Impressively addictive, and manages a quiet grace about itself in presentation -- despite being about smashing the crap out of every moving thing in sight. It's just that without any online options, very little in the way customization and a set of races that towards the end of the game begin to feel a bit stale, it's hard to recommend this as a full-price option.

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

It's no Game of the Year, but it's a solid product for fans.

Juiced is an underrated gem of a racer that gives you a completely different take on the overcrowded street racing market... on the PS2. On the PSP, this core is still there, but it's so rough around the edges that it's trumped by less ambitious racers.

With a bit more work, this could absolutely revitalize the series, but right now only the brave need apply.

The Lost Expedition is indeed noteworthy, if for no reason other than the fact that it manages to bite the style off of Metroid rather strongly but still injects enough humor to keep it entertaining.

A fantastic break from the Final Fantasy-dominated RPG genre.

As a retail game, Young Thor is merely adequate with its charm and ambition almost doing more than the gameplay can. As a Mini, however, it's the new benchmark for how these things should and can be done, and we can only hope it continues.

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.

Don't take a less-than-great score for The Fight: Lights Out as a slight against the overall product. Though there isn't enough here to warrant the purchase price (a PSN release would have been fine, really), but in short bursts it's a blast.

I'm probably skewing that score a bit high due to my love of the genre, but we don't get many entries in this category. It's a budget title that will scratch the itch for wrecking cars, but it doesn't run too deep or look that classy.

Street Supremacy keeps the basic concept of Genki's big brother console racers intact, but a lot of the superfluous stuff that immerses you in the world is lost, THEN the game starts beating you over the head with loading screens. Good, but not great.

Best Evil Dead game out there, hands down, but there's still a lot of room for the series to grow. Hopefully it's in good hands with Cranky Pants and we can finally see a little more gameplay variety with the sequel.

This is Robin Hood’s curse; it's fun and frankly addictive enough to keep you playing, but after a few hours, you'll notice the freshness of the mini-games quickly giving way to endless repetition.

It almost feels like a patched version of 2K11. With another challenger looming in the wings for next year's baseball crown it's likely that 2K will have to step their game up. Note to devs: please fix the shoes next year, too. I beg of you.

It's a decent rental, in the same way that a softcore flick about aliens coming to earth to learn the ways of love is fun once, but there's no real longevity to any one part of the game.

Destroy All Humans isn't a bad game, it's a good game stretched a little too thin with not enough engaging story layered between the missions. Hopefully the sequel will give us a bit more to play around with, but this is a definite rental.

With some of the core mechanics broken, it's hard to recommend the game to anyone. Still, the sheer variety in things you can do round out the experience nicely, and if nothing else, it's far more than your average platfomer would offer.

It’s a good, solid shooter, but even with the 4-player deathmatch (which I’m not really a fan of), there’s not a lot of substance here.

Rag Doll Kung-Fu: Fists of Plastic is a disappointment in almost every sense of the word. It looks awesome, it plays awesome and yet it feels like a tech-demo and not like a game you just spent 10 bucks on.

As a game designed to appeal to young boys and sell more merchandise, Skylanders achieves its goals. In the annals of games as marketing tools though, it isn't as compelling as classics like Cool Spot or Chex Quest.

The load times are absolutely horrendous.

Ultimately, it comes down to $30 for a single game when two games were about as much just a couple years back. If you're that big a Final Fantasy fan, then there's really nothing more to say. If not, you're not missing much.

The game is technically proficient but unfortunately Sports Champions 2 fails to offer the unique and interesting events that the original did. There are better examples of most of the sports in other packages or more focused games.

If you love 16-bit JRPGs or if you are a Persona fan, this game will be right in your wheelhouse. Otherwise, there isn't a lot to love here. If you haven't played a Persona game, this isn't the one to start with.

Limited control and depth, coupled with a high price, retract somewhat from this title. However, this campy visual novel plays directly at Disgaea fans and works the crowd like no other.

Anyone craving a good, serious scare and the kind of foreboding that rarely comes from games like this has only to snag a copy of this game. And who doesn't like a little freakyness now and then?

