The superhero universe is embroiled in civil war, and it's time for players to choose sides in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. The game is a mission-driven action-adventure with a focus on small-squad combat, viewed from an isometric perspective. As in Marvel's earlier 3D action games (such as titles in the X-Men Legends series, as well as the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), role-playing aspects also influence the adventure, with gamers choosing which heroes to control, and how to improve their various superpowers and abilities as they gain experience by defeating enemies and accomplishing goals.

In most scenarios, a team of four Marvel heroes battles a path through areas teeming with high-tech defenses, heavily armed thugs, and rival superhero and supervillian enemies. Players can switch control between the characters, while the computer takes control of additional teammates. Co-operative multiplayer modes for up to four are available. While all the heroes and villains can perform basic maneuvers such as leaps and melee attacks, each also has a distinct superpower. Over two dozen heroes and villains are available for play, and the special powers of any two super-beings can be combined into a new, even more powerful "fusion" ability. A team with a good mix of special abilities is better prepared for the diverse dangers and challenges that wait in each mission.

The story of the Ultimate Alliance 2 is taken from the Civil War saga, the major crossover event that was first revealed in the pages of multiple Marvel comics in 2006 and early 2007. The U.S. government is calling on all super-powered humans to reveal themselves and register with an official agency, for the safety and protection of the population at large. Heroes and villains now reevaluate past loyalties and regroup according to their stance toward this conflict, which pits the security of the people against the liberties of the individual. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The NHL 2K series returns to PlayStation 2 with refined player attributes, artificial intelligence, and online support. A new aerial camera lets you view the action from above the ice to make strategic decisions while guiding your favorite NHL team to victory. Athletes and teams now feature more in-depth ratings to mirror real-life tendencies, as the revamped computer AI focuses its attention on following plays, staying in zones, and getting into position to make things happen. The play mechanics and modes are otherwise identical to NHL 2K9 on the system. As with its predecessors, NHL 2K10 for PlayStation 2 also includes support for online teams, leagues, and tournaments. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Guitar Hero 5 continues Activision's music rhythm series with an expanded lineup of 85 songs from 83 artists. While the basic format is identical to 2008's Guitar Hero: World Tour, with each song supporting a singer, drummer, lead guitar, and bass, a number of changes have been added to enhance its pick-up-and-play appeal. The "Party Play" option lets would-be musicians create a set list and drop in or out at any time while it plays, without having to restart a song. Friends and onlookers can also join in at any point, simply by pressing a button on one of the peripherals, and none of the songs can be failed.

You'll also be able to use any combination of instruments, allowing you to play a song as four drummers, four lead singers, and so forth. In a first for the series, the game's entire song lineup is immediately available to drum, hum, or strum from the start. Career Mode now includes bonus challenges for each song, such as scoring a specific number of points while in Star Power. Each challenge offers three levels of progression, which will unlock bonuses such as characters, outfits, venues, and instruments.

Guitar Hero 5's diverse selection of artists includes Tom Petty, Sonic Youth, Duran Duran, Iron Maiden, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, the White Stripes, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Peter Frampton, Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, Wolfmother, and Elton John. Among the songs featured are "All Along the Watchtower," "Runnin' Down a Dream," "No One to Depend On," "Ring of Fire," "Sympathy for the Devil," "All the Pretty Faces," and "A-Punk." ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The Madden series makes its ninth appearance on PlayStation 2 with an assortment of updated features and enhancements. Although the graphics engine is essentially the same as the previous version's, you'll be able to guide your favorite NFL team using new plays and formations, such as the wildcat. In addition to updated rosters and playbooks, the game offers such visual embellishments as the camera shaking during big hits and frenzied crowd cheers. A new fumble system turns the frantic jostling for the pigskin into a button-tapping mini-game, while a custom control scheme lets you assign specific moves for each position to the analog stick. A dynamic rating system will find athletes building or losing momentum throughout the game after making (or missing) big plays. Madden NFL 10 also includes new color and play-by-play commentary from broadcasters Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Sony's SingStar series of karaoke games has seen players belting out classic hits from the '80s and '90s, boot-scooting to SingStar: Country, and dancing along to Swedish pop in SingStar: ABBA, but now gamers can make like flamboyant frontman Freddie Mercury and sing along to 20 tracks from one of the greatest arena rock bands of all time in SingStar: Queen. Glam rock fans can get together with friends and perform their best renditions of classic up-tempo tracks like "Another One Bites the Dust," "Under Pressure," and "We Will Rock You." Those looking for something a little slower can also flex their vocal chords, thanks to the inclusion of classic Queen ballads like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions," and "These are the Days of Our Lives." ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a third-person shooter adventure, designed for two players, based on Paramount Pictures' summer 2009 film of the same name. The game follows its own original storyline, which begins just after the events of the film. Players lead a two-soldier team of their favorite G.I. Joe characters through a series of discrete but successive missions, advancing the story and moving closer to the game's ultimate confrontation with the elite of the enemy terrorist military organization known as Cobra. The action plays out with both active heroes on a single screen, emphasizing the need for teamwork integral to the G.I. Joe stories. To ensure that Joe fans of all ages and gaming skills can work together to battle through the game's levels, the control scheme is based on a scalable design. It is possible to blast through each mission using only two controls -- move and shoot -- yet additional controls, for moves such as strafing, melee fighting, and charged-up attacks, are available to empower more practiced gamers.

