A genuinely good satire would be a joy to play and a sign that the medium is maturing further. At the moment, however, all we have is crude parody.

Mad Moxxi's Underdome is far from a riot: it's a dreadful slog

It may have taken half a decade to go from concept to execution, but Darksiders proves that time, adoration of the classics and a remarkably confident hand can indeed overcome the freshman development jitters. What a debut.

With the exception of some serious difficulty spikes at times, the things this game does to bend and even break action game conventions is mind-boggling.

I appreciate them trying to extend the longevity by allowing easy access to user made content, but they forgot to put the party in this party game, and what's left without that is nothing more than a bland trivia game.

Briskness, innovation, charm and intelligence. That's what Q Games' PixelJunk series stands for. In those regards Shooter definitely is no exception. Easily one of the best downloadable titles of the year.

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

It's Tekken, through and through. You'll either find that a comfort or a detraction, but love or hate the series, there's no denying that its reached the top of its game with this latest entry. If you're a fan, don't hesitate to pick it up.

Gravity Crash is not for everyone, but if you have ever become emotional about the high score list on an arcade machine, it could be the right game for you. If you’re a whippersnapper to whom arcades are an ancient myth, then it may just piss you off.

Peggle is one of those games with universal appeal.

If you absolutely, positively must have your F1 and can't get it anywhere else, F1 2009 is worth a peek. For everyone else, though, there's simply not enough here to really make a lasting impression.

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.

I hate to say it, but this is not a good game. Not in a "for a Jak game" sense, but in the most all-encompassing way I can mean it. To see this franchise fall so far after redeeming itself with Jak 3 hurts.

A great portable title.

Inferno Pool may well end up being one of the hidden gems of the PlayStation Network.

Your total enjoyment will of course hinge on your love of the artists cobbled together, but there's no denying that DJ Hero's gameplay triumphs over all else, and in the end secures its place as the breakout music game of this year.

A Crack in Time is the best, most polish and meatiest game Insomniac has made in the series -- maybe in their history.

As a reminder of what came before Armored Core 3 Portable is effective. As an actual game though, it's far less so. We've simply moved on, leaving this a relic of the past that lacks the hooks it once had. Time for AC4 Portable.

Despite being next to nil in the story and character development side of things, the few RPG elements that are merged with a traditional FPS are so well represented that it ends up making the game insanely addictive.

A seriously impressive entry on a system some may think couldn't really do the series justice, MotorStorm: Arctic Edge is exactly what you expect from the franchise, just minus the soundracks, photos and online. Still good, though.

An absolute must-own in every sense of the word, Chinatown Wars is a game with the single most important factor in any portable offering: every time you pick it up, there's always something to do. And after that, there's another 20 more.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves defines must-own.

Tight controls, gorgeous graphics and hard enough to keep you coming back for more. A genuinely fantastic little puzzle game.

It's a shoo-in for Game of the Year contention and will likely go down as one of the crown jewels of the PlayStation 3's exclusive lineup.

I'm sorry, but this isn't Gran Turismo -- it isn't even a good clone of a GT game. It's some kind of weird, neutered offspring that lacks all of the attraction yet tries to boast all of the basic numbers.

There should be no weighing of options, no hemming and hawing over whether the $20 asking price is worth it -- it is -- I promise you, it is.

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.

Polished, tweaked and streamlined, this is Ninja Gaiden 2 done a half-step better.