The PSP version's framerate is almost universally choppy, but it is exact same game (and a little more, level-wise).

Until we see what "WipEout Fusion" can offer, it’s the best futuristic racing game available on the PS2.

Incredibly frightening -- so much so that it’s hard to recommend it to everyone. The game is rather short, but the goodies you can unlock on the title screen mean there’s a bit of replay value for those willing to run through the game on a harder difficulty level.

Child of Eden is one of those games you'll pull out to make friends ooh and ahh at your new A/V system, but it's a game you'll keep out just to dabble in the world Q Entertainment has created.

Let me be clear here: RAGE is by no means a bad game. It simply lacks the pedigree of classic id Software shooters, and though I absolutely loved the shooting and the light exploration, I needed more to really sell the world itself.

The PS2's videos are a horribly compressed mess.

Better than the games that came before it, and I don't make that statement blindly. The move towards an action RPG with more characters, a more twisty storyline with more threads and action that helps refresh the stuff that was starting to feel just a little stale in the past games (though slicing demons never really gets old) all add up to an adventure that I'm grateful actually happened.

It may seem odd to praise a fighting game that rests in the three foot end of the Olympic diving pool of fighters, but it's the combination of totally engrossing extra game modes, seemingly endless unlockables, an easily accessible mythology and the kind of passion and geeky pride that just rubs off on you.

It's a beat-em-up, and so there will inevitably be someone complaining that it's repetitious, but the different micro-games should help stave them off for a while.

If you’re looking for a story that will hook you, play with your head, and leave you questioning exactly how far our pursuit of technology should go, and exactly how some world events and so-called tales of conspiracies really fit together, you should drop everything and go buy this game.

It's not a great leap forward from last year's model, but F1 2012 adds just enough to an already tight package to keep the series on top. This is a far cry from an arcade racer so only serious Formula 1 fans need apply.

The freelance police are back and in top form. Telltale could not have picked a better game with which to make their PlayStation debut.

It’s good, it’s just not the best and 99% of the gaming population only has time for one baseball title per year.

It’s not a masterpiece, but Z-Axis’ BMX combo-fest is a blast and a half.

Dungeon Defenders is an amazingly deep tower defense RPG that'll reward players patient enough to explore its incredible amount of content with one of the most satisfying co-op experiences of this generation.

Hands-down the best party game experience of the year, Buzz! Quiz World is a massive improvement over the last game, showing that developer Relentless Software not only listened to their fan base but endeavored to actually make the definitive Buzz.

It’s fun to feel like a ridiculous badass sometimes, and Riddick has it down to a thickheaded science.

More songs, great music, gameplay that's still as challenging as ever, and minimal losses on the way to the PSP.

For $10, anyone with a copy of RDR laying around should pick this up. Having the game without this add-on only handicaps the experience.

Despite its goofy and, possibly to some, even tasteless look, HSGF! is one of the most enjoyable golf games on the market, and surely the finest I’ve ever come across in its field.

The combat system, storyline, music and effects are too good to be ruined by one bad level. It is a shame, however, to see a game that spends 90% of the whole experience building up stealth and a kick ass combat system only to watch it all fall apart in very basic, repetitive final confrontations.

Given how entertaining it is in short bursts, it’s the perfect thing to bring out at parties or get-togethers, making this one of the easiest ways to rally the whole family around one of the hardest possible family-wide activities: playing video games.

If you're looking for a way to justify that new Vita and its memory card, look no further. Even if you don't like the series, the combination of fantastic gunplay and slick platforming delivered in a new way may just win you over.

The problem is, the pedestrian missions are endlessly repetitive...This is a definite rental (everyone should experience swinging around the city), but in about a month, you’re going to start hating yourself if you pay full price.

A really fun game with a lot of different game modes that all provide a challenging and unique experience each time. At $10 you really can't go wrong,

In a tired and overworked genre, Renegade Ops steps up to the plate with fun and fast-paced vehicular mayhem that lets you and your friends blast your way through nine levels. The story isn't worth your time, but that's easy to overlook.

