with your 50 bucks.

The real crux of Condition Zero is simply that it provides a great way to enjoy Counter-Strike offline, old graphics or not. If you're perfectly happy playing the free Counter-Strike mod online, don't bother with Condition Zero.

Brilliant concepts ham-handedly executed. All I could think of after finishing the game was poor Fredo standing in the house in Nevada whining, "I'm smart! Not like everybody says... like dumb... I'm smart and I want respect!" Respect has to be earned, and The Godfather II doesn't even come close.

It's fair to say that Sims 2 for the PSP would've been among the best of the console ports, but a couple of glaring issues drag it down. In particular, the load times are a nightmare.

It looks good, it's clever and upbeat, and it's well-balanced for the target audience. The remote just doesn't add much to what's already come out on other platforms, and in fact brings down the overall game in some areas.

Once you get used to the "flying around on a map" bits in Another Road mode, you notice that the combat is the same as it's always been. This probably won't bother most fans, but they should at least know what they're getting into.

Viking: Battle for Asgard is beautiful as far as offering a hurricane of blood and gore can be beautiful, but it's easy to get bogged down in the repetitive combat.

This flawed action-adventure title kicks the long, spindly legs right out from under the Nightmare franchise and threatens to disappoint young and old gamers alike.

Sure, fans of Dirk and the Dragon's Lair series will enjoy the game on a different level than most, but with its inherent gameplay issues, rescuing Princess Daphne really boils to down an exercise in frustrating trial-and-error gaming only made worse by flawed technical aspects.

Gotham City Impostors isn't a free-to-play shooter, but it sure feels like one. Even as a $15 purchase, it's a game that's as eager to get you into its cash shop as its paltry five maps, with one of the slowest character customization systems ever to be unlocked by DLC, and matchmaking so poor that getting into a full 6v6 game actually feels like an achievement.

Repetitive, ugly, short, nonsensical, and boring -- a beat-'em-up that gets almost everything wrong, and that's wildly overpriced at $50.

You are almost always riding the finest line between screaming along somewhat stably and totally losing it, and in that sense, Baja succeeds tremendously. Those kinds of stakes may not appeal to everyone, however, and the majority of people who tend to like finishing races may not need all of the incredible realism that an intense sim like Baja has to offer.

For everything cool that the game does, from the heightened tension of breaking into a prison to a shootout in a Tokyo nightclub to some amazing chase sequences, it shoots itself in the foot with a terrible cover system, artificial incompetence, and a multiplayer mode that sums up everything that's half-baked about the experience.

Landroll is a great planet to explore. Opoona's design aesthetic is fantastic, and the world gives off a sort of Phantasy Star Online vibe.

Get a friend with a PSP to pick the game up as well and you'll see why "Super Puzzle Fighter II" destroyed lives when it released originally.

If you're a fan of shooters and have a predilection for Ed Wood then this game has your name written all over it.

Often sloppy or silly, but it does feature loads of outrageously violent action.

A very cool combination of gameplay elements, and the most intriguing light-gun title for a home console since Elemental Gearbolt (anyone remember that one?)

It may be a blatant "DOOM" clone, but Dark Arena still manages to be a generally entertaining and mindless shooter. Solid controls, large levels, and plenty of evil mutants all add up to a fun time out.

A perfect way to take a walk down memory lane and relive the good old days of professional wrestling.

With all this going for it, it's a shame the single-player game is so humdrum.

While not quite perfect, it's one of the most worthwhile Mega Man platformers in years, as it shakes the boat in a bunch of cool ways.

Darkspore's just a mediocre game. If you're dying to run around and smack enemies on the head with your left mouse button, it might be worth a few bones -- but you're better off waiting until it heads to the inevitable discount on Steam before you commit.

There's no denying that serious stock car fans that own an Xbox 360 or PS3 will enjoy hitting the track with this racer; it's just a shame it doesn't crackle with the personality the real sport has been known for.

Simply put, this isn't anywhere near as entertaining as any of the "Resident Evils" or "Silent Hills," but it's no "Blue Stinger," either.

The game runs poorly on just about any machine.

This is a fun little game, but I don't think it's worth buying unless you're a diehard Treasure fan and would really like to support the company.

An entertaining and beautiful beat-'em-up that puts just enough of a spin on traditional gameplay mechanics to get the thumbs-up.

Afro Samurai is a mess of a game. It's such a shame to see such a beautifully rendered and stylish world ground into the dust by such staggering gameplay foibles and technical glitches.

