Executing killer spins, tricky drop shots and monster rallies makes Table Tennis a cult-worthy game that breeds unhealthy competition.

The actors (not from the film cast) sound utterly bored throughout their lengthy speeches; the only thing that trumps the highly questionable French accents is a guy who actually says "woof woof" on behalf of a virtual dog.

It's decent at first, but after a few hours of disarming endless bombs, slaying ninjas and flinging ice everywhere, you'll just want to power down the console and go see the movie instead.

You could probably leech out a weekend's worth of so-so gaming, and at 30 bucks, you'll still have plenty of cash to check out the upcoming film. It's bound to be more exciting than this.

But it's all so damn repetitive, you'll be too bored to see this through.

The actors (not from the film cast) sound utterly bored throughout their lengthy speeches; the only thing that trumps the highly questionable French accents is a guy who actually says "woof woof" on behalf of a virtual dog.

You're getting a completely solid solo game, a simple-but-exciting two-player, and then a collection of super-quick stylus games - that's real value.

Exactly what anyone craving an eclectic director's cut of Rise of Nations could want, and just as playable, thanks in part to three well-balanced antagonists. If it's not terribly inventive, well, there's always "Rise of Nations 2," right?

Our only real gripe is that the weapon selection is meager; a pistol, a shotgun and a submachine gun fill out your arsenal.

For the time being, we'd rather play Ballers than EA's "NBA Street," and that's really all you need to know.

Even for kids, Over the Hedge is absurdly frustrating with its busted camera and indoctrinating logo-storm.

A classy, clean implementation of an old favorite that feels instantly comfortable - and, amazingly enough, at 400 points ($5), it costs about three clams less than a real deck of Unocards.

Oh, you'll hear plenty of Diablo comparisons, and we loved the big D six years ago, but hopefully you've moved on since, because this "role-playing-made-love-to-a-strategy-game" hybrid certainly has.

GRAW may be too realistic for gamers that prefer arcadey, twitchy shooters. Its gritty realism and requirement for a methodical approach borders on obsessive-compulsive. For players who appreciate a "thinking man's shooter," it simply cannot be missed.

The game isn't especially long but it's reasonably entertaining, even when you can hear the misfires going on behind the monitor. It's good - it just isn't as good as it should be.

Gallop Racer 2006 would be more fun if its presentation weren't so overwhelmingly confusing and its races so surprisingly difficult: it's a nasty combo.

And with no monthly fees, Guild Wars Factions serves as an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with the MMORPG genre or Guild Wars series.

The Hustle might aim to be an affordable budget diversion, but even a bargain price can't make this deeply flawed game worth buying.

Until you've cleared route A in under four minutes you can never truly say that you've lived.

Online play only sweetens the deal, making this one of the best, easily-accessible racers on any system.

Metal Saga has ... a few one-liners. It possesses no traits to make it stand out among the current role-playing crop - or even the bulk of RPGs from a decade ago. Let this clunker rust.

It plays to the DS' strengths, and when it all clicks, it's a lot of fun. Just be prepared to brute force your way through a lot of frustrating misfires if you decide to go for it.

Everything's so crisp and workable that it's hard not to just smile and deal with all the little problems that try to bring the game down.

The live-action cinemas that narrate the game's passable storyline are a cheesy, unnecessary addition, but the truth remains that for modern-era aerial action, there's no substitute for Ace Combat.

The presentation of Project Poseidon also leaves much to be desired, with awkward and simplistic texturing, not to mention some downright asinine vocals.

If the control wasn't so sloppy and loose, Total Destruction could easily have been a much better game. As it stands, this is just like every previous entry.

The biggest disappointment is the sheer lack of innovation in the game engine and graphics. Yes, the shooting mechanic is a little different, but for the most part the gameplay is the same as the last few FIFA games.

Even on the Xbox 360, the only major improvement seems to be in the graphics, which aren't as big an upgrade over the Xbox and PS2 versions as they could be.