There's plenty of promise here, but it's buried under horribly unbalanced, cheap gameplay that all but ruins the overall experience.

Buzz! Quiz TV is a stellar trivia game, and pushes the genre forward more than most will probably give it credit for.

You'll be beaten and angered so many times you'll lose count, but you'll keep coming back, again and again and again and again and...

Incredibly solid, full of humor, and packed with enough variety in gameplay to keep you coming back for a long while, it made it worth sitting through 50 games mired in crappy control or graphics.

Considering the diminutive offering compared to other GT games, you'd think this would feel lacking in some way. It falters at times, yes, but Prologue is an honest-to-goodness peek at what's to come. Oh, and it's a hell of a game to boot.

Capcom fixed a few flaws from the first game, but left a lot of them intact the second time around. That doesn't mean it isn't still a blast to explore Fortune City, just don't expect too much here and you won't be disappointed.

This game needed online play. I've already spent a bazillion hours with the first two games, and what would have made this feel truly fresh would have been playing against other vets. Consider me bummed.

On top of making an online experience that rivals the PC version (though again, the two really exist in their own respective worlds and should stay that way), the single-player game can absolutely make you better when it comes time to take on someone online.

Dammit, EA, I want my effing SSX game back. This is NOT the direction the series needed to head in, and I'm sure there had to be some dissenting parties in place up in Vancouver. Maybe next time you'll listen to them.

Solid, yes, but familiar. I mean no disrespect for the men that died protecting freedom, but considering I was born a good 30 years after the war ended, familiarity with this setting probably isn't a good thing.

As dee-lish as all the camp and nostalgia is, it's also very reminiscent of the source material; pretty, stylish, but ultimately rather vapid when it comes to depth.

It's a classic console RPG mixed with a classic point-and-click-style adventure game.

Revengeance only falters in its overall length. There's plenty of replay value, of course, but this is one of the rare times when gameplay can't quite overcome the lack of a meaty core experience. Still, this is a game not to be missed, folks.

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a great technical achievement for the PSP and yet it feels like a few interesting single player focused additions would have made it an instant hit.

Get ready for 10 more years of nonsense and trickery. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 truly showcases the Vita's power, packing every last mode and feature from the PS3 version into the palm of your hand. No rookie or veteran fight fan should miss it.

There's something for everyone with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12. Now is the perfect time to jump into one of the best series out there as it's never been more accessible. PS Move owners, even non-golf fans, should give it a second look as well.

MLB Power Pros' greatest asset is the presentation. No nonsense and adorably charming, the game suckers you in with what seems to be a simple little game of Baseball Lite, but the deeper you plug into it, the more you realize just how much time and effort was put into making the game appear simple.

The Darkness is a meaty, emotional, visceral experience that few games will ever be able to match. Starbreeze's next-gen debut hits on some many levels that we're almost scared to think of what they'll do next.

A true improvement in every way The BIGS 2 proves Blue Castle Games wasn't just a one-hit wonder, and they've established themselves as the premier torch bearer for arcade sports games. Even sports game haters will find plenty to love here.

The definitive assembly of some of the Genesis' best games.

What it does well, however is mixes them into a delicious stew of action, RPG and strategy elements that end up tasting better than if they were eaten by themselves.

In the end, so long as you haven't tired of the series yet, it's a damn fine value, and something that you can buy for just about any gamer guilt-free.

This is a odyssey everyone should experience.

Good, but is targeted at a very, very specific type of gamer, and you could be left wanting more if you don’t fall into that niche.

The storyline does an amazing job of slowly expanding in scope (though it does bog down a bit in the middle of the game, most of the stuff it trudges through stays relevant well after the scope of the game has outgrown the smaller conflict), and the twists will absolutely knock you on your ass, while battles are fast, interesting and offer a nicely customizable way to trudge through the grind of leveling up all your characters.

