While not perfect, it's immensely playable and just a bit more fun than its rival. Who woulda thunk it?

While not perfect, it's immensely playable and plenty of fun.

Hardcore hoopsters will likely scoff at the lack of full-body control that awaits, but there's no doubt that EA has done a pretty decent job making a square peg fit in a round hole; heck, getting any basketball game to work with the Wii controls is an accomplishment.

It's not even close to just being a roster update to last season's title. We love it, and who knows…maybe notching that three-NBA-title accomplishment won't be so ridiculous after all.

The game - or string of small games connected only through common characters - is only worth dabbling in for the humor and bourgeois rock and roll attitude of it all.

Hard Evidence is so fast there’s something satisfying in flying through a game in one sitting, especially considering you’ll probably unlock all 1,000 Achievement points along the way just for staying on task.

If this truly is the end for our old friend, it ain't the way we'd want to see anyone go out. We all deserve better.

The single player is bigger and brawnier than anything that's been attempted on a console before. The multiplayer, which already shadowed the competition, has improved to the point of ridiculousness. The new features - Forge, Saved Films, Coop - are frighteningly addictive. And if you don't like any of that, you're always welcome to edit it until you do.

If you’re looking for a challenging mystery adventure, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a 5-6 hour distraction, Hard Evidence is the game for you.

With its ability to attract new gamers, the Wii is a perfect home for Hottest Party, which may be the most mainstream-friendly series entry in years.

Modern action games are expected to be stylish, thrilling, customizable, and visually compelling, and Dragon Blade comes up wildly short in most regards. There's surely a market for titles that feature punishingly difficult, fast-paced battles and little else, but most gamers will likely tire of this drab experience long before the final battle.

What's here is well polished, and it works. Much like a favorite food, the DDR series has settled into a comfortable groove. Perhaps the next outing will be a bit more daring.

If you loved sinking hundred of hours into earlier NIS strategy-RPGs, you’ll still find plenty to enjoy in Soul Nomad. If, however, you’re new to the genre, we recommend picking up "Disgaea" instead. While Soul Nomad has its entertaining moments, it doesn’t quite meet the bar the previous games have set.

It retains a base level of playability that is so often lacking from similar titles, but that's only because its myriad parts range from poor to horrifying in nature. Need we really say more?

It is surprisingly fun, challenging and addictive despite its near terminally cute premise.

[An] incredibly fresh and successful take on skating controls, as well as a wide-open city with six-player online options (we liked the Deathraces and the Spot Battles). Skate is logical, authentic, and blissfully organic. Robots need not apply.

The game - or string of small games connected only through common characters - is only worth dabbling in for the humor and bourgeois rock and roll attitude of it all.

The biggest problem is that it just lacks the single-player appeal of a Pac-man, as well as the multiplayer depth and longevity of a game like Bomberman.

This is a game you should get free when you buy a bright orange hunting hat. It might offer a brief, quick killin' fix for some hunter-gamers, but won't offer much in terms of videogaming satisfaction, delicious meat or hours of fresh air.

This is a game you should get free when you buy a bright orange hunting hat. It might offer a brief, quick killin' fix for some hunter-gamers, but won't offer much in terms of videogaming satisfaction, delicious meat or hours of fresh air.

Similarly, it's cool that you can hook up an EyeToy and record yourself; if only the PS2 had a supported hard-drive and higher resolution EyeToy camera - like the PS3 will have.

Unfortunately, in a genre where players expect the newest games to completely blow them away (pun intended), Coded Arms: Contagion's run-of-the-mill FPS action just doesn't impress.

Why didn't they just reprogram the classics to fit the DS properly? Because that would have required effort. This is not about innovation; this is about porting code that's lying around and reselling it for the zillionth time.

If you can handle bad presentation and clunky gameplay at times, then the story just may be enough of a reward. Growlanser: Heritage of War is a long game in the end, and while the flaws are obvious and often irritating, it is still by no means despicable.

Fans of the series might find it entertaining to rescue kidnapped kids while battling the Seven Demon Kings, but most people will find precious little to enjoy.

Sure, the story isn't high-concept, but this gameplay is really all about fighting and collecting increasingly mean and exotic critters. And on that level, Digimon World Dusk/Dawn delivers in spades.

Sure, the story isn't high-concept, but this gameplay is really all about fighting and collecting increasingly mean and exotic critters. And on that level, Digimon World Dusk/Dawn delivers in spades.

Before this could get too gamey sitting on store shelves, the publisher wisely dropped the price to $20, which is where it should have started.