NCAA Football 09’s addition of the Online Dynasty mode unquestionably saved this game from mediocrity.

Schizoid is a fine entry to the XBLA library, with plenty of depth and difficulty to challenge even the most hardcore gamer. Those looking to see exactly how good they are at co-op games will find this quite the test of their skill and patience with partners.

Thanks to a slow, unbalanced Live experience, the game falls well short of delivering the kind of replay value that the price-tag demands.

Those looking to continue their Olympic high with this title will be sorely disappointed.

Despite all it offers in terms of maps, vehicles, and weapons, the 360 version of Unreal Tournament III is unfortunately lacking. While PC and Playstation 3 users get essentially the same content to play with, the ocean of depth of their experience makes the 360 version look like the kiddie pool.

Just more of the same with a limited set list.

Thanks to its great concept and terrible execution, Operation Darkness is the very definition of a guilty pleasure game.

The game will only take most gamers five hours, at most, to complete, but it does offer a little bonus replay value in the way of same-console multiplayer modes.

The controls leave quite a bit to be desired; I think the best way to describe them is awkward.

Fans of the first-person shooter genre will find that Battlefield: Bad Company is an all right game with a few interesting features that’ll keep their attention for a few days or so. But when you have played all of the eight maps and finish the lousy storyline, players will venture back to their favorite FPS – whatever it may be – after their short diversion through Bad Company.

It may be worth a one night rental, but if you buy it (as I did) you will be left needing a cutman after you bang your head up against the wall so many times.

Reminiscent of the anime, Burst Limit is an intriguing game for fans and newcomers alike.

If you are looking for a 3D version of Rampage, The Incredible Hulk is right up your alley. Before you get too excited, ask yourself exactly how long you could stand to play the old city destroyer before getting bored. That is exactly as long as you will enjoy this one.

Despite its flashy looks, Aces Of The Galaxy falls well short of the crown as XBLA's best shooter, by forgetting that shooter fans care more about a challenge than they do looks.

The character models, even with the lack of Matt Damon’s representation as Jason Bourne, are great in retrospective. The level environments are exquisite and full of interactive objects to use for satisfying takedowns.

Upgraded graphics and improved gameplay solidify it as a legitimate marquee next generation title. For those who are not particularly partial to the hack and slash action genre I would recommend you hold out. Ninja Gaiden fans should purchase Itagaki-san’s last chapter immediately and those who do fancy the genre should do the same.

What separates Kung Fu Panda from the bunk you are used to getting alongside a film's release is that it actually feels as though the game would stand up well on its own without the film.

Star Wars may have left you wondering if they would jump the shark with Indiana Jones, but this one just leaves you hungry for the upcoming Batman title and a few more improvements.

By correcting the glaring issues with the classic, Atari has delivered the kind of product gamers have wanted from them all along. The quality of Warlords fuels excitement for the other damaged gems they could find and polish in their vault.

Between the mismatched gameplay and modes and the slim options, Enemy Territory feels like a half-finished PC port. What is here puts it in the upper half of Xbox 360 FPS titles, but there is just not enough to hold your interest for very long.

It sets the bar for what is possible from an Arcade title. It is a fantastic, polished RPG that will leave you happily setting aside points for the sequel.

It will tie you over nicely until the highly anticipated FIFA 09 hits store shelves. When I described it as a mixed bag my reasons were such; good graphics, excellent sound, lack of real depth, superb game play but lacklustre online options.

Half the fun of a trivia game is that warm glow of superiority when you know something your friends do not. Thanks to the random-fact, numerical nature of the questions, that feeling of 'knowing' the answer does not happen often enough to warrant the, 800 Microsoft Points, price tag.

While there was a lot of potential here for a quality licensed video game, it ended up being marred with problems with the controls, frustrating difficulty and lame environments.

Despite a few graphical and control issues, it doesn’t take much away from the fantastic title that GTA IV is.

