A mediocre port of what can already be considered an old but classic Dreamcast game.

Conceptually, Into The Stars had the potential to be a compelling spin on a formula established by the immeasurably superior FTL, but across the board, it is littered with uninspired and dull design choices.

It stumbles in its lame single-player and brutally slow pacing, but offers a nice amount of customization for would-be mech mechanics, leading to a game perfect for the chop shop and lousy for the road.

Ultimately one of those games whose cinemas are more interesting than the actual gameplay and from a gamer's standpoint, that's never a good thing. If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie - but I came to play.

What's good about the game isn't a great improvement on last year's version and, in fact, the game seems to have taken a step back graphically. Meanwhile, at its core, the game isn't true to the nature of baseball, because the bottom line - the numbers - just don't jibe.

You can’t forgive the absurd health meter, the retarded save system, the completely rehashed gameplay, or the misleading “clues”, but you’ll never forget the charming characters, witty dialog, and bizarre sexual conundrums.

Like so many Hollywood Summer blockbusters: It starts with a cool idea (Hulk destroying stuff) but, from there, grinds to a halt in terms of delivering on its promise. I won't say it's a bad game, because you can get a couple hours of fun out of it running around smashing stuff, but none of it stands out as being exceptional, or even well-done.

I can sense the heart in the project, but heart alone doesn’t make a great game unfortunately.

Still, I think of how The Devil Inside essentially is a film with no third act. By the same token, ACC: China never really lets the itself soar. Everything feels deliberately muted. And that leads Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China being ultimately just as forgettable as The Devil Inside.

It's much better than "Sega Bass Fishing," but the same major problem still exists: What the hell are you doing inside, fishing out of a TV screen, when there are actual, live fish outside?

There's nothing brutally wrong with Championship Surfer, but there isn't really enough to keep the non-surfer interested. It's just wave after wave after wave.

Hours in, I was a believer in StarDrive. I saw a hundreds of hours potentially flying by as I came up with genius new ship designs and fleet formations that would make the difference in sprawling, climactic battles. But none of that ever happened. I spent a lot of time getting attached to ships that would ultimately just be grains in a sandstorm. And once that disappointment had truly settled in, there was nothing left but a bunch of menus, and a cold, empty galaxy expanding endlessly around me.

The overly complex ranking system has some inherent problems, and the limited car options hinder the joy of progression.

In the end Doctor Lautrec is really enjoyable when you play it and boring when you're sitting through long cutscenes and dialog exchanges between its bland cast of chracters. It's just too bad the gameplay is spread too far and too thin

While Capcom vs SNK certainly adds some flavor to the "Street Fighter" pot, it doesn't change the main course at all. Too bad, considering what this game could have been.

Probably because when compared to the likes of World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour, even Hello Kitty: Poker Party would look like gold. Stacked is better than that fictitious mess, I think, and might be worth a rental if you'd like to see some decent poker-sim A.I.

Sadly, Mister Mosquito is brutally linear in its gameplay. You cannot land on your victim and just start sucking - you must find the one or two hot spots or it's no go.

Simply a subpar port of a pretty good PC strategy game. The difficult controls coupled with the difficult gameplay lead to a game that's just too difficult for most console gamers, and not in a good way.

The refinement of the animations, the character models, and accurately capturing the simulation (that sports titles do best) is missing.

It's simply not as good as the first Buffy game and suffers from loose control and repetitive gameplay. I guess hot chicks and vampires don't automatically make things awesome.

It’s fun and humorous at first, but the lack of substance and challenge is a Spider-killer.

But the underlying gameplay and A.I. that made the PC version such a cohesive package is lost on this new generation of sexless sims, who care only for new rugs, expensive coffee tables, and balanced meals. They're perfect yuppies, and perfectly boring.

I love to waste time with video games, but Loadout seems to point the gun in the wrong direction and then fire dud rounds at all the wrong ideas. The package offers plenty of gameplay and you could certainly get a kick out of using Vita remote play to while away commercials on TV, but you probably have other games to play too.

It offers interesting gameplay mechanics and a ton of modes, but the pieces don't fit together well, making this mascot racer better suited for a weekend drag race than a 500 lap cruise.

