Regrettably, it amounts to a barely-competent shooter with an off-putting aesthetic, ludicrous plot, gimmicky hook, and a frustrating tendency to repeat its boss-battles more than a JRPG.

Conquest doesn't excel at anything it does, but it doesn't really take any missteps either. For what it's worth, the fact that someone is trying something new and outside-the-box with Pokemon is commendable in itself, and I hope that this game is enough of a success that it makes it viable for The Pokemon Company to keep trying new things with the franchise in the future.

Unchained Blades is a challenging adventure that requires a methodical and patient attitude towards progression, a good thing as the amount of time you'll put in completing the main story and the secondary quests just about suits the $30 price tag.

Creator Vince Wesselman's passion for the adventure genre shines through every one of Resonance's pronounced pixels. There are a few hitches here and there, but they won't stop Resonance from being one of the best adventure games you will play this year.

Krater offers an interesting take on post-apocalyptic games and utilizes strategic maneuvers while engaged in combat, but it felt a bit dragged out and of course, I went a little click happy. Although the story was okay, I felt that the gameplay was repetitive and the point-and-click tactic was getting tired.

Only hardcore Final Fantasy aficionados need apply as the game won't sustain interest for those with a casual like for the franchise.

There is a great cast of characters complete with an equally great voice cast (including some of the animated DC shows) and with the other DC heroes and it feels like the developers are using this to test the waters for all of them to get their own games so let us hope this will finally give us a great Superman game!

Spelunky is a great game. There are no technical issues to hold it back, the controls are solid, the art is awesome, the multiplayer is fun, and the challenge is superb. The game can be really rough when you can't make progress for hours on end, but overall I think people will find Spelunky to be a great experience. It really is a shame this game wasn't included in the Summer of Arcade, as it is extremely high quality.

It may not take any giant leaps for the platform but it does give a solid performance and really shows that Beenox takes their hand held games seriously. It gives us hope that they can really pull off something great in the future.

The whole package just feels lazy and while it may find an audience with kids who may not know any better, any adult fan will just feel cheated and bored. Unfortunately the Vita will have to wait a little longer for a satisfying whole hearted Lego experience.

Giving you a reason to come back to the wonderful world of Skyrim is what ultimately matters and at the end of the day, if you can stomach the cost, it will give you hours of fun and may spark your interest to carry on playing a simply fantastic base game.

All of these little changes go a long way to help make the game feel different. It's still that same great Civ experience, but it adds a lot more and does some smart things to change up the balance.

Each episode so far has had its good parts and bad parts- but each time, it's something different. It's been inconsistent, and I don't think it can keep my interest if it doesn't settle down and find a groove for itself. The lack of focus on Lee/Clementine is only forgiven because of the extra focus on a good story twist at the end- but I really hope they find a balance in the future, which would truly make the game compelling on a level that Telltale hasn't done before. As of now, it still feels like a work in progress.

Gravity Rush uses all parts of the bull, from motion to touch controls, and none of it feels ill-suited, unnecessary, or poorly crafted. For Vita owners, there's no reason not to give this a shot.

The Walking Dead Episode 2 is a perfect, three-hour nugget of story-driven adventure gaming. The immediacy of the gameplay and writing make it easy to boot up the game and instantly become engrossed in a world where nothing is sacred, and anything can happen at any moment. No tutorials needed.

The Amazing Spider-Man may not only go down as one of the best Spider-Man games but one of the better movie licensed games out there because it doesn't feel like a movie game. Beenox did a great job of taking a movie based gaming and fleshing it out into its own thing.

As much as I like the Bloodbowl tabletop, I've never felt that it translated well into video game form, and Dungeonbowl didn't change the way I feel.

It's a campaign that merits multiple playthroughs, and a story as strong and daring as those of Bioshock, Shadow of the Colossus and Dead Space 2. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that it achieves this in spite of mechanics that are noticeably dated and bereft of innovation. For that reason, the game is best taken as a whole, and not as something that can be played simply on the strength of its mechanical composition.

