One of the must haves for the system. Finally after a gapping hole in the gaming industry I feel like someone has created a complete game. It doesn't leave you hanging un-satisfied.

The depth comes in the form of controlling the vehicles, navigating the city streets and discovering shortcuts.

If you're just looking to blast your way through level after level, Blood Money, is not the game for you. If you want to assume the role of an actual hitman and utilize the most dangerous weapon of all, your imagination, then by all means get your hands on this one.

An excellent DS debut and offers a solid introduction point to the series for new players. It refines and fine-tunes the gameplay to provide a largely enjoyable strategy adventure. The only major complaint is the game doesn't really bring anything new to the table, aside from changes made to properly utilize the DS hardware.

Some clever puzzle work and manic action towards the end make for a good time.

The fresher elements improve on the firmly established vibe and gameplay, making this a solid follow up episode.

Incredibly fun. The best tower defense game on Xbox Live.

A must-buy title for gamers interested in following an excellent story. The wonderful visuals play a major role in the experience and easy controls and open level design will suck you right in. This is not a game for everyone and misses a perfect rating due to pacing issues.

Regular adventuring is fun, but the second a player has to hop into a vehicle, it's a gamble as how good or bad the experience will be. If the vehicular elements were separate from the story and entirely optional, this would be the best entry in the series. But they're not and bring the rest of the game down.

Like most Xbox Live Arcade games, ilomilo isn't terribly long, but collectables and unlockable bonus puzzles add a good deal of replay value.

Hand-holding aside, the story mode is really enjoyable and prepares you for the rigors of continuous play.

Despite some game mechanic hiccups, Metro 2033 is a game worth trying. The inclusion of an alternate ending only adds to the appeal.

Nintendo continues to prove why they are the legends of the industry. They deliver time and time again with solid titles, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is one such title.

Dream Team is fairly lengthy and there are always new things to see and do, keeping gameplay fresh.

Instead of a sense of "been there, done that" it will be a wave of comforting nostalgia, like a sea breeze taking you back to days gone by.

There are countless tense moments playing as Jack and my only complaint is not playing as the featured star more than we were given the opportunity.

Ultimately Echochrome is a concept wrapped up in a game - its minimalist design philosophy paired with new mechanics will win it praise from the games-are-art crowd.

Blur's mix of strategy-based power-ups, load-out menus, and largely varied challenges really make this game a must for all automotive fans. In a genre this oversaturated, it is good to know that there is still some innovation left.

Simply put, LEGO Batman 2 has restored my faith in the ability for a game with these larger-than-life super heroes to be fun and entertaining without resorting to making them evil or just making them punch each other a lot.

From the standpoint of a tutorial alone I believe this game is worth the price of admission.

The virtually faithful ports are a classic-gaming junky's dream come true.

A great conclusion to a great trilogy, and hundreds of puzzles to keep you busy. Minigames from previous titles have been the highlight, but fall short in this final entry.

This game is not intended to appeal to RPG players and even though there are three different teams the game has little to entice hardcore RTS gamers. Consider it an online shooter with a few shakes of spice.

A lot of people complained that Episode 1 didn’t stand alone as its own story, and Episode 2 still doesn’t But frankly, it doesn’t matter. There are still unanswered questions, cliffhanger endings, and lack of any real resolution to any character’s conflicts, but it’s still a phenomenal story.

It’s probably the funniest game on the market right now and I only want to play more. I can’t wait for Episode 4 to come out where, if my inclinations are correct, the adventure will continue into space.

This game is so good it can even give some of the PC games a run for its money.

While not the first game to be called a hybrid of action and RPG, it certainly is the hallmark of the former, with the robust content that's generally expected of the latter. If you were hoping to be connected to the characters like you did in some of R.A. Salvatore's great fantasy novels, you will undoubtedly be disappointed. But Amalur is still a beautiful and immense world with plenty of secrets to discover and combat that is ceaselessly satisfying.

