While the game's focus is clearly on driving, managing sponsors right will double or triple the income of winning an event and is a fun minigame on its own; making lots of money is crucial to entering higher-level, ultra-costly racing series.

While the game's focus is clearly on driving, managing sponsors right will double or triple the income of winning an event and is a fun minigame on its own; making lots of money is crucial to entering higher-level, ultra-costly racing series.

There are many great ideas within Haze, they just happened to be trapped in an extraordinarily mediocre game.

That's where the Wii Fit balance board comes in. Just like the Wii itself, it just looks like something you'd like to try out. But once you take that first step onto it, you might find yourself on the way to becoming more fit.

The biggest problem with Prince Caspian, though, is something the developer had no control over, and that's the story. It's not that deep and doesn't feature a great variety of environments—it’s mostly roaming through the woods, collecting people, and gearing up for the real battle at the end.

If you're a Wii Sports fan who is hungry for new challenges, Deca Sports deserves a shot.

As a casual game, We Ski works. Sometimes it takes the "casual" a little too literally, but its tight controls and impressive physics make you feel like you're mastering skiing techniques even if your heart rate barely fluctuates.

Speed Racer is a decent racing game, but it never gets your adrenaline pumping. Even the movie connection doesn't juice up the show. Also, unlike most racing for Nintendo systems, only two players can race in split screen mode, and there's no online mode at all.

It's one of those rare family games that doesn't fall into the genres of minigame collection or rhythm title, and your seven-year-old kid will have as much fun as you do.

Generic and boring visuals; ridiculous difficulty curve; weak controls.

Generic and boring visuals; ridiculous difficulty curve; weak controls.

The new art direction, investment in physics technology, and better animation sum up to a huge aesthetic improvement over previous games, giving GTA IV a level of visual appeal it strained for in the previous generation.

The new art direction, investment in physics technology, and better animation sum up to a huge aesthetic improvement over previous games, giving GTA IV a level of visual appeal it strained for in the previous generation.

Mario Kart Wii doesn't stray far from the beaten track, but it has enough going to dazzle first-time MK drivers and a few new upgrades to challenge the long-time Karters, too.

And while it all seems a little hokey or emo (as the kids call it these days) at first, The World Ends With You is actually one of the most interesting and gratifying experiences I’ve had with an RPG in years.

Target: Terror is one of those games that's so bad, it's almost...almost better than bad. If you're willing to surrender to the surreal goofiness of it all, it's good for a few laughs. Just toss your values out the window and gear your mind down into shooter mode.

There are some pretty good side trips, too. Multiplayer co-op mode lets three more people join you on safari, too. One drives a jeep while the others take pictures. Also, completing each assignment unlocks a minigame featuring the animal you've just investigated.

NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a battle game. Think Street Fighter meets the NBA, and that's where the game is in its element.

NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a battle game. Think Street Fighter meets the NBA, and that's where the game is in its element.

Battle of the Bands is pretty fun, and it’s definitely a cheaper option in the whole music game fad than the peripheral-laden titles out there, but there’s just not a lot of depth there.

Even though Rome is still plenty intimidating to anyone who has never experienced an EU game before, refinements to the interface and core gameplay make it surprisingly easy to sit down and start playing.

The multiplayer mode is great, in theory, but when you’re driving against a pack of opponents that might as well be driving with a blindfold on (intentionally or not), it tends to lose its appeal rather quickly.

While a few minor things may have been lost in the port, I’d argue that ultimately this is a more important game for the Wii than it was for the PS2.

This episode is a carefully orchestrated symphony that ends story threads, revisiting each episode and all the characters in them with sharp wit, elegance, and great story-telling craft.

There's no reason for console players to get this version, but if you're console-less, and have the horsepower, it's still a worthy experience, if only to play something that's actually unique compared to other games out there.

Dark Sector is bipolar rollercoaster ride that tops out at gorgeous, innovative, and striking (glaive, visuals, virus powers) and bottoms out at a bland, unoriginal, and buggy (gunplay, storyline, melee attacks). The extremes are both high and low, but at least Digital Extremes has a solid base moving forward to the inevitable sequel.

Dark Sector is bipolar rollercoaster ride that tops out at gorgeous, innovative, and striking (glaive, visuals, virus powers) and bottoms out at a bland, unoriginal, and buggy (gunplay, storyline, melee attacks). The extremes are both high and low, but at least Digital Extremes has a solid base moving forward to the inevitable sequel.

