Though the game moves in a completely linear fashion, with quite a few missions that aren't very enjoyable to run through, there are other elements of the game that are admittedly compelling and addictive.

Traditional as all get out, Drowned City won't really wow you with its innovation. But it's got an addictive quality anyway, particularly when exploring the ocean.

While there isn't a whole lot you can do with a control scheme as simple as this, StarDrone manages to add new challenges and interesting twists right up until the very end. Add some trophies to the mix and, despite its flaws, StarDrone is a pretty decent value for eight dollars.

Were the developers to take the basic mechanics they created, keep the humor of the cutscenes, and dramatically improve the mission design, they'd have an impressive game. However, the boring missions, occasionally frustrating challenges, and lackluster multiplayer modes mean that all but the most dedicated boarding and Shaun White fans can skip this one.

There's a lot of value, with 100 puzzles and three skill levels, but the game isn't very fun to play.

Despite the extreme variation of difficulty, this is just an average racer.

Despite the game's flaws, the Wolfpack DLC manages to be crazy stupid fun when you get a full group of four players. Sure, it has some things that could have been done better, but at the end of the day, ten bucks is a fair price for the extra content here.

While Shank can be fun, it is also repetitive, inconsistent, and over far too quickly.

NCAA Football 11 has great gameplay, but very few improvements make it hard to recommend.

While Shank can be fun, it is also repetitive, inconsistent, and over far too quickly.

While Shank can be fun, it is also repetitive, inconsistent, and over far too quickly.

Everything considered, the gameplay, the graphics, the dialog, the music, make X-Men: The Official Game an officially average game.

A decent shooter that anyone could enjoy. As long as you realize you'll be getting only a few hours of dumb fun out of the deal, blasting away at home and online is a riot.

Despite the extreme variation of difficulty, this is just an average racer.

The controls could use a little work. The basic FPS gameplay is standard-WASD, click to shoot, etc. But things can get a little hairy when you hoist yourself into a vehicle. I can't tell you how many times I took off in a helicopter and crashed it in a ball of flames five seconds later before I finally got the hang of it.

Everything considered, the gameplay, the graphics, the dialog, the music, make X-Men: The Official Game an officially average game.

The truly bewildering conundrum of Lost Planet 3 is that it could have easily been so much more. Aside from the borrowed gameplay mechanics, the story is solid and well acted, Visuals are above average, sound is mostly well done, and the switch between first-person mech and third-person keeps gameplay fairly fresh.

The story and adventure itself is actually solid enough to merit checking out if you're an adventure game fan, but everyone else will want to steer clear.

With Mario Superstar Baseball on the Gamecube being such a great game three years ago, it is fairly disappointing to see Super Sluggers not really doing much to improve on its formula. Sure, player chemistry and attack items are good additions, but there is really nothing else.

For many casual gamers, scrolling shooters are something to play online for free when there's time to kill. It will take a little more dedication to spend $30 on this collection, especially considering that leaderboards, perhaps the only reason to play for long periods of time, aren't available. For those looking for a unique take on a genre and willing to pay for it, however, these three games are worth at least a rental.

Not having any online play also hinders this title, but it most likely wouldn't have helped much considering all of its other issues. If you are looking for a great and enjoyable racing experience, you should definitely look elsewhere.

It's 2D Sonic, with brand new zones, seven half-pipe bonus stages, and a Metal Sonic story for those who purchased Episode I. Not bad for fifteen bucks.

Fun for a few hours but it loses it flavor quickly.

For the most part, it's simplistic and lighthearted animal-based gameplay is fun and enjoyable. However, the gameplay is just too basic to make this title more than just that, which is a shame when titles like "Viva Pinata" and "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King" for the Wii offer better managerial-style gameplay.

This is a game that is in need of some patches and, hopefully in future installments, adjustments that make the online interactions more enjoyable for people who do not want to grind endlessly or pay extra cash.

The presentation is solid, though it also feels pretty light. Were the game not so difficult, most players would zip through it in only a handful of hours. With a few tweaks, Tornado Outbreak would make an excellent WiiWare title.

The story is rich and engaging, but gameplay is little more than a chore.

The story is lengthy and there are plenty of extras to find after finishing, but the gameplay is derivative and can drag at points.

In terms of controls, fun, and general wackiness, Rango reminded me of the old Spyro the Dragon games, except not as refined. It's a sub-Spyro game, but again, for a game that was based off a movie, it is quite good.

In terms of controls, fun, and general wackiness, Rango reminded me of the old Spyro the Dragon games, except not as refined. It's a sub-Spyro game, but again, for a game that was based off a movie, it is quite good.

For puzzle gamers who want to test their reflexes and are on tight budgets -- especially small kids who can't handle more complicated tasks -- it's a decent buy.

A game that focuses on its themes rather than gameplay or functionality. The theme is definitely the building of your "baller" status, though the process of doing so is sometimes nonsensical given the rule system and gameplay mechanics.

