This version has taken some strides ahead of '07, and it makes sense to have it.

You can tell sacrifices in controls and visuals are made to port this to the PSP, but if you can get past the few issues, the same excellent game we had on consoles a couple months ago can be taken on the road quite easily.

The hardcore simulations experts may not enjoy the usual advantage they have with experience in flying a plane with a realistic model, but they can still enjoy that they are "flying" and doing it with anyone whose company they enjoy.

With boring quests that really don’t make you feel like you are a part of saving the world, there isn’t any real excitement to the game.

PaRappa means “paper-thin” in Japanese. Unfortunately, that also could be used to describe the game in general.

Even a game with a bad story can be salvageable if the gameplay is fun. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

While the gameplay is somewhat shallow, and the racing elements sometimes frustrating, there is plenty to say about getting a Transformers game with high production value and an all-star voice team. Activision and Traveller’s Tales have brought the new movie to life with a decent beat-em-up title that doesn’t succumb to the movie tie-in curse.

Transformers: The Game is like the Prom Queen from the nerd's perspective. She's really very beautiful and engaging, but trying to get your hands on her is a maddening adventure. If you do get your hands on her you can't share with friends (1 player only), and you might not want a second date after that first experience.

While the gameplay is somewhat shallow, and the racing elements sometimes frustrating, there is plenty to say about getting a Transformers game with high production value and an all-star voice team. Activision and Traveller’s Tales have brought the new movie to life with a decent beat-em-up title that doesn’t succumb to the movie tie-in curse.

While the gameplay is somewhat shallow, and the racing elements sometimes frustrating, there is plenty to say about getting a Transformers game with high production value and an all-star voice team. Activision and Traveller’s Tales have brought the new movie to life with a decent beat-em-up title that doesn’t succumb to the movie tie-in curse.

A simple concept that is so well executed that you can’t put it down.

The game is a lot of fun, but the blistering difficulty makes the game frustrating at first.

The small pitfalls of graphics and lack of modes (including online) could easily be overlooked if the controls held up, but they don’t. It’s so uneven and just plain laggy that you end up fighting the game rather than playing it.

While the spells themselves are of limited value with the PS2 controller, the game is really quite good.

The magic system is fun, but grows dull after a while since there are only so many motions and limited number of spells.

Strategy fans may like it more than I do, and that's fine, but I really couldn't get into the game at all.

Brothers in Arms: War Stories would have seriously benefited from some focus group testing, especially considering the fact that playing the game can bring on physical pain. It isn't a bad game, it just...really doesn't feel necessary.

The plethora of vehicles available combined with the multitude of different types of races, this game will keep you busy.

It feels like a product rushed out the door to accommodate a movie release.

Transformers: Decepticons feels exactly like what it is – a handheld multi-platform game that was rushed out to meet the deadline the film’s release date.

Transformers: Autobots feels exactly like what it is – a handheld multi-platform game that was rushed out to meet the deadline the film’s release date. It certainly taps into the nostalgia Transformers brings out in fans, but so does the movie itself, which is vastly more entertaining.

There is an addicting quality to Hot Brain to try to do better, in a similar way to Brain Age. However, Hot Brain also suffered in the same way that Brain Age did, in that I lost interest in it.

The concept is solid and new elements like sense of smell are great ideas, but the execution and lackluster A.I. just don’t add up to the cohesive product it could have been.

The AI doesn't allow people to enter the house unless you greet them, sort of like vampires, but they can still ring the door bell or call the phone a plenty.

While the single player may end like a car crash, the multiplayer seems to live forever.

The downright beautiful visuals work together with solid technical gameplay and an online experience that is easy to get into to make a game that is hard to harp on. Really, my only complaints center around several interface issues which are annoyances rather than serious bugs in the game.

The game shows that they spent a fair amount of time looking at the user interface and game balance. Now it is down to how Microsoft and FASA choose to support the title in the coming months and years will really see how well it is adopted.

Shadowrun adds a third dimension to the Counterstrike dominated genre and is very enjoyable due to the variety of builds open to the player.

A very solid roleplaying game, and definitely worth the $40 that it's fetching on the retail market. If you're a fan of RPGs or NIS at all, you owe it to yourself to pick this title up.

If you are looking for a fighting game that uses the Wiimote, there aren’t many options available on the shelves. Armageddon for the Wii fills that void nicely.

It's a solid first effort from 1st Playable and Konami, but unfortunately it isn't something I can recommend to anyone other than an avid player of the TCG.

The depth overwhelmed me for a bit, especially trying to remember all of the alchemy recipes, and some of the boss fights were extremely tough, but the game overall shines and is definitely one of the best, and quirkiest, games on the PS2 out this year.

