If there's an upside to this game, it's that despite the shallow combat system, it's rather amusing to spill blood in battle. That's a small upside for a game that costs $60 and demands you sit through hours of talking just to kill stuff.

If there's an upside to this game, it's that despite the shallow combat system, it's rather amusing to spill blood in battle. That's a small upside for a game that costs $60 and demands you sit through hours of talking just to kill stuff.

If there's an upside to this game, it's that despite the shallow combat system, it's rather amusing to spill blood in battle. That's a small upside for a game that costs $60 and demands you sit through hours of talking just to kill stuff.

8-Bits Is Enough offers a satisfying conclusion rife with gaming nostalgia and Strong Bad’s trademark ridiculousness. While it’s hard to say whether Telltale and the Chapman bros will eventually cook up another batch of gaming episodes, surely there are plenty more absurd adventures worth exploring.

8-Bits Is Enough offers a satisfying conclusion rife with gaming nostalgia and Strong Bad’s trademark ridiculousness. While it’s hard to say whether Telltale and the Chapman bros will eventually cook up another batch of gaming episodes, surely there are plenty more absurd adventures worth exploring.

The title retains most of what made it a success, and additions like Planet Impact are a nice touch. On the other hand, the online multiplayer is a bit of a letdown, so in the end, whether Meteos Wars is worth your hard-earned $10 depends on how much you need a new puzzle game.

Despite the game’s clumsy story progression and repetitive werehog combat, it manages to be the best Sonic game released in recent memory. This is thanks mostly to the excellent hedgehog levels that evoke memories of classic Sonic titles while still managing to feel fresh and new.

With a play time between forty and fifty hours, different difficulty levels, and multiple endings, Persona 4 will keep you hanging on for quite some time.

Prince of Persia is a wonderful and nearly magical game. It’s not very long but it’s long enough, as it will entail around 10-14 hours of continuous platforming and fighting, even if you don’t try to pick up the 1001 Seeds of Light.

Overall, the problem with Ski and Shoot is not so much that it's a truly terrible game, but that the subject matter simply doesn’t translate into a fun gaming experience.

Anyone hell-bent on training their weaker limb might find some amusement here. More seasoned gamers will find greater pleasures elsewhere.

If you let it, Dungeon Maker II: The Hidden War can be a habit-forming title. Gathering the necessary components and designing and tailoring dungeons is great fun, and running around slaying whatever decides to come live in them provides a whole different incentive to stick with it. While some areas of the game are hit-or-miss, the solid core gameplay is what will keep players coming back for more.

In the end, Animal Boxing's main success is that it pioneers a boxing system fit for a better game. Like the Super Smash Bros. series' special-move system, it has essentially no learning curve, so it's something we'd like to see again.

It doesn’t over promise nor does it under deliver. You won’t be disappointed even with the annoyances and objectionable ways you have to obtain certain things. It’s Dragon Ball Z the way you remember it and the way you love it.

If you are expecting Super Stardust Portable to replace Super Stardust HD, you're going to be disappointed. However, SS Portable does a great job of translating the experience to the PSP.

Considering that nothing new was added to the title and that the game's problems are somewhat exacerbated by the PSP's limitations, this is definitely the weakest version of the title yet. Still, Everyday Shooter is an enjoyable experience worth the $9.99 download price for more than just top-down shooter fans.

Players with only a passing interest in tough puzzles with a mild adventure flavor should steer clear. Otherwise, it's a good title that fits a very specific niche.

It's impossible to recommend as a purchase due to a handful of flaws that have a major, negative impact on the gameplay. At On the same token, it's bursting with great platforming ideas that rival gaming's top franchises. If you're curious, we suggest a rental, but beware of inevitable frustration.

Even though the controls and gameplay are basically broken, the game isn't entirely without merit.

The game is not perfect, nor will it appeal to everyone. However, Red Fly and Gamecock have done a great job of bringing a compelling adventure to the Wii that uses craftsmanship and care in its creation.

Though there are issues with the game's controls - and character dialogue is often dreadful - there is, undeniably, a wealth of PoP goodness here.

Nancy Drew’s console debut doesn’t make a huge splash, but it’s solid enough for fans that aren’t into PC gaming to take the series for a spin.

