At the end of the day, there's no justification for a game that forces two loading screens on you before it even begins.

If they make light trax 2 with a little more to do, a more consistently fair camera, and a versus mode, that game could get a 10.

Viral Survival is pure arcade score attack action. What you put into it is what you get out. If that's not your thing, that's not your thing. However, I believe there's just enough depth and variety to hook someone looking for quick bursts of fun. It's challenging, addictive, and just plain ol' dandy.

They poured in the same creativity and imagination that made me fall in love with games like Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World. To me it feels like they finally felt the freedom and comfort in 3D platforming to get back to that Nintendo magic that we all remember. The end result is a galaxy of surprise after surprise, all coming together in a game that tops even my past favorites, making this the best Mario game Nintendo has released.

Anything it could do to irritate the player is quickly made up for with a consistently striking character, intriguing cutscene, or thrilling stand-off against an encroaching force of possessed and gibbering mountain hicks. Alan Wake wears its own anomalous sense of style with pride and that alone earns enough credit to spend on inefficient dodging or unfair ambush attacks.

A stellar title. While I have some issues with the story and characters, the simple joy of interacting with this world more than makes up for those complaints. Add in a compelling multiplayer component and you have one hell of a game.

If you liked the Trauma Center games, you have to try Trauma Team, as Atlus has evolved the formula so much that its predecessors look pretty primitive. For those that didn't dig older Trauma Center games so much, know Trauma Team is a much improved experience, many times over.

The reality-television fiction that is Split/Second delivers a brilliant first season, Disney Interactive Studios has published what is undoubtedly just the beginning of what is sure to be an outgoing series. If you hate racing games, you'll love Split/Second. Don't wait around for the season finale, tune in now.

While it misses the mark of nailing the same sense of magic and wonder of the original trilogy, fans who had missed this style and approach in 2008's Prince of Persia offering should welcome this new-yet-familiar adventure with open arms.

Everything is pretty clearly laid out for you and none of the puzzles are excessively challenging or logically obtuse, leaving you free to enjoy the humor and absurdity.

Like BEAT, it caused me to marvel at the the creative use of economic game design to create an experience that inspired both comfort and anxiety, familiarity and wonder.

It's downright frustrating, actually, as with even the slightest tweaks, Lost Planet 2 could have been another winner for Capcom, and the epic sequel fans had hoped for. As it stands, Lost Planet 2 is a shell of a potentially great game, brought down by bizarre, dated, and counterintuitive design decisions. And that's a shame.

And custom content is really where Skate 3 shines. EA has provided a massive toolbox for creating and sharing elaborate skate parks using the title’s new skate.Park feature.

t's a shame that 3D Dot Game Heroes does not have the lasting power required in order to be truly special. As it stands, this homage/plagiarism to/of The Legend of Zelda is an enjoyable little adventure that will give PS3 owners the retro fix they need. Unfortunately, and I hate to say it, 3D Dot Game Heroes may have benefited more from being half the length and coming out as a digital title.

Dementium II is the best FPS game I've played on the DS to date, eliminating many of the interface problems that have plagued previous attempts at bringing the genre to Nintendo's handheld. It's not the most original of games, and as in fact quite formulaic both in terms of its mechanics and its horror premise, but it's good at what it does regardless.

My Lord 2 includes everything worthwhile from its predecessor and builds on top of that grand foundation; there's simply no need to go back to the first.

The game never really takes off, relying on very few tricks to support itself from beginning to end.

The story is bombastic and gratuitous and level design can be needlessly frustrating, but the strength of the combat and Shadow’s stealth largely compensate.

Rarely has a game straddled the line between brilliant and dismal as much as Nier has, and rarely has it made for such a difficult review.

Capcom could easily have charged $59.99 for this, and I would have bought it in a second. At $39.99, it's a crazy deal. Any Street Fighter fans, even those who quit playing the original and moved on, should be picking up Super.

The lack of a viable “Be A Pro”-esque mode is noticeable -- especially in light of the cheaper FIFA 10’s robust single-player -- but World Cup’s core game and online modes are top notch, a few missteps notwithstanding.

While it has its problems here and there, many of which stem from the fact that it's produced by a small publisher, it is in fact a good point-and-click adventure at a very solid price.

For $50 ($60 with the Classic Controller Pro), Monster Hunter Tri provides a World of Warcraft-quality experience without the $14.99 monthly subscription. That makes Monster Hunter Tri the best value going in MMORPGs today. Add to that a more-than-adequate single-player mode, and you get a...[90].

An excellent package combining two great arcade classics. The niggling annoyances don't add up to any real detriment to the title and the bonuses are pleasant.

Gratifying predatory battles, a unique visual exhibition, and a variety of engrossing game modes makes Conviction an absolutely solid experience that nobody should feel disappointed in.

All I can say is that it looks as if they at least tried to make an effort, but their attempt to create a digital, small-scale version of Gears has been an absolute failure.

If the more mundane parts of Heavy Rain left you unenthused -- and if they didn’t, that’s even better -- you’ll enjoy this exhilarating condensed experience.

Again is a mediocre game that provides nothing. Its story is nowhere near good enough to justify the interactive novel approach, the "spot the difference" psychic gimmick is miserable and sleep-inducing, and the characters themselves look like they've all escaped from a mental hospital and are playing around in the costume department of a community theater. Hotel Dusk this isn't.