Every once in a while there comes a game that truly defines creativity. Destroy All Humans is indeed one such game; it has all the right elements to make it a smart, intuitive, and hilarious experience.

Genji's appeal for hardcore and newbies alike is that it's an excellently crafted example of the good 'ole slice and dicer with just enough challenge to keep things interesting.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 certainly builds upon the ideas of the original, but the minor changes make the upgrade seem more status quo than truly super-powered. It's still (mostly) fun to blast and claw through large groups of foes, but it's also much harder to overlook recurring issues when so much time has passed.

If Tindalos Interactive can attract more players and implement a more stringent matchmaking system, Stellar Impact may follow in the footsteps of Frozen Synapse and become an indie strategy star.

Overall I had fun with Revolt. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but it's a solid shooter that certainly provided plenty of fun and challenge.

Instead of trying to retell the story of the movie, Cars 2 evokes the experience of the film through gameplay.

The various tests should give your brain quite a workout, while the neat visuals and multiplayer mode should keep you busy for quite some time.

Minor issues aside, this is a very fun title. Leaderboards, trying to beat your personal best times, and some unlockable bonus levels do add some replay value, and clever features (free look mode, the blob itself has a high cuteness factor) give the game some charm. If you're looking for a fun and breezy diversion, and an excuse to brush up on your knowledge of the periodic table, Mercury Hg is worth a look.

Thanks to a plethora of patches, Magicka is now stable so you can have fun without the frustration. Just one chapter with some of your friends is well worth the $10 cost.

If you were disenfranchised by the first Galaga Legions, definitely give DX a try. What was once a questionable reboot of Galaga is now one of the franchise's best installments. And if you liked it before, you're sure to love it now.

A good start for PS2 RPGs, but lacks the polish, artistry, and refined story line of some recent PlayStation RPGs.

One major problem to be aware of is that the game crashes occasionally.

Its cool graphics, story, and gameplay variety are buried by the brutally bad camera and controls.

Kingdoms manages to present a lot of pretty scenery, rousing sound effects, and dynamite music, but it omits a foundation in adequate controls and unit AI. And without that, all the good looks in the world fall flat.

I have to admit that for nearly the entire time I played Super Mega Worm I had a smile on my face, and that's the best recommendation this reviewer can give.

A deliberately, paced adventure, Dino Crisis nicely fits the bill; others will be more satisfied with any of the "Resident Evil" series.

We Rule plays like a combination of Sim City and Farmville. Aside from a large variety of crops (which can take up to a day in real time to grow) that can be cultivated on a limited number of farm spaces, money can be made.

Atelier Totori is a hidden gem of a game. It's far from perfect, but it's so wildly, wonderfully distinct and different from the typical crop of titles out there that it's hard not to love it.

Just like the board game its easy to learn, fast paced, and fun to play. But unlike the other Hasbro Family Game Night offerings, its two new modes are pretty feeble.

Aside from the junky control scheme and bizarre naming conventions, Steambot is a vast RPG title. [Jun 2006, p.86]

Vanguard Games is off to an impressive start. Their debut title is a blast to play, shows a keen attention to detail lacking in many downloadable games, and takes place in a fascinating world. I'm not exactly sure where Vanguard is taking us with its Mistbound universe, but if Gatling Gears is any indication, I'm looking forward to the journey.

The control is tight and responsive, making any fatal face plants entirely your own fault, while the tutorial/licensing helps quickly acclimate you to competitive racing. All in all, the difficulty might turn as many casual gamers away as it will attract hardcore racing fans, which isn't always a bad thing if you're looking for racing authenticity.

This isn't a title for the casual gamer, but if you're a fan of the franchise or just really love throwing half-naked men off ladders and pinning them to the ground, then SvR 2008 is about as good as it gets. [Dec 2007, p.124]

And the game always feels centered. It has a persuasive, persistent style and each of the missions has a distinct focus. I've played eight so far, and not one felt routine or incomplete. This adds up to fun, and Hidden & Dangerous is beautifully, sonically, tensely fun…for as long as it works.

For a refreshing RPG that will satisfy all but the most blowhard dungeon hacks, take a trip to Evil Islands.

Building textures look noticeably low-res even at blurringly fast speeds, and the cars themselves fall short of models seen in "Forza." Borrowing levels from previous games, the game's stages fail to excite you.

If it wasn’t for unbalanced controls, Apex could have taken top honors in the Xbox racing category.

If you don't enjoy a challenge just for the sake of doing it, though, Manhunt isn't going to appeal to you. [Aug 2004, p.66]

Episode 3 does a marvelous job of deftly folding its story into the next episode, but struggles to sustain the cinematic quality of its adventure gaming outside the Marty/Doc Brown duo. In the context of the series, it works beautifully, but by itself, less so.

While Forever is still a fine offering that die-hard fans will certainly enjoy, the lack of new content really put a dent in the game's overall enjoyment value for me.

