NFL Head Coach is a decent value when considered as part of the 20th anniversary Madden NFL 09 package, but doesn't quite do enough to merit a purchase for the standalone version.

NFL Head Coach is a decent value when considered as part of the 20th anniversary Madden NFL 09 package, but doesn't quite do enough to merit a purchase for the standalone version.

A tragically missed opportunity.

A tragically missed opportunity. There are hints of an excellent Total War-style real-time tactics game married to the undeniable crazy charm of the Warhammer Fantasy universe.

Infinite Undiscovery's greatest weakness is that it feels too much like other, better JRPGs, many of which were also developed by tri-Ace. However, in a strange way, that's also its greatest strength.

Even without some of its improvements, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise would be a solid sequel, but the more user-friendly gameplay, online features, and variety make it better in nearly every way.

Mercenaries 2 is a lot of fun if you don't get bogged down by its rough-hewn minutiae and relish the simple pleasures of blowing things up.

Mercenaries 2 is a lot of fun if you don't get bogged down by its rough-hewn minutiae and relish the simple pleasures of blowing things up.

Will Wright created a monster -- and he gave it to you to develop. And now he's batting your creative genius in the head. It'll either wake up, or it won't... but whether or not you actually experience all that Galactic Adventures has to offer, you're in for a whole lot of fun along the way.

Vesperia may not deliver a totally fresh plot, but well-written character dialogue and a great combat system go a long way towards mitigating the cliches. A superior blend of style and production values, Tales of Vesperia is the best JRPG on the 360 thus far.

It may not be an easy game, but N+ is certainly addictive, and its design makes it a fantastic portable game.

It may not be an easy game, but N+ is certainly addictive, and its design makes it a fantastic portable game.

Though Disgaea 3 comes with a steep learning curve, there's so much depth to the game, both apparent and hidden, that you could literally spend thousands of hours with it. It's a niche experience, but one that's exactly what its target audience is looking for.

The biggest control-related issues arise from the system's imperfect recognition of your motions and button presses.

Deprived of a decent storyline, innovative mechanics, and limited variation in either enemies or environments, Too Human is barely worthy of a weekend rental.

There's a fair amount to like about SCT3, but its greatest weakness is that there are two other games out there that stack up extremely well against it.

It lacks depth, offers minimal incentive to continue playing past the first hour or two, and doesn't do anything with its online offerings that could convince you to neglect the countless other games that offer far richer multiplayer experiences. There's no reason to pick this one up unless you're desperate for something in the space milieu.

Although it's certainly not for everyone, Bangai-O Spirits is a well-made and extremely challenging game. It's great to see Treasure revive this title, and it works surprisingly well on the DS.

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

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

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.

SBCGfAP is packed with little extras and mini-games, although none provide more than a few minutes of diversion. The real fun is discovering all of the inside jokes from the series plastered throughout.

SBCGfAP is packed with little extras and mini-games, although none provide more than a few minutes of diversion. The real fun is discovering all of the inside jokes from the series plastered throughout.

Soulcalibur has never been broken, and while there is certainly room for some novel approaches in the fighting genre, I would argue that no game has of yet come close in terms of subtlety and inventiveness.

Soulcalibur has never been broken, and while there is certainly room for some novel approaches in the fighting genre, I would argue that no game has of yet come close in terms of subtlety and inventiveness.

Die-hard fans of the genre might be able to find some value, but those same fans would be better served by the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics A2 on the DS, which not only features superior gameplay, but is also about $30 cheaper.

It's got some wonky controls that make fairly routine gameplay tasks unnecessarily laborious, especially the annoying checkpoint system and map checking that removes you from the terror quite often.

Along with the characters, the settings have been heavily reworked too. Players move in beautiful 3D environments displayed on the top screen, with the bottom screen being mainly used for the overworld map and for smaller maps such as dungeons, mountains and castles.