A marked improvement over the original PSP launch title, with flashier, smoother graphics, a slicker, more user-friendly presentation, improved combat, and a slew of multiplayer options that will keep fans of the game coming back for more far after they've completed the single player campaign.

A tragically missed opportunity. There are hints of an excellent Total War-style real-time tactics game married to the undeniable crazy charm of the Warhammer Fantasy universe.

Delta Force Xtreme's multiplayer isn't subtle or innovative and tends to suffer from lag and some crashes, but it's filled with exciting, over-the-top action.

There are some memorable moments here, but it's a shame that Mothership Zeta couldn't do more with such an interesting premise.

It's a solid shooter, and does some small things extremely well; in some cases even groundbreaking. However, it too often comes up short, both in length and excitement.

There's just not enough new content to justify this expansion.

A deeper, better game than "Naval Ops: Warship Gunner," an RTS-lite with gobs of replay value...I just hope the next entry in the series addresses its weak graphics and lack of multiplayer.

A lackluster version of the game.

An unfortunately overcomplicated variation of "Bust-A-Move."

It has no bite, no personality, none of the visionary creative energy that have brought Timegate's other games to life. It's as clunky and flat as an outdated history book.

Digging Strike's simplistic gameplay is both an asset and a weakness. Fans of old school games will really enjoy this lighthearted update, but gamers looking for deeper gameplay will be disappointed.

Short enough not to wear out its gimmick, with enough complexity that getting a perfect score will take a fair while, there's lots to like about A Virus Named Tom.

The temptation is to make sure that the environments and models match the movies as closely as possible, but doing so takes more time and resources with each technical leap forward, and there are only so many months in the development cycle.

Has solid gameplay, great graphics, and brings a little somethin' different to the beat-'em-up genre.

S.W.I.N.E.'s visuals and parts of its audio are surprisingly good. On the other hand, the game has been promoted as "irreverent" and "hilarious," yet it's neither. The whole pig/rabbit schtik is weak and irrelevant, not irreverent.

Clearly missing some pieces, but the product may be salvageable.

Lords of the Realm III doesn't look like a budget game -- its production values are high, as the 3D graphics are serviceable and the sound very well-done -- but at times it certainly plays like one.

While it's no masterpiece, Omega Strain is worth playing for online junkies who've grown tired of the endless hours of "SOCOM II." Those that lack a network adaptor should probably rent first.

It takes a few stabs at innovating, but alas, it's turned out to be worse than mediocre: it's lousy.

It's too bad the core driving model is so flawed, since Juiced could have been a lot more fun with either tighter handling or more spacious course designs.

If you're a dedicated Gundam fan that doesn't mind the rudimentary gameplay elements, you'll probably enjoy yourself. Otherwise, with so many other superior RPGs available for the PS2, it's hard to recommend MS Saga.

The game's impressive A.I. and variety of gameplay will keep players coming back for more, even with its noticeable flaws.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground does exactly what most fans of the series probably expected.

Although the game isn't on the same level as its console counterparts, the DS version holds its own.

No care was taken to immerse players into the world they've lived with since Lewis' tale was first published. And that's a shame.

Online play is the best aspect of Arena Football, particularly if you've been turned off by the rampant use of cheats in Madden.

We can't deny the appeal, even amongst the flaws, but when you're left imagining how much better a version of "Sands of Time" or "Two Thrones" would have been, it doesn't matter how faithful the port is.

The only problem is, it doesn't take long for combat to feel repetitive, because all non-boss enemies are dealt with in the same way -- whip, whip, whip, grab, swing, toss, repeat.

If you're looking for a nice, simple time-killer, this is a good way to go. It gets even more fun when you have a friend join in. It's just a shame that there aren't more people to play against online.

If you can get over the inane product licensing and the idea that small sugar pills are magical, this isn't a bad third-person action/adventure.

Although Mad Maestro is plenty novel, quirky, and cute as a button, it doesn't have enough depth or replay value to justify its price.

If a sim with action is what you are looking for, go for it. If you find the frenetic pace of an MTV music video too slow for you, then avoid this game entirely.

The biggest problem Lord Blackthorn's Revenge has is that even with the new things that have been added, it's still basically a dated game.

It's not the T&A fest that DOA Xtreme Volleyball is, but it isn't afraid to flash some skin (though no "nude code"). Where it's at its strongest, happily, is in the gameplay. The button scheme is in-depth enough to make the action challenging.

Brilliant looks and attitude (each new level starts with the message "Kick Their Ass!") only get you so far.

The intelligent touches and relative difficulty make Rogue Ops generally fun for fans of the genre. The unevenness in the presentation and controls keep it from really setting the genre on fire.

