Since the beginning, the Smash Bros. series has been in the capable hands of Masahiro Sakura, and the Wii version is the epitome of his team’s brilliance. 

Gran Turismo how we love you - and you know it - but you're such a tease. You're such a pretty little thing but you've got us stuck in neutral and longing for more.

The game’s bizarre, absurdist humor is well-written, and ultimately that’s what really sells this game. Well, that and the chance to drive Sam and Max’s DeSoto around firing promotional CD’s at the invading horde of undead plaguing the streets.

If there is ‘one thing’ there is plenty of in No More Heroes (besides style), its violence.  The gore here is completely unrestrained with heads and limbs flying into the wind after each swing of Travis’ beam katana.  As intended, the flow of combat in No More Heroes is simple and repetitive, but this button masher manages to slip in its own pop!

Bottom line?  Whoever is stuck having to play Folklore over the holidays will have just one question in their mind: “What in the world have I done to get myself on Santa’s really, really “naughty” list?”

If you, like us, were a fan of the original then you’ll certainly find some interest in re-exploring the environs of F.E.A.R. and digging up a little more of the storyline in the process. Players unfamiliar with the original game should save their money and buy that instead.  As Obi Wan said, “This one’s not worth the trouble.”

Super Mario Galaxy respresents the Wii's finest hour, finally wresting the throne from Twilight Princess.  Don't even think of missing it.

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men is a mess of a game that squanders its potential slowly.  For each step forward it tries to take, the result is four or five steps back. 

With downloadable content (DLC) set to stun, (Rock Band will feature three new songs per week!), a deep song list out of the box, and a group experience that outclasses most multiplayer games, Rock Band is the FireStarter of the holiday season. Turn it up to 11 man, and get ready to Rawk!

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is an excellent blend of high-adventure ala Indiana Jones, action-oriented combat ala Gears, puzzles and exploration ala Tomb Raider and a great story that all adds up to one hell of a ride. Look out Lara, there’s a new gun in town!

Although point and click adventures seem to have gone the way of the dodo, Zack and Wiki is a quality investment for anyone who’s ever enjoyed solid puzzle design and a penchant for waggling controllers

For most of us knuckle dragging simians, Conan will be a “mostly” fun but also completely forgettable experience.  Even with a surprisingly satisfying combat system, Conan lacks any real “wow” factor. 

There’s really no question that Gears of War for PC should be on your holiday wishlist.

Flatout: Ultimate Carnage succeeds due to a combination of solid, classic gameplay coupled with fantastic HD graphics.

If we ever get to revisit the world of Spider-Man we can only hope it won’t contain endless freeplay levels, mindless mini-games and quests to collect shiny coins for useless upgrades we don’t want. If that’s the case – leave me out and pass me a Dew and my dog-eared copies of Secret Wars on your way out will you?

Against all odds, TimeShift has persevered and crawled its way to release, wanting nothing more than to please eager gamers. You gotta give the team credit for trying!

Virtua Fighter 5 is now online for the first time ever.  Already a silky smooth offline fighter, the online portion holds up well but connection speeds obviously vary... lag is the enemy and it’s still out there.

Assassin's Creed is a triumph...a little bit of paradise, now.

Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction proves that if the PS3 has one thing going for it – it is Insomniac.

If you can get past the learning curve, and the steep investment (Eye of Judgment $70 + New IKEA Lamp $30 + Magic married with Cheese Metal = Priceless), The Eye of Judgment offers broad appeal even non-fans of collectible card Games will find intriguing, if only for a moment.

Portal manage to throw down a new gauntlet of creativity and imagination for other developers to aspire to.  With Portal, the cake is definitely not a lie.

A Solid graphic presentation, good music, and classic characters rounded out with delightfully fun gameplay sums up Sonic Rush Adventure.

NBA 2K8 should easily appeal to basketball fans. The full season option gives players all the tools they could want for managing their favorite team. While, the game involves a fair amount of micro-managing, its stellar visuals and easy to pick-up play (mini-games aside) help to make NBA 2K8 a solid title.

What we’ve got here is a game made for children but lacking any gameplay features that might draw in an older crowd of players. Add to this recipe a frustrating and imperfect control scheme with an unbalanced increase of difficulty over the first couple of levels, and our triptych from hell is complete.

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground cements itself as the most innovative installment in this popular franchise!