Some youngsters might get impatient with stopping the action to draw every little nick-nack in the game (which requires a lot of sheathing and unsheathing the stylus), but those with an artistic flair will have a great time.

It's not very realistic - the A.I. is <I>really</I> dumb...Even though Pandora Tomorrow looks and feels a lot like Pandora Yesterday, that doesn't mean it's not a good game. A little slow, a little frustrating, sure, but still fun. [May 2004, p.78]

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.

Deca Sports Extreme is, like the past Deca Sports games, an all-around solid mini-game compilation.

An enjoyable if unremarkable cooperative action-adventure title.

If not for the low price-point, I'd recommend Robot Unicorn Attack: HME for the hard-rocking sountrack alone.

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

The game's style suits portable gaming perfectly, it's just a shame that there isn't much there to keep any gamer occupied for long.

Sure the soundtrack and controls are a bit strange, but Sr. Mistu is one of those games that deserves to be played. It's pretty and sports a genuinely unique mechanic, which I thought was a lot of fun. After a patch or two, this has the potential to be really great.

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

I am giving FoF the benefit of the doubt because it's obvious that it's geared towards a younger audience: the difficulty is low, the action is mind-numbingly simplistic and the overall vibe of the game, from the art style to the character dialogue, is juvenile--as in youthful, not immature.

The first-person combat is lively, but decidedly average. The controls are overly-sensitive and a little imprecise, particularly for movement up and down (the y-axis). Oddly there are no adjustments to dampen or even this out.

It's as mindless as they come, and combing over the uninspired levels looking for needles in haystacks isn’t particularly fun, but if you're looking for a PS2 meatgrinder of a game, Wayward’s a top candidate.

Most gamers may not want to pay full retail price for only a handful of light features, despite how pretty the game is, but if you love your fighters old-school and 2D, The King of Fighters XII is probably worth checking out.

Though the implementation of combat-enhancing Force abilities is a welcome addition to the sequel, overall the game lacks depth&#151;mostly because by now we should expect more intricate enemy-A.I. routines.

Though it has flaws, Sacred 2 has more than enough personality to make it a solid action RPG.

It takes time before it breaks out of its shell to show its true colors (which you can dive into immediately if you hop online), but Nail'd is rarely dull and has a lot to offer.

Deceptively engaging.

A perfectly competent beat-'em-RPG, even if it doesn't do much to carve out its own niche in the Lord of the Rings universe. Its strength and weakness is that it's completely inoffensive -- the perfect middle-of-the-road game. Unfortunately, it's hard to see what helps differentiate War of the North from the pack, and the pack is where it's apt to stay.

Even with its conservative mechanics, bland graphics, and user-unfriendly interface, the sheer depth of the game will still appeal to the faithful who've persevered for nine sequels - however few they may be. [July 2005, p.98]

Despite some frustrating control quirks, this innovative touch-based action/puzzle/stealth title makes a solid addition to any gamer's iDevice.

It's $.99, and it'll run on both your iPhone and iPad. Do you like Canabalt? Yes? Well, you'll likely enjoy Grim Joggers.

Even if you're new to the series, this is a nice, easy way to get the gist of Monster Hunter without going through the motions of the main games' early quests and other tutorials.

If you&#146;re a Harry Potter fan with Buddha-like patience, you&#146;ll likely love this game.

A perfectly competent beat-'em-RPG, even if it doesn't do much to carve out its own niche in the Lord of the Rings universe. Its strength and weakness is that it's completely inoffensive -- the perfect middle-of-the-road game. Unfortunately, it's hard to see what helps differentiate War of the North from the pack, and the pack is where it's apt to stay.

Overall, Overlord Minions is a missed opportunity for the Nintendo DS. It had a lot of potential, but it was lost to the inaccuracy of game play.

While it shows significant improvement over its previous release, Divinity II's visuals and gameplay still lack the level of polish we've come to expect from this generation's entries.

A ridiculously fun pick-up-and-pummel kind of game. Just don&#146;t buy it expecting a revolution.

