The variations of backgrounds and objects is what makes it worthwhile in my eyes, but I’m willing to admit this may not be the opinion of others.

It’s sensitive enough to annoy the uninitiated and the diverse objectives are challenging enough to force you to play one area many, many times.

Just Cause 2's exploration and destruction isn't even that in-depth; it's quite generic, actually. Last year's unfortunately overlooked Red Faction: Guerrilla was far more explosive and destructive than Just Cause 2, not to mention an overall better looking, playing, sounding, and interesting game.

You get a real thrill when it comes to racing with a large pack, and great satisfaction goes along with a meticulously executed pass.

I can't praise this game enough for everything that it does so effortlessly. The adventure will run you about 8-10 hours, and chances are you will go back for another round with your acquired goodies in tow. God of War III is the epitome of what this generation is all about: lavish visuals, marvelous gameplay, storytelling that is unlike any other, and an overall presentation that simply cannot be beat.

You just need to accept the fact that Resonance of Fate will inevitably frustrate you, especially at first, and you have to resign yourself to grinding very, very often.

It all just works so, so, so well. If this was my first Final Fantasy or even my first RPG, I’d think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever played. But I really can’t shake the recurring feeling that Square-Enix has taken something away from me. It’s hard to pin it down exactly, but it’s the void I feel when I subtract so many beloved role-playing elements.

There's this strange lack of weight to Kazuma's movement. It almost feels as if you're gliding around the pavement when exploring, and this sort of transfers into the combat, too. It just doesn't feel like a tight, finely honed mechanic, which brings the entire experience down a few notches.

Employing some of the best game mechanics in the genre, terrific balance, terrific multiplayer fun, and a technical package you can appreciate, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is an FPS you need to play.

Heavy Rain isn’t just a masterpiece; it’s an ingenious step in the right direction...This may very well be the most “human” game ever made, and an absolute triumph for the industry. Take from that what you will.

Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing is colorful and fun, for one player or multiple players. That’s probably all that needs to be said.

Last Rebellion is a dull, witless, ugly, uninspired adventure with only glimpses of the quality and innovation that could’ve been obtained with a lot more work on the part of the designers.

There are so many places that just scream out for more attention; I couldn’t play for more than 15 minutes without going, “oh come on; that could’ve been awesome!” There’s just always something that reared its ugly head and it’s absolutely unavoidable.

Bioshock 2 won't win any awards for its visuals, and maybe the sequel's story isn't as captivating as the first game. But for the most part, the sequel lives up to the original and fans of the original will still love every ounce of what this game has to offer.

An enjoyable game. But a forgettable game.

As far as RPGs go, this is a solid one and probably worth your time and money.

Doesn’t quite live up to expectations. The separate platforming and music elements provide us with a solid foundation, but neither element receives the benefit of extra attention from the developers.

The combat is great, the back-end mechanics are solid, the graphics are nice, and the voice acting is more than fair. I'm probably a harder critic on games than anyone I know, but even I coudn't deny that this is a very good game.

The bottom line is that if you’re into the idea of a MMOFPS that requires patience and strategy, there’s no better option, despite the drawbacks (which may only be temporary).

The foundation remains solid, but the execution also remains a bit dull. Sure, you're going to have a great time with the game for a few hours, but that'll quickly wear thin on you. Though I do suggest this: if the fun begins to wear thin, finish playing the story in co-op, or hell, play the entire story in co-op mode.

Eurocom did make significant strides with Vancouver 2010. But they’ve got to make a few more before we can recommend a purchase of a game based on the Olympics.; not surprisingly, it really is more fun to watch on TV.

By now, you know what to expect; it’s just that there are other downloadable games that might be more worth your money.

For a first game, the gameplay is executed fairly well, even if it isn't the deepest or best designed game.

So, what's the verdict? Simple: buy the Xbox 360 version.

I was really excited about Guitar Hero: Van Halen, but all of that excitement washed away when I actually played it.

