Virtua Fighter 5 is a deep, beautiful fighter, but the depth of gameplay is undercut by a shallow offering of modes and a complete lack of online support. The Virtua faithful will likely swoon over the expanded roster and move sets, but the casual crowd may be disappointed with what is largely an incremental upgrade rather than a full-blown evolution of the franchise.

It has points where you must grind for levels much like an RPG. It’s also not for people with short attention spans, and its difficulty at times (just a touch below Sonic Riders’s learning curve—you’ll have to practice stages over and over to get them right) makes it not for people who give up at challenging games easily (poor folks). Still, none of these points makes this entry any less valid.

Games like Crackdown are the cornerstone the 360's passionate user community is built upon, and why the 360 is developing an increasingly deserved reputation for being the next-gen console of choice.

You may not be worthy of playing Izuna. Chat with the Oracle a few times, and maybe you'll figure out if you are.

If you can't get into the simple gameplay, no matter how cute, then Trioncube is not for you, although one cannot reasonably expect this title to last for much more than a few days of serious play.

Supreme Commander is intelligent, polished, complex, and difficult. For many, of course, this will be reason to avoid it. The user manual is 70 pages long and probably the thickest of its kind that I've seen.

Road to Glory comes across more as an obligation to a contractual agreement than a worthwhile video game.

It lacks longevity, has some gameplay flaws, and has no personality whatsoever.

Alien Shooter: Vengeance doesn't deliver anything fancy or new to the table, and it certainly doesn't win any awards fro graphical realism. However, the game does present solid arcade-style gameplay that is relatively simplistic but pretty fun at the same time.

If you can look past the mediocre graphics and lousy sound, Dreamlords really has a lot to offer. Multiple play styles, an extremely friendly community, and the constant forward progression of the game make for an overall enjoyable experience.

The A.I. is the most intelligent opposition I have ever seen in a strategy title, and the tech tree is vast enough to offer a plethora of various strategies to employ. The lack of multiplayer is ameliorated by the fact that there are so many options and ways to play the single-player portions.

A blast from start to finish, offering up an excellent portable iteration of one of the best console franchises of the last five years. It may end a little shorter than expected, and the online play is unlikely to draw a significant following, but the single-player adventure is well worth the price of admission.

Sadly, even hardcore Ghost Rider fans will be immensely disappointed because after about a half hour of gameplay, you've experienced all there is to the game.

Feel free to stick with the good action games, and leave Ghost Rider to his burning fate.

It's not a masterpiece, but it's hilarious, brilliantly moody, and worthy of attention from any fan of adventure or humorous games - or graphics effects nerds.

The ability to play through the story mode with a friend is enticing and is only one of many features that makes it worth the price to add to your collection. Where else can you beat up everyone around you, loot, steal car radios, mug, and graffiti complete neighborhoods with a $5 can of spray paint?

With an all-star voice cast and an overall wonderful gameplay experience, I heartily recommend Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure to anyone looking for a game for their kids or looking for a good action-RPG for the PSP.

City Life: World Edition has a fairly low replayability factor. Once you have beaten the challenges, the formula for doing so never really changes. On the other hand, the impressive variety of building models, as well as the ability to create new ones, definitely adds to the fun.

If you enjoy playing "Battlefield 2" and would like to experience a more frequently changing and updated gaming experience, War Rock is definitely worth trying.

Frequent freeze-ups and faulty controls hurt this otherwise decent package, which can only be recommended to the most hardcore "Puzzle Fighter" fanatics.

The solar sensor may have been a huge turn-off for many gamers, but Kojima took a hint and removed it from Lunar Knights. What you are left with is a very fun vampire-slaughtering game that doesn't lose any of its charm (especially if you still use a "Boktai" game for a solar sensor).

MVP 07 NCAA Baseball lacks flashy visuals and the all-important big league license, but the quality of the gameplay is undeniable.

A bit too watered down from the other Sims games.

If you're looking for a light RPG, then Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia definitely fits the bill because it's cheerful, well animated and utterly predictable. Combat is a breeze, even if you're farming for items, and the plot is lackluster at best.

