Catacombs is an excellent expansion and does a tremendous job at filling the solo and single-group content void.

I found Chaos Theory to be much more experimental in nature, given the unbelievably stronger focus on stealth gameplay, made tangible by the sound meters and the knifeplay.

Balanced, a little hasty, and enjoyable, King of Fighters XI is what people were expecting: an enjoyable game with new features and a stylish look that keeps in line with the rest of the series.

With 26 characters to play with, even if some of them are completely worthless, Samurai Shodown V is a quality 2D fighter from a developer that usually knows its way around a quality 2D fighter.

It's definitely not for children and it's not intended for those with a low threshold for frustration, but come on. Who doesn't love making people's heads explode?

The combat is fast and frantic, the interface excellent, the controls responsive, and it provides an overall satisfying experience. While it's fun, though, there isn't much that's memorable about Dead Space. It feels like patchwork that's been slapped together from other franchises, and it lacks a spirit of its own to make it stand out from the pack.

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.

Fetch-quests and sometimes tedious level-grinding aside, Raven Software has refined and polished their product to a shiny sheen, and you should reward them for it with your money.

Ghost Recon 2 isn't the best shooter on the Xbox nor is it the best Live title, but it is one of the best choices for a gamer looking for a realistic take on modern warfare.

For a fan of the series, Battlefield: Hardline can be met with two reactions. Some see it as a series taken in a new direction, while others see it as a mere cops-and-robbers re-skin for Battlefield 4 (which, let's face it, was just a tweaked Battlefield 3). Ultimately, both of these things are true because despite the new thematic elements, the game plays much the same way

The New York Times Crosswords for the NDS is made for the puzzle freak and crossword enthusiast, but it's also enjoyable for anyone who has a penchant for simple-playing games with a good deal of challenge.

Graphics are average, but the game is just too much fun to not like.

At the end of it all, Dungeons: The Dark Lord is a solid stand-alone expansion to the strong original game. The gameplay was no slouch before, but with the new additions and tweaks, it feels much more concise and focused this time around. It still seems that most of the issues with the game center around your dungeon lord, but when your dungeon is running like a well-oiled machine, your lord simply needs to sweep up what remains. Despite its rough edges, The Dark Lord is a welcome continuation of the series, and the entertaining gameplay has been bolstered enough to easily warrant a second attempt at becoming the lord of the underworld.

Acclaim did make some nice improvements to this series this year, but they could not match the great strides that EA has made with "MVP." MVP's pitching and batting system is simply better, and its gameplay is a lot more fun.

While Sony has achieved its goal of making the most realistic baseball game to date, they seem to have done so at the expense of one very important thing: fun.

Whether you're looking to recreate a battle just as it happened or simply command some sweet-looking tanks and aircraft from the '40s, the game should fit your bill.

Despite Assassin's Creed's smooth, almost deft controls and not infrequently gorgeous, gritty ancient urban settings, it is ultimately a game by rote, not salvaged by a compelling story and also burdened with a shell plot that is both trite and superfluous.

The storyline is a little jerky at times, but does get the point across and has some "advanced" plot concepts, such as foreshadowing.

Ryse: Son of Rome is a solid game and arguably has the best graphics of any console game to date.

All things considered, if you're into Diablo, Diablo III: Eternal Collection may be one of the better versions due to its flexibility and options. If you're not into Diablo, this may be the best place to start. While it's good for what it is, bear in mind that it can become a frustrating and repetitive loot-escapade that can drag you into hell.

Atelier Ayesha Plus is one of the best Atelier games available.

The lack of a foot pedal or a gun with recoil is probably the only things that make the arcade version better than the home version, since the rest of the game as a whole seems to have made the transition 100% intact.

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.

In spite of its technical shortcomings, Rise of the Argonauts is still a truly fun game that has gotten a bit of a bum rap. The story is very intriguing, and the leveling system is handled superbly.

It's one of the best-looking action games out there, and it's definitely worth your time … and some pain.

Divine Divinity goes an extra mile to create a dynamic world for the player.

Despite the issues, I'm really enjoying BattleTech. Get past its learning curve and get a few missions under your belt, and you begin to feel like a capable commander. The company management gives a backbone to your progression, while the mission gameplay is an enjoyably tangled web of tactical options and trade-offs. It's far from a perfect game, but it's a solidly good title that's a welcome entry in a long-overlooked franchise.

Graphics are average, but the game is just too much fun to not like.