Kirby Star Allies is a fun, but short romp that doesn't do much to push the franchise forward.

There's simply not that much to say. After all, it's freakin' ping pong.

A slightly ropy control system, and disappointing length let us down on what is otherwise a truly enjoyable experience. Flipendo!

Although its replay value leaves a bit to be desired, Chaos Legion is still a decent brawler with some clever combat and stylish visuals.

If there were a more advanced game behind the excellent writing, The Bard's Tale could have been one of the highest rated RPGs this year. The Bard's sarky one-liners, foul mouth, and rampant chauvinism make every cutscene and conversation entertaining and frequently laugh-out-loud funny.

Killzone isn't able to fulfill its own potential in the end. More variety in the gameplay would make this the killer app it's ready to become.

It's certainly a deep, well-made blast from the past, but its pacing issues can't be easily discounted.

There's a detailed enough golfing sim hidden underneath and one that is likely to be long-lasting as a competitive game, relying as good cutthroat titles do on balanced amounts of skill and luck.

Is Harry Potter a good game? No, not particularly. The story's vague and badly realized; the characters aren't especially likeable, and the tasks you're given are tedious and involve a lot of plodding about Hogwarts. But does it capture the feel of the franchise? Absolutely, and if you really get involved in the game you'll forgive it its flaws.

A completely over the top, politically incorrect title, laden with sexual innuendo, creative environments and one incredibly detailed trick system.

King of Swing is defined by its gimmick. Enjoy the unique control system and you'll find the game a pleasant and diverting play. If you're left cold by it, you'll quickly tire of the game's one-trick-pony style.

Younger DS owners, especially female ones, will lap it right up, finding the challenge level and frequent save points a good fit.

You really need to get deep into it to appreciate the feel of the individual jets, and to experience some of the better missions.

Just don't be surprised when you find the game length to be dangerously close to the running time of an average Bond flick.

The hard-core realism and punishing difficulty that earned this franchise its rabid fan base has been diluted, and what's left is a hardcore strategic series that's trying awfully hard to be a little more run and gun. It doesn't quite work.

Less Dragon-Ballsy gamers may get frustrated, but are encouraged to stick it out as well, until they get the hang of this deep -- albeit slightly convoluted -- fighting feast.

Gamers who haven't exactly stuck by Sonic's blurry blue side over the years will have to work a little harder to get to the fun, spastic heart of Sonic Heroes, but those who know what to expect in terms of mechanics and sheer kinetic insanity will feel right at home.

Curse of Darkness picks up after a few hours, but never really hits its stride -- despite nice bosses, cool abilities, and the large amount of real estate.

If you've never been a fan of the series, or if you are deprived of living, breathing friends, this latest version won't win you over. On the other hand, if you're a Mario Party devotee surrounded with human companionship, Mario Party 6 will offer hours of entertainment and a satisfying way to spend a social evening.

It's too bad that the entertainment value is still skewed by the lame arena battles, but overall this is a much more viable diversion than the original Full Auto.

An entirely enjoyable experience. It's not ultra-weighty gaming, and that's a good thing. It's easy to get into, easy to control, and easy to enjoy.

Gives D&D fans the chance to enjoy virtually identical gameplay from "The Two Towers," but set in their favored backdrop. Aside from the trio of switchable characters, there's barely anything to distinguish the two titles.

One clear advantage of the PSP version is the multiplayer support. This is the only version of SSX that allows for multiplayer games aside from split screen.

FlatOut 2 is fun, if only for a little while.

If you're a casual player looking to throw down like your favorite superstars, or you really loved last year's game, NBA Live is still the pick of the litter. More refined, strategy-minded tastes are again urged to go with the 2K series.

It actually emphasizes the "S" in RTS by de-emphasizing the ho-hum tank rush mentality and encouraging strategic and tactical thinking.

Square Enix's attempts to modernize the title go a long way towards making it more enjoyable on the Nintendo DS, and it's a good game overall, but you'll still find that it lags behind more recent RPGs in some respects.

A solid update to the series that doesn't really break any new ground, but shouldn't disappoint diehard fans of the Tekken line either.

The story is solid, the looming sense of the unknown is engaging, and the sheer, mind-bullying fun of building up "psi-ence fictional" powers make Second Sight a rewarding game.

Unfortunately, Mass Effect: Andromeda picked up some unwelcome visitors on its long journey to your gaming machine. Though it has some stellar moments, “Andromeda” tries to cram too many ideas into one package, turning its obsession with the bigness of space into a crutch for uncharacteristically shoddy workmanship.

World War 2 flavor strategic decision-making is the order of the day, and despite all of Strategic Command's quirks and flaws, the stew as a whole is quite tasty.

For experienced gamers, War Times is routine and simplistic... Still, Strategy First's effort will please real-time strategy enthusiasts looking for a throwback to the genre's glory days, and is fitting for armchair generals and WWII buffs that are RTS newcomers.

