If you've been looking for an alternative to the Tony Hawk games then this is it, just don't go in expecting this to be the same kind of over-the-top arcade sports game that the Activision series is known for. And in a lot of ways that's a good thing.

The game's tremendous art design, graphics, voice acting, and plot are really dragged down by the lack of decent puzzles in the game.

But Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power is certainly worth a good look for the turn-based strategy fans out there, and for those wanting something a few steps from the mainstream market.

The tutorial will open up the rulebook, but composing winning strategies is a trial-and-error procedure that offers no apologies for its tough-as-nails enemy AI, game-ending scenarios, and multi-tasking mechanics.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about Medal of Honor Airborne. At times the game was fun, but other times there wasn’t too much to hold my attention. The weapons upgrades were nice, but the difficulty of aiming the darn things made me frustrated.

Nothing about it is spectacular but it’s such a fun little platformer that I enjoyed it anyway.

A game can also end up being worse than the sum of its parts. Lair is a good example of this. Because Lair’s most important element, the control scheme, is terrible, you end up with a game worthy of the bargain bin.

Dead Head Fred is a fantastic adventure game full of memorable characters and ingenious puzzles. If you're the type of person who likes to do and see everything then you'll be at this game for weeks. And even if you don't care about all of the extra content the developers stuffed into this $30 PSP game you'll still find an interesting story full of twists and turns.

Old school role-playing fans who have only owned Xbox products recently will no doubt get a kick out of Blue Dragon. This is a worthwhile game if only because it's the only game of its kind currently available for the Xbox 360.

While some of Game Factory’s licensed games have been hit or miss, the care and time put into Pet Alien make it a surprising and memorable experience.

The roster of hotshot golfers is now 21 members deep, several new-to-the-series courses are unlockable, and you can also toss your own face into the fray with the Photo Gamer Face tools.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption overcomes its small flaws with an adventure that will keep any gamer captivated from start to finish.

After a two year wait, PSP owners finally have a role-playing game worth bragging about. Jeanne D'Arc is everything it promises to be, even if it is a by-the-books tactical RPG.

Brunswick Pro Bowling had the potential to be one of the best bowling games of all time; it has a deep single-player career mode, good graphics and enough locations to keep you from getting bored. Unfortunately this game is marred by the poor control and unforgiving difficulty level.

This is a dark, depressing and boring role-playing game with complicated rules and major design flaws. With games like Jeanne D'Arc and Final Fantasy Tactics on store shelves there's no reason to play Dungeons & Dragons Tactics.

Persona 3 is one of the most polished and enjoyable PS2 titles I have ever had the joy of playing and reviewing.

There are a lot of good things to like here, for instance the story, and the overall design behind battle, but there are some nagging issues like the character pathing and balance that keep this from being a winning title.

Overall, Madden 08 is an impressive football game on the Xbox 360 and it serves as a step in the right direction for the franchise.

In theory, Track & Field plays best in Live competition, but lag (even when you have “full green bars” under your ping status) throws off the do-or-die timing required for precisely-timed button presses.

The game isn't perfect but those looking for a solid DS game with a lot of action and a hint of strategy should check out Glory Days 2.

Any kid who plays It’s the Big Game, Charlie Brown will probably feel like they are being punished.

Alien Syndrome is an all around terrible resurrection of a fun (albeit shallow) arcade game.

As much as I enjoy all things Final Fantasy, I find it hard to recommend this version of the game. It has already been released on two other consoles, and the game play has not been changed at all.

Civilization fans have yet another great addition to their addiction in Beyond the Sword.

At $10 it's hard to imagine a better deal; the game is loaded with a ton of content and a great multiplayer experience making this a must-own party game for anybody who loves fast-paced action games.

For this year's version of NCAA Football 08, EA has included some features that they shouldn't have omitted from last year's version. The graphics haven't taken a great leap but it's been polished up a little more. The campus legend mode isn't to bad and I do enjoy that you can participate on only defense or offense if you so desire.

The good news is that PaRappa the Rapper, along with Gitaroo Man Lives!, proves that you can have solid music games on the PSP.

This is not the grand space opera you were looking for.

Without any tension buildup, the stealth-action is merely electroshock therapy when you make bad decisions.

Despite all of its glitz and movie inspired hype, I just can’t recommend this game as a purchase, and a rent is iffy too.

This is going to be another one of those sleeper hits that squeak out just before a consoles life comes to an end. A true gem that should be picked up before it becomes one of those sought after titles long past its short shelf life.

If you can get over Traxxpad's frustrating control scheme you'll find a lot of depth and value ... assuming that you're looking for a way to make real music on your PSP

The Darkness baptizes you in its unholy immersive waters, lingering in your memory well after you've shut down the console -- and well after you've shut off the lights. Its psychological horror, plus its polished performances, minus any mind-numbing pace of pre-packaged FPS meals-ready-to-eat, equals a nuanced and pendulous journey down one man's dark, downward spiral.

