Although the turn-based combat system brings nothing notably new to this party, it remains mesmerizingly awesome when you unleash the right variety of attacks to make your Pokemon opponents "faint."

Overall, Underworld is a decent enough effort. It has slick controls, interesting puzzles and a story that's actually pretty interesting. However, it never fully compensates for a lack of compelling action and overall polish.

Academy focuses on the best elements of Jedi Outcast (fast-paced lightsaber combat and wicked Force abilities), discards the worst (jump puzzles, confusing levels, and long durations armed only with blasters), and lets you choose missions, Force powers, and whether or not you'll become an agent for good or for evil.

MK vs. DC isn't the best Mortal Kombat game, not by a country mile, but for the first time in years this series feels relevant and energized.

The controls also suffer a bit thanks to the floaty physics and awkward use of the shoulder buttons for boosting and attacking simultaneously.

It doesn't shine as bright as "Golden Sun," nor does it have the complexity of "Tactics Ogre" - it's just a good-natured dependable RPG that never did any harm. [Apr 2003, p.63]

The hook of the Xbox version is that the multiplayer missions are playable from the beginning, and new games like Tag and Detonator Drop have been added.

There’s a lot to admire about BloodRayne, and, although the initial missions bite, overall the game hardly sucks.

Square Enix has done an admirable job of updating classic titles from its library and Second Evolution is just the latest example of their commitment to its loyal fanbase. [Feb 2009, p.70]

Bonsai Barber has a lot going for it. It’s a fun title with unique gameplay elements, solid controls, and a soothing presentation. The only drawback to what seems to be a great WiiWare title is its price.

While Stubbs the Zombie is rambunctiously fun, the game engine is extremely dated. Stubbs the Zombie is riddled with clipping, questionable AI, and if you thought The Master Chief's jump was slow in Halo, Stubbs is even slower.

Whether through it's trademark music or unique take on the film's plot, The Godfather does something that licensed video games have tried and failed to accomplish in the past - give gamers a good time and an experience worthy of the film it's emulating.

Splodes are magical little creatures that fill the world with color and music whenever they pop, so instead of feeling terrible whenever you end their sad lives, you'll end up inexplicably happy.

If you remember the days of Game and Watch with fondness, or are intrigued to see what gamers played back in the day, this is definitely a fabulous gaming curiosity!

Deep, addictive gameplay; worthy sequel to the original Puzzle Quest.

Joker could've used a heaping helping of the friendly big touch-screen button style interface that the latest Pokemon mastered, but ultimately with these monster hunter games, it's really just just up to your brand preference.

The Umbrella Chronicles does a lot of things right. It combines the atmospheric charm of the ResEvil series with awesome light-gun gameplay, then throws in a wealth of bonus material to unlock and discover. It's the perfect way to prepare yourself for the upcoming "Resident Evil 5."

The gameplay may be a little convulsive but Yakuza more than makes up for that through engrossing story and attention to details.

Its otherworldly sets... are done up in such bewildering detail that you'll want to wipeout P.O.ed spacemen if only to have a more leisurely look-see at all their busy, mind-bending contraptions.

Don’t enter Another Age expecting a full-fledged sequel to Agetec’s giant-robot fighting franchise. This AC2 expansion pack adds about 100 missions and new multiplayer options…but not a whole lot more.

Combining the addictive life-simulation aspects of The Sims with real-time strategy elements, Firefly Studios has produced Space Colony, a tough, funny, and very charismatic hybrid.

While its nothing new it does provide some enjoyment to those looking for a new puzzle title and have had enough with the other ones on the market.

Definitely follows the standard formula, bolstered by some nice additions. Then again, it’s an enjoyable formula that works—so no problem.

A fun package that doesn’t tax your noggin the way "Halo" did.

Sports the best lighting effects you’ll ever see on the Dreamcast. The overall graphic quality is topnotch with sharp prerendered environments and good-looking characters.

For a game trying to give a realistic tennis experience, the ranking and simulation system is downright embarassing.

It's a great sim game. However, it's simply not a solid buy at $60 a pop--especially considering this is basically the same game as the PS2 and Xbox versions, just without the Crease Control feature and hi-definition graphics.

