It’s one of those situations where I felt the potential wasn’t close to being met—what looked like it was going to be a big sandbox of exciting jungle warfare quickly revealed itself as a fairly small rubber stamp. Too bad.

It’s not an elaborate game, but it does grow on you as you try to progress further through the levels.

There’s an abundance of things to see and do, and some great moments are present; however, they’re too few and the sense of missed opportunity too strong to make a convincing recommendation.

Medal of Honor Airborne pushes at the boundaries a bit, but mainly stretches the franchise experience, not necessarily breaking new ground for the game industry as a whole.

KoFUM is still worthy of a solid score, due to the fact that it’s still one of the better pure fighters ever made, but it will be hard for casual brawler fans to realize its allure.

One of the best platformers currently available on the Xbox and the gameplay is surprisingly challenging and deep. The humor of the script is what keeps Tak 2 an enjoyable game to play through and is reminiscent of movies like "Toy Story" and "Monsters Inc."

Pitfall snagged me like a trophy bass. The gameplay is simple enough for any gamer to pick up, yet challenging for even seasoned gamers. The storyline and dialogue keeps things light-hearted while keeping the focus on the game’s addictive gameplay.

The camera system prevents the story mode from being the heart pounding, wind-through-your-hair experience that was intended. The team-based gameplay feels forced and takes a lot of the creativity away.

A game that won't bore you after an hour of gameplay and will literally leave you speechless at times.

Has its flaws, such as the camera and clunky controls, but is a nice total package. It definitely captures the feeling of the Buffy universe in more ways than one.

Although there's a steep learning curve, you'll be having a grand old time once you get the hang of the controls. Hardcore strategy fans are in for a treat.

If you’ve played any of the myriad action/RPG/brawlers starring superheroes culled from the Marvel universe, such as the X-Men Legends games or the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, then you’ve played Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

It feels a lot like what the Wallace & Gromit short films do: compact movies that make up for in quality what they lack in run time.

This style of game lends itself to character development, which is something rarely seen in games today. We literally learned more about Zoë during the first fifteen minutes of booting up Dreamfall than we typically do by beating most games through to the end.

There's not a whole lot of innovation here, but the storyline is very cool and the authenticity is stellar.

Thrillville remains an easy franchise for casual gamers and youngsters alike to pick up and jump right into.

Even with all of these great aspects, I feel that a terrible mistake was made by not including any multiplayer modes or extending the game time.

The game is slow going at first, and there are an abundance of technical issues that throw a wrench into the mix, but the core gameplay fundamentals are still worth checking out.

Small Arms looks sharp, sounds great and starts out being fun, but unfortunately doesn’t end up having sustaining gameplay - an issue that’s somewhat offset by the low price tag.

The disappointment from playing Force Unleashed comes from some really high expectations, ones that the game sets up itself in the early going. The storyline is so good, the graphics simply amazing, the whole thing just so classic Star Wars that it almost hurts when I think about how much the game pissed me off.

A perfect example of how attention to detail can make an average game much more than the norm. First-person shooters are nothing new, and even though Finest Hour doesn't really introduce any groundbreaking aspects into the gaming world it does show just how well crafted a video game can be, blurring the line between gaming and cinema.

The various battlegrounds of Virtual On are just as well modeled as the Virtuaroids and are pretty expansive for a mid-’90s video game.

Very primitive, with few options for making it look better.

Banjo-Tooie is a no-frills ROM port that is a slam dunk for those looking to relive some of gaming’s past glory without having to pull out past consoles.

Nearly anyone can plop down on couch and get enjoyment out of Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action in a party setting, which makes this Microsoft/Screenlife collaborative a success. But for the game and franchise to have any legs on the Xbox 360, downloadable content and some form of Live tie-in is a must.

It locks you into a gameplay hell of sorts, giving you a devil of a time just to try and survive, though rarely making you feel like the reward is worth the incredible effort. Instead of bringing the poem to life, the gamemakers slammed the book on your fingers.

Those looking for the most complete and best playing soccer game this year will still want to grab FIFA Soccer 07 for the big black box.

Kinect Sports is a robust package that offers a lot of variety on one disc.

Sure, the story isn't that deep or developed that well. Yeah, the graphics are not stellar. True, the audio is pretty much a disappointment. But oh that engine. Spartan controls with ease.

Highly addictive gameplay that lasts for a few hours. A bit basic for a standalone title.

It's a little disheartening to see how much the Xbox version is missing when compared to its Xbox 360 doppelganger, but I suppose that's what you should expect when you pay forty bucks less for a game.

There’s lots to do and that includes side missions that you can skip if you’re immersed in the main story path. And it’s fun in a basic way.

It’s quite often entertaining and challenging, but often frustrating and boring as well.

Rock of Ages might not be the most taxing or deep strategy game out there, and with only 23 missions available, it won't take you long to polish off the single player campaign. However what's there is fun, simple and accessible.

Mindless gameplay could be making its final appearance on the beleaguered Xbox, so players who relish the opportunity at sending a bunch of empty-headed hooligans to an early grave would be wise to shell out for the ticket price.

