The one major area where European Assault fails to deliver is on the multiplayer side of things. While there are plenty of cool gametypes, from old standards like Deathmatch to some interesting objective-based games, the only way you can play with friends is on a single TV.

The controls don't feel like they're adequate enough to stand up to the fast-paced action that the CPU or a multiplayer opponent can deliver.

Multiplayer is where the game takes a big hit when compared to the PSP version of The Show.

Perhaps the largest impediment in Call to Power II is the build tree, which would more accurately be described as the "build pick-up-sticks."

Drives a stake through the heart most license-based games, but it still falls short of being a top-shelf title due to some sluggish controls and framerate trouble.

Scary fun, but some control issues and uneven puzzles make it less fun than its predecessors.

What's truly surprising, given how atmospheric Relic's Homeworld was, is just how lame the story and ambience of Impossible Creatures turned out to be.

While it could have been a more inspired finale, the multiplayer aspect makes up for the single-player shortcomings. The aging engine has been used for all its worth.

While it shares many common flaws found in the genre, Siren is the most innovative (and scary) survival-horror title we've seen in a while.

Despite the beefed up single-player game, Drive's lack of online play keeps it from taking top honors from "Sega Sports' NBA 2K3."

Despite its kooky issues and demoralizing difficulty, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 has totally succeeded in becoming our go-to game for the PSP. Its huge world and endless supply of items and doodads are more than enough to occupy a player for months.

I can really only think of one down side to Serious Sam -- it costs $40. This is a game that provides hours of good, stupid fun, sure, but that just seems a bit steep for a game that's neither particularly novel nor very long from start to finish.

Forgive its design and technical shortcomings and you'll be in for a treat -- let them bother you and you're in for a frustrating ride.

SOE tried, and failed, to straddle the line between action game and MMO. Think Crackdown -- but with all of the concessions, limitations, and annoyances of a mediocre massively multiplayer game.

Shortcomings aside, we harken back to our Vince Carter analogy. Carter's star is fading, and the "next-gen" is already here in D-Wade, 'Bron and Melo. The PS2 version of 2K8 faces a similar challenge.

It'll be a buzzer-beater between this and "NBA Live '06" to determine PSP hoop honors. NBA '06 does a lot right, and offers a slew of options. There are minor glitches to be found, but nothing we'd term a game killer.

The game makes it feel like maybe too much time hasn't passed since the 16-bit days, while somehow still seeming to be a completely competent entry onto the latter-day PS2's stage.

The big reason for diehard Warriors fans to pick up Samurai XL obviously lies in its four new characters. Yep. Four. That's pretty pathetic compared to the nine added to "Dynasty 3 XL" (and even though "Dynasty 4 XL" featured no new warriors, its fun new gameplay modes compensated nicely).

If you're new to the franchise and don't mind spending some quality hours shopping for mech legs, shields, and shoulder-mounted missile launchers, you'll have a game that'll keep you busy for a long time.

One big advantage that the PSP version has over its console big brothers is that it allows you to use Ad Hoc to trade your custom coasters and racecar tracks.

While The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe does have some issues with the A.I. not being smart enough to help you out when you most need it, it's not bad enough to make this a totally horrible game.

Divested of any real spark, Tokobot runs out of steam quickly, mires itself in mediocrity, and never manages to rise above it.

It's arguable that Capture the Enemy is worth the price of admission, being one of the brightest additions to the series in a long time. But considering the ratio of great to mediocre content, you should think twice before parting with the $30.

The movement and timing puzzles that make up the bulk of the gameplay can be tedious and frustrating, but completion of a mission always brings a rewarding sense of accomplishment.

As a whole, Core has once again stepped off the beaten path to give a gameplay experience that few other games can touch.

I love Battlegrounds for the same reason I love arcade-style sports games; it exploits the aspects of its source material that make for great design, and throws the rest out.

In spite of its solid online multiplayer, good video editor, and fun arcade game, the overall experience can't rise to the level of the game's great predecessors.

If anything, the integration of posing like show characters to unleash their powers will have DBZ haters grinding their teeth louder and longer than they would for the PS2 version. Certainly, the actual fighting mechanic is just as so-so as it was there.