In the summer 2009 imagining of the G.I. Joe legend, fans are introduced to the military's secret team of specialists, and witness the origins of the nefarious enemy organization as well. In addition to gun battles, players face hand-to-hand combat and some car-jacked driving challenges, in missions of infiltration, sabotage, and assault. At certain points, when the situation looks desperate, players' characters in the current mission can call in support from other G.I. Joe operatives, making use of their unique abilities to get past a tough fight or obstacle. By playing through the main campaign, gamers unlock additional characters for use in replays and other modes. Although following directly from the story of the movie, the video game draws on 45 years of fiction and lore created through G.I. Joe comics, cartoons, previous games, and multiple toy lines from manufacturer Hasbro, including the revamped line of G.I. Joe toys developed and released alongside the feature film and game. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Gadget-equipped guinea pigs save the world in G-Force, a platform adventure based on the 3D feature film from Walt Disney. The story of the game picks up where the movie leaves off. A billionaire villain is trying to take over world with an army of robots, and a highly trained, well-equipped team of rodents is out to stop him. Players control Darwin, the leader of the G-Force team, as he makes his way through dangerous, over-sized areas to complete daring missions of infiltration and advance. In some levels, players take to the air in control of Mooch, the recon specialist housefly, who must outsmart environment puzzles to access important objects and locations. In addition to exploration and puzzle solving, much of the action involves battle, using ranged weapons and high-tech melee devices. Enemies include evil household appliances such as irons and vacuum cleaners. Aimed at players of all ages and backgrounds, G-Force presents a customizable challenge, with on-the-spot hints available for less experienced gamers (or anyone seeking a bit of help past a frustrating point or two). ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Rock Band: Country Track Pack is a stand-alone release that allows gamers to play along with contemporary country-rock hits, using their Rock Band instrument controllers and equipment. The game features familiar Rock Band modes such as "Quickplay," "Solo," "Duel," and "Band Tour," with a progression of increasingly difficult tunes that are unlocked through skilled play. As in other Rock Band collections (and earlier rhythm-action games from developer Harmonix), play involves pressing buttons in time with the music, as directed by colored symbols that scroll outward and down the screen. Hitting the correct controller buttons at the correct times allows players to perform their instrument's part in the song. Focusing on crossover popularity, the Country Track Pack features 21 well-known songs from the borderlands where rock & roll meets country-western, including "Good Time" from Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn's "Hillbilly Deluxe," "Sin Wagon" by the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler," and Lucinda Williams' "Can't Let Go." ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

NCAA Football 10 kicks off the 2009 season on PlayStation 2 with a new "Road to Glory" mode that involves creating a high-school athlete in his quest to earn a college scholarship. The action focuses on your star athlete, as you execute plays designed by the coach to the best of your ability. Once you reach the college level, make a name for yourself by taking over big games against school rivals. Earn points throughout each game to enhance your skills as you attempt to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. Other features designed for the PlayStation 2 version include a "super sim" option, which lets you jump into a game at any time while simulating match-ups between schools; a freshman difficulty setting that simplifies the playbooks and controls; and a leaderboard where you can track your school's progress in a number of key areas. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Superhuman catches, sizzling fastballs, and exploding signs return to PlayStation 2 in dramatic style with this sequel to 2007's sleeper hit baseball game. Building on the fast-paced, arcade-like play mechanics from the over-the-top original, The Bigs 2 adds new features designed to give fans more options on and off the diamond. A new season mode, complete with stat tracking, lets you guide your favorite MLB team through its complete 162-game schedule. You can also create a player from scratch in the "Be a Legend" mode and work your way from the Mexican league to the Majors. Throughout the story-driven campaign, you'll engage in boss battles with baseball's past and present stars for a shot at reaching Cooperstown.

One of the key diversions from 2007's game, Home Run Pinball, returns with three new venues, including the streets of Las Vegas and Tokyo, as well as the option to rack up points cooperatively with a friend. Other mini-games will test your running and throwing skills in addition to hitting for accuracy and power. While the core gameplay remains the same as in the original, The Bigs 2 offers some new wrinkles in the form of "legendary moves" and the "batter's wheelhouse." The former lets you activate special feats of agility, while the latter is a risk-reward system that has the pitcher trying to diminish a hitter's power in future at-bats by making him miss the ball over his favorite part of the plate. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide