As much as I do appreciate the realism the title so firmly embraces, the difficulty that accompanies it is just too off putting. High speed affairs are supposed to be fun, not frustrating and annoying. In the end, accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake, fall, then proceed to curse a lot is not a practice I want to get into.

HSLT should definitely not be high on your list of DS SRPGs to play, but not necessarily at the bottom either.

In Wanted: Weapons of Fate, Grin has created a definite step forward for the "cover shooter" genre. It features a fast-paced campaign that we had a blast playing. Again, we suspect a rental will give most players all the value they'll get from this game, but all fans of third-person shooters should at least give it a shot.

Cheating makes for a strong improvement on an already solid card game.

The graphics are there, the story is there, and the mechanics are just a few tweaks shy of perfect. Yet when it comes to gameplay, that final and most important 10 percent, most folks will find themselves getting bored, lost, annoyed, or all three.

What's so strange about For Answer is its trading of extensive customization for actual gameplay. Sure, you can build the ultimate mech, customizing it to your heart's content, yet when you actually play the game, you realize its shortcomings.

It's missing far too much.

Oddly addicting. It's as hard to put down as it is hard to pick up and play once you become frustrated over the design imperfections. How you will fare depends on your temperment in this reality.

If you want Super Bomberman R for the occasional good time blasting your friends and family around the television, then it is worth considering, but only down the road when the price drops significantly. At $50, there is simply too little it offers and too much it does wrong. With the issues presented, it begs speculation as to whether Konami simply cranked this out quickly to capitalize on the hype of the launch of a new system.

This game offers card collecting, platforming, and mini-games, and it's more than just a cash-in on a popular license.

The game brings back some great moments in the history of wrestling and that alone deserves a look from wrestling fans.

Despite all the positive aspects of Ford Racing 2, it's actually a short game. The replay value isn't extended much by the two-player mode and few will be obsessed with obtaining the high score on the Xbox Live.

It's not like being there, but Desert Storm offers us a glimpse into what modern warfare is like.

If you're going to acquire this game, do it for the offline mode. You can expect to get about 10 hours out of it, but don't expect much more than that. Good luck with the online modes.

The game is brimming with strategy. [JPN Import]

I just can't get behind it as it suffers from too high a frustration factor which could have been easily tweaked. There are simply too many gameplay elements going on at once which results in an uneven experience.

While Meet the Robinsons is nothing revolutionary, it does provide an enjoyable experience all the way around. If you are the type of gamer that loves platform games and loves the movie sub-genre just as much, then this game was designed with you in mind.

The story is compelling enough to keep the interest of the story driven player, while adequately supplying the action enthusiast plenty to do.

Though Dog Days wasn't exactly what I was expecting, I enjoyed its arcade approach. Unfortunately, the design and breadth of content don't come close to justifying the price.

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.

The cars are easy to control, the weapons are easy to launch and the tracks can be fun to navigate for a while. This isn't a bad game if you're just looking for some mindless fun to pass the time.

I could see lots of anglers trying their hand at this game if it were installed in the local bait & tackle store but I can't see many gamers getting much replay value out of it at home.

I’m confident that you’ll eventually grow weary of the repetitious dungeon crawling.

They did a good job giving Mario Party lovers what they like and, for once, they actually showed improvement and innovation.

Most people won’t get addicted, but it’s fun to play alone or with friends, and there are tons of options.

With tighter, arcade-style combat, a more interesting environment, and less time-wasting tedium in the exploration sections, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate could have been an entertaining Metroidvania game. As it is, it's a wholly middling experience.

Story mode is long enough to keep you engaged, and the online mode is amusing for a few rounds. However, I can’t imagine getting more than seven or eight hours of playtime out of this title.

Using logic and brainpower to deduce the facts is great fun, and the game is surprisingly entertaining.

Mario Sports Superstars could appeal to multiple demographics, but might not hold the attention for any of them. Each sport is fun, but the lack of variety in games and their respective courses wears thin. The Mario sports games are rife with potential for players of all ages, sports fans or not, to gather their 3DS consoles and participate in wild tournaments. But with Mario Sports Superstars, I only want to go further inside my house to play different Nintendo games.

It'll probably take you about three hours to blast through the game's main objectives, and you can add about two to three more hours if you stop to befriend everyone. After that, there's no reason to come back.

It all comes down to the basic fact that a work of art, created specifically for a mature audience, should not have been forced to compromise the way that this game has been. Gamers who have been waiting a long time for this game to come out, or even just gamers in general, should definitely stay far away from Manhunt 2. While it is definitely not the worst game I have ever played, it is definitely one of the biggest letdowns.

With such a variety of things to do in Metal Saga, it's definitely worth a rental. You can spend as much time with it as you like. You can't say that about other RPGs.

If you pair that up with the weak gameplay and the obvious graphics and controls downgrade, you will realize this PS2 port just can't be compared to its Ratchet & Clank PS2 predecessors or the stellar PS3 game, Tools of Destruction.