With its sense of humor and over the top plays, The BIGS proves to be a baseball game that is accessible to just about everybody. If you're sick of learning complex controls and memorizing player stats, then The BIGS has been made specifically for you.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is an even better game than the original release. Any graphical wrinkles are outweighed by the smooth new Wii controls, which put other sloppy “Wii-makes” to shame.

PQ2 manages to take the best elements from the original game and give us a lot more content, a lot more obstacles, and a lot more freedom.

Regardless of whether you've never played the classic before or you're a seasoned veteran, Prince of Persia Classic is definitely worth checking out.

Tenchu Z proves that just because ninjas and video games are a perfect fit that doesn't mean that all ninja games are fun to play.

The game play is far too simple, the stories are predictable, and the sum of all its parts never quite comes together to create a compelling portable game.

That feeling of mild disappointment is a good way to sum up You Are Empty. It feels a little behind the times and doesn’t fully deliver in every respect, but it’s still fun from start to finish.

The weapon and level design is about as good as it gets.

With its sharp presentation and emphasis on variety, Forza 2 is definitely one of the best games of 2007.

There's definitely a lot to like in Shadowrun, but at the same time there's almost an equal amount of stuff to dislike.

It's hard to find too many faults with a game like Crush; the concept is original and the whole game is expertly done.

It currently is very solid. But I keep feeling like they could just flesh things out a little more and make these truly grand adventures.

Best in small doses, Dawn of Mana continues the downward trend in what really should be a flagship series after the strong start it received back in the SNES era.

You can see that this game is a labor of love, which these days feels all too rare.

While it's not a huge step in improvement for a baseball game, MLB 07 The Show manages some good baseball moments. The bugs and some inconsistent issues leaves it at an above average baseball game though.

It might not be the flashiest or most original movie tie-in game, but Shrek the Third does its job and uses the DS’s abilities for a fun and creative experience. Older players might not be too interested, but this game is good for younger kids who liked the movie.

Code Lyoko does a lot of different things and offers a decently long quest, and fans of the show will appreciate how faithfully the source material was recreated. That said, some fine tuning is definitely needed to make the two play styles feel more balanced, especially in regards to difficulty.

As a spin-off series Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam has a lot of potential, too bad most of it is wasted on this ultimately forgettable PlayStation 2 game.

By now, Spider-Man should be swinging for the fences when it comes to his own video games -- no other game character can even move like Spidey. None. But instead, he's leaps and bounds behind less superheroic fare, and he's fending off too many inner demons which, in this case, are castrated frame rates and multiple bugs choking up his web sights.

In conclusion, this game is for fans of Spider-Man or the super-hero genre in general. It has quite a few flaws, but the combat and the enjoyment of exploring the city more than make up for the games camera and boss combat issues.

Even if you enjoyed the movie, this game isn’t worth your money. It isn’t a sequel, but more like a buggy, half-empty expansion pack for Spider-Man 2.

Although it runs at a budget price, I can’t recommend a purchase, even for fans of the show. A quick rent might suffice, but this game won’t keep you entertained very long.

When I could shake the feeling that I had been through all of this before in one place or another, Alpha Prime was a pretty good ride, considering that there was nothing particularly new or innovative about it.

All in all it's been a great run, and while this ending is not the best game in the series, it's still a fun game that concludes one exciting season.

With the pedigree of the original behind it you might think this is a safe purchase, but don't be fooled ... SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS is a flawed experience from beginning to end.

In playing this game, your humble reviewer found that at first, it was a lot of fun. After repeated butt-kicking (in which the reviewer was the kickee) some of the bloom came off the rose. Thoughts started wandering through the reviewer’s head. The (few) non-sexual ones included: “I’d bet this would be more fun in multi-player”, “This might make a good gift for somebody new to RTSs”, “Do I really need another WW2 RTS?”, and “I’m hungry”.

Downloadable content, cleaned up graphics, and new songs makes this a nice buy for Xbox 360 owners.

For a title that contains one of the things I absolutely loathe thanks to the flooding of the market, I have to say I’ve come away from this title enjoying a lot more than I thought.

Until then SingStar:Pop is a solid game that's easy to get into and a lot of fun to play, even if you aren't a big fan of karaoke.

It's easy to love a game like Reality 2.0, it tells one of the best stories in the season, it's full of laugh out loud moments, and most gamers will get a kick out of all of the classic video game references.

Brutal and beautiful.

The motion controls actually feel like they were thought out, not just slapped on, and they work much better than "Red Steel."

What's really nice about The Elder Scrolls games is that thanks to the level scaling system it doesn't matter when you tackle Shivering Isles. You can take your level 30 character in or start a brand new character and do the adventure at level 1. No matter what your experience is you will have a balanced game where the enemies are neither too strong nor weak.

Bus Driver is easy to learn, but will be quickly mastered. It may not have a lot of replay appeal for adults, but younger drivers will probably enjoy it.

While the PSP version of Test Drive Unlimited is not the most complete version of the game available, it's certainly the most impressive from a technical standpoint.