With a wide cast of enjoyable characters, a surprisingly interesting plot, and an enjoyable battle system, Final Fantasy VI is the perfect title to bid adieu to the tiny system which has given us years of enjoyment.

Vanguard is flawed but has exceptional potential to offer a satisfying long-term experience.

Although engaging, the single-player campaign is just too short and will provide very little replay value.

It may not be the perfect game, but it's easily one of the best Japanese-made RPGs you can find.

A title with an interesting concept that gets too bogged down in its own mediocrity to use that concept well. Most of the game can be played on autopilot - issuing simple commands and then watching lackluster ship models fight until one explodes.

Decent mini-games can only go so far to fix a broken main game, terrible art design, and voice acting that even a patient fan of low-quality acting can't handle.

The enjoyment of seeing all of your favorite characters in a new story may not be worth the frustration of the endlessly tedious random battles. If you can get past the endless swarms of identical enemies, a rather lackluster adventure awaits you.

Legend of Heroes III starts slowly, doesn't build to anything worth writing about, and doesn't even have challenging combat or an interesting plot. Keep well away, as Legend of Heroes III wasn't even a good game in 1999.

The title is plagued with too many issues to be a big contender this year, which is a shame because the core gameplay is a lot of fun, proving that this series, like the young NBA hopefuls, is full of great promise and potential.

My overall impression is "vaguely disappointed." There is a litany of technical issues, and the lack of new classes is spectacularly underwhelming, but it's the pervasive sense of same old, same old that really keeps me from singing glossy praise.

Almost more like an expansion than a full sequel. The changes made are very minor, with the exception of the Psyche Lock system, and those who've played the first game will be able to jump right into the second. However, rather than being a disappointment, this is a very good case of the old adage, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it."

At less than ten hours in length, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition feels a bit brief, but the frenetic action makes up for the vapid storyline and slightly sluggish feel.

It's deeply flawed, with awful game design and mechanics marring the entire experience.

The title remains mediocre in most categories, and there really isn't anything remarkable here.

What ultimately matters is the singing experience, and that is as enjoyable it ever has been. That's not entirely a positive statement, however. Aside from the "American Idol" skin, Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol is generally unchanged from previous entries.

The game itself should appeal heavily to Yu-Gi-Oh fans, with the online gameplay adding a near-infinite amount of replay value while saving the player the hefty costs of real cards. However, be prepared for a massive amount of grinding in order to unlock all of those cards, as well as a confusing interface and poor game manual.

Sure, it tends to wear its influences so prominently on its sleeve that it bleeds over into the derivative (Unreal 2, Tron 2.0, Deus Ex, Star Wars, etc.), but there did seem to be a certain passion that went into the code somewhere along the line.

I was able to play this game for hours straight without realizing it while having the advantage of being able to get up and walk away at literally any moment without it negatively impacting things.

All of the arcade greats are here, although it is plagued with load times, arcade-imperfect porting, and unnatural-feeling Wiimote controls. With such a massive collection, there should have been more extras, but with seven games on one disc, it is definitely something that should not be missed by fans.

Ultimately, Star Trek: Legacy is remindful of the story of the Enterprise herself — a pristine, well-manned, well-intentioned vessel that sets out to break new ground for gaming but ultimately encounters strange nebulae and forces that disable her systems from time to time.

Elebits definitely has its moments, but they are few and far between, often buried between lengthy spurts of tedium.

If you want to summarize Far Cry: Vengeance, take Red Steel, polish the controls to a mirror sheen, toss in the Predator mode that is now a trademark of the series, and then pull out some steel wool to scratch up everything else.

The addition of motion controls is an interesting experiment, but the actual execution leaves a bit to be desired when you find yourself with a couple bogeys on your tail.

Fans of the show will get irritated that the story with which they fell in love has been chopped up, cannibalized, and made into another generic beat-'em-up, and people new to the series will be confused as the plot bounces around viciously in Story Mode — which must be completed before the much quicker, more notable arcade-style Character Mode is available.

