The arcade style of gameplay in which the difficulty increases to make new levels more challenging is going to bore the novelty seekers, but hardcores will appreciate the virtually unlimited replay value, the two-player mode, and the online leaderboard.

Just keep in mind that your enjoyment of this cart will be in direct proportion to how easily you adapt to the less than stellar control scheme. With analog control built into the DS, this game would have been off the charts, but as it is I think a lot of people who played the original will be shocked to discover just how different it feels.

In many ways, however, Dead Rising surpasses "Resident Evil" in terms of providing pure excitement without cheap "dog smashing through a window" tricks. Though flawed in many areas, Dead Rising is a thoroughly entertaining zombie-smashing experience.

Rather than shooting for the moon and burning up on the Sun, MLB The Show 17 calls out it’s home run and knocks a dinger over the left field wall like it was nothing. This game is truly a delight and a must have for anyone who enjoys baseball simulations, even if you are an Indians fan.

A welcome addition to the DS. This is one system that is kicking ass as far as support goes. The online multi-player component is just the icing on an already deliciously rich cake. A must-purchase for shooter fans.

The story, though nothing revolutionary, does improve the overall experience.

With a good amount of unlockable content and plenty of multiplayer options, this is a biggest and deepest Mario Kart experience yet.

All of the game's elements mesh, from the music to the storyline, from the puzzles to the control system. I can't find anything nasty to say about this game. Ubisoft have certainly done their homework.

Simply put, there’s no reason for an owner of an Xbox One to not have Halo: The Master Chief Collection, well unless they happen to also be a robot. Robots can’t make good decisions.

Despite the relative lack of new content, the one new feature, Dynasty Online, will keep you coming back for more.

With its large expansive game play and large battles around every corner. The game is hard so don't expect to beat it down with out at least sending your Gamecube into orbit at least once.

I would simply advise getting the PC version (providing you meet the system requirements). Otherwise you're going to be spending money, and lots of it, to essentially turn your PS2 into a PC.

For those of you who enjoy this style of game, the magic is back. DDRMAX really delivers.

It's amazing how much there's to do in this title: lots of levels, gameplay styles, multiplayer options, and a good level editor. It's a box full of surprises!

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.

By adopting a laissez faire attitude to player discretion, Ubisoft has crafted a brilliant follow-up.

Castlevania as a modern, linear adventure game. It's a little different, but the formula works. Also, this game is massive-expect to log at least 18-20 hours before you reach the end.

Overall, the better graphics, easier controls, and clearer visuals help make this Pokémon game the best in the bunch. The great Wi-Fi connection modes also make this a must have for any Pokémon fan who may own too many versions already.

All of the aspects of the game seem to have been developed with care, including the most important: graphics, music, and gameplay.

If you are itching to stretch your left brain (or is that right brain?) and give your trigger finger a workout, Ikaruga is one nasty mother - shut your mouth. Rent it. Buy It. Whatever you do, just play it.

In short, if you found the first episode even remotely fun, then the second episode will definitely prove to be worthwhile. But if the idea of cartoon humor and puzzle-based gameplay scared you away from the first episode, then again, buyer beware.

The fighting engine has been polished to a sheen, and those who want to play the title at a competitive level will find that it is designed in such a way that they can develop their own fighting style fairly easily. Those who are just fans of the UFC, though, and want a game that captures that experience, will find that the game is lacking in the accoutrements that would make it a great hobbyist work as well as an intricate and involved fighting game.

If you like South Park you will love The Stick of Truth, plain and simple. It feels like you are marathoning the show, and marathon you will. It’s so hard to put this game down. When I first picked it up, I found myself, literally, playing it for seven hours straight. I just couldn’t get enough of it.

As an expansion pack this isn't a new game but it throws you enough bones to begin construction of a medium-sized graveyard.

It's been somewhat updated but not all of the updates are better than the original. Still, you absolutely have to get Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes if you haven't played the original - no question.

Mass Effect is quality. The story is very well done. The characters are well written, and it's amazing to see how they were at the beginning. It's like I got to see them as they were, and can now appreciate how they've grown from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2 and 3.