Once you're past the technical hurdles (and the brutal realization of just how easy it is to die in a swordfight or sea battle), Pirates of the Caribbean is an absolutely beautiful looking, freeform RPG adventure. But it is really suited for experienced, patient gamers rather than casual ones.

We can grouse about the same-ness of the textures and design, but in motion F.E.A.R. continues to impress. It sounds even better, with most of the shocks this time delivered through an excellent sound design.

The D-pad tends to be a little slow and straight in responding and the joystick is a little too fast and wiggly. This can cause no end of trouble when you are trying to aim or if you or your targets are moving.

The camera, for one, can be quite erratic and gets frustratingly inadequate when you only have the option to centre it behind Bats.

The term 'movie game' has been overused, but this unique offering comes closer than most.

While the game's is an improvement over the 2004 edition, it's still not quite up to snuff.

A fun basketball title, but this isn't one of those "must-have" years, unless All-Star Weekend is something you absolutely can't live without. EA just didn't bring its "A"-game for '05.

As a single-player quest to gather robots and unlock secrets, Gotcha Force can get a little tedious. As a game to make you scream at your friends, however, it's perfect.

It looks good, offers action-packed gameplay and is beautifully animated.

Dropping the boomerang in favor of the stronger hand-to-hand combat or some other model might have been a good idea, but it's nice to see the extreme sports influence integrated into the fabric of a totally non-sports title.

What it lacks in polish, it makes up for with that elusive "fun factor" that you can feel even when you can't always pin it down.

Rather than the car being the star, Enthusia puts the driving first -- it's a shame that the rest of the game can't quite keep up.

The gameplay isn’t perhaps as tight as Nintendo’s ageing "1080º Snowboarding," but it’s an original take on the sport and deserves all the praise it has received.

While it doesn't have as complete a package as "Ghost Recon," it will satisfy those with tastes that run more to instant action, vehicle-based shooters.

If you’re looking for a fun, addictive arcade racer, where you can take devious shortcuts to get one over on your rivals, then look no further.

While seemingly similar to previously released action titles at first glance, Kill.switch quickly proves to impart its own unique types of spin on the strat-shooter genre, not merely in mechanics and "hooks," but also in the game's very dramatic approach.

Memorization is only a small part of success, and we suspect that some inhuman quality is required to fully conquer the game.

Fun for a while, and the customization is quite compelling at first, but before long the innate repetition, linearity, and ultimate emptiness really begin to grate.

Gamers who liked the idea of, say, "Twisted Metal Black," but found the execution too quick and snappy to be satisfying, should check out Road Kill, a decidedly more kinetic follower.

Think of Pursuit Force as a cross between "Burnout Legends" and "GTA: Liberty City Stories," though it doesn't quite reach the quality level of those two.

Though it’s not the best game in either series, Paper Jam delivers enough well-executed turn-based combat to please fans of both Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. It’s unfortunate that the writing and humor aren’t quite up to snuff, but fast-forward through the dialogue and you’ll soon find yourself staring at another gang of bad guys just asking for a fire flower to the face. That’s a jam worth playing.

Not quite an ambitious failure, and not a qualified success either, the game pays the price for falling between the stools of arcade adventurousness and simulation seriousness.

The technical issues are frustrating to be sure, but Brain Age is a surprisingly engaging puzzle non-game.

No other racing game on any platform simulates the NASCAR experience this accurately. Graphics have been improved for this year's update, but lack the arcade pop on the consoles.

The appeal of this Island Thunder expansion, however, is limited to only those who loved the original, played it to exhaustion and are looking for some new content to rekindle their interest.

Serious Sam II is packed with simplistic, repetitive shooting. It's not for players who want to think, or even do more than twitch. But for anyone longing for a good old-fashioned shooter with a few modern capabilities, this is the game.

Underneath the silly cash grab lies a genuinely fun multiplayer game. Siege took me back to the early days of Counter-Strike, when I would lose weeks at a time to endless late night sessions with friends. Find some buddies and Siege really settles in as thrilling game of calculated chaos. But between the paltry offline offerings and the slow, microtransaction-gated drip of goodies, I wouldn’t advise breaching this door alone.

While the game's is an improvement over the 2004 edition, it's still not quite up to snuff.

The parts alone don't suggest a great game, but as a whole, it works really well, and I expect to be playing Starlancer for a while longer yet, especially with the incredibly fun cooperative mode available.

The sequel is a better game in every way, but the original was so successful at combining extreme sports stunts with real basketball that there was little room left for improvement.

The story is solid, the looming sense of the unknown is engaging, and the sheer, mind-bullying fun of building up "psi-ence fictional" powers make Second Sight a rewarding game.

Despite Justice For All's flaws, the game really does offer a rather goofy series of brain-bending challenges. There's a wonderful sense of accomplishment to be had when, during the courtroom scenes, the stupid psyche-lock system is abandoned and players, using only their wits, tear the heart out of a witnesses' testimony.

