And so Batman: The Telltale Series is looking like a mixed bag at the moment. The first episode is all set-up, so there isn’t any way to tell if the series is going to be interesting or not, or even what the series is going to be about.

To fans of the genre, it's stellar. It's got just over one hundred songs, each with their own backgroud videos, modes that test both your stamina and your composure, and more of what people have come to expect from dancing games.

If this were a novel or comic, it would be utterly without merit or point, filling in a gap that didn't exist before its creation and serving only to kill time. As a game, it's another run through comfortable and familiar ground, and serves to remind people why the Prince of Persia series is so universally beloved.

Overall, Minecraft Dungeons is a well-meaning game that succeeds far more than it falters. The core action-based dungeon-crawling gameplay loop is far more fun than others like it and puts the emphasis on fun than grinding. There are many upsides to this, but there is a bit lost when it comes to the story – which is rather barren. However, if you want to get into dungeon-crawlers, this is a great way to go about it. It works as an action RPG, or just a core action-based game with stats to keep track of every now and then. It looks great on the Xbox One and PC, and while it falls a bit short on Switch, its smaller dungeon size is perfect for the Switch’s at-home or on-the-go nature.

MoO scratched a very specific itch for me that no other 4X game has. This iteration of MoO:CtS doesn’t do it for me. I get that a lot of people are looking for a more involved, more detailed 4X experience, and my problem is not that I’m overwhelmed by all the activity in MoO. It’s just that if I’m looking for this kind of thing I have the excellent Civ V to turn to. It’s not that it’s bad, but except for a narrow slice of nostalgia, I don’t see what the new MoO:CtS brings to the table that the plentitude of other 4X games don’t.

The main mode of the game that allows you to relive the past five Rocky films is disappointingly short, especially when you factor in the cheap-shot facet of the gameplay mechanics.

Despite the inclusion of original voice-talent from the show, cel-shaded graphics that closely mimick the Robotech universe, and the ability to transform the Veritech at will, the title still comes off as an average mech game with bland objectives and sloppy play-control.

Online play is taken to the next level in NFL Fever 2004, in what is easily its strongest feature.

If a deep and compelling single player experience is what you crave, look elsewhere. If you just want to get online and go up against the world, then join the hordes of ghosslings already invading your online network of choice.

NBA Live 08 is a good game. It's not a great game yet. It has plenty of problems, and I must say it's still not quite on par with the impressive basketball simulation that is NBA 2K8. But the gap has closed this year. It plays, looks, and feels better than last year, and if it keeps improving, we'll have the great NBA Live series of old.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes as he was originally portrayed will find this game as delightful as a Blue Carbuncle stuck in the crop of their Christmas goose.

FlatOut 2 is a blast to play. Apart from some of the AI troubles, there is really nothing wrong with this game. It is a great title that has variety, character, and great graphics and gameplay to go along with it.

If controls weren’t such an issue for first-person shooters on the Wii, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 would be a very mediocre experience, but it remains a considerable issue and so the fact the game handles so well elevates it in spite of its shortcomings.

This game isn't about bumping balls, as the title suggests, but rather it's about kicking back and just having fun with little regard to competition or consequence. So from that perspective, DOAX is more like "Animal Crossing" than say Sega's "Beach Spikers."

Style and visuals can only do so much for a game. In our post dot-com world, image is not everything, substance does count for something.

Overall, The 40th Day, which is an awful name by the way, is actually a great game. Is it as much of an improvement over the original as we might’ve hoped? Not really, but there is a ton more content including a hefty arsenal of weaponry for you to pimp out and an expanded multiplayer that makes this game well worth playing.

On the strength of its incredible visuals and excellent multiplayer I would recommend Shadow Fall to Killzone fans, but early adopters of the PlayStation 4 looking for a good single-player experience would do better to look elsewhere.

Had the developers of Red Dead Revolver paid as much attention to mining classic video game control as they did to beloved movie scenes, they might have had a perfect game on their hands. As it is, Red Dead Revolver is a damn fine game.

An entertaining game, albeit frustrating at times. While it's unfortunate the level design wasn't a little more consistent and the camera work a little smoother, there's enough adrenaline packed into Sanity to satisfy action fans.

I gave every category about 80% in my scoring, and that sums up The Egyptian Prophecy pretty well. Nothing about it is amazing, but nothing about it is bad, either.

If not for the abundant technical glitches, repetitive level design and spotty camera system, recommending The Emperor’s Tomb would have been a no-brainer.

Despite its shortcomings (with the emphasis on short), Voodoo Vince is an imaginative and fun platform game, full of wit and charm.

It's fun, but a shallow fun, based on shallow characters – maybe the perfect game for the kids from "Clueless" or "The OC."