Nanostray 2 will definitely please hardcore arcade shooter fans, but the increased difficulty may narrow the game's mainstream appeal. [Mar 2008, p.86]

Avadon: The Black Fortress is like a time capsule waiting to be unlocked. The sparse visuals, uncompromising interface, and lack of tutorials will likely prevent those who cling to polygons and sweeping orchestral themes from embarking on its adventure. But those who venture into Avadon with an open mind will be transported to one of the richest fantasy worlds to grace gaming in many years. They just don't make games like this anymore.

Renegade has its assorted other problems, like Gump-level enemy A.I. and somewhat silly mechanics (destroying a building’s master terminal disables the entire building), but the sheer fun of blasting your way through Nod's defenses and just being a badass makes up for a lot.

It's hard to find fault with the concept behind Third Age; from a marketing perspective, Final Fantasy and LOTR probably seemed like a perfect match. But you can't crudely shoehorn two disconnected franchises together without bringing something unique and worthwhile to the table.

An excellent flashback to old-school gaming in its finest hour. [Feb 2006, p.70]

For one thing, it's 20% cheaper at $20 in comparison to the PC version's $25 price tag. When you factor in the Trophies that encourage you to tackle some of the game's puzzles and conversations in different ways, I offer the same level of recommendation for this iteration.

In all, Petroglyph did a commendable job bringing in a new faction and fresh features and units to an already enjoyable game.

Battalion Wars 2 is a solid title with a hearty single player mode, a decent amount of unlockable content and a fun online component.

Overlord II is a decent game that maintains its predecessor's greatness, but it doesn't show enough progression or improvement. The unforgiving checkpoints and host of other problems make it a frustrating experience, making for a sinfully fun title that forces you to a steep penance for your enjoyment.

Despite being tremendously slim, Worms is still fun, looks glorious in high definition, and the controls translate very well to the Xbox 360 pad.

Despite the so-so sounds and demanding controls, Blade of Darkness is an entertaining action/adventure game where it pays to keep your wits honed and your sword sharpened.

Rally looks amazing. Courses look sharp and consist of intricate details. But what really looks the best are the things thrown in to slow you down: ice, water, mud and dirt are all present, and you'll have to learn how to interact with each.

Comes up like the Calgary Flames - a very close second - because "ESPN NHL 2K5" is the better game due to its overall complete package. [Dec 2004, p.146]

The wild characters are hilarious, the gameplay is incredibly fun, and the graphics are excellent.

A simple, unassuming, and hard-to-dislike platformer...It's light on substance but high on charm - a creative spin on the generic. [May 2004, p.78]

Although the core gameplay’s still pretty mundane, nearly all the faults of the original have been fixed. The control’s much more forgiving (you can actually land combos now), the graphics aren’t so drab anymore, and the music’s a dead ringer for the anime soundtrack.

A classic case of unrealized potential, Forsaken fails to make significant use of its excellent control and four-player split-screen capability by thrusting you into an endless maze of frustration.

Sadly, Saga is slightly gimped when measured up to its Wii counterpart, Bit.Trip Complete. Aside from sometimes-wonky controls (gyroscopic movement for your paddle in Beat or Flux are inexplicably absent, for one), 3DS owners have been bafflingly shafted on the extras Complete offers Wii users, though the bonus of 3D effects here isn't a terrible compromise. Minor gripes aside, this is still a must-own 3DS title.

For those looking to fill the void for a zany platformer, Starfy is your starfish.

All in all, NCAA Football 10 is an enjoyable college football sim that doesn't quite reach superstar status. It has a great set of skills but it doesn't excel in any one area.

But as good as the action is it's the replay value of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon that makes it unbelievable. There's so much to do outside the main arcade mode that you'll feel almost overwhelmed with choices.

If you have a Xbox 360 console, stick to that version of Carbon.

All in all, NCAA Football 10 is an enjoyable college football sim that doesn't quite reach superstar status. It has a great set of skills but it doesn't excel in any one area.

Gyromancer also takes a while to get the hang of thanks to a poorly explained tutorial, and the lack of multiplayer seriously hurts the game's replay value; still, gamers get quite a bit of bang for their buck (it's priced at 1200 MS Points, which is $15), and while it won't win any awards for originality, it's a slick and addictive puzzle experience that's sure to keep Bejeweled and Puzzle Quest fans playing late into the night.

