Only the hardest of the hardcore need send in their application for this college edition on the PS2; this year, it's next-gen or no need.

In spite of all the work that obviously went into crafting Uncharted, its gameplay comes up a bit short, turning key moments in its 8-to-10-hour run time into frustrating, repetitive slogs. Still, it's a lot of fun overall, and its cool pulp-fiction atmosphere and wildly entertaining story will keep you grinding through even when things get dull.

We jumped online on several occasions and it appears there are so few people playing online that we found the same dudes in a lobby on totally different nights. It’s little wonder though why there are so few soldiers playing; in this game, being a soldier sucks.

Even as a diversion for the younger set, this game just doesn't have any staying power.

Screwjumper is another one of those Live Arcade games that feels more like it should be a bonus mission in a more fully-realized title. And not a very good bonus mission, at that.

With its riveting story, beautiful visuals and surprisingly lifelike world, Assassin's Creed is an incredibly deep, enjoyable game that kept us addicted from beginning to bizarre end.

With its riveting story, beautiful visuals and surprisingly lifelike world, Assassin's Creed is an incredibly deep, enjoyable game that kept us addicted from beginning to bizarre end.

It still looks great on the aging hardware and accurately represents the popular anime/manga series, but the statute of limitations for similar last-gen sequels expires now - it's time for Atari to take this franchise to next-gen consoles and put some real force behind these extraordinary characters and settings.

Though the just-released Mario Party DS bests it with double the games, Wi-Fi support, and more robust single-card play, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 succeeds with style, pizzazz, and humor unlike that seen in most handheld versions of console favorites.

We were pleasantly surprised with how it drew us in and kept us going.

Sonic Rivals 2 would have been a lot more fun if the racing was more polished and there were more tracks. Instead there are too many other aspects of the game that spoil the essentials.

Contra 4 stands alone both as a game and as an anniversary package celebrating the history of the series. This is a retrospective done right and it should be considered a must-have for any DS owner out there.

One of the series’ better outings as of late. The fighting engine, while not the deepest or the most technical out there, is solid, and the whole presentation drips with style. On top of that, you can get the game in exchange for a mere likeness of Andrew Jackson.

The dungeons are well-designed, the action is well-balanced and fun, and even the characters are likeable. This is a must-have for any action-RPG fan or anyone looking for something different on the DS.

If you dig that sort of thing, Heroes 2 offers plenty of challenge, level variety and enough Nazi shooting to satisfy anyone who can deal with the controls of an FPS on a PSP. And if you don't like them, this isn't going to be the game that converts you.

Destined to line bargain bin bottoms. It has its hacking and slashing moments, but like so many movie-licensed titles, it reeks of a truncated production schedule and a too-heavy reliance on a story intended for another medium.

Destined to line bargain bin bottoms. It has its hacking and slashing moments, but like so many movie-licensed titles, it reeks of a truncated production schedule and a too-heavy reliance on a story intended for another medium.

Destined to line bargain bin bottoms. It has its hacking and slashing moments, but like so many movie-licensed titles, it reeks of a truncated production schedule and a too-heavy reliance on a story intended for another medium.

It's tough to justify paying for a tweaked version of a game you can play for free on PC, but the free one doesn't let you cast fireballs at a wight who controls an army of giant rats, so it evens out quite a bit.

In small doses, Cooking Mama 2 is perfect for players of all ages. The improvements over the first game in the series don't lead to a significantly enhanced experience, but they ensure that it's a solid package.

As cliché shooters go, Payback is no "Black," but it's not bad either. If all you're looking for is a predictable, middle-of-the-road shooter - you know, like if you just beat "Mass Effect" and want to rent a couple hours of mindless mayhem - you could do better, but you could also do a lot worse.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is overtly geared for wrestling fanatics. That fact, coupled with its ridiculously cheap price tag, will be enough for the hardcore to give it a go, but casual wrestling fans will probably tap out.

Strangers to the series interested in a new MMO won’t be as impressed with new updates and content as a seasoned EQII veteran, and will be offset by EQII’s dated appearance and design. However, EQII fans can’t go wrong with Rise of Kunark as it’s by far the best one yet.

FPS fan-boys might decide to give this one a rental, but the experience will likely be forgotten less than a day after completion.

Squad Command should please most turn-based strategy fans - specially those tiring of the Japanese RPG dominance in this category - while also offering an accessible pick-up-and-play entry for newcomers to the genre.

It still stands out as a decent music game, but it's no less shallow on the PS2, and just as easy and short.

A little longer, a lot tougher and a lot more elaborate than any of the previous episodes (except for maybe the awesome Reality 2.0), Ice Station Santa is a lot of fun while it lasts, and totally worth the nine bucks it costs to play.

Switchball is one of the finer, original Live Arcade titles to grace the service in a while, and is undeniably addicting. Even if you plan to play for just a few minutes at a time, you'll find yourself losing hours to the creative puzzles and intuitive game play.