Instead of shoring up Dragon Rising's shortcomings and improving the Operation Flashpoint experience, this sequel stubbornly clings to the quest for realism while ignoring the technical issues plaguing both games. [June 2011, p.90]

Instead of shoring up Dragon Rising's shortcomings and improving the Operation Flashpoint experience, this sequel stubbornly clings to the quest for realism while ignoring the technical issues plaguing both games. [June 2011, p.90]

Instead of shoring up Dragon Rising's shortcomings and improving the Operation Flashpoint experience, this sequel stubbornly clings to the quest for realism while ignoring the technical issues plaguing both games. [June 2011, p.90]

This game should have stayed dark for another few months, because it's not ready for the field. [June 2011, p.95]

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.

Bangai-O superfans have a lot to chew on here and should enjoy the many challenges, but others should think twice.

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?

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?

It's a shame that the career structure isn't better considering I like the new XP format and the fact that your rider unlocks skills as you go. You can select two skills at any one time, and they include helpful boosts like increased clutch effectiveness or faster crash recovery time. THQ is promising additional DLC through its MotoClub Depot, but enough has been taken out of the game in the first place that I don't think you can gain it all back simply by adding some new gear.

It's a shame that the career structure isn't better considering I like the new XP format and the fact that your rider unlocks skills as you go. You can select two skills at any one time, and they include helpful boosts like increased clutch effectiveness or faster crash recovery time. THQ is promising additional DLC through its MotoClub Depot, but enough has been taken out of the game in the first place that I don't think you can gain it all back simply by adding some new gear.

Little touches like the DCMs and base-building elements help keep the action fresh, and the frenetic Conquest mode offers plenty of replay value. For a budget title, Section 8: Prejudice offers a lot of content. It doesn't rank alongside the Call of Dutys and Battlefields of the world, but it's worth a look for FPS fans itching for a new experience.

Little touches like the DCMs and base-building elements help keep the action fresh, and the frenetic Conquest mode offers plenty of replay value. For a budget title, Section 8: Prejudice offers a lot of content. It doesn't rank alongside the Call of Dutys and Battlefields of the world, but it's worth a look for FPS fans itching for a new experience.

Sega's flavorless texture work spoils what could otherwise have been a visually exciting game. It's hard to recommend God of Thunder to even the most ardent of Thor fans. If you're looking for another Thor experience after seeing the film and paging through the character's 50 years worth of comic history, this game won't satisfy you.

Sega's flavorless texture work spoils what could otherwise have been a visually exciting game. It's hard to recommend God of Thunder to even the most ardent of Thor fans. If you're looking for another Thor experience after seeing the film and paging through the character's 50 years worth of comic history, this game won't satisfy you.

Despite its faults, Back to the Future Episode 4 remains a pleasurable nostalgia trip for fans. Among other clever winks to the film series, Marty blasts a few people off their feet after hooking his guitar up to a car-sized speaker and rides around town on a makeshift skateboard. Like every episode before it, Double Vision ends with a twist, which helped build my excitement for Telltale's next (and final) entry, but I hope Episode 5 tries to break the mold.

If you're interested in Moon Diver, play halfway through the game by yourself to gain some levels, collect various magic, and get used to the structure. Then fire up multiplayer and never look back.

While it would be nice to see some side quests or branching environments worth exploring, and a few minor glitches result in some awkward scenes, Telltale's Back to the Future remains one of the better film adaptations in video games, and I can't wait to see where this series goes as Telltale begins to build towards a conclusion. If episodes 4 and 5 build on the series as much as this entry has, you won't want to miss it either.

I would have loved a more meaningful or full-bodied story in Outland, but at least the mystical narrative maintains the unreal vibe that the rest of the game exudes. Beyond that, the action-packed platforming, hypnotic music, and striking aesthetic make Outland a must-play. I am always astounded that more developers don't create 2D exploration games. With Outland, not only do we get a great new entry in the genre, but a unique variation on the theme unlike anything else on the market.

I would have loved a more meaningful or full-bodied story in Outland, but at least the mystical narrative maintains the unreal vibe that the rest of the game exudes. Beyond that, the action-packed platforming, hypnotic music, and striking aesthetic make Outland a must-play. I am always astounded that more developers don't create 2D exploration games. With Outland, not only do we get a great new entry in the genre, but a unique variation on the theme unlike anything else on the market.

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.

Collecting puzzle pieces and 3D figures should be a nice distraction, but they're certainly not enough incentive to replay these tedious levels. Rabbids Travel in Time 3D offers no real sense of what you're doing, who you're fighting, or why you should care. This wouldn't matter if the platforming was interesting, but its low difficulty and lack of variety make this an entirely forgettable experience.

Dynasty Warriors may have once provided a novel experience, but like metrosexuality and Jennifer Aniston's hair, things that fascinated us a decade ago eventually grow tiresome.

Dynasty Warriors may have once provided a novel experience, but like metrosexuality and Jennifer Aniston's hair, things that fascinated us a decade ago eventually grow tiresome.

If you're an FPS-loving Wii owner that doesn't care about single-player, or someone who adored the original Conduit, you may be able to squeeze some entertainment out of this game. Everyone else should pass.

This is the best Mortal Kombat yet. It didn't blow my mind to the degree that Mortal Kombat 2 and 3 did back in the day, but when it comes down to the gameplay and longevity tied to it, this new entry towers above its 2D lineage.

This is the best Mortal Kombat yet. It didn't blow my mind to the degree that Mortal Kombat 2 and 3 did back in the day, but when it comes down to the gameplay and longevity tied to it, this new entry towers above its 2D lineage.

The game's quality stays consistently outstanding throughout; there isn't a minute of filler content to be found anywhere in single-player or co-op.

The game's quality stays consistently outstanding throughout; there isn't a minute of filler content to be found anywhere in single-player or co-op.