Though this RTS-interface-for-consoles is pretty good on its own, it's crippled by the poor framerate. Basically, anytime you have one or more Hierarchy walkers on-screen, plus any other units, everyone starts looking like they're moving underwater. Which isn't conducive to an RTS game with crazy units that sparkle and shine.

It feels disappointing at first, but it quickly moves beyond that and turns into a game that, despite its shortcomings, is just plain fun.

It feels disappointing at first, but it quickly moves beyond that and turns into a game that, despite its shortcomings, is just plain fun.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is incredibly accessible with nearly flawless controls and difficulty, or lack thereof in the normal difficulty setting.

The FFVII diehard should snag this post-haste (this really does make up for Dirge's mediocrity, honest), and even if you don't recognize the significance of playing Zack as opposed to Cloud, this is a worthy Japanese action-RPG.

This is a pretty well-constructed expansion; it adds a fair amount of new stuff at the right price point. It won't make you a C&C convert if you preferred other RTS games, but for fans of the old-school, superfast, almost action-y pace of C&C3, this is a welcome addition.

Quite possibly the ugliest game I've ever played--literally. I tip my hat to the developers at Monolith Productions for crafting a consistently dark, dirty, dilapidated, and decayed (and a host of other "d" words) world for both Condemned titles.

Continues crawling forward in the same vein as its predecessors, and it does very well for itself in the Wii.

The game may shank some of the superficial niceties, but when it comes to the fundamentals, Hot Shots is still sinking aces, every time.

Sega Superstars Tennis isn’t the best tennis game out there, especially since the actual tennis isn’t even as close to being as smooth or challenging as something like the Virtua Tennis or Top Spin games, but it can be just as rewarding for Sega fans and those people looking for a simple and fun approach to the sport.

Sega Superstars Tennis isn’t the best tennis game out there, especially since the actual tennis isn’t even as close to being as smooth or challenging as something like the Virtua Tennis or Top Spin games, but it can be just as rewarding for Sega fans and those people looking for a simple and fun approach to the sport.

Sega Superstars Tennis isn’t the best tennis game out there, especially since the actual tennis isn’t even as close to being as smooth or challenging as something like the Virtua Tennis or Top Spin games, but it can be just as rewarding for Sega fans and those people looking for a simple and fun approach to the sport.

Best of all, the experience points and ACES rankings you earn are reflected offline and online, so your customized character always reflects your progress, skill, and accumulated weapons. On the surface, there is nothing terribly magic or new about this feature, but these rewards are handled and presented extremely well and their pervasiveness provides a feeling of accomplishment as well as a compelling reason to play all segments of the game.

Chariots of the Dogs serves as a very serious necessary because it ties together nearly everything from previous episodes. So though it's whacked and nonfunctional in some respects, with its overabundance of portals, time travel quests, and flat jokes, it's particularly relevant to this season's overarching themes. For followers of season two, it's a must-play, even if it isn't the funniest episode.

Quite possibly the ugliest game I've ever played--literally. I tip my hat to the developers at Monolith Productions for crafting a consistently dark, dirty, dilapidated, and decayed (and a host of other "d" words) world for both Condemned titles.

Like its predecessor, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates is strong on action, and it's a kinder, gentler Final Fantasy that's relatively easy to pick up and play.

After an hour or two of playing Insecticide, all the decent storytelling in the world won't hold your attention.

Fans of the originals or die-hard light-gun aficionados will enjoy the trip down memory lane, while the rest of us are better off with The Umbrella Chronicles or heading to the local arcade for some Lethal Enforcers II.

You might find that mastering some of controls can be a bear because Brawl's fighting game controls are being mapped over to a side-scrolling action platform game.

Army of Two is a co-op focused game, much more so than even "Gears of War." If you pick this up, you absolutely need to be playing with a friend. It's borderline broken when playing alone, but if you are taking down tangos with a buddy, it becomes a much better and unique, experience.

Army of Two is a co-op focused game, much more so than even "Gears of War." If you pick this up, you absolutely need to be playing with a friend. It's borderline broken when playing alone, but if you are taking down tangos with a buddy, it becomes a much better and unique, experience.

I’m pretty calloused when it comes to videogame stories—they’re usually too overwrought and overly complicated and repetitious to actually be good--but Chains of Olympus does have one of the more heart-wrenching moments I’ve seen in a game. I didn’t tear up, but I <I>did</I> feel a little twinge where my heart would be if I had one.

It takes the GTA formula and condenses it into a game that requires a quarter of the time commitment.

