You’ll know the first time you play it whether this game is for you – you’ll either be immediately dissuaded by its complexity and depth, or you’ll fall in love with them. It might be the very definition of “niche title”, but for those who get it, Knights in the Nightmare provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Red Faction Guerilla has some missteps, including the AI and cover system, but the game is definitely on point when it comes to destruction.

There are a few missteps here and there that can fluctuate the difficulty within a mission (the AI can be a bit iffy, and if you work through a building demolition fast enough, you can avoid much more trouble than if you dawdle), but overall, this is a game worth checking out.

It’s the kind of addictive joy that will make you realize that you have the power to do what you want to the world you help create. In other words, The Sims 3 is a real Must Buy for any fan of the series or any gamer looking for a PC title that’s way too much fun to want to stop playing.

A cool-looking racing game that ultimately crumbles under the weight of its own slow pace.

A cool-looking racing game that ultimately crumbles under the weight of its own slow pace.

Ninja Council 4 is a hard game to recommend true fans of the spiky haired ninja even with the cool roster of characters. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems that will not fail to annoy anyone looking for a good action platform game with plenty of that awesome Jutsu.

Puffins Island Adventure offers a 3D habitat to explore, cute characters, and a bunch of decent mini-games. Unfortunately, a lack of variety and challenge will keep most gamers from flocking to this one.

Look, I haven't played a game like this in a long, long time. I am literally sad because it seemed like it could have at least been a solid shooter. But it fails on almost every level.

I will tell you that inFAMOUS does possess a mess load of fantastic looking graphics and incredible sound. I will only play this game cranked up on the surround sound because it makes everything seem so much more involved. Great sound effects, great voice acting and it all comes together beautifully.

While the characters are not always that sympathetic, it is the gameplay that truly shines here. This is an entertaining and challenging portable RPG.

Like Klonoa or Zack and Wiki, The Munchables proves that “kid-friendly Wii game” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not worth your time. Fans of Katamari or just off-kilter action games take note: this game is surprisingly awesome.

A decent adventure game with a lot of historical nuance, and one that most will enjoy. Better integrated puzzles and more thoughtful clue finding missions would improve the overall quality, but what is here is still fun.

UP is a good example of a movie tie-in game offering just the right amount of entertainment to keep the movie alive. Sure, there might be some bumps on the road but the overall experience still offers some fun moments.

Even by licensed game standards, UP is surprisingly poor. The design is uninspired, but more importantly, it just isn’t fun or satisfying to play.

This is one of those games that has great potential, but has been derailed by bad design choices. The control system needs to be revisited, a tutorial added, and a campaign mode would be a good addition. If there is an Age of Pirates 3, I hope these issues will be addressed.

Cross Edge not only fails to be a compelling Japanese RPG but it makes for one seriously awkward and uninspiring game. Skipping this game isn’t a bad idea unless you can look past the many things wrong with this game.

The game's humor and good gameplay definitely saved this game from its obvious flaws of controls and glitches. Some gamers will like the game, and it will annoy some. But if you are a Ratchet and Clank fan, don't pass it up.

A fun and fast-paced (albeit shallow) puzzler, Puchi Puchi Virus should appeal to casual gamers looking for something easy to get into.

MMA fans can finally rejoice as the five year drought of UFC games has come to an end. UFC 2009: Undisputed is a great start to a franchise as the foundation has been set and THQ can improve on what they have already set in place.

A must-play fighter for any fan of the genre, UFC or both.

Steal Princess is the type of Nintendo DS game that could have really been amazing but, thanks to a number of annoying issues, it begins to wear out its welcome a bit too soon. Still, a handful of fun levels and a great level editor are enough to make this a game you should not dismiss.

The list of must-have Wii games with appeal for both the casual and core player is exceedingly short. To make the cut, a game must be immediately approachable and easy to understand, but it must also offer challenge and depth to those who seek them. Boom Blox Bash Party is atop that list.

Uninspiring and strictly by the numbers, Terminator Salvation offers very little in terms or originality or fun.

It’s a recommended must buy for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans since it’s a refreshing take in the video-game medium that breaks away from the droning card-battling games of the past.

An excellent port of the card game to electronic form. Previous versions have been successful, but the story line and the racing added to this latest edition, plus the inclusion of new virtual cards, plus the limited edition physical cards included in the case, makes this a must-have for any Yu-Gi-Oh fan.

EA Sports Active is a really great first effort game. The developers at EA Sports laid a really nice foundation for the next game that will inevitable come in the series. Hopefully they will tighten up the controls as this will make for a better game. If you are looking for a fun game that will help you work up a sweat and lose some calories check this game out.

Despite its shortcomings, though, it’s probably my favorite game Infinite Interactive has released yet. If you’re up for another helping of puzzle/RPG this soon after Galactrix, Puzzle Kingdoms delivers.

Good community and nice array of customization options create a pleasant, albeit not original, experience.