Even if you don't have a top-of-the-line gaming rig, this is a superb title that is so good (even on medium detail settings) that you just might postpone that eBay sale so that you can play it through a second time.

Silly storylines, generic characters, and shady rules aside, Super Swing Golf does a solid job of creating an enjoyable golf simulation for all ages.

Battlelines appears to be much more polished than its predecessor, but the improvements are only skin deep. Many of the issues found in the original Full Auto have not been addressed, and the changes made to the single-player experience render it both ridiculous and frustrating.

For those who are willing to invest the time, Smackdown is a really good and interesting wrestling title that's worthy of its namesake.

It may not strive to reinvent the genre, or do anything especially new, but it makes good use of the Wiimote and is a pleasant experience overall.

Old school dungeon crawlers or fans of puzzles and long dungeons will enjoy this title. Those looking for a quick game to pick up and play here and there, or looking for great visuals or audio with a detailed storyline, should look elsewhere.

Unless you are a die-hard who simply doesn't care about fun and all you want to do is make sure your Star Trek collection is complete, then I recommend that you avoid this disastrous mistreatment of the house that Roddenberry built.

All in all, Castlevania Portrait of Ruin is very short, fairly slapdash and kind of easy, but this doesn't stop it from being a worthy addition to a fantastic franchise.

Like pretty much every Metal Gear since the original Solid, this one's a system-seller. There are many reasons to get a PSP—this is arguably the biggest.

Mercury Meltdown Remix presents some interesting puzzle designs that are both unique and challenging, and it also has enough content to satisfy puzzle enthusiasts for a good amount of playtime. However, the fact that it is, in some ways, a worse game than the predecessor from which it was ported detracts from its appeal.

The game engine in Cartoon Network Racing is too flawed to make any aspect of the game fun, and even the unlockable cartoons aren't quality material.

Conveniently for consumers, Cartoon Network Racing nicely fulfills its stereotype as a licensed kart racing clone: an unsurprising mediocre mirroring of one of gaming's most popular casual racers.

What it lacks more than anything is enjoyable gameplay. There’s no thrill attached to the empty "hide and sneak" gameplay, and the uneven motion controls derail the potentially blissful "Wild Ride" missions.

Online Chess Kingdoms for PSP can definitely be found for a pretty cheap price now, both new and used, so if you're looking for a solid portable chess title, then you'll enjoy what Online Chess Kingdoms has to offer.

If your kids are looking for a game based on a familiar television show, I'd recommend Avatar: The Last Airbender on any of its available platforms. There are bigger, better, and far more entertaining games out there than this.

A fantastic expansion. It does everything right, fixing some troublesome bugs, adding new units and a new faction, and continuing the story without completely destroying the original good-versus-evil concept that has been the staple of the Lord of the Rings universe.

Even though Avengers and Speed Rumbler make me twitch with anger when I play them, it's still fun to show to friends how bad some games from the "old-school" era really were, and then load up Super Turbo to purify ourselves.

Even though Avengers and Speed Rumbler make me twitch with anger when I play them, it's still fun to show to friends how bad some games from the "old-school" era really were, and then load up Super Turbo to purify ourselves.

You can't beat animals with artillery, and it helps when they're packing such a diverse selection of weapons, all of which look, sound, and feel great to handle.

Other than the multiplayer versions of the park's mini-games, there is little to keep players continuing after they have finished all of the available parks, and the dated graphics make it difficult to enjoy the rides you've created yourself.

Thrillville is a worthwhile game if taken at face value, and it's the closest you could get to having an actual amusement park held in your PSP.

It offers gamers a taste of just about every gaming genre out there and even finds a way to bundle them together and present them along with a light-hearted story.

As a game that manages to encapsulate the feeling of being Superman, Superman Returns does an excellent job.

If you love online multiplayer and FPS without the slobbering monsters, then Rainbow Six: Vegas is a must-buy. It is an exceptionally well-made title from combat engine to graphics, and even the weak offline single-player is excusable in light of the stellar co-op options online.