It's a shame, because despite all of the rampant bad old-schooliness (I'm coining that phrase right here, right now), 4 Heroes of Light has some good qualities and I actually started enjoying it right about the midway point when you get your whole party together and the crown system kicks in full swing. The problem is that you have to slog through the first half to get there, and even then all the annoyances and frustrations are still lurking – they're just a little easier to ignore.

I applaud the fact that Over 9000 Zombies! was created by one person, because I'm sure it took a hell of a lot of work. Building barricades and turrets adds a welcome bit of variety, but it doesn't make gameplay deep enough to keep me interested for very long. Gamers who like to dominate leaderboards will appreciate the single-player mode, and I imagine that the side-by-side multiplayer mode will be a hit at parties.

Compared to the PS2's EyeToy games and the Gamecube's GBA connectivity option, the Xbox version got shafted for extras.

The smashing of heads and delivery of pain is fun, but is ultimately undermined by the awful camera and limited gameplay.

This version isn't quite as intriguing as the conflict on the Xbox thanks to the shoddier look and only two-player multiplayer.

Tetris Worlds may not be revolutionary, but it's an affordable take on a classic and offers fun online play. Yet even more affordable are the many free online PC takes of Tetris, such as Tetrinet.

God of War’s first two entries should absolutely not be missed now that they’ve been remade—just choose your edition wisely if you crave the grandeur of an actual HD remake.

Objectively speaking, it’s a game with visuals that functions, and that’s how it shall be scored.

For the die-hard Pokemon player, this game is a must have: the thrill of seeing your team of Pokemon on the big screen duking it out against your buddies will outweigh any flaws, fumbles or complete lack of content the game might have. For the rest of us, however, we may as well sit down and wait for the dawn of the era after this one.

Gauntlet is not a roaring return for the arcade classic, nor is it a critical failure.

Even though the combat is thrilling and the premise somewhat interesting, this DLC's very short and clumsily constructed story in detriment of gameplay makes skipping it an easy decision.

Wizards of the Coast needs to learn about loss aversion and the concept of not fixing something that ain't broken.

Killing zombie Hitler should be a highlight of any experience as any chance to squash Nazi scum should be. But in Zombie Army 4’s campaign, it was more of a relief as it signaled the end of a tedious, monotonous experience that was only bolstered by the ability to get through it with other people.

Even though the combat is thrilling and the premise somewhat interesting, this DLC's very short and clumsily constructed story in detriment of gameplay makes skipping it an easy decision.

While hardly as bad as its PSOne predecessor, this one seems content mired in utter mediocrity.

It is not a game that you play to enjoy the single-player story--or even, for that matter, the offline mode. If you can reconcile yourself with that, though, the multiplayer "Fragile Alliance" mode is incredible fun and incorporates a dynamic that I wish others developers would try to imitate.

Even though the combat is thrilling and the premise somewhat interesting, this DLC's very short and clumsily constructed story in detriment of gameplay makes skipping it an easy decision.

With my review, I set my sights on putting this to the test. Could I save London while resisting the temptation to feed? During my time with Vampyr, a more important question emerged. One that strikes at the heart of the matter. The killing blow, as it were. “Does it really matter when everybody in this town sucks?”

And I never thought another game could make "DMC"'s plot actually look less confusing. All attitude and little substance, Hellboy has his charms, but I can't recommend you do more than rent it.

Passable and tolerable.

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond certainly isn't the best side-scrolling shooter around, but it tries its best to make up for that fact with self-deprecating humor and plentiful gaming references.

It is not a game that you play to enjoy the single-player story--or even, for that matter, the offline mode. If you can reconcile yourself with that, though, the multiplayer "Fragile Alliance" mode is incredible fun and incorporates a dynamic that I wish others developers would try to imitate.

It is not a game that you play to enjoy the single-player story--or even, for that matter, the offline mode. If you can reconcile yourself with that, though, the multiplayer "Fragile Alliance" mode is incredible fun and incorporates a dynamic that I wish others developers would try to imitate.

While the concept is good and the presentation is at times outstanding, the core gameplay isn’t strong enough to separate it from the swarms of mediocre kart racers that have come before it.

It should have waited for the next generation of 3D hardware before going 3D and should have been left in the development oven a bit longer to smooth out the control and gameplay issues.

