Where Rebelstar Tactical Command really shines is in the wonderful way it supplies gamers with information in a lucid, logical and thought-provoking combat system.

It’s hard not to love a title that piles on all the game modes (including multiplayer) and makes the racing element actually fun.

All of these type games have been done mucho times before, but these are better designed than most for this age group.

An engaging naval strategic combat game that is big on challenges.

Challenging and addictive. If you aren't a die hard golfer you probably won't find this game enjoyable. The main thing this game is lacking is the ability to play the course you built.

The gameplay is well-designed and executed, and the multiplayer modes and mini-games increase the replayability. A great game for any family's library.

Conviction appeals to a whole new crowd that grew up on creating distractions, using every single gadget in their inventory and dragging bodies into shadows. If Conviction is evidence of where Ubisoft is taking the series, they are about to win over a lot of new fans and potentially upset a portion of those already loyal.

A different take on the action genre and it succeeds in bringing a chaotic, evolving level-by-level button-masher to glory in a very graphically compelling way.

Sure, the action can get repetitive in places and many of the moves seen here have been done before many times, but the cinematic feel is pure Woo and that’s definitely worth a look.

Though some of the missions were quite fun, there are still a few that had me yawning a bit. Typical search and destroy, find this, blow up that, escort him to safety… blah blah blah.

Comes close to being an excellent surfing title since all the right elements are present and accounted for, however small annoyances in graphics and challenge difficulties can become just a bit irritating.

The overall combination of simple search and find puzzles, great and horribly disturbing story and some of the most disgusting and scary monsters ever imagined just works yet a third time.

Puzzle Guzzle is a good buy for gamers of all skill levels who love puzzlers, but it is not for those who play puzzle games casually. PG is moderately hardcore and will take some time to learn; mastering it could take weeks or months.

If you are not the squeamish type, and you enjoy RPGs, this game may give you that dark thrill you’ve been waiting for.

If the fun NHL 2K9's developers were trying to bring back lies somewhere around the gameplay of Ice Hockey for the NES (the king of pick-up-and-play sports), they surely missed the mark.

If you're a fan of hip-hop or electronic music and interested in creating your own tracks, then Beaterator is definitely worth a look.

Ghost of Sparta is visually stunning and effectively implements the combat and quick-time events from God of War 3. Although the multiple playthroughs required for acquiring basic unlockables feels like padding to extend the game, the initial six-hour campaign is nevertheless brutally action-packed.

A great buy...for those few unfortunate gamers out there who have yet to get a PS2 or a GameCube.

A thrilling shock shooter that delivers a frightful experience and an impressive assortment of horrific baddies to battle.

The controls are very easy to pick up and get into, and the handling on the vehicles (even when they get upgraded or faster) was tight. The tracks can be repetitive, but still fun and most contain a number of jumps, powerups, and hazards to mess with.

All told, DQIX is an excellent RPG that will keep you glued to your Nintendo DS. But unless you only come to this genre for the turn-based battles, you won't be completely satisfied with what DQIX has to offer.

It's made for kids, but you'd have to be pretty jaded and close-minded to ignore the fun that's to be had by playing this game.

Interestingly enough, the game adds new and downright entertaining game modes making this one of the most complete Naruto games on the PS2.

For $10, you really can’t beat the value of this game. Not only do you get a fully fleshed-out Kart style racer, but also deathmatch, a platforming puzzler, and Xbox Live support!

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is nothing short of a triumph for Crystal Dynamics and the buxom adventurer. The score-based gameplay and objectives are geared towards providing hefty doses of replay value, but even a single playthrough promises to be an exciting journey filled with top-notch action and ingenious puzzles.

Skate 2 is a solid, albeit incremental, improvement over the first Skate.

Battlelines for the PS3 is actually far superior to the original Full Auto game introduced on the Xbox 360 and is one fun ride well worth your money.

While the game drops the ball a little bit in terms of storytelling, it’s still a solid RTS that fans of the genre should take a look at.

Even though it’s short, even when compared to other expansions, F.E.A.R. Extraction Point is a fun and visceral experience in league with the original game.

Controlling the characters is still quite awkward in that old Resident Evil kind of way but the real treat comes in the form of the Camera Obscura and the fact that you can play as two other characters.

The puzzles could have been more challenging, and having some of them as stand-alone games would have been nice, but the overall game is engaging and well-designed.

