It’s almost arcade-like, perhaps appealing more strongly to FPS players looking for a change of pace than the average RTS player.

I wasn’t wild about Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry. The puzzles work pretty well, and that’s the most important thing for an adventure, but the writing is sub-par, and the longer I played the game, the more I felt bad for Al Lowe, the franchise’s creator. Wet Dreams is definitely a game for adults — with a slew of references to penises, dildos, fleshlights, and more — but if you’re a part of that target demographic, and if you like adventures, then you might get enough out of the title for it to be a worthwhile purchase. Just wait for it to go on sale first.

I will say that it is worth playing through once, if only to see the movies, and the multiplayer adds some more mileage to it. But as an entry into the C&C universe, it demonstrates a series well past its peak.

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.

Fracture makes all the mistakes of the generic shooter and hangs onto the hope that its one gimmick is enough to bail it out. It isn’t. In fact, it’s not even close.

As I played Afterparty, I kept thinking that I should be liking it more than I was. A character- and story-driven game sounds like it should be right up my alley, and I can picture people enjoying the conversations and appreciating a vision of Hell where it’s being run by devils with just as many problems as everybody else. But I didn’t like the game, and I didn’t really like that there isn’t much game in the game (there aren’t any puzzles, and the drinking mini-games are so inconsequential it doesn’t even matter if you win them). So I’m giving Afterparty a lukewarm score. It’s definitely a game where your mileage may vary.

In the year that it was away, NBA 06 included a new story mode that’s rather engaging, but hampered by the mini-game presentation that advances the plot of the game.

This is 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.

This disregard for some details feels somewhat connected to the lack of full story development as well.

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.

Targeted at the younger audience, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a decent game overall, but it doesn’t live up to the potential and grandeur of the Harry Potter legacy.

The presentation is fine, and RoboBlitz's sheer challenge factor will probably attract serious platformer fans. It's frustrating, though, and all the moreso when a seemingly simple task just refuses to work for no good reason.

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

There’s no reason at all to play it alone, but if you can round up a consistent crew to run through the game together, it’s well worth the price of admission.

There’s little uniquely Bond about this experience. It’s simply an average shooter at a time when average doesn’t quite cut it.

For me, the controls are the root of the game’s issues in that they’re not ideal for a combat intensive game like Call of Duty. To compensate, the enemy AI is dumbed down. To compensate for that, enemy respawns, sometimes in unlimited numbers, are used. It’s a trickle-down effect and it’s a shame because the presentation is solid and the mission design is excellent.

While the Front Mission series has been acclaimed in the past, this is a horrible misstep that hopefully won’t be repeated in the future. Substandard combat design and AI, a cluttered player interface and technically outdated graphics butcher most, if not almost all, of the fun you’d have with this title.

If you're a fan of the series, and have some friends or family to experience the game with on a regular basis, then there is certainly fun to be had with Rabbids Land, even despite its simplicity. The board game format is fun and adds a nice twist of competition, and the Gamepad does, at times, show potential for the future.

I think my largest criticism of Mass Effect: Andromeda is how safe Bioware played it. They wrote a new, sprawling plotline with a vast number of side quests and in doing so discarded Shepard as the main character, and added an open world sandbox element, but left so many of the core game mechanics, even some of the truly awful ones, unchanged that Andromeda feels more like a gigantic DLC than anything else. Note that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s been five years since the last Mass Effect, and I do for the most part like the gameplay, and I’m not particularly adverse to more of the same (a quote so good, it should definitely be on the game box somewhere), but a part of me was hoping for something less familiar, something less Mass Effect 4. I can’t help but feel that I didn’t get it.

X-Men: The Official Game isn't a terrible game, but it's not any good, either. It managed to dip down below mediocre and into the realm of "Why bother?" It's short, uninteresting, and probably won't keep your attention based solely on the fighting, either. It's an odd mishmash that just doesn't work out the way it was supposed to.

It’s a throwback to C&C: Generals, which was one of my favorite RTS games of all time, but lacks the fun of that campaign and the kind of cartoonish feeling that infused that entire series so successfully.

Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it. Don’t feel like it soiled my fond memories of the last X-Wing series in any serious way. It’s just another in a long line of Star Wars games that could have been great and instead ended up being solidly mediocre.

Despite the much talked about three unique campaigns, this is a game that puts its multiplayer in the spotlight, but there's very little innovation and even less of a reason to choose this game over the myriad of better online experiences out there.

Overall, despite some performance issues, I rather enjoyed the mercenaries, spies and private eyes campaign that is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. I’d like to see the development team get a chance to really flesh out a longer campaign in this style, but you know…the call of duty.

So while I had some fun here and there, and while I can see some potential if I squint just right, Empire of Sin is a tough game to recommend. You’re much better off waiting for some patches and DLCs, and certainly for a price drop, before investing any of your time or money in it.

City Interactive has done a wonderful job of improving on the first Ghost Warrior title, and while this game still has a ways to go before being stellar, it definitely has succeeded in getting us excited for what the next sniping title may look like.

Crackdown 2 is a tough game to score because while it has a lot of flaws, it is very fun. I can see the Xbox Live-only stuff giving people months of enjoyment out of it, but unfortunately, the limited campaign mode relegates this to rental-only status for anyone without the ability to make use of those modes.

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.

Super Bomberman R finds itself in a bad spot. It’s a fine game in some ways, but is far too lean on content to be worth a full-priced purchase as it stands. The mode selection offline and online is sparse, and the online play is absolutely dreadful. There’s no good reason a game in 2017 should have online play as laggy as this is, and what’s worse is that the 2007 Xbox 360 and PS3 entries wind up eclipsing it in terms of quantity and quality of content. Super Bomberman R is a fine rental for die-hard fans but for newcomers, you’re far better off going with either Bomberman Ultra on the PS3 or Bomberman Live on the 360 – you’ll get far more bang for your buck.

Every so often I had some fun with the game, but too much playing time is taken up by long, boring trudges where you have to kill the same enemies over and over again (and then over and over some more, since monsters constantly re-spawn), and that isn’t much fun.

If you enjoy easy-going, slow-paced games, if you like watching the “Law & Order” television series (or, really, any police procedural series), or if you just have some time to kill, then you might like Criminal Intent well enough.

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

Conceptually, The Con seems like a strong game that would’ve been a unique twist on the fighting genre. Unfortunately, slow controls, even slower load times and somewhat ineffective features make it a game that just doesn’t work for most gamers.

It’s not too different from last year’s installment, a bit of a step down in my opinion, but still good.

While the game does have it's moments, it ends up leaving a mediocre impression at best due to a lack of creative gameplay.

But don't be fooled. The new content isn't overwhelming, and Shadow Magic plays almost identically to "Age of Wonders II."

The most hardcore Matrix fan will probably eat this game up, but for action buffs, a rental will probably be the furthest trip down the rabbit hole those gamers will go.

I wouldn’t recommend Nikopol to novice adventure game players, but veterans might find it worthwhile, and it’s certainly better than White Birds Productions’ other current offering, Sinking Island.

The maps are definitely more professional and imaginative than your average third party mod. But the most tragic thing is the sad reality that those who don’t keep up with the official EA packs may find themselves in minority once the second booster pack comes out.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded is a game that feels fragmented. It failed to live up to its potential when it comes to treading new ground, as it falls back into the same familiar territory that fans have already visited and seen. It is not a bad game by any means, but this latest Kingdom Hearts game just isn't what it could have been in regards to giving the series a boost and the breath of fresh air that it needed.

The best Resident Evil title to date for the PC. The simple reason for that is the improved gameplay, particularly the enhanced puzzle elements and the addition of Nemesis and the game-altering choice screens he brings with him.

A decent foundation for a possible series. Unfortunately, lackluster navigation, combat maneuvers and repetitious sound effects, amongst other slights weaken this game significantly.

A very accessible racing title that is easy to play from the start so fun is also a word that comes along for the ride. But in spite of the variety, I came away with the feeling that there was too much and then at the same time, too little of a game.

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.