Kim Swift will make amazing games for family audiences at Airtight Games. But as a watered down version of Portal with a forgettable world and gameplay that makes you pound your desk in fury, Quantum Conundrum is a step backward.

While it has a few missteps and lacks the semi tongue in cheek humor of the original games, I found that the experience of Max's journey to be far more engrossing than I initially expected.

Dragon's Dogma is a game of missteps. It tries to be open world, but doesn't fill it with much to do. It tries to be a co-op style adventure game, but doesn't actually have co-op. It tries to tell an epic tale, but fills it with boring tasks. It has a lot going for it thanks to its intense combat and amazing ending.

Sadly, Resistance's debut on the PS Vita is undone by the very concept it proves. In time, we may see first-person shooters thrive on this system, and that's a relief, but Burning Skies doesn't warrant a place among them.

Lollipop Chainsaw is an average brawler made interesting and memorable by a slick, sickly sweet presentation. It does what it set out to do: tell a goofy zombie story starring a lollipop-loving cheerleader who dispatches her foes with cutesy gusto. The gameplay doesn't really do anything to set itself apart from other games of the genre and in some cases, it feels like Suda51 is dipping from his own well.

Ghost Recon Future Soldier is not bad game; it's simply a bad Ghost Recon game.

Virtua Fighter 5 is a decent game that is certainly worth $15, I just don't think that people will continue to play it for long before they return to their preferred fighters.

Mad Riders is not a bad game. It has some truly fun moments that remind me of the best arcade racers. The unfortunate part is that there are a lot of games that are simply better than Mad Riders. The game is cheap enough, at $10, that those who are interested in off road racing should consider checking it out. All others should probably look elsewhere for their racing needs.

Nostalgia is the sole reason I can fathom someone would want Dragon's Lair at this point and, admittedly, the Xbox Live Arcade version is as solid as a HD release as either the iOS or PSN release. Regardless, Dragon's Lair is a quest best remembered in kind aged memories rather than on your Xbox 360.

Awesomenauts isn't really a bad game. It's well built, holds promise for additional content and serves as a good primer to the MOBA genre. Unfortunately, the lack of players kills the product.

I did enjoy Squids and people should definitely check it out, but I don't think I can recommend that players purchase Squids on the PC. The pacing and length seem far more suited to its $2 app price tag rather than the $7 PC version. Still if you are like me and don't have an iOS or Android device, it's worth considering dropping some cash on this charming action RPG.

It is great to see more games of this quality appearing on download services such as Xbox Live Arcade, as it shows that those platforms are viable for bigger and better games. Deep Black Episode 1 may miss step in a couple of places and have an extremely abrupt ending, but it is a competent shooter that is defiantly worth a look, if you enjoy the genre. Just don't expect anything ground breaking in terms of story.

I know there are many players out there who haven't touched a game like this whose eyes would be opened by a game as deep and challenging as this one. Unless you're willing to spend a bunch of time reading FAQs and other external sources of information, though, I'm not sure that Disgaea 3 will be that game. Possible, absolutely, but unlikely.

In a way, The Legend of Grimrock is a lot like Dark Souls. The game rewards calculated, meticulous play and any severe injuries or deaths are likely a result of not taking in your surroundings. There are a lot of ways to die in Grimrock and if you're not paying attention, taking the time to search out better gear and learn to craft potions, you're going to have a difficult time with it. However, there's a great feeling of accomplishment as you traverse each floor, defeating powerful monsters and figuring out puzzle solutions on your own.

The bottom line is, if you want to play an action-RPG that is easy to get into, rewards skillful play in higher difficulty levels, and lets you easily play with your friends, Diablo III is a game that you absolutely cannot miss. But its narrow design makes it a game that I can't recommend without caveat for those who prefer single player experiences.

With a lengthy campaign and a multiplayer full of leveling and unlocking Max Payne 3 is a title that will hold your attention for a while and show you one hell of a ride in the process. With only a few minor hiccups keeping it from being a perfect game, Max Payne 3 is unquestionably a must have.