If you’ve played "Front Mission 3," play Front Mission 4. There’s more game, more strategy, and a slightly better presentation, but done expect anything new.

It's a racing game where the racing isn't even right thanks to cars that are just too squirrely and AI that blatantly cheats on top of rubber banding up behind you. Any fun the game had in the start is sucked right out by the end.

Though Quest for Booty, again, isn't a bad game, it's not a good Ratchet game, and in the end that makes for a slightly disappointing and possibly even overpriced offering. With zero replay value and only a few new tricks, this Quest isn't worth taking.

The voice acting bounces between perfectly decent and sometimes stilted and even a little embarrassing at times.

Basic soccer with equally basic AI and gameplay means you'll be entertained at first, but the more you play the less you appreciate what's happening on the urban pitch.

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.

There's a lot to like about MLB 2K11. While the series is trending up it definitely needs a makeover and a whole lot of polish to break through the negative reputation tied to it. It's not an ace but it's a serviceable mid-rotation starter.

The SIXAXIS controls do feel bolted on, but left to traditional controls, it succeeds in being a solid flight game. It may not have some of the polish in the presentation that more impressive games like the oft-mentioned Ace Combat games have, but it's still fun.

It's got a head above the PSP's run-of-the-mill platformers, but that still isn't saying terribly too much. But if your heart's in the genre and you've got a weekend to blow, it's certainly worth a shot.

'Kaos' may have been trying to spread their wings a bit, but the overall story in the campaign may have clipped their wings, more so with an abrupt ending. As interesting and deep as the SP world and MP gameplay can be, it's a tad outclassed by the rest.

Anniversary is not quite the game that Legend was. Though initially I was floored by how well the series had been updated, as time went on and the frustrations piled up, it started to lose the raw appeal. It's good, but not great.

Section 8: Prejudice is a mix of a lot of good ideas and some varied results. It looks pretty good (and in the campaign, epic), but it isn't consistent. In all, it is a good package for sci-fi shooter fans looking to experiment and see a new world.

A fairly basic and accessible racing game is unfortunately marred by upgrades that aren't sufficiently explained. The setting is ripe for a sequel, however, and I'm hoping that it gets just a little more newbie-friendly. For my sake.

Right now, all we're left with is a great controller and a set of lackluster songs.

When the main reason I keep coming back is a thirty second mini-game, we have a problem. Really though, the game does the absolute minimum to be considered "good." While it's fun there's nothing that keeps you coming back for more. Shame, really.

Deadly Premontion would score way higher if there were no guns. An amazing narrative and lovingly crafted universe brought down by archaic gameplay and weird pacing. Absolutely worth your time if you appreciate the sublime.

This is a perfect example of a game being lesser than the sum of its parts. Solid graphics and sound, arguably the best control in the series, and some decent missions don't excuse crap online and too many bland objectives.

A crap port of a great game is still a crap port. The good game part helps, yes, but when everything about the way the game plays on the PS2 feels like a rush job, it doesn't really instill a feeling of satisfaction -- if if the game is only $20.

The only thing Thieves in Time does wrong is not try hard enough. Sanzaru didn't deviate enough from the PS2 plan and didn't take the time to create enough unique content. A lateral move from the previous entries in the series.

This is a really solid SRPG that adheres to the D&D rules and mythos as much as possible without reducing the fun factor. I recommend it for anyone who likes SRPGs in general, and even more so if you're deaf.

If you like a good dungeon crawl without all of the extra crap like deep story or engrossing characters that you care about, here's the game for you. If, on the other hand, you need a bit more meat to your hack and slash, wait for "UL2."

In the end, NBA 08 offers enough outside stuff to distract from the fact that the core game of basketball is seriously lacking when compared to the other games on the market -- it's simply a matter of how much distraction there actually is.

A very solid $20 offering. It's nothing that will sell a PSP, but as a impulse bargain buy, it should keep most very, very happy -- provided they like pinball. REALLY like pinball.

