We gamers want to play and control the action, and that is, unfortunately, where the trouble with Bullet Witch lies.

A decent title, but it doesn’t offer the same visceral experience that gamers became enchanted with eight-plus titles ago. The "empires" portion adds replay and upgrades the hack-n-slash, but it’s tough to dig deep into those pockets and dole out money for a near carbon-copy artfully repackaged.

The pitching and batting mechanics are solid once again, and the fielding has been greatly improved.

But for every slight slip-up or apparent wrong in Crackdown, there’s a laundry list of perfection and general right that makes this title nearly impossible to put down - like some sort of digital crack.

The development team has added tons of excellent new features, from the new trick system to the improved Gamebreaker mechanic, without taking away any of the stuff that made the previous titles so great.

Aside from some iffy hit detection (2 pixels to the right of the front door won’t trigger a delivered paper at times), an RC car that’s relentless in its pursuit of your carrier (it’s pesky to say the least), and the omission of Paperboy’s Ditty from the soundtrack (j/k), Paperboy "delivers" as advertised in the classifieds.

It’s one of those games that you can show to people who were alive when the original was released, and it might be fun to toy around with for an hour or so, but that’s all the life you’ll get out of the game, even with the Xbox Live support thrown in.

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.

Eighty percent of the included games are fun. The other twenty percent are just plain difficult to play and uninteresting.

The intensity additions are all well and good, but the basic gameplay engine and A.I. system needs looked at a bit closer.

Where the game really separates itself from the pack is the armory functionality, its visual style, and the super weapons that it gives to players. The gameplay feels wonderful, even new in parts, the visuals bring a new flair to a classic style game, and the multiplayer trimmings are just icing.

While the game's definitely not perfect, it introduces some interesting gameplay mechanics to keep the action steady from start to finish, and it sports some truly excellent graphics. It's not going to win any awards for its storyline (I still don't know who some of the characters are), but when viewed as a series of standalone missions, it's a blast.

For a quick-hit classic gaming experience via XBLA, you really can’t go wrong with Ms. Pac-Man. Sure, the game is way simple, but 1981 was a simple time; maybe not in terms of synth pop, but definitely in terms of video games.

Just be prepared for a game that screams “I’m simple” (as in “I’m mediocre,” not “I’m elegantly designed”).

An addictive mixture of fast-paced vehicular combat that combines a fluid arcade feel with vivid graphics, making it yet another worthwhile addition to the growing library of Xbox Live Arcade titles.

Just as solid as the gameplay in Assault Heroes is the way in which it looks. This is what an arcade-style shooter on a next-gen platform should look like.

In Mad Doc’s defense, space flyers are hella-hard to pull of right, and sadly, I can’t say this one was pulled off right enough for me to recommend it to those that aren’t Trekkites.

When running properly, Pimp my Ride is fun if you’re into the show, but it will do little for the gearheads who are looking for something a little different in the racing genre. Snatch this one up if you’re really into the TV show, Xzibit, or outlandishly customizing cars.

I found it to be a great-looking game that has some fun challenges—but more often than not ended up being unbalanced and frustrating.

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.

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.

While surely not for everyone from just the title and subject matter alone, Cabela’s African Safari does serve up some decent gaming for a cheapy title focused on shooting something other than a human.

Thrillville is not for everyone, but it is perfect for those gamers that always wanted to try a simulation but were intimidated by PC keyboard overlays and Excel-like charts of data.

In terms of actual gameplay features, the sprawling city is amazing, but there’s little else to rave about here.

It's the game's multiplayer mode that will keep us playing Vegas for years to come. This isn't just the multiplayer game of the year, it may actually be the best multiplayer game in the whole Xbox 360 library.

There’s just barely enough new stuff to warrant a purchase from those who already took the plunge with 2K Sports’ NBA game. The atmosphere of a true-to-life college basketball game comes right through, both the screen and the speakers, perfectly.

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.

You’ll play it for a few hours, then take it online, play for awhile longer, then you’ll be done with it. It’s fun for the time that it lasts, and will definitely last you longer than the more expensive value meal that you’ll be buying.