If you have already grown bored of the game, then Ultimate isn’t going to do much to reinvigorate your passion. If you haven’t, however, then Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate is a purchase that you pretty much have to make.

The game can be a lot of fun, but its many flaws detract from its playability. There are multiple endings for those who play through more than once, though.

Though the inclusion of new features is something the series has drastically needed, online features lack depth and Become a Legend is spoiled by frustrating A.I. teammates.

The stages themselves aren't large or interactive enough to allow your handiwork to shine. It's a cute interpretation with the most DC lore I've seen in a game, but the gameplay is just lacking in too many respects to keep you interested.

All told, World of Outlaws is a decent buy for fans of unforgiving racing games. It's not as exciting as an arcade racer, but it does a good job of mixing accessibility with realism and challenge. For $20, that's a pretty good deal.

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.

Fun for a few hours but it loses it flavor quickly.

Bomberman Land is a simple title that won't keep you entertained for very long.

I had a ton of fun with Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable, and, as long as you don't try to take it seriously, there's actually an enjoyable experience buried under all these layers of campy schlock.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0 has to be the sorriest excuse for a racing game that EA has ever released. With the PSP's capabilities, they could have done so much more, and made it a much better game.

At a lesser cost, Pop's lack of real depth would be far less of an issue, but $7 just feels too steep for something that can be simulated with a 50 cent can of bubble stuff from the local toy store.

While the RPG and action elements aren't exactly balanced equally, this game may be most appealing to RPG fans who like a bit of excitement in their role-playing experience.

The single-player career mode and customization options make this a fun diversion, but it's not as addictive or polished as Mario Kart, it lacks key features, and it fails to take full advantage of the Vita's hardware. This is a bargain-bin purchase for people who love kart racing, not a must-own title for gamers of all stripes.

To fans the game may just make them more nostalgic for past R-Type games and a proper, if by-the-numbers, sequel. For hardcore turn-based strategy fans nearly every minus (the slow pacing, lengthy campaign, etc.) may actually be a plus.

Out of the Shadows is no Game of the Year nominee, but it's a lot of fun to smack your way through the five-hour campaign and play the Arcade mode with friends. And for those of us old enough to remember the Turtles' original incarnation, it's a trip down memory lane, too.

For someone who absolutely must have a new fighting game at his next Wii get-together with friends, sure, FaceBreaker K.O. Party is the way to go, and it's only 40 bucks. But for anyone looking to fight a friend for hours at a time (on one console, of course; the Wii version did lose online capabilities), or to enjoy a robust and reasonably challenging single-player mode, this just isn't comparable to something from, say, the Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, or Soul Calibur franchises.

Though the inclusion of new features is something the series has drastically needed, online features lack depth and Become a Legend is spoiled by frustrating A.I. teammates.

An expanded multiplayer mode cobbled together from the console experience doesn't make for an engaging handheld title. Mercenaries 3D is simply not worth your $40.

For the casual gamers looking for the title to help them ease into the puzzle solving teamwork games, this is a great stepping-stone. For the hardcore gamer looking for the next great challenge, this one might waste your time with its simplicity.

Sometimes aping the competition is not a great idea, especially if you don't manage to bring anything new to the table in the process.

B-Boy is an average looking game despite the hundreds of motion-captured moves. The characters are bland looking and the environments look blocky and dated.

It feels more like a port than a genuine remake. Although the incredible gameplay depth remains from the original, so too does the antiquated design. Since it feels so old, it should be a digital title available on the eShop, not sold at stores for the maximum 3DS price.

Though there is plenty to explore in the game's story mode, the story is all well-tread ground and there aren't any supporting modes other than an ad-hoc multiplayer mode.

It's lighthearted, haunting, soothing, and frenetic. It's too bad that this game is plagued by poor mechanics. The production values are there, but they just can't seem to rise above the glitches.

Monster Rancher EVO may continue to please hardcore fans of the series but it's doubtful that it will recruit many new fans, especially if they've played any of the previous four games.

While I appreciate some of the new additions to this version, it's not enough to make me forget how much this game reminds me of "Deception," "Shaolin Monks" and "Deadly Alliance."

B-Boy has a lot going for it, but it's not for everyone. The gameplay is limited and there are some technical flaws here and there, including the control system, which is more awkward to use than the PS2 version, since there's a tendency to move the screen around too much.

It's a short game if you just plan to play adventure mode, but for those that frequent POGO.com it will be fun to achieve tokens even when they're not online. Playing the minigames once in a while is not out of the question either.

There are some long, drawn out sections where you trudge along performing all kinds of make-work scenarios. Faced with these mundane tasks, you're unlikely to replay the game more than once.

Overcoming the initial intimidation of the vast arrays of stats and finding your footing in the battlefield are certainly challenges worth celebrating when victorious. However, if you're looking for an engaging campaign, measured and concise tactics, and stunning graphics beyond the mechs, From Software's latest entry will leave you severely disappointed.

