It's a fantastic addition to XBLA and PSN, and it's a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Galaga.

It's a fantastic addition to XBLA and PSN, and it's a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Galaga.

Outatime is also significant as it is the first entry in which Michael J. Fox joins the cast, jumping into the role of one of Marty's ancestors. While I found Fox's involvement exciting, the actor's character seemed out of place during these sequences (as if the role was written late just so Telltale could slide him in), and Fox himself uses a goofy southern accent that does little to disguise his aging voice. It's sad, but the most authentic sounding McFly in the game is a Michael J. Fox impersonator.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D delivers a fleshed out, faithful, yet slightly flawed version of the gripping bonus mode. Imperfections aside, playing The Mercenaries 3D with a friend is the most thrilling handheld co-op experience I've ever had. Fans and 3DS-owners looking for a shot of pure portable action with a rewarding progression system should definitely check it out.

A lack of variety notwithstanding, Trenched is an action-packed and amusing variation on the tower defense paradigm. If you're open to some mission replays and a little grinding, Double Fine's latest effort could be worth a look.

Rise of the Manhunters makes good use of the Green Lantern license, yet struggles to deliver an intense combat experience. It ends up feeling like an excruciatingly long game, despite it offering only six to seven hours of gameplay.

Rise of the Manhunters makes good use of the Green Lantern license, yet struggles to deliver an intense combat experience. It ends up feeling like an excruciatingly long game, despite it offering only six to seven hours of gameplay.

In many ways, the F.E.A.R. story feels like it has run its course. Like most long-running horror series, the scares that thrilled us years ago no longer do the trick, and as I learn more about Alma's family, the less interested I become in trudging forward. However, if you hardly pay attention to narratives and are looking for a fun multiplayer experience, F.E.A.R. 3 is worth checking out.

F.E.A.R. 3 features many of the integral pieces necessary to deliver frights – haunting sound effects, an arresting atmosphere, and foreboding environments – yet too often the game recycles old techniques that proved scary in 2005 but do little to raise my blood pressure now.

F.E.A.R. 3 features many of the integral pieces necessary to deliver frights – haunting sound effects, an arresting atmosphere, and foreboding environments – yet too often the game recycles old techniques that proved scary in 2005 but do little to raise my blood pressure now.

The game's levels take you through a variety of iconic areas, but they ultimately lack the wow factor that more fanciful takes that other games in the genre offer. At the end of the day, however, Cars 2: The Video Game is a satisfying racing game with a reserve tank of charm. And if multiplayer is your thing, the entire game can be played via a four-way split screen. Chances are, if you have younger gamers in your household, you'll have a few eager challengers in no time flat.

The game's levels take you through a variety of iconic areas, but they ultimately lack the wow factor that more fanciful takes that other games in the genre offer. At the end of the day, however, Cars 2: The Video Game is a satisfying racing game with a reserve tank of charm. And if multiplayer is your thing, the entire game can be played via a four-way split screen. Chances are, if you have younger gamers in your household, you'll have a few eager challengers in no time flat.

The game's levels take you through a variety of iconic areas, but they ultimately lack the wow factor that more fanciful takes that other games in the genre offer. At the end of the day, however, Cars 2: The Video Game is a satisfying racing game with a reserve tank of charm. And if multiplayer is your thing, the entire game can be played via a four-way split screen. Chances are, if you have younger gamers in your household, you'll have a few eager challengers in no time flat.

Kinect owners have been clamoring for new games since the peripheral's launch, but I think we'd all prefer developers take a little more time figuring out its tech if it means less games like this abomination.

If you're a fan of games like Super Meat Boy and you're looking for some interesting twists to the platforming genre, The Adventures of Shuggy is worth checking out. Smudged Cat's first entry in the big leagues is a promising start, and has me excited for the studio's next project.

Shadows of the Damned is unapologetically adolescent, but instead of trying to be cutely ironic and wink at players, the humor comes off as genuine, playful, and fun. Even if you don't find the idea of a sniper rifle called "the Big Boner" funny, you should still enjoy the solidly designed shooting and bit of thought required to play the game. Grasshopper has finally come into its own, and I hope it carries this momentum (and Mikami) forward to whatever project is next.

Shadows of the Damned is unapologetically adolescent, but instead of trying to be cutely ironic and wink at players, the humor comes off as genuine, playful, and fun. Even if you don't find the idea of a sniper rifle called "the Big Boner" funny, you should still enjoy the solidly designed shooting and bit of thought required to play the game. Grasshopper has finally come into its own, and I hope it carries this momentum (and Mikami) forward to whatever project is next.

Original design and a quirky style keep Fancy Pants enjoyable throughout, but some significant features need a little tweaking before this sketchy hero can stand with the big platforming heavyweights. [July 2011, p.94]

Original design and a quirky style keep Fancy Pants enjoyable throughout, but some significant features need a little tweaking before this sketchy hero can stand with the big platforming heavyweights. [July 2011, p.94]

Dive into the co-op with your friends to see all of the fun, strategy, and depth Dungeon Defenders has to offer. [July 2011, p.94]

Dive into the co-op with your friends to see all of the fun, strategy, and depth Dungeon Defenders has to offer. [July 2011, p.94]

A few months ago, I reviewed LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. That game introduced some light RTS elements to the series, along with loads of vehicle-based missions, and a huge cast of playable characters. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean falls short of that high mark, delivering a more traditional LEGO experience. That's not to say that Pirates is a bad game – quite the contrary. It's just puzzling to see a series that has struggled to evolve take a step back. Where are the epic ship-to-ship vehicle battles? Why is the pirate-infested port hub so boring? [July 2011, p.89]

Brink is not a bad game. If Splash Damage can stabilize the performance and fix some glaring omissions (like a pre-game lobby) with a patch, I'd gladly spend more time with it. But with only eight multiplayer maps, 20 progression levels, no clan support, and average gunplay, it's not a good value proposition. Especially considering many Xbox Live games offer a similar amount of content for a fraction of the price. [July 2011, p.86]

Brink is not a bad game. If Splash Damage can stabilize the performance and fix some glaring omissions (like a pre-game lobby) with a patch, I'd gladly spend more time with it. But with only eight multiplayer maps, 20 progression levels, no clan support, and average gunplay, it's not a good value proposition. Especially considering many Xbox Live games offer a similar amount of content for a fraction of the price. [July 2011, p.86]

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone that wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. [July 2011, p.84]

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone that wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. [July 2011, p.84]

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone that wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. [July 2011, p.84]

What starts out as a promising romp through a demented Wonderland devolves into a few good ideas stretched across redundant gameplay. [July 2011, p.85]