A step forward for fighting games? Not exactly. But it's certainly a tasty bit of comfort food for the fans.

LIT is a puzzle game wrapped up in a 3D candy shell and delivers a fun, creative experience that many will enjoy.

Not all of the games have aged particularly well. Pit Fighter, Kozmik Kroozr', and Primal Rage are almost unplayable, and the obnoxious taunts of Wizard of Wor will send you scrambling for the mute button.

Really, beyond the obvious presentational issues, all that keeps Undisputed's portable edition from going toe-to-toe with its console counterpart is online multiplayer

More than a decent scaling down of a seminal game, Jet Grind Radio is an accomplished and guaranteed time-killer.

A great idea for a game, but it needs refinement in item management and greater variety in the sea and land battles.

It isn't incredibly deep, but this innovative action game impresses with its slick, Tron-esque aesthetic and simplistic, but challenging, gameplay.

While it is precious about distinguishing taps intended to boost rather than switch junctions, Tiny Invaders achieves a triumphant victory thanks to its Bizarre-like charm, challenge, and clever design.

The innovative Power Stone series debuts on the PSP and manages to retain every ounce of its appeal. [Dec. 2006, p.122]

The biggest setback, however, is the tragically minuscule length of the main story mode, which we leisurely knocked through in well under ten hours. With such rich story options in a beautifully designed world it's a shame that there isn't more for Spidey to do outside of the mild mini-missions and racing for medals.

Not all the missions are wildly inventive, but the majority are satisfing and entertaining, and each is more fun than the original title's simplistic collection quests.

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.

It takes more than formulaic adventuring and dusty turn-based combat to craft a role-playing title worthy of the LOTR name.

All in all, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is a fairly easy and light RPG that I'm sure younger gamers will have a blast with.

Even an endless list of cars can't compensate for Gran Turismo's shortcomings.

Zeno Clash features a world with exponential promise, great melee combat, and a completely unique setting; for players unfamiliar with Zenozoik's outlandish scenery, it's an easy recommendation.

The real joy of Samurai lies in the replay as you repeat the game, experimenting with characters and conversations armed with what you learned last time around in a Groundhog Day–style effort to try to get things "right."

This isn’t a reinvention of Agetec’s half-arcade/half-hardcore mech battlin’ series, it’s just another step…and a rather small one at that.

Although it includes new welcome features like expanded character training and a single map, its conventionality in all other areas fails to make the game stand out.

Treads familiar ground, but does it well, making this sequel worthwhile for anyone who enjoyed the first game and a must for anyone who hasn’t moved to the 128-bit gaming world just yet.

The graphics aren’t much different from those in FIFA with players still having that stiff, android feel.

A fun, good-looking ride, but it could've been much better with more opponents, a little smack talk, and gameplay beyond checkpoint racing.

Yeah, that's pretty much the story of "Pokemon," but it's tedious and boring in Custom Robo. The story is flat and the characters are inane.

As long as the gameplay take a much-needed dose of Ritalin the next time around, I'm highly anticipant of a bigger, better sequel.

Despite the pick-up-and-play allure, Fight Night Round 3 can quickly tire out of frustration. The PSP's limited number and close-proximity of its buttons don't do this boxer justice--fitting jabs, hooks, uppercuts, blocks, clinches, special moves, taunts, etc. for fast access just doesn't work well on the system.

The game runs a bit sluggishly as of right now, so unless you're a FarmVille addict who absolutely has to have access to your farm all the time, this app isn't going to satisfy you until it gets a second pass under the debug machine at Zynga.

Discovering hidden ghosts and piecing together the mystery of the mansion are almost fun enough to excuse the lame combat controls, but not quite.

Most troublesome of all is the timed aspect of the levels -- they suck all the fun out of fooling around with paint. I wasn't a fan of the timed segments in the first game, either, but at least those were optional segments and not required gameplay to advance the story.

Part of the fun in playing Madden NFL 06 on Xbox 360 is trying to figure out where it fits in the lineage of Madden NFL football games. What's clear is that for all its glitz and glamour it doesn't earn a spot at the front of the line.

Ion Assault is a decent download, but don't expect to be very hooked after a few days of playing it. It doesn't boast a "Wow!" factor whatsoever.

But even though it offers some worthwhile moments, it unfortunately squanders most of its vast potential on a heavily scripted experience that doesn't take full advantage of the compelling world around it.

All in all, Star Ovean: First Departure has aged very well, and remains a unique and innovative RPG full of life and personality. [Nov 2008, p.104]

Minor issues aside, this is a very fun title. Leaderboards, trying to beat your personal best times, and some unlockable bonus levels do add some replay value, and clever features (free look mode, the blob itself has a high cuteness factor) give the game some charm. If you're looking for a fun and breezy diversion, and an excuse to brush up on your knowledge of the periodic table, Mercury Hg is worth a look.

