Spore is not the gaming paradigm shift it might have been touted as, and it is quite possibly overrated. However, that's not to say you should dismiss it outright, since it's a highly impressive and ambitious undertaking unlike any other before, ultimately hitting more of its lofty targets than it misses.

The clever audio commentary and the decent character creator are the only positive things about a game that tries way too hard to be hip, edgy and cool — but just ends up disgracing boxing games, fighting games, and EA Sports in general.

The bad camera angles, unnecessary fatigue system and limited environments really hurt the title.

The visuals are nice, but the environment can be hard to discern. The story is fairly interesting, but it's told in a completely non-engaging way. The combat is fun, but it's also highly repetitive, and the same strategies work on almost all enemy types without fail.

It's a very specific genre game, but for those into the genre, Gin Rummy is a great title.

Basically, I went from looking forward to checking out Commando: Steel Disaster based on the screenshots I had seen, to wishing I hadn't wasted the hours on it.

Even if Warhammer: Battle March had a good control scheme, it would still be a boring strategy game at best.

Not to sound like a petulant child, but Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March is underwhelming and not fun. The gameplay is inconsistent because the title is constantly fighting with itself about being an RTS or RPG.

Outside of its polished action formula, sharpened AI, and crafting system, the only thing that dungeon crawlers might discover is how finite the experience can unexpectedly feel in so many other ways.

If you're looking for a game to play with a less-experienced sibling or spouse, you could do a lot worse than Viva Piñata. It's playful, charming (assuming you ignore the grim potential inherent in the idea of sentient piñatas), easy and simple enough that even young players can pick it up with ease.

A neat idea with some of the worst execution I've seen on the PlayStation 3. The title has an incoherent story, bad graphics, bad voice acting, bad level design, extremely linear gameplay for a stealth title, and a level of difficulty that seems more dumb than difficult.

It's a good game that's prevented from being great by sub-par graphics, a few too many bugs and an overall lack of any serious challenge. If you can look past these shortcomings, however, Mercenaries 2 offers a great deal of high-energy explosive thrills and seriously satisfying action gameplay that is well worth your attention.

Despite a plethora of technical problems that make Mercenaries 2: World in Flames feel like an unfinished title, it remains a lot of to play. You can bring down a city with the press of a button, and the explosions are simply breathtaking. I had a lot of fun while I was playing, but the mediocre length and frequent bugs make the title a little hard to recommend for $60.

If you've never liked side-scrolling brawlers in the vein of Golden Axe and Double Dragon, then feel free to move on because the neat little additions and charming art style of Castle Crashers will do nothing to win you over. If your eyes fill with tears of nostalgia at their very mention, though, then don't be put off by the price of 1,200 MS points because it's worth every penny if you have the friends with whom to enjoy it.

It's miles ahead of games like Enchanted Arms and Operation Darkness, but that is perhaps the most interesting thing one can say about it. The plot is dull and hits every single RPG cliché, the combat system is fun but flawed, and there is really nothing memorable about it.

N+ is exactly the kind of game that's tailor-made for the DS, and I don't mean that it uses the touch-screen. Quick and simple, this is the kind of distraction that can easily be picked up for five minutes and put right back down again, making it ideal for killing those last few minutes of a lunch break.

Despite some of these nitpicks, N+ for the PSP is still as great a game as it ever was on XBLA or the Internet. While the formula is getting a bit passé, the physics and levels are still as sharp and tightly constructed as ever, even if the sound is repetitive and the multiplayer modes are inaccessible to most.

I didn't have a great deal of fun with Digimon World Championship, but in part, I feel that it's because these games just aren't intended for me anymore.

It finally feels that enough improvements have been made in the challenge system, load time and game mechanics that it's more than the usual yearly rebranding.

The dynamic skill system, club tuner, and simultaneous online play are all welcome additions, proving that the folks at Tiburon aren't content to merely sit back and pump out the same game year after year.

Definitely the best version of Tiger Woods you're going to get your hands on this year, and it offers a lot of promise for versions to come, especially with the Motion Plus accessory being available just around the corner.

The grind feels fresh and compelling, even if you know it isn't and really shouldn't. So much of what makes a game fun to play is "feel," and in Disgaea 3, Nippon Ichi has balanced the feel of the game's long and bewilderingly complicated grind into something that always feels satisfying, where you always feel like you're making progress.

Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli is a very tough, rewarding game that caters to a more hardcore audience. Racing simulation addicts and car buffs will love the way the title looks and handles.

Ultimately, Apartment Pets fails at just about everything it tries to do. It's not The Sims, it's not Nintendogs, and it's not fun for anyone.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness has a lot of potential to be good, if you are willing to put in the time to have it pay off.

Murder in the Abbey shines due to its unique graphics, stirring soundtrack, and the care given in telling its somewhat-familiar story. The clunky gameplay has too many problems to make it feel as if it were worth the effort, though, even with the occasional fun moments that manage to creep in.

Galaga Legions aspires to be a Galaga for a modern age, and in some ways, it is. But by excluding so many surrounding enhancements, such as more single- or multiplayer modes, arcade shoppers of today might be a little miffed at getting what would have been a complete package back in the quarter-pumping days.

Too Human has been in production in various forms for 10 years, but somehow, it still feels like an unfinished game. The plot is half-baked, the gameplay is simplistic, the replay value is hurt by the lack of variety, and glitches are commonplace. While the very basic framework of a fun game is there, it's weakened by all the flaws.

The controls are obtuse, and it becomes obvious with a bit scrutiny that the game is definitely a port; it's nice to see an online mode included, but it isn't particularly fleshed out or engaging.

The modelers did an absolutely fantastic job of virtualizing massive crab boats and making it believable. The waves, water swells, storms, ice floes all make for a very immersive environment that just feels right. Real voices with real crab fishermen (and women) and tons of video make the title slightly more robust. Unfortunately, there are clipping issues and some bugs that make what would've been a very polished game feel like it released maybe just a bit too early.

Bionic Commando Rearmed is easily a strong enough title to go for $30 on the PSP, and it's definitely a worthy PlayStation Network/Live Arcade title at $10. The graphics overhaul, improved boss battles, hacking mini-game, new weapons and bionic arm abilities, multiplayer support and additional content will provide immense replay value.

Bionic Commando Rearmed is easily a strong enough title to go for $30 on the PSP, and it's definitely a worthy PlayStation Network/Live Arcade title at $10. The graphics overhaul, improved boss battles, hacking mini-game, new weapons and bionic arm abilities, multiplayer support and additional content will provide immense replay value.

For anyone who plans on picking up Fable II, Fable II Pub Games is an easy XBLA title to choose. Those who aren't interested in the game's lineage or continuing story line, or those who aren't fans of board games, will likely pass this one by.

This one may prove to be an appealing bargain bin title for a few hours of entertaining destruction, but only Diablo fans will feel truly at home, and they have other choices that they'll probably enjoy more.

I can't remember a time when I've ever scored a game this high and yet warned the general public to stay away, but I suppose there's a first time for everything, and Bangai-O Spirits seems like the perfect game to cause just such an occasion.

For every new mechanic implemented, there is something else botched just enough to render the neat new aspect moot.

It's certainly not perfect and could use some work in a few important areas, but if you have nothing but a Wii and need to get your football on, Madden '09 is your best bet, and you'll probably have some fun while you're at it.

While the main game still plays like Madden, hardcore players are going to be upset at the overall lack of improvement in Madden '09.

It's not perfect, but for every bad lock puzzle and oddly written narrative, the "a-ha" moment of solving a tricky puzzle makes up for it.

A great game for its intended audience, kids who love baseball and might like to pretend they're on a championship prep team. Adults will likely tire of the simplistic gameplay rather quickly, while those more attached to Major League Baseball will be underwhelmed by the lack of star players and personalities.

Jeep Thrills fails to live up to the premise of its own title, which is to give players a thrilling ride on Jeep vehicles.

A nearly perfect experience for a very select crowd. It might even be convincing enough to convert a few non-believers, but it's not perfect.

A fun 3-D fighting title. It's not going to re-invent the genre, and it has its own set of issues, including rather questionable balance between fighters and a massive amount of clone fighters even before you get into the Create-A-Soul feature.

Even though SoulCalibur IV has a lot of graphical and gameplay polish, it's still nowhere near a perfect game. A stunted Story mode and the completely unfair Apprentice character detract greatly from the single-player experience, and as it is, the online multiplayer is literally broken.

Sub-par in almost every respect.