A wonderful and nearly magical game. It's not very long but it's long enough, as it will entail around 10-14 hours of continuous platforming and fighting, even if you don't try to pick up the 1001 Seeds of Light. The flow and excitement of the gameplay as well as the dramatic visual style will get you hooked for hours to come. I doubt there will be many people who don't like it, as it's equally engaging for players and viewers sitting next to you.

A wonderful and nearly magical game. It's not very long but it's long enough, as it will entail around 10-14 hours of continuous platforming and fighting, even if you don't try to pick up the 1001 Seeds of Light. The flow and excitement of the gameplay as well as the dramatic visual style will get you hooked for hours to come. I doubt there will be many people who don't like it, as it's equally engaging for players and viewers sitting next to you.

The card battle system isn't exactly fresh considering it was similar on the GBA, but for new players it will be a challenge they must experience.

All told, the Orochi Saga collection is a hands-down worthwhile buy for longtime fans of the series, and a toss-up for newcomers.

However, if you can’t wait to belt out “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando,” and “Take a Chance on Me,” then SingStar ABBA will hit all the right notes.

ABBA does not seem like an artist that the gamer audience can really identify with, and that is this title’s biggest weakness. However, if you can’t wait to belt out “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando,” and “Take a Chance on Me,” then SingStar ABBA will hit all the right notes.

Folks serious about sticking to a workout regimen can certainly benefit from what's offered here.

Aside from going back and collecting more notes, there’s essentially no replay value here at all. While there’s no doubt that Despereaux will make a great present or stocking stuffer, if you’re considering it for yourself, you would be advised to rent it.

Repetitive and uninspired missions abound as do glitches that can make completing missions more difficult or even impossible without reloading. The lack of a co-op mode for the campaign is also a huge letdown.

There’s one important thing to note before going into Get Even. While the initial game download is a mere 500 Wii Points, it only contains two areas and a boss battle. To get access to additional areas, you’ll have to shell out 500 additional Wii Points each for three add-on level packs. Each offers a new ship, new objectives, and new levels.

All of the limited modes feel like the same thing. They’re good for an hour or so of wacky repair jobs, but that’s about it.

Solid arcade play, great one-on-one local matches, and a multiplayer mode that is almost lag free - this adds up to one of the best gaming values fighting fans could ask for.

In spite of its shortcomings, however, Cradle of Rome is still an oddly addictive puzzler. There’s no real city planning, the screen sensitivity wreaks all sorts of havoc during puzzles, and the presentation in strictly bare-bones.

Solid arcade play, great one-on-one local matches, and a multiplayer mode that is almost lag free - this adds up to one of the best gaming values fighting fans could ask for.

I could not be more pleased with this rerelease, and I certainly applaud Square Enix for rewarding their longtime fans with such a classic title on a current system. However, this game is not just for longtime fans, and if you have never been able to experience Chrono Trigger, the DS provides the perfect vehicle to do so.

Playing online with human opponents adds a bit of longevity to the experience but ultimately NPPL just gets monotonous far too quickly.

Supreme Cuisine could have been a great opportunity to bring the excitement and entertainingly tense cooking battles in kitchen stadium to life on the Wii. Instead, the game provides an uninspiring, and frankly boring, culinary mini-game experience that apes Cooking Mama without including some of the more fun aspects of the cooking video game genre.

In the end, it's almost worth mucking through the poor touch-screen controls and occasionally convoluted progression to experience the game in portable form. Syberia is a good game that's hampered by some distracting issues caused by the transition to the DS.

Although younger players may relate to the cheer camp storyline, the gameplay just isn't that fun and suffers from too many repetitive elements.

Between single and multiplayer modes, this is a game that you can play for a hundred hours in its first year, and then come back to time and again in the future. I just wish there was a bit more depth outside of combat. The technical execution is flawless!

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

On the whole, playing this game is an enjoyable experience. There are countless challenges with reasonable levels of difficulty, the presentation does the trick, and there's often a decent sense of speed.

The Last Remnant has the makings of a great RPG: the story is engaging and the battle system is tons of fun to play with. And, with a lot of extra missions and side quests, there certainly is a lot of replay potential to this title. However, it seems that all these great aspects are not enough to pull it past its glaring graphical issues.

Despite the game’s clumsy story progression and repetitive werehog combat, it manages to be the best Sonic game released in recent memory. This is thanks mostly to the excellent hedgehog levels that evoke memories of classic Sonic titles while still managing to feel fresh and new.