While it's enjoyable to solve puzzles and uncover a story in a genre that doesn't receive a lot of mileage these days, it's a little unfortunate that the themes and humor borrow from this ancient Looney Tunes-meets-90s-attitude rather than create a new world and identity all its own.

Sunset Overdrive is the freshest game of the year, and if you aren’t excited to play it then there will be tons of mundane repeaters coming out soon enough to keep you busy. For those of you looking for a little more than the norm, Sunset Overdrive is the game you’ve been waiting for.

I always appreciate it when a game that touches on some cultural commentary, whether it's obvious or not. And given how entertaining it is to "play war" in the setting provided here (and believe me, it is) is proof that sometimes violence isn't as much about what is shown-in a game as much as anything else-but what isn't.

SSX has so many great things wrapped into it that I could hardly be happier. Aside from the way the Deadly Descents "storyline" plays out and the occasional character getting stuck between two rocks, SSX brings back the joy of playing all hours of the night trying to outdo your previous score.

Crysis on consoles is really nothing more than the original game with the graphics turned down.

Crysis on consoles is really nothing more than the original game with the graphics turned down.

If there was one word I had to use to describe Just Cause 2, it would be 'ridiculous'. The game never takes itself seriously, which, for the most part, is a good thing. However, sometimes this lackadaisical approach extends into areas where it shouldn't, resulting in an often unpolished, even amateurish experience.

Instead of trying to revolutionize a genre, id has given us another stellar game that's taken elements from a few different games, in many cases improved them, and seamlessly integrated them into RAGE's world.

With huge campaigns and multiple gameplay options, you won't be finished with Napoleon until the next Total War game is released.

Its fresh take on the fantasy genre, excellent minion mechanics and morbid humor make for a gaming experience you won't soon forget.

If you’re a "Virtua Tennis" fan you simply owe it to yourself to play ball with Table Tennis.

If you missed any one of the original three Jak and Daxter titles, 40 bucks is more than worth getting to play these classics in HD. However, if you are a longtime fan, only pick this collection up if you have 40 dollars burning a hole in your pocket. It's fun, it's pretty, and it reminded me why Jak and Daxter was an awesome series, but that's all I can say for it.

It's just not worth the payoff for me anymore than beating my buddies at a real game of golf is.

This package surpasses the novelty of having a slew of recipes and a personal backup up chef teaching you the ropes.

Packed with racing pleasure. It's a deep game in the tradition of the average PS2 championship mode.

A good game that rivals the PC versions for depth and is right at home dishing out the action on a console that was designed to push such an envelope.

The game looks, plays, sounds and smells just like the real thing. It may not be long on replay value but this is one game that shouldn't be missed no how.

Those who are looking for more Tony Hawk style challenges which are entirely based on skill, might not dig the On Tour vibe with it's easier than pie trickstylings, but those who know that it's all about getting to the bottom first and looking awesome while doing it will really get into this one.

Giving the story a few rounds of proofreading might have inspired the designers to add more obstacles and offered more flexibility to the players. Still, the well-presented aesthetic and emotional impact make Little Nightmares more than worthy of a playthrough.

Lots of unlocks for extra features, and some of the best level design ever seen makes this game infinitely replayable. A perfect score is tarnished here by a lackluster multiplayer option.

It’s improved in every way but still retains all of the elements that made the original an instant classic.

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 2 may not be the easiest name to remember, but as a game it's impossible to forget.

There is plenty to do and plenty to explore in this racing world. For content alone Gran Turismo 6 pulls ahead of its competitors. Stunning graphics will keep you guessing which system you’re actually playing on.

A great surprise. It takes the game in an unexpected direction, offering another round of fresh variety to keep the standard point-and-click adventure mechanics from growing tiresome.

With a new story, a plethora of multiplayer modes (both online and off), and tons of unlockables, there is considerable value to Goldeneye on the Wii.

I will warn you that you can beat this in an afternoon. Take your time and go for the prizes.