It’s new, fun music for Rock Band fans who either can’t access downloads or want to pick up all these tracks for a reduced price. If you’re a classic rock fan and you haven’t already bought these songs, the set is definitely worth picking up.

I think if you can enjoy half the songs on a game like this, you are doing well, to me, I would say I liked about one third the songs.

The real question here is whether or not Bionic Commando lives up to its beloved predecessor. The short answer is no, but that doesn’t mean that action fans won’t have a good time swinging around the city.

This game looks good, ramps up the difficulty nicely for a solid progressive challenge, and is relatively easy to jump into and play. Ok, the linearity of the storyline is a bit of a drawback, but the game still manages to embroil players in the action and pull them along effortlessly because of the way the action plays out.

The last half of this game is far superior to the first.

The Sudoku portion was OK, but as I stated above, I'd much rather play the old-fashioned way - pen and paper. And my frustrating experience with Picture Logic was certainly not a plus.

Boxing at its best. Many games have tried to capture the arcade essence of the Punch-Out!! series, and all of them have failed. But nearly 20 years later, the king is back and is better than ever.

The gameplay is really simple; it just consists of selecting cards and shifting the order of cards using the stylus. The game is more about logical and mathematical thinking than true gameplay.

Thankfully, an intense multiplayer mode saved this game and will have pinballers everywhere trying to find that score of 1 billion.

Only the online capabilities kept this game from falling into the basement.

Having a fish tank for the Wii is a good idea, but this version isn’t all that great. I was a bit disappointed, and expected it all to look much better than it does. This may just be the best that an aquarium can look on the Wii, though. Another console may display better graphics with this type of game.

Battlestations: Pacific is a really fun game that many people will enjoy playing due to its unique settings and gameplay. This is especially true if players are tired of playing the same first-person shooter game storming the same beach for the umpteenth time.

A deep, engaging experience, with a captivating plot and a great combat system. If your PS2 is sitting in a closet somewhere it’s time to dig it out, because the system’s got one more must-play RPG.

Unusual mini-game entertainment built specifically for kids.

The new missions are great to play through, and it is exciting to see what the name of the add-on means, and to know that there has to be additional add-ons coming in the future.

SACRED 2: Fallen Angel is mostly a level grind that will appeal to hardcore Diablo fans jonesing for another dungeon crawler fix. The Xbox 360 version is a bit of a disappointment, due to a fair share of bugs and port issues.

Sacred 2 is a solid game that offers PS3 owners a quality dungeon-crawling game that it was lacking. However, just be prepared to get your hands dirty if you really want to fully understand everything in the game.

Don't get me wrong, I love an engrossing game just as much as the next gamer. But a game like Desktop Tower Defense, a game that is easy to pick up and play for an hour or two with no extended commitment, is a real treat.

There is so much content in the game. It is well worth the money. There are few things Galactrix could improve on, but don’t be fooled, it is a very solid game.

Patapon 2 is a fine sequel, offering compelling new features while keeping the charm that made the first game so great. Fans of the original would do well to check this one out.

The gameplay is well-designed and it features some truly beautiful visuals.

Night at the Museum is one of the few movie tie-ins to be more entertaining than the film it’s based upon, but it’s short length, lack of difficulty, and nonexistent replayability will keep it from spinning in your 360 for very long.

The game can be repetitive at times, and it certainly wasn’t made for the action-hungry crowd. But if you to spend a night with the world’s most interactive museum, Battle of the Smithsonian is a fun ride.

Fun for kids but much too shallow for adults, Battle of the Smithsonian is perfect for young fans of the film, if expectations are reasonable.

As far as add-ons are concerned, Broken Steel is by far the best one to come along for Fallout 3 since The Pitt.

There are some moments when Puzzle Kingdoms is a lot of fun, almost addictively so. But it relies too heavily on a puzzle game that just simply isn't that deep or fun.

While the game does stumble on a few fronts, X-Men Origins comes as close as ever to capturing the spirit of Wolverine.

There’s enough violence in X-Men Origins: Wolverine to please comic book fans.

Give Raven kudos for staying true to the character and producing a highly visceral gaming experience.

There are many aspects of Velvet Assassin that could benefit from further time in development. Still, the game is strong enough to stand on its own, and will leave players ready and waiting for a sequel.

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier is the game that tries to reinvent the wheel yet loses a wheel in the process.

If you have played Storm, and don’t mind the slightly dated stylings of this game, you should still find yourself entertained.

The game is about variety, in a fantasy setting, and everything experienced embraces the game and seems geared to make the game player feel at home. Free Realms is an enjoyable adventure.

The multiplayer action does manage to offer a satisfying experience that easily overshadows the rather dull single-player experience.

This game won’t turn the MMOG market on its ear or advance the baseball video-game genre. What it does do, though, is provide an accessible and entertaining game that can be played on lower-end systems, with players hopping in and playing for short periods here and there.

Flawed, but easy to learn and occasionally inspired.

