Considering the volume of new games I've played over the past several weeks and months, I figured it was time to share my opinions on them with all of you briefly.

NOTE: When I say "new," that often means new to me, so bear with me as I review some titles that might not be hot off the shelves.


Madden NFL 08 (PlayStation2, EA Sports/Tiburon)I'm normally not a Madden fan, but the latest installment seems to have avoided most of what I hate about the series. AI is solid, play calling is seamless, controls are fabulous and I appreciate the depth of modes and attention to detail. Graphics are still kinda funky and the game still can't hold a candle to 2K's ESPN NFL 2K5, but the latest Madden is a solid and enjoyable game ... for once.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PlayStation2, Activision/Harmonix/MTV Games)More of what's made Guitar Hero so great, with a few added tweaks. Over 70 songs ensures a long stay with this title, and the boss battles with the likes of Tom Morelli and Slash are a welcome addition to single-player career mode. Timing forgiveness on the frets is annoying at first, but needed on higher difficulty levels. Solid, well-rounded set list and just more of that Guitar Hero goodness. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 out of 5

Final Fantasy XII (PlayStation2, Square Enix)After a brief foray into the world of the MMORPG, Square's flagship title returns to its roots ... sort of. Everything you've come to expect from Final Fantasy is here -- lush graphics, epic story, many hours of gameplay and side quests -- but the random battles are gone, replaced by a more intuitive, real-time battle formula. The new system takes some getting used to, but within the first two hours it becomes second nature and really adds to the game. And kudos to the developers for adding a side quest (the hunts) centered around the new battle system.
Rating: 5 out of 5

Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS, Nintendo)I loved the style and design of wind Waker for the GameCube, and I'm glad to see another Zelda game in that mold. Phantom Hourglass is a handheld masterpiece, and a game that does a good job of giving us traditional Zelda gameplay while making good use of the DS' unique capabilities. The sounds and dialogue get annoying at times, but no DS owner should be without this excellent offering.
Rating: 5 out of 5

New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS, Nintendo)Leave it to Nintendo to take a classic gameplay formula -- side-scrolling Mario -- and throw in enough kinks and innovations to make it feel like a brand-new experience. This latest installment gives us everything we love about our portly plumber, but the new additions -- specifically the super-shroom and tiny-shroom power-ups -- make everything feel fresh, while giving us older gamers a sense of nostalgia. Newer gamers will get a taste of what made games great before technology advanced like it did.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Daxter (PSP, Sony/Naughty Dog)While it isn't the epic quest the PS2 Jak and Daxter games are, Daxter is a nice diversion, and a worthy showcase of what the PSP can do. The game's a tad on the short side, but the gameplay mechanics and colorful graphics make up for it. This ride won't last long, and you won't see anything terribly new on the way, but it's still a fun ride.

Rating: 3 out of 5