Shadow Labyrinth is such an odd concept that I optimistically assumed it came from a specific, focused creative pitch, but it's one of the least focused games I've ever experienced. The story, art design, and structure are messy and underbaked. It's middling at best and maddening at worst. It doesn't have enough Pac-Man for fans of that franchise, and its Metroidvania elements are too weak to appeal to fans of the genre, so why did they make a Pac-Man Metroidvania? After spending 40 hours with the game, I still don't know, and that makes it difficult to recommend.

The nonstop action Chaos legion exhibits is unparalleled. [June 2003, p.101]

As a debut title, it's a straight-forward affair. [Dec 2008, p.112]

Ultimately, Rango's another example of how to do a licensed property justice. Rather than simply rehash the movie's story, EA and Paramount are giving players a new adventure to experience. It's a little on the short side – and even then it starts to get repetitive near the end – but it's definitely one of the better tie-ins I've played over the years.

Frogwares doesn't pull any punches in its irreverent yet thoughtful portrayal of the detective, and is similarly unflinching in the intelligence and attention to detail it demands of players. The Testament joins that small, respected group of M-rated games that actually require maturity from players; recommending this case to adventure game fans is elementary.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a complicated package. Its core combat and attention to character detail are great, but everything around that is bone dry. Playing as these lovable Nicktoons may interest some, but I didn’t want to stick around for the no-frills matches. Hopefully, Ludosity and Fair Play Labs can keep adding to Nick Brawl post-launch and flesh out what's missing while getting Nickelodeon’s full backing to make it a better product for the fans.

There’s certainly a lot here to love, and a lot more that you want to love, but most of your time in Kane & Lynch is spent shaking or scratching your head. The problems are just too visible for it to be taken seriously as a gritty thriller.

Need for Speed checks off the boxes for the series, but unfortunately it's not a revaluation that necessarily improves on what's already come before.

Go to your local game store, hand the clerk your money, and buy something other than Opoona. [Apr 2008, p.95]

In the right environment and with the right people, Divekick offers some fun. But the lack of online lobbies drastically limits those opportunities. Like most novelties, the fun of Divekick is short-lived.

The games are a blast worth remembering. Old racing is the new hotness. [Oct 2005, p.128]

With no gameplay enhancements and only surface changes to presentation, this FIFA 12 expansion is a cosmetic add-on with no redeeming new features. The UEFA tournament mode is a lazy attempt to capture the glory of the competition, and the new Expedition mode is a boring grind. Only the most devoted of national fans should bother with this otherwise forgettable expansion.

Puzzle Fighter alone might make this worth the $30 for a lot of folks.

It's generic in just about every way, from cheesy dialogue to predictable enemies. [Dec 2001, p.95]

This obscure video game brew not only sounds like a garbled mess, it plays like one as well. [June 2003, p.60]

Seems to easily fall flat into the clutches of mediocrity. The multiplayer mode is nice, though. [April 2002, p.89]

While the multiplayer modes are nice, poor targeting, underwhelming graphics, and erratic movement make this game a mere blip on the radar. [Nov 2002, p.144]

The choppy animation and jerky controls, along with the small move list, keeps Legends of Wrestling from hitting the pay window. [July 2002, p.88]

The biggest problem with Rivals is that it doesn't feel like you're skating ice. [Dec 2003, p.174]

It's definitely different, but in ways that are detrimental to the experience you'll have with it. [June 2003, p.108]

Wii Party U is meant to be played in a group of four, if only to have more people to talk to while you grind through an hour-plus board game session. Still, that means you need two Wii remotes in addition to the one in the box and your GamePad - another $60 to $80 dollars down the drain if you don't already have them.

Spore is an infinitely more unique and nuanced experience than Darkspore, but in the end, Darkspore is much more likely to stick around in the gamer psyche. It may not do anything particularly new, but the way it polishes and riffs on known gaming conventions should leave you happily clicking on bad guys and collecting new body parts late into the night.

While Risen 3 doesn’t have great combat or an enthralling story, there’s a lot of content to delve into for those hungry for an open-world action/RPG, and that might be enough to entice fans to give it a try.

Explodemon isn't a broken game by any accounts, but the presentation, controls, and level design are wholly unoriginal and unsatisfying if you enjoy action platformer. Those that dig deep enough may find some fun buried beneath the repetition, but it won't last long. If you're looking for a downloadable distraction on your PS3, there are many more fulfilling options than Explodemon.

When Nintendo first announced Dr. Luigi during the most recent Nintendo Direct, Operation L mode took center stage. While this turns out to be the least enjoyable part of this farewell to the Year of Luigi, Dr. Luigi does offer other competent updates to the classic gameplay. I can’t get the classic tune out of my head or the smile off my face.

Multiplayer is what’s really going to get the fans riled. After fine-tuning your ideal mech in single player, you can bring it online and face off against anywhere from one to seven opponents. Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of match variety outside of deathmatch and team deathmatch, and there’s no respawning so matches don’t last much longer than five minutes tops.

Despite the improvements made to this year’s title – including a noticeable bump in graphical quality – it still doesn’t have all the corners dialed in yet. AI cars take better racing lines than in 08, but they still don’t show near enough variety or smarts to pit at different times, take rim-riding race lines, or avoid plowing into each other during a caution.

I’ve wanted a solid follow-up to Yoshi’s Island for years, and this game is the third in a trilogy of follow-ups that range from half-baked to decent. Considering how unimpressed and apathetic I was towards most of Yoshi’s New Island, it might be time to just be happy with my Super Nintendo memories when it comes to this series.