NBA Ballers is a scatterbrained game that never decides quite what it is, and at no point resembles anything good. The game is only impressive in just how badly they miss the mark.

What at first sounds like 'fun for the whole family' turns out to be a bad case of 'fun for nobody.' Rocky And Bullwinkle is an unfortunate case of a good license slapped on a terrible excuse for a game.

In the future, Digital Extremes needs to put the storyline through the ringer and give it a much better narrative for players to follow through.

Perhaps the most attractive area of Viking is the gameplay. Viking is a hack-and-slash game with a tremendous amount of gore and violence mixed in. Thankfully, Viking is done very tastefully in comparison to THQ’s Conan since there’s no out of place nude women standing around cheering while the men fight.

The real problem with Sega Superstars Tennis is really that it is aimed at kids who are too young to remember most of these characters and casual gamers who could care less. Gamers who fondly remember these classic characters are not likely to sit around and play minigames and mediocre arcade tennis for hours on end.

Despite its flaws, many of which are correctable with a patch, it does an admirable job of sharpening your mind in an entertaining fashion.

It’s by no means better than the original, but it does produce a similar play through of exhilaration that’ll have you on the edge of your seat.

A great game that has the feel and look of the old PES titles with the visuals of a true next-gen game.

A solid shooter but nothing remotely close to a "Call of Duty 4" caliber game. It has its shining moments and any negative attributes are, for the most part, diminutive save the camera.

The game is an upgrade in every way from last year's solid offering, making this one fantastic title every baseball fan should check out.

Sadly, you will battle nearly as many bugs as Nazis through the course of Turning Point. For all the game gets wrong, which marks about ninety-eight percent of the game, they deserve credit for at least writing a solid, heroic ending to the game. The trick is plodding through four to five hours of bad to get to the thirty-seconds of goodness.

The game is incredibly short, clocking in at five to six hours, and focuses too much on the things fans of the series do not want to do (random puzzles and hating your favorite characters) rather than the things they want, like exploring the island or being rewarded an answer or two.

N+ is a reminder that flashy graphics and high concept gameplay are not necessary to create a killer casual game. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Those hooked by The Club's importance on the leader board will not be able to put the game down. Sadly, for the rest of the gaming population, there the game is all about replaying the same levels with the limited variety of weapons and characters repeatedly.

This game may not appeal to a big percentage of soccer fans. Nevertheless, it does provide a few good laughs albeit short-lived. It’s not a game I can see myself playing consistently.

Those in dire need for a turn-based strategy title on the 360 will have no choice but to fork over the 800 MS Points, but it is hardly worth half that.

Conflict is not a terrible game, but there is no hook here to set it apart from the countless other (and better) first-person military shooters already available.

The reliance on platforming badly mars the gameplay, which never fares well with a first-person view.

Jumper's redeeming quality is its overwhelmingly easy Achievement Points. Be warned, however, this is no Avatar; you will have to play through the game to get all of them, perhaps even twice.

Despite its flaws, Lost Odyssey is hands-down the best turn-based RPG on Xbox 360.

The presentation and graphics are actually damn good. The general graphics of the board, backgrounds, and cards are all pleasing to the eye, and the card clearing effects look great.

The game is much better than what I expected it to be, but the flaws cannot be overlooked.

Culdcept Saga is certainly not for everyone, but is a damn solid game that everyone should at least give a shot. Those who fall in love with it will fall hard.

Each one of the sound effects and songs that blast out of the speakers while kicking some devil ass is done with developing perfection, helping the overall atmosphere that is created in the moody setting.

The game's control scheme is basic to the point where you could play with an Atari controller.

Paradise breaks the mold of its previous franchise games, and pulls it off in a big way. Its rare that a developer can make large scale changes and still put out a winning product.

A disappointing experience. Leave this one in your childhood memories, where you did not mind how shallow it was.

Omega Five is an incredibly pretty game with blemishes hidden behind the makeup. If you want a challenge and a return to old-school side-scrollers, give it a chance. Just do not expect much in the way of depth.