The Disney music isn’t quite as infectious as the DDR originals, and some people will cringe at “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “It’s a Small World (Ducking Hardcore Mix).”

For fighting enthusiasts still holding on to their PlayStation, Capcom vs. SNK Pro will entertain you. PS2 owners, though, should skip this title and just pick up "Capcom vs. SNK 2" instead.

Essentially an add-on pack for the original with four dozen new tracks, 97 cars to unlock, and that sort of urgent Euro-beat music that apparently must be included in every racing game.

Solid audio effects round out the aesthetic package, but the obnoxious music score is best left silent.

Just as you can't fully appreciate heavy metal without experiencing Black Sabbath, any gamer with any interest in truly understanding the video-game medium's roots should at least rent this compilation of classic arcade games.

A game that finally does the Western action genre some tough justice.

You'd have to be a die-hard devotee of the art of the Japanese RPG to find delight in [Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana]; the rank-and-file gamer will find it as slow as mud and about as thrilling. [July 2005, p.98]

Dedicated (read: sadistic) gamers willing to invest the time necessary to figure out the controls might get a kick out of this one, but the convoluted controls will turn off most players. The lesson here is clear: Wii developers need to start with a blank slate rather than graft old-school control schemes onto the Wii Remote because, as SSX Blur demonstrates, it just doesn't work.

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

If you're into puzzles and/or games with a high level of challenge, and you don't mind plenty of charm (and let's face it, except for Communists, who does?), Hamilton's Great Adventure is a download you should make.

This spooky social game is fun for a while, but an overemphasis on sitting and waiting may shorten the time it spends on your iOS device.

The repetition of everything from the enemies to the wintry city streets sets in after only a few missions, but as constricted as the gameplay is, it can be exciting and fun in small doses.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken is a blast to play. A title with a silly premise, satisfying action, plenty of content (15 solo chapters and 10 co-op) and a first rate game presentation is hard not to cluck about.

If you've ever wanted to be a monster fighting for its soul, or if you've ever had designs of creating your own RPG, then let "Vampire" seduce you to the dark side.

Darkwatch mixes its Western Roots with gothic horror and steampunk aesthetics, and the results are uniquely engaging...Just darned good fun while it lasts. [Sept 2005, p.64]

The game’s only real flaw is that Spyro kind of handles like a broken bicycle, and steering him/her/it through the pseudo-3D landscape can get frustrating after the nine-hundredth time you’ve inadvertently come too close to a puddle of lethal water.

While the game’s levels offer plenty of freedom, TransWorld Snowboarding itself sticks close to the established trail.

The epitome of an addictive multiplayer game that has just the right amount of action and team strategy to make it worth every cent to play online.

With so many inconsistencies, Finest Hour just doesn't live up to its PC forefather. Alone on the consoles, this is one World War II moment that's better rented than bought.

Yet as innovative and inviting as the Forgemaster system and customization facets are, Curse is slightly hexed by a repetitive play scheme: enter room, kill enemies, exit room, repeat.

Part of the fun is watching everyone's humorous club swings and listening to their foul mouths after shanking a ball. Sadly, the jokes start repeating after the front nine. [Nov 2004, p.140]

PIQ2 provides a robust online environment for competitive puzzle solving, but unfortunately it does little to captivate or entertain with its core gameplay. Only those willing to dedicate a decent chunk of their day to what amounts to a standardized test in polygonal form need apply.

All in all, I really feel like Puzzle Quest 2 on the DS is very limited by the hardware. While it's unrealistic for this port to look anywhere as good as the Xbox Live and PC versions, I at least would've liked some form of online multiplayer to give the port a little more replay value.

Packing pretty much all of the major features of its bigger console siblings, FIFA 11 does a remarkable job in bringing the world's most popular sports game to iPad.

On its own merits, Galaga Legions is an enjoyable but short game. But for old school gamers the original title, available on XBLA for half the price, has much more to offer.

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.

The A.I. could use more brainpower, but the controls handle beautifully, and the graphics and sounds are stellar.

It can't measure up to the likes of "SWAT 3" or "Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear," but Delta Force is a much improved and very fun tactical combat action game.

Isn't terrible, but it can't come close to those long summer days when all you needed was a sandbox and a little imagination.

With a slick visual style and fast-paced, finger-banging combat, it’s an impressive display of power and polish.

If Robotech authenticity is more important to you than gameplay diversity, then here's your chance to finally join the RDF.

2004 is the best ASB yet, and fans of the series won’t go wrong with any version. The game’s tunable to all tastes and skill levels; it’s baseball at its almost finest.

But the key is gameplay and control, and that's where Fever’s a little rough around the edges.

Don’t get rid of your N64 yet—Mario Party is one of the last and best games you can play on the system with up to three buddies.

Even while having more twitch-combat, the strategic aspect has not been compromised, making the game approachable for both hardcore and casual audiences.