Faithful to such profiling, the EverQuest universe does not stray from the tried-and-true formulas. EQ2, from conception to execution, was never able to think outside of the box.

The Viet Cong are everywhere in this game, and they just keep popping up out of the bushes, just like the war movies and stories I know we’ve all read about the Vietnam War.

Be warned, however, that there is a lot of work to do before finally wringing enjoyment out of this title, especially if one is new to the series.

Compared to the other recent superhero brawler, the bitterly disappointing Justice League Heroes, Marvel Ultimate Alliance is a godsend.

After a throw-away attempt on the DS, Warthog has constructed a passable platformer with the Animaniacs franchise. You won't find anything fresh or spectacular, but the gameplay is competent and the show has (finally) been recreated with some decent accuracy.

The single-player campaign is boring and ineffective, the action is dull, the level structure is bland and the overall game lacks the oomph and power of the original. HALO 2's multiplayer aspect fares a little better but it's marred by an ineffective matchmaking service and some poor judgment in the balance department.

If you're looking for a great modern war game pick up "Full Spectrum Warrior," if you want an all-around amazing war game get "Brothers in Arms," but if you simply are looking for a better first-person shooter than this, then pick up Rainbow Six Lockdown when it's available in June.

While not a high water mark for pinball games, Zen Pinball 3D delivers on every one of its promises. This seven dollar 3DS game features four exciting stages, online leaderboards and an achievement system that will keep you coming back for more.

Forgotten Sands feels like a big expansion pack, and while the acrobatics are far and away the best in the series, the combat has a lot of unrealized potential and the story isn't that satisfying.

With a flair lifted from the Second World War’s propagandized news flashes, Strong Badia the Free stands at attention already as the series’ high point -- and we’re only two-fifths of the way into season one. Along with the famed Sam & Max series, Telltale Games is single-handedly ushering in a renaissance for the adventure genre.

Excitebike: World Rally is a really good example of how to take a classic, simple game and bring it into the modern era.

You'll have a lot of fun with this new Bionic Commando, but he ultimately plays it safe in his first adventure in twenty years.

A solid game for kids that adults will probably enjoy as well. The game play is a little repetitive but it's something that everyone will find enjoyable.

A brief but well-made science fiction story, Lifeless Moon doesn't ask much from the player beyond a few hours of time and some light puzzle solving. Though it is light on content, what is there is interesting and rewarding. Recommended for fans of weird, think-y science fiction tales.

For $40, you’ll get 15 or so hours of a lite Icelandic folklore version of the modern God of War games. It comes with caveats – finding the right difficulty and looking past annoyances with puzzles and combat – but I’d recommend giving Echoes of the End a go.

With Droplitz always on the verge of running out, the steady-drip pacing escalates to full-on waterboarding in short order. It’s smooth, polished, and well-conceived puzzler, but is often more threatening than rewarding.

There's a lot to like in MX vs ATV Reflex, particularly in the realm of controlling the rider. Still, while there is notable improvement over previous versions in some areas, there's nothing truly revolutionary in Reflex.

Flock has an amazing sense of style, humor and quirky appeal, but it's definitely not for everybody. If you're the type of person that likes to herd computer-controlled animals, then you're in luck. Everybody else should probably try out the demo first!

Old school RPG junkies will have a good time, even if it's marred by repetitive mechanics and an extreme difficulty!

Black starts out as one of the most promising and fun games of recent memory, only to let us down with a thin story line and so-so game play.

With its impressive visuals and compelling storytelling, The 3rd Birthday is an exciting new chapter in the Parasite Eve series. Too bad the game is marred by stiff controls, frustrating gameplay and cheap bosses. If you can get past these hiccups you'll discover another worthwhile PSP game!

Planet Zoo: Console Edition does not completely pull off the PC-to-console transition from a control standpoint, leading to bouts of frustration. But it has enough charm and depth that will make it difficult for genre fans to ignore.

Released a full year after the PC game, Bejeweled 3 makes for a solid Nintendo DS puzzler. With eight fleshed-out modes and achievement points, PopCap's newest game is easy to recommend for twenty dollars. Just don't go in expecting the Seattle-based company to have reinvented their popular puzzle game!

Penny Arcade Adventures may be the most expensive game on the Xbox Live Arcade service, but that shouldn't keep you from discovering a wonderful adventure full of snappy dialog and addictive combat.

If you can overlook some disappointing plotting and a lame story then you'll find this to be a solid adventure game with enough laughs to hold you over until the next episode.

It does a good job of presenting both Zelda-style adventuring and concentrated sandbox gameplay with a Tolkien flavor, combining them into a focused Middle Earth adventure that serves as an excellent Lord of the Rings primer and an expanded highlights reel of the films.

Kalypso Media's Air Conflicts: Secret Wars offers an arcade-style single-player mode that will appeal to the casual air combat gamer and a multiplayer component that will offer a tougher challenge to the more serious player, but only if other players actually show up.

The Tomb Raider Trilogy is a lot of things. It's a great adventure game full of life or death platforming puzzles. It's a fun exploration game. It's that game where Lara Croft kills a dinosaur. But one thing it's not is a trilogy. If you can get past the weird title you'll be treated to hours of excitement for not much money!