With Guitar Hero 5 Neversoft has finally found its "confidence." An assured nature to the game's new visual direction contrasts with the see-what-sticks "extreme" visual stylings of its predecessors, and with several new game modes Guitar Hero finally bests its direct competitor in ease of use and friendliness, in many respects.

As long as it runs well, BtK's four new battlefields hold the potential for hundreds of hours of explosion-packed entertainment. It'd be easy to pass these off as just mere rehashes of old content, but there are enough tweaks and changes to breathe plenty of new life into the experience.

A great, if overly hard revamp, of the classic SNES racer.

This expansion is everything "Play The World" should've been and will breathe a whole new life into your Civ experience.

The gameplay feels as though it has mapped exceptionally well to the PS3's controller, unlike many other ports for the console. However, Rainbow Six has traditionally been a multiplayer-focused franchise, and it's here that the game disappoints.

Despite the poor online modes, the rest of the game is nothing short of stellar. With all of the new tweaks and gameplay options, NHL 08 is worth the time of any hockey fan. Not only has EA managed to prove that this is indeed the coolest game on Earth, it's also one of the best sports titles of the year.

It's challenging, but never to the point of frustration; Sylvia makes for a great new character; and the implementation of the VFX Powers adds an extra dimension to what could have been nothing more than a simple punch-fest.

Its original problems are still there, but they're more than made up for by the amount of fun to be had in the main quest line. In its current state, the expansion is already fun enough to justify the $30 purchase, and, like the original, we're sure it's only going to get better as time goes by.

Although it's true that the QB Vision system changes the game dramatically, it's not always for the better, especially when you're still trying to learn how to use it properly. If you can get over the steep learning curve (and trust me, it's a doozy), you'll probably learn to love it, as it makes the game feel much more realistic.

A must-have for space combat sim fans - as long as they can overlook the lack of a single-player game.

That attitude pervades Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin: the idea that a definitely well-done safe idea is better than a possibly flawed risky idea, no matter what stagnation may follow.

While Aggressive Inline doesn't boast the same name-brand glitz as THPS or Dave Mirra, it matches or exceeds those better-known games in terms of graphics, environments, tricks, and controls.

Substantial changes are what the series needs to really glow again, and they just aren't here. Bizarre Creations "phoning it in" is still better than a lot of developers' best, but if Bizarre Creations has something truly innovative up its sleeve, it seems it's saving it for its next title for its new publisher, Activision.

If you've never play MC3 before, or if you're the best MC3 player in the world, you owe it to yourself to snag Remix, pimp out some rides, earn some phat cash and experience one of the best racers for the PlayStation 2. It's really that simple.

Despite the poor online modes, the rest of the game is nothing short of stellar. With all of the new tweaks and gameplay options, NHL 08 is worth the time of any hockey fan. Not only has EA managed to prove that this is indeed the coolest game on Earth, it's also one of the best sports titles of the year.

All of these settings, without exception, are stunning. Whether it's the blowing curtains that festoon the royal palace, the mysterious glowing blue torches in a crypt, or the lovely geometric patterns, arched doors, and latticework screens used as architectural highlights, the game's environments are beautiful.

While the subject matter is no doubt controversial and far from being politically correct, it does make for an excellent game.

It's remarkable that EA has managed to catch up to the incredible effort from Sega in a single generation, and if it weren't for an overly trying physics engine on the ice, the two would be in a dead heat.

Thanks to revolutionary ten-man motion captures, the look of 2004 will impress you. This is the first hoops game I've played where everyone on the court acts the way they're supposed to.

Online play is a very enticing part of what Madden brings to the table this year.

Neversoft has done an admirable job of recreating Guitar Hero's gameplay, and the new guitars, fantastic setlist and challenging note charts push the series forward, even if some players may not be quite ready to rock that hard. Features like the boss battles, online play and co-op could have made Guitar Hero III a legend itself but end up feeling unpolished.

Unlocking all the characters requires beating the single-player arcade mode no less than 16 times, a mind-numbing chore that borders on Super Smash Bros. levels of grind-ness.

What's New, Beelzebub? is Telltale's development team at the top of its game and is a perfect way to end Season Two.

This is the action/platformer we've pined for on PSP. With amazing graphics, an entertaining story and uber-accurate control, it's virtually flawless and its appeal knows no bounds.

Some new additions to the pitcher-batter match-up deepen the gameplay and the ability to save the action mid-game is a huge plus.

UC2 is trying to create a fun, arcade sensibility and atmosphere that takes the franchise and the genre in a sporty, flamboyant, enjoyable new direction. In this it succeeds admirably.

It's easy to get into, the combat rocks, and it's a blast to play with friends.

The enhanced visuals and online functionality alone make them more enjoyable than any of the previous games, and you don't want to be the last trainer on the block to get with the times.