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.