Altogether, Topatoi: The Great Tree Story is a fantastic platformer on the PSN and certainly a unique experience on the service.

If you can appreciate the bizarre style of writing and humor, there's a good, lengthy, old-fashioned, point-and-click adventure to be had.

Altogether, Astro Boy: The Video Game is a pretty disappointing tie-in for the film, and it certainly doesn't hold a candle to the GBA Omega Factor title.

Brutal Legend isn't a bad game by any means, and there is certainly plenty of fun to be had while playing it. It simply tries to do too much at once, and as a result, doesn't do anything as well as it should.

Brutal Legend isn't a bad game by any means, and there is certainly plenty of fun to be had while playing it. It simply tries to do too much at once, and as a result, doesn't do anything as well as it should.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the best games this year on the PlayStation 3.

Fans of the original Summer Olympics title will definitely enjoy Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games. At the same time, those who didn't care for the original iteration might want to check out this title; I think there's been enough of a presentation improvement to warrant a second look.

In short, fans of casual sports games will find plenty to love about this title, which manages to be just as good as the home console version.

MagnaCarta 2 is a reasonably fun, but rather flawed, RPG.

Ju-On: The Grudge proves that sometimes being different doesn't necessarily mean being good. The graphics and sound may be great for the system, but the poor controls and slow, plodding pace of the story episodes greatly hinder the game's enjoyment.

Everything else about the game — the story, characters and setting — is fabulous, but the gameplay doesn't live up to this promise and is among some of the drabbest that I've encountered in an RPG recently.

The title's bite-sized action will hook you right from the start, and once you start playing, this is really one of those games that's extremely difficult to put down (especially since you know that the next level is only 30 seconds long).

Cake Mania 3 suffers the same fate as many other casual titles in that it's a delicious treat at first, but after a couple of days at room temperature, it grows stale.

You'll be better off finding something else — anything else — on which to spend your $20. The Island of Dr. Frankenstein isn't worth your time or attention, and aside from the original concept and story, it doesn't have any redeeming factors.

Cars Race-O-Rama tosses a lot of content at you, but it can't disguise that the game isn't very fun to play.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky suffers from one-sided characters, an annoying mission structure, and the often-confusing menus.

I'd suggest waiting for the inevitable price drop before checking out this title, and even then, I'd give it some serious thought before picking it up.

Let's Go Tower Defense Play! will offer some good times for a group of tower defense fanatics, but anyone thinking about going solo should save his money, as managing the other characters in the single-player mode feels like trying to herd dead cats.

If you're a hardcore Naruto fan, you probably already have the game regardless of what any review says. More casual fans would be fine picking this up if they never bothered with Ultimate Ninja 4: Naruto Shippuden on the PS2. Everyone else will probably want to wait for the next fighting game to appear on the PSP.

Recommending Republic Heroes wouldn't be fair because it's simply a bad game, even for children. For parents who are looking to get their little Star Wars fan a present, steer clear of this one.

The gameplay is a mess from start to finish, and the muddy visuals and terrible writing don't help things a bit. Furthermore, the game breaks itself by allowing players to access a cheat menu and use in-game points to purchase exploits, such as one-hit kills and invulnerability, during the very first playthrough.

For those willing to put in the effort, Demon's Souls is perhaps the most rewarding RPG available on the PS3 and easily a must-have for any PS3 owner who doesn't mind a bit of difficulty and death.

Fans of the show will enjoy this title immensely, while others can still get a lot out of the content offered here, especially if their only exposure to exercise is Wii Fit.

If you're looking for a good exercise game, go with the Wii console version of The Biggest Loser instead, as this iteration will be more cumbersome to use once you start getting active.

If you're trying to decide which of the two NBA titles will get your attention this year, keep in mind that NBA Live hasn't seen enough changes to its gameplay so if you've played NBA Live 09, you won't be getting a considerably different game.

Still, if you already know basketball well, or you're willing to learn to play that game to play this game, it's a solid title including a surplus of detailed features and plenty of variety in gameplay action. Newcomers shouldn't expect to be stars right from the opening tip-off, though.

While NBA 2K10 may not be quite in the title picture, it's definitely ready to jockey for a playoff spot.

Overall, NBA 10 The Inside provides a thorough basketball experience, with a nice franchise mode and, via the exhibition option, customizable tournaments and the like. However, if you're playing most of this season's basketball on a home console, you, like I, will probably be more entranced by the mini-games.

The idea is fresh, fits the handheld's control scheme perfectly and gives gamers who are bored of match-three titles something different to try out.

Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2010 is not bad, but that doesn't make it good, either. There are decent ideas here, but if you want a fitness game for the Wii, you'll want to go with the best, and Fitness Ultimatum 2010 isn't it.

There's some great gameplay in Risen, but you have to trudge though too many problems to find it.

Altogether, Gran Turismo for the PSP is a solid game, and it's exceptionally well presented on the PSP. Unfortunately, I felt that the lack of a career progression really hindered my experience.

No matter how starved you are for some serious RPG action on a system ruled by mini-game compilations, you can do better than this.

Obscure: The Aftermath is a cheap thriller. It has a few stand-out features, but it still does nothing exceptionally.