Unfortunately, the only really interesting aspect of the game was taken out of the remake, so the best that can be said of the game is that it's not bad. I was definitely never tempted to hate Dragon Quest VI.

Up to 16 people can play online but don't expect that many to show up for a war. Fortunately you can play with as little as one extra person online - and that may be the best you can hope for.

Though the game features a few core mechanics that makes it a good bit of fun, it is painfully apparent the developers were faced with a marketing timetable that didn’t allow them to produce the game they had envisioned.

Puzzle fans can get a few hours' worth of fun from Gravity, and they would be well-advised to give it a rental. As for a full purchase, it would be better to wait till the game hits the bargain bins.

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

Rent it, play it with your friends, and see what you think. I'm not saying you can't have fun with Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 if you're in good company, but you'll probably agree with me in that the mini-games are a little weak.

Up to 16 people can play online but don't expect that many to show up for a war. Fortunately you can play with as little as one extra person online - and that may be the best you can hope for.

There are some unlockables, but they can all be accessed by the halfway point, and the story is too basic to retain most players' interest.

There are some unlockables, but they can all be accessed by the halfway point, and the story is too basic to retain most players' interest.

There are some unlockables, but they can all be accessed by the halfway point, and the story is too basic to retain most players' interest.

If you are looking to play a game to get the experience of multiplayer while not actually being online, this may be the game you’ve been looking for.

Unfortunately, it is not the most played or the most updated version of the game, and the sloppy netcode doesn't make things any better.

History buffs and war nerds will delight in the information they can access in regards to the weaponry and tactics used in this battle.

One of the most formulaic games I've ever seen.

Short bursts is the recipe for your enjoyment of this game.

A mindless romp that is probably worth the ten dollar price of admission. If you're expecting a title that will provide you with lasting appeal, then you will be sorely disappointed.

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

While the game is fun, especially with a partner on the couch, the lack of boss battles, no online multiplayer matching, and only a handful of hours of content make this game little more than a solid rental.

A mindless romp that is probably worth the ten dollar price of admission. If you're expecting a title that will provide you with lasting appeal, then you will be sorely disappointed.

There just isn't enough to this title to make it worth 1000 points, and if you need a frenzied shooter fix, you could do a whole lot better than Pirates: The Key of Dreams.

It hasn't quite caught up to its 2K Sports brothers, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.

TNA iMPACT! isn't a bad game, but it does need a lot of work to reach the top in a gaming genre dominated by WWE for far too long.

Frankly, quite a few of the early Warner Brothers cartoons were incredibly violent, racist, and inappropriate for the young audiences they were geared towards. However, when you weed out the offensive or mediocre content, there's some good material to be found there, and it's these quality moments that make it into the game.

If you are looking to play a game to get the experience of multiplayer while not actually being online, this may be the game you’ve been looking for.

It's almost as though this game was made poorly on purpose so that the superiority of 360 would be felt like a kick to the head with a spiked boot. The message is that Xbox owners now have something to feel ashamed about - their crappy little Xbox.

While I appreciate some of the new additions to this version, it’s not enough to make me forget how much this game reminds me of "Deception," "Shaolin Monks" and "Deadly Alliance."

Masochistic players who get excited over an extreme level of unfair challenge might find some mileage out of this title. However, most folks who'd find themselves drawn in by the game's concept and presentation will likely be put off by its grueling unfairness.

If you have an itch for a Mario 64 clone, and want to check out a decent platformer, Rayman 3D gets the job done. However, if you've already played the game, I would wait until this launch title hits the bargain bin, as just simply slapping on 3D effects and calling Rayman 2 a new game is not enough to merit your $40.

Tom Clancy's EndWar is not a bad game; even taken with a grain of salt it won't necessarily leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

If you believe games are non-competitive ways to express yourself and where not much effort is required, then you will probably love Wii Music. However, if you believe games are all about skill, scores, and hard work, then you probably won’t enjoy this title at all.

There’s a full day’s worth of material here and lots of unlockables. However, it gets repetitive, and we encountered an apparent glitch that stopped us from beating the game.

The thirty new Golems and the Sixaxis support don't really offset the loss of online play. However, if you're just looking for an RPG to pass the time, you could do worse than Enchanted Arms.

The Fury gives me a conflicting sense of agoraphobia and claustrophobia. It's likely that it may be more refined in the future, but right now it feels as though it's still a work in progress.

The game can be a lot of fun with three or four human players, but playing with the computer-controlled characters gets boring fast.

It's too bad the stylus-intensive mini-games get in the way too often, giving Monster Lab the air of more of an interactive activity book than an entertaining gaming experience.

TNA iMPACT! isn't a bad game, but it does need a lot of work to reach the top in a gaming genre dominated by WWE for far too long.