Finding a way to pump more music into the mix should have been a higher priority as well.

If the premise of taking photos of fish on rails sounds good to you, then you won't be disappointed — and if it doesn't, then move along because there's nothing to see here.

While the landscapes are rather generic, the weather effects, especially those of the tornado, can be quite impressive.

An adequate, albeit not outstanding, way to keep a very small child occupied. It may help kids learn, but it will more likely keep them distracted for a few minutes before they close their DSes.

It’s good for about a 10 minute trip down memory lane and that’s it, everything else stinks.

It actually left me frustrated because it manages to do a lot right, but ultimately, it's too lacking in too many areas to be something I can recommend.

In light of all that though, Space Invaders Extreme is still an exceptionally worthy addition to the franchise, giving you a healthy dose of nostalgia while still throwing enough good new ideas into the mix to keep the game fun in the short amount of time the experience lasts.

Perhaps an online component would have improved on this, but as it is, it's only half of the game, albeit a pretty entertaining half.

This particular offering utterly fails to capture the magic of its predecessor or even to meet the standards set by contemporary offerings.

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.

If you enjoy varied gameplay, then it doesn't come better executed than Secret Agent Clank, but if you need the focus on a single gaming genre with more variety within a narrower frame, then this may not be the right match for you.

Etrian Odyssey II: The Heroes of Lagaard is tough. It is not always fairly tough, it can be frustrating, it can be aggravating, it can make you want to drive your stylus through the DS and throw it out a window. It's also unbelievably fun, quite challenging, and a fantastic game for fun or travel.

The flexible and creative gameplay elements are stronger than ever, backed by arguably the best engine to date for such a game. After the conclusion of Act 2, the game enters a downward spiral, becoming more of a non-interactive movie and using less of the great gameplay of which it is obviously capable.

The so-so story mode is the game's highlight, and even that does little to shine up the lackluster boxing, poor graphics, and lack of any real replay value.

It doesn't really reach its full potential until halfway through the game, but if you stick it out, you'll find a brilliant, if short-lived, gem.

NASCAR 09 adds some notable additions such as Rep points and the Sprint Driver Challenge mode, but the core gameplay has not changed much at all.

NASCAR 09 adds some notable additions such as Rep points and the Sprint Driver Challenge mode, but the core gameplay has not changed much at all.

With a great combat system, good-looking characters, and a ton of unlockables, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit was poised to be the game that brought in new legions of Dragon Ball Z fans. Unfortunately, the lack of any explanation of the story — coupled with a few nitpicks here and there regarding online lag, boring stage design and predictable AI — means that this one isn't likely to find mass market appeal.

It's just too bad that in this case, a DBZ game was finally able to achieve such enjoyable gameplay but the surrounding design was not taken further. A proper campaign is nonexistent, the trials won't stay entertaining for long, and the online mode is incredibly bare-bones. The core fighting essence is an undeniable blast.

The Looney Tunes license is well used, but it narrows the game's audience in an unintuitive direction.

Running around as a green, humanoid wrecking ball in New York's sandbox of steel and concrete castles can be fun for a while until it starts feeling like a repetitive exercise in dealing with missions that try and enlist the Hulk as a nanny for stolen gear or have him destroy yet another group of bad guys who don't have the good sense to stay out of his way.

While Spider-Man 3 might have had a somewhat better-looking and more accurate Manhattan, the frame rate in The Incredible Hulk is more solid, except for brief rare occasions when you're literally leveling several blocks of the city simultaneously.

Incredible Hulk is an embarrassment, one of the worst movie-to-game translations to come out in some time — and that's really saying something.

The single-player segment is definitely fun while it lasts, but it's far too short and easy to be anything memorable. The lack of gameplay-altering unlockables and a fully featured multiplayer mode makes the experience feel a little too bare-bones to warrant a purchase.

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.

I enjoyed it, and you might too, but your mileage may vary, depending on your tolerance for repetitiveness and a steep difficulty curve.

The Bourne Conspiracy is a surprising gem of a beat-'em-up with plenty of riveting, arcade-styled action to entertain fans of the film or action junkies who are looking for a little wetwork.

Rather than delve deeper into the Ludlum's Bourne universe, with all the intrigue and conspiring, The Bourne Conspiracy gives us a standard third-person action romp with a clunky interface, brain-dead enemies, and a story we've already seen in a framework that isn't nearly as good as any of the games it aspires to emulate.

It says something about the original Ninja Gaiden that Ninja Gaiden II being a merely good action game is such a letdown. Ninja Gaiden II's graphics are fantastic and the action flawless, but this perfection is marred by a jerky, awkward and terrible camera and a difficulty level that's the product of the camera and enemy positioning, rather than an actual challenge.

It's forgiving enough for arcade-style players to get into, yet challenging and rewarding enough to make them want to get better, while not leaving them stuck in one place. Sim nuts, naturally, will be quite pleased as well.