FlatOut 2 is a blast to play. Apart from some of the AI troubles, there is really nothing wrong with this game. It is a great title that has variety, character, and great graphics and gameplay to go along with it.

At its root, The Saboteur is a classic revenge tale with some tasks to perform to distract you from the main story. The fact that the side tasks have little to no effect on that main story is a bit of a shame, as these open-style games tend to really shine when some act you committed causes unforeseen consequences. All in all, it can be said that Pandemic’s last offering is a worthwhile one, especially for the gorgeous visuals and nail-biting gameplay that comes from trying to undermine a Nazi occupation one building at a time. Do yourself a favor and find yourself a copy… perhaps the one Ugarte gave to Rick to hide under the lid of the piano.

EA deserves a lot of credit here for breaking the mold of Wii versions of core sports games. By altering both the gameplay style and the visual style, they've managed to create an experience that, while not as deep and involving, is inviting and enjoyable in its own way.

If you're a big LBP fan then it might be worth it, but if you've played ModNation Racers, I don't think the slight makeover is enough to warrant a full price tag.

A fair presentation of a game that we’ve all played a lot of times before. I’d like to add the additional criticism here that I found the controls very sloppy for an FPS, and almost downright unresponsive during short periods when there was a big explosion or several grenades going off at once.

Even by Bethesda standards, Dawnguard is just riddled with bugs, many of them game-breaking. I came across audio issues, missing textures, missing NPCs, broken dungeons, and much more. This is a fun expansion, even if its content is a little disappointing, but I highly suggest waiting for a patch (or three) before you jump in.

Overall, Motocross Madness is a game that plays really well but suffers from some cosmetic flaws and an underwhelming soundtrack. Still, the core gameplay is outstanding and well worth the $10 price tag.

The similarities between this game and the film are quite ironic. Both feature nausea-inducing camera work and each is a tad bit on the short side. The similarities end there though, as Blair Witch Project Volume I is arguably scarier than the movie.

This title boasts a very high replay value, an excellent soundtrack and some downright wicked tricks.

A good shooter, perched on the boundary between realistic and cinematic. It's got a great story, too.

A good platforming experience that is only somewhat overshadowed by its limited gamespan. However, it’s a solid return to next gen consoles for Pitfall Harry, and the inclusion of the original Pitfall and Pitfall II games makes this a must have for action fans.

Questionable design decisions and technical issues aside, I love the LEGO games and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is no different. These are still some of the best family friendly titles available. Having said that, I can't escape the feeling that this tried and true formula is beginning to get a little stale. But if, like me, you're okay with that, then LEGO Pirates is another swashbuckling romp along a familiar theme.

If you liked the humor and structure of the Sam & Max episodes, then you’ll probably enjoy the Strong Bad episodes as well. The Strong Bad episode is also a much better “animated feature” than what just came out in theaters last week, and for about the same price.

Isuka would've made a great 3D brawler in the tradition of "Power Stone," or a cool two-on-two team game like "X-Men vs. Street Fighter," but in its current state, it's just not much fun at all.

Definitely a single player title first, multiplayer title second. Even in the former, it lacks the material to vault it into the stratosphere and turn XIII into a classic. Style and visuals can only do so much for a game.

Need for Speed: ProStreet is a good game-to get that out of the way. However, the decision to move away from what has made the series so great and toward the simulation style is a questionable one. Fans of the series will be upset with the omission of the cop chases, illegal racing, and overall shady mood.

The escalated difficulty of mixing all these together (now instead of one or two game types, you have half a dozen) and inconsistency in pacing the sequences ironically makes the holistic package less accessible.

Every time I started to have fun, the interface would bug me or the game would crash, or I’d run into a mission with 500+ units on the map, and the game would run in slow motion.

While the A.I. could’ve been stronger and there could’ve been more with the playable characters, Chaos Bleeds does a great job of appealing to fans and newcomers to the show alike. Adventure fans should look at sinking their teeth into this game.

Questionable design decisions and technical issues aside, I love the LEGO games and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is no different. These are still some of the best family friendly titles available. Having said that, I can't escape the feeling that this tried and true formula is beginning to get a little stale. But if, like me, you're okay with that, then LEGO Pirates is another swashbuckling romp along a familiar theme.

The biggest shame might be sinking money into the game and being unable to play it because of the dreaded server connection issues and that’s why in its current state, Rayman Adventures is difficult to recommend.

I think the largest problem Cold Winter has is that it's on the wrong system. If, for some freakish reason, you only own a PS2 and you're a big FPS fan, this is one of the better games that's available on the system. It can genuinely be fun if you're willing to forgive its various flaws.

You should only buy Laser Squad Nemesis if you’re looking for multiplayer skirmishes.