Probably the first real unabashed "GTA" clone that manages to still work well on its own merits. Definitely worth a rental, and for those that really dig the motif, probably not a bad buy either.

Aliens vs Predator does nothing to revolutionize the genre or the franchise, but does provide a few visceral moments of pure action as well as offering a little bit of variety in it's multiplayer offerings.

If you enjoy strategy games, you'll enjoy R.U.S.E.. The best part of the game is unfortunately riddled with balancing issues and saddled with a dead community. A shame really, especially for an overlooked genre.

It’s not as deep or story-driven as, say, a "Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance," but there’s still enough here (especially in the surprisingly well-presented bonus features should you find yourself interested in the characters or world) that will keep the die-hards coming back.

It's the best 3D Castlevania yet, but comes nowhere near being as good as the 2D efforts -- even the ones released recently. It's an interesting take on the Castlevania mythos, but won't sate die-hards and won't convert casual players.

The game is probably about 5 hours of gameplay, and another half hour of extras. Once you’ve unlocked it all, the game will probably collect dust. For that reason, it’s hard to recommend it to anyone but the most ardent Britney fan.

Buzz! Master Quiz is a modest, safe approximation of the console games.

Why are we still playing these games? Because we have a problem, that's why, but it's fine, because so do you. Don't you? You wouldn't be reading this review if you didn't, so let's just both admit we share an addiction and cough up the cash.

Mafia 2 is a step backward for this franchise, failing to innovate or learn from the mistakes of the original. A nice setting and potentially interesting story is wasted by a lack of creativity and polish.

Blazing Angels may be the first flight game to sport SIXAXIS controls, but that doesn't mean it's any more innovative. Fortunately, the game itself isn't half bad.

The Bureau is a bit of a step back for the XCOM franchise. The game lacks the identity of its Firaxis cousin and feel way too much like an uninspired derivative of other games. A fractured development history clearly left its mark.

Seeing as this is an add-on, it's a little much to expect it to have the kind of extra content that a full game would have, but what's here is certainly worth the $30 -- provided you haven't gotten tired of the series yet.

The switch to a simpler play style is a welcome one, and it's great to see some of the legends of the past get their due. The presentation is top notch. Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot of content to play around with here, and it can get old fast.

If you don't have the time/patience to really pour yourself into this game for months on end, it's hard to even recommend this as a rental.

Those who want to get deep into the game, have a wealth of options at their disposal however. Some of the frustrating bugs, such as rigged pit stops, questionable scripted A.I. and corrupt save issues might be enough to give pause, but Codemasters has acknowledged the problems, and as of writing this review are working on a patch.

It's a solid racer, sure, but in the world of killer sims and arcade racers alike, solid just isn't enough these days. Hopefully the follow-up will iron out the rough spots, because if they can, Konami has a really good racer on their hands.

Though there are some very solid concepts in place here, the execution feels unnecessarily limited. With better AI, more cars, and perhaps just a little more variety, this could have been a game that bucked the trend of budget releases.

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.

Hoard does pretty well for itself on PSP, but it does make for a tough sell to PS3 owners, especially those that have the original game. It feels a bit too confined in its own world without multiplayer, despite its own metagame.

Licensed games aren't supposed to be solid. They're supposed to be rushed, or look bad, or control poorly or not deliver the style of the source material. Monster House is none of these things, it's pretty, fun and interesting, just don't expect an epic.

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.

Severed is two more hours of typical Dead Space 2 gameplay served alongside a decent story that revolves around losing a loved one. It works, though due to a painful lack of surprises is definitely nothing you couldn't live without.

I’ve never really seen a game that so obviously and yet so hilariously heaps on the innuendo. Sucking blood is such a thinly veiled euphemism that you can’t help but laugh at the fact that someone actually made a game like this.

The strength of STACKED's AI is what holds the game up. The presentation is lackluster, the audio basic and the character creation severely lacking. Even with all that, this is still the best poker game out there. It's just not a must-have.