It's more action-driven, the setting feels more natural, and the gameplay has been refined enough that I think it could seriously hook MGS fans looking for something tide them over between Metal Gear Online matches or kill time until "MGS4" finally arrives.

Irem has, possibly more than any game they've made in recent memory, crafted a shooter that is at once faithful to the challenge of the original shooters that came before it, and utterly accessible to anyone experiencing it for the first time, and they've thrown in a remarkable amount of depth and just plain fun to keep both sides equally true to the source material. R-Type Final is a blast, plain and simple.

The gameplay is solid, the graphics are on par with the upper echelon of current games, and sound is very respectable.

In general, a fun game with interesting puzzles, but with its load times and other competition in the market, it might not be worth the $9.99.

If you have a couple friends and an afternoon to charge through the game with them, you're going to have a blast. The single-player experience is still fun, but without the lure of real teamwork, the rougher spots of the game tend to punch through to the fore during inopportune times.

The subtle tweaks and improvements come to a head here in an ATV AND MX game that satisfies, but doesn't offer anything new.

GrimGrimoire is a brilliant, gorgeous, enthralling game that works just as well as a living art piece as it does as an RTS. The gameplay is fantastic, the storyline has hooks and the game is just flat-out gorgeous. But it. Buy it now.

At its core, Wipeout 2048 is a solid arcade racer, but it suffers from a few too many poor design decisions to truly shine. Die hard series fanatics will still find a lot to enjoy, but mileage may vary for first time players.

It's a bit of a waste of the Patton license, but Legends of War does prove to be a competent strategy game with an attention to historical details. If you've worn out Valkyria Chronicles, this is a good place to turn.

A surprising step forward for a series we didn't expect to evolve, Skylanders: Swap Force adds a few new twists the liven things up. Yes, it's all in service of selling toys but that doesn't detract from a decent game.

A truly great puzzle game, and one executed with no frills, no pomp, and scads of simple, effective construction. I really can't recommend this game enough.

THIS is the way Capcom needs to treat their arcade ports. We can always use more games in a collection, and the fact that the game is a little skimpy on extras (thus toning down the whole anthology aspect), it's still a killer collection done right.

The latest in an outstanding crop of indie art games that we've seen this generation, The Unfinished Swan lives up to that legacy and provides yet another sublime experience that transcends the usual confines of video games.

I am sure there are people out there that think [Prototype] is one of the best games of the year, but to me it just is not polished enough to deserve that much praise.

If you bought into the series not for the boobage, but for the hot man-on-man ass kicking, then you're probably going to find plenty to love here. The game is essentially the same, though in a few ways it's actually improved over the console experience.

Rochard is a charming romp through space with interesting ideas which, while not entirely original, are executed and pieced together well for an enjoyable final product. We'd love to see what they have in store for the inevitable sequel.

Truly one of the last great PS2 RPGs, this is a gorgeous game with an amazing atmosphere.

Though it's hardly perfect, Fat Princess is nevertheless one of the most enjoyable and multi-faceted multiplayer experiences on the PS3 right now. Grab a headset and get to slaughtering; that princess isn't going to gorge herself, you know!

What are you waiting for, grab yourself a stamp, a pen (and if you don’t have one, a network adaptor) and get to mailing!

Not as groundbreaking as it should have been. It may be hard to admit, but "Virtua Fighter 4" has taken a giant leap compared to Tekken 4’s bunny hop. But now that Namco has hit the nail on the head when it comes to fighting depth and detail, it is time for change.

Minis are supposed to be tiny, easily digestible snacks, and trust me when I tell you, Age of Zombies is one hell of a tasty snack!

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is as disturbing as it is satisfying. No, it's not perfect, but it certainly offers a lot of entertainment.

An action movie given digital, interactive form. It's a relentless, constant barrage of sensory input, and it's done in a way that no developer thus far can match. Immersive, beautiful and a blast to play, BLACK is a must-have.

A very funny, very charming game let down only by the hasty two-player mode.