Unfortunately the single player campaign is pretty boring/repetitive once and other than leveling up your character there is no major reason to play the game again.

The game has been stripped of it’s former glory and is now just a below-average sports game in an already over-crowded genre.

The single player campaign has enough substance to warrant the full purchase for people itching for an ATV or MX type game and even basic racing fans may find a diamond in the rough in Untamed. A quality multiplayer experience adds to the fun but can become quite boring after a couple races, stick to the stunt modes and mini-games for maximum fun.

The limits to the number of quests to take on and number of players in a co-op game really hold the game back from being one of the best Arcade offerings around.

GripShift tries to be too many things at once, and ends up falling flat at most of them. The funky physics of the game will provide a decently enjoyable learning curve to get over, but it will be a rare gamer that cares to see GripShift through on all 125 races.

A run of the mill sports title.

With the wealth of FPS options for 360 owners, Battle For The Pacific is hardly worth a passing thought.

Undertow is one of those great games where the demo and description do not do it justice. It is one of the most addictive, challenging, and deepest games Live Arcade offers.

Other than the AI issues, graphical glitches, and insanely confusing equipment screen Mass Effect is the perfect video game. The storyline is right up there with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and we are can barely hold back our excitement to see what happens in the next two games.

Once everything gets updated and the new online features are available this game will only get better. There is already a thriving Rock Band community out there and plenty of information to digest. Rock Band is not a cheap investment but if played correctly can end up being one of the best social games ever played, and to me it was just that.

College Hoops 2K8 is often too detailed and complex where it does not need it, and fails at the most important part of the game; the gameplay. They get quite a bit right, but the stiff player movement is tough to look past.

Need For Speed: ProStreet feels like Forza 2's mindless clone, a la Doug #4 in Multiplicity. It is a bland, lifeless game requires a massive amount of tedium to get through.

In total, the whole Basic Training experience lives up to the 'basic' in the title, and will take you an hour to complete.

The already strong story is helped along the way by some really good voice acting and a fantastic musical soundtrack that fits the game perfectly.

After the first level I thought I had a winner on my hands for sure but as I played more I got more bored and the game became more repetitive. Even though it takes a lot of chances with innovative features and an entirely new fighting system it does not follow through where it matters.

A very poor second effort from THQ. There are three key features that provide the WWE’s appeal; the wrestling action, the story lines and the visual display. While the wrestling action is passable, the story lines via 24/7 mode, and the visual appeal do not deliver the goods or meet the minimum standards for a quality Xbox 360 game.

If you are a complete demented whack job, hey, this might be the game for you but for those looking for solid gameplay via both SP and MP, Soldier of Fortune: Payback is not worthy of a rent let alone a $60 purchase.

Blacksite Area 51 is a textbook example of how half-assed ideas rushed to production become half-assed games. Instead of emulating Unreal, this game makes Hour of Victory look like Game of the Year.

Cabela's Big Game Hunt is fails to deliver on all fronts, failing to provide a realistic hunting simulation or at least compelling gameplay.

Between all the unlockable and hidden items in the game, replay is almost required. Despite some issues with the camera and odd occasional lag over Live, you will do so happily.

Unless they patch the game to allow for Live play against others or release downloadable questions to add on, Scene It may be a fantastic party game with a short shelf life. As it stands, if you are planning to have friends and family over for the holidays, Scene It and Rock Band make up fantastic family fun that rivals anything going on the Wii.

At the end of the day there is only one reason not to buy Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and that is if you’re no longer breathing...I know people that hated FPS games up until they played COD4, now they are awaiting the next one with baited breath.

An uneven hit or miss proposition that relies heavily on elements borrowed from shooters that came before it, but managed to deliver on the innovative feature it brings to the table.

There are a few weak points, such as clumsy menu navigation, great but lacking online support, and reliance on the Microsoft D-pad, but overall VF5 is a very strong title, and fans of fighting games are going to love this game.

