There is so much potential in Lost Planet 2, but it's hidden under a blanket of flaws.

With that in mind, if you're pretty happy with Skate 2, or even the original Skate, and don't care a great deal about the online aspects, I wouldn't suggest picking up this latest entry right away. However, if creating your own online team with a group of friends sounds like a blast, then Skate 3 is certainly worth checking out. It's definitely a solid entry in the series and at least warrants a rental.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 might be the only fighting game based on the new series so far, but that doesn't automatically make it a recommended title for fans of the series. The flat story mode with dull platforming stages drag down the game, since this is the mode where the most time will be spent.

As long as you don't mind the echo coming from the hosts and have friends who want more substance than what minigames can offer, you'll be fine with this decent budget title.

Iron Man 2 is another example of how a movie tie-in game can go horribly wrong. It isn't a very technically sound game, as issues with the controls and graphics make it apparent that the title lacks some polish.

The amount of enjoyment you'll end up getting out of Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake is directly proportional to how many friends you can gather in the same room to play. Under ideal conditions with a full team of human compatriots/antagonists, this is one of the most enjoyable PSP games out there, bar none. Countering that, the single-player setup and online multiplayer are both hamstrung by dumb AI and mute teams.

Iron Man 2 for the Wii is another example of how a movie tie-in game can go horribly wrong. It isn't a very technically sound title, as issues with the controls and graphics bring attention to the game's lack of polish.

As it stands now, this is a worthy successor to the original DS title, and puzzle fans should definitely pick it up.

At four hours of poor presentation, subpar visuals, and uninspired gameplay, I wouldn't recommend Iron Man 2 for the PSP to even the most avid Iron Man fan.

Overall, this is a good return to form for the series, and fans will love this game. Action game fans who are a bit more cautious with their purchases should certainly rent this, as the lack of multiplayer may not immediately peg it as a purchase, but don't be surprised if the Shadow levels and the sheer brutality make you want to purchase the game.

When you take its parts separately, it isn't a very good game. The gameplay mechanics are simplistic and unpolished, the graphics are bland, and the only real standout element is the audio. Yet there is something intriguing about the entire package

For those who didn't enjoy last year's game, this won't change your mind about the franchise. For fans of the series, this review only reinforces your purchase or will encourage you to get this since the online community for the original could migrate to this game. For those who have been interested in the series but failed to pick up last year's title, this is the definitive version to get.

This is the most fun I've had with a soccer title in quite a while, so 2010 FIFA World Cup is definitely worth checking out.

What ultimately dooms Hyperballoid HD to relative obscurity is the fact that it doesn't do anything to stand apart from the crowd.

Perhaps the best way to describe Puzzle Chronicles is that it feels like an effort out of Infinite's "B" team. We know the company can do so much better, yet Puzzle Chronicles looks and feels more like a college project rather than a AAA XBLA title.

After Burner Climax sets out to be exactly what people expected it to be — a port of an arcade game — and nothing more.

In the end, Monster Hunter Tri takes all the essentials of the MMORPG format and ports them, almost perfectly, to the Wii.

Final Fight: Double Impact is a collection built around nostalgia. Everything about the presentation serves to remind gamers about the good ol' days of quarter-eating arcade machines and beating up hordes of faceless mooks with your pals.

It gives some of us a chance to release a lot of the pent-up energy from having to chill in the shadows for years, and any time you get to let the beast out and stop hiding, it feels good.

Ultimately, the question you have to ask yourself is if an hour-long mission and an underdeveloped new character are worth $7. To most people who have already played, beaten and put away Mass Effect 2 for good, the answer is a resounding no.

For a budget title, T.A.C. Heroes: Big Red One could have been fine. The strategy element was simplistic, but it could have helped players transition into more sophisticated turn-based strategy games. Unfortunately, the less-than-stellar graphics, somewhat bothersome controls, and poor sound don't exactly help matters for a casual gamer.

Despite the lackluster combat options, the overall story and characters of Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love were more than enough to keep my interest over the course of the game.