I have beaten this game four times in two days … and I am still playing it. There's just so much enjoyment to be had in building the perfect character and then showing it off online.

A definite improvement over Shadow of Mordor. People who played the first game and wanted to see serious growth will be pleased. There are times when it can feel a bit repetitive. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I could have spread the experience out over weeks, picking away at segments and really building up to those major sieges. But the Nemesis system does feel stronger this time around, with orcs that can be rather delightful as you continually fight them or prepare them to serve your own purposes in your army.

A solid set of new missions. The real benefits come with being able to fix the ending and explore more of the world afterwards.

Patapon 2 certainly doesn't reinvent the winning formula, but it improves it substantially by beefing up the campaign, throwing in a few perks, and refining some of the weaker elements in the first title.

A surprisingly excellent game that is bound to piss off a lot of people. However, it's refreshing for adult gamers to have access to such interesting and mature (immature?) fare on Nintendo's console.

A delicious shooter that teaches everyone that killing can be tons of fun as long as it's presented in a light hearted manner.

Final Fantasy XV is imperfect, but the high points of this journey outweigh the messy bits. I recommend you learn to go with the flow, spend some time with your bros, and really get lost in the game. Don't try too hard to be a completionist, but don't forsake the open-world adventures and cling too much to the main storyline. It's in the balance between the two that this tale is at its absolute best.

Unfortunately for PS3 fans, the SIXAXIS controller is vastly underused.

You'll always be busy and it can be a lot of fun if you don't take it too seriously - just like your real life which you waste playing computer games.

A must-buy title for gamers interested in following an excellent story. The wonderful visuals play a major role in the experience and easy controls and open level design will suck you right in. This is not a game for everyone and misses a perfect rating due to pacing issues.

If you haven't gotten completely burned out of Borderlands' shoot-'n-loot hijinks or are looking to pick the game back up, taking a relatively new character through the perils of The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is certainly a worthwhile endeavor.

Birds of Prey shines brightly as a solo endeavor in large part due to the extreme level of authenticity and attention to getting the flight mechanics just right.

All in all, I’d recommend a purchase of MLB 14: The Show, if only to get in on the ground floor of Year to Year saves. However, you might want to wait for the PS4 version of the game to come out, just so you can have the definitive baseball experience. Other than that, I had a good time with the game, and I certainly crammed a lot more baseball into that time than I had with past releases.

Overall, I would say that Civilization: Beyond Earth was fun, at least as fun as Civ 5. It just wasn’t mind-blowing, which is a shame because all the Alpha Centauri fans out there were kind of hoping for that.

Immensely enjoyable. Almost endlessly so, in fact. If you haven’t played it yet, you’re missing out on a very clever 2D crafting/survival game that wears its retro influence on its sleeve. If you’ve already spent hundreds of hours in this world, there’s some new stuff to see in this version of the game.

Although it shows that it is a launch title with its graphics (faces), the controls and gameplay are excellent. This is the most excited I have been about a Madden game since "Madden 2001" for the PS2.

The single-player modes are fun, but the local multiplayer download play clinches the deal.

LostWinds is a solid WiiWare title. For game adventurers, it's certainly well-worth the money and the experience.

It could easily be my pick for the best DS game this year because it seems to have all the right ingredients: A great story, unique gameplay, killer visuals, and a fantastic score. All of these elements combine to create the best gaming experience on the DS this year, and it's no wonder that this precious gem came from the folks at Square-Enix. It's an absolute joy to play, and I can't overstate my satisfaction with this game.

It's still fun, the characters are still bursting with personality, and despite my misgivings about the style, the story is still memorable. It's not a complete departure for the series, but the move away from classic characters may be indicative of the series as a whole turning away from its roots. And that may be something to worry about when we finally get around to talking about SoulCalibur VI.

The single-player mode has plenty of content and the challenge modes add plenty of replay value. Creating levels can be fun, but the cumbersome sharing system limits the game's lasting appeal.