One of those rare treats that comes along once in a long while. Get it while it's hot.

In a nutshell, LEGO Star Wars II is action, adventure, collecting, puzzles, races, mini-game, Co-op mode and your favorite Star Wars characters all having a great time.

Essentially, if you love Civilization V, Brave New World will open up a world of possibilities. And if you haven't yet picked up Civilization V, Brave New World is the best way to play.

The enemy is full of piss and vinegar and ready to smash you and your mates into the concrete given half a chance. They will swarm, flank and surround you if you're not careful.

Red Faction: Guerrilla is a great game. Volition did many things right, but they came up short in some areas such as the subpar story, mediocre visuals, and the less than memorable characters.

However, Ratchet & Clank is an upgraded version of the classic. It doesn’t need to be much more than that, and what it does it does well.

The visuals and upgrade player models, beautiful broadcasting packages, improved game modes, and the epic homerun celebrations are just a few of the reason this game is truly awesome. There’s no better way to get amped up for the upcoming baseball season than with MLB The Show 16. This year’s version is worth every penny and will go down as the best baseball simulator ever created. It will hold you over until the Cubbies hoist the World Series trophy in October.

A real gem of an RPG. The new DS version is definitely the best way to enjoy the title and should provide fans with hours of fun.

The added character roster, new costumes, and extra Challenge Tower should be enough to sway those on the fence. But remember that it's Kombat on the go, so you can show off those fatalities anywhere, and all this content is a mere forty dollars-twenty bucks less than the barebones console copy at its launch-making an already stellar game an unbelievable bargain.

F.E.A.R. on Xbox 360 gets high marks for atmosphere, graphics, and enemy A.I., but a stern finger-waving for a lack of a structured internet lobby or buddy system. FPS fans looking for quick frights, superior enemy A.I. and tons of weaponry should look no further.

It's fun and well produced but it's a console version of an expansion pack and nothing more.

There’s nothing to make it not an enjoyable experience, but for those that lovedFar Cry 3, for all of its beautiful distractions, will find hours upon hours of glorious gameplay waiting for you.

A successful blend of the Metroidvania style of Symphony of the Night and straightforward, extremely difficult nature of older titles in the series.

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.

An exquisite experience for strategy junkies. PC purists may turn up their noses at it, but I dare them to play through multiplayer with a pair of headsets on and not get giddy.

Bionic Commando Rearmed is one of the best downloadable titles to date. The production value, quirky humor, outstanding platforming challenge, and low cost make this a game everyone should pick up.

While the novelty of being scared witless by the hideous creatures in the Silent Hill series may have ebbed some in recent years, Silent Hill 3 is guaranteed to graft a slow chill to your spine.

Tomb Raider looks better, plays better, and (for the most part, stupid controller echo) sounds better than it ever has before, and contains all the DLC that was released in one easy-to-buy package. I guess it is a Definitive Edition after all.

I really enjoyed DmC. Yes, it's darker, grittier, and deals with more relevant issues, but it's still everything I want from a Devil May Cry game.

Yes, the title still contains all the favorites fans love from the franchise. However, this year is all about so much more - Alex Hunter and his promising career. EA could have stripped the title dry and only provided The Journey and I’d still give it a positive score. The game mode is simply that good. Throw in a few gameplay improvements and you have yourself one heck of a new installment in the FIFA family.

The extremely user-friendly controls, deep open-world, loads of missions, and outrageous powers combine to make this one of the best titles to hit the PS3 to date.

In theme, premise, and execution, the classic Space Invaders is an archetypal cliché. Space Invaders Extreme recognizes this, and it succeeds where other revivals have failed because it isn't concerned with what Space Invaders was, nor does it try to imagine what Space Invaders would be had it been imagined today. Instead, Extreme looks at what Space Invaders is; what it means to all of us.

If the idea of a Star Wars MMO appeals to you, The Old Republic will be worth the cost of admission.

The level of quality and depth here is absolutely extraordinary.

By adopting a laissez faire attitude to player discretion, Ubisoft has crafted a brilliant follow-up.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is a solid platformer and a continuation of a series whose vibe and design still hasn’t been recreated in other titles. It’s a relief to see Crash’s legacy continue over 20 years later in a way that feels true to form.