It's simple and easy to play, and it offers a fair amount of value for your dollar.

Prison Break: The Conspiracy is a complete mess

Your enjoyment of WarioWare: D.I.Y. will really be dependent on what kind of a gamer you are. If you are playing this just for the games, you'll be pretty disappointed.

If you plan on cooking dishes, either by yourself or with others, this program is a perfect fit.

The Career mode may be a bit too simplified, but the arcade nature of the Top Shot mode makes it fun for those who miss classic light gun gaming. With good graphics and sound, the game ranks up there with some of the best the series has offered, and fans will immediately take a liking to this entry.

Just Cause 2 is the sort of game where you're willing to put up with a lot just because it's so darn enjoyable. Any time you get annoyed by something, you can take comfort in knowing that there's something to blow up just over the next hill, and sending a tower of flames into the sky will make it all better.

The Shin Megami Tensei series has proven itself as one of the most consistently well-made RPG franchises in recent memory, and SMT: Strange Journey is no exception. There are few dungeon exploration games that are as solidly well put-together and interesting.

The dragon customization is a nice feature, but every other aspect is so bad that How to Train Your Dragon doesn't come close to justifying its $50 price tag

MotoGP 09/10's racing mechanic still hasn't grown significantly, and many surrounding features, such as the multiplayer, are severely unpolished. Hardcore MotoGP fans will be able to sustain themselves on the more in-depth career mode, but anyone else will get bored fast.

Rooms: The Main Building for the Wii seems to be trapped between a play design that's suited to a smaller distraction game and dreams of being a full-scale, widely released, properly realized Wii game. Unfortunately, that trapping immensely weakens it, causing the graphics to be just sufficiently detailed to slow the gameplay, introducing horrendously slow controls that could have been easier and smoother on a PC.

Overall, the gameplay of Rooms: The Main Building trumps the presentation issues. It's fun, and it's easy to pick up and let go at a whim, making it a great portable title.

Monkey Madness: Island Escape could have been a decent shooter for kids. The unintuitive control scheme, however, completely kills any fun that could have been wrung from the game, as it seems to play against the system's control strength and turns it into a weakness instead.

Supreme Commander 2 ends up being a very competent RTS console game. The graphics and sound, while not the best the genre has seen, are certainly leagues better than those of its predecessor

While there's a good deal to love about Infinite Space, there are an equal number of things to hate about it as well.

Despite the amazing storytelling experience that easily feeds the craving for postapocalyptic adventures, whether or not the sci-fi story is worth the full sticker price largely depends on how long you'll want to stay in Metro 2033's world.

God of War III was an epic, satisfying end to a legendary series that helped strengthen the concept of the ultimate against-all-odds protagonist.

Despite some flaws, it establishes itself positively as one of the Wii's early standout RPG experiences.

If you've been dying to jump back into the world of Dragon Age, well, chances are that you've already played or are currently playing the expansion Awakening. It's a solid follow-up to the first adventure, and it contains enough new abilities, content, items, plot and spells that it's definitely worth a look for any fan of the original title.

There is a lot of exploration and side-quests to do, but only if you're willing to dedicate the time and effort to learn the mechanics and explore the world. If you're willing to overlook these potential problems, it's difficult to find a better choice than Resonance of Fate.

If you've ever had the slightest urge to hit the road and snag some Pokémon, then this is the perfect game for you.

Longtime Pokémon fans will latch on to this title just as much as they did the previous entries, but at the same time, SoulSilver doesn't offer up much for players who find the Pokémon formula to be stale.

Spectral Force Genesis is a really disappointing game overall, and while I found myself oddly enthralled with clicking through menus, the end result is that I spent a lot of time not really doing anything at all. Anyone who's considering picking up this title should avoid it, as it's really not worth your time.

Scrap Metal is a solid, all-around vehicular combat game.

Final Fantasy XIII may not live up to the hype, but any fan of Japanese-style RPGs will find a lot to like here.

If you can get over the fact that there was quite a bit of content removed from the North American version of the game, you'll find that Yakuza 3 is a very high-quality title.

