It's a serviceable game, but it doesn't excel in any regard. [Apr 2005, p.85]

It's not going to blow you away but it is fun enough to keep you engaged for a few hours. [Mar 2008, p.88]

Although its overzealous combat system takes some getting used to, Yggdra Union is a rare gem that manages to stay interesting after hours and hours of playtime. In my opinion, it's a must-have for PSP owners and it is, without a doubt, one of the best titles I've played this year.

At the least, it'll keep you entertained while you wait for Smash Bros. Brawl to hit the Wii. And you never know: you might just find yourself tuning in to see what the television show is all about as well.

I can definitely say the faults on the game attribute to the fact the title is based on a handheld system and is definitely better suited for a system that doesn't include dual screens.

The controls are tight and the action is fast paced, even if the game's premise feels stale.

Overall, the strongest aspect of this game has to be its charismatic personality. [Apr 2009, p.83]

Offers an addictively eclectic mix of item collecting, gambling, and relationship building; tantalizing eye candy; and one outstanding game of volleyball.

But as a whole, while The 40th Day has its moments, it just isn't consistent enough to keep my attention.

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

A good game with beautiful graphics, an interesting story, and clever puzzles, but a few flaws prevent it from being the amazing game it could have been.

Despite the pun-tastic monsters and multiplayer vs, the virus busting just didn't hold our attention as long as we would've hoped.

Outshines "Splinter Cell" and is one of the best handheld titles out. [Apr 2004, p.86]

The combat is especially well executed, although the amount of punishment opponents can take is a tad unrealistic.

So much of it is familiar that it walks a tightrope between being fresh and being too derivative.

The sensation of speed as you rocket down the mountain will truly rattle your senses, and the exceptional control pays off nicely.

Red Dog may look and sound strong, but with poor controls, its bite is far from threatening. A huge complement of multiplayer games helps bring up the score.

Urbz offers a nice, fresh twist on the Sims experience, for both veterans and newbies alike. Yet, despite seeing the goofy characters in a new fish tank, there isn't enough freshness throughout to keep you down wid it. It's not bad, it's just not baaad…you feel me?

Amp up the speed and iron out the physics and perhaps FlatOut 2 could give EA a run for its money but for now, it's simply eating "Burnout"'s dust.

While Showcase doesn't include as much variety as past WarioWare titles, it continues the franchise's longstanding tradition of being completely maniacal, frantic and fun.

The sheer capacity of things to do in San Esperito is enormous and usually overwhelming.

From planting explosives beneath enemy sniper nests to speeding over the lush Parisian countryside, there's so much to do and see in Saboteur that it's incredibly easy to lose sight of the game's minor quirks and frustrations. It may not be the most original title under the sun, but it is an absolute blast while it lasts, and an innovative and welcome addition to the overwhelming selection of World War II games.

It's not an instant classic by any means, but even burnt-out veterans should enlist and take the plunge for one more tour of duty. [Oct 2007, p.79]

This challenging game organized into vertical and horizontal levels makes excellent use of the DS dual-screen format.

Everything is in place for this to be an amazing game, but one niggling issue brings the entire experience down: the controls.

A totally passable platformer that's fun to pull out and play if you only have a few minutes on your hands.

Despite some clunky combat, Blair Witch Volume 1: Rustin Parr is a delightfully spooky game with some clever puzzles and well worth the twenty bucks.

The keyboard, joystick, and gamepad all work, but this game was designed with a wheel in mind. You’re cheating yourself if you play without one.

Arcade racers will be quite challenged by the difficulties of true F1 racing, and may run crying back to the muscle cars in GT3 out of frustration. However, if you already know what F1 racing is all about, then you can expect a well-crafted racing experience.

SledStorm's controls handle well. The only sore spot, however, is that performing stunts can feel sluggish due to the slow button response.

Gauntlet attempts to exercise the PS2’s graphical muscles, but because of the locked overhead-camera angle, there’s only so much detail and special effects to see amidst the tiny characters scurrying about.

Pride FC’s gameplay style is exactly the same as all of the "UFC" titles, which shows that THQ put little thought into making this game.

Wrap up the tight gameplay in gorgeous graphics and solid sounds, and Pitfall has never been better. [May 2004, p.69]

Most fair-weather Pokemon fans will find the Story mode not interesting enough and the Colosseum mode a little too hardcore. [Apr 204, p.98]

For some shooting action with a twist, Cannon Spike is a ripping good time.

