Like the scrappy movie crew that feels so much passion for a project that the team manages to create true art regardless of finances, FrozenByte similarly has risen up from near obscurity to release two of the most engaging action games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Survivor, the extended remix of Shadowgrounds, is a must-have for any fans of action-horror.

Crysis has long been touted as the new standard-bearer among visually compelling shooters, and in that regard, Crysis does not disappoint. When you throw in a nanosuit, nonlinear freedom of movement and an exciting story, Crysis is as good a reason as any to upgrade your computer.

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.

With frustrating, glitchy gameplay, lackluster and boring graphics, and perhaps the least likable cast in video game history, it's difficult to recommend Kane & Lynch over the many similar, but better titles currently on the market. Even a unique multiplayer mode does little to salvage the title, and the lack of online co-op shoots its biggest feature in the foot.

Assassin's Creed is fun, but it isn't the system seller that everyone was expecting it to be. Climbing around and exploring the city is initially a lot of fun, but there isn't much to do beyond that. The investigations and the side-quests are repetitive and quickly become tedious instead of entertaining.

While there are a ton of match types, a fairly sizable roster of ECW, Raw and Smackdown stars, and the inclusion of the new Superstar Fighting Styles, these positives cannot offset the terrible sound and voice acting, middling graphics and the train wreck that is the 24/7 mode.

The odd control changes, some pretty bad graphics and presentation, and problems in half of the 24/7 mode, make the PSP iteration the bottom feeder of every available version. Avoid this, and wait to see how SvR '09 turns out.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 is not a horrible game. It can actually be really fun most of the time, but the title is haunted by slow matches, boring fighting styles and overall frustration.

Overall, it is a defining step backwards in regards to the SvR franchise.

A fun control concept only works when the rest of the game works, too. Unfortunately, WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2008 featuring ECW for the NDS demonstrates this all too effectively, resulting in the weakest iteration of the series in quite a while.

Umbrella Chronicles delivers, but it doesn't go beyond simple competence.

With frustrating, glitchy gameplay, lackluster and boring graphics, and perhaps the least likable cast in video game history, it's difficult to recommend Kane & Lynch over the many similar, but better titles currently on the market. Even a unique multiplayer mode does little to salvage the title, and the lack of online co-op shoots its biggest feature in the foot.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is the video game equivalent of giving your old car a new paint job and a spoiler and claiming it's as good as new. The combination of the dated Tomb Raider areas, mixed with the uninspiring and boring Tomb Raider: Anniversary alone, feels like a patch job, and the addition of the Wii elements to the original versions of Tomb Raider: Anniversary only serves to increase the feeling that most of this game is just new elements stapled haphazardly onto a prettier version of a 10-year-old game.

For 50 bucks, Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is a surprisingly good game. The colorful landscapes, differently played characters, and multiple settings and choices make the title enjoyable.

Yet another disappointing offering from the folks on Sonic Team. They're starting to get back onto the right track, focusing on 2D speed rather than 3D worldcombing, but the inclusions of the fighting mode and the all-powerful AI are a definite detraction from the title's quality, and really, can't we get the characters some new voices?

Contra 4 is relatively short, but the difficulty and the immense number of extras give it a healthy replay value.

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.

There is absolutely no reason to purchase Jenga World Tour over a copy of the physical game. The latter is cheaper, less painful on your eyes, and significantly more fun.

Smarty Pants has all the groundwork for a fun title that's good for gathering up your friends and enjoying a nice, simple Wii experience. Unfortunately, the developers refused to settle for a basic trivia game and instead opted to throw in every little idea they had for ways to make it more "interactive."

It is my sincere wish that the backstory gets fleshed out a bit more; we know very little about the wand and the reasons that the evil has attacked the dwarves, much less the unanswered questions revolving around Gaya. For a port of a mobile phone game, Orcs and Elves is a good title indeed.

Falls short in gameplay fundamentals. If Electronic Arts would just step back the next time around and retool the basics of their level design, and enemy and allied AI, they may have a real winner on their hands. As is, though, the game is merely another "me, too" WWII shooter.

Playing an FPS on the PSP for the first time was a mix of fun action and occasional frustration, not only because of the controls, but because Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 offers a remarkably basic experience that hearkens back to the early days of shooters.

Thanks to its ability to maul the movie that it supposedly follows, Beowulf is a poor substitute for the film and an even more frustrating experience on the console, given its clumsy fight mechanics, uninspired enemies and the repetitive button-mashing.

Thanks to its ability to maul the movie that it supposedly follows, Beowulf is a poor substitute for the film and an even more frustrating experience on the console, given its clumsy fight mechanics, uninspired enemies and the repetitive button-mashing.

The last AvP game was released years ago and put forward a much stronger effort than this. The presentation is good, and at times, it had the makings of an honestly frightening game, but the difficulty level is scaled back so much that it ceases to be fun.

Mama herself is a charming guide through the apparently one-room world of cooking, and each challenge she throws your way will have you poking and prodding until you're beside yourself with glee.

It's impossible to recommend Soldier of Fortune: Payback to new players or fans of the series, like me, who have been waiting for a sequel since Double Helix on the PC, especially when titles such as Call of Duty 4 are available for the same or similar price and deliver a far better experience in every way.

A glorified map pack for the original Portable Ops. While the changes are going to appeal to the gamers who played Portable Ops online, they are the only possible audience for this title.