Just the next game in a long line of great games. If you are content with the version you already have, then there isn't enough staggering new content to warrant an upgrade. However, this is the best game in the franchise to date, and I'm glad I made the switch.

The one area where MvsDK lacks slightly is overall challange for hardcore players. It won't take much effort to get through each level - maybe, two or three tries at the most.

Deception has everything an MK fan could possibly want from the heavens: more gore, more fatalities, more characters, traps, more modes and online play.

It's a surprisingly long game, since it offers two different storylines and endings with two different characters. There are also challenges scattered throughout, as well as an incredible amount of swords to forge or collect.

There is so much content packed into this game that I couldn't even fit all of it into my review. However, even the multiplayer alone is enough to warrant this rating.

College Hoops 2K8 is a great college basketball game, both for dedicated fans of the game and for casual b-ball lovers. The new additions to the game, even the flawed ones, are a step in the right direction, bringing the game closer and closer to the definitive college basketball experience.

An excellent storyline that challenges players to understand the philosophy of life, existence, and religion, backed with solid, if a little too easy, gameplay.

Sure, it doesn't have the grandeur and scope of the Gran Turismo series, or the freewheeling mayhem of Burnout, but it does bring a style all it's own to the genre. With plenty of rides, modes, and personality to spare, this title is definitely worthy of having a spot on your automotive mantle, as long as you're up to the challenge!

It doesn’t take the psychic powers of Prof. X or Dr. Strange to predict that a pulse-pounding, butt-kicking, mask-wearing adventure is in your immediate future. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a no-brainer purchase for any self-respecting Marvel fan.

The essence of You Don't Know Jack is playing with friends, having fun, and getting a good laugh. The little changes of gameplay in comparison to other entries, especially the ability to allow everyone to answer a question, make for a better experience.

If you're a golf fan, you've got to buy Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 All Play. It's the definitive game of golf this year, and the yearly iterations to come will surely improve upon an already-great game.

For football fans it simply cannot be missed. There are really no glaring faults at all. One would be hard-pressed to improve upon the graphics, controls, sounds, modes of play, varied content, and online play.

Far Cry 5 suffers from quest overload, but will give players plenty to do even after story completion.

This is one mean, violent and engaging game.

If you were freaked by the "Blair Witch Project" you will definitely find this scary. People with a more sophisticated imagination will get the most out of this game though there are some damn good shocks as well.

There is no doubt that this game will take a lot of time to complete but the repetitious nature of the gameplay will ensure that all but the most ardent of Pokemon fans will take the time to collect all 200 monsters.

Captures the excitement of hockey in such a way that it will appeal to newbies while acting as a refreshing change for fanatics that are hung up on some of the sims out there.

If anything, the only problem with Mirror's Edge is its relatively short story, which is only increased by the lack of a multiplayer component that does its gameplay justice. Nevertheless, Mirror's Edge is a solid and innovative title that takes the FPS genre and reminds it that things don't always need to stay the same.

This is truly the Worms game that many fans have been waiting years for. It is easily as good as the earlier Worms titles and since it is portable, it can quench your Worms addiction no matter where you may be.

If you want a soccer game that can actually last you more than a year, then FIFA Soccer 08 is a good choice. You'll get your soccer fix with good controls, great graphics, and tremendous license support.

Instead of trying to revolutionize a genre, id has given us another stellar game that's taken elements from a few different games, in many cases improved them, and seamlessly integrated them into RAGE's world.

Even despite its few flaws, MUA is a blast to play. If you’ve ever enjoyed an X-men Legends game, MUA is a step above and beyond that. RPG and dungeon crawler fans along with comic-book lovers will find much to love about MUA.

SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 easily represents the biggest leap forward for the series. While previous entries certainly piled on the match types and character rosters, the new creation aspects of SvR 2010 make it the best and most immersive WWE video game experience to date.

It's a welcome change and breathes new life into the Onimusha franchise. [JPN Import]