A sterling example of how sports games can be deep without being overly complicated and how realism doesn't necessarily trump goofiness, as long as what you're making is fun.

Altogether, I enjoyed MLB Power Pros for the PS2, but I don't think it's a perfect casual game experience. It still straddles the line between hardcore and casual, and it occasionally dips too far into either side to be enjoyed by everyone

If you really want to play a volleyball video game, stick with the older titles that focus on beach volleyball or pray that someone can come up with a better take on the indoor version of the sport.

Not every shooter has to be a triple-A title of the first order, but there really isn't much to Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island's shooting-gallery action that hasn't been done better by today's discounted specials or even by the venerable classics.

Like all arcade games, these aren't very long and can be beaten in an afternoon when you use unlimited continues, but there's no denying that it's a ton of fun while it lasts.

There's not a single reason for you to buy Puzzler Collection for the Wii. The tournament mode is pointless, offering no incentive to replay once you've beaten it, and the multiplayer is completely inane, forcing you to pass one controller back and forth among all the players.

If you liked the original coin-op game or are a fan of scrolling shooters, Joint Strike should definitely be in your collection.

Go! Go! Break Steady isn't really unique, and it isn't really a must-get game, but it's a successful mishmash of three genres that, in my experience, don't usually go together — hip-hop, puzzle and rhythm.

More of the same, several new additions, and more comedy than before.

No matter how you look at it, New International Track and Field may be a gorgeous little title, but it isn't a must-buy simply because the button-mashing and stylus-rubbing gameplay was old the moment it was invented.

The overall presentation is slick and inventive, and the controls are pretty intuitive, if not always correct, but the real fun comes from managing your orders, assigning tasks to your AI partners, and creating more and more complex dishes for each new restaurant you obtain.

The updated graphics and visual flair may make it more appealing to new gamers, but it retains enough of the old game to warm SNES gamers' nostalgic hearts.

I imagine that someone could find something to like in Double D Dodgeball if they really tried, and I'll admit that the title does play pretty much as promised. However, the lack of a solid single-player experience, coupled with the complete lack of online players, makes the title not worth checking out before the download even begins.

One thing that stands out first and foremost is the music for We Love Golf. The music sounds a bit too simple and happy when you start the game, but it's passable. However, when you get on the green and putt for the first time, the music becomes tense and more focused.

The series' best effort in years.

The series' best effort in years.

From the moment you boot up PopCap Hits! Vol. 2, you realize that PopCap didn't just copy and paste two of their titles with the old structure of Vol. 1 and call it a day. They looked at some of the issues with the first compilation and improved on it in every way possible.

If one word could be used to describe the experience with Yamaha Supercross, it would be "bland."

Those who have a reliable gaming comrade on hand will find Schizoid to be a very rewarding cooperative romp, even in the face of some derivative level design. Just don't expect to feel the magic if you're the only one playing.

Devil May Cry 4 is a great capstone to the trilogy, and the PC port takes exceptional advantage of the graphical potential of many gamers' PCs, while leaving the top-notch console gameplay untouched.

Revolution makes a great starting place for new gamers to learn the ways of Civilization while avoiding being overwhelmed by the massive amount of things present in Civilization 4.

Revolution makes a great starting place for new gamers to learn the ways of Civilization while avoiding being overwhelmed by the massive amount of things present in Civilization 4.

Carnival Games for the NDS is a bust of a carnival. You're better off saving your cash and riding the teacups at the state fair with a friend. As lame as the teacups are, at least they bring people together and get you outside. That's much more than you can say for this DS title.

It takes out some of the frustration that makes the genre so inaccessible without sacrificing the challenge and accomplishment that make it so fun.

The tedious button-mashing might be fun when watching your friends make amusing faces while pounding their way to the finish line, but any extended time would be better invested in watching the actual games themselves. See you in four years, Summer Olympics.

The tedious button-mashing might be fun when watching your friends make amusing faces while pounding their way to the finish line, but any extended time would be better invested in watching the actual games themselves. See you in four years, Summer Olympics.

No matter how many first-person shooters the Xbox 360 has, there's always room for one of the quality of Unreal Tournament 3.

A fun game, but one that still falls short of what made the original Trauma Center so great.

