It's possible Armored Core 3 may well have offered something during the PS2 generation, but whatever relevance it might've had seven years ago - especially given its inelegant transition to the PSP - has long since passed.

Borderlands is a very entertaining shooter and a rather bland RPG. It rewards dedication with new guns and new things to shoot at, which is all kinds of fun for players who enjoy MMO-style progression. But if its charm and depth hadn’t been abandoned so quickly, it may have been absolutely brilliant.

Borderlands is a very entertaining shooter and a rather bland RPG. It rewards dedication with new guns and new things to shoot at, which is all kinds of fun for players who enjoy MMO-style progression. But if its charm and depth hadn’t been abandoned so quickly, it may have been absolutely brilliant.

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge on PS2 may not be as robust as the previous PS3 versions of MotorStorm or as handy as the PSP version of Arctic Edge (what with the being portable and all), but it’s not a bad racing game to have around if the PS2 is your only option.

The drearily straightforward structure, broken camera and mindless action make it one that even the most dedicated Marvel fan won’t find much value in.

With the long-overdue additions of a story-creation mode and an online community, SvR2010 is a massive step forward for the series’ already-rich feature set, while still continuing the steady improvement of its in-ring fundamentals.

With the long-overdue additions of a story-creation mode and an online community, SvR2010 is a massive step forward for the series’ already-rich feature set, while still continuing the steady improvement of its in-ring fundamentals.

FIFA 10 adding new dynamic dribbling to its already refined passing game is like adding Ronaldo to Chelsea. It makes a winning formula that much better. A brilliant, championship-conquering football game.

FIFA 10 adding new dynamic dribbling to its already refined passing game is like adding Ronaldo to Chelsea. It makes a winning formula that much better. A brilliant, championship-conquering football game.

Obsess over all the game’s hidden trinkets if you want, but the main course of Shop & Chop is for people that value good cooking. For us folk that cannot cook but appreciate the craft, this is a treat.

There are just enough new ideas to lure those in who’ve never cared, and just enough left alone to keep the fans happy. Pity all of the DS-minded bits drag the finished product down a notch.

With so many other notable SRPGs already out for portable consoles, Hero's Saga: Laevatein Tactics fails to emulate the magic of its forebears such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, and also fails to define itself among contemporaries like Rondo of Swords and Jeanne D'Arc. We still love classic SRPGs; it's just that at this point, Hero's Saga feels like a step back.

More than anything, Astro Boy is a great surprise for what many would assume is simply some child’s Christmas present. The Astro Boy coating is there so kids ask mommy and daddy to spend their holiday bonuses on it, but High Voltage Software felt nice enough to sneak in a fun game too. It’s like the whiskey Grandpa adds to the eggnog.

The Astro Boy coating is there so kids ask mommy and daddy to spend their holiday bonuses on it, but High Voltage Software felt nice enough to sneak in a fun game too. It’s like the whiskey Grandpa adds to the eggnog.

Lastly, and perhaps most tragically, the PlayStation 2 comes with full voiceover work for all the characters. You might think this would be a good thing – but Zak repeats his exclamations over new Cryptids so often, you find yourself wanting to choke him, and some of the subtitles appear as placeholder text. Party foul.

Secret Saturdays is for the most part an enjoyable experience for fans of the show and preteens that need something to do on their DS. The rest of us might be better off with Pokemon and Bionic Commando elements in their pure forms, however.

Matches are often intense affairs tempered by just the right mixture of strategy and luck.

Machinarium's distinct visual style and seamless animations are etched with a staggering level of detail, and few games come close to possessing the sheer beauty found here.

More than anything, Astro Boy is a great surprise for what many would assume is simply some child’s Christmas present. The Astro Boy coating is there so kids ask mommy and daddy to spend their holiday bonuses on it, but High Voltage Software felt nice enough to sneak in a fun game too. It’s like the whiskey Grandpa adds to the eggnog.

Brutal Legend won us over with its complete package: the aspects that are decidedly outside “gaminess” are its strongest and most lovable. The dialogue made us laugh, and not just a little. We cared about the characters enough to feel sad to say goodbye to them. We never got bored of exploring its world and continued to do so after completing the main story.

Brutal Legend won us over with its complete package: the aspects that are decidedly outside “gaminess” are its strongest and most lovable. The dialogue made us laugh, and not just a little. We cared about the characters enough to feel sad to say goodbye to them. We never got bored of exploring its world and continued to do so after completing the main story.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. It looks amazing, plays like a dream and the voice-acting/story-telling will hook you in right from the off. PS3 officially has it's a killer-app and a million tears are shed by 360 fanboys.

