Need for Speed: Carbon is ready to take you to the heart of underground racing. Set in the outskirts of the city, you begin by declaring a class allegiance, picking your crew, and finally, deciding which of the 50 tunable cars you want to make your own. Select a tuner, American muscle, or exotic car, and then begin your ride to the top. You may also use the "Autosculpt" feature to create a completely customized car if no existing car suits your needs. Selecting your crew is important because each member has a special skill that can help you make it to the finish line first. For example, a scout can find hidden short cuts, and a blocker can create a distraction.

Despite being forced by police to race in Carbon Canyon, the rivalry is just as fierce and the stakes are at an all-time high. The game features four areas of urban and rural pavement, and each environment is broken into sub-zones of drift, street, and duel racing for a total of 80 tracks. As you begin winning races, you will also earn territory within the city. Start losing races, and the territory is given back to the rival crew. To completely take over another group's turf, you must defeat their boss in a race. Multiplayer action is available through the Internet for gang, one-on-one, and canyon battles. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Splinter Cell: Double Agent takes the stealth-based series in a new direction after three successful covert operations on multiple platforms. After learning his teenage daughter was killed in a car crash, a despondent Sam Fisher is unable to complete his duties for the NSA's splinter cell, Third Echelon, and is reassigned as a NOC, a non-official cover agent who operates from within dangerous organizations. His mission is to infiltrate a domestic terrorist group called John Brown's Army. For the first time in the series, Fisher cannot solely rely on his gadgets or the direct support of the NSA. He must instead fall back on his keen instincts to survive while working deep undercover.

Instead of advancing through linear missions across a series of international locales, players will experience a branching storyline with multiple endings, where decisions made at one juncture will influence subsequent events as the game progresses. Fisher must initially earn the trust of John Brown's Army to become a card-carrying member, so he must engage in carefully orchestrated heists and even an elaborate prison break to get in the good graces of key contact Jamie Washington. If Fisher is successful in befriending Washington, he will be invited to the terrorist group's headquarters, a multi-floor structure that serves as a jumping point for future missions.

From that point on, Fisher will be faced with multiple moral decisions as he walks a fine line between working with the JBA and on behalf of his NSA mentor, Irving Lambert. He will also be partnered with an AI-controlled character in many of the missions, introducing a new twist to the single-player game. Of course, Splinter Cell: Double Agent also features multiplayer modes, including the online cooperative element introduced in 2005's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and a new spy-versus-spy mode that is exclusive to both the Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions of the game. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Air out the tights, slip on the mask, don the cape, and prepare to flex some muscles in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, an action role-playing game featuring the largest cast of costumed crusaders and mutant messiahs in a video game to date. Twenty Marvel superheroes have joined forces to combat the diabolical Dr. Doom and his Masters of Evil. The action will take players to Atlantis, the Skrull home world, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier, and more as they guide a four-person party through 17 comic book-inspired locales. Moves include a flurry of air and ground strikes, from grapples and blocks to chargeable powers and deadly combos. Objects within the environment can also cause damage, and a choice of one- and two-handed weapons can help less extraordinary heroes mete out justice against throngs of enemies.

As players decide on which heroes to enlist in their super group, including such iconic characters as Spider-Man, Wolverine, The Thing, Captain America, Elektra, and Thor, they can customize their team's name, icon, and vehicle. The party's reputation will increase over time through heroic deeds and by successfully completing mission objectives, allowing players the opportunity to further enhance the team's or a specific character's attributes. The cast includes more than 140 comic book characters in total, many of which are available in the single-player storyline and can be unlocked for multiplayer action. The latter supports both cooperative and competitive battles, with in-game statistics tracked for each team as they earn experience points and receive powerful new equipment. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance also features unlockable bonus content, such as alternate costumes that modify a character's base statistics in the areas of defense, melee damage, and so forth. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Set during a time of free love, new ideas, communism, and bra burning, Destroy All Humans! 2 re-creates the sci-fi genre of the 1960s with dialogue, characters, and culture that includes hippies, the cold war, girls in poodle skirts, guys in letter jackets, and secretive "G-Men."

Playing as Cryptospordium-137 a Furon sent to Earth to collect DNA, gamers navigate the little grey intergalactic tourist through a variety of environments such as the desert, a California beach town, Japan, Russia, a farm, a military base, and more. The main goal is to collect DNA by blasting humans with one of eight weapons and mind control moves including the Meteor Strike, the Disclocator, the Cortex Scan, PK, Mind Flash, Transmogrify, and more. Upgrades for weaponry or abilities are acquired through the Abduction Vault located on the Mothership. Crypto also has the use of a flying saucer to destroy all humans with if the authority figures on the ground make foot travel impossible. Police, military units, and the mysterious "G-Men" will pursue Crypto based on the amount of damage and deaths he has caused. At first, only the police are called to handle Crypto and his homicidal rampage, but as the damage and death toll grows, the military and higher defensive units are called in to keep the peace.

Destroy All Humans! 2 features co-op multiplayer action for two players who may complete the entire single-player story together, replay completed missions, or challenge each other to multiplayer mini-games such as PK Tennis and more. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Since the foundation of the Justice League in the late '50s, many have joined the ranks of these global do-gooders to combat evil in all forms. Now these Justice League Heroes must save the day again by mobilizing such personalities as Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, Superman, and more against enemies including giant Guerillas, Martians, and assault bots. Take control of each character and their special abilities in solo or multiplayer cooperative action that relies heavily on teamwork.

