We can definitely see aspirations of greatness here, so it's too bad Toy Shop is so unpolished overall.

The World Ends With You is an amazing marriage of style and gameplay. The dual screen combat further stretches what the DS can achieve in gaming that is far from a lame gimmick.

If you're after a challenging and engaging game that'll reward you with a huge well of gameplay with polished style, and - we'll just say it - you're not afraid to nerd out, Persona 3 FES is an all around quality title that it'd be a shame to miss.

Charm can only go so far in interactive experiences, and in Battle of the Bands, it's not quite far enough.

The newest Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games are perfect for players that adore Pokemon, love the grinding gameplay of dungeon crawling games, but would prefer a watered down version.

The newest Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games are perfect for players that adore Pokemon, love the grinding gameplay of dungeon crawling games, but would prefer a watered down version.

The game’s characters look like poorly-drawn imitations of the classic cartoons, feeling like cheap flash games than any sort of licensed imagery.

This is a rather sluggish shooter that demands a real love of the old arcade cabinet to really get excited over. But it is a nice trip down memory lane, still extremely playable, features some nice multiplayer options, and the enhanced mode is actually nice to look at and fun to play.

If you're really into strategy role-playing games, and if you can tolerate the low budget sights and sounds, you may enjoy Rondo of Swords.

Unfortunately, we just can’t recommend the Wii version as the best playing Okami even though it's "newer."

While there’s plenty we’d like to see fleshed out (especially the skimpy single-player modes and badly out-of-date rosters), it’s a more-than-welcome effort that does right by the DS platform.

Delivers the quality, and its mix of accessible, over-the-top anime silliness and deep technical fighting put it in a comfortable niche between games like Super Smash Bros. and King of Fighters.

Proves that they had planned out this season’s overarching story line with an unassumingly meticulous style. Even the smallest throwaway from previous episodes makes sense in the end.

The spiritual follow-up [to "Radiant Silvergun", Ikaruga, is arguably just as good, if not better than its predecessor. And now, we get another chance to experience it, this time in glorious high-definition.

Baroque is obviously one of the most hardcore RPGs you're ver going to find, a real level-grinder.

It takes a certain type of person to plunge into a deep and randomly generated dungeon, but if you’re that type, Baroque is a very satisfying plunge.

Our biggest beef with Volume 2 is the lack of online play (the Japanese version offered it, but cost more). Also, the absence of any sort of bonus content feels like a glaring omission.

Mr. Driller on Live Arcade also marks the first time players can go online and compete or cooperate in a couple of different gaming modes. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the online play is spotty at best, suffering from lag and other issues to the point that it’s unplayable most of the time.

Even if the storyline is somewhat intriguing and the battles (eventually) excite, sitting through one lengthy dialogue tree after the other while alchemists-in-training spout empty phrases about homework diminishes the experience.

Octomania is definitely less accessible than say, Dr. Mario or Tetris, but its infectious charm won us over and assuaged a lot of our initial control-related frustrations. From its upbeat theme song, to its offbeat characters, everything about Octomania’s presentation had us wanting to play more.

If you have a modicum of gaming ability, the challenge is simply non-existent for dozens of levels. You’ll simply be going through the motions. Even casual gamers may find TiQal a bit too forgiving for a bit too long. It’s almost too casual.

For hardcore fans, the deep options and completely unique factions will be a revelation. For newbies, it will be a graduation.

Ugly, last-gen visuals further dampen the fear factor. Muddy textures and low poly counts cause scenery and monsters to blend together into a murky mess.

Ugly, last-gen visuals further dampen the fear factor. Muddy textures and low poly counts cause scenery and monsters to blend together into a murky mess.

Ugly, last-gen visuals further dampen the fear factor. Muddy textures and low poly counts cause scenery and monsters to blend together into a murky mess.

The crazy, flashy fights are still as addictive as ever, and all of the little changes and improvements do ultimately render the previous installment obsolete by comparison.

Give credit to Opoona for trying to wedge a lot of new ideas into its paper thin premise, but the half baked 'lifestyle' elements can't hide the fact that it's a very simplistic and ultimately uninteresting RPG.

It's a short ride, but like any quality roller coaster, it'll rattle your senses and challenge your reflexes. On DS, Dragon Sword has no equal, no fitting comparison, and for that we applaud Team Ninja.

The simplicity and the gambling factor of the DMW are what make the gameplay so appealing. It’s fast, easy, addictive and perfectly suited to a portable experience.

WWII Aces is a decent title that is meant to be played cooperatively. So long as you have another friend close by, the $40 shouldn't sting your wallet too much.

Even Guitar Hero III, which publisher Activision is milking like a heifer that squirts fine vintage wine instead of calcium-rich cow juice, boasts more than 40 tracks. There should be more here, period.

If you played a previous Lost in Blue and just couldn’t get enough, this will certainly satisfy your craving. If you weren’t too into the last one, this entry is basically more of the same (and even a near-remake in most respects) with a few extra features thrown in, so you won’t be finding some revolutionary new direction for the series.

In fact, for casual Warriors players, it may even be better to have not played the first game, as the main game probably will make you less likely to want to play the new, but not all that different, content.

The lack of map variety hurts Chariots more than a similar paucity has hurt previous episodes, because Chariots is, overall, a bit slow.

Such a half-hearted attempt.

Kids who liked "Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party" will surely like this as well because it's almost the same game in a different wrapper. But older gamers will most likley want to let this one pass.

If you like keeping a roomful of people shouting at the TV, it's not a bad investment at all.

Those seeking the goofy humor and weird puzzles you wax nostalgic about, Insecticide could possibly scratch your adventuring itch. Just be prepared to split that 50/50 with ho-hum action sequences.

Unrelenting difficulty aside, Nanostray 2 for the Nintendo DS is a top-notch shoot-'em-up that will give you your money's worth.

The battle system, however complicated, works - but it's just not that fun, and the sense of savage satisfaction that comes from finally winning a battle after numerous failures isn't enough to make up for the frustration.

In spite of all the sacrifices and questionable design decisions, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is still a decent game, especially if you don't have the superior PSP version to compare it to.

This collection presents something of a quandary; there's no doubt this is a fantastic package and perfectly-priced, and a must-buy for video game historians, fighting game collectors, and fans of the franchise. But the years haven't been kind to Ryoko, Janne, and the other second-rate "stars."

From the digital-crack gameplay to the ocean-deep customization to the enjoyable Subspace Emissary, it's completely jam-packed with Nintendo love. The sights, the sounds, everything is an unfiltered pat on the back and incessant in-joke for longtime fans. For everyone else, it's a dependably solid fighter that destroys its predecessor in every way.

The developers clearly realized that they had something special going and require online play if you want to unlock all 12 achievements.

It’s either: awful, unfinished, broken and completely unworthy of your time and attention.

Chains is short for a GoW title, taking us about six and a half hours to complete on normal difficulty. True, the unlockable difficulty levels, challenge modes and goofy bonus costumes give it more longevity than that, but another level or two wouldn't have hurt. That said, Chains is still an impressive piece of work.

Basically, anybody looking to build and maintain an imperialistic empire on their Nintendo DS should get this game.

Bully's still a captivating, cartoonish adventure that packs a ton of activity into its deceptively small world, and it's still a lot of fun to run around dodging prefects and thwacking preppies with a slingshot.

Bully's still a captivating, cartoonish adventure that packs a ton of activity into its deceptively small world, and it's still a lot of fun to run around dodging prefects and thwacking preppies with a slingshot.

Eco-Creatures has a good core theme, cute characters, an interesting level editor and an hour or two of fun in it. Otherwise, its muddled approach to real-time strategy and mixed messages make it a gimmicky game that doesn’t quite succeed the way it was intended.

There are only six minigames included on the disc. Six. Granted, Wii Sports and Wii Play don't cram 'em in either, and everybody loves those, but $40 for six minigames still feels like a rip.

Shamefully sparse.

It’s not often that competing sports franchises do an about-face from one year to the other, but this season it’s clear that The Show has surged past MLB 2K8 in almost every aspect.

Just about as good as baseball can get on the PS2, and will no doubt keep fans happy for many months. Between the franchise, Road To The Show, and online modes, it’s packed with top-notch gameplay that rivals the best we’ve seen.

Silky smooth gameplay, solid controls, a stellar single-player campaign, and a fully realized online component all combine to deliver a Hall of Fame experience.

We're also sure the majority of today's gamers will find it nasty, plodding, and archaic.

While the puzzles are usually entertaining, the fact that the same question can pop up over and over again regardless of a right or wrong answer previously is somewhat annoying, especially when we kept getting it wrong, with no help as to what was the right answer.

Of the game’s 100 levels, the majority are either totally uninspired or ridiculously difficult.

A game you'll mostly just play online (if you can find anyone) or with up to four players locally (since only one copy of the UMD is required). That's nice, but if everyone's in the same room already, why wouldn't you play the board game instead?

We were so ready to fall in love with 2K’s take on major league baseball again this year, but we just can’t get past the depressing drop in visual fidelity.

We were so ready to fall in love with 2K’s take on major league baseball again this year, but we just can’t get past the depressing drop in visual fidelity.

While we would've loved a smoother and more expansive experience, what is here is great for the casuals and tolerable for the hardcore. Let's hope it's the start of bigger things to come.

While "MLB 08 The Show" has stolen our hearts, MLB 2K8 demands respect - and a little love too.

MLB 2K8 is more of an obligatory title than a passionately crafted offering, and it feels like it most of the time.

Not only is the overall presentation forgettable, it's relentlessly so.

Despite the enjoyment of slinging bad guys around like giant wrecking balls, Triggerheart's indecisive difficulty, average looks and short length render it a bad choice for any but the most devoted shooter fans.