If you're still hankering for some old school adventure game action, then you could do worse than Tomb Of The Lost Queen. It's hardly the most polished, most attractive title out there but it doesn't make any grave missteps and just about kept me engaged enough to see it through to its conclusion.

On paper Sorcery is a game that seems perfectly suited for the launch Playstation Move, not a game to come out for the platform two years after its release. Sorcery ends up being held back by a lack of creativity. It manages to use the Playstation Move pretty well but everything else is easily forgotten.

Tera will be remembered for two things: art and its implementation of a combat experience unique to the genre. But the use of familiar MMO tropes feels somewhat uninspired. From the beginning, taking down monsters and levelling up is easy and only after the player leaves the Island of Dawn do monsters pose more of a challenge, but the biggest enemy you'll have to contend with is boredom. While Tera has a strong focus on community and PvP and the combat certainly is an innovation that I'd like to see implemented in more MMOs, I've had a difficult time breaking through the monotony of the non-community experience.

In the simplest terms, playing The Witcher 2 is a lot like attending an archaeological dig with nothing but your bare hands: you're sure to come up with something amazing, but you'll suffer a lot of unnecessary punishment and stress to attain it.

Ultimately, my only mark against The Walking Dead is that there aren't a lot of places where players get to use their noggin. With the exception of a scene where you must determine the right sequence in which to dispatch a group of zombies in a parking lot, the game proceeds forward in a linear fashion. Sure, you can mess up and die, but the game isn't difficult, and doesn't have any unconventional puzzle solving, like those found in Telltale's Sam & Max or Monkey Island games.

A game like The Walking Dead ultimately lives and dies based on its characters and writing, though, which has always been something that Telltale's been good at. While it's a little weaker on average than usual, they've also never reached higher highs than they have here. The gameplay is much simpler, but they've shown the direction that the series is going, and with the promise shown here, I hope they can deliver the emotional heft that this series needs to survive.

At the end of the day, Superflat Games have triumphed in creating an original title that both plays and looks as you expect. The way the story progresses is interesting, and there's enough gravity to player choices that it's worth a second play-through. If you've been longing for a survival horror experience that reminds you of the genre's glory days, you can't do any better for a budget price of $9.99. That is, if you're confident survival horror is just as immersive and fun to play as you remember it…

Naval War: Arctic Circle will certainly be of interest to those hungry for a pure, military simulation experience. It may not be traditional real time strategy, but the intense focus on realism will most likely turn some heads. Its biggest barrier to entry, however, will be your level of patience. Naval War can be fun, but you're going to have to play it on its terms.

The battles you encounter in both the single player and online modes are fun and can keep you entertained for a while. However, the gameplay became pretty repetitive after the first few fights.

This game is worth neither your money nor your time.

It's a gamer's game. Little in the way of panache or hand holding and very rewarding to the dedicated. Those who can overcome a few technical issues and a steep mastery curve should reeve their engines and pick this one up from Xbox Live Arcade as soon as possible.

I cannot recommend Mortal Kombat highly enough. This is a game that belongs in your Vita's library and the price is just right. For $40 you get everything the console versions had and then some, as new characters fill out an already massive roster and new challenges will test your combat skills. It may not have the stunning in-game visuals of its counterparts, but that is forgivable considering what Warner Bros. has managed to pack into the product.

Played superficially, Fez can be completed in an afternoon but to get the most value out of the $10 price tag, you'll want to dig deep and explore a world filled to the brim with secrets just begging to be uncovered.

It just falls flat, showing small signs of life, but otherwise just not worth your time.

FIFA Street is a solid street soccer experience that feels very familiar to FIFA 12 and yet still feels like its own game. The game has an incredible first impression but I didn't feel like the game had the staying power that would make me want to come back to it weeks or months down the road. There is no denying I had a lot of fun with FIFA Street sadly the fun curve starts dwindling faster than the developers were hoping for.