All told, it's Wii Sports golf for the Xbox 360, at the price of $10, with a well-functioning if not user-friendly course creator. We're not seeing the downside.

A must have title for Wii-owning skate fans, but casual gamers beware!

This is a great opportunity for boarders and the gamers who love them to learn an innovative control scheme, pull off some tricks, and design their dream skate parks.

If you are a fan of strategy or construction-style games you owe it to yourself to check this one out, as the addictive and fun gameplay will most certainly keep you coming back for more!

A lesson in good intentions gone awry. Nearly all of its novel ideas misfire. What's so interesting about Inferno is the mentality that a patch was all that was needed to make a better game. The original was defined by a lackluster story, awkward controls, and merely okay gameplay – that's not a formula that needs a few tweaks, it's one that should be scrapped entirely.

Ultimate Band won't live up to the high expectations of most players who've already had a taste or Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but it's a perfect fit for families on a budget with younger kids who are just looking for something music-oriented to play.

The drums are the most fun, but least challenging.

The faster Sonic levels are a real treat, and Sonic Unleashed has many high points to balance out the lows. The real bummer is not so much the concept of the werehog sections as it is how these portions of the game painfully drag the rest of the game down.

The faster Sonic levels are a real treat, and Sonic Unleashed has many high points to balance out the lows. The real bummer is not so much the concept of the werehog sections as it is how these portions of the game painfully drag the rest of the game down.

Rune Factory 2 is the best Harvest Moon title to come out this year, and if you are just itching to get your agricultural juices flowing, Rune Factory 2 provides the perfect vehicle to do so.

The simplistic combat as well as the shoddy graphics sink this title to a near-unplayable status.

Tomb Raider Underworld was far more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be. The expansive environments, solid platforming sequences, challenging puzzles, and adventure-filled storyline should appeal to anyone who loved the Prince of Persia games and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Disappointingly, combat is fairly mediocre, and a lot of technical inconsistencies are troublesome. Nevertheless, Underworld is a very good game.

Tomb Raider Underworld was far more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be. The expansive environments, solid platforming sequences, challenging puzzles, and adventure-filled storyline should appeal to anyone who loved the Prince of Persia games and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Disappointingly, combat is fairly mediocre, and a lot of technical inconsistencies are troublesome. Nevertheless, Underworld is a very good game.

Tomb Raider Underworld was far more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be. The expansive environments, solid platforming sequences, challenging puzzles, and adventure-filled storyline should appeal to anyone who loved the Prince of Persia games and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Disappointingly, combat is fairly mediocre, and a lot of technical inconsistencies are troublesome. Nevertheless, Underworld is a very good game.

Expect a few day’s play out of Underworld and little more. As in the real world, there’s no reason to raid a tomb that’s already been raided.

For anyone who has enjoyed recent Disney titles such as Wall-E or other platform games like the recent LEGO Batman, Bolt is just as fun, putting new spins and different functions to otherwise standard platform tasks.

For anyone who has enjoyed recent Disney titles such as Wall-E or other platform games like the recent LEGO Batman, Bolt is just as fun, putting new spins and different functions to otherwise standard platform tasks.

A shallow, boring, repetitive game with very little depth and uninteresting gameplay.

A shallow, boring, repetitive game with very little depth and uninteresting gameplay.

Luminous Arc 2 stands out enough in its own right as a charming tactical title that it should provide gamers with plenty of hours of satisfying, strategy-centric role playing.

If you're in the market for a fun party title that will get all your friends and family involved, you have to give this one a try! The game is really fun in small doses, and it's very easy to pick-up-and-play. No one should feel left out of this party, as the title ensures everyone's included, for good or for bad.

One could easily wring 30+ hours out of this game before getting bored with it. However, don't expect an experience like that of EA's Madden NFL 09; you'll be sorely disappointed.

A very exciting first effort from Microsoft. The innovative microphone peripheral, accelerometer-based mini-games, medal system, and the ability to import your own songs make this title stand out from the crowd. However, this title’s short and conventional track list, as well as its lack of online play really hinders it from being a true SingStar killer.

