The copycat gameplay is sound and fun enough not to be instantly grating. It will be in the long-term, though, when you realize there's really nothing else to do other than mindless combat with generic enemies.

While there are some cool view modes and the front-end is nice, you’d have to be quite a die-hard to shell out forty bucks for Final Fight, Strider, Street Fighter and a bunch of stuff no one even liked in the 80s.

Even through Battlegrounds uses the "Age of Empires" engine, it just doesn't look as impressive. Map textures and units look okay, but they don't seem to sport the amount of detail that was included in AoE.

It's not a successful music/rhythm game and it's not a successful racing game. It's merely an adequate hybrid with a kickass soundtrack.

Should have been pushed back even further if only to deliver the key online element.

It's a good thing that the marketing genius in the Skylanders franchise is so effective. An uninteresting game may actually serve the purpose of of the franchise, since it allows people to level up their figures relatively quickly, prompting them to buy a new figure and start over again at square one. Also, since Skylanders figures can be taken from console to 3DS back to console and continue to gain experience, the 3DS version may be just the accessory that fans of franchise will want, even if the game itself is boring and bland.

While fans of the franchise will get a kick out of re-enacting their personal favorite battles, most folks will probably be wishing that hacking up hobbits was more like blasting Ewoks. And even if you do get a kick out of it, much like dating a crazy hot chick, the enjoyment will be short-lived once you start to look beyond the surface and see the glaring flaws.

Legends isn't so much bad as brutally derivative. Fans of Counter-Strike will certainly find some fun within these castle walls, but ultimately will likely opt for a more legendary adventure.

Frankly, I’m not sure what the developers were thinking with Sacred 3.

The flow is maddeningly repetitive. It's also way, way too linear. You cannot fly around and explore at your own free will. Instead, you just land on a big base, kill stuff, shoot ships, then move on to the next level.

Discovering and learning to use the different disguises keeps Wario: Master of Disguise exciting for a few levels. But once the novelty wears off, there’s really nothing to keep you interested in the game.

A fitting finale to a second banana series.

This one's okay, if you just get into the excellent mood, the environmental detail and the strategic puzzle-solving of it all. If you try to get too rogue or off the beaten path, however, you'll end up phasering yourself in the foot.

I was very close to loving NHL 07 but I think I’ll save my money for a year when I can hold onto the puck.

The major fault of Silent Scope 3 is that it's more of the same, just memory and repetition.

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 game should first and foremost be enjoyable. G-Force’s downfall is in its repetitive puzzle design, bland visuals, and antiquated 3D technology.

However, these added touches and wonderful, momentary glimpses of what Hotline Miami 2 could have been only stand to make the game more disappointing.

While Sacred is a fun, addictive diversion, its relentless simplicity makes it feel like it’s not quite a full fledged game. I don’t need a complex crafting system, but I do need to feel like I have some control over my character’s abilities and destiny.

It’s a great concept and could have been a ton of fun if only it were set in a more open-ended, no-load time world, like "GTA" with zombies.

Even with all of its faults, Bloody Roar 3 still has its moments. There's nothing like chomping on a little bunny or mauling a lizard for the win. Even getting a 50+ hit combo is usually a good reason to celebrate.

It surprises with its cool references and attention to detail, but loses a lot of luster in attempting to appeal to a wee audience.

The Simpsons Game may just be the funniest video game ever, but funny is not the same as fun,and it's just not a very good game. I found myself wanting to finish the game just for the humor, even though I was screaming at the TV after falling down the 10,000th pit or when the camera showing me the wall again while i get killed.

In the end, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris was almost an enjoyable sequel to Guardian of Light. However, it’s impossible to look past its glaring problems with performance, which sully what could have been an otherwise enjoyable sequel.

Although Elegy for a Dead World is commendable as a unique and thoughtful writing and teaching tool, much of its implementation seems either limited or unfinished. It exists mostly as a launching point, and I question how many will spend long hours with it composing new works. Many existing games are inspiring in and of themselves, even if the characters are removed, because the environments are well-thought out and painstakingly realized.

If you swear by Pokemon, have attached a surname of Wuggly to your name, or are one of the many who want me dead for calling these creatures "silly," then you'll probably like it.

Well, I have good news! This game doesn't suck! But I also have bad news. It's not that much better.

The bad enemy AI, poor enemy variety and extreme linearity makes it hard to want to play any of the levels more than once. In the case of the Banner levels, you won't want to play them at all.

It’s not a particularly baaaad game, and it achieves what it sets out to do, but there’s not enough content there, nor hilarity outside of its initial gag, to keep you playing for more than an hour or so. It’s fun while it lasts, but it doesn’t last for long.