Multi-platform

Arc System Works' Guilty Gear series has been around for some fifteen years now. In early December, the latest home version, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus, was finally released on the PSN, having previously been released on XBLA, Wii, and PSP. The R version is live in select arcades now, so even though Plus isn't the latest, it's still a solid technical 2D fighter with a deep history.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a creative new game with its own USB periphreal called the Portal of Power. It's actually pretty damn cool...

The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 team up in a new third person beat'em up from Beenox and Activision. Spider-sense tingling yet?

Konami's long running soccer series, Pro Evolution, is back for the 2012 season. Looking for a FIFA alternative? It's not a direct comparison, but it's getting closer.

Wayne Rooney is psyched about this game -- should you be? Let's take to the pitch and see what FIFA Soccer 12 has to offer.

It's been a weekend of Thor for me as I have been playing Thor: God of Thunder on the 360 and watching Thor: Tales of Asgard on Blu-ray. Of course the Thor movie hit theaters on Friday as well and has garnered a surprisingly good amount of critical feedback.But, as most gamers know, no matter how good the theatrical release may or may not be, usually, the videogame tie-in (or cash-in you might say) is bad. That's more or less the case with the Thor game too, but fans of Thor or the third person action genre shouldn't be so quick to dismiss it as while it's not worth $50 or $60, it is worth at least a rental.

Gamers... Start Your Engines!  After a two year hiatus, the complete NASCAR experience returns to consoles with this offering by publisher Activision and developer Eutechnyx.  And while this initial run by the publisher/dev team will please many fans of the sport and have them wanting more, the "less educated" player might find it difficult to have success right from the first green flag.

EA is back this week with the sequel to 2009's Need For Speed: SHIFT. I found the original SHIFT a compelling title due to how it blended a simulation experience with a dash of arcade. SHIFT 2: Unleashed gets that same feel right again for the most part, while also adding in several new gameplay features. Ultimately it once again bridges the gap between a Hot Pursuit or Burnout and Forza or GT5.

Big open world RPGs scare me. I'm one of those gamers that likes to fully investigate the game world, explore all the different endings and avenues of reaching the ending, and this genre can be a total 'time vampire' if you will. I'm easing into it though, having recently played Arcania and most recently I've been playing through Two Words II from Reality Pump, Topware Interactive, and published by Southpeak. While Two Worlds II won't blow the doors off of the genre or seriously compete with the big boy franchises from Bethesda or Bioware, if you have even a casual interest in RPGs, I suggest you give Two Worlds II a serious look.

Look out below (and in front)!  This ATV/MTX release developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver is the latest entry into a racing sub-genre that hasn't had much variety in recent years.  And although there is some fun to be had, the overall experience is way to clunky to be considered good, despite a relatively cheap price tag.

Harry Potter, JK Rowlings ever-popular fantasy series about a group of young magicians, is back this holiday with part one of the final chapter -- The Deathly Hallows. EA's Bright Light studio is also back for another movie-game, this time sporting third person, cover based shooting gameplay like Gears of War. Unfortunately for Harry Potter fans, there's a lot to be desired in this latest gaming adventure.

Gamers get a double dose of 007 this month with Goldeneye making a return as well as an all new adventure in 007: Bloodstone. Developed by Bizarre Creations (PGR series, Geometry Wars, The Club), Bloodstone puts players in the shoes of Daniel Craig as the world's greatest secret agent. It's up to Bond to foil an international bio-weapons deal that could endanger millions.

You ready? You ready? LETS GET IT ON!  EA Sports MMA is the first mixed martial arts game by publishing giant EA and developer EA Tiburon. And although the fighters, announcers, and overall popularity of the UFC isn't in this game, it is still an awesome experience that offers a different approach to MMA gameplay.

Are you ready to rock it real?  Brought to the world by Seven 45 Studios, Power Gig: Rise of the Six String is the first music game to feature a peripheral that is modeled to feel and play like a real guitar, complete with strings and even an amp plug in!  And although the presentation could be much better, the fun that can be had along with the fair price point gives Seven 45 a nice first step with room to improve.

Just over two years ago, I posted one of the more favorable reviews of The Force Unleashed. The game would go on to get some DLC and eventually be re-released in an impressive Ultimate Sith Edition. Now, the sequel has arrived. To be honest, this was one of my most anticipated titles this year. Having played through the campaign already now just hours after picking this game up today, I have to say that I'm underwhelmed. While not a bad game, The Force simply isn't as strong with this one as the original.