A game that is entertaining and frustrating because the environmental rules change within the same maps. You can walk to the edge on one bridge, but do it on another and you’ll fall off.

Any Crash Bandicoot fan would be a fool not to go out and buy this game. I started playing at 2am one night and did not stop until three in the afternoon!

As always, these games are fun to play and will tickle kids' brains while entertaining.

A game with both style and substance. Yes it gets repetitive and yes it might seem like just a button-masher, but it’s an enjoyably addictive action game fans of the genre shouldn‘t miss.

Upon completing The Cameron Files Pharaoh’s Curse I realized that I wanted more.

I also find it intriguing that my journalistic brethren so easily throw a new IP like Homefront under the bus after lavishing perfect scores upon the laughably flawed Black Ops and Halo: Reach. With a few tweaks and a fresher paint of coat, Homefront would have been outstanding, far outshining either of those titles. As is, it's still worth a playthrough.

Elebits is wonderful in its execution of an original idea. But like most original ideas in the gaming world, it is not free of repetition.

Fun, challenging and addictive.

A cute and fun game that is sure to please most kids. The theme of earning money for a gift by doing odd jobs is a good one, and ties in all the game features very well.

Multiple tasking with multiple weapons makes for a wild ride, and I like that, boy does it get hot and heavy at times.

You don’t have to be a Naruto fan to like this game but if you are there are enough goodies here that will certainly not fail to please.

No user interface creates a bit of a different feel to the game. The flow, though, is very nice and the game uses the school as a sandbox game mechanic, letting players move through the quests at their own pace.

Retro Studios may have instilled a higher difficulty that many gamers may not be used to, but that shouldn't scare them away from the joys of nostalgia and charm that DKCR brings to the table.

Overflows with action and there’s a nice diversity within the game’s levels that makes this sequel superior to the original.

Top-of-the-line web-slinging fun. Spider-Man 3's controls are excellent. The combat is fun, the missions are appropriately paced (mostly), and the replay value is very high.

Not only do Orcs beg to be slashed again and again, but the combat system is so entertaining that you won't even care about the repetition. The Two Towers is not without frustration (just wait till you get to level 10...ugh!), but it's not without fun either.

Controlling with a gamepad is so much easier to move and aim spells. I would go as far as saying that it is a must.

A solid title, sporting great graphics and intensive action. The new features are certainly welcome but do take this game away from the purist hunting title that it was.

While it's not an entirely brilliant game, the multiplayer feature and the sharper graphics make this the essential version to own.

The only downside is that there isn’t as much to Gradius V as there is to some of its competition (R-Type Final, for example) in terms of variation and replay value, but the key element of Gradius V is its challenging and fun gameplay.

While the controls will take a while to get adjusted to, once you get used to them you will find depth and a challenging game that will last for months on end.

This is a game that will make you hold your breath, and curse at your monitor (I have since apologized to my LCD).

The interface is wonderful, with all the controls and functions needed to build exciting rides.

Technically solid effort, concept is interesting, the voice interaction is outstanding. However, this would make a much better rental than a title to own.

"Metal Gear Solid" fans will dig this one, but don't forget that kill.switch is primarily a shooter. It's all about the thrill of the kill, not the peak of the sneak.

Had the translation and control problems been adjusted, Heroes could have been an exceptional experience. As it stands, this game will probably only fill the void for serious role-playing fanatics.

Way too easy to beat.

You may log off thinking wow we are kicking a lot of butt, just to find the next time you log on that the tide has changed and your team is pinned against the wall…Real Time at its best!!!

Commando isn't for everyone. But fans of Metal Slug and other pound-you-into-the-ground, never-let-you-win shooters will appreciate what the developers have done with this game.

This is a simple RTS/RPG hybrid that just oozes charm. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, but it is imminently playable and more importantly fun.

A nicely designed game for pre-teen and teen girls, and moreover, one that doesn’t condescend.

Easily one of the most addictive and exciting games on the iPad. But don't expect to ever beat it. Those 21 levels will, without a doubt, give you a run for your money.

Quite enjoyable, with good graphical elements and diverse game play.

Joyous and hellish. Delightful and disgraceful. Too frequently annoying yet capable of compelling the player to see it through, Nuts & Bolts is more of a disappointment than it is a reward for an eight-year wait. But it's a disappointment that, for all the good it does, is actually worth playing.