Polar Panic is one of those games that is unique but fails to make good on its promise of purely fun and original entertainment. The puzzle aspect might be top-notch if it weren't for certain downfalls in the Story Mode and the visuals are oddly lacking. However, I will add this: for multiple players (up to four), this game gets a good deal better.

If you’re lying in wait for some Christmas presents and don’t have anything to play, and there just so happens to be a winter storm blowing outside, jump online, quickly download this 108MB game, and be satisfied for quite some time.

The characters are interesting, and so the story is more rewarding than you would imagine. Yes, there are some control issues, but they aren't terrible enough to disregard the game.

Really, only the control is a possible saving grace but that’s not enough to compensate for the tremendously bad presentation, design, style, and overall gameplay.

The controls aren’t tight enough – especially in regards to the vehicles – the camera is rarely on-point, the music isn’t prominent enough, the AI is iffy, and the overall fun factor dips frequently. On the other hand, there are plenty of pluses and I don’t like to frown on good ideas, even if they didn’t quite execute said ideas to the best of their ability.

The sound effects needed to be revamped and brought out more, the new features don’t have quite the impact they could’ve had, the technical aspects can drag, and the trick system – while mostly well done – isn’t perfect. Perhaps it’s best to wait until it’s a bargain bit purchase.

Madden NFL Arcade has a great deal going for it and they did almost everything right; they just didn’t follow through and make it a worthy, over-the-top arcade experience.

Diner Dash is good…I think. It’ll tick you off but again, that’s good…I think. Maybe you’ll just have to play it to fully understand.

The storyline is excellent, the voice acting and effects are excellent, the size, scope and detail of the environment is both a pleasure to behold and downright thrilling, interacting with everyone around you is an impressive experience, and the plethora of gameplay additions are much appreciated.

So we're not sure what the purpose of Tony Hawk RIDE is. It's a product with a worthless peripheral, for sure. It's also running some sort of dated graphics engine transforming your powerhouse console into a Nintendo Wii.

LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues is still a decent game but it’s a definite step backwards from the original.

Planet 51 just doesn’t deliver. The entire production feels bare and a little watered down, and the technical hang-ups continue to persist throughout the game.

Don't just buy this collection as a way to get your hands on the demo early, because this bundle of amazing software is dripping with quality. Both games have retained their signature gameplay, all the while gaining new and improved visuals, boasting full 720p resolutions, better texture details, anti-aliasing, trophy support, behind the scenes footage, and, yes, a demo of God of War III.

Braid is a great game that will force you to flex your mental muscle; in a way, it’s similar to something like echochrome, simply because you have to “bend” your mind into a certain shape before you can fully comprehend the skewed setting and premise.

Modern Warfare 2 is a great game, there is no doubt about it, but its shortcomings make it feel as if the game has stagnated and doesn't feel evolved, at all. And in some ways, I actually think the first Modern Warfare was better.

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast offers a ton of content for you to wade through, there's no doubt about it. But it lacks the nostalgia and authenticity to really make you enjoy the experience.

Sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn’t. And it felt downright silly to be flinging the controller all over the place during battle.

Military Madness: Nectaris almost feels a little like the fast food approach to strategy gaming, although that’s probably too harsh. Let’s just say it feels watered down to an RPG/strat vet like myself and I have difficulty recommending it over other PSN gems that are currently available.

Unless you're a die-hard Jak and Daxter fan, Jak and Daxter: The Final Frontier isn't worth the coin.

The soundtrack is definitely more mature than what was found in Band Hero, but LEGO: Rock Band doesn't do a whole lot to drive the experience forward.

If you can get past the really bland game visuals and a choppy framerate, then in Dragon Age: Origins you will find one of the very best RPG experiences in years. Masterful gameplay mechanics and an amazing story grab you and don't let you go until either a power-outage or sleep deprivation.

Band Hero brings very little to the table, offering only a small number of minute features that add virtually nothing to the overall experience of the game.