It feels like the originality that the franchise once had has run a little stale.

It really comes down to what the player expects or wants from the experience. If you are a fan of the show/books and you simply want to inhabit two random men as they make their way through the Game of Thrones universe, this fits the bill quite nicely.

It’s not too different from last year’s installment, a bit of a step down in my opinion, but still good.

It's not quite up to the level of Interplay's "Virtual Pool" series, but Maximum Pool more than holds it's own.

You might get three days of amusement out of it instead of only two. Wouldn’t that be something? Not too shabby for game built around a prop from a twenty five year old movie that nobody’s ever heard of. Not bad at all.

Its charms, however, such as they are, are mostly lost on me.

Look, Assassin’s Creed Unity isn’t a bad game, it’s just not up to the standards of the franchise. It needed more development time – more time to optimize the experience and to get its systems to work smartly.

Unfortunately, the additions and improvements weren't impressive: the new campaigns were bad and much shorter than the ones in Earth 2150, the opponent AI might have actually gotten worse, the engine tweaking didn't do a whole lot other than increase the minimum system requirements for the game, and the new units, weapons, and buildings were hit and miss.

There’s little uniquely Bond about this experience. It’s simply an average shooter at a time when average doesn’t quite cut it.

And so it’s difficult to recommend The Spiderwick Chronicles. It’s not an awful game, but it’s nowhere near a good game either.

This lack of depth pulls it away from becoming an exemplary title.

TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

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

Getting Up is a solid game, but not spectacular in any way outside of the tagging interface. It also does a lot of things well, but features a disturbing amount of product placement that takes you right out of the adventure while also needing some fine-tuning with its controls and camera.

X-Men: The Official Game isn't a terrible game, but it's not any good, either. It managed to dip down below mediocre and into the realm of "Why bother?" It's short, uninteresting, and probably won't keep your attention based solely on the fighting, either. It's an odd mishmash that just doesn't work out the way it was supposed to.

I know that a large amount of people will pick it up merely for the sex and violence the game portrays. But I think that a lot of golf enthusiasts or curiosity seekers may actually enjoy taking a look at this title.

Splatterhouse's most obvious flaw is that many of the abilities that are taken for granted in a modern beat-'em-up, like invincibility frames on a dodge or useful combos, are purchasable upgrades.

Multiplayer has within it the seeds for fine gameplay, but with some iffy design decisions, lacking a serious tutorial, no AI to play with, and few other people to play against, it turns what should have been the game’s best piece into its greatest disappointment.

It never hits its stride, never find that sweet spot that makes for that great edge-of-your-seat survival horror experience.

If you’re an Elder Scrolls fan who has always wanted to play one of these games in co-op, this is the next best thing, at least for the time being. However, if you’re looking for Skyrim: The MMO, this will likely disappoint.

Despite the much talked about three unique campaigns, this is a game that puts its multiplayer in the spotlight, but there's very little innovation and even less of a reason to choose this game over the myriad of better online experiences out there.

Splatterhouse's most obvious flaw is that many of the abilities that are taken for granted in a modern beat-'em-up, like invincibility frames on a dodge or useful combos, are purchasable upgrades.

Ultimately though, the sort of plotless killing gets old, or at least it did for me. L4D felt like you were trying to go somewhere and do something. KF fails in that respect and instead feels like just a bunch of deathmatch games with the computer controlling one side.

I wasn’t thrilled with Restaurant Empire II, but I didn’t hate it, either. There is a lot of content to the game, with 34 scenarios to play, six types of restaurants to run, and hundreds upon hundreds of recipes to learn, but the game leans more towards quantity than quality, and I prefer the leaning to go the other way.

It's essentially the same game that's been around for over a decade, with slightly prettier window-dressing.

Scrap Metal isn’t a bad game, it’s just a mixed bag representation of a few different genres.

Ultimately, there is about a day's worth of gameplay in Blackthorne, and even on a Sunday, a good player could finish and still probably fit in church, lunch, dinner and maybe even football.

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

Shadow the Hedgehog has a couple good ideas that are ruined by sorry gameplay. What happened?

