Despite its technical imperfections, Yoostar 2 can be enjoyable if you step out of your shell and be a total ham. Bring in some friends for a full cast, and you'll get some laughs during your acting debut.

On all platforms, Dragon Age II caters to an audience that didn't connect with Origins, while alienating those who did. This may result in a better console experience, but considering that Dragon Age: Origins was a love letter to old-school PC RPGs, BioWare's neglect of the sequel's PC release is tragic. I appreciate the technical refinements, but improving the polish doesn't do much good when the basics still need work.

Unless you're going to dive into multiplayer, though, Retribution is a mediocre expansion pack even though the base gameplay is still quite good.

The game fails to innovate on its early mechanics, and it can feel like a chore to master some of the later levels. [Apr 2011, p.96]

The game fails to innovate on its early mechanics, and it can feel like a chore to master some of the later levels. [Apr 2011, p.96]

A complete game. Super Street Fighter IV is one of the best fighting games around, and players owe it to themselves to give it a shot. [Apr 2011, p.94]

Square Enix's minimal attempts to address the first game's issues won't win any new fans, but the company knows how to pander to an audience. That's one area where Dissidia 012 is firing on all cylinders. [Apr 2011, p.95]

Less truly is more when it comes to Total War. Shogun 2, with a smaller scale and tighter focus, boasts the best gameplay and design of any entry in the franchise. I can't imagine a realistic way that The Creative Assembly could have made a better case to win back fans put off by Empire. [Apr 2011, p.92]

The new analog pitching is the most polished and challenging gameplay mechanic a baseball game has ever offered. [Apr 2011, p.90]

Part of me was disappointed with Dragon Age II. I hoped for an improvement on the original, but it ultimately feels like a step back. [Apr 2011, p.85]

Part of me was disappointed with Dragon Age II. I hoped for an improvement on the original, but it ultimately feels like a step back. [Apr 2011, p.85]

Repetitive quests that require taking down specific enemies or fetching items in areas you'll revisit multiple times over becomes dull quickly. [Mar 2011, p.98]

Difficult to recommend. [Mar 2011, p.98]

It comes up short. It's split into three uninspired levels of repetitive knife stabbing, sloppy platforming, and switch hitting to drain out toxic sludge. [Mar 2011, p.98]

It comes up short. It's split into three uninspired levels of repetitive knife stabbing, sloppy platforming, and switch hitting to drain out toxic sludge. [Mar 2011, p.98]

Carves its own identity. [Mar 2011, p.98]

Think Syfy original movie. [Mar 2011, p.98]

Some areas shine brighter than others, but the developer's inspired Champion mode is the star feature that must be experienced.

Some areas shine brighter than others, but the developer's inspired Champion mode is the star feature that must be experienced.

Even when the game seems to be working against me at every inopportune time, the drive to see the fate of Heinrich and Gretchen made me push forward. I'm glad I did. I didn't see the ending coming, and I love how the story concludes.

Even when the game seems to be working against me at every inopportune time, the drive to see the fate of Heinrich and Gretchen made me push forward. I'm glad I did. I didn't see the ending coming, and I love how the story concludes.

Fun, innovative, and surprisingly deep, de Blob 2 is bright spot in a sea of gray games and iterative sequels.

Fun, innovative, and surprisingly deep, de Blob 2 is bright spot in a sea of gray games and iterative sequels.

Fun, innovative, and surprisingly deep, de Blob 2 is bright spot in a sea of gray games and iterative sequels.

An exceptional shooter brimming with personality and originality, but the concept is spread too thin in the later levels. New homicidal toys are constantly introduced in the first three-quarters of the game, which makes the final few hours a little stale. Mix in a ho-hum ending and the stellar experience goes out on a bit of a low note.

An exceptional shooter brimming with personality and originality, but the concept is spread too thin in the later levels. New homicidal toys are constantly introduced in the first three-quarters of the game, which makes the final few hours a little stale. Mix in a ho-hum ending and the stellar experience goes out on a bit of a low note.

Bulletstorm is an exceptional shooter brimming with personality and originality, but the concept is spread too thin in the later levels. New homicidal toys are constantly introduced in the first three-quarters of the game, which makes the final few hours a little stale. Mix in a ho-hum ending and the stellar experience goes out on a bit of a low note.

Pokemon Black and White do a great job building upon already solid features and taking them to the next level. [March 2011, p.95]