The unwieldy Stage Battles maim the battle system and multiplayer, but this gaffe doen’t take away from Brütal Legend’s charm. If you’re a fan of Tim Schafer’s humor and the type of person who decides between wearing a Metallica and Slayer tee-shirt when you wake up, this is a must-play.

The unwieldy Stage Battles maim the battle system and multiplayer, but this gaffe doen’t take away from Brütal Legend’s charm. If you’re a fan of Tim Schafer’s humor and the type of person who decides between wearing a Metallica and Slayer tee-shirt when you wake up, this is a must-play.

Uncharted 2 is a ringing testament to the power of both games and storytelling. It pulls you in, keeps you engaged, and concludes with a thunderous bang.

Despite these problems, there is something undeniably magnetic about the game.

In general, the minigames work about as well as Wii games always do: just enough to prevent me from calling them broken.

With classic role-playing elements and addictive combat mechanics, Magnacarta 2 is a solid game for RPG veterans looking for a new challenge.

Ju-On: The Grudge fails to inspire terror, relying on tired jump-scares, that over-used croaking sound, and random, cheesy scares via a second controller.

Half Minute Hero doesn't attempt to deliver a full RPG experience, but fans of the genre will appreciate its sense of humor and the developer’s obvious appreciation of the games it parodies.

If there’s anything nice to say about Race O Rama, it’s that it provides a teachable moment for parents: Sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.

You have to be way more forgiving than the gameplay is to enjoy Lucidity.

Basically, only play this game if your friends are willing to run at your side. When the game is functioning as intended, it can be brilliant. But don’t let your guard down. Problems will arise, and your most difficult challenge may be combating a bout of boredom.

Spore is an enjoyable (if slightly short) Zelda-lite adventure. However, the creation and evolution aspects -- major parts of what made the original game so impressive -- have taken a back seat to a run-of-the-mill equipment upgrade grind with some minor aesthetic variations. Spore Hero is a fun game; it’s just not necessarily a Spore game.

If you have such a child in your household, I would do everything in my power to ensure they never catch wind of this game.

If you have such a child in your household, I would do everything in my power to ensure they never catch wind of this game.

This game is tough, but also rewarding, interesting, evocative, and, in its own special way, brilliant.

Saw fails to deliver the suspenseful crescendos, surprising twists, and apprehensive atmosphere of the films. Instead, it’s padded with unremarkable gore, poor pacing, and uninspired level design.

Saw fails to deliver the suspenseful crescendos, surprising twists, and apprehensive atmosphere of the films. Instead, it’s padded with unremarkable gore, poor pacing, and uninspired level design.

In the end NBA Live 10 may have the glamorous look of a basketball superstar, but it still needs to round out its game to steal the crown of best hardcore hoops game from its rival.

In the end NBA Live 10 may have the glamorous look of a basketball superstar, but it still needs to round out its game to steal the crown of best hardcore hoops game from its rival.

My Player mode’s uphill struggle may not appeal to everyone, but the outstanding presentation and best-in-class Association mode make NBA 2K10 the best basketball sim.

My Player mode’s uphill struggle may not appeal to everyone, but the outstanding presentation and best-in-class Association mode make NBA 2K10 the best basketball sim.

Basically, only play this game if your friends are willing to run at your side. When the game is functioning as intended, it can be brilliant. But don’t let your guard down. Problems will arise, and your most difficult challenge may be combating a bout of boredom.

Ultimately, Wii Fit Plus is basically the same game, slightly expanded. If you liked the first game for a while but lost interest, it’s hard to say that this one will keep you coming back.

It’s easy to feel like you’re a kid in the candy store with GT’s open format, but this edition of the franchise has none of the sweet, satisfying racing that has been its hallmark.

Dead Space fans should check it out for the fiction. All other interested parties should look elsewhere for a suspensful shooter. [Oct 2009, p.95]

Arctic Edge looks good for MotorStorm’s first appearance on the PSP, but gone are the days when I can be impressed with simply squeezing down a console title intact onto a handheld. Let’s ask for more so we can get more.

Sigma 2 is a longer, more action-packed edition of Ninja Gaiden II, and if you’ve never played the original you won’t notice the missing gore.

Indeed, there are plenty of fun missions and challenging boss battles, but things get repetitive fast. [Oct 2009, p.100]