The mix of sword combat and platforming is just about right, and though most of the boss battles were simple pattern-based matches, the designs were sometimes cool enough that I was thrown back to the old days of bashing away at hulking robots and monsters.

If you spent weeks building the perfect parks, unlocking new content, and wandering around as a guest [in the original], you'll get a little more mileage out of this expansion, but even then, you might find it a little skimpy.

Though the presentation is worth checking out, the rest of the experience makes it difficult to hang with, considering its laughable AI, dodgy controls and ho-hum storylines.

Some people still enjoy the outdated and arguably unfair rules of Gradius, and if you're one of them, then you'll probably enjoy this package a great deal.

If you've already been spoiled by the likes of GT3, you will ultimately be disappointed with the lack of GTC's car selection and customization.

It's not the most original or innovative of games, but when was the last time you got to face off against Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Frankenstein monster in the same sitting?

A very satisfying single-player FPS, coated with a fat-free topping of space combat. The lack of secrets and multiplayer modes also means an utter lack of replay value, but I felt nothing but satisfaction at the rousing conclusion.

The cars are simplistic, out-detailed even by their real life plastic counterparts. The tracks are colorful and filled with interactive objects, but this won't be mistaken for next-generation gaming.

A gameplay experience more fans will enjoy, but an out of the box experience that might not be challenging enough for hardcore seamheads who spent countless hours mastering how to throw the perfect curve in MLB 2K8. Still, this game is by all means a successful update.

It seems like the beginning of a friendly, helpful community, and the world is so immense and full of life you'll want to see every inch of it.

Straight fights in C&C4 play a lot like a boxing match between two guys with iron jaws and teensy weensy hands. You and your opponent can pound away at each other till you're both spent like an addict's last dollar, but nobody's knocking anybody out.

Undercover may push the nostalgia button for the NFS faithful. But substandard presentation and a host of nagging technical issues cause it to sputter across the line for a distant third-place finish.

A disappointment of near-epic proportions. Sega ripped out the very heart of PSO's legendary addictiveness, replacing it with a repetitive, tedious grind that shows no signs of ending.

Despite some smart moves on the part of the developers (voice talent, good graphics engine, franchise overhaul) none of them really pan out and bring much to the experience, leaving the game to flounder with its new but repetitive focus on combat.

It features some excellent graphics and audio production, as well as some of the best voiceover work to date. However, this can't make up for the frustrating gameplay, which tries to focus on stealth, combat, and platforming, yet doesn't manage to do any of these particularly well.

Unfortunately, Scooby Doo gets so bogged down in unfolding its linear narrative and conveying the differences of its main characters that it never really gets around to being fun.

Doesn't come close to surpassing the bar that Splashdown has set.

The biggest flaws with AvP: Extinction are the lack of a rotating camera, the unit micromanagement required, and the fact that there are only 21 missions in the game with no multiplayer at all... I wasn't disappointed with the game, and I don't think fans of AvP would be either.

It's such a shame that Cold War is subject to crashes and often won't even load; otherwise, it would be worth a much stronger recommendation.

Wisely priced at 20 bucks, and its historical info alone makes it a must for anyone with an interest in video-game lore, but not one of the included games is anything more than a mild curiosity.

Though its simplified setup and reduced options may not please some of the more battle-hardened soldiers of days past, the game's more streamlined approach is an excellent way to bring the Worms experience to a new generation of gamers.

You'll have the most fun playing TNA iMPACT! against friends, since they're most likely to work a match that'll flow creatively while providing a decent challenge. The AI makes a poor tag-team partner, and it's always more fun to pull off a finisher when there are friends around to witness the act.

Where's the battle map editor? Although Wrath Unleashed provides only 21 battle maps (four of which are locked), there are only a handful of three- and four-player battle maps, and they're bound to get stale after a few rounds of play.

The major problem with Shadow of Apokolips is its lackluster level design.

Lots of fun as you're mastering the unique strategies of Star Trek: Tactical Assault, followed by a crushing tedium once you realize that it doesn't really get any better, or even any different.

If it weren't so confusing and repetitive it could have been a sleeper hit. Instead, it's a fossil.

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to drive a balsa wood car full of helium, here's your chance. Slight bumps will send you airborne.

Offers a good variety of race options and an involved career mode, but that flawed mode puts too much focus on money, respect, and schedules, and not enough on actual racing.