It takes the GTA formula and condenses it into a game that requires a quarter of the time commitment.

Even though it's not as good as previous installments, and is generally more of the same, the fundamental gameplay underneath is still quite amazing, even today (the gameplay excuses its 2004-era visuals).

Nobody expects a minigame collection to offer hundreds of hours of entertainment, but with only six short-lived games on offer, Ninja Reflex gives gamers the short shrift, even compared with its less-than-stellar brethren.

There are an overwhelming number of features in this game that should keep even the most die-hard fan happy until next spring.

If you're able to look past the framerate, the pitching and franchise are worth checking out, but if you only have enough money for one baseball game this year, Sony's Show is definitely the one worth attending.

If you're able to look past the framerate, the pitching and franchise are worth checking out, but if you only have enough money for one baseball game this year, Sony's Show is definitely the one worth attending.

A disappointment. As a Lost fan, I’m annoyed by the inconsistencies in character actions; if I were not a Lost fan, I’d be confused about who all these people are and what they’re up to. As a game player, I’m frustrated by clunky mechanics, and if I were a non-game player, I’d probably feel justified in thinking that videogames were still the realm of nerds and their ilk.

Irredeemably awful.

A disappointment. As a Lost fan, I’m annoyed by the inconsistencies in character actions; if I were not a Lost fan, I’d be confused about who all these people are and what they’re up to. As a game player, I’m frustrated by clunky mechanics, and if I were a non-game player, I’d probably feel justified in thinking that videogames were still the realm of nerds and their ilk.

A disappointment. As a Lost fan, I’m annoyed by the inconsistencies in character actions; if I were not a Lost fan, I’d be confused about who all these people are and what they’re up to. As a game player, I’m frustrated by clunky mechanics, and if I were a non-game player, I’d probably feel justified in thinking that videogames were still the realm of nerds and their ilk.

At least, the action's fast, fluid, and fun. The AI's no world beater; so while veteran fighting gamers won't break a sweat, everyone else has a fighting chance.

It could have easily been another "definitive version" type of package for PS3 gamers, but as it stands, it's a "great content, lousy tech" consolation prize.

The game moves along at a decent clip, but there are no real high points--no really hard, gritty, challenging sections that burn into your memory cells.

In the end it comes off as too uneven; any time I started enjoying myself too much, the game would smack me down with another boring mission or irritating control issue.

Sadly, The Club probably would’ve made a bigger splash had it been released in the early part of this decade, when games like this were all the rage.

Sadly, The Club probably would’ve made a bigger splash had it been released in the early part of this decade, when games like this were all the rage.

Sadly, The Club probably would’ve made a bigger splash had it been released in the early part of this decade, when games like this were all the rage.

While it may seem like Capcom's diving back into the well of a successful franchise, Apollo Justice is the first Ace Attorney game built from the ground up for the DS, and it succeeds in delivering just enough legal shenanigans that are serious enough--and silly enough--to entice both fans and rookies alike.

Action-combat fans would do better to hold off for the upcoming "Ninja Gaiden 2," or spend 10 bucks on an older DW title.

Action-combat fans would do better to hold off for the upcoming "Ninja Gaiden 2," or spend 10 bucks on an older DW title.

For whatever reason, FIFA Street 3 is about as deep as a book of poetry by Paris Hilton.

For whatever reason, FIFA Street 3 is about as deep as a book of poetry by Paris Hilton.

The game isn't broken by any means, but it's so astonishingly unimpressive in every way that it almost loops back around and becomes impressive because of how unimpressive it is.

While the content is a mediocre for-gaming-babies version of a solid game, the technical issues are a whole new drag. In kind words: This is a pretty terrible port.

Lost Odyssey is a pretty solid Japanese RPG, and distinctly fulfills the niche it aims for. It's not a true Final Fantasy clone, but at the moment, it's the best-looking late-90s FF knock-off on the market. But whatever "decent" vibe it has ends up being cut down by technical glitches to the point that it makes the epic adventure feel more like a dinky puppet show.

Great character parts by Jurgen, Cybil, and the comical Hans Moleman.

A solidly constructed game that truly anyone of any skill level can play. There's no multiplayer mode here per se, but that doesn't actually prevent Curious Village from being a party game--you can just read the puzzles out loud and any number of people can tackle them anywhere at any time.

The gameplay itself represents a disciplined FPS effort that lifts it above recent mediocre titles such as Blacksite: Area 51, though it doesn't hold a candle to the big guns of The Orange Box, BioShock, or Call of Duty 4.

