Venetica has a few good ideas and a couple of characters that deserve further examination, but it just doesn't seem to be at all interested in them. That, I suppose, is why I wasn't all that interested by Venetica, either. Ratin

While JRPGs continue to flounder on the home consoles, games like this one prove that the genre is alive and well on handhelds.

Removing the harsh consequences for simple mistakes tears down a wall of inaccessibility that can alienate people from the genre and makes Nail'd the perfect point-of-entry for anyone interested in racing games in general, and the off-road subgenre specifically. I just wish the game had been polished enough that this innovation wouldn't have been such a major part of the experience.

Those who can't get enough of Red Dead's wild west action or zombies might want to give Undead Nightmare a spin. There's a lot of game here for 800 Microsoft points, and while it's rarely as compelling as the main title, there's still some fun to be had in watching John Marsten shoot zombies in the head.

People only be satisfied with "AAA" levels of production will likely gripe, but to be perfectly frank, none of the rough edges diminished my overall experience-the focus and design of Reality Pump's efforts just can't be denied.

Breach isn't terrible, but I don't see anything here that hasn't already be done better by another game, resulting in an instant recipe for mediocrity.

Its reach exceeds its grasp, but at least Disney Epic Mickey is reaching. Occasionally it brushes its fingertips up against something amazing that might have been.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is just terrible.

It may be handsomely made, but that doesn't save Golden Sun: Dark Dawn from being a disappointment.

It was without a doubt one of the most difficult, draining, and stressful gaming experiences I have ever had, but it's also an absolute masterpiece.

From the top-notch characterizations to the ethical indecision of its cast, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a significant step forward for the series's maestro.

All in all, ilomilo is a successful puzzle game that's sure to delight. Most challenges are fun and satisfying, while never quite out-of-this-world difficult. While the addition of the emotional element doesn't quite fulfill its promises, it's easy to overlook in favor of the careful presentation.

For a time-rich audience, I can see Lords of Shadow being well worth the investment.

While there's no getting around the fact that Splatterhouse feels like something that could have significantly benefited from another six months in the oven, it's not hard to see that the developers have solid ideas that are on the right track.

Saw II: Flesh and Blood is certainly a huge improvement of the first game in the series, but by no means is it perfect, or even especially good.

It can be said that the game is made for players to start over, but it doesn't seem like a fair or enjoyable trade-off that a person should be willing to go back to square one of the story mode as a result of experimenting with and enjoying the item-crafting.

At any rate, Dead Rising 2: Case West should please gamers who haven't grown tired of Dead Rising 2's incessant zombie slaying. It's puzzling as to why Capcom feels this DLC is worth $10 when Case Zero was more fun (and half the price...), but fans of zombie games and Frank West will probably feel right at home here.

The racing issue aside, Raskulls shines whenever the player is left alone to work through one of the ingeniously-designed puzzle levels.

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is a good experience, and in parts it can be quite clever-I particularly enjoyed that the game made the existence of its multiple endings an explicit part of its plot. Unfortunately, the weak prose doesn't justify the time investment, and the puzzles don't hold up through the mandatory replays.

Sports Champions may seem devoid of personality, but spending some time with it shows that it is a deliberate, well-crafted piece of software. Those who have been waiting for a true realization of the potential of motion control can finally exchange their smoldering torches for florescent pink wands.

Tron: Evolution has too much going for it to write it off as another inspiration-free paycheck game, but I can't help but feel that if the developers had had another six months and perhaps a little more freedom to stray from the film's narrative, the end result would have been much better.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom doesn't fail because any particular aspect of it is poorly made, it fails because its components don't fit together.

This is a really big game for something found on a handheld, an epic yarn that offers up hundreds of hours of gameplay for those willing to invest the time.

With its uniquely approachable structure, highly-polished details, and a laser-sharp focus on fulfilling its own premise, it's a title that I'm glad to recommend to both adults and children alike.

The closest thing to a complaint I can muster up for Spelunker HD is that it has a sparse online community, but that's almost like criticizing a masterful painting because it hasn't been seen by enough people.

However, anyone who loves games like Zelda and Alundra would be well advised to give Oath in Felghana a shot. Falcom isn't trying to reinvent the wheel with these games-they're more interested in refining it to the point where it rolls even more smoothly than before.

Pigsy's Perfect 10 is exactly the sort of DLC that I love the most-it builds on a character in a way not seen during the main game, but of equal import, the gameplay offered was not only interesting, but substantial enough to stand on its own.

Viewed as a single-player experience, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a sizable addition that does relatively little to advance the Assassin's Creed story or gameplay. The multiplayer, however, is a unique and fascinating offering, a truly refreshing alternative to the plodding iterations of the market-leading shooters. F