While it has some issues it is still completely playable but some people may be turned off by the learning curve of the controls and spotty frame rate but if you are able to looks past all of that then you can still find a fun time.

Avoid this game at all costs, young Padawan…and may the force be with you, always.

Last year I said that MLB 11 wasn't a monumental step forward. I would say that MLB 12 is only a half-step forward for the series. Sure the competition within the genre is weak but that is still no excuse to leave much unchanged from last year's version. MLB 12: The Show is a fantastic game of baseball there just isn't enough new to make it an outright purchase recommendation.

From gameplay that boils down to memory quizzes to poor production values to bland stories, there is no reason you should play this game, no matter how big a fan of adventure games or Law & Order you are.

It is hard to believe that this game is produced by a small developer, only costs $15, and is downloadable. Not only does it contain almost all the features of a full retail fighting game, but it does almost all of them better. Most critically, the online is perfect and the tutorial actually teaches you how to play fighting games.

If you have a 3DS, pick this game up. It's especially a great deal when you consider that it's just the pack-in game for that amazing stand peripheral.

Asura's Wrath is a title that's light on the undeniables, but foremost among those is that there's nothing else quite like it right now. That's not an entirely good thing, as Asura's exploits are likely best suited for other gameplay styles, or even other media.

In the end, Rayman 3 just doesn't make much sense on the gamescape of 2012. It would have been more logical as a pre-order bonus for Rayman Origins than its own thing. It's a good port of a pretty good game that relies too heavily on combat rather than platforming and should only be experienced by those that can't get enough Rayman.

This collection is better suited for newcomers who have no previous experience with (or attachment to) Konami's survival horror classic.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is a good game of golf. The new controls will freshen things up a bit and of course there are modes up the wazoo to try out. Kinect support is included but after a few holes probably won't get much in terms of playtime. I can't say it's an easy buy recommendation to make but if you have missed a few years of Tiger Woods games then this one is a good one to get back into.

After playing countless of me-too Tower Defense off-shots, it's incredibly refreshing to see a game that effortlessly manages to spice up the formula with great mechanics, pin-point controls, exhilarating strategic depth, hectic action and a terrific audiovisual presentation. Toss in the lengthy campaign and enjoyable extras, and the kooky plot and lack of multiplayer are the only missteps in this otherwise incredibly solid and thoroughly entertaining strategy/action title.

The Jak and Daxter HD Collection is a nice little piece of history coded onto a disc.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is an unfortunate addition to an otherwise great franchise. With this being the second of three Resident Evil games coming out this year it would probably be best to just skip this one entirely unless you are a diehard fan who wants to see every game in the series. This title had a lot of great potential but falls flat on almost every part of its delivery and while it may not do everything wrong what it does right is hardly enough to save this alternate take on a great franchise.

I'm usually not a huge fan of games like Sine Mora, but this one is really amazing. While it is a little pricy at $15, especially considering its length, I think that it is certainly worth the money. The story is also shockingly poignant, the graphics are beautiful, and the gameplay is challenging but precise and fun. Most importantly, it makes an intimidating genre open for new comers

Sumioni won't set the world on fire, but it finds ways to be challenging and entertaining and I see it taking the road that leads it to becoming a cult classic.

The technical issues, obtuse game design, and low population really hurt Armored Core.

Journey is an amazing achievement for thatgamecompany and it shows just how far Jenova Chen's studio has come since since flOw. The game controls like a dream, is startlingly beautiful and will be one of those games people will talk about for months.

Downpour could have been good, but any shot at greatness gets bogged down by a laundry list of problems. A shame, because there are times when the games gets tense and unnerving, a big plus for this genre.

I think Strange Loop Games had a lot of nice and genuinely cool ideas that were decently executed. For the most part Vessel is fun, creative, and deals very well with fluid dynamics (congratulations to the programmer[s] responsible). It's a shame that such a crucial component of the game is executed so poorly. However, as the new studio's first product, Vessel succeeds more than it fails and shows that the studio has the potential to make a truly fantastic game in the future.