Symphony of the Night is full of imaginative gameplay, great level designs, outstanding music, and some of the greatest action you've ever seen.

While it's easy to criticize this game for not being very different from past entries, Virtua Tennis 3 proves to be just as much fun as it ever was. With fantastic online support, an engaging single player mode and some entertaining mini-games, Sega's next-gen tennis game will turn you into a tennis fan!

Test Drive Unlimited is just like Grand Theft Auto, except without the sex, violence, swearing... well, ok, it's only kind of like GTA, but it is still the most fun you can have in a virtual Ferrari without risking getting a dose of a virtual social disease.

If you're looking for a lengthy racing game for the PlayStation 2 then Test Drive Unlimited is well worth checking out, even if there's not a lot of variety in the actual events.

Although Genesis Rising has some interesting ideas, poor design decisions bury this title quickly. There’s promise here, but that soon turns to disappointment.

With is short missions and cumbersome customizing options, Armored Core 4 isn't nearly as entertaining as it should be.

Even if you're not into puzzlers or role-playing games, this is definitely one game you can't let slip by.

An action-RPG hack n’ slash that doesn’t live up to the promise of its setting. There is some fun to be had, but there are enough questionable moments to keep this from being a solid title.

The bottom line with this game is that you get what you pay for, and even at $39.99, Earth Defense Force 2017 is simply overpriced. The physics and audio are so last gen, that even after blowing stuff up for some limited enjoyment, you just want to put the game away and play an Xbox Live Arcade title instead.

If you're a Wii owner and you haven't played The Godfather then by all means pick this game up and see what all the fuss is about, but if you've already fought your way to the top then there's probably not enough new content here to warrant a second play through.

The visual calisthenics in Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle are a sheer triumph. But the dialogue-tree hula hoops will simply leave you out of breath.

Outside of nostalgia the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game is short and shallow. Then again, it's also an exciting action game full of great characters and cool levels. The fact that this version of the game allows you to play online makes this a must own for anybody who loved the turtles.

God of War II manages to improve on nearly every element of the original game, something that seems unbelievable given the quality of the first title.

PGA Tour 07 for Wii adds realism without compromising gameplay.

The game is slow to entrust you with special moves (your only sign of character progression), and plot holes in an otherwise adventurous storyline keep the film reel in shoddy shape.

Worms for the Xbox Live Arcade does an excellent job of recreating the fun and excitement of the series, but it's slightly disappointing to see so many modes and weapons stripped from the experience. Still, if you're looking for a great game to play with friends or online, then you can't go wrong with Worms.

Some may argue that this is a step backwards, but for what it is Dominator proves to be a highly competent racer with plenty of replay.

The collection of innovative features and seriously sweet eye candy in Sony's Formula One Championship Edition set a new standard in console-based racing games.

Bullet Witch is almost comically bad. Although it tries, this game never comes close to getting you to care about any of the characters and it's over far too quickly. Then again, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it any more if it had lasted longer than two hours.

Instead of making controlling your snowboarder easier, the Wii's new motion-sensing controls have made SSX much harder than it needs to be. What once was one of the best extreme sports franchises has been reduced to one of the most disappointing games of the year.

Astounding graphics, terrific animation, and upgraded fielding controls bring the best of 2006 and make it better for 2007.

Bonus points for finally taking World War 2 in a different direction, Digital Reality. Much of the basics are intact here and make for some worthy game time. Now lose the gawky first-person mode, make the AI respond properly to enemy action, and give your viewers a macroscopic view of how this alternate history is affecting those beyond the battlefield.

Abe Lincoln Must Die is easily the best entry yet. It's full of zany characters, fun puzzles, and one of the most original game plots you will ever see. Regardless of whether you're a veteran or new to the series, Sam & Max Episode 4 is a must play for anybody who likes to have a good time playing games.

Metal Slug Anthology offers seven amazing games for the price of one, quite a deal when you consider that just one of these Metal Slug games ran for well over $200 on the Neo Geo. There are a few lengthy load times to worry about, but other than that this makes for a near perfect collection of some of the best 2D action games ever made.

Even with its faults Crackdown is still a solid game that is well worth playing through. While it's not nearly as strong as some of Microsoft's other first party offerings, Crackdown does prove to be a solid first entry into what will no doubt be a franchise.

Building up your character and playing the various challenges can be fun. There are plenty of game modes and online play to keep you busy. Some of the animations can be repetitive and the AI can frustrate you sometimes.

Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summon shows a lot of promise, but it spends too much of its own time wasting the player’s.

Dark Avatar is a great expansion to a fantastic franchise. This is the highest score I’ve given, and Dark Avatar earns every point. This is 4X strategy at its finest.

High Impact Games should be commended for their brilliant job of taking the console experience and turning it into something incredible for the PSP. With an original story, memorable characters and plenty of great action, Size Matters is a fantastic way to start off what promises to be an incredible year for video games.

Yet another solid adventure game from The Adventure Company. Nothing spectacular, but it’s still a fun way to scratch the adventure game itch.