There’s nothing laughably terrible about this effort but just about everything ranges from mediocre to average, which is painfully obvious within the first few minutes of play time. It’s just…so “meh.”

The soundtrack is pretty good, as are the rest of the sound effects, but you probably already knew that.

It's library of fantastic mash-ups are really something worth listening to, and certainly worth playing. The turntable controller isn't perfect, but it's good enough to experience a vast majority of the game and love every single second of it. With every session I pick the controller up for, it becomes harder and harder to put the game down - it's that good.

Even though the formula of this series hasn't seen a dramatic overhaul, the gameplay does continue to offer a very solid experience, complete with enough new features to keep it feeling fresh.

Fairytale Fights, as sadistically zany as it is, just isn’t worth the price of admission.

In short, this one is well worth a try. There are plenty of ways to spend the money in your wallet on the PSN, but few are as pretty or as uniquely rewarding.

If you can get past the bland visuals, there is a very deep and solid gameplay experience, overall.

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge for the PS2 is still great despite missing a features the PSP game has. At its very core, it does everything that the PS3 games have been doing for years now, with the one and only major difference being the visual sacrifice.

The best damn football game ever made.

I sincerely hope that Rockstar decides to do an HD release of this for the PS3, as a downloadable game, it's surely be a treat. But this is a superb handheld game, a definite must own.

It’s okay, but that’s where my praise ends.

What you need to know is that not only is the voice acting sensational, but so is the freaking soundtrack! I would seriously pay good money to buy this compilation of amazing work all as one set.

Uncharted 2 represents everything I've always wanted to see out of an action-adventure game such as this. It defines what videogames mean to me. It's designed in such a way that is completely the opposite of what most games in the genre have been doing, and yet, by taking a step back to a more traditional setup, it is without question the best game the genre has seen in a very long time. It is also without question the best looking console game I've ever seen, easily the best of the generation.

The whole thing just feels bare. Oh, and that plot is a little over the top and just plain zany, although that’s more of a subjective thing. I guess it just needed more in the way of substance, you know?

Cars Race-O-Rama takes a good concept and fails to implement it properly. The idea comes up well short due to erratic and somewhat unreliable physics, an overly bland atmosphere, a sense of definite repetitiveness, and a lack of mechanical upgrades that could’ve made the experience richer.

For $49.99, it’s a definite pass; maybe when it drops down to budget price all you nature fans might give it a try. Just don’t expect much…at least it’s cheaper than a real safari.

For what it wishes to be, Demon's Souls hits the mark. Perhaps the audience in question is too niche to yield huge sales, but I'm confident in expressing my praise for this production and I expect many gamers to reward Atlus for this effort.

All in all, the graphics are okay, the sound is fairly good, some of the voices are solid, and the puzzles are well done. It just isn’t quite enough, you know?

There’s just a tremendous amount of satisfaction that comes with the perfectly executed offensive play, or when successfully defending a tough player.

This one looks a little better, the commentary is definitely better, the online and multiplayer (in my experience) was a bit more fun, the movement physics are more authentic, and the many features and options are on par with Live. But the occasionally iffy control, very questionable AI, and significant balance issues makes me give the nod to EA.

What bothers me is the lack of the fundamentals, the very basic and general things that have made Gran Turismo such a superb game. Yes, the physics are great, yes there's a ton of cars and tracks, and yes, despite all of these drawbacks the game is still quite a bit of fun. But this is a game that could've been perfect.

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge for the PSP is great. There's no two ways about it. It does everything that the console games have been doing for years now, with the one and only difference being the visual sacrifice. But even still, it's a damn good looking PSP game.

Visually, Sigma 2 is extremely smooth looking.

It’s not quite as technically sound as it could’ve been in my eyes, but it’s still awesome.

It offers a splendid assortment of pinball tables, with a superb game engine that boasts great physics, runs at 60 frames per second, can render at 1080p, includes flawless recreations of the original tables, and boasts sound bits directly from the original pinball machines.