Fans of third-person shooters and Japanese game design will find themselves especially satisfied.

If the idea of pitting two incredibly strong universes of characters together in an ultimate battle doesn't excite you then the promise of fast paced action gameplay and stunning visuals should draw you in. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is perfectly represented on the Vita and having a portable fighter is always good to have because it is something you can easily drop in and drop out of. With great online and a stellar arcade mode at your fingertips (almost literally) UMVC3 is a game well worth the money for any Vita owner.

Capcom has put out a partially broken full retial game. I had fun with it despite its flaws, but $60 is too much to ask for what this game is.

For a series that centers its experience around the survival of characters and the choices you've made in previous games, it does a fine job managing all sorts of variables and presents strong, emotional and – best of all – fitting conclusions to the lives Commander Shepard has influenced. There's a lot of heart and soul crammed into the story, which makes this game such a joy to play through.

Are you in the mood for a unique puzzle game filled with ambient electronic music and want to feel good about supporting independent game development? Waveform may just be right up your alley. It is elegant in its simplicity, but don't let that fool you. The game quickly becomes challenging and with about eleven stages (filled with ten levels each), there's a surprisingly large amount of game and replayability to be had. I see myself coming back to this game often.

Zipper Interactive has taken their experience with the PSP and cranked up their flair to produce an excellent hand held shooter. If you are a Vita owner and you love action games then Unit 13 is a must have. With great mechanics and a functioning online co-op there is a lot of fun and many hours to spend with this great title. I couldn't put the game down and I expect to keep revisiting it for a while.

By the end it can be hard to care, even if the plot is far more interesting. Couple the mediocre story with the less than fulfilling gameplay, and you have an experience that drags to begin with in both story and gameplay, discouraging you from progressing, but once it picks up pace it is far more enjoyable and worth the trudge.

There are certainly worse games selling on the digital marketplace for both systems and I Am Alive is eons better than the somewhat similar Amy released early this year. Still, you'll need pretty strong rose-tinted shades not to be absolutely disappointed in what I Am Alive could have been.

Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and an even greater achievement upon the landscape of video game that is only held back by some small gameplay issues and its own grandeur. Honestly, the worst part of the game is knowing that there will be no Mass Effect 4 to import my Shepard into. It's like saying goodbye to a friend and it is an experience that, while sort of heart aching, every single person who plays video games should have. But it's nothing without its predecessors. So do yourself a favor, start with the original Mass Effect and see this story through to the end. There is nothing else quite like it.

If you have ever enjoyed a single moment from the last generation games, you need to own SSX. Newcomers should not fear getting their snowboots wet with SSX. Like the other games, it is easy to get into and the online Ridernet helps fuel the flame of competition for many months to come.

Alan Wake is at its best when it is tense yet manageable. Those moments when you know you have little ammo but can strategically take out a group of baddies with the right timing are absolutely incredible. Sadly those moments don't pop up often in American Nightmare and the story dies out pretty quickly which was the original game's saving grace. I can't speak for every fan of Alan Wake but it was the story and atmosphere that pulled me in like darkness did to Wake, without those being exciting the gun-play does little to hold my interest.

Unfortunately with reviewing this game I have to think of it in terms of should someone spend their hard earned money on this game and that hurts Dear Esther in a regrettable way. It tells a very interesting story in a mysterious and ambitious way and stands out as a risky decision on the developers but manages to be at least a little entertaining for how shallow the gameplay is. At a ten dollar price range I feel like I may have over paid a little and would have felt more comfortable with a price half that.

It still has that Katamari Damacy charm, but if you've played one Katamari game you've played them all. The game uses the Vita's capabilities in a competent fashion, but I'd much rather use the joysticks to control the ball instead of the touch screen.

A solid rhythm game and probably one of the best to ever be on a handheld, Michael Jackson the Experience is a great offer for fans of music games or if you just love yourself some classic Michael Jackson songs. The audience may be limited because of the single artist in the game but if you can appreciate Jackson's music or just love any music game than Michael Jackson the Experience HD is definitely worth checking out.

