Destructoid

I believe that this game can stand alongside the Viva Piñata series as a step in the right direction for Rare. But it still may not be for everyone, especially the fans of the older games who are dead-set on wanting a straight platformer out of this title. Regardless of how you feel about the game, give Nuts & Bolts a rent, and who knows -- you may end up purchasing the game with the desire to see it to the end, and then some.

As it stands, Left 4 Dead just happens to be a must-have game with a versus mode cherry on top. The cherry's a little bit sour, sure, and it's still got the pit in it, and it's been cut in half, and sometimes you can't connect with the cherry because you're not allowed to actually pick the cherry yourself but have to instead rely on a half-blind chef who rummages around in a bucket full of week-old cherries before handing you a random one, but hey -- it's still a cherry, and it's on top of an orgasmically awesome sundae.

While Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe certainly won’t be played competitively by fighting game professionals and enthusiasts, no one can accuse Midway of making a game that isn’t fun. It contains its fair share of flaws, not the least of which are some gameplay unbalances and curious lack of interesting unlockable content.

The big problem with SOCOM: Confrontation is not its gameplay. The guns, sound, level design, and strategy are all solid elements that, under typical circumstances, would put this game a step above most online shooters. But Confrontation isn’t typical in regards to its network performance. The latency, disconnects, freezing, and generally poor structure cripples the game’s ability to deliver its characteristic style of play.

Valkyria Chronicles is a visual feast. It maintains a high level of difficulty in a new and rather innovative renewal of the tactical genre that provides enough of a challenge to entice fans of the genre, but is not so stuck in its ways as to keep normally averse gamers away. This is one title all you PS3 owners need to pick up.

Ultimately, Call of Duty: World at War feels completely unnecessary. It's not bad, but most of the good stuff is only good because Infinity Ward made it and released it last year. It's unfair to say that this is an expansion pack because it has a bit more meat than that, but it's barely much more. With an awful campaign and a multiplayer that is fun but completely appropriated, this game can't hold a candle to the last.

These are, of course, niggling errors that do little to hamper FIFA 09. The responsive controls, improved animations and mechanics, the new collision system, and the amazing Be A Pro mode all come together beautifully to create one of the best football games I've ever played and certainly the best in the series. In short, FIFA 09 lives up to its own hype.

The experience is not flawless by any means, with a story mode that stumbles over too many frustrating sequences and not enough narrative payoff to make it worthwhile on its own. But taken as a whole -- with its frequent bits of brilliance and its delightful, heart-pounding moments -- Mirror’s Edge is a leap of faith worth taking.

Gears of War 2 is a game that actually accomplishes what most sequels strive to do, which is to be better than their predecessors in every way possible. Gears 2 is a thrilling experience that does all the right things. It has an engaging shooting mechanic, excellent presentation, and a hard-hitting demeanor that both excites and delivers. The multiplayer mode will easily keep you engaged for many months to come.

Over the years, THQ has refined and re-defined the series, and they’ve build a juggernaut of a wrestling franchise. If you haven’t played a wrestling title in years, 2009 is a great opportunity for re-entry into the genre. With its out-of-control number of features and match types, along with its easy to pick-up-and-play mechanics, Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a solid title all around.