Stuntman: Ignition isn't for everyone, and even enthusiastic wannabe performers will occasionally cry out in frustration if they play for too long at a stretch, but it's still as good an execution of this offbeat concept as you're ever likely to see, and a welcome online departure from straight-laced racing purism.

Overall, Underworld is a decent enough effort. It has slick controls, interesting puzzles and a story that's actually pretty interesting. However, it never fully compensates for a lack of compelling action and overall polish.

A forgiving, kid-friendly experience. Any times I somehow fell off the course were balanced by the times I probably should have, but didn't. Since you never actually explode, it's pretty much mindless fun, even when dealing with AI that always seems to manage to catch up.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Liqua Pop to parents who want an app to keep their kids busy while on the road, but most experienced puzzle players will find the game to be charming, but ultimately unexciting.

The whole game comes across as the equivalent of a B-grade horror movie: exciting at times, ultimately unmemorable.

If you're a fan of Naruto and his bizarre allies and enemies, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja will make you happy -- very happy. Besides finally making a debut on the PS2, this installment in the Naruto series offers up an enjoyable time whether you're playing by yourself or with someone else (the game supports two-players).

If you absolutely loved Umbrella Chronicles and know the Resident Evil series by heart, you might extract enough fun out of Darkside to make it worth your while. but otherwise, you can safely pass this one by.

If you can get your mind past the whole "egg" thing, you'll find this is one of the most structurally sound puzzle games on the GBA so far.

Bad voice decisions and an inexplicable step back in control tightness make Rayman 3 a disappointment, especially given the series’ usually extraordinary standards.

F.E.A.R. 3 has its flaws, and some of its scares come off more as loud and obnoxious than genuinely frightening. Overall, though, the game is a fantastic blend of horror and action that's armed to the teeth with extras.

The visuals are the sickest they've ever been in a Hawk game, but that should come as no surprise--this is the 360. The player skins and massive environments are polished beyond belief, while the moves look exceptionally lifelike.

EA Canada did a worthwhile job in making this year's version of MVP stand out, even if it serves up a great deal of redone material. [Feb 2006, p.84]

It's creepy, mysterious, and spooky, and while it isn't perfect by any means, it's a horror experience well worth your time.

P2, while a good game, is very much a product of its time. Players were more willing to overlook a lot of the JRPG's stereotypical frustrations and foibles back in the late 90s and early aughts. With shifts in consumer tastes and the desire for fresher experiences, however, a brand new game structured like P2 -- with its somewhat clunky story presentation and traditional, slow-paced progression -- simply wouldn't fly in the marketplace either in Japan or abroad.

While the modes themselves work well, the limited options and arenas -- there are only three in total -- kill the potential for fun before you even leave the gate.

Because most gamers aren't familiar with the Divine Comedy, the devs were free to safely take creative liberties but that doesn't absolve them of the burden of crafting a coherent narrative where your actions actually matter. Dante's doesn't do that particularly well and while the combat and level architecture is interesting enough that I stuck with it to the end, I was never fully invested in the story nor did I ever come to truly care about Dante's quest.

This fast-paced action game has a slick retro aesthetic, and is sure to keep players coming back with its varied and challenging gameplay.

The question, then, is how much you're willing to suffer through in order to get to know your party.

The concept behind Evil Genius is a great one, but the individual pieces of the game don't balance as well as they could. [Dec 2004, p.128]

This platformer packs undeniable retro charm and some clever gameplay to back it up.

The Forgotten Sands is more than just a return to form for a long-running franchise: it's also one of the most gratifying platforming epics to come along in ages. [Aug 2010, p.90]

The much-improved PS2 version flies mighty high with spectacular visuals and improved gameplay.

The visuals and sound are the major sore spots of Le Mans. The graphics are grainy and not very sharp, especially when you’re driving at night or in the rain.

Despite the simple battles and plain story, .hack is addictively fun for the 15 hours it lasts. [Nov 2002, p.182]

Comfortable, basic controls make the game widely accessible.

Pastel graphics comprise the visuals, and the audio ranges from passable (Sonic 2) to outright atrocious (Spinball).