Happy Action Theater is more of a gadget or a tech demo than a game. But it's a great example of what the Kinect can do.

To put it bluntly Dungeon Hunter: Alliance just reeks of mediocrity.

At best, this is just a pain pill for hardcore racing enthusiasts. As one of four racing games in the Vita's launch, it's the only one holding the fort down for the urban street racing sub-genre, but it's completely lifeless and devoid of originality. Players unable to quell their curiosity will definitely find something playable here, but they'd do just as well to save their money for the eventual Need For Speed release.

I wanted to love Reckoning. I really did. And don't get me wrong, it's a good game; I did enjoy it. But I also got really tired of playing it.

Personally, I don't see it winning any awards at the end of the year, but if you like high fantasy and games that will keep you busy for hours with a great number of quests and activities, Amalur is certainly well worth your money. However, if you're already entrenched in Skyrim, holding off on this one for awhile might be a good idea, lest you suffer from open world RPG burnout.

There is potential in Da New Guys but it's not a fully realized world that warrants a buy from anyone but the most eager and devoted adventure fans.

The worst thing I can say about Rhythm Heaven Fever is that it doesn't seem like it utilizes the Wii all that well. It looks sharp, but not in a way that it couldn't have on a portable. The motion isn't used, the IR is optional, and it only uses 2 buttons. That's not to say that the game is bad because of it- it just doesn't seem like a good fit for a home console, especially one as unique as the Wii.

Players looking for a truly innovative first-person shooter will find glimpses of one, but not as a single-player experience. Syndicate's world is oppressively violent and cynical, which doesn't do its messy story any favors, but when opened up for 4-person teams and a standalone mission structure it makes perfect sense.

If you are a Vita owner and you have loved the Uncharted games in the past, or if you just love third person action games, then there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy this title.

The value of Lumines: Electronic Symphony is debatable. Players who gravitate toward long form puzzle challenges and high-score hunting will fall in love with its charms, as will fans of electronic music. It's unlike any other puzzler, and it's well worth every gamer's time to experience the symbiotic relationship that forms between player and game during a good run. Aside from that, however, this remains little more than a glossy refreshment of a game that appeared 7 years ago. It's a great design, to be sure, but in the end it's still just putting blocks together.

UFC Undisputed 3 is a fantastic fighting experience. THQ did right by allowing the developers more time to polish the experience. For me the next step has to be to get a deeper more engaging career mode that allows the player to really feel part of the experience rather than just fighting match after match without any real hook. With that being said UFC Undisputed 3 on its own merits is a great game and worth a look if you're a UFC fan.

Despite its length, occasional frustrating parts, less than stellar visual quality and odd gameplay anomalies, Warp is an enjoyable romp that will keep you playing until its conclusion. If you are looking for a new portal, this isn't it, but if you are looking for an interesting puzzler that doesn't overstay its welcome then you'll enjoy warp, even if 800msp is a little steep for how long it lasts

If you're going to spend the $20 on Corpse Party, it is very important to know what you're getting into. This is not a "game," but an interactive novel with video game elements that, for the most part, aren't very good. You will get frustrated and lost a few times, but if you stick with it and keep a cool head, Corpse Party will reward you with an unsettling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The game doesn't shy away from violence so be prepared to sit through some really disturbing and uncomfortable moments.

In the end, with Metal Gear Solid HD Collection you are getting 3 games in a classic series that will last you a good 30 hours, maybe double if you partake in all of the side activities and extras that the games have. It comes close to the value of the Orange Box, especially considering that it is being sold for less than most retail games.

With the additions and improvements, you can actually enjoy slicing up a few of the enemies for a while and attempt to enjoy the story line.

The Darkness II is not a perfect game. It's short, the co-op is not as impressive as the single-player, the bosses are tedious, and some of the combat scenarios are poorly designed, but the game is extremely well-paced and can be great fun to play when everything works right, and it usually does. Combine that with a phenomenal story and great graphics the Darkness II is a game that I happily recommend.