Calling has all of the technical chops to become a decent horror game. The sounds and graphics are fine, while the controls aren't all that cumbersome. Unfortunately, the story just isn't scary so the game feels like it drags on. If you can't stand to miss any horror game release, then your best bet would be to rent this title.

It's still a game I would thoroughly recommend to people, especially those who, like me, are afraid to touch RPGs nowadays because they're afraid of the time investment.

Your enjoyment of the Desperate Escape DLC will be dependent on how much you can tolerate Resident Evil 5's combat system. If you couldn't stand it at all, this add-on will only solidify your hatred for the mechanic, as that's all you'll really focus on during the hour of gameplay. If you were fine with it, you'll be fine with this too, as it is a more adrenaline-pumping experience in comparison to the other DLC released thus far.

Heading back into the meat grinder with Bad Company 2 is a battle worth waging.

If you're just fan of shooters in general, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 isn't a game to be missed. I think it's a big improvement over the groundwork that was laid out by the first title and manages to improve just about every aspect, from single-player right down to the multiplayer component.

Major League Baseball 2K10 makes big strides simply by being playable, which is something that couldn't always be said of last year's outing.

If you were ever a fan of the series, then I'd suggest an instant purchase of this particular title, but if you've never played Lunar before, you might be better off with a rental before diving in, just to see if some of the dated mechanics of classic RPGs are your cup of tea.

While the outdated player advancement system and questionable AI logic need to be examined for next year's title, this year's edition is by all means solid enough to keep players stepping into the batter's box, onto the mound and behind the plate again and again.

About the only good thing going for ATV Quad Kings is the looks, and even that is stretching it. Beyond that, the game feels lackluster at best

Mega Man 10 is a solid follow-up to Mega Man 9. It lacks a bit of the charm of its predecessor, but it still remains a solid and well put-together Mega Man game.

The increased level cap, new vehicles, new weapons, and enemies with high difficulty levels will not only give you more to do in the game but also provide a very challenging path to complete the missions.

Greed Corp is a very surprising and entertaining title.

Heavy Rain is more of an experience than a game, and as far as an experience goes, it does an impressive job and is truly unlike anything else on the market.

As far as the franchise goes, Metal Slug XX is pretty accessible, and most action-oriented gamers will enjoy it.

If you enjoy Mario Kart Wii, you'll enjoy Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.

With great controls, gorgeous graphics, awesome sound, and a perfect sense of speed, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a very exciting kart racer and the closest that anyone has come to matching Mario Kart on a portable Nintendo system.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo-Kazooie isn't a perfect kart racing title, but it is very close and matches up well against Mario Kart Wii in that respect

Last Rebellion is an example of a game that does nothing right. It is the worst RPG on the PlayStation 3, and it may be one of the worst RPGs to come out in the past few years.

If you enjoy adventure games on the PC, you could do worse than Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny. For the price, it'll provide you with a pretty lengthy and well thought-out adventure, but there are enough problems with the story's presentation to keep it from being an excellent, must-have purchase.

Overall, Endless Ocean 2: Blue World is a huge step in the right direction for the series, and developer Arika has pulled out all the stops to make this a heck of a sequel

The innovative use of cloning and rich silent film aesthetic makes it one of the most original games available on XBLA, and at 800 MS points, it's an easy buy.

Fans of the iconic sci-fi creatures will be pleased to see a good game in this series once again, while FPS action fans will also find themselves enjoying this one, despite the few hiccups it may have.

Although this fifth entry is not the series' strongest, it's a solid and worthy purchase for fans of the genre or casual gamers who are looking for an entertaining story.

While the Tropico franchise has existed on the PC for a while, Tropico 3 marks its first appearance on consoles, and for the most part, it's a solid first outing.

Ultimately, if the job system had been integrated along with a memorable story and exciting battle mechanics, then Ragnarok DS could have been a very compelling game. That isn't the case, though, and instead we're left with a clearly sub-par RPG that manages to do little more than waste time and take up shelf space that should be reserved for better games.