Luckily, Touch The Dead manages to overcome its shortfalls simply by being utterly tongue-in-cheek and letting you get lost in the fun of killing zombies in true HotD fashion.

The new features such as Road to the Show are great additions to the game, as are the improvements to the pitching and batting systems.

This is not an action packed role playing game, with limit breaks, kamehamehas, and sixteen button combos during combat. This is a game of exploring a Labrynth and learning to survive it by strength and wit. Calling it well written is hard to do, as it has only the basic framework of a story, letting the player make it up on their own. But I do find it fun to play, completing quests, earning experience, and delving the depths of the Labrynth with my Landsknecht and team.

Shrek the Third doesn’t take a lot of chances with its license or gameplay. It is essentially a beat-em-up platformer that provides an extension of the movie with a very light amount of challenge.

The mini-games were fun for a while, but they're not deep or eternally engaging.

The mini-games are simple and entertaining, especially for the kids. I got far more enjoyment watching my daughter play that I did playing myself.

Shrek the Third does a great job at capturing the feel of the Dreamworks picture by the same name. Whimsical music and sharp-witted writing are the highlights of the title, with the puzzle-centric action keeping adults entertained as well.

Shrek the Third doesn’t take a lot of chances with its license or gameplay. It is essentially a beat-em-up platformer that provides an extension of the movie with a very light amount of challenge.

This version of Shrek the Third is particularly short. An adult can beat the game in a single afternoon, and more likely a week for a kid due to some of the more difficult platformer elements.

You get the full spectrum of war from armor to aircraft and snipers to squad leader. Sure, it's got a few shortcomings. But it is also the most complete and perhaps even the best combat simulator out there.

The game is not only bigger, but also better in almost every way. The graphics, the animation, the lighting, and the overall storyline cohesion – the whole package is vastly improved.

The game is not only bigger, but also better in almost every way. The graphics, the animation, the lighting, and the overall storyline cohesion – the whole package is vastly improved. There are some issues such as repeating voice work, more persistent framerate stuttering than the PC or 360 version, and a hyperactive camera while indoors, but the rest of the game more than makes up for these shortcomings.

Vicarious Visions has taken the Wii version of the game which leveraged the control scheme of the system very well, and then ported it to the aging PS2 version. The result is a surprisingly tighter control scheme, but one that is less interactive.

The game is not only bigger, but also better in almost every way. The graphics, the animation, the lighting, and the overall storyline cohesion – the whole package is vastly improved. There are some issues such as repeating voice work, framerate stuttering, and a hyperactive camera while indoors, but the rest of the game more than makes up for these shortcomings.

Vicarious Visions has worked very hard on this title to ensure that it utilizes the unique control scheme of the Wii in the best way possible, and they have succeeded. The city is bigger and the storyline is expanded to take advantage of that.

There's a lot of quests in the game. A lot. In the first ten to fifteen levels alone, you're likely to do 50-100 quests, if not much more. While the game seems to have only a small number of areas available at launch, each area is quite large, and there's a fair amount to do in each area as you progress to level 50.

The atmosphere of war is missed, and the strenuous activity of managing a helicopter in a war is barely touched upon.

This is, by far, one of the best games on any platform – ever.

Some of the games will frustrate you with their complexity, but once you think about it, success will be at hand.

The games provided on Konami Classics Series Arcade Hits are a mixed bag from mediocre to bad. Unless you are a collector of classic game series like this, there really isn’t any reason to add this to your collection.

AI is good, but could be much better. Graphics are decent, but are exceedingly bland and unexciting. Map design is incredibly limited to the point of frustration.

Full Motion Video, the return of Joseph Kucan, the introduction of a third race to play, and the incredible competitive multiplayer package really shows just how much was spent to make this game the best production possible.

Shivering Isles is an excellent addition to the Oblivion world, and it isn't just a small set of quests or a building that you can use during your travels. It is a fully realized realm for you to adventure in, with a story all of its own.

The game starts off a tad bit slow, but once you are engrossed in the story nothing is quite like it (except a movie that is a tad bit similar to this game). I will be returning to this game once some more mods come out and when the vehicle mod is perfected.

The game that will replace "Lumines" to satisfy my quick puzzle game craving.

The number of choices are amazing; from armor, to skill set, and NPC party members you have thousands of possible choices.

Don’t dismiss this game just because it is a budget title, it’s definitely got some hook to it. If these guys had a bigger budget, this would be a hit.

The setting is nailed down perfectly, and EA has taken care to get great voice acting and music.

The game was a joy to watch my children play. I enjoyed the 1-player experience for a while, but quickly tired of some of the tedium.