This very simple and straightforward format may turn off older players in the first hour but the younger crowd may enjoy it plenty.

It offers diversity for Bethesda, definitely. But at the same time, the gamble is that it's coming from an unproven developer, and as an all new I.P., it has a very small chance of selling well enough for Bethesda to consider it a good pick-up from Activision's table scraps.

All in all, despite some awkward design choices, Need for Speed: SHIFT is still a fantastic racing game, and once you figure out your preferred sensitivity settings, everything just clicks and you'll find yourself going from one race to the next, onto the other, and before you know it...it's 4AM.

NHL 10 is just about everything we expected, plus a little bit more.

Heroes Over Europe is a capable flight production that is high on fun factor but a little low on flash and lasting appeal.

Too many times, it just feels as if you don’t have total control over what’s going on during a match, and the AI is questionable.

This is a proper sequel that was certainly worth the three year wait. It's not min[d]-blowing, but at the same time it manages to capture everything that a videogame should be: fun. And it captures it well.

If you're a fan of The Beatles, this Rock Band game is definitely the music game you want to own this year. It offers a ton of content and replay value, and truly makes for a great experience for you and your friends. I just wish they'd offer a patch to fix the microphone latency.

Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures is an okay production that has some nice elements and makes a valiant effort to be well worth the $40 price tag. It falls just a little shy.

This is one of those productions where there isn’t anything glaringly bad and there’s a healthy gameplay mechanic at its core.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey is a bit more polished, a bit more refined, a bit more realistic, and overall, a better-quality product than Heroes Over Europe.

A pristine racing game. Nevermind that it's focused on rally, it feels so damn tight and responsive, on top of looking like a dream. It's one of the best playing game engines out there, and one of the best looking too.

SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny isn't a bad game, it just feels extremely barebones in many areas, despite boasting one of the all time best mechanics for a 3D fighter.

I simply cannot resist. And as a little tidbit, I discovered that Sony's SingStar mics work with the game, as well. Once again Activision has put together an extremely convincing soundtrack and have earned my attention.

The pinnacle of superhero games. It is without question the best superhero game ever made, and we can clearly see that the numerous delays the game saw have paid off extremely well. This is not just a polished game, but also a very well thought out title with a great story, fantastic visuals, superb gameplay, and voice acting that makes almost everything else out there pale in comparison. Yes, it's that good.

It’s just that the path we’re led down isn’t all that fun. The pacing is too slow, the characters are irksome (and never seem to stop being irksome), the story takes absolutely forever to get going, and even when all aspects of the combat open up, you still feel as if it lacks that extra “oomph.”

Generic gameplay, poor multiplayer offerings, and below average visuals? This I can't even recommend when it hits the inevitable bargain bin.

We're sure you've already got your copy of the game, but in case you don't...just go and buy it.

It is the ultimate fighting game experience packed with the most insane and awesome gameplay a fighter has ever seen.

What sets this Queen game apart from all of the other SingStar titles in the past is the sheer level of complexity behind every vocal performance of a Queen song.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra fails to deliver the goods on any conceivable level, and it’s simply because the production is mediocre in terms of both technicals and gameplay.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra certainly looks and even plays a little better on the next-gen systems, but this PS2 version should be avoided at all costs. There’s very little in the way of redeeming qualities, and just about every aspect of this production has its fair share of problems. There’s no need to elaborate further; just stay away.

Fat Princess is both charming and amusing but it’s also nicely designed and capable of holding a player’s interest due to the diversity and variety found within.

If you're looking for only one full fledged fighter loaded to the brim with goodies, BlazBlue is what you get. Unless you're a hardcore fan, wait a bit before splurging on this $60 game. Give it time to hit $40 or less.

For the cost and time involved (it won’t take more than a few minutes to download), Shatter is an absolute must-buy. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

All in all, G-Force is a game that doesn’t necessarily excel in any one area, but also doesn’t fall drastically short of its goal.