The problem with Pilotwings Resort is that there just isn't much to do.

This year, as 2K8 lags with its overcomplicated controls, EA has managed to slip by. NHL 08 is imperfect, but with its simple gameplay and its clean presentation, it’s somehow on track to lead the league and push it forward.

They're trying by adding new features, but to my mind this energy is misplaced. While you get some changes and add-ons, that's a lot like pruning a tree when its core is rotten, or putting a dress on a pig, or ... well, you get the point.

It remains faithful to its influences and loyal to its theme, but when its misgivings contribute to make it such an irritating experience, it’s impossible to overlook them.

It isn't exactly a bad game per se, but it just doesn't belong on a game system that only has one analog stick. If you absolutely have to play it, stick with the Playstation 3 version.

The game just feels incomplete.

In the end, this on-paper depth doesn't translate well to the fishing experience, and the game's smiling aesthetic isn't enough to save it.

But "long" doesn't equal "fun." Sans battle strategy, overland exploration and gameplay variety, Tales of Legendia is carried mostly by its bland story and flawed if interesting combat. And that's just not the stuff legends are made of.

Problematically, it just doesn’t do too anything new and doesn’t space itself out from the crowd. It feels like you’ve played this game before and you probably have - in better, more interesting forms.

Passable and tolerable.

Although its blend of stealth and action is clever, it's also derivative and boring.

While I love this game's unusual art style and I enjoy the story premise, playing Dokuro is more frustrating than fun. It doesn't help that the controls have such an odd layout.

The film came out a year ago and we’ve already endured one tragic game offering. This one is far better than that mess (which admittedly isn’t saying very much) and despite its fundamental flaws, the game delivers some decent fun.

I think it's safe to say that someone at EA Sports has too tight a grip on the mantra, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Year after year, the Live series crops up with minor retrofits while other EA lines, like the admirable Madden games, enjoy sparkling new touches and interesting new modes.

While Exit DS is amusing for a few minutes (and for puzzle fans, it's worth the purchase... from the discount aisle... maybe), it's a puzzle action title that's already been done and it really isn't exciting enough to get worked up about.

Some of its lazy touches recall a PS2 relic that was better off being pretty on older hardware. If it does interest you for some reason, I’d advise you to wait for a sale price at least, because I can’t see this flying off of store shelves.

For the few things it does right, like some variation in the mission structure and a control scheme that makes sense (even in a hurty way), it's just not that good. For a series that has worked so hard to make a great solo experience, even—especially—in its first-person outings, it’s incredibly unbalanced with a difficulty spike I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before.

It's a puzzle game that doesn't involve pointing and clicking or falling shapes, which is good to see, but it leaves much to be desired with its blunt limitations, uninspired presentation, and painfully slow pacing.

If you’ve played it before and liked it, you’ll enjoy Escha & Logy Plus, but you won’t find much new to be excited about. For everyone else, it’s a stock RPG that’s neither too hard nor too interesting. Have an energy drink before playing so you can stay awake.

The disconnect that the overly convoluted plotline produces mixed with the detachment I felt with the world because of the continually shifting environment left made the whole thing feel hollow to me. I can’t recommend Layers of Fear 2 unless you just absolutely love the genre and have played everything else out there.

It's a puzzle game that doesn't involve pointing and clicking or falling shapes, which is good to see, but it leaves much to be desired with its blunt limitations, uninspired presentation, and painfully slow pacing.

While it’s passable in terms of quality, it’s wholly derivative of its source of inspiration, and the attempts made by Eclipse Games to carve out its own identity mostly fall flat.

Like I said before, unless you have some sort of undying affinity for this series, I recommend you steer clear. Seriously, there are plenty of other titles on the PlayStation Store worth your hard-earned cash.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of Metal Wolf Chaos XD will come down to how much you are willing to stick with some archaic design choices in order to see more of the ridiculous story and the few levels that do hold up. And because of its dated foundation, Metal Wolf Chaos needed a remake instead of a remaster.

Rather than mixing action, adventure and puzzle, a narrower focus with more snide remarks and witty writing would have led to a better game.

For less than thirty dollars combined, value conscious gamers looking for arcade racing thrills could surely go out and score copies of all three Midnight Club and all three Burnout titles for the PS2. How extreme is that?

