Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Electronic Arts is keying on the sport's blocking, defensive strategy, and teamwork with NASCAR 06—the closest to "Madden" car racing can get.

Electronic Arts is keying on the sport's blocking, defensive strategy, and teamwork with NASCAR 06-the closest to "Madden" car racing can get.

Problem is, it ain't nuthin' we ain't seen before. When not running from the cops a la "Driver," you're making deliveries like in "Crazy Taxi"—both of which would be a lot more fun if your rig wasn't slow and sluggish like Eminem with his medicine.

But it also has a compelling Story mode, written by former Hulk scribe Paul Jenkins, who gives the big guy a reason to use his considerable crushing skills.

Problem is, it ain't nuthin' we ain't seen before. When not running from the cops a la "Driver," you're making deliveries like in "Crazy Taxi"—both of which would be a lot more fun if your rig wasn't slow and sluggish like Eminem with his medicine.

Problem is, it ain't nuthin' we ain't seen before. When not running from the cops a la "Driver," you're making deliveries like in "Crazy Taxi"-both of which would be a lot more fun if your rig wasn't slow and sluggish like Eminem with his medicine.

But it also has a compelling Story mode, written by former Hulk scribe Paul Jenkins, who gives the big guy a reason to use his considerable crushing skills.

But it also has a compelling Story mode, written by former Hulk scribe Paul Jenkins, who gives the big guy a reason to use his considerable crushing skills.

Fighting an army of the undead with a six-shooter is rather challenging, but the game has smooth controls and sharp-edged firearms that allow you to get your gunsu on.

Fighting an army of the undead with a six-shooter is rather challenging, but the game has smooth controls and sharp-edged firearms that allow you to get your gunsu on.

Unfortunately, you spend more time scaring the crap out of people than blowing the crap out of people, which slows down the action.

Kiss the rest of your summer (and your loved ones) goodbye and get ready to spend all your waking hours indoors, sitting next to a giant bag of Fritos, agonizing over 4–3 blitz packages.

Kiss the rest of your summer (and your loved ones) goodbye and get ready to spend all your waking hours indoors, sitting next to a giant bag of Fritos, agonizing over 4–3 blitz packages.

Kiss the rest of your summer (and your loved ones) goodbye and get ready to spend all your waking hours indoors, sitting next to a giant bag of Fritos, agonizing over 4–3 blitz packages.

More than the type of senseless video game violence that keeps Hillary Clinton up at night. A sequel to Ghost Recon 2, this stealth challenge offers a harrowing third-person shooter in which you're always outnumbered, and sometimes outgunned, and thus have to rely heavily on cover instead of ammo.

If that's not enough carnage, you can also engage in 32-player (50 on Xbox Live) online deathmatch missions, which is technically twice the bloody chaos of "Halo 2."

What’s really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends—assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

If that's not enough carnage, you can also engage in 32-player (50 on Xbox Live) online deathmatch missions, which is technically twice the bloody chaos of "Halo 2."

What's really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends-assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

Yeah, it’s still just a video game version of pinball, but at least it won't steal all of your quarters like the arcade version of "My Little Pony."

Unfortunately, when it comes to actual racing, FlatOut is about as interesting as a public service announcement for seatbelts.

Unfortunately, when it comes to actual racing, FlatOut is about as interesting as a public service announcement for seatbelts.

Unfortunately, when it comes to actual racing, FlatOut is about as interesting as a public service announcement for seatbelts.

The most fun comes in the game's "Race for the Heisman," an all-new game mode separate from, but similar to, "Dynasty."