Though the game’s depth and detail caters to hardcore hoops fans, game after game, there are few moments that feel inauthentic in College Hoops, which is a difficult point to reach for any sports title.

As a game that manages to encapsulate the feeling of being Superman, Superman Returns does an excellent job.

If you demand your A.I. to be spot-on and choose cover that isn't made up of boxes of grenades, or if you get annoyed easily by not quite having the timing right to trigger pre-recorded sword combos, then maybe you should sit out this rather imperfect – but fun – FPS for the Wii after all.

While melee combat isn't particularly better, projectile combat is significantly improved.

Excite Truck may underwhelm with its audio/visual presentation, but it has gameplay in droves. The high-speed acrobatics that would have had you pumping quarters into an arcade machine five years ago have been fine-tuned to create a console game that will keep you coming back for more.

Gunpey is simplistic and slowly paced, creating an experience that neither entrances nor exhilarates. Most importantly, it is missing that third element that is crucial in every great puzzle game: addictiveness.

Trackmania United targets a specific niche amongst racing game fans and does everything it can to emphasize and cater to this niche, creating a game where precision matters, skill is clearly and easily quantifiable, and yet where fun can easily be had, even in failure.

Unfortunately, it brings little to the table beyond sheer speed and smacks soundly of the "battle" mode we spent many a day playing back in the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 era.

A capable fighter, but a great Dragon Ball Z game.

As an acquaintance of mine once said, this game takes away the blood and gore that makes most shooting games cool, but replaces it all with robots, which are equally cool.

Star Trek: Tactical Assault really tries to present itself as a tactical real-time strategy game, but unfortunately, it just doesn't measures up due to the lackluster storyline and repetitive nature of the gameplay.

Those looking for a challenging adventure that involves rolling primates around themed stages should look no further – Banana Blitz can fulfill your needs. However, those who are intrigued by the prospect of a heap of party games should skip the title entirely.

While the game is challenging, it's because it lacks many of the improvements of recent games, not because of good design. Those hardcore faithfuls looking for a nostalgia trip will be pleased.

This game is the absolute antithesis of what you should get to show off the power or the playability of the Wii.

These levels weren't meant to be played from a fixed perspective, and the addition of several brutal bugs makes for a painful portable experience.

For those who don’t normally play Madden or who are looking for a good party version of Madden, I can not recommend a better version then the Wii. Of all the Madden games released since the days of the Genesis, Madden 07 for the Wii is the first that I was honestly excited to play.

Call of Duty 3 on the Wii obviously had to take the route of gameplay over graphics and it succeeded with first-person-shooter controls unlike any other console game. However, the exclusion of multiplayer was a major blow and will hurt someone’s decision on the fence about whether to buy this game.

While Downhill Jam is by no means brilliant, it works well as an extension of the Tony Hawk franchise. It may borrow liberally from both SSX and Downhill Domination, but it differs in execution, largely because of the unique nature of the Wiimote.

Between the memorable single-player mode and the silky-smooth online play, Resistance provides an experience that, while occasionally familiar, is always worthwhile.

The show is for kids, and the game is made for kids. However, there's a surprising amount of meat on the game's bones, as it mixes the literal following of the license with effective and unique play mechanics and a surprising lack of repeated gags.

Although the gameplay has issues and the multiplayer is weak, the variety of mini-games is a perfect way to show off exactly what the console can do.

It falls behind with its skimpy plotline, which is made worse by a series of monotonous missions which usually involves sweeping the map and killing everyone. Consider buying Warhammer if you're in the mood for a fun but flawed gothic fantasy romp.

Clunky controls and nonexistent difficulty, however, reduce the game into bargain bin status.

As a straight-up action platform game that eschews depth for adrenaline, Bionicle Heroes nominally succeeds.

An excellent title that is somewhat undermined by its lack of content. True, it may have twice the stages of offerings like Parappa the Rapper, but gamers expect a bit more for their investment these days.

The new grapple and action system is wonderful, but everything else either stays the same or ends up falling flat in its execution.