The game will only take you about eight hours to complete and with no multi-player modes or unlockables, there is no actual replay value. If you want to get 24 hours out of it, play it three times.

If you're an adolescent boy who is able to play this game without fear of being reprimanded by mom and dad, you'll most likely think this is a gift from the gaming gods. I'd definitely argue with you on that point.

And while the Wii version of this title may not be the absolute best, it does a good job of conveying the fun energy of the movie that inspired it, and kids will love the fun mini-game inspired play.

Fans of the series will still find plenty to like here, but just be aware that this second helping isn't going to taste quite as fresh as the first.

Empires makes the series bigger and better than ever with new scenarios, large scale battles, new policies and plenty of strategy to keep your mind fully engaged.

There's no use mincing words. Commandos Strike Force is a dumbed down version of the Commandos series. It's more accessible, more forgiving and for the right player it can be a whole lot of fun.

The graphics miss a beat when it comes to the characters themselves. While Spider-man might look great, everyone from Peter down to J. Jonah Jameson looks painfully done.

Offers young gamers just what they want: great graphics and sound reminiscent of the series; good control; gadgets, and plenty of fighting action.

These games should be kept out of the hands of youth so as not to show them how ignorant we were when we were young.

Loading the game into your machine is like unleashing Pandora's box. You'll either love it or loath it. Keep the aspirins handy in case of headaches.

Broken online play, lack of caution flags, and the inability for the pack of cars to spread out. You'll have fun for five minutes, then become incredibly frustrated.

A derivative, persistent online RPG that is trying to compete with older and much better games in the genre. Lineage 2 is too little, too late.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law will teach you as much about law as a cartoon will teach you about the laws of physics. Don't take it too seriously, and you'll have a blast.

There's no use mincing words. Commandos Strike Force is a dumbed down version of the Commandos series. It's more accessible, more forgiving and for the right player it can be a whole lot of fun.

A fun game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Therefore, players shouldn’t take in-game action too seriously either, and if true-to-life football, play-calling, and tactics is your thing, Blitz is definitely not for you. At the most, this is an arcade intended for a good time, though the fun can tend to be short-lived.

Puzzles are engaging and plentiful, and the freestyle mode can easily occupy days of solid creativity.

Broken online play, lack of caution flags, and the inability for the pack of cars to spread out. You'll have fun for five minutes, then become incredibly frustrated.

The only up side to owning this game is that you can go back and replay all the levels to find all the images, rescue all the characters and beat your best score.

No two games are same. This is one of the few GBA games that will actually give you an education while entertaining you at the same time.

The controls are very responsive and combined with your superior strength in the single-player mode, makes it feel as though you're playing with some serious cheat codes up your butt.

Online play is good as far as lag is concerned but you'll have to have plenty of patience finding games. At the end of each game you're knocked back into the lounge where you have to search for another game.

It's not a great looking game but that was never its strength. It's all about mood and it has it here in spades.

Taken as a whole, NeoWave is a classic fighting game - but it's essentially a remake of a classic fighting game. The fact that it doesn't offer many new features in the gameplay makes it appear like nothing more than a cash grab.

There is plenty to do in Divinity II, and if you don't mind putting up with the poor visuals or combat, there are plenty of side-quests to take on to extend your experience.

Chronicles of Mystery may be lacking in the excitement and action departments, but it’s and otherwise well-constructed adventure.

Mr. Driller and Mr. Driller 2 would have made great unlockable mini -games but like Kramer, George and Elaine, it's just not good enough to make it on its own.

In the end, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint never finds its groove. There are so many different things to do that you would think that there’s something in this game for everybody, but that’s not really the case. Instead, most things just feel pointless or function as a distraction from its core gameplay, which is already a composite of disparate elements. In a way, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is like listening to rock, jazz, and reggae, only you’re doing all these things at the same time, none of the albums are that good to begin with, and the end result is a confusing cacophony of noise that is far less than the sum of its parts. You’d be better off participating in a more focused experience.

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.

A watered-down (no pun intended) stone-tossing experience that isn't even worth its $2.99 price tag.

Riptide is much like the zombies it portrays. It meanders about, bumping into everything, and occasionally it finds some meat to sink its teeth into. Then it slowly moves on to find the next scarce meal. Missing some parts, it shambles around, a mindless, and feral creation. Too bad.

The single player game will hold your attention and you'll get more mileage out of it if you play on the harder difficulty settings, but the real secret to milking everything out of this one is the online co-op mode.

Control is the key to this game and for the most part the controls are set-up very well. [Chris]

MicroBot's baseline gameplay isn't revolutionary, but for an arcade shooter, it's not bad. Might be worth a trip just for the aesthetics, depending on how much like the genre.

The tacked-on motion-sensing controls that are supposed to give you precise control of your plane only result in making playing through the game an exercise in frustration.

The fun 8-bit plot scenes and gadget based levels offer kids plenty of fun gameplay, and the option of co-op play and collection quests make this an easy choice for older kids to really get into. However, the short gameplay time and repetitive vocal and graphical elements of the title make it a bit hard to recommend at a $50 price point.

