A beautiful example of how Maxis' long-running series can renew itself and even become appealing to console owners. There's plenty to do, a lot to discover and even when everything is done players can decide to stick around the islands and keep tinkering.

A rare and generous package of new visuals, new gameplay, and absolutely crucial improvements to the core game. If you weren't an Age III fan before Asian Dynasties, get ready to be one now.

The controls are tighter than they are in the 360 version and you will dig the Spook Meter, but the less impressive graphics and a clunky genetic-based leveling-up system may leave you wanting.

A beautiful example of how Maxis' long-running series can renew itself and even become appealing to console owners. There's plenty to do, a lot to discover and even when everything is done players can decide to stick around the islands and keep tinkering.

Playing against a pal or three isn't truly any less repetitive and tiresome than the endless sequence of door breaches and fire-and-forget gun battles that define the single-player experience, but it's at least different enough to add some middling interest to a game with little in reserve.

There's a reason that people fell in love with Katamari Damacy a few years ago -- it's an addicting and utterly charming experience.

If you hadn't played or owned the Xbox 360 previously, you're getting a rather short, mostly entertaining table tennis game. However, for those of you who've played the 360 game, double-dipping would be a mistake. You're paying the same price the 360 version released for to get a graphically downgraded and stripped version of what was a rather exceptional 360 game.

It's important to note that there are some very solid fundamental designs at work here, and an entertaining game can be found if you have the patience to stomach the painful technical issues and the small user base that currently plagues Fury. In a best-case scenario, Fury's population would quadruple in the next six months, and with a larger community, some of the player-matching issues would clear up.

Conquest is frustrating because a true update to the original series with modern design elements and sharp graphics would be a welcome sight for any real-time strategy fan. To drop this game on the public is a low blow to anyone who remembers the old game.

The single best bargain currently available for the Wii.

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.

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.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground does a surprisingly good job of bringing the Hawk experience to the Wii.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground does exactly what most fans of the series probably expected.

If you're a Tony Hawk fan and you can't get enough of the series, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground for DS is indisputably the best of the bunch this year. It feels like the classic Hawk titles of five years ago, yet it manages to adapt some of the good elements from updated games to make a fulfilling experience.

Extra goodies aside, Flash Focus doesn't fall far from the Brain Age tree, so anyone who gets a kick out of using their DS to put their bodies and minds to the test will enjoy this.

Visually, it's probably the nicest-looking of the three NBA games. The created player progression concept works, as does the Games of the Week challenge mode. Where you may be disappointed is in the unresponsiveness of some of the controls and the lack of depth of gameplay modes -- especially the lack of a franchise mode.

The folks at SCE Studios San Diego have once again brought their A-game. They've somehow managed to cram an incredible amount of action into their fourth PSP hoops release.

Even though The Orange Box deserves accolades regarding the amount of "bang for your buck," it's really about quality here, not quantity. Aside from the fact that you're receiving five games on one disc, the craftsmanship that has gone into each of these titles rears its head with every Antlion you shoot, every high-velocity portal transfer you make, and every sentry gun you assemble.

Every game in the package is a winner, and the price makes it a no-brainer for anyone remotely interested in Half-Life or PC shooters in general.

The minute-to-minute gameplay is tried and true, and when you factor in the long-tailed character progression, well, let's just say it's a wrap. Puzzle Quest's designers are certainly onto something here.

At this point, it's a leading contender for our Multiplayer Game of the Year, and whether you pick it up as part of the Orange Box package or on its own via the Steam digital download service, it's worth every penny.

A worthy, entertaining addition to the Half-Life saga, even if it's a little more inconsistent than its predecessors. It's got plenty of the action, puzzles and set pieces that's made the series so successful to date, and that formula hasn't been tampered with.

Ine of the most unique, funny and satisfying games of 2007, and we can't wait until Valve produces more of it.

It has enough to keep any committed racing fan coming back for a good couple of months.

It has enough to keep any committed racing fan coming back for a good couple of months. Some may argue that the gameplay is dated and the lack of options is overly restrictive. Fair enough, stick to Gran Turismo. Everyone else should race, have fun, and enjoy the rally.

It's okay to be a little wary, but unlike the previous poorly conceived anime-based games you've played, this one's the real deal.

Bleach: Shattered Blade fails in many key areas. However, we'd be willing to overlook the dated graphics, horrid voice acting, wonky controls, or lack of depth if the game was one thing: fun. Hopefully Bleach diehards will enjoy it, because most players won't.