All in all, Beaterator is an interesting and unique piece of software for the PSP handheld.

Once you get past the slower pace of the game, Dead Space: Extraction provides a slick extension of the Dead Space universe. It's not quite a traditional light gun shooter, but it's also not a first-person shooter. It's a hybrid that is well suited for this form of interactive storytelling, and it nicely balances action and exposition.

This fun off-road racer is easily one of the best racing titles on the system and absolutely shouldn't be missed.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 is overall a better game than Ninja Gaiden II. It may be less gory, but it has a better pace, is less frustrating and overall more fun than the original.

Kingdom Hearts fans will find something to enjoy here, but anyone else would be better off picking up the cheaper, and more enjoyable, PS2 games before diving in to this game.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is a solid attempt at transporting players to the world of Oz. The gameplay presents players with all the usual RPG trappings, and while it could have been a bit more imaginative or open world-like, I'm not at all disappointed with the game.

Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Mobilized is a solid FPS effort on the Nintendo DS.

Those who have played the first two games in the franchise and want to keep going to see how it all ends will find Tales of Monkey Island: Lair of the Leviathan to be a minor diversion in an otherwise great series.

The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft is a boring, poorly executed and mostly thoughtless game, and our whole industry is worse off for being made to suffer through it.

Beat-'em-up fans have plenty of other choices for their fix; this is more of an example of how licensed games can be misused instead of an example for how the beat-'em-up genre can return to its former glory.

Having previously tried and enjoyed Katamari in earlier incarnations, you'll probably be more than satisfied with this PS3 version.

Thanks to a combination of well-designed levels, a solid story line, addicting multiplayer and top-notch voice acting, Halo 3: ODST presents a package that is even more compelling than its namesake. The game is not only better than Halo 3; it is the best Halo title to date. And, planned or not, Bungie has also managed to create a compelling character in Gunnery Sergeant Buck. He is just as much the hero as Master Chief ever was.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is a fun RPG, but compared to other Persona titles, it's rather unexceptional.

Were Spyborgs an actual cartoon, I would probably have been a little more merciful; it produces a licensed game feel, complete with the assumption that players could look up the story basics if they didn't know them. Unfortunately, without actual source material to benefit from, it has an uncomfortably messy plot without enough explanation.

If you want your pinball to be an imaginary take on the late pinball scene, then Pinball FX is perfect. If you want an extensive history lesson on real pinball machines by one of the more respected manufacturers out there, then Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection needs to be in your collection.

If you're already a pinball player, the PS3 version is enhanced enough visually, so unless you've just purchased one of the versions for an older console, it's probably worth buying this edition for its current-generation glitz.

Our House Party! may have some funny moments, such as the inclusion of the Taking Heads song and an old-school RPG showing up on the bedroom TV set, but they can't save it from being, at best, a mediocre game.

The gameplay is boring, the design is simple and plain, and overall, I'd have more fun actually putting up real wallpaper than doing it virtually in this title.

Scooby-Doo! First Fright is a decent brawler that is intended for children but serves as a very poor example of a Scooby-Doo licensed title.

It is definitely recommended as a rental for younger fans, but if you or someone you know has problems with the tiny characters, it would be best to go for the Wii or PS2 versions instead, if those options are available to you.

Ultimately, Wet is a fun, if slightly flawed, single-player romp.

All in all, Wet is a fun game, though it's marred by a terrible camera aiming system and the occasional stiff-feeling actions.

There's no getting around some of the technical and interface hiccups with Red Faction: Guerrilla, but if you can deal with the shortcomings, this really is a fun game.

Even as a fan of RPGs in general, I don't think that anything about Bleach: The Third Phantom will appeal to most people. Unless you're really dying for some new-related items, I'd avoid this title completely.

Excellent graphics and sound, especially for the driver camera, offer something awesome to the genre, while the controls are as tight as ever. Add this to a mostly solid campaign mode and opponent AI that does more than stick to pre-determined racing lines, and you have a racing game that can stand up well with the best of them.

Excellent graphics and sound, especially for the driver camera, offer something awesome to the genre, while the controls are as tight as ever. Add this to a mostly solid campaign mode and opponent AI that does more than stick to pre-determined racing lines, and you have a racing game that can stand up well with the best of them.

Obviously, this title is highly recommended for anyone buying a hockey game this autumn, but if you've never played a hockey simulation, or it's been years and years since you've bothered, I can't think of a better place to start or return than NHL 10.

Obviously, this title is highly recommended for anyone buying a hockey game this autumn, but if you've never played a hockey simulation, or it's been years and years since you've bothered, I can't think of a better place to start or return than NHL 10.

Overall, with some great presentation and truly fun video game hockey, not to mention a laundry list of features and without doubt clear improvements over the past couple years of the franchise, NHL 2K10 is a worthy hockey title. It just isn't likely to be the most worthy hockey title this year.

UA2's inspired story, backed with plenty of thumb-blistering destruction, can be fun, but by staying firmly within the lines, it ultimately keeps itself from mastering anything new.

If you never played the original and the particulars of this title likely suit your gaming tastes, especially if you have friends who'll play along through the missions, by all means strap on your alter ego and get to saving the world.