All in all, a disappointing effort given that Pirates of the Caribbean should have been a natural fit for the franchise. Maybe I was a mistaken on that front, or maybe it was just poor execution on the part of the developers, but this is certainly one of the weaker entries in the series. And yet, for all my complaints, the formula still works. It's still fun to unlock new characters and hunt for secret collectibles.

Long time Homestar Runner fans will be pleased to see that all the major characters they've come to know (Marzipan, The Cheat, Coach Z, Pom Pom, etc.) are included along with many inside jokes.

The good thing is, the game is priced as a value title, and for puzzle fanatics, or for fans of the PSP titles, this is a great package. But honestly, playing Lumines made me long for the intricate simplicity of Tetris, and it's just a reminder that perfection, once achieved, can be hard to top.

Simply put, if you're already a fan of 2D fighters, you'll love what Guilty Gear Isuka has to offer. [Dec 2004, p.110]

A truly dazzling, inspired game that mixes a riveting story with a stylish look and absorbing gameplay.

Political junkies will almost certainly find themselves sucked in, along with those who have only a smattering of knowledge about the American political process.

Besides the creative use of the DS touchpad, Capcom did a great job translating the cartoonish style of the Viewtiful Joe franchise onto the Nintendo handheld.

Urban Chaos tries to be different than other FPS titles, and it manages to get a few things right. But shoddy visuals and generic action bring the game down to the depths of mediocrity. [July 2006, p.78]

A creative stab at reclaiming the essence of hog; if it only had a little more faith in its own clever idea, it probably would have broken the sound barrier.

We got a fair amount of play out of Prism--at times it was tough to put down--but the fact is, you won't be able to stick with it for more than a short time.

If playing the divine hand to a house full of simulated people appeals to you, this is as good as it gets.

It's worthwhile to trudge through the occasional dull punch-fight and inane spat of dialogue to get to the next wicked little gunfight.

LocoRoco Midnight Carnival is more than worth the sub-$20 price tag. Fans new and old will enjoy the hours of gameplay provided. But be warned: although the controls are simple and the levels short, this is by no means an easy game.

The controls are dead-on perfect, but somewhere along the way, someone forgot to take advantage of the PlayStation 2’s processing power—something that’s readily apparent in the sights and sounds.

The so-so visual and sound package contributes to the middling quality of the game, too.

When Dead to Rights is good, it’s damn good…pity that parts of it are such buzzkills.

Hard to digest. The visuals are strictly low-budget with splotchy, blocky graphics.

A surprisingly solid, fun game engine doesn’t quite counteract boring, repetitive missions...it’s kinda like driving a Ford Mustang around a Wal-Mart parking lot.

As with its PlayStation counterpart, it's best to not even play Dave Mirra. The gameplay is incomplete with inexcusably terrible graphics and thumb-numbing controls.

Stepping into the cockpit of a dive-bomber or Destroyer-class vessel just isn't that much fun.

Immensely playable...Easily the most enjoyable first-person shooter available for the PS2. [June 2005, p.74]

I've played free games on my cell phone with better content and more personality than this.

Second Sight's visuals are more balanced than its gameplay.

Afterburner is addictive and fun, but best played in short bursts. Though the game is sometimes challenging, it never gets frustrating if only because it no longer requires a stream of quarters to keep the action going.

With its fluid gameplay and easy-to-learn controls, Rugby could convert some Yanks to the intriguing world of rucks, scrums, and grubber kicks.

A lackluster, by-the-numbers platformer.

The amount of onscreen action and opponents can be daunting yet exhilarating at the same time.

Its repetitive gameplay, mundane puzzle design and eye-twitching platforming segments really cuts into Origins' fun and yet, for fans of the franchise, it's a solid title that's worth playing through. It will even make the most jaded comic fan smirk every once in a while. However, if you're not a huge fan of Wolverine, I'd suggest you sink your claws into something else.

Ultimately, if you like Breakout-style games, you'll like Breakeroids. The game is extremely cheap, so if taking out some asteroids using Breakout mechanics sounds even the slightest bit appealing to you, you're very likely going to be happy with your purchase.

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.

This soothing strategy title's mellow vibe and simplistic visuals make it a neat downloadable distraction, but some frustrating quirks keep it from greatness.

A game that has enough personality to stand above the crowd, at least until its audience tires of its regurgitated gameplay mechanics.

The series' trademark quirky sense of humor is in full effect, but with monotonous gameplay hampered by unresponsive controls, TV Party never really stands out in a sea of mini-game compilations.