In a single-player game you control two characters -- one mandatory and one of your choosing -- and then attempt to complete each level by defeating enemies with a combination of each hero's special power. For example, Green Lantern can lock enemies in a force field, making it easier for a companion to inflict damage with his or her own ability. As you progress through the game, your characters will gain experience points that you can distribute among your group to increase speed, power, and range of attack. A "heroic meter" will rise and fall during combat, depending on your success in landing blows and the damage you sustain. As the meter rises and you continue to pound your foe, your hits will become noticeably more powerful. There are also a number of unlockable characters to play including Green Arrow and Hawkgirl. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

The fighting genre's poster (whipping?) boy for gruesome violence makes its final appearance on Xbox before moving in a new direction for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is thus a hostile homage to its frenzied fans, a love letter of sorts that tears away the heart-tugging sentiment for the still-beating heart. Armageddon offers the most significant throng of Mortal Kombat fighters thus far, with a roster spanning 62 combatants -- every minor and major character that has appeared in the series to date. The entire cast is also immediately playable from the opening screen.

The "Konquest Mode" introduced in 2004's Mortal Kombat: Deception returns with faster-paced action, two new boss characters, and a seamless blend of one-on-one and group encounters through an estimated six hours of story-driven action. While the core 3D fighting engine is similar to 2004's entry, the fatality system now allows players to create custom finishing moves. Players can also design their own fighter with an assortment of body parts, weapons, clothing options, and fighting styles to choose from. Each new combatant can challenge others online in a tournament or a single match.

Perhaps the most amusing addition for longtime fans is the debut of "Motor Kombat," a racing mini-game patterned after Nintendo's Mario Kart. Motor Kombat has players selecting a vehicle from the following ten characters: Sub-Zero, Bo' Rai Cho, Scorpion, Mileena, Kitana, Johnny Cage, Jax, Cyrax, Baraka, and Raiden. Each super-deformed driver performs his or her trademark move on rivals, from Raiden's electricity to Scorpion's spear attack. The themed courses also feature hazards of their own, including lava pools, spikes, fire, and more. Motor Kombat supports four players in a split-screen view, or up to eight via Xbox Live. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Seth McFarlane's dysfunctional Griffin family makes its video game debut as a third-person action title starring Peter, Stewie, and Brian in their own storylines rife with pop-culture jabs. As boorish blockhead Peter Griffin, players must stop English butler Mr. Belvedere's apparent bid for world domination. Wrathful wunderkind Stewie Griffin battles his "sperm brother" Bertram, while cultivated canine Brian Griffin figures a way out of prison. The game features a cel-shaded look to keep it in line with the animated series, and players will visit a number of familiar locales in and around the fictitious setting of Quahog, Rhode Island. Expect characters such as Death, Glen Quagmire, Cleveland Brown, and Joe Swanson to make comical cameos throughout the "giggity giggity" game. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Based on the Nickelodeon series, Avatar: The Last Airbender features four playable characters from the show who blend elemental magic and martial arts by "bending" them. Also known as the "benders," Aang, Katara, Haru, and Sokka represent elemental organizations known as the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. As the group travels through the four kingdoms, they master their individual element by learning new abilities and spells. Players will battle with familiar enemies, as well as baddies not seen on the show. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Putt, swing, and slice with some of the biggest names in golf as you travel to various real and fantasy courses in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07. Practice your swing, play against human opponents online, or gather a team of golfers and go head-to-head against Tiger Woods and his team of birdie-scoring buddies. The game features 21 courses including the Four Seasons Resort Avaira, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, Riviera Country Club, the K Club, and more with in-game commentary provided by David Feherty and Gary McCord. Select your character from such golfers as Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, Annika Sorenstam, and John Daly, or create your own character from a variety of clothing, facial features, equipment licenses, and specialty items.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 comes with several gameplay options including "Team Tour," "Career," "Practice," and mini-games such as One-Ball, Battle Golf, and more. Characters will no longer spend money to earn experience points, and will gain experience by spending time in the "Practice" area shooting from six different tee boxes. Performance of your skills on the practice green translates to improved character stats that carry over into your career game. You also have two types of swing styles, Standard and Swing Stick, and the game will adjust the difficulty based on how well you are playing. To aim your shot, look for the circular area with a size determined by such factors as attributes and club choice, and then take a shot towards your goal. Online play features three person tournaments, stat trackers, leader boards, the ESPN ticker, radio updates, and news. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

It's time to "make way for the bad guy" in this adaptation of Brian De Palma's 1983 film starring Al Pacino as Cuban drug dealer Tony Montana. The game picks up where the movie left off, albeit with the stunning revelation that Montana isn't dead. Montana survives the assassination attempt and vows revenge on the kingpin who nearly put him out of commission: Alejandro Sosa. Players assume the role of power-hungry Montana in his bid to reclaim his cocaine empire and extravagant lifestyle. This, of course, means resorting to graphic violence and colorful profanity as a means of "persuasion."

Montana can freely explore 1980s Miami and its surrounding islands as he tries to amass a fortune by smuggling drugs. Along the way, players must purchase fronts for laundering money, defeat rival gangs, elude capture from the DEA, and discover creative uses for a chainsaw. One notable feature is the ability to target individual body parts, with stylish moves rewarded in "balls points." As Montana flexes his machismo, he will gradually build to a blind rage, a temporary state that switches the default third-person view to a first-person perspective with time-slowing effects, allowing players to inflict heavy damage.

Another key element is the lack of loading screens while visiting different areas of Miami, including such familiar haunts as Freedom Town, the Babylon Club, and Lopez Motors. As he earns respect and power, Montana can use a satellite phone to hire henchmen, request vehicles, weapons, and other tools of the drug trade. The game also features Al Pacino's likeness as Tony Montana, and several film actors have lent their voices to the project, including original cast members Robert Loggia and Steven Bauer. Screenwriter David McKenna, whose film credits include American History X and Blow, penned the game's original storyline. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide