Speaking of modes, Karaoke Revolution Country really outdoes itself in this department as the game features a handful of solo and multiplayer game modes, and mini-games (including a silly voice-controlled beach volleyball diversion). For example, single-player options include a QuickPlay mode (pick a song and venue and get to it), Karaoke (no scoring), and Medley (select the number of sequential songs to sing through).

It may be a little too hard for some and the learning curve is definitely steep, but this is a game that's worth the effort.

Twenty bones for a good read isn't a bad deal by any means -- especially one as well illustrated as this. Add in its extra features, and it's approaching a bargain.

Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.

The movie creation tools are undoubtedly improved by the additions.

Sure, the graphics and physics haven't changed, and this year's release beats you over the head with in-game advertising, but the enhanced career mode, online play, and other additions are more than worth the price of admission.

An innovative, challenging game that can run on a low spec PC.

By and large, Shaun White Snowboarding is a fresh take on the genre. By adding a welcome dose of exploration to the tough-love simulation aspects of Amped, it presents a vision of the sport that is much closer to reality than the sparkly fantasies that have characterized snowboarding games since SSX.

With the more realistic animations and televisual camerawork, together with the new passing and shooting techniques and individual star skills, EA can be proud of the fact that it is the best game in the competition.

Despite its few flaws, though, Resident Evil 7 is a terrific, terrifying experience with sickening visuals and wonderful gunplay. It’s the best entry in the series in more than a decade and a must-play for anyone who’s ever loved the franchise. No matter how scared the game made me while playing alone at 2 a.m., I always wanted to keep moving forward, which is exactly what you want from a survival-horror game.

Dungeon Siege II hasn't improved significantly in the story or visuals department, but it's got deeper play mechanics, and the party management has been tweaked to allow for the level of hands-on interaction the player's comfortable with. It's also an incontrovertibly vast game.

Infected does get repetitive, there's no denying that. But the sheer action and stress-factor of clearing out mission areas, and the bloody, cartoonish joy of Bruce Campbell-ing your way through legions of splattering zombies to a Rawk soundtrack is probably more than you expected from a zombie-centric game in the first place.

While the hardcore will likely turn up their noses, preferring the likes of "Everquest," "Star Wars Galaxies" or "Final Fantasy Online," those who simply want an easier and more instantly gratifying entry into the massively multiplayer arena will find Frontiers to be a perfect fit.

The only flaw is that it didn't go the extra mile -- but with a series of this pedigree, that isn't much to complain about.

The designers at EA Pacific were able to bring us the contemporarily relevant content of C&C: Generals, with the fluidity and immersion-level we always hope to expect... and all this without any of the pansy-assed 'political correction' that dominates these days.

It's a great little game -- chock full of humor, gameplay twists, and top-notch voice work that's closer to what film fans love Bruce Campbell for: It's not grade A, but it makes up for it in personality.

The game is at its best when it is most imaginative, and even after the novelty of the outstanding setting fades, you'll find fathoms of depth in the ship combat and trading systems - especially once you find a regular group of sea-dogs to join.

As a standalone experience, University doesn't quite live up to The Sims 2's high grade point average. New stuff like pranks and streaking actually aren't that much fun and the whole experience feels like a lot of work... As an expansion pack to the main game, this is a terrific product.

A sign that the series is grinding along nicely in a comfortable rut, biding its time with the same old technology and some minor gameplay changes.

Don't buy it hoping for a wonderful solo experience: Buy it because you want to spend hours fragging your buds on Xbox Live or working through a uniquely implemented cooperative campaign. It ain't perfect, but it's sure to please.

Rife with action and bursting at the seams with bonus content, the title will also go down in history as one of the most intense products ever created for hobbyists' consumption.

It's not a game for footie purists by any means, but if you want a fast-paced and entertaining match -- and one you can play with friends who don't all need to own the disc -- this is it.

Younger players out there will get a kick out of the solid controls and bright environments, while more advanced players can appreciate the challenge and depth of the included boost system.

It doesn't offer the same mission or weapon variety as its big brothers, but its portability and wireless multiplayer more than make up for those shortcomings. And like its counterpart on the PlayStation 2, it's one of the best first-person shooters for the PSP to date.

With the slightly worn graphics engine and the advances of EA's "NCAA" -- notably the analog throwing and batting -- it's impossible to call The Show the best baseball title on the market. It is, however, a wonderfully well-built game that has all manner of detail to please every conceivable baseball fan.

Although Codename Panzers doesn't do anything particularly new, it's polished, presented beautifully, and positively bursting with lasting appeal.

The difficulty level is impressively even, remaining challenging enough to hold the attention, but rarely crossing too far into frustration.

Adding cop chases back to the franchise, retaining the free-roaming world setup from "Underground," and introducing the Speedbreaker are all welcome items.

You're bound to find a mode to immerse yourself into, and you've never had so much fun pitching in a baseball sim before.

A sign that the series is grinding along nicely in a comfortable rut, biding its time with the same old technology and some minor gameplay changes.