The gameplay itself represents a disciplined FPS effort that lifts it above recent mediocre titles such as Blacksite: Area 51, though it doesn't hold a candle to the big guns of The Orange Box, BioShock, or Call of Duty 4.

I could see the beauty that still lurked underneath her obvious heartlessness, but it was so much harder to spend time with her now. Eventually, our every assignation devolved into the bitterest of fights, and I’d storm off, vowing never to see her again.

If anything, the extra challenge is definitely a reason to play through the game a second (or third time) just to see if your skills can hold up. However, the addition of leaderboards, which rank players based on their overall score and scores for individual levels, will be the real reason to revisit the game.

If anything, the extra challenge is definitely a reason to play through the game a second (or third time) just to see if your skills can hold up. However, the addition of leaderboards, which rank players based on their overall score and scores for individual levels, will be the real reason to revisit the game.

But ultimately, the point is that if you’re looking for a portable recreation of Assassin’s Creed, this isn’t it.

Twisted Metal: Head On--Extra Twisted Edition is an entertaining compendium that's lovingly conceived and composed. The gameplay's as wicked as ever, and the price can't be beat. The entire package transports you to an earlier videogame era, and you get the real feeling this is the last Twisted Metal of its kind.

Sins is an epic space strategy game that has truly and seamlessly blended the traditional turn-based model with the modern real-time formula. And it's a great way to turn four hours into four minutes.

The downside to Rez is that while designed to be played repeatedly to get different aural sensations, the levels play out exactly the same way--with enemies appearing in the same sequence--so truly getting a new experience each time isn't exactly accurate. That doesn't mean it isn't fun or unique, but replay value isn't as deep as it might initially seem.

Extreme Justice is no world beater, and you wouldn't call it deep; but it is a solidly crafted action game with a good amount of gameplay. If you enjoyed the first Pursuit Force, this one's even better. And putting away bad guys is always a good time.

At best, it's a nice-looking distraction with some much-loved characters, and at worst, it's a sometimes dull and occasionally exasperating minigame collection on a platform full of better, cheaper minigame collections.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Burnout Paradise is that the barrier between online and offline play is almost invisible. You can be playing along by yourself, and then with a click of a button, you can invite another friend to join you in an event. It's one of the most organic transitions I've seen yet, and Criteron is definitely a pioneer in how online gaming will continue to evolve.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Burnout Paradise is that the barrier between online and offline play is almost invisible. You can be playing along by yourself, and then with a click of a button, you can invite another friend to join you in an event. It's one of the most organic transitions I've seen yet, and Criteron is definitely a pioneer in how online gaming will continue to evolve.

For all of its hiccups and its bloody personality, Heroes is the most fun you can have with a lightsaber without using the Force. Moreover, it serves as a reminder that the Wii's creative potential is broad, and that there are developers out there who are not afraid to play rough and get a little crazy.

If you’re looking for a game for the kids, or you’re really into marine life, then Endless Ocean is worth checking out, but adrenaline junkies and HD fanatics will likely find themselves disappointed.

Days of Ruin adds some sheen to an already polished product. It's true that the postapocalyptic look and feel make the overall mood darker, but the game maintains the essential Advance Wars style.

There is something to be said for Koei going in a slightly different direction with Katana. It shows a willingness to evolve its core franchises beyond the dregs of monotony that they've been stuck in for the better part of the last decade. Now if that willingness to change could just translate into something enjoyable, and not something mind-numbingly tedious like Samurai Warriors: Katana, then we'd really be getting somewhere.

This episode is lean and character-packed, continuing the themes of portal transportation, more wacky situations, and riotous and outlandish humor.

I know I want more moves and I pretty much have given up playing against the computer, but when a friend comes over, this is one of the first games we throw in to play. There's just something about Tony Romo running up the side of a wall and leaping into the end zone for the game-winning score while Rodney Harrison whiffs himself into a face full of plexiglass that I can't get enough of, even if it's the only time the Patriots lose all year.

You're doomed if you try to take this game seriously; it doesn't even take itself seriously. Moreover, you pay full price; and the game is short, so you'd better like Harvey Birdman. If you have doubts, catch the show on the Cartoon Network before you make the call.

You're doomed if you try to take this game seriously; it doesn't even take itself seriously. Moreover, you pay full price; and the game is short, so you'd better like Harvey Birdman. If you have doubts, catch the show on the Cartoon Network before you make the call.