The Dynasty Mode is one of the best you'll see in an EA game, mostly because of the addition of the discipline system, which forces you to walk a fine line between getting the best players and running a clean program.

Compared to the HD versions, this PS2 game has significantly better features, such as great cross-compatibility with the handheld version.

Ad Hoc games ran particularly smooth, but the Infrastructure games had the occasional hiccup or two. In these games, lag would occasionally cause my batter to swing late (if at all).

Blacklight's a smart and polished take on a very tried-and-true formula, and if that's what you're looking for, there's really no better F2P option.

A good solid Bond game -- but there should have been more of it.

Although the single player campaign is on the short side, a solid multiplayer mode will ensure that you'll still be playing it a few months from now. If you're looking to fight in the Big One, it's time to answer the call.

As a whole, I couldn't ask for much more with MX Unleashed. A few more challenges in Freestyle would be nice, but this really is the total package for race games -- which is no surprise, coming from Rainbow.

The Xbox version, in addition to being considerably better-looking than the PS2 version, also supports Xbox Live online play for head-to-head racing, though seemingly must-have features, like co-op racing or the ability to play as the cops, didn't make it into the online portion of the game.

The accessible nature of Borderlands -- with its relatively non-punitive deaths, constant checkpoints, and convenient fast-travel systems -- makes it a fantastic game for introducing FPS fans to some basic RPG tropes. And, most importantly, the killing and looting never ceases to be fun.

NCAA Football 07 works very well on the PSP, and controls flawlessly without some of the analog-stick issues that have plagued other games on the platform.

SCEA has made enough visual tweaks to keep its already-authentic representation of baseball atop the heap for another year. With a few more tweaks to the Franchise mode and an expansion to the surprisingly enjoyable new practice mode, I see no reason why this baseball series won't sit on top for the foreseeable future.

If it weren't for its middling trick system, Downhill Domination would be among the finest action-sports games on the market.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of DiRT is the poorly implemented multiplayer portion of the game. Instead of allowing you to try some of the head-to-head events that are included in the single-player game, like the Rally Raids or CORR events, you're limited to single-car hill climbs and rally events against times being uploaded by other players in your session.

My only serious complaint is that the music utterly sucks in every way and is an affront to mankind that should be excised from the universe by the vengeful spirits of J.S. Bach, Duke Ellington and Hank Williams.

Probably the best single-player dungeon crawler we'll see on the DS for some time. Game balance is great, the game looks beautiful, and there's even some really fun writing hidden beneath the youth/casual storyline.

The collection feels incomplete without Ms. Pac Man, the only Pac sequel truly worth playing.

Even with its various issues, I absolutely fell in love with Earth & Beyond. I love the setting, the players, and the whole package in general -- I've found it incredibly innovative, and I am totally addicted.

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.

The biggest drawback of this game is the inclusion of Venom as a playable character. He draaaags. He can't web swing (but he can cover vast distances with his leaps), he relies on brute strength rather than finesse, and you must also devour people in order to keep the suit from killing the man inside.

Madden NFL 09 All-Play is not a dumbed-down version of this year's best football game. Think of it more like a specialized version that successfully refines the crucial elements of football and distills them into a final product that is at once accessible and plenty of fun.

Lock's Quest provides a familiar experience that at the same time feels so distinct and unique that you'd be hard pressed to find something similar to it on the DS.

It's the closest thing we've seen to an HD-gen "Silent Hill," except that in The Darkness you get to play as that venerable franchise's ultimate evil monstrosity, Pyramid Head, clothed in the flesh of a mafia hit man.

A decent title with quite a bit to offer and awesome multiplayer. It'll just have to be satisfied being labeled one of the weaker Tony Hawk games on the market.

One can only hope that a sequel will improve on certain issues, such as a few clunky mini-games that eat away at the fun factor, but overall, for the sense of humor, entertaining presentation, and the online scoreboards, Rayman is the winner in this launch battle.

Flying around using your grappling hook is dynamite fun, but the actual fighting can be anticlimactic due to the limited number of weapons in your arsenal.

If you don't mind using your brain as you play, then approach this bench. Court is now in session.

Though it is slow and subtle, it works out in the end, providing a great story that holds its own against the vast majority of current games. Now all you have to do is manage to find a copy.

If you own the very similar Moto GP 3 you may resent coughing up cash for an incremental improvement (keep in mind the game retail for 60 bucks), but serious sim-racing fans that can overlook the minor technical issues will find a highly rewarding racing game with depth, a lot of options, and plenty of potential competition.