IGN

While the learning curve is relatively high, the time spent running ships aground and crashing planes into the ocean is worth it when you are dominating the Pacific. The graphics are a bit bland but there is a ton of detail. The score and voice-acting are well done, if repetitive. Still, Battlestations' shortcomings do not detract from a great gameplay experience that both action and strategy fans should enjoy.

Lost Planet is a great game that suffers from a few bad design decisions. The graphics are excellent by any standard with only v-synching issues preventing them from looking truly amazing. The enemy design and amount of action they deliver makes for great gameplay that is hampered by control mechanics that get in the way of the experience.

Visually the game is unimpressive, but the sound is an obvious highlight as an MTV game. Unfortunately, there's no appeal to continue playing the game or to finish it in the first place, other than a freak electrical storm that destroys every other PS2 game in your library.

The Xbox 360 version of Star Trek Legacy has managed to erase some (but not a lot) of the disappointment of the PC version. Given that the starship combat offerings on the 360 aren't quite as numerous as they are on the PC, the console version naturally stands out a bit more. Honestly, if you want a Star Trek game and all you have is a 360, this is pretty much your only hope. Gamers who have a gaming PC may find it worthwhile to try older and more satisfying titles like Bridge Commander.

Serious fans of Heroes of Might & Magic aren't likely to be discouraged by the lack of new content or the thirty-dollar price tag. With only one new faction and a smattering of new gameplay options, Hammers of Fate feels more like a small-scale mission pack than a full-fledged expansion. You'll get a good fifteen to twenty hours out of the campaign but it's not any better than the user-created content that's already available for free

Rainbow Six: Vegas isn't for the original RB6 faithful that need realism with their shooting. But it is for fans of fast action that like intense firefights. Most PC fans would have rather seen this game in a new franchise, this style of play is likely here to stay. The good news out of it is that while it's not the same tactical gameplay that we know and love, Vegas is a lot of fun when taken as an action shooter.

Also, while the Sixaxis functionality offers an alternate control method, it doesn't really improve the game very much. It's fun to use for a while, but when it comes to accuracy, players will likely opt for the analog sticks.

Round 3 is still one hell of an addicting multiplayer game that provides hours and hours of hardcore boxing fun. The toned-down haymakers, better balancing, and inclusion of various styles makes playing with your buddy an awesome experience, and the mechanics are so good it even makes fighting against the CPU worthwhile in the beginning.

The reinvention of Sonic the Hedgehog is a worthwhile pursuit. Having said that, any attempt will end in failure if developers forget what made the series special in the first place. Sonic fans want to rocket through loops and turns without having to struggle with camera and control problems just to say on track. But that's exactly what they'll encounter in Sonic's first outing on next-generation systems. It offers a few good ideas, and a handful of exciting moments, but none of this helps the game recover from a catastrophic loss in control.

Overall, EA LA has created a good expansion with a lot of good additions. Angmar is an interesting faction, with options for those who love micromanagement but still plenty of options for those that don’t. The campaign certainly has its moments but some design decisions and an Angmar faction that isn't as visually interesting as the rest of the evil factions makes it a little less appealing over all than I would have liked.