In terms of gameplay, it truly doesn't get any simpler than this, nor the pace more frantic. It's a fragfest to be sure and if you can dig that, you might find Painkiller: Hell Wars to be a fitting end to the Xbox era.

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.

FRL isn't worth its $50 asking price, but might be worth a purchase from Ferrari die-hards just to race in so many cars throughout the company's history. Everyone else will likely be satisfied racing in many of the company's most popular cars in other, more exciting racing games.

Certainly a riveting storyline could be the salvation for those who are not enamored with the Robopon concept. Unfortunately, the one included in Robopon 2 is merely functional.

As an action title, it’s decently presented, albeit repetitive, and has a creative control scheme, although not fully implemented.

The best puzzle game of this past year. It’s fun and dangerously addictive.

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.

Superhot almost seems like the teaser for a Kickstarter campaign, one that I think I would support, but as a standalone game it is just too thin.

I love the color. I love the creativity. I love the intensity and the barely controlled mayhem. But over it all, there’s no denying that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is more or less a glittery skin thrown over Borderlands 3. As a DLC maybe (and when I told some of my friends that I was reviewing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, several of them asked, oh, is that the new Borderlands DLC?) something limited to the 10-15 hour or less realm (and the $20 or less price tag), this might work. But as a new thing, that really isn’t anything different from the old thing, Gearbox really needs to find something to freshen up this formula, and I don’t mean top-flight voice talent.

Tales from the Borderlands is a fun interactive movie, but it could do with a little more player input and less linearity.

A pretty lightweight expansion pack, and what it does include isn’t especially interesting or memorable.

While TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Fire Emblem fan, this might also hold your attention. As far as I’m concerned, though, this game just isn’t for me. I find the sacrifice mechanic more frustrating than fun.

There are some great elements and firefight sequences in Conflict: Vietnam but you just don’t see them enough. And when you do, it’s sometimes offset by other factors that ultimately mire Conflict: Vietnam’s better traits into gameplay quagmire. Instead of an exciting battle, you find yourself slogging through the game.

The gameplay throughout has taken a back seat to the titles aspirations, and since a good deal of those aspirations do not quite pan out an outright purchase cannot be recommended. Fans of the previous titles will want to give it a Saturday's rental, however, if for no other reason than try to bed-down a peasant girl and possibly contract something nasty (no joke).

I realize this has been a fairly short review (especially by my standards), but frankly there just isn’t that much to say about PES 2014. It feels like a slightly shinier version of last year’s installment.

Fallout Shelter is an interesting game until you reach the fifty dweller mark. After that, the game gets easy and monotonous.

Right now, there’s way too little here to recommend a full-price purchase to anyone. Die-hards should only buy it when it hits the $20-30 range, and everyone else will likely be satiated by a rental. What’s here is done quite well, but there just isn’t enough of it.

With extremely linear gameplay, a relatively flawed fear mechanic and basic combat system, Batman really isn't breaking a sweat in this title.

The scenery is dull and repetitious, and the monsters are slow and stupid, coming at you a few at a time to be dispatched easily when a serious bull rush might actually cause you some trouble.

Crystal Bearers is a fun game for the short time that it lasts. Though I was very excited about the game, the camera and pacing issues detract from the game’s overall appeal with little to no replay value. It’s worth a rental for fans of the series but those new to the Crystal Chronicles series would feel more satisfied playing the Gamecube original and earlier DS instalments.

It actually felt more like a long DLC than an immersive game world.

Intermittent AI detection, graphical issues that affect core gameplay and length issues truly diminishes the impressive nature of this game. What’s worse, Gamecube owners are deprived of the multiplayer mode, which extends the value of Pandora Tomorrow greatly.

If you're willing to learn its patterns and work to counteract them, it offers a challenge that's quite unlike any other game on the market these days. It's occasionally frustrating, yes, but it is, at least, frustrating in a new way.

Getting Up is a solid game, but not spectacular in any way outside of the tagging interface. It also does a lot of things well, but features a disturbing amount of product placement that takes you right out of the adventure while also needing some fine-tuning with its controls and camera.