If the value of the game didn’t suffer enough from the lifeless gameplay, the painful dialog and storyline, and the cumbersome controls, the game also suffers from some fairly significant bugs.

The game is huge and you may not even get to the first dungeon for hours.

It plays smooth and fast, and like a bright flame it burns out earlier than it should.

The most realistic skate title ever made. The graphics, animation, sound, and revamped challenge system has created a game that will challenge the legendary "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2" for its crown as the king of the series.

A pretty decent title, if not visually off-putting.

The flaws of the game really stand out to make this feel like a lifeless and incomplete experience.

I'm going to put this fairly simple: this game is really boring.

With better focus on what players want, including four (useful!) costumes per character, a plethora of villians and heroes from Marvel lore, better visuals, tighter RPG elements, less of the Chatty-Cathy moments, and FAR more tough boss and mini-boss battles, Marvel Ultimate Alliance could be the geekfest that keeps players wrapped onto whatever platform they chose like a pair of tight blue spandex with a big 4 on the chest.

I actually found myself enjoying it a lot more than other Madden games in the past.

A pretty good game, even if the time and place are a bit overdrawn.

With a great control scheme, graphics that don’t look ported, fantastic humor, and a whole lot of races to complete, this quality title is worthy of being a member of the Tony Hawk franchise. This is a safe Day-1 pickup for the Wii, just make sure you buy the three spare Wiimotes for your friends!

The single player is robust and action packed, while the multiplayer tends to be a bit more tactical.

There are plenty of ways to play the game, as well as a storyline that does take a few interesting twists and turns.

It takes some time to get used to the play style and the controls, so you might want to consider other options before going straight in.

The lack of any extra modes could be forgiven if the main story wasn't so short. You can easily finish this title in a weekend play through.

Figuring out the pattern and applying a solution is an awesome feeling if everything is done correctly.

With its stylish visuals, some rocking sounds, and a solid control scheme to all compliment the frenzied gameplay, you should enjoy the core of the game.

If you like mediocrity and stupid storylines, this game is definitely for you.

This formula one just has a few faults and nothing that successfully improves on that formula.

The History Channel Civil War is a nice alternative to other World War II shooters, but you might want to rent it on a rainy weekend. It's a shame because The History Channel footage is really well integrated into the game.

Eragon is about as devoid of passion and energy as any project I've ever born witness to and the very lack of soul robs it of any chance to become something more than a quickie tie-in for a half-ass movie.

The relation between the actual battle in real time mode, and managing an empire in turn based mode, is pure bliss.

If you enjoyed the first game, you might enjoy the second game, although the minor differences between the two games make you wonder if Team Ninja could have done more to differentiate it from the first game.

The game is beautiful and fun, although there's definitely room for improvement.

It's obviously not for everyone, but you can't deny it's charm. This is definitely Rare's best release on any Microsoft platform, and it is a wonderful game to play.

There is one area where Gears of War does not shine – bugs. Four big ones affecting multiplayer are fairly widespread.

It provides fantastic visuals that has few rivals on the PS2. The sound and music of the game are top notch. The realism and grittiness of the game pull you right in and completely immerse you in the battle.

It carries with it some of the best aspects of "Call of Duty 2," and adds some new gameplay elements to the series. On the downside, it also brings with it some occasionally braindead AI, and is still a very linear game.

The gameplay and controls are solid, and the Nail the Trick mode is a fantastic addition. If you haven’t selected a Next Generation system yet, you might be able to squeak by on this last title, but it is really time to retire the PS2 versions of this series.

Neversoft has created the most realistic skate title ever made. The graphics, animation, sound, challenge system, and Live integration has created a game that will challenge the legendary "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2" for its crown as the king of the series.

For the sake of the people in our profession, please quality check titles before publishing them. If at any point in the testing you sense an urgency to find something sharp and jab yourself with it repeatedly then make a mental note that it’s the fault of a poor game.

Exceeds the previous title in every way..."Guitar Hero" was a staple of the parties I throw at my house, but it looks like Guitar Hero II has stolen the crown!

If you don't mind your fighting games on the simpler side you will find a lot to enjoy.

Here's hoping that Infinity Ward's eventual return to the saga won't leave gamers with such a bland and lifeless taste in their mouths.

Fans of this style of gameplay will be happy for weeks on end, and the wide dispersement of save spots make this game an easy pick up for 15 minutes and play game.

