Despite the balance problems, less gripping story, somnolent voice acting, and dichotomous soundtrack, Xenosaga II is still a playable RPG if you don’t expect it to set your world on fire.

For anyone familiar with Mario Superstar Baseball, there are very few surprises awaiting you here. Fans of Superstar might find comfort in this, but for everyone else it just means you're getting a slightly updated, somewhat enjoyable, uber-Nintendo-y baseball game whose biggest addition is the option to swing and throw with the Wiimote.

A fairly standard action/puzzle game. The environments are very detailed -- albeit with the minor visual hiccups endemic to the isometric perspective. The sunlight adds an unusual strategic challenge, but players must resign themselves to sometimes having to wait for the break of dawn to resume gameplay.

Crippled by a lack of online play and a horrible camera system. Yet despite the problems, the core game is so good that it's still worth playing, as long as you have human opponents to compete against.

But it's a very linear tale, which typically seems to require D-Tritus to explore gigantic areas in search of a single person to talk to. Each area is often extremely large.

It may not be a revolutionary new type of horror or even the beginning of a great new series, but for what it is Haunting Ground is generally worth trying.

The most distinguishing feature of Duelists of the Roses is that the game is really freaking hard.

The course selection is world-class.

Fans of the "1080" franchise will find that other games have left the franchise behind on the bunny slope. Rent it, ride the avalanche, and return it.

Feels like nothing more than another mediocre game out of Square-Enix meant to tide fans over until "Final Fantasy XII" finally hits.

The huge array of options, jacked-up challenge level, and variations on otherwise familiar, tried-and-true gameplay help make this a worthy addition to the music game genre. Novice dancers, however, are still better served sticking with Konami’s offerings.

Combat is occasionally brilliant, but the stealth scenes are a real chore. Developing your characters’ skills adds a lot to the game, but listening to them talk will give you a headache.

Brooktown High reinforces all the worst ideas about popularity and teenage love. The game's broad digs at school cliques don't say anything new.

There just isn't much gameplay in this gaming gumbo to set it apart from the countless other platformers out there.

It's a capably constructed RPG, to be sure, but it's hard to explicitly recommend Mega Man X: Command Mission to anyone who isn't already a fan of Mega Man or RPGs. If you're a little bit of both, chances are you'll dig it immensely.

The game still has some rewardingly thrilling and violent moments and a superb sense of speed. The drawback is that less hardcore players are doomed to keep coming back to some frustrating cycles of trick-induced wipeouts.

There is some fun to be had with EA Playground, but it doesn’t do much to rise above the glut of mediocrity that has made a cozy little home on the Wii.

The huge leap in quality and playability from last year's version qualifies it for one of the most improved sports games available.

The increased emphasis on exploring different lots on campus serves to exacerbate the tedium involved in getting your sims from point A to point B, and the time traveling logic it entails.

The “strategy” is not much different than the electronic game Simon, emphasizing timing and pattern recognition instead of true skill or tactics.

If you're a sucker for Japanese gangster cinema, you'll likely be able to forgive Yakuza's many flaws long enough to get caught up in the riveting story line and cast of complex characters. But long before the end, you'll be sick of the repetitive combat that takes up far too much of Yakuza's gameplay time.

Evidently Square Enix didn't have the time or the inclination to do serious work under Valkyrie's hood. Instead, we get this sloppy emulated version, with all the warts of the original and more.

Tries hard to please RPG and strategy fans, but it spreads itself so thin in the process that it won't do much for either. It isn't terrible, but everything in it has been done to death.

True followers of the ATP will love the in-depth simulation of the pro tennis world, and any gamer who appreciates a well-designed, good-looking sports title will not be disappointed, either.

The same formula that was once termed as ground-breaking now become tired and old.

There are some great bits of level design to be found here, but it's a shame that the stealth elements are used almost entirely as linear puzzles.

$40 is a lot to pay for these games--even if they originally cost $300 each on the original Neo-Geo system.

New content is nice, but this piecemeal addition at $20 a pop of what should be sequel content is starting to feel more like gouging than a company generously giving its loyal customers what they want.

Aside from the thrill of solving a few puzzles, though, there's little difference between playing L&O2 and watching NBC on Wednesday night.

With "Winning Eleven" on the market you just expect more, and you get it. FIFA may have high-priced Premiereship licenses and a killer career mode, but at the end of the day, it’s just not as much fun as the competition.

Ultimately this is a game that only the hardcore are likely to enjoy. Even if it isn’t a successful design at heart, it’s a good-looking tribute to the characters they love, and that’s a step up from what anime-licensed games usually used to be.

Xenosaga's failing is not its presentation, but its mediocre story. Merely putting a story in a game doesn't exempt the game from criticism that would be leveled at any other story-based medium.

