Persona 3's daily structure is both a blessing and a curse. A benefit of the system is that you genuinely look forward to seeing what new characters or events are revealed the next day. Yet having to visit a single dungeon, even one with hundreds of floors, is not always appealing.

The lack of character customization is another issue, with fixed classes and no input allowed on individual skills, attributes, or spells other than purchasing armor, weapons, and accessories each time you visit town.

As mentioned before, the grid-based battlefield is a big part of the problem.

The new elements all mesh perfectly to provide a more well-rounded farming RPG experience, and, as odd as that sounds to non-fans, this is an excellent DS adventure.

Maybe next year will bring us that much closer to having a Madden game like never before. It’s still a good game, slightly above average, but not as great as it should be.

There’s potential here, but Capcom needs to put more varied action in this action-RPG.

I think Boogie is a horrible game. It’s so bad; I’m nearly offended that I even had to play it. Sure it’s aimed squarely at the casual market, but casual gamers aren’t necessarily stupid gamers.

If you enjoy 2D gameplay, Glory Days 2 is certain to appeal. The mix of action and strategy is exceptional, and although the presentation certainly looks and feels 16-bit, the gameplay more than makes up for it.

The random battles, simple controls, and linear storyline may put off those hoping for a newfangled experience; but the high production values, engaging characters, and vibrant world will keep this Story from being shelved.

While the touch-screen interface is a downer, the amount of play options in Picross DS is uplifting.

Mario Strikers Charged still has a ways to go before being considered an arcade-sports champion.

The addition of character development is a nice touch, but was handled poorly, and the visuals are almost depressing.

Final Fantasy II is the first to truly deliver that experience of being transported to a world filled with fluffy yellow birds and medieval flying machines.

With the ridiculous amount of eccentric music that was considered “mainstream” back in the decade of decadence, it’s a shame Rocks the 80s sticks so closely to one main genre. Even more disappointing, though, is that the whole thing feels like a total cash-in; like the yearly iteration of a sports game that no one put any major effort into.

We like Beyond the Sword because it makes the vastness of Civilization 4 just a little bit bigger. Getting to play the Dutch and Portuguese is worth a lot, but we wish all the expansions could have the cunning to make us look at the game in a new way without losing the rich complexity that make us love it in the first place.

It’s a bit too easy to get bored thanks to an overload of boring tasks.

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.

A compellingly good MMO at an amazingly attractive price.

Game Arts still knows how to draw neat-looking spaceships. When it comes to making them interact in a real 3D space, though, that’s where they still have a whole lot to learn.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma's creator Tomonobu Itagaki has stated publicly that he wanted his game to be difficult. That's fine, but there's a difference between challenge and cheapness. Frequently Ninja Gaiden Sigma feels like it's giving you a wedgie for no other reason but to hear you scream.

The one shining moment through all this is the decent online multiplayer mode included. It’s pretty vanilla, but it runs great. Plus it’s possible to turn into a nightwalker should you be a bit too slow on the draw. It’s a very cool feature.

Strictly fans-only.

A great play. It’s got a great sense of humor and style. In these summer months when there’s often not a lot to play, it’s a real treat to get a game that effortlessly mixes style, challenge, and fun.

Characters, levels and even the game's menus are beautifully and tastefully designed. Grim Grimoire is a complete package, offering layered strategy play with an eye-popping art style and a cleverly told story.

Ratatouille doesn’t do anything to avoid the curse of licensed games, and the Xbox 360 version feels especially unfinished thanks to the horrible hit detection issues.

I was looking forward to it, but left very disappointed. It’s completely playable. Being about 7 hours long helps but I spent the entire game waiting for it to get good, to make sense, to make a case for all the incongruous elements of design, gameplay and story, and then it ended.

I was looking forward to it, but left very disappointed. It’s completely playable. Being about 7 hours long helps but I spent the entire game waiting for it to get good, to make sense, to make a case for all the incongruous elements of design, gameplay and story, and then it ended.

The Wii version is graphically inferior to the 360 and PS3; Ron and Hermione have a nasty way of blocking your path in tight quarters; and there are the aforementioned, seemingly endless fetch-quests. Even with all that, this is easily the best Harry Potter game to date, and it’s simply one of the most entertaining movie tie-ins on the market.