Once you start playing, FF12 has an addicting quality to it that will cause you to skip meals and lose sleep, constantly pressing forward towards the next save point.

The game that almost gets it right. Over time, and a bit more testing, I believe that the game will live up to its Bioware-powered predecessor.

While Killzone: Liberation isn’t mindblowing and has some flaws, it's a good action game for a game system on the go.

Immense racing. You get 4 different vehicle types, over 70 tracks plus a track editor, robust online modes and even a story mode for those that want it. All of this is wrapped up in an attractive package that runs well, controls very smoothly and plyas like it looks.

This is a solid racing game that has evolved the need for speed series and just tightened and improved upon many of the things that were left unfurnished in the last game.

The inclusion of online play is a great bonus for a PSP racing game. With a few more tracks and a bit more background sound, AOFP could have been a terrific game.

After seeing what they have done with this setting, I can't wait to see what the next campaign will contain.

Personally, I was turned off rather quickly by the ancient game play and dated development decisions.

At the end of the day, PSU is probably destined to be in the same niche as Phantasy Star Online was to begin with.

With better focus on what players want, including four (useful!) costumes per character, a plethora of villians and heroes from Marvel lore, better visuals, tighter RPG elements, less of the Chatty-Cathy moments, and FAR more tough boss and mini-boss battles, Marvel Ultimate Alliance could be the geekfest that keeps players wrapped onto whatever platform they chose like a pair of tight blue spandex with a big 4 on the chest.

With better focus on what players want, including four (useful!) costumes per character, a plethora of villians and heroes from Marvel lore, better visuals, tighter RPG elements, less of the Chatty-Cathy moments, and FAR more tough boss and mini-boss battles, Marvel Ultimate Alliance could be the geekfest that keeps players wrapped onto whatever platform they chose like a pair of tight blue spandex with a big 4 on the chest.

While Marvel Ultimate Alliance isn't reinventing the wheel carved by X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II, it certainly puts Armor All on the sides, slides in some new rims, and adds aquatread.

While the game does take advantage of the PSP’s networking abilities, some of the limitations really show up here, such as the lack of a second analog nub. Still, the controls aren’t too bad once you get used to them.

The number of different challenges actually detracts from the gameplay instead of enhancing it. THDJ isn’t a bad game, but if you are expecting something similar to the other Tony Hawk games you might find yourself disappointed.

It is nice that the game controls so easily so that parents don’t have to constantly be watching over their kids. Still, it’s a bit too short to really justify the purchase.

All but the most hardcore adventure gamers or those totally smitten by the art style and characters will easily bore of the game halfway through the second case.

The lack of any real bonus levels or new content, and the overall simple difficulty of the game really hampered my enjoyment of it. Also, by the time I really got going in the game, it was nearly over.

There isn't a whole lot of replay value once you've finished the game, but the adventure is long enough to keep a player entertained for quite a bit of time.

With bland graphics, bad voice acting, uninspired missions, and the ability to finish it within four hours Reservoir Dogs is little more than a rental at best.

With better focus on what players want, including four (useful!) costumes per character, a plethora of villians and heroes from Marvel lore, better visuals, tighter RPG elements, less of the Chatty-Cathy moments, and FAR more tough boss and mini-boss battles, Marvel Ultimate Alliance could be the geekfest that keeps players wrapped onto whatever platform they chose like a pair of tight blue spandex with a big 4 on the chest.

A game worthy of the name Sam & Max. Even better is the fact that we'll be getting more every month for the next six months! I'll say it again, Sam & Max: Culture Shock is a must-buy.

Things are a little wacky and over the top, but it works fine and the game is better because of it. With a compelling story, unique approach, and strong gameplay you can't go wrong with Bully.

Battlefield 2142 steps over Battlefield 2 in terms of graphics, gameplay, multiplayer ranks, unlocks, and game modes. Right out of the box it offers more variety in terms of selecting different game modes, more customizations in options, and a larger map selection with better maps.

The game really falls flat, and feels more like a hack and slash title than a superhero game.

A very solid expansion to a solid game.

The game looks and plays well on most every level, but you still feel like you're playing a game that was made four years ago.

There are some mini-games that were genuinely fun, but they couldn't hold the rest of the game on their shoulders. What could've been a fresh, original, and funny game, is unfortunately a formulaic and dull middling title.

If you can play the PC version, it is a much smarter investment to purchase The Sims 2: Pets as an expansion pack rather than this stand alone PS2 version.