Nevermind the fact that it's the only option on the PS3 right now, NHL 2K7 is a quick, smart game of hockey with an insanely deep franchise mode, solid online play, serious SIXAXIS integration, a handful of terrific (if fairly minor) new additions and plenty of mini-games and challenges for newcomers.

It is a stunning achievement in capturing performance, and a solid jumping-off point for the franchise.

By no means is NCAA 13 a bad game. It's just that it is not a substantial update given the annual cycle. I wish there was more to keep coming back to. Last year blew my socks off, this year, I still have my shoes on.

Those of you who enjoyed Enslaved will have no regrets with this surprisingly lengthy and fun adventure.

A seriously impressive entry on a portable that has already wowed with full-featured racers, MotorStorm: Arctic Edge is exactly what you expect from the franchise without sacrificing anything.

It doesn't quite capture the pathos of the first game, but it DOES tighten up the gameplay and keep the action moving all the way through. It won't go down as a cult classic like the first, but there is plenty of fun this time around.

The gameplay speaks for itself.

A steep learning curve, specific source material and an overall feel that doesn't exactly scream mass market means the game probably won't have the universal appeal that Incog’s previous efforts had, but given enough time, it's more than easy enough to warm to the game’s plusses.

echochrome ii may not have the absolute head-scratching potential of its predecessor, but it is without question the right way to take the series.

More than good, really, more situated in the whole “amazing/incredibly addictive/cleverly balanced” extreme.

Even though there are major improvements the game still needs work. When one of those (the new camera angles) reveals glaring problems (crowds, cars, cheerladers) it seems counterproductive. Still, it's Madden and it's a whole lot of fun.

I really am amazed at just how impressive Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood turned out to be. Some technical problems mean the PS3 version is probably the least attractive, but the game itself is so good you shouldn't let that stop you. So don't, buy!

Want to make an a capella trance song using only your voice? Want to sample a child's nursery rhyme and turn it into a new hip-hop beat? Want to lay down the thickest, sickest breaks you can think of? Traxxpad lets you do it, and it rocks.

I’m not entirely sure where it happened, but somewhere during the development of the sequel, the magic that had permeated every refractive chunk of ice and rippling pool of water in the first game gave way to tired, monotonous trudges through vaguely different environments explored on endless fetch quests.

Vampires are still in, and they are seasonally appropriate. For a small investment you can see what a vampiric superhero would be, and it's a decent time. Don't expect it to last too long though, or to break any new ground.

Disarmingly solid. One expects a game this spritely to be a little lax on the depth or story. Neither is the case here; what you will find amidst all the genuinely enjoyable characters is an adventure that reaches well beyond the confines of a My First Adventure Game aesthetic and actually satisfies on a hardcore level.

Even still, it's a good, spooky horror adventure, and worth a look if you've got 10 hours and 40 bones to blow.

The core here is the combat, which is easily some of the best ever seen on any system, and finally provides a compelling alternative to the endless flow of World War II shooters in recent years.

If it weren’t for a poor combo or random and scripted transformations by your squad mates into Things all the time, the whole team dynamic would have felt a little more personal.

Next-gen visuals for the PS3 version can't help that the basic gameplay is the very same sort of mindless button masher that was present in the original PlayStation 2 version. Is it still fun? Yeah, of course, provided you're a comic fan, but 20 hours or so later, it's entirely possible that you won't really want to do this again -- no matter how many characters or in-jokes are added.

Joe Danger 2 follows very closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, echoing the same gameplay with a new coat of paint. That's a good thing though, as we didn't get enough Joe the first time around.

Tomb Raider took a turn for the worse in the last decade, but unbeknownst to me, it rebounded back for a trilogy of good games. This collection gets them all together at a great price that will whet your appetite for the next game.

Great variety in song types, but the same old issue of actually knowing and liking the songs inside and out stands. The game lives up to the Party moniker if used in those situations, but as a single-player experience, it's a bit weak.