Not many games reach this level of polish and immersion. The brutal action, the fantastic sound and voice work, the incredible cutscenes, and the well-crafted storyline makes for a complete package that rivals any game you’ll find on the shelf.

While I was happy to a beefed up version of Wii Sports Golf, with more control over your swing, I was a little disappointed that the on screen representation of my swing wasn’t in time with what I was doing, like in Wii Sports, and I was really disappointed that my backswing was completely stopped at some times too.

The PSP controls just don’t seem to handle shooters that well. This is amplified by the sluggishness and slow response time by the action buttons. RtV could have been a good game if it had more compelling characters and a better control scheme.

If you are dying for a course editor, then this might be your best bet at making your fantasy golf course on the go. Otherwise, the game is largely forgettable.

It makes a lot of changes without alienating the core gameplay ideas, and adds a nice coat of polish and variety on top of the previous Battlefield 2142 content.

If you have a PSP and want some Sudoku on the go, this is a great way to get your fix.

On the one hand, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a modern adventure game with upgraded production values and a compelling premise. On the other hand, it’s kind of a disappointment in terms of gameplay, relying heavily on pixel-hunting reminiscent of the bad old days of the early point-n-click adventure games.

The overall package falls short in several areas, but it does bring the series across to the Next-Gen platforms, and enables a very easy multiplayer mode. The next game should be that much the better.

The game is a triumph for simulation fans, and is moderately accessible to new players.

In this day of me-too action games, you could definitely find something worse than Chili Con Carnage.

While I really like the Warriors series of games....it's time for an overhaul. The game needs a full graphics engine overhaul, much better voice acting, more cut scenes, and some solid depth.

The bugs in the title really frustrated me (and many others), and while there are workarounds, the players really shouldn't have to work around bugs and lapses in development, especially since some of the bugs were carried over from "MLB 06."

A rock solid RTS.

While some fighters try to blow you away with the number of characters or some other new gimmick, VF5 brings a high caliber fighter with more substance than most other games in the genre.

Even after completing Crackdown I find myself continuing to play it. I can’t say that many games stay in rotation after completion for me these days, so don’t take that statement lightly.

With the fantastic Mod community already churning out quality mods, this game will have the staying power that "Command and Conquer 3" might not have.

The game falls incredibly short. While the story is engaging and is driven by the dialogue, there is just too much dialogue and not enough gameplay.

A great game. It’s detailed, well thought out, and planned. It has real science in it. It has real politics in it. It has drama and it has humor.

It looks great on the PSP screen, and it offers as much content as any of its console cousins.

15 hours worth of dungeon-crawling fun. There are enough challenges, random things to do, and sheer fun to keep people entertained for the entire length.

The game is looking better every year, and controls are getting sharper.

Even after going through the tutorial and starting the first scenario....I just found myself yawning at the screen. The game simply isn't aimed at me, which doesn't make it a bad game...just one aimed at a very small slice of the gaming populace, even smaller than strategy fans in general.

This is a very nice RPG, and if you enjoy Japanese RPGs at all you owe it to yourself to pick up this title.

While playing through Rogue Galaxy, I kept on thinking that this might be what "Final Fantasy XII" might have been like if you were able to control the characters during battle.

The somewhat disappointing textures, lack of any graphical or audio "wow" factor, poor battlefield ambiance, a boring tutorial, and a short overall game all take away from its glory.

The level cap has increased allowing for more spells, talents, and power for individuals with the insanity to chase them. This is a whole new world.

With excellent writing and clever puzzles, this quirky little story adventure alternates between logical deduction and unexpected discoveries.

The graphics and sound are adequate, but the gameplay matters most. That being said, having two screens on the Nintendo DS gives you a better view of the playing field.

Try the demo, and if you like it, support them because I think they tried but just didn’t quite execute. Football fans can empathize with that.

There are several good ideas in Lethal Alliances; it's just a shame they get buried under poor gameplay design choices.

At Forty dollars this compilation is worth every penny for seven arcade perfect translations.

The graphics were amazing, the gameplay was fun and adrenaline filled, and the cover system was implemented successfully.

Unless you are desperately craving something new for your brand new shiny PS3, you’ll probably want to hold off.

That was my favorite aspect of the game. It’s very pretty, and it sounds pretty good as long as you turn the volume way up so as not to hear the rest of the vehicle coming apart around you.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin tosses out the clunky touchscreen functions of the previous title and replaces it with a new dual-hero gameplay element. In the end, the game is a worthy addition to the Castlevania lineage, if only the game lasted a little longer.

This title is amazing to look at, and the graphical candy will hold you for a while. My suggestion would be to just turn off the sound if you intend to show the game off, and then take your boxing gloves online.

There are plenty of options to play the game how you want to, and the objectives give a nice variety.