The customization features are a welcome return, and the five-layered career lets you play with different approaches to driving. Some aspects of Need for Speed could use more variety, but it’s a solid foundation to move the series forward.

For a game that is rated TEEN, the latest One Piece doesn’t provide the flare that a teen’s attention requires, unless you’re a rabid fan of the television series.

Those who grew up with later installments in the series may lament the lack of an open world, split-screen support, create-skater option, level editor, or moves such as the revert, but the best part of the original games--working toward mastery of particular techniques and levels--remains a compelling reason to revisit the past.

Sonic Unleashed takes two steps forward with some of the best speed levels in recent memory, and one step back by tacking on yet another failed experiment with the Werehog.

The overall weirdness and distinctive art style keep Black Knight Sword from being another run-of-the-mill action game. Yet the five main levels can be completed within two hours, and while there is an option to continue playing on a more challenging difficulty setting as well as additional challenge-oriented modes, the level design doesn't encourage exploration and there's little interactivity aside from slashing at enemies.

Tacked-on Kinect support is far from the only sign that Crash is not your typical Burnout game. But by focusing squarely on the type of play that the series is best known for, Crash successfully captures its spirit. You'll likely put it through its paces pretty quickly, but there are worse ways to spend 800 Microsoft points.

By now, it's clear that the Kingdom Hearts series really needs to move into new territory instead of rehashing the same tired elements that are well past their expiration date. If you're new to the series, there are worse games than Recoded to start out with. Veterans, on the other hand, will be hard-pressed to find anything worthwhile here.

The learning curve is steep, the controls take effort to master, and the single-player game is ultimately there to prepare you for head-to-head matches. It’s a very specific game experience that rewards trial and error and fails to appeal to a broad audience in the process.

While the lackluster shop mode doesn't deliver anything fun or engaging, the rest of the game is still just as enjoyable as its predecessors.

It’s an incredibly repetitive game that has a lot of depth on the surface that becomes irrelevant once it’s put into practice. Fans of dungeon-crawling loot hunts should rent, but everyone else will tire of its shortcomings even before its brief campaign is complete.

Slender: The Arrival is an atmospheric package relying too much on one admittedly terrifying trick that overstays its welcome far too early in an already short series of events.

It’s not an ideal experience on any level: it’s too long as an arcade game, and too short as an RPG, but it’s sure to find a niche--especially by trumpeting the brand it’s built upon.

It has a unique combat system and unrelenting violence that many will love. And for a licensed game, Afro Samurai doesn’t necessarily fail at what it aims to do. Like the many others before it, simple mistakes and a general lack of polish prevent it from passing the threshold to Butcher Bay territory.

Those with a sharp pair of eyes who like a decent visual challenge will find Mystery Case Files to be a worthy commute companion. It's not as challenging as most puzzle games and constantly uncovering hidden objects grows tiresome, so we only recommend it for the terminally bored.

Combat quickly grows repetitive, even with talent trees and new abilities. Advancement is slow, and many missions and challenges seem more like busywork than fun.

The Sims 2: Pets for Wii is nothing more than slapdash and second-rate. There’s enough left for it to be enjoyable, but with a lack of content and an overabundance of bugs, players are better off getting the PC version or waiting to see if MySims can pick up the slack.

Quantum of Solace is a passable Bond game and an above-average action game, but it's seriously held back by a lack of style and originality.

A basic port disguised as a major overhaul. Capcom included online leaderboards for the main game as well as paltry trophy and achievement support, but the most earnestly competitive component--the battle mode--is neglected without any leaderboards.

It's over in a flash, but when it's done, you'll be eager to find out what happens next.

It establishes an eerie mood, making you feel vulnerable to what lurks in the shadows. It just gets hung up in awkward moments at times.

If you’d rather call the shots than jump through hoops, this unique game is your kind of racket.

Dragon Ball fans who just want to battle it out can stick to the arcade gameplay, but the main story mode that differentiates it brings far more frustration than enjoyment.

The vicious combat is a lot of fun, and building your army and laying siege to the enemy is a compelling experience in an action game setting. If it didn’t run out of ideas so quickly and had a smoother presentation, Viking could have struck an even mightier blow.

Baja manages to capture the chaos and intensity of off-roading, but the finicky controls undermine the experience.

The right combination of gameplay elements and design decisions make Kane and Lynch easy to recommend to crime junkies and anyone who enjoys a little therapeutic videogame violence. A well-executed plot really makes the game, while the multiplayer additions add replay value and variety.

Opoona doesn't break a lot of new ground, but the charming characters and bonbon battle system give it a distinctive flavor.

Divekick may not look like it’s worth ten dollars, but like the stance-switching Uncle Sensei, looks can be deceiving. Once you’ve connect with high-powered “headshot”, you’ll gain a much better sense of the game’s value. When you’re on the receiving end of that ego-crushing kick to the dome, you can be damn sure that you’ll want a rematch.

Darkspore is merely a pretty good action-RPG. It works great on a fundamental level, but its execution is a little too cumbersome to let you truly appreciate its breadth.