This expansion pack adds new races, a new story, new missions and side quests, new weapons and armor, Perks and a totally overhauled engine with graphics that have to be seen to be believed... So incredible are the environments that even the wastelands look fantastic.

Size Matters equals, if not surpasses, the graphic experience of its PS2 big brothers. The environments and characters are slick, clean, and very pleasing as the camera whips around the action. The camera system itself is refreshing.

Definitely one of my favorite games of the year. It's not entirely perfect, but it is thoroughly enjoyable. If you've found yourself stuck in a gaming rut, I'd suggest combating it with a little levity and a great story.

Even though it's full of flights of fanciful Mario elements, the physics reacts very realistically.

Treyarch did a remarkable job of breathing new life into the WWII shooter. They followed the conventions outlined by Infinity Ward to a tee and, as a result, created a shooter that is every bit as good as last year's entry. Of course, there isn't a whole lot of innovation this time around, but the increased Multiplayer options, new settings, and great enemy A.I. should more than satisfy all but the most jaded Infinity Ward fanboys.

Excellent detail comes through in terms of the characters, items, and environments. Sure, there aren't a lot of different locations, but everything looks great with lots of depth and dimension.

Flat-out amazing. It's better than Episode 1 in every way. It's better written and more fun to play than other similar cinematic games like Heavy Rain. It's an artistic masterpiece, a pinnacle of cinematic gameplay. If you are a Walking Dead fan, or just a fan of cinematic games in general, then you owe it to yourself to play this episode.

This is a long, meaty game with replay value galore, but it feels a whole lot like Fallout 3.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled feels a bit too derivative, obviously borrowing ideas from competitors. But it’s also the most distinctly challenging of the bunch, almost working best as a single-player endeavor rather than a fun, multiplayer party game. It’s hard to tell if there’s room for that, as Activision itself seemed to struggle with how to sell this one. Crash Bandicoot fans will certainly be happy, and are likely already on board. Those looking for a challenge will have a good time chasing trophies. Casual/Party players who like kart games probably will want to stick with Sonic and Mario.

While a necessity to continue exploring the series, this is not one of the best episodes so far.

A flexible and fun experience which can be overwhelming at times but always manages to entertain.

An experience unlike any other in terms of gameplay, but the bugs drag the score down.

The sixty dollar price tag is a bit much to take, especially if you already spent sixty dollars on the original two years ago, but if Persona 4 Arena has been a staple in your fighting game library, Ultimax gives you more than enough content to satisfy you for another two years, and hopefully with patches and DLC it will get even better.

Yes, the collection is missing a few of its best, but for a mere thirty dollars and hundreds of hours of enjoyment, it's a hard sell not to recommend adding this album to your library.

The new added tag line of Playground of Destruction fits perfectly. It's just a huge area to destroy; yet it offers the gamer so much more. With a great story, decent characters and several mini-missions this one has it all.

While it may be shorter the action is non-stop and certainly no cakewalk. It is a great sequel despite the new bullet time changes. Fans of the first one will enjoy this one.

Incredible.

It will appease hardcore fans of games like Assassin’s Creed and the Batman: Arkham series, while introducing new gameplay mechanics that fundamentally change the structure of the game. A unique experience for any gamer indeed.

There are an insane amount of things to accomplish in the garden and a number of things that can be done whether to player focuses on breeding, gardening, farming, or all three.

People who love music video games won't get tired of this one. Not only does it include standard modes of play, but there's also co-op, face-off, battles, several online modes, and a very compelling music studio that allows you to create and share songs with the world.

The main, single player story mode may be the biggest disappointment in TimeSplitters: Future Perfect but it makes a decent training mode for the variety of other fun offline and online modes.

FIFA Soccer 09 is a must-have for sports fans. The simplified touch screen control system ensures that everyone will be up and running in no time with plenty of moves at their fingertips. Don't pass on this one.

A fun game? Sure. Worth 60 dollars? Definitely. The next evolution in Street Fighter? Maybe not.

