Thanks for the second chance, Microsoft!

One of the great things about the new Xbox Originals program is that it gives low-selling titles a second chance. And if you buy one Xbox Original, make it Psychonauts. Don't pick up the original version, though: it was plagued with technical problem.

While the writing and narrative are done very well, the gameplay is also pretty good, too. All the different psychic powers are mostly fun to use, but some of them lack much use (Confusion and Clairvoyance are almost completely useless outside of the levels you get them in). Not only are the powers fun to use, the puzzles are also pretty original - I haven't played anything that comes close to replicating the puzzles in the Milkman level.

Psychonauts isn't perfect, though - there were times when the game seemed to be too difficult. Plus, the ending was kind of weak - after everything was all wrapped up, they created some more loose ends, turning the ending into a cliffhanger.

Those are minor complaints, though. It's too bad that a game this great got such poor sales. Still, if you're looking for a good Xbox platformer, then you should try this.

BioShockingly Great

Most gamers were probably dissapointed that BioShock had no online play, but when the single-player game is so great, it doesn't really need it.

One of the greatest things about the game is the freedom it offers you: there are multiple ways to do things at any given time. You could alter the security systems to protect you, for example, or just destroy them to make sure they don't get in your way. Plus, with the diaries, the narrative can is also freeform: It can be as deep as you want it to be.

There's lots of other things to like about BioShock. Really, my only complaint is that the ending is lame - it doesn't really fit that well. But that's only a minor complaint. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go jump online for some deathmatches - oh, wait...

(P.S. Sorry for the terrible pun in the title.)

Fun, But Frustrating

MK Wii, while fun, still has it's moments of frustration. And by "moments of frustration," I mean "most of the single-player experience." The A.I. is just downright cheap, mucking up your efforts and unavoidably messing up the race for you. Coupled with a lack of things to do, the single-player is mainly a conduit for unlocking things, like characters and vehicles.

Speaking of characters, it's sad that Nintendo is really scraping the bottom of the barrel for them, even though there are many great, unused characters that would work here (like Popple and Fawful from Superstar Saga).

Despite these complaints, MK Wii is still reliably fun. Beware, though: it's a multiplayer game first, and a single-player game second.

Shouldn't Be Missed

I used to play my Xbox 360 a lot, but lately, it's been gathering dust. The reason why? Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There's just so many great things about it! First, let's start with the most important part of any fighting game: the fighters themselves. There's a really great range of characters to choose from - for example, King Dedede or Bowser if you want a powerhouse. Not only are the characters very balanced, but they weren't as hard to unlock as in Melee (*cough* Mewtew *cough*), which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. If you want to get a feel for how each character plays, then play the Subspace Emissary mode - it gives good samples of almost every character. Another thing about Brawl is the unlockables - there's enough here to keep obsessive compulsive people - like me - busy for a while. And since no game nowadays is complete without online play, Brawl has that too - but fans of Xbox live will be disappointed: Brawl's online, unless you're playing with registered friends, is anonymous. Is that all? Nope! There's also the Final Smashes, which are, in my opinion, the best new addition. Not only are they powerful, they're not powerful enough to completely imbalance the game. There's a lot more to Brawl - too much for me to fit in this review, so I think you should just buy the game yourself if you want to see everything. If there's something you think I missed, or if you disagree with me, then leave a comment.