In the end, it hints strongly at a sequel, leaving you salivating for more. That is all you can really ask of a game.

With the 360 so devoid of family-friendly party games, Party Animals should have been a slam-dunk, not just slightly better than Fusion Frenzy 2. The game gets the tone and characters right, but this time the piñatas feel stuffed with quick-cash rather than candy.

The hilarity is outstanding, and because every effort was made to ensure each episode stands on its own, the humor does not get stale.

The new wireless Les Paul guitar alone is reason enough to shell out the money for this game; it can also be used when replaying a little GH2. An amazing track list, new boss battles, characters, and an entirely new online mode just keep the list going of reasons to buy this game.

Between the blipping electro soundtrack and dated, incessant "Help me!" whining voices, Exit serves as a great reminder as to why it is so cool that you can stream music through your 360.

Considering the subject material there are not many other games like it (F.E.A.R.) and the unique character-switching feature helps it pick up a few points. The nice variation in weapons and magical powers also keeps the average gameplay from getting too boring.

I had a great time playing through it but with no online mode there is little reason to come back for more, other than the blood and breasts.

The AI isn’t much more sophisticated than that of Space Invaders, but if you look at the reasonable $40 price tag, the good aspects of Tomb Raider Anniversary begin to outweigh the bad.

Speedball 2 is not going to win any beauty contests, and the controls make it feel as though you are playing with a field of squeaky tin men, but it is not without its charms. The wealth of game modes, ability to run and grow an online team, and frantic gameplay ensure you will play this title for longer than a quick stroll down memory lane.

Was I ever surprised when I found myself recommending this game for my ten-year old nephew as well as my twenty-three-year old wife. This game can remind even the most serious gamer of what it was like to play games when they were a child. The storyline is ridiculous, the gameplay is simple, the controls are somewhat difficult, and the graphics are old school but overall this game pulled me in and got me hooked.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground feels like the videogame equivalent of tail grab after getting a few feet of air - nothing special. You have played this game before, many times, and were probably much happier at the time. Games in a series are supposed to get better, not stagnate and die a slow death.

There is something on this disc for everyone in the family and if you are a fan of the Half Life brand it should be a no-brainer purchase, I cannot recommend The Orange Box enough.

Puzzle Quest reinvents the puzzle genre with its unique RPG laden gameplay. It is the kind of game that will need its own support group to assist all the addicted in the near future.

Sega Rally Revo is a racing game developed for the gamer who does not want to be bothered by the nuts and bolts of a typical driving game, or realism. The game succeeds in being a good time for casual gaming fans who will not mind how shallow and simple it really is.

The FIFA series can no longer be labelled as a joke because this year it has surpassed PES2008. The sheer volume of content along with the realistic game play and superior graphics, has led me to this conclusion.

The six hours it will take you to complete the twenty-level contest hardly feels substantial. It is not the slam-dunk comeback fans hoped for from Crash's 360 debut, but it is far from a failure.

Ultimate Carnage makes excellent use of what the Xbox 360 has to offer including fantastic online play and superb graphics. If you like console racers and destroying cars and scenery, this title is worth a look. The fact that this game was released as a $50 bargain title, and has strong replay value, makes it a no-brainer.

Project Gotham Racing 4 has superb graphics for a racing title, some decent controls, and one hell of an offline/online package. As I said before this is the flagship title of the series and with new developers coming on board it is going to be hard to beat in the future.

CSI: Hard Evidence makes Phoenix Wright look like Sherlock Holmes. The game's limited cases and mind numbingly bland gameplay makes this a questionable rental, at best.

Hot Wheels: Beat That is the kind of battle racing game that will score well with the younger crowd that the 360 too often forgets about. If you are still of the age where you enjoy the occasional spin around the room with a die-cast car, this will be right up your alley. For the rest, the shallow, repetitive gameplay will wear on you after a few hours.

Bungie has spent three years and countless loads of money making Halo 3 and fortunately for them (and publisher Microsoft) it has paid off.