Overall, GRID is a very good game – but one that fails to fully find its own voice. One thing that defined the series when it began was a unique team-based premise and a defined structure to its career mode. You had a sense of identity there that isn’t present now and it hurts the overall experience. Fortunately, the core racing action is still top-shelf and the nemesis system keeps you glued to the race and doing your best to either avoid contact or exploit it depending on your play style. This reboot isn’t my favorite in the franchise, but it is the best-playing on-track experience even if the rest of the game doesn’t quite match its greatness.

Scribblenauts Unlimited is the best looking and playing entry in the series to date. It's also the easiest, so if you didn't like the first two due to their difficulty, at least give this a rental.

Critter Chronicles took me about a dozen hours to complete, and I consistently found it to be enjoyable during that time. The puzzles work well and are sometimes challenging (at least on "Hard;" I didn't try "Normal"), the writing is amusing enough that the game is entertaining to watch as well as play, and the voice acting is once again terrific.

An unexpectedly charming title through and through - one of the most surprising titles that I've had the pleasure of coming across this year.

It's not easy, it's pretty funny, and you'll only rarely do the same thing twice. It's there to test a wide variety of skills, or to simply entertain those with short attention spans, and it succeeds at both.

The action is more intense in this game.

This title would have been better if the design was more polished and the controls were more sophisticated.

To fans of the genre, it's stellar. It's got just over one hundred songs, each with their own backgroud videos, modes that test both your stamina and your composure, and more of what people have come to expect from dancing games.

Overall, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is a nice enough adventure if you’re interested in the Jack the Ripper murders.

While the Pressure Control and drop pass are nice additions to the control scheme, they aren’t as innovative as last year’s Pro Control passing or even Crease Control. The new skating engine adds more precision in terms of player movement on the ice, but it doesn’t negate the overwhelming use of one-timers to score goals.

It’s obvious from the beginning that this game isn’t trying to do anything new or terribly innovative. Origins does action, and does it well.

The bottom line here is that this isn’t nearly as good, fun, or as satisfying a game as the original from either an action standpoint, a role-playing standpoint, or just a comic book standpoint.

It can be a great service to fans of Fantasy Battles and medieval warfare in general; the issue is that it demands a perfect storm of circumstances to fully enjoy it.

It may not reinvent the wheel, but Project X Zone 2 keeps things rolling along for the series.

It’s cute, funny, clever, and the controls are all very responsive and tight for a collection like this with so many different games to build. So, if you’ve got the itch for some light-hearted minigame fun, go out and pick this one up.

A decent story, coupled with impressive graphics and extremely solid voice acting combine to deliver the best Vietnam game yet.

Would have been a great game… six years ago. Now, it’s nothing groundbreaking, creative or innovative.

Fans or previous owners of the game may want to hedge their purchase based on how desirous they are of limited exploration, repetitive gameplay mechanics and mild additions that could’ve been presented with a basic patch against the story of the Shadow Jumper.

An interesting and innovative title.

A good platforming experience that is only somewhat overshadowed by its limited gamespan. However, it’s a solid return to next gen consoles for Pitfall Harry, and the inclusion of the original Pitfall and Pitfall II games makes this a must have for action fans.

I was a little annoyed when the ancient mysteries ended up revolving around the Knights Templar and the Ark of the Covenant. Haven’t those two things been involved in enough ancient mysteries without trotting them out for yet another?

For the most part, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil plays just like FIFA 14.

NBA Live 08 is a good game. It's not a great game yet. It has plenty of problems, and I must say it's still not quite on par with the impressive basketball simulation that is NBA 2K8. But the gap has closed this year. It plays, looks, and feels better than last year, and if it keeps improving, we'll have the great NBA Live series of old.

Simply stated, 4x4 Evolution is a great looking game. Turn up all of the graphics options and you can almost feel the branches swatting against the side of your truck as you slice between the trees and into the lead.

Overall I’m disappointed by the physics of this game.

The game itself is bright and happy and optimistic, it’s well made, and it includes enough content to be well worth its suggested retail price.

"King of Fighters 2003" is a great addition to anyone's PS2 library. Just try to pretend it's the only game in its case.

Still, it’s a far better game than last year’s effort and well worth checking out for most wrestling fans out there – especially when the online issues get resolved.

While Grand Slam Tennis 2 is not a Game of the Year candidate, it's certainly a very good game of virtual tennis, and a great value – especially at $49.99 - $10 cheaper than your average retail sports game. It's not without its frustrations, and it's not a technical masterpiece, but the online modes, smooth career offering, and ESPN classic matches will give you plenty to do. For a fan of tennis games, if you're looking to scratch the itch of swinging the old racket, I can certainly recommend this one to you.

Hard Reset puts you on the streets of a splashy cyberpunk city, atmospherically lying somewhere between the Matrix and Blade Runner, a world of crumbling glass skyscrapers, and unleashes the enemy hoards.