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 is a decent game that players will enjoy if they are fans of the Gundam or Dynasty Warriors series, but in order to stay up with the times the entire franchise should be retooled from the graphics to the actual gameplay to stay current in this day and age.

DW: Gundam 2 isn't the game-changing sequel it should have been, nor is it as big of a step forward as the first DW: Gundam was two years ago.

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 should exclusively be played by its fans. Newcomers won’t appreciate the storyline or building the mechs as much as a fanatic would.

It's more complicated than it needs to be with the lock-on function of fighting enemies. It is an adventure, it is a fighter, it's a FPS - it is the Shamwow!

Excitebots will make you glad you bought that circular piece of plastic known as the Wii Wheel.

The new content isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it does warrant the $5.99 price point for fans of the original game who are looking to extend their PixelJunk Eden experience.

If you acquire the taste of The Dark Spire, it will engage and entertain your senses for hours.

Here’s a little quiz: 1. Do you have three friends with DSs? 2. Are those friends RPG-savvy enough to know a Hit Point from an Item Shop? If you answered yes to both, then congratulations! You’re just a copy of Dokapon Journey away from having some of the most fun the DS can provide.

The main problem with this game is that it is extremely unreliable when players try to connect to the multiplayer service. This is a shame because this is where the majority of player’s time will be spent. Hopefully this flaw will be fixed as this game is a blast to play!

Air Conflicts could have been a great flight-combat sim seeing as all the right elements are present but there are way too many obstacles that make flying these unfriendly skies too boring. Plagued with a number of frustrating problems, this is a game that fans of the genre should skip.

This should be a must have game for $9.99, as it is, with a missing online capability, it is a possible have, depends on what floats your boat.

A very short, mindless fighter with boring multiplayer and not even a minute of replay value.

This game is a lot of fun, there’s a lot to do, and Galactrix is a highly addictive arcade game that many players will enjoy.

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.

Assault on Dark Athena is a great deal for players, as it gives those PS3 owners 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.

The Godfather II is a great sequel, expanding on the content of the original game while making some fine additions to the formula. While the story elements aren’t too impressive and there are some design quirks, the gameplay is deep and engaging, and easily recommendable for fans of the original game or of the sandbox-action game genre.

This is a game that does not have the depth of other gangster-themed titles, but still manages to present the world of the movies in a solid way. Fans of the film may enjoy this ride while those looking for something a bit more substantial may find this game not as deep as they would like.

The game could almost be called the Good, the Repetitious and the Ugly. Some elements are well done and some are not. Still, this is not a bad game, by any means. There are some immersive elements and you do, at times, feel like you are part of the world. The graphics could have been better, though, and some of the game mechanics could have been improved upon.

If you enjoyed Company of Heroes, there’s little doubt you’ll want to pick up Tales of Valor. Just keep in mind that this is an expansion, meant to keep you satisfied until a true sequel arrives.

While combat isn’t very exciting, the levels will keep fans of the genre very entertained in a game that is the perfect pick for gamers of all ages.

Unfortunately, the clunky combat mechanics, camera issues, and overabundance of Quick-Time Events make this a disappointing and unoriginal endeavor.

Solid mechanics, lavish presentation, and strong audio all combine for one great gaming value.

This is a slightly above average strategy title that offers some good strategic gameplay. However, many players won’t stick with it because of the difficulty of finishing the missions from about the middle game onward. I enjoy a challenge as well as the next player, but I don’t enjoy utter failure time and time again.

Though the touch screen is superior to the Wii remote in the area of item placement, item acquisition (when you grab the item from the item window) and retrieval (when you pick up an item that has already been placed) are a glitchy mess on the DS, making this an inferior version.

Gravity is a puzzle game for a very specific type of gamer, primarily one that is tolerant of frustration and repetition.

Major Minor’s Majestic March is perfect for families, especially those with very young children, trying to get into the rhythm genre – it’s short, easy, cute, and inoffensive. For the twelve-and-up crowd, though, the simplistic gameplay, dull song selections, and incredibly short length are bound to disappoint.

Tokyo Beat Down is a fun and shallow beat-'em-up that occasionally veers off path.

While it’s not as satisfying as the Cooking Mama series, there’s a lot to love about Mama’s garden. Gardening Mama’s mini-games are fun in short bursts but totally cute enough to show you and your Stylus a good time.

Death Track: Resurrection is interesting to watch, as the tracks collapse and everything goes to hell in a hand basket as you race through is pretty cool. However, the lack of online play and often overly chaotic gameplay make it a somewhat frustrating experience.

A compelling collections of tracks from the titular band and others, Guitar Hero: Metallica is not only a fine retrospective of the band’s storied career, but also the most fun Guitar Hero game in years.

One of the best Guitar Hero’s to date. It has a great selection of songs, bands, and not to mention, rock legends.

Another great "upgrade," Guitar Hero: Metallica is a must-own for fans of the band.

Quotation forthcoming.