If you ever were a fan of the Twisted Metal games, and especially if you’re still a big fan of the series now, give this a look. You’ll probably have a good time with it, and you’ll definitely learn a few things you never knew before.

This feels like yet another genre shoehorned poorly onto hardware that just isn’t equipped to handle it.

Strip away the license and it’s a by-the-numbers production – not irredeemably bad, but not remarkable enough to plow through for tens of hours.

The effect of collisions is inconsistent. You can pass through some objects and be stopped dead in your tracks by others. The car physics are far too "floaty," and you'll find yourself catching too much air and doing crazy spins and rotations from minor bumps.

Lacks some of the technological prowess of other shooters, but its personality and extras keep its head above water.

It’s just not a terribly compelling game in any way.

Fans of the anime will love the look, but the game just retreads the plot. Aside from the fantastic dismemberment, Afro Samurai doesn't manage to be anything loftier than essentially the same beat 'em up that we've been playing since Double Dragon. On the other hand, it is fun in short doses, looks great, and can be hilarious.

When you play it in bite-size sessions, you'll appreciate wading into a sea of overgrown beetles or phosphorescent foes, spiked baseball bat swinging. Despite a few design shortfalls, the gameplay succeeds admirably, as does its presentation.

Though it’s refreshing to play a quirky game amidst a sea of copycats, Samurai Western is far too repetitive to merit a purchase unless you are the type who feels an action game isn’t fun unless your thumb is throbbing and your wrists are one flex closer to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Completely relying on the stylus to handle the ball is a bold design choice, but tends to feel unnecessary and rather gimmicky.

Mediocre presentation also holds it back a bit, but Kohan II is otherwise a solid and unique strategy game.

Has much potential, but fails to deliver in the variety department. A straight-up sequel to "X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter," complete with online multiplayer, may have been a more successful venture.

It may not have the same depth as other puzzle games, and it’s certainly not a showpiece for DS technology, but it will keep your heart racing and mouth smiling for short doses, which is often all you are looking for in a portable game.

There is also an annoying amount of trash talking cutscenes after each play, but fortunately they can be skipped or turned off entirely.

If you’re not a fan of online play, you’d do better to keep your germs to yourself.

And on a rare personal note, this is the only game other than "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Animal Crossing" my wife has wanted to play. That has to count for something.

The attempt to support an RTS with a compelling storyline is not a new idea and it has certainly been done with more imagination and style.

But anyone who hasn’t been indoctrinated into fandom will be put off by the thought of dozens of hours of poor scripting, repetitive combat and insistent AI.

Conquest hits the same beats that we’ve hit over and over again in previous titles. It’s not that they don’t hit them well, but they hit the exact beats we’ve come to expect from a Lord of the Rings title.

To make matters worse, the game slows down dramatically when there's too much happening on screen. It's almost like the building is collapsing in slow motion.

Dark Age is easily one of the best massively multiplayer online RPGs available today, and Trials of Atlantis is a solid addition to the experience.

All that being said, Hot Shots Tennis is still a decent game, but only if you’re going to be taking advantage of the multiplayer options. Unfortunately, there is no online setup. In the end what we’ve got is a slightly low-budget spin-off.

WWE '13 has all the potential to be great. Varied game modes, a slew of classic wrestlers to choose from and an unheard of commitment to historical accuracy all form the foundation for what should be an excellent wrestling game. Unfortunately, the gameplay is so weak and the entire game suffers for it.

Good looks and tactical high jinks aside, it's tough to recommend HoMM5 with a mere ten skirmish maps, no map editor (for shame!), and a barrel of bugs, e.g. random desktop crashes, missions that "break" if you perform certain tasks out of order, heroes that attack through castle walls, incorrect initiative bar tallies in battle, etc.

If you didn't know what "taisen" means, you can probably give it a pass.

With an MSRP under thirty dollars, MVP NCAA Baseball 07's strengths outweigh its negative points, but players who already own 2006's game shouldn't expect anything more than some new teams, a new pitching interface and related mini-game, and new behind-the-pitcher and batting cameras.

Feels shallow and uninspired. As a result, button mashing will get players farther than it probably should.

Gameplay modes can't compete with those of the big boys from Sega and EA -- especially the franchise mode. And the hockey school is a waste of space...Still comes highly recommended as a four-player party game.

Fatal Inertia has solid mechanics and graphics, but is almost completely devoid of personality. The storyline is lame and utterly generic, the locations are clichéd, and the game just lacks a memorable sense of enthusiasm. Still, the actual racing is definitely serviceable, the sense of speed intense, and there are enough clever gameplay elements to make it worth playing.

It is a little disheartening to think that adding two-on-two matches and throwing in a few rhythm games can be considered by the publisher to be innovative, but Phenom's free-roaming aspect has potential if it is fleshed out even further in future installments.

