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.

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.

I'm not your financial advisor, and I don't care how you spend your money. As one human being to another, I feel a responsibility to advise you not to bother with this boring mess. There are way better bad games out there to play, and even more good ones that are worth your time.

I'm not your financial advisor, and I don't care how you spend your money. As one human being to another, I feel a responsibility to advise you not to bother with this boring mess. There are way better bad games out there to play, and even more good ones that are worth your time.

I appreciate the interesting format AC V employs, and enjoyed the sense of camaraderie I had for my team. However, the story missions are too confusing and difficult, the order missions are too short and repetitive, and there is no in-between.

I appreciate the interesting format AC V employs, and enjoyed the sense of camaraderie I had for my team. However, the story missions are too confusing and difficult, the order missions are too short and repetitive, and there is no in-between.

Unlike the God of War and Team Ico collections, the Silent Hill games have a more polarizing legacy, meaning the series may not be for everyone. Hardcore survival horror fans itching to return to the corrupt town of Silent Hill in the second and third games will enjoy the enhanced graphics and new and improved voice acting. Gamers unfamiliar with the era's clunky controls are better off hunting for more modern thrills.

Unlike the God of War and Team Ico collections, the Silent Hill games have a more polarizing legacy, meaning the series may not be for everyone. Hardcore survival horror fans itching to return to the corrupt town of Silent Hill in the second and third games will enjoy the enhanced graphics and new and improved voice acting. Gamers unfamiliar with the era's clunky controls are better off hunting for more modern thrills.

Umbrella may have filled Raccoon City with horrific creatures, but SlantSix has tainted the fabled town in its own way. It's difficult recommending a return to Raccoon when you have to endure buggy AI, clunky gameplay, and terrible glitches like disappearing floors. Yes, on more than one occasion my friends and I had to ditch whole missions because we kept falling into an empty void.

Umbrella may have filled Raccoon City with horrific creatures, but SlantSix has tainted the fabled town in its own way. It's difficult recommending a return to Raccoon when you have to endure buggy AI, clunky gameplay, and terrible glitches like disappearing floors. Yes, on more than one occasion my friends and I had to ditch whole missions because we kept falling into an empty void.

It has a blemished, blood-soaked face that's going to scare off some gamers, but there's a lot of heart and fun to be found by those willing to dig beneath the ghoulish surface.

If you're going to ask people to buy your content it's a good idea to make it compelling in the first place, and Ridge Racer doesn't do that.