It's not a bad expansion by any means, it just feels rather light compared to the previous three expansions.

There is a very detailed simulation in here, with many flight hours of fun and missions for people to complete. Add on the multiplayer options, and this sim has legs.

Within 30 minutes I knew that we were being forced more licensed junk. Hopefully Ford will take a lot more care of their property and make sure that only quality titles represent their cars from here on out.

While it doesn't have the graphics of the DS or PSP, it has a lot of fun gameplay in its favor.

Those looking for a new super hero action RPG experience might look at Marvel Ultimate Alliance to get more bang for their buck.

Pandemic should collectively stand up and take a bow because they have expertly crafted a sequel that goes above and beyond the top-notch original.

With a compelling storyline, and load times that don’t keep you guessing when you’ll get to play, this is a great mature title in a time period that is often left neglected.

One heck of a story, and has a decent engine to back it up.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf 07 looks like it will be the swan song for the series on the PS2, and I would say that it’s about time after playing this game. If other versions of the game had the issues I experienced with it, I’m surprised that it lasted this long.

You get a good game that seems like a carbon copy of the previous year’s edition. There’s a few improvements, a few fixes to go along with the same old issues.

The graphics are below average. The combat is monotonous. The storyline is uninspired.

Unfortunately there was nothing that really stood out about this game. Fans of the show will dive right in and love the heck out of it.

From the disappointingly generic artwork to the charming-but-repetitive music, the GBA version of the game comes across as a rather ordinary golf game that relies heavily on its associated movie license.

A solid effort, and fans of the series will definitely enjoy it. The lack of multiplayer is a big hit against it, especially in a game aimed at children and pre-teens.

Dark Crusade provides a very balanced game to the world. Relic has a firm hand on what they want a Warhammer 40K themed RTS to be, and they have succeeded.

I really liked how it handled the actual gameplay, but the interface issues did really disappoint me.

Mainly it suffers from being too bland and inconsistent, and while it has some good ideas it doesn't quite deliver on all aspects.

Unfortunately, nostalgia rarely holds up, they couldn't even implement the new system's features and instead of taking something old and reinventing it they made a broken version of a classic game with graphics that have no character.

Given a year or so, Archlord might be a solid title. Right now though? It's not worth the money.

The length of the missions works well for a portable game, and having relatively short load times helps.

If Stormbreaker came out about 15-20 years ago it might actually be considered a mediocre game. As it is, it ranks very highly on my list of 'worst games ever played.'

Sluggish would not even begin to describe the controls. Moving Alex around is like driving a ten ton dump truck through wet cement in a blizzard.

If you're into single-player FPS titles and enjoyed the Max Payne style but were looking for a little more action, then this is a great pick. El Matador has its downsides, but it can be a fun, but bumpy, ride.

Easy to learn but difficult to master as your tactics need to be adjusted on the go.

A game that delivers on some promises while completely losing sight of others. The overall gameplay is fun, but a few bugs tend to frustrate the experience.

Even with the budget price, there are no compelling reasons to play Ford Bold Moves Street Racing with the terrible gameplay, awful graphics, and controls that are even worse.

It'll be interesting to see where the series goes as it makes its first steps into the next generation, but DDR SuperNova is a great sendoff to the Playstation 2, and should be part of almost any DDR fan's library.

If you are a hardcore SRPG gamer with the patience of a saint, you might be able to get through Spectral Souls: Resurrection of the Ethereal Empires. There is a deep game somewhere in there.

A fun, albeit highly frustrating, experience. For starters, the bugs and glitches are across-the-board aggravating and Avalanche, Eidos and Microsoft all should have kept this title in development for at least another month.

Unless you really want to get behind the hard-knock life of an NBA star, your money would best be spent elsewhere.

As much as I wanted to like it, I couldn’t recommend NBA ’07 to any of you out there, especially if you’re interested in actually playing basketball.

This is a solid second effort, but both Left Field and Activision really need to put together a stellar effort next year, when the PS3 and Xbox 360 are the main gaming systems for a lot of people, along with the Wii, in order to get people to drop the money on the title.

Chock full of character, life and just plain old fun. It's got enough stuff to keep you busy for hours upon hours, and the ride is rarely slow or drags it's feet.

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

For serious gamers, you can use this title as a great gateway for the younger ones in your life to get a taste of great games like "R-type" and "Gradius."