All in all, I can't recommend Hail to the Chimp as a game, but it gets my vote as a satire of politics. The clunky controls, slow character movement, obstructive camera, repetitive gameplay, and chaotic multiplayer work against the title, and although the graphics and audio make up for it to a degree, it's nowhere near enough.

There's no denying that Journey to the Center of the Earth is a bad game. It tried to do far too much, given the resources and hardware with which it had to work.

All in all, I can't recommend Hail to the Chimp as a game, but it gets my vote as a satire of politics. The clunky controls, slow character movement, obstructive camera, repetitive gameplay, and chaotic multiplayer work against the title, and although the graphics and audio make up for it to a degree, it's nowhere near enough.

A flawed attempt at fixing the problems with Guitar Hero III. While vast improvements have been made to the game's look and engine, a critical mistake was made when Neversoft chose to focus on a single band. The core Guitar Hero gameplay is still there and as fun as ever, but unless you're an avid fan of Aerosmith, you probably won't be happy with constantly playing Aerosmith songs.

The only audience Commando 3 is likely to pull in are those who remember the originals fondly and wish to take a moment to go back to the games of their childhood. Quickly, these same people will remember that games of their childhood were awful by today's standards, and vow to never be suckered in again — at least until the next Contra remake comes out.

If you love turn-based card games, board games, or have played the real-life equivalent of Ticket To Ride, it'll be an easy choice.

Operation Darkness isn't a bad game at all. It has its issues, but they don't ruin the experience — with the possible exception of the absolutely shameful graphics. The problem is that it doesn't really rise about mediocre.

While I wouldn't recommend it to anyone except kids (or their parents), in part because of the rather subpar control scheme, at least the older brother who has to watch or play along isn't going to be completely annoyed at the game's quality level.

Children in the target age range for the "WALL-E" movie will undoubtedly love this game, from the youngest in that demographic to the oldest. But the game is also quite enjoyable and good for adults, especially fans of "WALL-E" or Pixar movies in general.

While the main platforming gameplay in WALL-E for the Wii is solid and fun, it's really not good for more than a single playthrough and a collecting run.

WALL-E for the PS2 is not a great adaptation of the movie. There are some wonky control issues, the graphics aren't very good on the aging console, and the gameplay is very repetitive.

Its art style is absolutely adorable, and the gameplay is simple but manageable.

WALL-E for the PSP was never going to reach for the stars, but it presents an interesting addition to the movie, especially for younger gamers.

It has the right mix of components to make a great fighting game, and it's a fantastic addition to the Naruto canonical plot. The action is fast-paced, the control system is intuitive, and the presentation is engrossing.

The truth is that Big Beach Sports manages to do a couple of things passably while doing absolutely nothing right. While the title boasts a solid lineup of events that really ought to be fun to play, there is simply no fun to be had with this game.

The gameplay is solid as ever, the visuals and music are well worth a look, and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a very solid game for anyone in need of a Final Fantasy or turn-based strategy fix on the go.

An improvement on the same old formula. It plays exactly the same in the overall sense, but it refines things a little, patches in a new story, and generally upgrades things to be better suited to the DS system, avoiding gimmicks in favor of polishing the gameplay and graphics. To casual players, it is mostly the same game.

An improvement on the same old formula. It plays exactly the same in the overall sense, but it refines things a little, patches in a new story, and generally upgrades things to be better suited to the DS system, avoiding gimmicks in favor of polishing the gameplay and graphics. To casual players, it is mostly the same game.

An excellent addition to a strategy fan's library. Though is forgoes the engines of war most often associated with those titles, it offers an intensely interesting, fast-paced and addictive distraction.

Alone in the Dark is full of potential, but never actually pinpoints and executes it.

DICE's newest take on the virtual battlefield does a lot of things right, despite firing a few blanks along the way, such as the lack of a co-op mode in the main campaign.

It doesn't reinvent the genre or bring anything amazingly new to the community, but as Tiger Woods has done for golf titles, Top Spin does for tennis.

It doesn't reinvent the genre or bring anything amazingly new to the community, but as Tiger Woods has done for golf titles, Top Spin does for tennis.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. It serves as a really solid follow-up to Tiberium Wars, and it's one of the best RTS titles available on the 360 today.

Top Spin 3 is best left to Wii-owning children who are pro tennis enthusiasts and can forgive the shady graphics, restrictive game modes and overall unfinished feel of the game.