If you're already getting most of the power out of the original and own a DSi, then you should upgrade to Plus.

Taken as a stand-alone game, BioShock 2 is a wonderful experience and one hell of a ride. As a sequel, though, it hews a bit too close to the source material — almost as if the developers were afraid to branch out and try something new. That doesn't mean it's any less fun; just don't expect an evolution in gameplay. It's more like a minor update to an incredibly successful formula.

BioShock 2 is still worth the price of admission to Rapture. Although it feels far more action-packed and is more of a linear submarine ride into the deep blue than the original title, what it does exceptionally well is bringing even more of Rapture's storied existence to the surface for some closure.

Shiren the Wanderer for the Wii is a great game for beginners. Its difficulty may be a bit low for some of the most extreme fans of the genre, but for newcomers, there is a lot here to make the experience more pleasant.

Overall, I see Dante's Inferno as a noble effort and interesting spin on a made-for-gaming body of work that falls short of the rarified air enjoyed by other legendary action titles.

If you're new to the series, then it's at least worth a rental, but there's no way I'd suggest picking up this one at full price. Wait for the inevitable price drop because there's not enough content here to be worth the current asking price. Also, if you're dying to find out how the Balance Board mechanic works, keep in mind that it's going to be more frustrating than fun.

This game won't go down as one of the classics, but for fans of the genre, it's definitely well worth your time.

For all that it does and doesn't do, Call of Pripyat is a unique experience that only S.T.A.L.K.E.R. can be counted on to deliver behind the Irradiated Curtain.

It's not a title that I'd rush out to buy or rent, but if you come across it at your local store and you've got a bit of cash burning a hole in your wallet, you could do worse than this

Mass Effect 2 is an improvement over the original in almost every way. Bioware decided to focus more on the shooter aspect and less on the RPG aspect, but that streamlines the game and makes it significantly more enjoyable.

In every way, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is a better game than No More Heroes.

When all is said and done, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a great example of fan service done right. It's not perfect, but it's close and it fills a niche that has been long underserved on the Wii.

After all these years, Shadow of Destiny is still a fine adventure.

Unlike a majority of twin-stick shooters out there, Death by Cube will only be enjoyable to a select group of gamers. The high level of difficulty exhibited in the first few levels of the game will likely turn off those who aren't looking for something very challenging.

Dark Void is a rare game with a great idea, but isn't going to please anyone. It's one of the biggest disappointments of the year, which is impressive when you consider that it's only January.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories may be considered one of the last significant games to come out for the PS2, but it is also one of the better ones. Everything about it, from the graphics to the sounds to the controls, ranges from very good to exceptional and shows that developers can still squeeze out a good gaming experience from such an old system

This isn't going to do much for you if you're not already a fan of horror games, but longtime Silent Hill fans should really appreciate this particular release.

Overall, there's very little that can be said about Glory of Heracles that sets it apart from the pack.

Once again, Bejeweled Twist proves to everyone that PopCap can make significant changes to its games and still come away with a great puzzle title.

Army of Two: The 40th Day offers a very attractive package for shooter fans, particularly those looking for an experience that is first and foremost centered around a co-op mentality.

Vancouver 2010 isn't a perfect Olympic video game. There aren't too many events packed in the disc, and the events that are present feel too similar to each other

By today's standards, Sands of Destruction falls well short of the benchmarks set by other top-tier RPGs. The entire experience takes a few steps down the path toward immortality, but then comes running headlong back into well-worn trail of every other JRPG before it.

Overall, The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is a great flight combat title on the Wii, and it's definitely something that Wii owners should check out.

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond's short length and lack of online co-op are only amplified by its price tag. These faults could be overlooked if the price were $10, but at $15, those two aspects become detrimental to the game.

It's true that it merges the parts of other outstanding games, and some may call that derivative. However, I think its characters, level design and puzzles were enough to help it stand out on its own.

Darksiders is certainly a pleasant surprise. A game that takes multiple mechanics from other, highly successful games usually ends up being nothing but a mess, but in this title, everything seems to mesh together well.