Metal Slug 7 is a very good game full of crazy action, great graphics, smooth animations, and a definite challenge. The only problem is that there is so much missing from this package. No multiplayer, no leaderboards, no branching paths, and only seven story missions won’t keep you coming back even with the additional eighty training levels.

Hardcore Dynasty Warriors fans will probably get this title for the storyline alone. More casual fans of the series stay away!

Playing online with human opponents adds a bit of longevity to the experience but ultimately NPPL just gets monotonous far too quickly.

Pull the sheet over it and give it a proper burial.

Sure, it owes some major debts to Geometry Wars. But there's a ton of innovation here, and arcade-shooter fans would be well-advised to give it a download. The developers and Community should be proud.

Left 4 Dead is largely successful at bringing players a uniquely exhilarating, arcade-like zombie shooter. The eye toward multiplayer fun is definitely appreciated, and the accessibility is great. However, the experience is best taken in short bursts, as the repetitive action gets monotonous after awhile.

Mines of Moria is a must-buy expansion for veteran players of the original, but it will not provide a lot of immediate satisfaction for people thinking about picking up both it and the original for the first time.

Overall, Robocalypse is a solid and deep game with incredible presentation. It’s certainly one of the best RTS games on the system to date.

One can't help but notice that the franchise has seen better days.

One can't help but notice that the franchise has seen better days.

As racing games go, Need for Speed Undercover is a weak offering. The Wii controls offer nothing particularly interesting (though it's worth noting that the game is compatible with the Wii wheel accessory and Logitech Speed Force Wheel) and even four-player multiplayer does little to relieve the game's significant problems.

To really enjoy it, the player not only has to overlook serious graphical issues, but also suspend disbelief and take the game with a grain of salt to bare with the script, the way races are set up, and the way lives are put in danger just so you can infiltrate a crime ring by winning hundreds of street races.

One can't help but notice that the franchise has seen better days.

The engine sounds are good and the music is even better, but due to the lack of voiceovers and ambient music, the game is filled with lots of uncomfortable dead air.

A competent and accessible racer to DS owners. Gamers looking for a more customization-heavy or in-depth racing experience should look elsewhere. However, those that want a portable title that delivers some arcade-centric racing action on the go should give the title a try.

As it stands, outside of its presentation, there isn’t much to write home about. For the newly enrolled, it’s a solid entry in a familiar and seldom changing formula, for veterans, you may as well skip this class.

As it stands, outside of its presentation, there isn’t much to write home about. For the newly enrolled, it’s a solid entry in a familiar and seldom changing formula, for veterans, you may as well skip this class.

Dangeresque 3, the episode and the low-budget movie, is 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.

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.

Playing mini-games and watching a movie featuring yourself and your friends is fun the first few times, but it wears off fast. The game does a good job of including everyone and providing a fun time, and the Director's Mode extends its value, but if you already own the camera and get tired of party games easily, perhaps there isn't a good enough reason to jump into this purchase.

The game is not a failure by any means, but you will find yourself asking for more or wanting to play other more fleshed out fighting games. The visuals were also a big letdown, especially the backgrounds, mainly because we've been spoiled by other visually appealing fighting games.

The game is not a failure by any means, but you will find yourself asking for more or wanting to play other more fleshed out fighting games. The visuals were also a big letdown, especially the backgrounds, mainly because we've been spoiled by other visually appealing fighting games.

Nearly every potential plus is a minus: the open world is artificial; the supposedly intuitive control scheme is actually counterintuitive; and the event types range from lackluster to merely okay.

Nearly every potential plus is a minus: the open world is artificial; the supposedly intuitive control scheme is actually counterintuitive; and the event types range from lackluster to merely okay.

This is a very forgiving title that makes cruising down virtual slopes with friends a joy. Fortunately, it emphasizes the strengths of the Wii without completely dumbing down the final product. As such, a wide range of players should enjoy this whimsical tour through the boarding world.

Animal Crossing: City Folk is one of the most charming and entertaining life sims out there, with lots to explore and experience.

A great choice for anyone that wants to take a virtual axe on the go. As competent as the original, Decades brings another 28 quality songs to the mix that can be streamed between two DS.

Even with another player, Shaun White Snowboarding is still not much fun. Remember, two Shauns don't make a white. Sorry.

Anyone used to the SSX or Amped styles of snowboarding may grow tired of Shaun White Snowboarding and its simplistic controls and lack of speed.