As far as children's movie tie-in games, Kung Fu Panda a rare title that reaches the top of the barrel. It's well-designed, keeps the gameplay fresh, looks and sounds great, and appears to be a game that the developers actually tried to make into something fun, rather than selling it because the cover boasts the mascot of the week's popular cartoon character.

Kung Fu Panda can be summed up as a game that doesn't do anything perfectly, but does everything pretty well.

Overall, Summon Night : Twin Age might be passable for people with fairly low expectations, but the drawn-out combat mechanics, poor party support, and agonizing voice acting really drive a knife into this title's back.

The shift in focus from combat to puzzles suits the theme, but it's somewhat marred in execution.

Without a doubt, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is a worthy addition to the witty and entertaining LEGO gaming franchise. Once you are comfortable using the occasionally awkward PC keyboard controls or preferably hooking up a game controller, you will quickly become immersed in the game's addictive gameplay.

A very good PSP title. For veterans of the series, the sequel will feel very much like the three-year-old predecessor.

In short, LOL is not worth it. The complete lack of single-player gameplay in any form, of enough actual gameplay to make a full game out of it, or, well, anything of interest that you cannot do with Pictochat makes its premise essentially useless to pretty much all players.

By far Mass Effect's strongest suit, as the screenshots can attest, is the quality of the visuals.

Whether you're a Sudoku vet looking for a new challenge or a newbie wondering what all the fuss is about, Buku Sudoku does a fine job of bringing the phenomenon to a digital audience. Its only real shortcoming is that in some cases, it is content to be complacent, rather than moving the genre forward.

Warlords looks nice in demo form, but is a soul-sucking, horrific experience when you're actually playing it.

It's tempting to knock it down into niche fodder, but overall, the title is too well designed, and with too much potential to appeal to a broad range of shooter fans who bother to really dig into it, for such cavalier dismissal.

This title could've had any name, and you'd never have known that it was related to Quake in any way. With franchises such as Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, and, of course Halo, Enemy Territories: Quake Wars falls way behind of the pack.

Remarkably short.

While there could have been more variety in the enemies, and the sound definitely should have been better, I was left thoroughly pleased with the game. It may seem a bit expensive at 1,600 Microsoft points ($20), but if you are looking for a few good laughs and an interesting story line packed into a five- to eight-hour package, you really won't find anything better than this.

While there could have been more variety in the enemies, and the sound definitely should have been better, I was left thoroughly pleased with the game. It may seem a bit expensive at 1,600 Microsoft points ($20), but if you are looking for a few good laughs and an interesting story line packed into a five- to eight-hour package, you really won't find anything better than this.

It is difficult to pass a final judgment on Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, given that some areas, such as the combat and story, are exceptional while others, such as the non-combat gameplay and questing, fall somewhat flat. With that being said, the pros outweigh the cons, and though the game is mostly combat-driven, the combat system is one of the most enjoyable aspects.

The immediate association with Haze as an underperforming FPS with lofty ambitions will be Saber Interactive's TimeShift, where the boat anchor, besides some awkward but forgivable vehicular control mechanics, was an excellent gameplay design hook that worked well, but almost no one got it, so no one used it, and ergo the title was ultimately just another shooter.

If you like to sing, even just a bit, you'll love SingStar PS3.

The play is fantastic, and there's a lot of fun to be had, but even with the improvements made from FIFA 08, it feels underfeatured and overpriced when you hold the two titles side by side.

Ultimately, Star Soldier R is an excellent little game if you're a shooter fan and a high score junkie who sorely misses the 16-bit era and its corresponding 2-D style of play. Make no mistake, this is a game with somewhat limited appeal, and if you're not in the target audience, it's likely to register a pretty quick "meh" and get passed over for something new.

A very fun XBLA title and is a prime example of why gamers love the advent of XBLA so much.

Myst can't survive in a modern market where everyone wants to satisfy their itchy trigger finger and drool over their high-definition Blu-rays, but it can still be a relaxing jaunt into another world.

This is a game solely for those who want to waggle controllers for an hour and giggle; all other self-respecting gamers should just stay away.

As stated before, We Ski's biggest draw, and also its biggest fault, is sacrificing skill for accessibility.

A solid title with a lot of shine on the core gameplay. Anyone looking for something new in the genre should give this a test run.

A fun romp and certainly an admirable attempt at making a fresh experience on such a new service.

The entire Wits & Wagers experience tries too hard and fails at nearly every turn.

Quite simply, Speed Racer works while it lasts. It is not an exceptionally long or difficult game, but while it lasts, it is unusually awesome, managing to distill many of the greatest elements of the original "Speed Racer" series and movie into one manic whole.

Speed Racer's entertainingly off-the-wall fun already puts it ahead of other titles that bank on a movie license to draw in fans.

Iron Man for the PC is another casualty in the sad and lengthy history of failed movie-game tie-ins.

Nostalgia enthusiasts could do a lot worse than to pick up a used copy at their local game store, and $20 is about right for the new price.

SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 is a solid purchase for players on the go who hope to relive the glory days of the arcades or learn more about the history of their favorite hobby.