Despite some good stabs at satire and humor, the overall experience of All Zombies Must Die! is uninspiring. A light crafting system adds a bit of variety, but we've all killed an awful lot of zombies by now.

It's an odd place to be in; on the one hand, the racing bits, the core gameplay just doesn't feel as solid as it should -- and certainly not on par with Rainbow Studios' other projects -- yet the presentation manages to replicate the charm and looks of the source material so well, that it doesn't feel like a licensed game, it feels like something that was developed alongside the movie in terms of how it matches the big screen product.

This one's for the hardcore players, kiddies. It's a perfect multiplayer game (especially if you have a hardcore fighting stick or two), but the casual fighting game fan sure isn't going to be entertained for long.

The card battle experiment was a novel one, but the result is an unbalanced, unforgiving mess that will test your patience while you try to piece through a convoluted story. Strategy fans may dig it, but everyone else will do well to stay away.

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

Sideways: New York separates itself with it gravity tricks and keen aesthetics, but comes charging back to the pack with its mediocre gameplay and slightly repetitive content. There's a lot of nice glitz here but not much substance.

Sure, it’s nothing groundbreaking or even all that original, but it is good, solid platforming, a loving tribute to the original material, and best of all, a lot of fun.

Yes, the addition of checkpoints eases the frustration, but only a bit. This is a series that can absolutely end up being great, but to get there, it still needs a better scope on varied (and, hopefully, jaw-slackeningly beautiful) level design and for the love of God, Sega, fix that damned camera.

R isn’t a horrible game, and if you actually get a bit used to the controls it’s absolutely playable, but the whole idea is that you shouldn’t have to get used to a racing game’s controls unless it’s as rewarding as, say, "Gran Turismo."

A bit of imbalance here is a bit ironic considering the themes of the game, but it's true. The storyline does help lift things up to the point of being better than your average RPG, but that doesn't mean the game isn't without significant faults.

It is offensive, violent, archaic, complicated, bland, and repetitive. If you can appreciate its retro qualities, however, $5 is a good price!

It's a shame that the ominous atmosphere and touching story aren't backed up with quality gameplay. Lost Planet 3 takes the series in a whole new direction but unfortunately it doesn't head down a unique path.

The whole MIDI-ish feel to the audio does server to cheapen the greater aural experience.

Better than most licensed properties, Cure of the Were-Rabbit has plenty of charm, but it's short of variety where it counts, and doesn't quite capture the feel of the humor from the source material.

Thunder Wolves is not the most polished experience you'll find on the PSN, but there is a surprising amount of fun if you give it a chance. Excellent light fare between bigger gaming meals.

Cars is good, but it's not great, and that's the problem. The one genre that the PSP has been very, very blessed with thus far is the arcade racer. Between "Burnout Legends", "Ridge Racer" and the amazing "WipEout Pure", there's just no room for good here.

Don't get me wrong: I loved my time with Asura's Wrath. I want to see the game succeed and get more support. I just wish there was more bang for the buck and that the ending wasn't obviously setting up for a sequel by leaving so many loose ends.

More focused on action than story progression and deep character development, Brotherhood of Steel comes dangerously close to being called a Fallout game in name only.

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.

Only slightly above the mean in most respects. It bites off of "MGS" and "Splinter Cell" so heavily in most parts that it’s hard to walk away from the game with a entirely unique sense of what the game was trying to do.

If you've never played the series on the PSP, by all means, pick this up, but otherwise it might be best to just give it a rental, as you likely will burn through all the game has to offer in about a weekend or so.

Lead and Gold isn't a terrible game, but it is a ghost town. There are enough thriving games of similar design to be found elsewhere.

A step back from the first game, lacking the retro appeal and suffering from what seems to be lazy level design and a paucity of textures. It's still fun to swing around, just not for the half-dozen hours it takes to slog through the whole experience.

It's Sudoku. Carol Vorderman -- someone you probably don't know -- presents it and gives you little tips. That's it, man. Yes, it's fun, but then Sudoku is fun, so hey, if you need a new fix to get your fix on the road... you're set. If not, well... um.