By around the fourth level of Urban Chaos: Riot Response, it was clear to us that we were thoroughly enjoying this title. Despite each level not be drastically different from the next, we loved the execution of the high-octane action.

A lovely game engine featuring independent player and ball physics. Card game campaign mode jazzes up offline play.

The refinement of the adrenaline and revival systems respectively would have solidified the powerful campaign. That being said, Medal of Honor European Assault is a fun, but flawed overall experience.

It’s pure, old-school, side-scrolling action wrapped up in a gorgeous visual package. The game will certainly appeal to fans of the genre, even if they are left scratching their collective heads after trying to make sense of it all.

No frills racing action that isn’t quite as enjoyable for those that like the console bells and whistles.

From start to finish, it’s a fun experience and deserves to be drafted into most gamers’ Xbox LIVE Arcade library.

The overall scope of the story is much deeper and involving than other games, and the inclusion of multiple characters for combat and puzzles adds a bit more depth as well. The experience is still easy though, and won't pose much challenge to anyone over the main demographic.

It’s the truth; you either love this game because it reminds you of Slurpee-fueled afternoons at the 7-11 near school, or you’re an incredibly knowledgeable fan of fighting games who wrote your 500 page dissertation on the subtle differences between SNK and Capcom games. You guys are cool, you’ll love it. But to the entry level fighting gamer, I can’t fully recommend it.

Using both real-time action and strategy elements, developer Secret Level has pulled off a wildly challenging, but addictive game.

Although Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground definitely falls into the “good” game category, there’s no denying that the franchise is getting more than a little stale.

So, is GripShift the end all be all of combat racing on the Xbox 360? Not by a long shot. However, the game definitely stands out in its genre and makes it a lot of fun to get behind the wheel to put the pedal to the metal—and has a price tag of only 800 Microsoft Points (or about $10).

These types of games do become repetitive and this certainly applies here as well, but thanks to a strong story written by NY Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore, Demon Stone has a lot more going for it than most titles in the genre.

The design and concept behind Mercs 2 is fantastic. Some of the artistic ideas and especially the music are totally top notch. It’s just a shame the entire experience doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

Playing single player is good, but getting in on the action with a group of friends really makes it great.

This is a great example of a game that simply settled. It offered a nice selection of game events, but when it came to things like visuals, sound, and overall experience, it felt like there could have been more.

The combat and user interface is nearly flawless and the high level Spirit Strikes are on par with the flamboyancy of the "Final Fantasy" series. The problem is that the story takes so long to get interesting that most gamers may become bored and not venture on.

The story mode has plenty of depth and is fun to pass around with a group of friends. Multiplayer is severely lacking and it’s a shame that Amped 3 can’t reach its full potential without it.

A fairly long game for its type and it should give even the most veteran FPS fans 12-15 hours of excitement. The cut-scenes alone are with the price of a theater's admission.

It may not be a “Flawless Victory” with its here-and-there hiccups and T-rated combat, but Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is the best pure MK fighter that the series has produced in years.

While Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWIIisn’t a flying revolution, it is a flying game on a system which is short on them, and one which should appeal to a larger demographic due to the historical license that Ubisoft exercised in its creation.

Once you realize what the game is and a bit on how it’s best played, the gameplay really picks up. Gel does have a fairly steep learning curve, but it’s one that becomes more rewarding quickly once you understand how to best play it and formulate a strategy of how to optimize your scoring. Some of the challenges will push you to the edge of endurance and puzzle solving.

The Last Hope is for those that don’t consider waiting a part of battlefield etiquette. If you consider yourself a free-form fighter—a free-form star fighter perhaps—then Star Ocean: The Last Hope is your key to the JRPG universe.

Truly innovative in the areas of user interface, art direction, online integration and vehicle damage, Need for Speed ProStreet is the most complete hardcore tuner-style game ever conceived, and is only a framerate fix away from being the best street racer ever for the Xbox 360.

Fans of DBZ and lovers of other Dimps-branded Dragon Ball titles, as mentioned earlier, will want to rush out and pick Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit up. Hardcore fighting gamers will also enjoy the ranged stick-and-move nature of this unique fighter.

Had the visuals been taken up a notch, and if B.J. would have been a bit more of a bystander in the Veil portions, Wolfenstein could have been one of the elites. But as it sits, Wolfenstein is a solid shooter that fans of its predecessors will enjoy.

There's simply not too much new here.

"NFL 2K2" will be online for players to go at it via broadband connections, but NFL Fever 2003 is going to be my choice this year because of both the online support and the energy level combined with realism.

Deal of the century? How about deal of the millennium! If you have even a passing interest in racing games or online competition you should put this one in the glove box, stat.

The actual game behind South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! is actually good, and that’s not something you’ve probably ever been able to say about a South Park game before.

A great golf game that actually has pretty impressive physics and realism.

So if you've been pleased with the series so far and love the latest set list, you're going to have a blast with Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. But for everyone else who hasn't been completely sold on the Guitar Hero franchise, there's nothing going on here that's going to change your mind.

