There's a lot for old-school RPG fans to love in Rainbow Moon, and the price of admission is a bargain. I just wish the story were better.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD recreates the gameplay that made the franchise famous, but to mixed results. It lands the trick, but doesn't do it cleanly.

Endless Space is far from a disaster despite its bad AI and unfortunate micromanagement issues, with excellent online play making it one of the better multiplayer turn-based strategy games around. My decade-and-a-half wait for the space empire savior continues, though.

If you want to know the setup for the next big entry, you have to play this game to find out what's in store for the conclusion of the Xehanort arc. You could just watch some cutscenes online, but you'd be cheating yourself out of a lot of fun.

Dyad is not a pure racing game, but sometimes I aimed for speed. It's not quite a rhythm game, but the steady beat and ethereal enemy sound effects influenced my pace. Dyad falls into a genre gray zone that makes it hard to define. Playing for long stretches feels like sensory over-indulgence, which could be good or bad depending on your sensitivity. No matter how busy the onscreen action becomes, Dyad is consistently entertaining and rarely frustrating.

The new formula delivers a more relaxing thrill – which isn't a bad thing – as opposed to pushing players to hone their skills.

Resonance feels like a lost classic from the golden age of adventure gaming. It has some of the same shortcomings, but it also captures the thrill of exploration, the satisfaction of figuring out interesting puzzles, and the payoff of a well-told story. These elements demonstrate a reverence for the genre that can't be manufactured, and anyone who shares the same passion shouldn't miss Resonance.

I don't think this applies to the casual fan, but if you've been playing this series for as long as I have, you're going to be heartened by some of the changes and additions in ­NCAA ­13.

NCAA 13 doesn't take the kind of giant leap forward that will be noticed by the masses, but it's an installment that will be built upon and which we will look back at as a key moment in the franchise's larger history.

I may be slightly disappointed by Pocket Planes, but that feeling only set in after a solid week of compulsively checking my planes, sending them out on jobs, and amassing an in-game fortune. Though it doesn't have the depth of a full-fledged simulation, the accessible mechanics and tempting rewards make Pocket Planes worth some short-term attention.

The combination of a solid racing framework with the Ferrari license could have worked out, but this is a zero-sum game that appeases nobody. Ferrari Racing Legends does not exhibit the best of what the sports car brand nor the developer have to offer.

The combination of a solid racing framework with the Ferrari license could have worked out, but this is a zero-sum game that appeases nobody. Ferrari Racing Legends does not exhibit the best of what the sports car brand nor the developer have to offer.

I may have a hopeless addiction to Spelunky, but it's not an entirely pleasant one. As exciting as it is to play a platformer with an infinite number of new levels to jump, whip, and bomb your way through, the novelty comes at a cost. You need ample patience, time, and skill to make it through Spelunky's ever-changing caves, and much of the hidden content is virtually off limits to all but the most hardcore (and masochistic) gamers.

Lore enthusiasts will appreciate several significant developments, and no matter your choice, both new organizations have memorable characters and conversations. I had a blast returning to Skyrim after a few months away. Even so, Bethesda did such a fine job of entertaining me the first time out that Dawnguard feels more like an added bonus than an essential ingredient of the whole.

I could forgive the sub-par progression if Krater's battles were more interesting, but the optimal tactical approach is often obvious and the encounters don't vary much. What's there is fun, but it wears thin quickly as there's little room for improvisation or innovation in battle.

The Walking Dead remains a narrative-heavy experience. Thanks to the unique art style, I often felt like I was watching a motion comic instead of playing a game, but as long as the game's narrative remains strong, I don't mind. I just hope later episodes can be as creative with the gameplay as they are with the story.

Heroes of Ruin is a functional lootfest, but its poor economics balancing, uninteresting weapons, and boring combat don't do it any favors. It's like listening to a terrible band cover your favorite song. All the musicians are holding the right instruments, but it just doesn't quite come together.

As a big Final Fantasy fan and enthusiast of video game music in general, I love being able to appreciate these classics in a new way. I'll always get a chill listening to the intense orchestral version of "One-Winged Angel" or the happy-go-lucky chocobo theme. The tacked-on progression system may be unsatisfying, but it doesn't stop Theatrhythm from being a fun, simple rhythm game with an amazing musical library.

Despite all of these complaints, the core game is strong. Everything works as expected, the cards are translated perfectly, and the AI can play at the level of an average human. Beginners – who are the target audience here, to be fair – should have a fine time. I'd recommend playing either of the previous two games before this one, though.

Despite all of these complaints, the core game is strong. Everything works as expected, the cards are translated perfectly, and the AI can play at the level of an average human. Beginners – who are the target audience here, to be fair – should have a fine time. I'd recommend playing either of the previous two games before this one, though.

Tiny & Big is short; most gamers should finish in under five hours. It's not terribly taxing of your brain or fingers, as the puzzles aren't tough to figure out and action segments have generous checkpoints. It is, however, an excellent way to fill an afternoon or two with a playfully absurd story and godlike power over a heavily physics-modeled world.

Between the updated visuals and improved gameplay, this is definitive way to experience the Resident Evil: Umbrella and Darkside Chronicles.

Sadly, not only does Amazing Spider-Man fail to deliver, it may also diminish my enjoyment of this summer's film.

The game displays a lot of promise early on, but it devolves into mediocrity after you've invested a few hours learning its basic systems.

While the story remains riveting up to its questionable conclusion, the minute-to-minute gameplay is uneven.

Spec Ops makes an admirable attempt to inject morality into a standard shooter experience. The narrative unravels at the end and the controls are subpar compared to the top-tier competitors, but the journey into madness is unlike anything I've played before.

I had a lot of fun with Brave. The core action is simple, but the progression and element-based combat offer enough flexibility to keep things interesting – at least in the short term. Brave doesn't break the licensed-game mold as far as longevity is concerned.

With its physics-warping mechanics, thoughtful brainteasers, and playful atmosphere, Quantum Conundrum should appeal to the legions of Portal fanatics. Some may complain that it's not as funny or as clever as Valve's hit series, but Quantum Conundrum is a unique experience that deserves attention nonetheless.