Blades of Time offers plenty of variety but without much substance. Combat is fun, levels are enjoyable, and enemies are challenging, but nothing is significant enough to be memorable. It's fun for the moment, but easily forgotten by the weekend.

Ultimately, what's exciting about Happy Home Designer is waiting for the enhanced touch controls, yard building, and item catalog to be included in the next main entry of Animal Crossing. Otherwise, Happy Home Designer feels like a standalone expansion that's inexplicably missing the solid foundation that New Leaf should have provided.

Although its blend of stealth and action is clever, it's also derivative and boring.

The game mechanics, voice acting, and enemy designs are all wonderfully polished. But if people could live on polish alone, there’d be gourmet restaurants serving linoleum and fingernails.

A decent, little game that's a bit too decent and way too little. It's good for a laugh or two, but it fails to capture the fast-paced fun factor of previous Mario sports titles.

It's worth some time to play through if you enjoy a more tactical battle system than you're likely to find in a more well-known franchise, but unless that's enough to hold your attention, methinks you're going to be disappointed with this latest Growlanser.

If this expansion were $10 or so, I wouldn't be so rough on it. However, when you're looking at paying $19.99 ($17.50 with the Expansion Pass) for Curse of Osiris when it offers so little new content, it seems a bit ridiculous. The worst thing of all is that if you want to keep playing Destiny 2 and keep getting new and relevant gear, then you have to buy it. This expansion is now required to get the full enjoyment out of even the base game, so even if you think it's not a good value you're trapped.

Both Lara and her series are well past their prime, and both try in vain to look half their age. Though she might be worth a few hours of your time, Lara’s best days are far behind her.

Real Boxing’s biggest sin is that it’s just too boring. In fact, it’s not even that real. The game isn’t actually simulationist at all. It’s far more arcade-y than anything else. It’s a lot like a fighting game, except each character has the exact same moveset with slight differences to their strength and HP. This combined with the lack of game modes and customization options, makes the game fall short of other Vita titles.

In the crowded first-person genre, this one barely makes the grade.

An average game. It's got a lot of good ideas that we've seen before, but isn't able to pull it all together. Still, it's got a decent story and extras that will continue to challenge after Racing Life is done.

As a standard third-person action-platformer, there's nothing substantially wrong with THQ's take on The Incredibles, but neither is there anything original.

The only thing infinite about this game is how often it feels like you're running through the same situations and scenarios.

While the concept is good and the presentation is at times outstanding, the core gameplay isn't strong enough to separate it from the swarms of mediocre kart racers that have come before it.

I'm sure you'll find this Confidential Mission exactly as you'd picture it. Short and to the point with lots of gun fodder.

While The Bouncer cam puts on a good show, it chooses fashion over function every time. Dramatic camera angles produce awesome screen shots, but as a result you'll spend half the time wondering what's sitting right in front of your face.

But the underlying gameplay and A.I. that made the PC version such a cohesive package is lost on this new generation of sexless sims, who care only for new rugs, expensive coffee tables, and balanced meals. They're perfect yuppies, and perfectly boring.

It’s a solid brawler that hits hard and delivers a fun action movie good time for a few hours. However, that admittedly standard gameplay doesn’t make up for all the problems, and nothing from this equation makes it worth a $30 asking price.

Gets points for creativity and inventiveness. It tries to bring together many disparate game ideas, but these ideas weren't pushed all the way and at the very least weren't polished enough for a final product.

Regardless of it all, levels are still replayable, and at a price of 15 bucks, LA Cops is a bargain deal.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition can be tolerable on the right system. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X offer users the best chance of brute-forcing past the performance barriers but, even then, occasional bugs and glitches can occur. Fun can be had on those current-gen systems, especially by those with some sentimental attachment to the original trilogy, but there’s still likely to be moments of frustration.

At its best, players might enjoy stepping into the paws of a Pokémon they've commanded for 15 years. At its worst, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity lobotomizes the franchise. While Pokémon Masters rely on their friends to be the best, Chunsoft pulled a Team Rocket, using Pokémon as tools to sell boring gameplay.

One of the most average games I've ever played. It has some mindlessly fun arcade moments balanced by a a mediocre plot and boring graphics.