Simply put: you’d have to have a frigid, icy heart to not love this game on some level.

At its best, Half Minute Hero is equal parts love letter and roast to the beloved RPG genre with a sprinkling of pop-culture references and self deprecation. It's definitely one of the most original games we've played on the PSP even if it is a short trip.

Critter Crunch is deceptively cute and cushy, but underneath the hood it's one of the most solid puzzle experiences you'll find on the PS3.

Lucidity is an interesting experiment, a beautiful indie-flavored game and a welcome addition to Xbox Live’s crowd of old arcade game ports. Gamers who appreciate metaphor and meaning will certainly find much to enjoy here. It’s just a shame that it isn’t more fun to play.

Lucidity is an interesting experiment, a beautiful indie-flavored game and a welcome addition to the Steam and Direct 2 Drive libraries. Gamers who appreciate metaphor and meaning will certainly find much to enjoy here. It’s just a shame that it isn’t more fun to play.

While NBA Live may not be our absolute favorite portable hoops game this fall, it definitely holds its own as a worthwhile investment of $40. Yes, that’s 10 more bucks than you’ll pay for The Inside or 2K10 (something to consider, for sure), but there’s plenty to keep you busy all season long.

And yes, while 2K10 doesn’t have as many options as The Inside or NBA Live, it’s still a worthwhile handheld hoops title that deserves a look.

While it may not be the best pure basketball game you’ll ever play, it’s definitely tons of fun on many different levels. It’s also our favorite PSP hoops game of the season, which, considering how good they all are, is really saying something.

Ultimately, the repetitive gameplay and limited scope show this old mech could use a tad more oil.

Gran Turismo on PSP is not quite as slick as its PS2 or PS3 brothers and the lack of a career mode is surprising. It's clumsy at times and the quality varies immensely, but it's still a class act.

Ultimately, Valhalla Knight: Eldar Saga suffers from an overall lack of polish, as well as being an all-around boring game. Only those starved for an action RPG should think of treading the lands of Eldar. Everyone else need not apply.

If you’re not a music person, you could have fun with Live Play mode for a little while, and if you’re an audiophile, you may find yourself frustrated with the game’s limitations – but if you’re looking to compose some decent tunes for giggles, Beaterator is your game.

The action may always be on a pre-set path, but like any good rollercoaster, Dead Space Extraction gets your heart racing and adrenaline pounding even though you have no control. A far more interesting and emotional take on the light gun scene.

Building an army of rotting corpses is a blast, and it's especially satisfying to see your current tally of allies - represented by decaying zombie heads - grow along the bottom of the HUD. However, as much fun as it is to sic your pale-skinned psychos on a variety of low-level henchmen and screen-swallowing bosses, Undead Knights' flaws occasionally pull you from the fun.

It's got all the heart, some of the soul and a lot of missing plot pieces from the rest of the series, plus a unique gameplay concept. Too bad the control scheme and the camera suck.

We really, really wanted to like BCFX, as the idea of any kind of competition for EA’s NCAA monopoly is music to our ears. Sadly, BCFX simply isn’t anywhere near ready for the big time.

Mobilized cannot completely emulate its older brother and should get better at what makes it unique.

By the time you hit the halfway mark, you’ll be sick of spinning in circles.

It tries to blend the ideas of its predecessor with arcade sensibilities, and the outcome is a painful punch to the face you have to pay for.

The multiplayer modes are a welcome addition that extend play slightly. With a little patience, Ion Assault is still a solid choice for giving your thumbs a workout.

But we couldn’t shake the “I’ve been here already” déjà vu. By the time you hit the halfway mark, you’ll be sick of spinning in circles.

In many ways, Halo 3: ODST marks a bold departure from the franchise formula, with story, characters, atmosphere and multiplayer that are refreshingly, surprisingly different. Due to a short campaign and overly familiar gameplay, however, it fails to escape the “expansion pack” label.

So, unless you like condescendingly easy adventure games where the gameplay is only loosely tied to the story at best, you’re better off reading a mystery novel instead.

For anyone who purchased the game last generation, the hi-def version is definitely worth the worth the price of admission for Medieval Madness alone.

For anyone who purchased the game last generation, the hi-def version is definitely worth the worth the price of admission for Medieval Madness alone.

Even with its problematic moments, Commander’s Challenge has hours of tough and intense gameplay to offer console owners with a hankering for more Red Alert 3 action.

The 3rd Phantom moves through never-ending conversations like a Segway driving on an expressway, and the limited text speed options never alleviate the pain. Beat a battle, chug through the monotonous free time scenes, read boring dialogue (repeat this 19 times every chapter) and move onto the next battle.