If you're looking for a ground-breaking experience or a robust selection of multiplayer modes- BlackSite's don't offer much more than a weekend distraction--this isn't it. However, if you find the idea of fighting aliens in your own backyard appealing, you won't do better than BlackSite's relatable, the-truth-is-out-there experience.

Escape from Paradise City thrusts players into a dynamic gaming experience they won't soon forget. Some story elements may feel too common or even cliché at times, yet the high level of play control, enthralling locations, superb visual detail, and role-playing elements are some of the best we've seen lately. On the whole, the game knocks you to the curb, kicks you in the teeth, and makes you love every second of it. It's violent, sexy, and highly recommended.

Multiplayer modes are limited, though the dogfights and team battles for up to 16 players are still quite fun. It's satisfying taking down an enemy plane when you know there's a human cursing you out from his burning cockpit on the other end.

There's just enough depth to this game to make it challenging to newbies and novices. If you're a "Roller Coaster Tycoon" fanatic you will find the gameplay much too similar to hold your interest.

There's nothing so captivating about this game that a rental can't dispel. It's too bad you can't rent games by the minute.

The best thing that I can say about Metal Torrent is that it's a great space shooter with a huge bite taken out of the middle.

If I had a chance to play this during the years I was a complete Wolverine fanatic I would have passed out from pleasure overload. No kidding... This is the one of the finest comic book games to date.

This won't appeal to the hardcore but younger gamers will love the look and feel of this easy to pick up and play, visually appealling game. Just watch out for the tough spots!

With so many great games available on the 3DS, there's no reason for gamers to subject themselves to this under baked, disjointed, and sometimes tedious experience.

The story mode is long enough to capture the attention of most young gamers, and for the ambitious players, there are some secondary collection quests to explore.

Heck, even those that are an older audience will have a hard time faulting the game, for its presentation and scope of gameplay are quite nice.

So much of this game is derived from Pokemon that it's shameless.

Addicting. It operates on many levels. Not only to you have to think fast but you have to plan in advance. I think that most gamers will be amazed at just how many words they can think of when pushed to the limit.

The Xbox version is as close to the original as possible but the sloppy execution of accessing the interface is hampered by the limited control system.

The lack of speed is actually an interesting concept because you can use some strategy when controlling your vehicle.

Travel Games For Dummies is a very good game for business travelers and casual gamers. Combining classics like Sudoku, Solitaire, and Crosswords together was a grand idea. Moreover, the addition of clearly taught strategy lessons to the mix is a great way for teaching or improving your knowledge of these games, and it helps to differentiate this title from other brain games out there.

Certainly the GBA version pales in comparison to the freedom of the console versions and the graphic chutzpah of USM on the DS, but it's still an enjoyable title that will pass the time.

You won't get the Full Monty here but you'll see a lot of T &A. The language itself is very explicit and you'll find yourself shocked into bouts of laughter at some of the things that come out these characters' mouths. The voiceacting is darn good and interestingly enough the characters, especially the girls, have more depth to them than you would expect.

If you're a fan of slasher films and all-around gory themes, then you'll have a blast if you can look past the lack of polish. Previous fans of the franchise will love it. Newcomers, be wary if you strive for perfection out of your games.

This is a simple hack-and-slash game. By its very nature it's repetitive. By hinting at more depth with weapon upgrades, 79 playable and combinable characters with upgradable attributes, and a two-player mode, I think it's the developer's responsibility to fully realize these features and implement them in the gameplay. Otherwise don't tease us.

Once you get a hang of the new controls, there's a ton of content here, though most of it is taken directly from the franchise's previous installments.

I've played worse games than Fracture, but it's certainly not one I'd ever recommend. As it turns out, the core concept of terrain deformation is more of a gimmick than a fully fleshed out feature, and the rest of the shooter mechanics are painfully subpar.

It's short, addictive, and a wonderful novelty for gatherings. An online leaderboard would have been cool, but Wii owners are still getting a worthwhile addition to their library with this one.

Although there are plenty of modes, the dart-throwing mechanic gets dull after only a few minutes.

Not only unoriginal but flawed in its execution. It can be fun in spurts but it fails to sustain any momentum.

Let there be no doubt, Surf's Up is strictly for kids in love with the movie. The redundancy of the gameplay will certainly help to break one's obsession with all things penguin in a weekend. Definitely a rental.

If you want to play a classic survival horror game the way it was originally meant to be played then you'll want to check out Resident Evil Code: Veronica X...Be warned that you're not getting anything new.

If you like having a good laugh, fart jokes, guns, explosions, boobs, chimichangas, comics, swords, and pretty much anything awesome–you should probably go out and get this game. If you don’t like these things–there isn’t really anything left to say to you.

If there's one area where Blood Stone is a bit disappointing, it's that everything that it does, while well-made and thoroughly polished, is fairly basic.

Despite having some decent multiplayer options, MySims SkyHeroes has a weak single player mode, and will be frustrating to younger players.