A beautiful composition, but restless gamers will have a hard time sitting throught the constant cinemas... Perhaps next time developers will seriously consider integrating the story through an increased amount of real-time gameplay. [March 2005, p.90]

The battlefield is stained with annoying blemishes, but the game still performs courageously. [Dec 2004, p.104]

New arrivals will probably enjoy the multitude of activities in Animal Crossing: City Folk, but long-time residents won't find much to keep them from moving out.

Without any new gameplay developments beyond the Cup (which, in all fairness, should’ve been in FIFA 2002 in the first place), there’s little justification for its full-price $50 tag—it’s more like a $25 add-on pack.

Slick controls make piloting your craft as natural as breathing, and performing barrel rolls, loops and toggling through your weapon inventories become pure reflex.

This is one of those horrifically addictive games that'll drain your battery and your free time faster than you realize, so only pick Deep Deep Dungeon up if you don't plan on accomplishing anything of importance in the near future.

It’s really just a formulaic 2D platformer at heart—and a short, easy one at that—so if gimmicks and colossal rabbit ears don’t fool ya, stay away.

Beautifully drawn and animated, not to mention surprisingly involving, Revenge of the Sith should please any action gamer, Star Wars fan or not.

Sure, it's violent, but the compelling play engine keeps the game exciting-even when the content frequently goes over the top.

Wrap up the tight gameplay in gorgeous graphics and solid sounds, and Pitfall has never been better. [May 2004, p.69]

Although enjoyable, Duke could have used more fine-tuning in gameplay and perks. It seems so ordinary without the PC raunchiness - so much like Doom that there's little to separate it from other corridor shooters.

It's got a decent amount of polish, and the extra content it continually dangles in front of you is a nice incentive to keep the app on your iPhone or iPad, regardless of whether or not you want to start paying small bits of actual cash for the game's exclusive weaponry.

Sideway: New York is available for download for $9.99 on PSN and is well worth a look. While it's probably going to be derided as an easier version of Super Meat Boy or a less intellectual Braid, the truth is that Sideway: New York carves its own identity and deserves consideration among the best regarded downloadable platformers.

Blackwell Deception has some good ideas and it's refreshing for a game to deal with ghosts and psychics in a way that's not entirely shallow. The script is at its best when it's disarmingly sincere, as the attempts at humor are hit and miss. It's just a shame then that the story is as old-hat as Joey's fedora.

Summon Night Twin Age is suitably cute and colorful, more or less what you'd expect from a Japanese RPG. The character sprites and magic spells are shiny and well-animated.

If you haven't yet played a Donut Game's release, this is an excellent place to start.

While SuperNOVA is more of the same idea, it takes everything that made DDR a smash hit and turns up the volume a notch.

While "SSX" offers more arcade-style gameplay, Konami wants to slam you into the snowboarder's world harder than a botched Frontside Indy.

If you want to experience the thrill of pure speed, you'd best look elsewhere.

If you're looking for a good General Manager mode or freewheeling gridiron action, you might want to give "GameDay 2001" a try-out.

The gameplay still delivers thrilling combat that’s focused less on stealth and much more on action.

The continuous button mashing that infuses the famous yet most curious aerial acrobatics that those crazy DBZ fighters perform gives you pretty much everything you need to simulate the Saiyan art of combat.

Aside from the camera-angle blemish, Sonic 2 for the Gamecube is still loads of fun.

The game's youngster charm ultimately ends up as its greatest strength and weakness. Off the Rails does a great job in appealing to a younger crowd, which is encouraging for those looking for a good holiday gift; however, its cheesy style is lost on anyone over the age of 12.

Percepto is a mind-bending puzzle game that blurs the line between 2D and 3D. While the app doesn't have the greatest art, the clever mechanics and challenging gameplay keep it interesting.

I am left with the feeling that Hard Reset's title is not a reference to the game's plot or gameplay, but to the videogame industry as a whole. The developers are applying a "reset" to the entire FPS genre, stripping away or outright mocking several modern shooter staples.

Assuming you have a GameCube controller, these classic games are still a blast to play, but this particular release of them is hardly the tenth anniversary treatment the series deserves. Hopefully one day SNK will get the job done properly.

Finally, a well-balanced, fun Mobile Suit Gundam game that not only looks and sounds great, but also stays true to the illustrious anime series.

The core gameplay is carbon copy stuff you've been through before: point to the swarm of guys with the red bars over their heads, keep mashing buttons until they're all dead, find another group on your map, repeat ad nauseum. [June 2004, p.68]

Utter frustration. Every part of the controller is used, including both analog sticks, which have dual functions. It's nearly impossible to master these controls.