Among typical gamers, though, the primary audience is going to consist of those who like something very strange to look at while hopped up on psychotropic drugs, or want to try and understand the minds of those who are hopped up.

Grand Theft Auto IV's caricatured slice of urban Americana is a criminal masterpiece.

It's not a perfect game, as there are a number of minor graphical and gameplay glitches, missing features from "San Andreas," more restrictive exploration, and some rather lackluster mission design. However, those minor flaws are overshadowed by the improved gunplay, amazing multiplayer and shockingly addictive social interactions that really turn GTA IV into something special.

At its core, Mario Kart Wii is a simple, accessible title that lends itself to fun-filled evenings with friends on the couch or online games with racers halfway around the world.

The World Ends with You is a game that every RPG fan who owns a DS needs to have.

Almost every addition to The Journey makes it a superior experience to the original Persona 3 , and the addition of The Answer increases that value.

Any player who acquires this game should seek psychological help, as the title has managed to avoid having any redeeming qualities whatsoever.

NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a title that has solid basics in place, but it really needed a lot more time and budget to get everything just right. As it stands, the title is a buggy, unpolished mess with easy-to-use, overpowered moves and gameplay that is often more frustrating than it is fun.

Frustrating in many respects, not the least of which is that if you cut through the clutter, you can see that the core is there for an enjoyable game.

It may be a good title to tide over rhythm gaming fanatics until Rock Band comes out for the Wii or Guitar Hero IV hits later this year.

If you loved doing Fed Ex quests in World of Warcraft, imagine having to do nothing but those from beginning to end, with uninspired, sometimes annoying characters and overly clichéd performances throughout, and that's Jack Keane.

With a unique combat system, colorful graphics, and character upgrade options that deliver plenty of challenges, Rondo of Swords might not be the kind of war that everyone may want to fight, but it won't hold back those who decide to take up the struggle.

A gorgeous, well-made technical racer that will test your braking and turning abilities just as much as your ability to jam on the gas and hold on tight. If that sounds like your idea of fun, then buckle up and get yourself to the starting line.

While Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 has departed from its hardcore roots and offers little beyond a second helping of the previous title, it is nevertheless a worthwhile, entertaining venture with just enough squad-based tactics to keep things interesting.

The final verdict is that Okami for the Wii is an excellent offering and a fine addition to your library if you don't already own the PlayStation 2 version. The small complaints are a small price to pay for such an exquisite adventure, a title that really proves that quality third-party support for Nintendo is much more than a dream at this point.

Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys is the kind of game that you can take with you on a trip and play in bite-sized chunks, but the forgettable puzzles and overabundance of dull stages do nothing to help the feeling that it's trying to drag out the dead for as long as it can.

The overall feeling given by Emergency Mayhem is that of a game that tries entirely too hard to mimic the most successful title in this genre, and fails rather badly on all counts.

I felt that this title lost a lot of the charm of The Awakened by reducing the number of investigation segments and keeping the story rooted to one place. Fans of Sherlock Holmes or adventure games should go out of their way to pick up this title.

An absolute sham of a game, full of broken mechanics and proof that when you carry a gimmick too far, you end up with something that no one wants to play.

If you're not sold on Ikaruga, then you probably aren't hardcore enough for it. Even if you are hardcore enough for it, you'll be chewed up, spit out, and left out to dry.

But while Assassin's Creed is not perfect, it is technically stunning, and the gorgeous visuals alone are almost worth the sticker price alone.

The Real Bout spin-offs are not the best of the entire series (and I will not introduce a debate over this, except that it's Mark of the Wolves), and much of the system has been one-upped by the King of Fighters series in the decade since.

The graphics and sound work really well together to create the atmosphere.

Aside from the races in FlatOut mode, FlatOut: Head On is one of the most genuinely fun and entertaining racers I've picked up in a long time.

It isn't particularly deep or thought-provoking, or noticeably challenging. It's just fun.

Ultimately, Octomania comes off as a shining example of what a puzzle title can do despite being burdened with cultural barriers a mile wide and irritating characters.

While the story is certainly on the light side and the sound is kind of weak, the gameplay and the puzzles more than make up for it.

There really is not much to TiQal. If you play the demo for five minutes, you've pretty much mastered all there is to the game.

Dark Sector is a very good game; the off-world, strikingly science-fiction oriented FPS demonstrated years ago bears very little resemblance to what has been shrink-wrapped and shipped off to your local game retailers — and that's a very good thing.

One should go into the title with the knowledge that there isn't much of a story, and some of the gameplay can get pretty frustrating.

Universe at War: Earth Assault is a fantastic game marred by technical issues aplenty.

All in all, Obscure: The Aftermath is a hodgepodge of poorly implemented design ideas and sub-par horror elements.

There may be a good game in there somewhere, but it falls into a standard hack-and-slash rut of boring and uninspired gameplay that leaves you wanting more from the experience.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 is a really fun fighting game when it actually allows you to fight.

Exceptionally entertaining.

The developers have gotten this design down, but a complete lack of innovation and some poorly implemented features cripples Warriors Orochi.