Filled with some of the finest script writing and voice acting in a game. No joke. While some games like "BMX XXX" make weak, flailing attempts at humor, Darkened Skye consistently pulls off laugh-out-loud dialog.

The single-player missions are fairly mediocre, especially in comparison to other shooters. If you really, really need to shoot virtual people in a virtual desert, then this’ll do.

The game goes overboard, too, when it attempts to be clever or creative. When Row tries desperately to outdo "Grand Theft Auto" in terms of its in-game radio stations—accessed when players hijack cars—it fails miserably.

Weird Al would be very, very proud.

While the production values are pretty good, the gameplay is pretty shallow. If you're into action games, this is worth playing once.

The game is definitely over-priced. With that said, this is still one of the most engaging new multiplayer-only games out there.

Limited replay value cripples its long-term worth, as does its ultra-lightweight content structure.

UEFA loses traction with the actual gameplay, which is filled with more issues than a magazine stand.

It keeps most of the basic gameplay elements intact, but a little bit of polish (along with a few additional features) could have made this a spectacular title, rather than a merely solid one.

While it's the best Jet Ski game on the Xbox, it's still left soaking wet when compared to Wave Race: Blue Storm. If you have both consoles, leave Carve in your wake.

Merely a "good" game that could be far better with more attention to the visuals, presentation, fielding, and in repairing some minor glitches.

In just about every way "Motorstorm" bests this one, particularly in the feeling of intensity.

It’s unfortunate that it didn’t try harder to give players a truly satisfying quest.

We walked away from this one wishing that there had been a lot more gameplay to complement the cool graphics and atmosphere.

An hour a day will probably give any shooter fan a thrill, but prolonged and involved play makes all the small flaws more apparent and all the pyrotechnics more numbing.

There's little variation among the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions of Cars, and each hits the mark in terms of racing game basics such as framerate and sense of speed. Rainbow Studios has performed admirably here.

The game is the pretty much the same as last year, but with a more updated roster. If you purchased last year’s title, this game is not worth forking over another 60 bucks for the same experience.

A fun, if brief game that manages to capture much of the appeal of the original, yet overcomplicates the core gameplay without enhancing it much. The game is entertaining while it lasts, but you won’t be digging it very long.

If you’re looking for a great platform game then you’ll probably be disappointed by Ape Escape 3’s sometimes simplistic and repetitive gameplay. However, if you’re looking for a game with a unique feel and a carefree tone then you’re likely to enjoy this title and overlook its shortcomings.

The scenario editor and coaster designer are nice, but don't expect an experience that looks or feels at all different from the first game because you won't find it here.

From a strange glitch that causes dead enemies to bounce around the environments like a Super Ball inside a blender, to the anemic implementation of vehicles into the multiplayer, another six months would have served it well.

The AI of your opponents seems to be geared for younger gamers, although not to the point where the game feels absurdly easy.

It’s a glorious mess of an RPG with incredible potential, but released much too soon, and therefore bound for the bargain bins.

The few moments of true excellence are sadly overshadowed by some dull level design and lackluster enemy AI. Still, the game provides enough juice to keep the avid "Medal of Honor" fan happy.

As a single-player game, Legion Arena is entertaining in small doses, but lacks that compelling "just one more turn" quality that the best strategy games have.

The kart-racing mode is another nice diversion for youngsters (though it's just a single race on a choice of seven courses), and the explorable areas are diverse enough to keep the wee ones occupied.

SingStar is a great time if you’ve got a bunch of mates getting knackered in your flat (whoa, got British there for a second, sorry), but it’s not as much of a "game" as Karaoke Revolution is.

Seems intent on trying to incorporate all the cool stuff in other, better shooters. The problem is that it doesn't do it very well.

The actual strategy aspect is drastically limited, thanks to the small arenas and abbreviated unit types. With only two short campaigns that interest will quickly turn to boredom.

Racing is the primary focus here and the game does a good job at translating the complexities that go into maneuvering a horse through a tense race.

A reasonably engaging, yet perfectly average experience--much like most summer blockbusters.

While both games show their age and are over very quickly, shooting gallery games are somewhat timeless in their simplicity. They're solid examples of the genre, and shooting zombies in the head is really its own reward.

FIFA 07 will still please enthusiasts with its enhanced ball control and realistic play, but it’s hard to validate this game as "the season" when it would have benefited from more seasoning.

A decent dungeon-crawl at heart. Once you’ve escaped the very first couple of hours, which have some of the longest and worst talking-heads bits, the game leaves ample room to ignore the plot in favor of hacking around the random levels.

For RPG genre fans willing to overlook some technical flaws, Risen 2 may very well be a treat and a refreshing change of pace. For the rest of us, this is a game that will never quite rise to the occasion.

Natsume's "mulligan" to address some of the shortcomings found in the original. It offers the same graphics, same controls, and an identical cast of characters apart from the female protagonist.