With gorgeous visuals and tight controls, gamers and fans will enjoy taking Wolverine through familiar surrounding and interacting with plenty of Marvel characters throughout the game.

For the decent price of 800 MSP ($10) Panzer General delivers great gameplay over a lengthy campaign. The slow down will bother some, but most will come away pretty pleased with this unique style of board game.

The time elements are very well done, giving you a true sense of power and time manipulation. However, there are some balancing issues with the weaponry, and an overly linear feeling throughout.

The game flow is very nice, the different levels seem huge, the animated effects are well rendered, and the game offers a nice variety of foes.

A wonderful thinking game.

While it is a brutally challenging game that might turn off the more casual gamer, it stands as one of the best portable RPGs available for the DS this year.

While the platforming gameplay is presented well, and the moves are varied and fun, the difficulty and the lack of save spots can be frustrating.

Dark Sector is engaging and addictive, but only the first time through. After beating the game, you will more than likely find yourself searching for a reason to work through the storyline again.

A few blemishes aside, there are just too many fun race modes to participate in.

AC/DC is a good filler disc as long as you are a fan.

FIFA 07 has got the looks, gameplay, and features of a masterpiece – and it would be such if the majority of its content hadn’t already been introduced.

A blast to play. Even though the game is on the easy side, it still has enough challenge to keep the players coming back for more.

While the single-player portion feels like an afterthought due to repetitive mission design and weak AI, the multiplayer element carries the experience well and should keep you invested.

Nancy Drew Dossier is a great new entry in the world of casual games, and I look forward to more to come.

A great continuation of a solid RPG franchise, Ar Tonelico 2 is worth the time and effort you'll put into its lengthy quest.

Yes Armada 2 is good, but when it gets bad it’s plain ugly. You gotta love it.

The gameplay borrows heavily from the Zelda games and it works to great effect here. The controls are simple and easily mastered, never getting in the way of the gamer’s enjoyment of the game.

With the addition of some interesting modes, features, tighter gameplay and Xbox Live support this one certain beats the PS2 version.

An above average platform game that delivers in terms of quality and fun. While not as joyous as Battle for Bikini Bottom, it is still a good game which will offer hours of gameplay.

Dawn of Discovery will probably be the best game to come out of nowhere in a long time. If you don’t give up on it due to its story mode, you will get many hours of fun out of this title.

A solid entry in the field, neither disappointing nor surprising me. I had fun with it, but it certainly won’t eat into my Tribes time. In the end, if you’re tired of Warcraft or the latest C&C expansion has lost its flavor, this is a pleasant alternative.

The eight-way direction of the controls are much smoother than other comparable titles. Players will be able to jump into this game with zero hassle.

Console racing fans may find this a little lacking, but for those who enjoy doing more than just circling a track, this has just the right flavor.

Only kids will likely get much out of the game's storyline, but anyone who enjoys a good turn-based strategy-RPG will find plenty to like about this game.

It does not have the attention to detail that PC gamers have come to expect from a title...[but] it was fun to play the sound was excellent, and the story held my interest.

With a little more time, greater character selection, and making the game a little harder, Capcom will have a serious contender on their hands.

This is a game built for the driving sim fan that likes micro-managing car setup and doing a lot of work. The controls are responsive, and the AI is also very good.

Assault on Dark Athena is a great deal for players, as it gives those who missed out on the phenomenal Escape from Butcher Bay the chance to check it out in HD, with a host of perks. However, based solely on the strength of these perks, it’s a bit harder to recommend for those who played through Riddick’s first console game.

Chrono Rage never strays far from conventions, but it is always a joy to play. The lack of multiplayer and selectable difficulties is regrettable, but hardly detrimental in light of the numerous modes offered. In a market becoming crowded with shoddy knockoffs, Chrono Rage stands out as a polished trophy of the genre.

Die-hard fans will miss many of the features that have been omitted but with so many extras, options and new features this one will keep fans more than busy.

If the minor frame-rate bugs were nonexistent, the gameplay of Supreme Commander would be nearly flawless. The strategy mixed with the player’s desire to destroy the enemy mesh together well here.

A huge improvement over its predecessor, Just Cause 2 is a blast to play, offering a vast island to explore and great ways to do it... Unfortunately, the repetitive mission design and lousy script keep this from being a truly classic experience.

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. excels at nearly everything it tries to do, and provides great replayability for long-term flyers. An improved campaign will make the sequel a true beauty.