But it’s short on new ideas, with a fundamental template that hasn’t changed in the last five years. And in this brave, new, post-Arkham Asylum world, we need a little more than that to be really awed.

But it’s short on new ideas, with a fundamental template that hasn’t changed in the last five years. And in this brave, new, post-Arkham Asylum world, we need a little more than that to be really awed.

In the end, we came away from Scribblenauts wondering if we had missed the point. There were a few puzzles with satisfyingly original solutions, but instead of feeling empowered by the freedom to write anything we wanted, we felt more confined by the limitations of core mechanic and the game’s lousy controls.

Ultimately, if your kids are in the 7-10 year old range, Toy Story Mania is in their wheelhouse. Savvier gamers will cringe, and the younger set will have too much difficulty with the controls and the objectives. It’s too bad, because with a few adjustments, it could’ve been something much better – and more appealing to everyone in the family.

There's a boatload of game modes to keep you busy for months, whether you're an online guy or prefer keeping to yourself. Have no doubt, though, that it's very similar to its predecessor in most ways.

Takes the winning formula of the previous games and adds many new and addictive concepts to it. A refreshing sequel bursting with charm, wit and personality.

Not everyone will love The Beatles: Rock Band, but everyone should love it, because it’s amazing. It’s everything a Beatles fan could want, and even if you’re not a fan, you may find yourself converted after a few songs.

Not everyone will love The Beatles: Rock Band, but everyone should love it, because it’s amazing. It’s everything a Beatles fan could want, and even if you’re not a fan, you may find yourself converted after a few songs.

Muramasa will stand out on Wii, shining as one more ray of inspiration to other developers who have passed on Wii for good.

Dirt 2 plunders the best bits from two great racing series to create what is essentially Colin McRae: GRID. The quality is so high, you'll wonder how your console is doing this at all, let alone so seamlessly. A racing classic that does Colin McRae's memory justice.

Dirt 2 plunders the best bits from two great racing series to create what is essentially Colin McRae: GRID. The quality is so high, you'll wonder how your console is doing this at all, let alone so seamlessly. A racing classic that does Colin McRae's memory justice.

Even fans who’ve already played through the original version should consider this re-release, since long marathons and quick bursts of gaming suit Dark Hero Days’ gameplay so much better than on a console.

Aaaaa! is a must for any self-respecting armchair thrill-junkie and one of the best indie games of the year.

Unquestionably, Section 8 is a rock-solid multiplayer game that deserves to find a strong audience. But it certainly has its faults. The underwhelming campaign, über-generic setting, mediocre graphics, and occasional frame rate loss plague this otherwise excellent experience.

The main appeal of the DS version of The Bigs 2 is that it could be a nice introduction to baseball for kids. It’s relatively easy to play, and offers up a decent bit of strategy to go along with pitching and hitting. Other than that, though, it’s an eminently forgettable slice of an otherwise stellar franchise.

There’s a definite emphasis on quantity over quality in Warriors Orochi 2, and not just in the numbers of mindless soldiers you slice through. The amount of content is frankly overwhelming if you’re one of those completist-types, and the drive to level up every character may appeal to those who have a lot of time to kill while traveling.

Despite the appearance of finesse, it’s surprising how quickly everything devolves into frantic button mashing and rote flailing.

Despite the appearance of finesse, it’s surprising how quickly everything devolves into frantic button mashing and rote flailing.

Not only a brilliantly authentic presentation of its subject matter but a tremendous game in its own right, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a big, clever and finely crafted experience which propels Rocksteady immediately into the realm of triple-A developers. This year's BioShock. That's what it is.

Not only a brilliantly authentic presentation of its subject matter but a tremendous game in its own right, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a big, clever and finely crafted experience which propels Rocksteady immediately into the realm of triple-A developers. This year's BioShock. That's what it is.

In spite of nagging camera problems and an intimidatingly complicated battle system, Dissidia is an outstanding fighter that does a fantastic job of giving Final Fantasy fans exactly what they want.

Three outstanding games (two of which are vastly enhanced with dead-on motion controls) available for the price of one. We can’t imagine a better deal on Wii this year.

The game’s blood-spilling action is balanced by strong exploratory elements and frequent plot updates.

Spot-on Wolfenstein atmosphere combines with gleefully vicious weaponry to serve up a tasty smoothie of good old-fashioned Nazi-frying. It lacks in the new idea department, but it has fun aplenty.

Spot-on Wolfenstein atmosphere combines with gleefully vicious weaponry to serve up a tasty smoothie of good old-fashioned Nazi-frying. It lacks in the new idea department, but it has fun aplenty.