A synergistic title that is virtually complete from stem to stern. There’s good gameplay, excellent modes, palpable pageantry, above average graphics and audio, and even sweet navigation screens. The lack of online tournaments is the biggest detriment.

It really gives the sensation of an adrenaline rush as you play this game.

Cute, but not very original. If you really must pay to play a game that would otherwise be available for free on newgrounds.com, go ahead.

Sega has taken the classic Sonic formula and finally repeated it with success. In this case "less is more". Once you add in some small additions that were developed during the 3D era you get a solid entry in the sonic franchise.

Eurocom has done a fantastic job of bringing back one of the multiplayer experiences of all time – which was not an easy task. Reloaded has the power to stand on it's own as a engaging first person shooter and play with the big boys. It's just a shame it had to be released right between two of the biggest boys of the year.

If I were a NASCAR fan, I'd be happy with the advancements and give this one a go.

Hexic 2’s addition of other pieces will make it a bit more playable, though Black Pearls are still going to be a challenge if you don’t already know how to get them. As well, the inclusion of Battle Mode adds a great platform for competitive gamers.

EA Bright Light did about as good a job as a team can do when working with the classic games of many of our childhoods. It’s a delicate job, but HFGN pulls off classic-board gaming with aplomb, while at the same time adding more video game-centric modes to each title.

Call of Duty, while still a very primitive version of what the story would become, flashes some of the brilliance that the series is known for. If you’ve never played it, then you should—if for nothing else than to see just how far we’ve come in games in such a short, short time.

The game ranges from moments of great intense action to totally bland and repetitive sections. The developers present all of these cool things to do and then give the player very little control over doing them.

While the single-player game is also enjoyable this game was designed to be played with others. It's easy to pick up and difficult to put down. The fast-paced, frenzied gameplay will have you and your friends addicted for hours.

A much better title than its original, and even though we got through it, we have already begun our second round to build up our characters and unlock all the goodies the game has to offer.

Overall, Shrek 2 will surprise many gamers with its fairly advanced combat, delightful, fairy-tale like missions, and light-hearted characters which play differently from one another.

While the retro-gaming experience is partially enhanced (in most cases) by the availability of the analog stick, the core gameplay of all titles remains the same. This is usually a good thing, but some titles should be totally scrapped due to poor design.

And while there’s little aside from the inclusion of the glaive in combat that could really be considered an innovation, it’s still something that can keep a solid hold of the player’s attention throughout.

If battling with (or against) attack dolphins and scantily clad lady snipers wasn’t already your thing, you’ll want to steer clear of Commander’s Challenge. However, if you’ve been a supporter of this silly-meets-strategy series in the past, then, well, we probably had you at “psychic Japanese school girls.”

Codies also knows how to write code for Live, making the twelve car action run as smoothly as a baby’s bottom. Graphics are pretty weak, and so are any chances for replayability, since everything is left hand turns.

The various gameplay elements are hit or miss, but at least it seems to be more hit than miss, despite some glaring flaws.

In the case you have kids or nephews; this is a perfect title to introduce young gamers into the world of video gaming. In fact, this may be the best Xbox game for kids.

By far the best Godzilla game to date. It will, however, become quite a boring game after a short while, especially in the single-player modes.

Hands down, this is one of the best Star Wars titles to date.

I think there was the potential for greatness, and clearly a lot of time was poured into making it what it is, but the end product is ultimately diminished by its shortcomings.

The gameplay is exceedingly simple.

There’s a lot of familiar gameplay concepts—but there are some prominent flaws that lessens your enjoyment.

Did I enjoy this game? Absolutely. Did it scare the crap out of me at times? 100%. Was there a real feeling of survival horror (as opposed to just jumping-scares) that has been sadly lacking from other contemporary zombie games? You bet.

A pretty decent kids game based off of a movie franchise, which is almost unheard of in the current days of the console.

The white-knuckle moments that fill the experience are a blast to share with another person. But it still doesn’t make the game any easier. The mad difficulty of the game is not only what will attract gamers of a certain ilk to its crazy action, it’s also what will turn some people off. But hey, it’s an XBLA title and one of the most impressive looking ones we’ve seen yet.

Beyond the licensing, WWE Legends of WrestleMania is a smartly-designed game that enables studio antics to be more approachable to the common gamer. The gameplay isn’t dumbed down to the point where hardcore wrestling fans will scoff at Legends either.

If Cheech and Chong meet "El Mariachi" sounds good to you, then pick up Total Overdose stat. If you can't stand the notion of a Mexican shooting range scored on accuracy and presentation, then you may want to hold onto those pesos.

The story is engaging, the action is more than varied for this genre, and the gameplay does offer up something both solid and new. It may not hold up to repeated finishes, but at 20 levels, and at least 15 hours of gameplay, the experience is worth the price of admission for gamers looking for this type of fix.

Don't let the wrapper fool you: Shrek SuperSlam is a competent fighter at its core, with farting and battle gnomes as layers of this unique universe.

A lot of the Xbox crowd won’t be able to cope with the dumbed down AI or the hazy graphics in this title; those that will put up with it are the folk who realize that this is still one of the best military campaign fighters available on the Xbox and a really nice 4 person title.