Even though the difficulty ramps up dramatically halfway through Career mode, dedicated gamers will be able to complete the whole thing in a day, if they don't get tired of the somewhat shallow and repetitive gameplay before then.

It's better than the last game but not all that innovative. Of course, until somebody else steps up and makes a great party game, Mario Party's the only gig in town.

Its battles are enjoyable enough, and series fans will be pleased with this adaptation of the Onimusha mythos. But in comparison to everything else on the market, the game falls short in comparison.

For a game designed to sell on the basis of its name alone, it's better than it has to be. There are still plenty of better games on the system, but this is a solid, if uninspired, title.

Battles isn't as multifaceted as Advance Wars, nor does it convey the fairy-tale personality of its console cousins, but we encourage you to look past the plain façade: there's some unexpectedly engaging gameplay buried under it.

There are things to like about this new version, especially as a multiplayer game, but in the end there are too many issues, big and small, for it to reach the nearly unreachable standard set by its predecessors.

If your frustration threshold is anything but extreme, give serious consideration before diving into this one.

A competent and occasionally compelling hack-and-slash, but fans of the PC games won't give a damn about it, and "Champions of Norrath" is a more satisfying and more technically impressive example of the genre on the PlayStation 2.

Guiding a cursor around a screen, activating a scope, and taking out targets is certainly an original and enjoyable experience, but the repetition of the enemy patterns make it difficult to return to after the game has been beaten or you've had your fill of playing sniper for a day.

A disappointing expansion for Heroes IV. The few new items available could've easily been available for free, while the biggest change to the game - multiplayer -- is already free.

While combat obviously isn't the focus of a stealth game, the fighting in Surma is stunningly awful.

Ravaged didn't help itself with its $25 price tag, either. It's not an unreasonable cost by any means, but with a growing number of strong free-to-play shooter options and Valve doing the Valve thing by charging $15 for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Ravaged seems slightly overpriced by comparison -- especially without bots to give it value when no one else is playing.

If this new AvP were like a grapefruit, and you were like the Dole Fruit Company, you would probably buy it only for use in juicing, not to be eaten on its own, as it just doesn't have enough meat. And by "buy it only for use in juicing" I mean you probably wouldn't buy it at all, because it isn't very good.

Solid as a means to satisfy most players' desire for combat. It's not too complex, but the strategy of moving across the board requires just a bit of thought and enough combat skill that you'll actually lose more than a few fights.

A fun but shallow game. The graphics and speed-based level design are great, but the game's short length and lack of truly compelling replay value are cause for hesitation.

Flight intends to carve out a niche for pilots who want a more casual, friendly, and inclusive sim, and that's something that's never really been done before. In a best-case scenario, Flight could introduce this genre to gamers who typically have brushed it aside under the assumption that it's too hardcore.

A good puzzle game. If you can get past the load times, it's even better.

It may be on a console, but don't let that deter you: it's actually surprisingly deep.

Unless you're predisposed to buying anything that is related to the show, just ogle a few gameplay videos, fancy a screenshot or two, and call it a day without wasting fifty bucks.

And if you've ever owned a dog, you're sure to get at least a laugh or two from the game's interpretation of how our four-legged friends view the world we live in.

A "Dynasty Warriors" clone. It's also the best one I've played in years -- and I've played them all. If you have any type of interest in these kinds of titles, and consider imitation the highest form of flattery, check out Capcom's take on the genre.

Honestly, it's an okay game at heart, but it's hard to see that if you've even caught a glimpse of the other versions.

Once you get used to the controls and master the trick moves, you'll rediscover your addiction to this arcade classic.

XD is a decent enough effort, and it's certainly not a bad game, but considering how well crafted the handheld RPGs are, the unrealized potential and missed opportunities of XD become all the more apparent.

Will only appeal to die-hard fans or novice players, which is really bad because with only a little more effort it could have been so much better.

While Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War has some great concepts behind it and a few enjoyable moments, it's not really worth the gas it takes to drive it home from the software store.

NFL Head Coach is a decent value when considered as part of the 20th anniversary Madden NFL 09 package, but doesn't quite do enough to merit a purchase for the standalone version.

From start to finish, the game only took me just over eight hours to beat. And while there are some cool extras on the disc that can be unlocked, I still felt like the game was light on content.

Definitely a weaker package than "Sonic Mega Collection." The only games that truly hold up today are "Sonic CD" and the "Vectorman" titles. The rest are merely passable and are only of interest to the hardcore crowd.

On its own merits, though, it's simple, fun, and fast, and this would be enough... if it existed in a void.