As a "my first graphic adventure," it works pretty well, with some unique puzzles and some interesting characters to get involved with. Veterans of the genre, however, will come away wanting more.

For all it does with innovations in HUD, career mode, and vehicle unlocking, multiplayer is a bit underwhelming.

The inclusion of the ridiculously over-the-top mini-games instantly helps this game move ahead of the pack, and the online action is highly entertaining.

Despite these issues, all the elements are in place for Brink to become a terrific multiplayer shooter. It handles well, offers customization options galore, and challenges FPS players to do more than just pull the trigger.

Honestly, we still prefer Most Wanted to ProStreet even though ProStreet offers significantly improved tire smoke that actually wraps around the wheel wells of your car, because Most Wanted had cops that chased us and provided a really compelling reason to drive as fast as humanly possible.

It's interesting that in this batch of baseball games, the owners of current-gen systems, specifically Xbox and PS2 owners, end up getting the more stable, and ultimately more enjoyable version of this game.

If you can put up with some repetition and the simplicity of the management system, you'll enjoy yourself. Most of the mini-games are quite a bit of fun, too, and they make for some good multiplayer sessions.

Although the single-player game is lacking, the same thankfully can't be said about the multiplayer, which is just as strong as ever.

The game's action is unquestionably fun and a pleasure to watch, but a plethora of minor flaws add up to nearly counteract the off-road ecstasy.

This game is simply a heck of a lot of fun to play with a friend.

The worst, and most important thing about F1 Career Challenge, is the jerky handling I mentioned earlier. It takes about an hour of game time to get acclimated to it. Even after that, the cars are nearly impossible to drive smoothly, and it never really feels like you are in total control.

While No Man's Land may not offer the depth of Microsoft/Ensemble's "Age of"... games, it's still a good value, with lots of gameplay and eye candy along the way.

All video games should be like this [La-Z-Boy]: built so well that you never want to stop playing them. Unfortunately for Turbo Turtle Adventure, I just don't feel that way.

Bomberman fans aren't in for anything really new with Bomberman Jetters, but it's hard to knock yet another faithful adaptation of one of gaming's most successful gameplay formulas.

It's very derivative, and beyond a few puzzles requiring you to use all four characters in tandem, there's not a lot that's new here. At the same time, it's mostly enjoyable while it lasts.

Even with its foibles, it's a darn good time. It makes you want to play again. It continually induces high-stress profanity. It forces you to improve -- and with time, you do.

The racing isn't as deep as it could have been, and the game's race-first, shoot-second design keeps the player from making full use of all the armaments at your disposal.

It's hard to really bash NHL 2K9 other than to say it's a little bit of hockey-lite. "NHL 09" offers more realism and gets our nod for overall long-term value.

It's not that the game has the wrong songs, but that it has so few of them. For $60, you can't help but feel a little cheated when all you get is Guitar Hero III with a light coat of paint and barely half the songs.

It might not be as deep as its PC counterpart, but it's perfect for console gamers, who are generally looking for a more casual experience. By the end, my buddy was living the high life, and I was actually proud that my Urb was finally one of the popular kids.

It doesn't quite make do on its promise of being a hybrid platform/puzzle/action racer, but it does enough things right to make it worth checking out.

Two thumbs way down... The graphics left a lot to be desired, the interface was painful and the storyline pretty weak.

.hack does not end triumphantly. A year ago I was optimistic; now I'm just looking forward to playing something -- <I>anything</I> -- else.

Given the lack of single-player modes and the simple fighting engine, it's hard to recommend Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes to anyone who isn't currently wearing a Naruto headband.

The poor frame-rate combined with the shoddy online play and the occasional system lock-ups drag the game down into mediocrity. And that's a terrible shame for Xbox 360 owners who really have no other choice but to wait for an update from 2K Sports.

Nothing's truly new or captivating here. It feels like a half-hearted cash-in designed to prey on our nostalgia, not unlike Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled. It's nothing but a curiosity, fun for the few minutes prior to the realization of just how badly Excitebike has aged.

There are three AI settings, but 'easy' is little more than an excuse to explore the game types without any real competition. 'Medium' and 'hard' pit you against 'way too hard' and 'next to impossible' opponents, respectively.

The pace is quick, the visuals pleasant and the writing as tight as its television counterpart.