Oni brings to the table an explosive and refreshing hand-to-hand combat system. Despite its presence though, Oni falls victim to a variety of issues including repetitive level design, an awkward control scheme, numerous visual glitches and a lack of multi-player.

The inclusion of half-hearted simulation elements and toned down arcade gameplay result in Blitz Pro turning into a watered down shadow of its former self. Hopefully next year’s version will restore some glory to this now tarnished franchise.

The control scheme goes a long way in marring what would’ve been a great game for fans of flight sims or novices looking to get into the genre.

The create a soldier mode that is dependent upon your skill with activities is a fresh spin to the player generated fighter, and the inclusion of RPG-esque elements take the rather tired elements from Dynasty Warriors and injects new blood into the genre.

A large number of technical issues and some combat flaws, along with a number of less than stellar puzzle mechanics make this a game for hardcore Matrix fans or some martial arts action buffs instead of for everyone.

The singleplayer portion is a little on the shallow side, what with the brief campaign and the one-night stand nature of the Galactic Conquest mode, but the multiplayer portion is ripe with replay value.

Whenever I decide to try and play Outriders, I enjoy it, but it is a visible crapshoot whether it’ll crash or disconnect on me before I have the chance to do anything fun. Other players have reported losing their entire inventories or having consistent fatal errors. The game flat-out doesn’t feel complete. Again, though, I have cleared the story campaign, so Outriders has a few things going for it. I’d like to see a sequel that addresses some of this, by getting rid of the always-online functionality, ditching some of the petty annoyances like how fast travel works between zones, and generally getting the game to a place where it doesn’t crash every hour or so. As it stands, it’s good, but obnoxious, and might be better after a few solid patches.

It achieves greatness through its creation of an incredible in-game world and its atmosphere, but is held back by its problematic camera and controls.

The sound effects are adequate and the music does its job, but it would have been nice to see some of these characters talk or emote a little bit, even if just for laughs.

The gameplay is incredibly slow, with weak controls and very sloppy technical facets that harms the enjoyment and eventual replayability of the title.

What you wind up with when all is said and done is a neat little chunk of Star Wars fiction wrapped up in a mediocre action game package.

It’s a fantastic game overall, and owners of any platform should have fun with it – although Xbox One owners may want to stick with that version since that would then be the ultimate way to play all the B-K and B-K-style games on one device.

I played almost all of last weekend, and just stopped playing an hour ago, and I have no specific memory of any of it. Some driving, some shooting. I can hardly recall the boss battles except the ones that stood out as awful. Come to think of it, beyond general feelings that I liked it, I have no memories of Rage 1 either. And that’s Rage 2 in a nutshell: good enough, not great, entirely forgettable.

I spent about 15 hours with Worms Revolution, and while I didn't especially enjoy it, I only played against computer opponents. I'm guessing that for the game to really shine, you have to play against similarly (in)competent human opponents. Given that it's so easy to miss with your attacks and accidentally blow up your own worms, Worms Revolution might generate a lot of good-natured heckling and work pretty well as a party game. Or not. But for only $15, if the premise sounds fun, then there's not much reason not to find out.

Overall, I didn’t like Hard West as much as I thought I would. The campaign is interesting, but developer CreativeForge spent so much time on “flashback” scenarios that it was difficult for me to connect with anybody or care what happened.

Anarchy, lacking that amiability, coupled with the slow pacing, will find it tough to hold a wide audience. However, there's no denying it exhibits some signs of an uber-hit.

A lack of checkpoints, imperfect weapon design and control along with a lack of a story that players will care for makes this the low point for the impressive franchise.

I was not, I recall, overly enamored of the first game, and while inevitable, I don’t see that the sequel adds anything that anyone was clambering for.

An interesting attempt to integrate videogames, music, dance, and you into a single package, but ultimately fails to leave much of an impression after the first few hours of play.

While there’s definitely a learning curve with respect to the controls and the fact you’re performing double duty as a pilot and army General, the combination of aerial combat and real-time military strategy is a rather enjoyable mix.

I love the game, I really do, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's still playing Dawn of War. If you're not you may want to wait for the full sequel to the game, which is already in the early stages of development.

My overall impression of this game is that’s it’s not a bad game, and I have every belief that the developers will stick with it and work to make it better, but it resides in a very crowded field of very similar games, most of which seem to be just a little bit better in some way. I remember that the interface of Pillars of Eternity seemed just a little bit easier to use. The artwork in Torment: Tides of Numenera was just a little bit snazzier. The plot of Baldur’s Gate just a little bit more engrossing. The characters in Neverwinter just a little more interesting. And none of those games suffered from the kind of the difficulty spikes this one does.