The game's story manages to draw through its limitations, and the shoot-em-up gameplay is enjoyable for the segments when it's not so tough we're tearing our hair out.

If you aren't up for endless hacking and slashing, there's not much here. But for anyone who digs the genre, Gladiator is the most satisfying form to come down the Appian Way in some time, and is definitely worth a look.

When something is this well done, just because you've seen it all before doesn't mean it's not worth seeing again.

It's a lot like its hero: packed with character, impressively capable, and never puts a foot wrong. What higher praise for a licensed game is there than that?

It's vibrant and fast, easy to pick up, and as satisfying as a speeding hedgehog can possibly be in the long run.

Nod's stealth, the GDI's heavy tanks, and alien bugs all come together and blow up as a sort of mac-and-cheese RTS that tastes awesome in that safe, you've-been-here-before-a-hundred-times way.

Every fan of the genre should revel in the ability to enjoy Valkyrie Profile without giving blood on eBay. RPG newbies are encouraged to indulge as well, though with a warning: don't expect to find an equivalent any time soon.

Though all the elements are familiar, IO has polished them up and the end result is like a favorite dish: You know what it tastes like, but you're still looking forward to eating it.

The economic model is robust enough to keep things interesting and the complexities of running a business will keep players hopping.

The game is a romp through 60s superhero cliches, mixed with excellent gameplay and a flexible character development system. Fantastic stuff.

Due to good physics modeling, sharp AI, and spot-on controls, no amount of wonky pitches and fiery players, watery stadiums, and moronic (if hilarious) commentary can detract from the solid gameplay.

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

Genre-hopping games can be notoriously difficult, but with Spellforce 2, Phenomic has hit the nail... well, not quite on the head, but certainly in its general vicinity

It's a shame there isn't much in the way of non-military resolutions to disputes, as the game's combat system stands out as its key weakness. Even with that proviso, 1701 AD is a game fans of both the series -- and the genre -- will enjoy.

Kamikaze air attacks, det-pack-laden jeeps, hijacking enemy vehicles - it's rare for a round to go by without something amusing happening. With this expansion, DICE has taken the comedy potential of BF1942 to new heights.

This game is jam packed with a range of fighting moves, weapons and a particularly vicious but faithful attack dog that our Max could only wish for.

It's inoffensive and challenging enough to keep both the builders and the managers entertained for much longer than an outing to a real zoo would.

That co-op feature makes this among the best kids games out there, because parents and kids can directly play together.

The highly detailed graphics convincingly portray both might and oppression with a realism that is awesome, encompassing huge caverns, fathomless pits and sudden dead ends.

Props go to Electronic Arts for trying to improve the game for its next-gen incarnation and, mostly, succeeding. This newly made man upholds a very fine, if very violent, family tradition.

A game built on solid gameplay mechanics featuring fast-paced exploding action, that delivers nothing but fun.

If you are the kind of gamer who generally wants to button through game cinematics anyway because you think they're a pain in the ass, you should avoid Xenosaga like it was a proctologist with a history of methamphetamine psychosis.

A solid, straightforward first-person shooter. It manages to stumble, gasping and grinning, from the no-man's land of "adequate" and into the green zone of "good," mostly due to the assorted flairs and presentational touches that make all the difference.

And fair warning to all of you obsessive-completist types out there: Your lives, as you know them, are over... at least for a while.

A welcome change of pace for horror games. It's tightly focused, suspenseful, and fosters a strong sense of personality.

Super-serious types who regularly dust their Ninja Scroll collections might have problems with its goofy, irreverent tone, but pure gamers will find a lot of pure fun.

But with a friend, Dark Alliance II's polished, addictive and comparatively deep gameplay, along with much improved replay value, makes it one of the best cooperative games around.

The Ship's mixture of intrigue, subtlety, and cunning makes it the perfect recipe for gamers bored with same-old same-old multiplayer shooters, but it does tend to show its indie roots a little too clearly here and there.

These niggles aside, there’s no argument about Knockout Kings 2002 being the most exciting, addictive and authentic boxing game on PS2.

But what Warcraft lacks in technology, it makes up for with the flair, imagination and careful attentiveness from its art designers.

Luckily, the game is designed to be open-ended enough to let you explore multiple ways in overcoming a problem, leading to a sense of discovery and freedom, again something not typical of first-person shooters.

By offering more control options and a more user-friendly system of save points, Retro Studios could have worked wonders at opening up the Metroid Prime series for new fans or more casual gamers.

Sure, it may hit a few speedbumps along the way, but the multiplayer appeal can't be denied -- and thanks to the infrastructure support, you don't have to worry about finding local competitors.

When you do get in the groove, and you're timing all your jumps perfectly, this game puts you in that hypnotic trance of gaming goodness. It's a very rewarding feeling.

We haven't been bowled over by most of the Wii-makes hitting shelves so far, but The Godfather is a definite exception. The controls and extra content more than make up for the fact that the game already looks visually dated.