If you are willing to put the work into the game, then Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- is awesome, simply awesome. It’s a game that you will be playing for years to come, not just a flavor of the week.

This game could have probably used a custom level editor to create your own levels, but as an arcade game that just costs 800 MS Points, you really couldn't ask for a whole lot more. The most important thing is the game is fun, imaginative (to a certain point), and contains a good sense of humor and a quirky protagonist.

PES 2009 is one of the best sports titles to release this calendar year. In fact, I would say it definitely rivals FIFA 2009 and even NHL 2009. What a surprise! Now I can't wait for the 2010 version to come out to see how this title matures on the system.

A fantastic story and colorful characters make this a memorable game. The only problem is, after you finish, you'll wish there was more.

If you love music and you love video games-and especially if you love rhythm games-Sound Shapes is simply a must-buy title. For the low price of fifteen dollars, you could be creating that musical masterpiece you've always dreamed of but simply lacked the tools needed to compose it.

Gears 5 is a sequel that delivers on everything I was hoping Gears of War 4 would be. It’s the same tried and true gameplay loop, but with more console power juicing it up and a few new gadgets, weapons and tools to play around with. The open world stuff is sort of boring, but it’s at least nice to look at, and the co-op experience being so well integrated makes up for it (minus the dreadful, illegible UI). There’s much more ambition and creativity in its storytelling and more competent writing from a mechanical standpoint. Combined with a clean, user-friendly multiplayer suite that even finds time to add brand new ways to play, Gears 5 is a standout even among its own series. It’s rough around the edges, but in a good way.

Fight Night fans will be coming back again and again for a while. While frustrating at first, the game is ultimately fun.

A very fun game that pays fan service to the faithful through its engaging, answer-filled story, and it modernizes the series through an amazing, cinematic presentation. Where the game seems to get bogged down is in its attempt to appeal to everyone. The hybridization of survival horror mechanics with action-shooter gameplay doesn't work out very well - making it suffer from the jack-of-all-trades syndrome.

May not pave any new roads for other PSP ports to follow, but it does deliver on all the elements that God of War fans have come to expect. And in that, it's a mighty, furious success.

It's a little complicated to learn the control system but after a few hours it should be smooth sailing across the universe.

I could honestly say that this game will give you a mental workout that could ultimately make you a better Tetris player - but that requires work and dedication - two words that are not synonymous with fun.

SMT: Devil Survivor is an intense game that has branching paths that allow for an endless amount of plot twists and ending possibilities, so replay is not just recommended, it’s a must.

All of the game's elements mesh, from the music to the storyline, from the puzzles to the control system. I can't find anything nasty to say about this game. Ubisoft have certainly done their homework.

A well written piece of game comedy, and those might be even rarer than the dramas, horrors, and mysteries we have seen throughout gaming’s history. Tales from the Borderlands is undeniably fun, and I can’t wait to see what further episodes bring.

Between the lengthy career mode, customizable characters, and online tournaments, there's enough here to keep fans of the series and tennis game newcomers alike grabbing their rackets and hitting the court.

If you liked last year's UFC title, then you will definitely love this year's.

Monster Hunter Tri is a game that really sucks you in. With a single-player mode that can last 30 hours or more and a multiplayer mode that has an endless amount of new areas to explore and quests to complete, if you pick this title up, you may not be able to put it down!

Replay value abounds.

You won't want to stop playing this one for quite awhile, with the interesting story, realistic missions, super graphics, and the whole bag of chips.

It's a smart game but it's not overly difficult offering just the perfect blend of challenge and non-stop action. You can finish it in a weekend but you can expect to spend a lot more time with it if you want to exercise all the various options.

There is very little replay value in the game, but that doesn't really matter. Your first time through is so much fun, and the co-op challenges are a real treat. You can't get much better for ten bucks.

It does, however, stay true to the gameplay mechanics of its predecessors, and provides countless hours of rewarding multiplayer options. The Gears faithful should rejoice, as a new saga is just getting lubricated.

There are few racing games that can boast about the pains taken to authenticate the sounds of their vehicles. DiRT is one of those games.