Big brains are certainly desirable, but big price tags are a different matter, and Wii Degree's standard $49.99 asking price is a little hard to stomach. While the game is tons of fun, there's just a handful of minigames and not much else, which puts it in a different class to other full-priced options.

I just can't help thinking that the "Final Chapter" should have had a little more to it.

It's simply essential that you see the movie before playing The Thing to get full enjoyment out of it...Even considering all its faults, this is still an extremely fun and spooky title.

With the exception of the extremely, though not awe-inspiringly fun bombing run mode, UT2003 could essentially be Quake 1996 with one hell of an Oprah Winfrey style makeover.

If you're online, have the conn-speed and the time, and understand that co-operation and quickness are the operative terms here, then Tribes Aerial Assault can and will give you a console experience you simply haven't had yet.

Black & White 2 shows a crystal-clear understanding of what makes games cool. If only it showed as good a comprehension of what makes games... well, games.

Its heart is in the right place, but all the funny interrogation scenes can't make up for the fact that you're doing the same thing at the end of the game as you were in the beginning.

Like any expertly-crafted tale, you want to know what happens next and see more of the fascinating, seemingly alive world of Wonderland in its new, depraved form.

A definite step-forward for fans of Ghost Recon...However if you found problems with the original title, particularly in its engine limitations, then don't expect these to have disappeared.

Despite a few dodgy-looking moments, however, the visual presentation is praiseworthy. The sensation of navigating expansive, violently scarred landscape remains impressive.

If you've already grown weary of the series, Unchained definitely won't change your mind; but if you have a few more fatalities in you, pick it up. Who knows? Its unique, cathartic brand of violence may prevent a road-rage incident.

For new players or rabid fanatics, Mario Party 7 is a respectable addition to the series. But for anyone expecting to have a great time with less than four people, this release can kill the party instead of starting it.

Starving fans of the genre could consider it an oasis. An adventure game that looks good and plays well? Whatever next?

It's not one you can pick up and play for five minutes at a time or without reading the manual, but is extremely involving once you get into it.

Lacking base-building, deep resource control, and combat micromanagement, Nemesis of the Roman Empire seems to be rather sparsely featured. Even considering the unique supply line modeling, other RTS games have a great deal more to offer.

This deliciously brutal slice of RTS gaming is a hugely enjoyable Middle Ages romp.

A completely over the top, politically incorrect title, laden with sexual innuendo, creative environments and one incredibly detailed trick system.

The combat difficulty level is forgiving, and the game guides you through the puzzles with helpful clues and hints from the other characters. Less experienced gamers -- who, let's face it, are really the ones the game is aimed at -- will find its light touch very rewarding.

The game itself is an uneven mishmash of fighting, driving, and shooting. Call it Grand Theft Goodfellas; if someone took Rockstar Games' popular Grand Theft Auto series, moved its setting to New York, and then sent it via the Wayback machine to post-World War II New York, the result would be The Godfather.

As good as the combat is, Darkstar One is too simplistic to evolve into a real classic. It's a great look back at a fading genre, but lacking a stronger story and economic system, it's not likely to foster a major revival.

It shares too many of "NBA Live's" problems, but still has great depth and plays a decent game of basketball. One of these years, EA is going to properly fix Live, thus killing two birds with one stone.

FlatOut 2 is fun, if only for a little while.

If you have enough patience to explore the maps, can deal with the awkward controls, and don't mind reloading games frequently when you can't spot hidden dangers, then Eidos' latest release is one of the best strategic games around for PS2.

But what really makes Cars stand out from the pack is the excellent driving controls and physics created by Rainbow Studios.

Fans should be pleased enough with the game, but if you're not so familiar with the characters and mechanics, it'll be poor value for money.

This B-grade game isn't going to win any awards, but as far as movie-related video games go, it's one of the better entries.

A fun hack-and-slash dungeon romp, with a good dose of RPG thrown in.

If you're looking for a big gun and a legion of monsters to use it on, then Serious Sam's got what you need, with much prettier graphics than "Doom."

The plot, graphics and general fun of discovery should be enough to keep you happy despite the fact that 12 hours is about all the time it'll take you to complete the game.

Neither as disposed toward realism as the Namco "Ace Combat" series nor quite as "on the arcade-stick" as Sammy Studios' "Lethal Skies," AirForce Delta Strike is a basically solid, good-looking, and engaging campaign, albeit a repetitive, hitchy one.

A game that won't appeal to everyone; Calintz's girly ways alone may turn off a lot of people. However, if you're looking for an RPG with a great battle system, you'll definitely be a fan of Magna Carta: Tears of Blood.

The most obvious flaw in Grandia II is the music. It's pretty unpleasant, and often incongruous with the on-screen happenings.

To get anything out of it, you'll need to do a fair bit of thinking and studying. If you don't enjoy a program of mental weightlifting in your entertainment, steer clear.

It has many game mechanics in common with "EverQuest," the potential for town building like "Shadowbane," and a complex crafting system like "Ultima Online" or "Galaxies."