IGN

The Halo feel is most definitely present, and serves as one of the game's biggest strengths. The cinematic cutscenes are gorgeous, if the narrative is somewhat thin in places. Overall, Halo Wars is a fresh and expertly polished approach to the console strategy genre, and it's a fitting goodbye from a beloved studio. Pick up the Limited Edition if you're in the market for some sweet Halo 3 multiplayer maps, a slick graphic novel and some other trinkets.

MLB 2K9 is an enjoyable game for a casual fan, but those who are really dedicated to baseball are certain to find the bad AI annoying. Let's hope next year 2K Sports can deliver a game worthy of baseball's immense fan base.

Empire: Total War is a masterful combination of all the things that I love about strategy games -- a great setting, a first-rate presentation, tactics that reward maneuver, and a strategic layer that requires flexibility in your plans. The 18th century is a perfect setting for the game design, and the new naval battles, while a tad clunky, finally deliver the series' one missing component. The new strategic options are nicely balanced by increased convenience and legibility across the map.

While it's occasionally hampered by outdated controls and problematic AI, it's the near-mandatory co-op and bombastic assault of visceral silliness that earns Resident Evil 5 its stripes. Sure, it might just be a shinier, snazzier retread of Resi 4 - and certainly, it lacks its forerunner's impressive sense of invention - but this is still big, dumb Grade A entertainment. Is it a classic like its predecessor? No, but it's a gloriously daft amount of fun and sometimes that's enough.

Though the very idea of a Watchmen brawler may sicken some, this could have been a good game. Unfortunately, the design lacked any imagination whatsoever. Add Watchmen: The End is Nigh to the long list of movie-licensed games that aren't any good.

While EndWar seemed fairly advanced for a console game, it's easily lost in the crowded and competitive RTS field found on the PC. This is also a game that revolves around its voice command system, which is necessary for a console game but relatively worthless on the PC. For PC gamers accustomed to faster, deeper, and more exciting RTS games, EndWar will seem like a voice in the wilderness.

The Show has, once again, shown how it's one of the best and most consistent sports franchises out there, delivering solid baseball gameplay and an even deeper set of gameplay features. While there are some updates to fielding and some enhancements to Franchise, Road to the Show and Online, some of issues cropped up within the game and kept it from becoming truly phenomenal. However, as a intermediate step towards MLB 10: The Show, this is definitely a game that baseball fans should buy.

Shellshock 2 is a budget title and it shows. The visuals, level design, AI, and just about anything else you can think of can't match up with the top-tier first-person shooters. On top of that, you only get 10 brief stages and no multiplayer options. This attempt at a Vietnam, zombie thriller is about as bad as that concept sounds on paper.

The story isn't there, the gameplay is tedious, and there's nothing visually exciting about this one. There are a few laughs here and there and some Trophy padding, but this has "bargain bin" written all over it.

Overall though, there’s the sense Konami doesn’t know what to do with its one-time flagship franchise and, while the basic formula can still captivate, Homecoming is never strong enough to dispel thoughts of what could be in the hands of a more experienced, independent and creative team.