Scribblenauts can easily fill in the blanks as one of the most unique gaming experiences that anyone can have this year.

I'd avoid this one even if you're a die-hard fan of the series.

PopCap's games seem to be hit after hit, and Zuma's Revenge follows the trend nicely by taking a successful existing formula, tweaking and adding to it while being extremely careful not to wreck it, throwing on a nice slathering of solid artwork and a little sound work, and offering it for a reasonable $20.

The prevailing theme to come from Monster Trucks Mayhem is that it provides too little of everything, no matter how good it is.

Overall, if you can put up with DRM and GFWL headaches, and don't mind risking losing your save games and progress - or at least having them tethered and more complicated than they need to be - Resident Evil 5 for the PC is probably the version to get.

It's baffling that the MotionPlus accessory can pick up the nuances of a manual deke but can't reliably detect when you're trying to make a shot, and the overall sluggish nature of player control was certainly frustrating. Combine that with a spotty online mode, and all the control options and modes in the world can't make up for the fact that the game just wasn't very fun to play

The bottom line on Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is that it's one of those games that every DS owner should buy, period. Regardless of your feelings about RPGs, the title is just so entertaining and well-executed that you're nearly guaranteed to love it.

The concept behind Darkest of Days is a pretty original one, and the companies involved should be commended for trying something different with the crowded first-person shooter genre. Unfortunately, good concepts alone don't make for good games, and this is an example of what happens when you ignore every other aspect of the title.

So long as you don't mind a short, but sweet, experience, it's worth checking out. Just don't expect a revolution.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is a gaming experience that must be played regardless of your console preference.

Mini Ninjas is just purely, simply a great video game. Period.

IL2-Sturmovik: Birds of Prey isn't for everyone, especially not players who expect this to be the next Crimson Skies or to fill in for the next Ace Combat. Its emphasis on traditional dogfighting without frills, along with its low-key presentation, may seem a little dry alongside Jeremy Soule's stirring soundtrack, but the realistic bent of its flight mechanics and gameplay will find an audience among flight sim enthusiasts and would-be WWII pilots who want a reason to plug a flightstick into their console.

It's a disappointment to see a promising series end in this way, especially now that Transmission Games is no longer around to potentially fix issues in a sequel. Flight sim fanatics who are eager to take a break from reality and fly around in an action-packed arcade shooter on the PC may still want to give Heroes Over Europe a whirl. They'll just have to put up with its sometimes annoying characters, its total disregard for realism, and its lack of basic gauges and indicators.

Gamers looking for a more involving pure rally simulation will be better off playing the older titles, as the rally racing has been toned down. Those looking for an off-road racing game, though, should look no further, as this is the absolute best of the bunch.

Basically, there's not enough content to the Wii port of Dirt 2 to warrant a purchase, and you certainly don't want to pick this up if you have access to another home console version of the game.

By and large, Dirt 2 is an unremarkable and mostly boring racing game, and the more you play it, the worse the flaws get.

There is no individuality or unique feel to any of the supposedly varied tracks. The mission variety is a thinly veiled joke, and the graphics aren't enough to make you forget that you're not having any fun.

All in all, Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days is a great strategy RPG, and while I still prefer the original title's story line and characters, there's nothing to really complain about when it comes to the gameplay.

The premise is great, the big set-piece battles are fun, but everything else is boxed within dated design concepts from which other titles have long evolved.

NBA 2K10: Draft Combine is an interesting experiment that would only appeal to a limited audience.

Section 8 is difficult to recommend to anyone but fans of the space-marine shooter subgenre.

Even with several flashy, promising new PSP titles on the way this gaming season, Broken Destiny should be near the top of your must-play list.

The new mechanics work extremely well, and the visuals have received a nice new coat of paint to really make performances pop and give you the feeling that you're watching actual concert footage instead of a simple video game.

Altogether, I think it's a pretty good value for $20, and while it's a budget title intended for kids, I think it would be a pretty solid game for any casual gamer.

Champions Online has something for everyone, so when we get to the bottom line, I'd recommend giving it a try. The problem with having something for everyone is that when you try to make everybody happy, no one really is.

It's an interesting approach to the Trauma Center formula, and I'm glad to play another game in that funky sub-genre, but at the same time, I'm waffling on whether I'd recommend this title for purchase.

Ultimately, Warriors Orochi 2 takes an already tarnished franchise and further beats it into the ground.

NBA 2K10: Draft Combine is an interesting experiment that would only appeal to a limited audience.

Cursed Mountain is a very good surprise for all survival horror Wii owners.

Fans of the franchise owe it to themselves to pick it up, and anyone with a hankering for a high-quality action game will find Arkham Asylum to be just what the doctor ordered.

There have been many different Batman games over the years, but none quite so polished as this one. Batman: Arkham Asylum combines the best elements of the classic Batman mythos with the modern-day interpretation of the hero. The end result is a game that outshines its flaws and is quite simply a blast to play.

At its barest elements, Dissidia: Final Fantasy is phenomenal.

Mana Khemia 2: The Fall of Alchemy feels like a half-finished game.