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.