On the whole, the puzzle construction is logical and rewarding, but it has major lapses of logic that prove maddening. The multiplayer mode is where Chaos Bleeds really shines.

The real appeal of Etrian Odyssey is the renaissance of the classic RPG. Instead of a world that conforms to your level and rewards you with HP every time you level up, you have to strategize about which characters will enter the Labyrinth, how best to allot skill points among your characters, who charges the front line and who stays in back, and how much money you have to spend on reviving dead characters.

Another benefit of the DS is the two screens that allow up to eight people to play, and only one player needs the actual game for all to join in. Multiplayer is where Bomberman has always delivered, and the DS version is probably the most engaging yet.

If you're in the mood for a brand new RPG that feels like a throwback to an early Final Fantasy game, developers SRRN have got your back.

It speaks like no other game in the genre, loud and with feeling, and tells a story worth telling among all the explosions.

For $60, wrestling game fans expect deep rosters and a variety of match types, while fighting fans hope for an assortment of modes with great replay value. Unfortunately, WWE All Stars isn't able to provide enough of either to propel the enjoyable combat to the top rung of championship-caliber fighting games.

And you know what? It's still fun despite the terrible story and stupid enemy A.I. I respect a game that gives me so much to do, so many areas to explore, so many customization options, and so many quests. I had a lot of fun with Two Worlds II, and while the story annoys me in its second act, I do see myself giving it another go at a later date.

The House of the Dead: Overkill: Extended Cut adds more content to a raunchy, entertaining romp. If you got tired of Detective Washington's non-stop cursing while playing it before, you'll find no reprieve here. But if you've never experienced it, or you're hankering to test drive it in HD, it's well worth your while.

Fable III was released in October of last year and, somewhat bizarrely, is only now getting a PC port. The good news is that the PC version comes prepackaged with the contents of the Limited Collector's Edition and all of the DLC packs. The bad news is that the keyboard and mouse controller arrangement is awkward, with particular problems involving camera angles during combat. While you're manipulating the WASD keys to move your character, you'll also be utilizing the mouse to move the camera -- so you'll often find the camera is looking the one way you don't need it to. Using a console controller solves this problem, but PC purists will wish the game was better mapped to keyboard and mouse controls.

It proves that you don’t need hyper detailed, synapse-sizzling graphics to deliver a great game when ingenuity and solid mechanics will do.

Defiance shines with pure entertainment value, with crisp and gorgeous visuals and squishy sounds that invoke the feeling of steel crushing flesh.

The game works on both the iPhone and iPad, but I found myself accidentally touching the wrong block on more than one occasion on my iPod Touch, so the iPad has a bony leg up over its small-screen compadre.

The Xbox version varies from the PS2 edition in several key ways—different challenge structure, no look-ahead mode, more police chatter, darker colors, and a points-based system for unlocking cars and tracks—but it’s no less fun.

This game can be nail-bitingly suspenseful as you have no radar or warning system of any sort, and never know when or from where enemies pop out and peg you in the head.

If it weren’t for the sloppy handling, Rogue III could have flown a perfect flight.

If you can forgive World Driver Championship's speed problems, you'll find a deep, addictive racing experience. It's not nearly as polished as the PlayStation's racing gem, Gran Turismo, but it's as close as N64 owners can get without buying a PlayStation.

If you've ever been into castle defense games, this is an interesting approach to the genre that you'll very likely have some fun with (while it lasts, that is).

You can cut corners and do the developer a solid by paying for experience points, but you won't feel like you're getting a lesser experience if you don't.

If you have nostalgia for the franchise, you'll probably love having this on their iPad, but those unfamiliar with FMV games might be more than a bit befuddled by Dragon's Lair.

Defense is all about bone-jarring tackles, and after every one there's a mass shoving match (called "the ruck") for possession of the ball.

While some features make Ridge Racer 3D feel like it was produced on auto-pilot, they don't stop the game from being one of the marquee titles of the 3DS' launch-up. Its refined use of the 3D effect makes it worth showcasing to friends who have been on the fence in purchasing the handheld. And it has more than enough content to satisfy the Ridge Racer devout, even it will take a while to feel truly tested against the A.I.