Spot-on Wolfenstein atmosphere combines with gleefully vicious weaponry to serve up a tasty smoothie of good old-fashioned Nazi-frying. It lacks in the new idea department, but it has fun aplenty.

While Madden 10 is our favorite football game of this generation, it suffers from trying to do too much. We love the new gameplay engine (more, please!) but could’ve happily done without most of the presentation “improvements” that get more irritating with each game.

While Madden 10 is our favorite football game of this generation, it suffers from trying to do too much. We love the new gameplay engine (more, please!) but could’ve happily done without most of the presentation “improvements” that get more irritating with each game.

It’s not a perfect game, mind you, but it’s a breath of fresh air that reminds you how invigorating a game designed for – and not around – the Wii can be.

Since it’s plain to see that EA continues to Move Forward on the next-generation front at the expense of the last one, you should too.

We’ve seen some competent shooters on the DS in the past, but C.O.R.E. barely fits the “competent” category. It works (more or less), and some will enjoy it, but its flaws are just too frustrating. With several other, better FPSes already on the DS, there just isn't much reason to go for C.O.R.E.

Our disgust was solidified near the end of the six-hour campaign, as the PS2 version's final boss fight is astonishingly cut short to insert an hour-plus of new fetch quests. We understand padding the game a bit, but lazily dumping these bland challenges within seconds of what should have been the conclusion shows a total disregard for the players who slogged through hours of sloppy programming to get to that point. And if the developer doesn't care, neither should we.

But as long as you're cool with the low-frills nature of the experience, the action in Real Heroes: Firefighter is unlike anything else on the Wii - which alone may be worth it for some.

‘Splosion Man’s many humorous moments and generally pleasant silliness counteracts stage design that doesn’t really offer enough visual variety through the game’s 50 levels.

The game isn’t great, but its much better than you’d expect, and certainly worth the purchase if you’re buying it for a youngster.

If you have any love for the little rodents left once you’re done, go ahead and buy G-Force for your home console. Otherwise, wait until the game inevitably finds its way into the bargain bin, and then pick it up if you’re curious.

If you have any love for the little rodents left once you’re done, go ahead and buy G-Force for your home console. Otherwise, wait until the game inevitably finds its way into the bargain bin, and then pick it up if you’re curious.

G-Force for the PSP takes away any joy that might come from being a super-spy guinea pig and leaves a lousy, repetitive grind.

Though Badman is insidiously difficult, there’s something about its quirky humor, cutesy retro aesthetic, cool monster ecosystem, and addictive tunnel building gameplay that drew us back repeatedly for round after round of punishment.

You’ll find all the standard deathmatch and team options available alongside a few unique modes.

Ultimately, it’s a niche title that won’t bring any new fans to the cycling table - and doesn’t even try to.

There are plenty of other features to sink your teeth into, of course, including the return of online dynasties, a nationwide “meta” stats aggregator called Season Showdown, and an updated Road to Glory mode allowing you to take a created high school prospect through a college career. You won’t lack for things to do, that’s for sure.

To be sure, NCAA Football 10 is less about major on-field adjustments, and more about expanding the game’s universe. An ambitious list of new options headlines this year’s effort, and most are welcome additions that’ll make you think twice before trading it in the day Madden hits stores.

While we’ve got a small list of complaints – you get no instant replays, pitches are tough to pick up in Home Run pinball, and the commentary gets repetitive really quickly – they don’t really impact the overall awesomeness that is The BIGS 2. In fact, it’s our favorite baseball game of the season, even if it’s really just an action game dressed up in pinstripes.

While we’ve got a small list of complaints – you get no instant replays, pitches are tough to pick up in Home Run pinball, and the commentary gets repetitive really quickly – they don’t really impact the overall awesomeness that is The BIGS 2. In fact, it’s our favorite baseball game of the season, even if it’s really just an action game dressed up in pinstripes.

It’s our favorite baseball game of the season, even if it’s really just an action game dressed up in pinstripes.

We’re absolutely in love with The BIGS 2 on consoles, but just don’t feel it on the PSP. It could’ve and should’ve had more to do, especially in the multiplayer arena. When it comes to baseball on the small screen, you’re better off sticking with the sublime Show.

An aggressively mediocre FPS. Any decent ideas suffer from bad design decisions, and so the shallow multiplayer is a hollow experience that even the most hardcore Frank Castle follower will want to skip.

Even if you’re just itching for something different, you should try it out for the novelty alone: it uses the DS’s capabilities in a fun and unique way, even if it’s a few steps away from being a true classic.