Hugely compelling and damned addictive.

Wakeboarding Unleashed may have a few rough edges, but it is a franchise that is destined for greatness. Incredibly playable and lots of fun.

Episode 4's brand of observational satire is new territory for the series, and the game's anthropomorphic stars are very much at home with it.

Signature company staples -- hordes of enemies, screens filled to bursting with explosive sprites, and a fiendish difficulty setting -- underscore a stunning, bite-sized seven-episode morsel.

But with a friend, Dark Alliance II's polished, addictive and comparatively deep gameplay, along with much improved replay value, makes it one of the best cooperative games around.

The game succeeds admirably in terms of offering a fine selection of firefight features under any configuration.

As high quality as the series has ever been, with superb dramatic sensibilities, a decent storyline, improved acting, high calibre FMV cutscenes, and some dynamic camera work.

While it has its flaws, it's paced well, full of action, and managed to keep us smiling all the way to the end. With a tweak here and a polish there, Ritual could really be onto something good. Bring on part two.

Super-serious types who regularly dust their Ninja Scroll collections might have problems with its goofy, irreverent tone, but pure gamers will find a lot of pure fun.

A great visual and auditory package, and an extremely entertaining game to boot.

For fans of the original, this is the version to own, providing super slick game mechanics and excellent presentation. Just don’t expect it to do anything other than entertain you for a while, rather than knock the pants off your head like "Halo" did.

The new engine looks great, the interface (once you get to grips with it) works reasonably well, and the economic model is compelling enough to keep you playing.

A definite step up from the Underground brand, but make no mistake: It's still yet another Tony Hawk game.

Kohan II's single-player campaign is passable, but doesn't do as much to break the RTS mould as the rest of the game. Most players will head straight for skirmish matches against the AI, and just like the original, they'll find it excellent, challenging, and convincing, as enemy or teammate.

There's a lot of action to play through, it's fun to get to grips with and looks great, so if you love the Mario Brothers "plumb" for this one.

As a single-player game, Portable Ops can't match the scope and drama of its predecessors. Of course, with its bite-sized style and team aspect, it doesn't really try to. This is one of the PSP's best multiplayer titles, giving you essentially a two-for-one experience.

Worthy of ranking alongside some of the best console racing games to date.

While the missions in The Simpsons: Hit and Run can take on an air of sameness after a while and the pursuit scheme is less than completely thought out, the most startling thing we can note is that the gameplay stands on its own, Simpsons or no Simpsons.

It's the way the game is laid out and immerses you that makes Half-Life the cat's golden milk-drenched whiskers.

An amazing shooter, reviving the 2D gameplay. It's disappointing to see co-op multiplayer missing and a few more levels really would've been nice, but Super Heroes will still save the day for just about anyone with a GBA or DS.

If you're a hardcore space simmer, you won't find better out there - it really is as simple as that. The sheer depth of the thing combined with the freeform universe, gorgeous graphics and near-perfect physics engine means you could play this non-stop for weeks and just not get bored.

Fans of both the series and racing titles will lap this up (no pun intended).

As disturbing, shocking and distrustful as it may seem, the cinematic cuts and their dramatic content are actually well written, directed and acted. There's just enough competent drama going on here that you can take your race driver's odyssey halfway seriously.

From the integrated, Ghost Recon-style info on your HUD to the third-person camera and voice command system, everything is designed to keep you right in the game with the squads on the front line. The strategy pays off, making EndWar a unique and challenging new weapon in the Tom Clancy arsenal.

Worms 3D's new engine isn't a necessary improvement on the classic and enduring 2D game, but the upgrade works, even if it makes the controls a little more cumbersome. It still has the tone, humour and playability that is synonymous with Worms.

Devotees of multiplayer shooters will lap up Advanced Warfighter; single-player gamers won't be quite as enthralled. But in either mode, it's a gorgeous and atmospheric play, and just a little more time in boot camp would have made it into something really outstanding.

More ambitious and interesting than its predecessors, the game offers the same excellent action-packed gameplay, even if it does suffer from several of the same drawbacks.

Where Prey succeeds is with its backstory and the fear you feel trying to decide if that coffee cup in front of you is really a coffee cup. If you’re looking for a shooter with a beautiful environment, decent story and open-world-style gameplay, pick up Prey.

Wickedly addictive -- just like the original -- and the wifi element works extremely well. It's an irresistible package, and a win for puzzle fans.

A multiplayer component is absent and the AI is a little ridiculous at times; but like a good action film, Black hits you hard and fast, leaving an impact you won't soon forget.

A great modern anthology of 2D fighters. If you go gaga over every new Capcom or SNK fighter released, you’ll absolutely love this game.

So catchy that the hours will fly by as you get hooked on working your way up the ladder, visiting new fight clubs, and acquiring ever-more-attractive girlfriends.

Despite the wondrous graphics, there are times when FFX lacks the sheer emotional punch that we've come to expect for a game of its pedigree.