There are enough gameplay modes available here to appeal to any basketball fan, whether it be the competitive head-to-head fan, the franchise-loving simulation freak, or even those who can't get enough over-the-top streetball action.

While folks new to the license will undoubtedly be disappointed in the unmanageable controls and cheesy voice acting, die-hard fans of the series will not be terribly surprised by the subpar elements.

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 just isn't as relaxing, with its frustrating mini-games and flawed core game mechanics. There's still plenty of eye-candy to be had, but if you're looking for anything more, you may want to pass.

Without question, however, Echoes of Faydwer seems to be paving the way for the EQII of tomorrow, and that is no small feat. If you've been curious about the game, this is without a doubt the best place to start.

One of the most entertaining and fulfilling experiences available for the Xbox 360...There are countless ways you can design a garden, and countless ways to enjoy the game.

Exactly what a retro games compilation should be: a celebration of gaming's roots that puts an era in context and preserves it for future generations. And at a mere twenty bucks MSRP, you're virtually guaranteed to get your money's worth.

I'm smitten with Gears of War and all its glorious, horrific violence, blood and anarchy. Move over Master Chief, 'cause Marcus Fenix will kick your bony ass all over town.

I've been reviewing PC games since 1999 and playing them since the late 1980s, and this is the first time I've had to jump through this many hoops to get a single game going.

A strange beast. While the visuals and sounds are immaculate, I quickly found that after a few hours of playing -- including messing around in all the different modes -- I was a little bored. There was simply too much repetition involved.

I realized Project 8 was playing like an updated version of the original Pro Skater series. Hardcore fans will likely bemoan the simplicity of the game, but it does allow amateurs to enjoy the experience more.

There's a lot of level grinding to get stats up, and while Neversoft has implemented challenges for all sorts of skill types, it's an experience that might prove too tedious for some. Also, the ergonomics of the 360 D-pad really work against this title.

A solid sendoff for the console that made it great. Just be sure to bring a few friends with you when you sign up for this tour of duty.

Games like "Shinobi III," "Phantasy Star IV" and "Gain Ground" are worth the cost of admission alone. While a real Genesis console can offer a better-looking and sounding experience, Sega Genesis Collection is the next best thing.

Sure, Digimon World DS isn't the most original game out there, but it's still a pretty fun title.

It's everything good about videogames in one package, forever encouraging you to play "one more song!" until it's 3AM and the neighbors are yelling for you to turn down that racket.

As representations of the End Times go, this one's about as scary as a Sunday school play (and not as well written).

Tony Hawk's Project 8 takes the series back to its roots, and feels like a way to introduce a new generation of gamers to the skating world.

What action there is proves solid and enjoyable, even despite the tossed-off nature of the single-player campaign. But the four-player limit severely hobbles the scope of the matches, and the lack of Internet play completely sabotages the game's multiplayer ambitions.

The Sequencer mode is a welcome addition to the series, although it still feels like it isn't fully realized. Ultimately, however, if you love Lumines, it's a safe bet that this new edition should be a new addition to your PSP library.

If "wacky," "quirky," or "freaking bizarre" turn you off, you may not pick up what this game is laying down, but unless you have something against having fun, you really ought to try.

1701 A.D. seems to have struck a nice balance between strategic depth and user friendliness. The game's challenging mix of building management and trading presents a truly enjoyable challenge.

Ultimately, if you have plenty of time to sink into it and enjoy building characters as much as uncovering storyline, this is one of the best games available today.

It's refreshing to see an original portable game, but Scurge: Hive has some serious problems; mainly, the obnoxious time limit and frustrating enemy fights.

With its weak story, dull combat, and host of annoyances, Children of Mana just isn't very much fun to play. Multiplayer can be enjoyable, but most of the time players will be going solo, and will be quite bored doing so. The game as a whole just feels pointless.

The game looks great, sounds great, has great writing, offers a lengthy and satisfying journey, has a great technical element and engaging sword-swinging and spell-slinging. It would be difficult to find a game out there with better production values, or that meets its goals so successfully while still introducing new ideas and innovations.

Just like its acclaimed spiritual predecessors, the game is wholly engrossing and begs to be explored. Rare is a game with such meaningful and varied character development, and the plethora of options available will guarantee that many players will want to indulge in its experience from the point of view of several different types of characters.

Bringing a friend along is probably not such a bad idea, because Killzone: Liberation will sprain your thumbs with its difficulty level.

With so much going on at once, you'll occasionally lose track of your character (especially during four-player matches), but you'll probably be having too much fun to notice much.