The Splatters' simple mechanic of flinging liquid to destroy bombs feels like a cross between Angry Birds and Peggle in all the right ways. You have a lot of control over the direction of your flying splatters, but an element of luck (maybe too much) determines how many bombs you are able to take out. When you mess up, blaming the game is easy, but the successful runs make it worth trying again over and over.

The worlds are fun to explore and navigation captures the right balance between challenging and doable. Checkpoints are generous and things you've already killed or collected stay that way so backtracking isn't an issue.

The worlds are fun to explore and navigation captures the right balance between challenging and doable. Checkpoints are generous and things you've already killed or collected stay that way so backtracking isn't an issue.

Full of fan service, this one is for the Naruto faithful. It's competent and looks great, but if you're just after a good fighter, you can do better. The fighting genre is experiencing somewhat of a second golden age of games right now and Generations isn't quite one of them.

Full of fan service, this one is for the Naruto faithful. It's competent and looks great, but if you're just after a good fighter, you can do better. The fighting genre is experiencing somewhat of a second golden age of games right now and Generations isn't quite one of them.

I was thankful that this experience didn't last over three hours total, but players who paid money for it might not be as pleased. Spirit Camera has some extras to check out, but most of them involve repacking campaign content or taking photos with silly ghosts inserted into them. You can always play through a harder version of the campaign with added text and a cute new outfit for Maya, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Sincere attempts have been made to make this game more universally appealing to a wider range of gamers with the simpler control options. Removing the need to focus heavily on keeping your plane in the air leads to a fun-but-simple flight combat game. Unfortunately, you can't escape the fact that the gamer who will get the most from Birds of Steel is the one who has at least one meticulously painted World War II model airplane.

Sincere attempts have been made to make this game more universally appealing to a wider range of gamers with the simpler control options. Removing the need to focus heavily on keeping your plane in the air leads to a fun-but-simple flight combat game. Unfortunately, you can't escape the fact that the gamer who will get the most from Birds of Steel is the one who has at least one meticulously painted World War II model airplane.

No other game captures the potential and magic of the concept like Fez. The result is one of the most accessible, clever, and mind-altering experiences on the gaming market.

Its weighty combat, difficult choices with real consequences, and fascinating storylines are some of the best gaming has ever seen. I can no longer lord it over the console masses with this one, though, because this long-in-development Xbox 360 port is just as amazing as the original. It's actually better than it was at launch... [May 2012, p.82]

I had a good time playing Cloud Patrol for a few minutes here and there, but I could never see myself playing for extended marathon sessions. That addictive "one more game to improve my score" quality isn't there.

As a downloadable title featuring the bells and whistles that many retail fighters are lacking, Skullgirls is an impressive feat.

As a downloadable title featuring the bells and whistles that many retail fighters are lacking, Skullgirls is an impressive feat.

Kinect Star Wars is a bad game. If you go into it knowing that you are getting full-on camp like The Star Wars Holiday Special rather than a legitimate Star Wars experience, it can be fun, but you do have to tolerate faulty Kinect recognition the whole time. Ever since Nintendo introduced the Wii, I've been hoping LucasArts would deliver a great motion-based lightsaber experience, but Kinect Star Wars left me wanting a controller again.

I like Vessel, but sometimes frustration sat side by side with amusement. The liquid physics on display are impressive, but when they get in the way of otherwise enjoyable gameplay, I'd prefer simplicity over a strict physics simulation. Nonetheless, Vessel has a remarkable style all its own, and your patience is rewarded with a delightful and lengthy adventure.

Legend of Grimrock resonates with powerful nostalgic vibes for gamers of my generation, and I don't regret my time with it one bit. Its lazy monster design encourages the worst kind of tedious, mechanically abusive player behavior, though, which is a grave offense in the world of party-based RPGs.

This collection is a good way to revisit the two best games in the series, though it may be better suited to newcomers than gamers who just want to relive their favorite moments.

This collection is a good way to revisit the two best games in the series, though it may be better suited to newcomers than gamers who just want to relive their favorite moments.

South Park fans will be disappointed by the pandering references and lazy writing, and platforming fans will hate the awful level design. This is a game for no one.

I have some qualms about Modern Times' balancing, particularly the ludicrously profitable factories and fish farms, but those cast almost unnoticeable shadows on the game's otherwise impressive accomplishments.

I fell in love with JRPGs in the 16-bit era because they constantly showed me things I'd never seen before. Somewhere in the last 15 years, most RPG developers in Japan have lost sight of that, instead rehashing the same fantasies and floating by on nostalgia. Xenoblade Chronicles is the first JRPG I've played this generation that has me excited for the future rather than simply reminding me of happy memories from my past. Monolith Soft deserves praise for creating it.

This is EA Sports' first use of Kinect, and it shows. The peripheral doesn't come close to replicating your backswing with fidelity, and it lacks fluidity and accuracy. The PS3 Move functionality fares only slightly better, but the hiccups in the backswing animation are annoying when you're trying to gauge how much power to use during putting. I don't recommend either of these peripherals over the normal control setup.

This is EA Sports' first use of Kinect, and it shows. The peripheral doesn't come close to replicating your backswing with fidelity, and it lacks fluidity and accuracy. The PS3 Move functionality fares only slightly better, but the hiccups in the backswing animation are annoying when you're trying to gauge how much power to use during putting. I don't recommend either of these peripherals over the normal control setup.

If you're not a shooter fan because the genre doesn't appeal to you, Sine Mora probably won't change your mind. If you've stood on the sidelines because of intimidating difficulty levels, however, it's worth giving it a shot. You won't coast through the experience, but it remains fair and (most importantly) fun throughout.

I enjoy Angry Birds, and understand why so many have grown to love it, but personally I never felt compelled to play more than a few levels. With Angry Birds Space, I was disappointed when I made it to the end. I wanted more. It offers an experimental take on the original game's concepts, and surpasses them in most respects. It's a better game than Angry Birds, and I can't wait to play more of it with the inevitable update that Rovio is probably already planning.

Fall of the Samurai, like the original Shogun 2, is good enough that I heartily recommend it to everyone who owns a PC regardless of their experience with or opinion of the grand strategy genre. If you're coming into the series for the first time there is a lot to learn, but you'll be amply rewarded with hundreds of hours of top-notch entertainment should you make the investment.

The Show's solid debut is very much in line with the experience offered on PS3, but the sensitive analog controls put a big hole in its swing. If the Vita is your only avenue of play, though, there are workarounds. If you use this version as an extension to your PS3 play, it negatively affects your stats to a degree, but it's still a suitable companion that allows you to play more video game baseball. Especially when your significant other is hogging the TV.

Ninja Gaiden 3 is not a complete train wreck, but it does suffer from a multitude of problems. The action can be fast-paced and engaging at times, but many design decisions significantly bring down the experience. Dumbed-down A.I., a limited arsenal, the series' notoriously difficult camera, no inventory/currency system, and an incoherent story combine to make this the most disappointing title in the series.