Turning Point's minimalist approach to everything - from its stale levels and sticky controls to its thin plot and absent character development - killed what could've been a really unique and engaging shooter and will disappoint hardcore fans of the genre across the board.

Turning Point's minimalist approach to everything - from its stale levels and sticky controls to its thin plot and absent character development - killed what could've been a really unique and engaging shooter and will disappoint hardcore fans of the genre across the board.

Turning Point's minimalist approach to everything - from its stale levels and sticky controls to its thin plot and absent character development - killed what could've been a really unique and engaging shooter and will disappoint hardcore fans of the genre across the board.

The fighting is fast-and-furious enough to keep Naruto nuts occupied for a good while, especially if two friends make it a point to jam together, but we still think they should've included a character building mode and online play through Nintendo's WFC service.

Free Time is more a gap filler than anything else. It gives a few more things to do and smoothes some rough edges, but there’s a sense that EA is playing out the string here.

But let everyone, regardless of skill level, have the tables you’ve written on the back of the box with no strings attached. They paid for them.

But let everyone, regardless of skill level, have the tables you’ve written on the back of the box with no strings attached. They paid for them.

Give us more unlockables like the mirror mode and different ball graphics – those are bonus items we don’t mind working to get. But let everyone, regardless of skill level, have the tables you’ve written on the back of the box with no strings attached. They paid for them.

Various lures like to be jerked and jiggled at different speeds, but it’s still pretty easy for any gamer to pick up and start snagging bass in only a few minutes.

Today, with so many able competitors on the market, we just can't recommend sparse, shallow collections with slow load times and GBA-level visuals. Whether you're looking to train your brain or just play some minigames, there are simply better options out there than Brain Assist.

So the game play isn't new or innovative - in fact fans of the series will find it to be a little too similar to the first two to be truly 'new.' But the one liners - the one liners almost make up for it. At one point we were laughing so hard we missed the police shooting at us and died, having to 'start over.'

N+ may not look like much, but it’s fun and addictive.

A racing game without speed is just plain pointless.

There's just not much to do. The story is dull, the game is short, the voiceovers are horrible and - thanks to the on-rails mechanic - there's nothing to explore. The gameplay is there, but with a total lack of depth, most gamers will get bored in about two hours (if they haven't succumbed to carpal tunnel by then).

Apollo Justice delivers the same winning formula we've come to expect, throws in some refreshing new twists, and leaves us satisfied yet still eager to see where the story will go.

There are a ton of fine shooters hitting shelves this year that are good enough to go down in history. It would be a shame to waste your money paying full price for this heap, which instead takes history down with it.

The best thing to say about Dynasty Warriors 6 is that it's an easy way to kill quite a few hours, but that doesn't make it particularly good.

The best thing to say about Dynasty Warriors 6 is that it's an easy way to kill quite a few hours, but that doesn't make it particularly good.

It’s nothing revolutionary or even particularly interesting or compelling, but it’s not broken either. Those bored and desperate for an RPG fix can give this title a shot.

Basically, they're hoping Wii owners will pay full price for the same poorly contrived mash-up of driving and minigames that's been collecting dust in the PS2, PSP, and Xbox 360 bargain bins for a while now.

Cutting straight to the chase, instead of driving aimlessly in search of an event miles away, was good for consoles, and it’s all the better here on the PSP.

It’s nothing revolutionary or even particularly interesting or compelling, but it’s not broken either. Those bored and desperate for an RPG fix can give this title a shot.

An interesting blast from the past, but much like the visuals of the original film, it really doesn’t hold up over time.

A fun, supremely-playable game that can and will be enjoyed even by those who aren’t hardcore strategy fans.

All signs point to Jumper: Griffin's Story being a by-the-numbers, quickly assembled cash-in, but selecting poor, early-gen original Xbox brawlers as the template was a grave mistake. Those games at least made us chuckle; Jumper only makes us wince.

A boring, unrefined, too-short brawler that you'll forget the second you eject the disc. We've already gone blank; what were we talking about?

A boring, unrefined, too-short brawler that you'll forget the second you eject the disc. We've already gone blank; what were we talking about?

If you’re patient with plot, love your amnesiac protagonists and get aroused at the thought of having to keep two saves so you can reroll a character if need be, Lost Odyssey has your name written all over it.

Assuming you don't have a strong aversion to seeing vampires walk around with their thumbs dangling lazily from their nipple rings, you can't really go wrong with this.

Just don’t expect to do well against the seemingly impossible programmed computer opponents.

It's crap. It’s like Crazy Taxi’s-not-quite-ready-to-hang-with-the-grown-ups little brother, complete with bad hair and pimples.

Mental deficiencies aside, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is an enjoyable game with a wonderfully-written storyline. So few games succeed at making us exercise our brains; you’d be blockheads not to give this one a go.