Showcases a pleasant portion of gory violence and splashy red sprays, but the aloof camera can easily loses your character in the sea of suffering humanity, forcing you to rely on blind button mashing.

Cearly, the new team feature needs to be better tuned as do the disappointing visuals. [Oct 2005, p.100]

Chaotic, fun Dynasty Warriors&#150;style action that lacks DW&#146;s up-front variety (only four characters) but makes up for it with a more complete battle system and a fantasy setting that&#146;s easier to get into.

Are you willing to put up with a particularly long opening that's nearly devoid of tactics, challenging puzzles, or meaningful plot developments? Because if you are, a pretty fantastic fantasy role-playing game awaits. If not, well, there are plenty of other RPG alternatives on the DS.

Challenging both in terms of difficulty and convention (you do more than just run to the right), Pitfall looks gorgeous on the small screen, especially its fluid character animation, while the controls respond well and the sounds are sharp.

While all the aforementioned features make Iridion incredibly unoriginal, they also make the game finally worth playing for more than the visuals. [June 2003, p.99]

While not without value, instead of wrapping up my time in the Capital Wastelands in a nice big irradiated bow, Mothership Zeta just left me wondering how much fun being in space could’ve been.

The collection itself is great, but the way it's been fleshed out is really impressive. The full-fledged treatment of each game makes this edition of Namco Museum really feel like a museum.

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.

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.

The most faithful rendition of the Batman animated series yet. The graphics are appropriately dark and angular, successfully evoking the series&#146; &#147;dark deco&#148; look, and the animation is fast and dynamic. The end result, however is marred my occasional murkiness and poor collision detection.

Brute Force is fun for a while, a forgettable destruct-a-thon with an OK squadly gimmick, but that&#146;s about it. This gang of four doesn&#146;t add up to one Master Chief.

PowerUp Heroes is cute and likable, and the motion controls work surprisingly well.

Although the core gameplay&#146;s still pretty mundane, nearly all the faults of the original have been fixed. The control&#146;s much more forgiving (you can actually land combos now), the graphics aren&#146;t so drab anymore, and the music&#146;s a dead ringer for the anime soundtrack.

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.

With so much dialogue and so little action, Blair Witch Volume 2 is even slower than the first game in the series and not quite as scary.

One of the better 'toon-to-game adaptations you're likely to find.

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.

There's no denying it: Blood on the Sand is completely senseless, wholly obnoxious, incredibly thoughtless, and insanely fun. Hampered by a sore lack of multiplayer, Fiddy's second console excursion still remains an entertaining, if completely mindless experience.

Overall, the unique approach of NFL Head Coach makes this game a smart pick for football freaks and sports gamers looking to add some analytical and intellectual flavor to their library.

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.

If you're a Rainbow Six veteran, you'll be disappointed with the watered-down gameplay. But if this is your first time combating terrorists, you'll find that RS3 is adequate enough to appeal to your shooting instincts. [May 2004, p.63]

With more technical polish on the exterior, some better camera work, and a few more clever level designs, Dual would have been quite a thing...but even as it stands, you&#146;ll still find plenty of gameplay value.

Also lacking is the game's graphics, which are a huge letdown. Despite its tight story and well-balanced action, the killer buzz Haze cultivates all but dies when it comes to the visuals thanks to janky animations, blurry textures, and downright pitiful special effects-it really is fitting that the game is called Haze.

For a fraction of the cost of Mario Kart (HCR sells for 800 Nintendo Points/$8) gamers can have almost as much family racing fun, almost.

"Fantavision" has prettier graphics, but the time-tested gameplay in Bust A Move makes the switch to the PS2 nicely.

While still basically a Pok&#233;mon clone, Robopon 2 is a far better game than the short and unsatisfying Game Boy Color original.

There&#146;s a lot of game to explore in Driven if you&#146;re dedicated; just be prepared for a steep learning curve.

Not only can you not just doodle to your heart's content, but when you get near the limit they post annoying signage all over the drawing field as a warning to be feared, and the help tips up top get replaced with messages that tell you to watch it, buster.

Gameplay mechanics and controls are pretty solid, but there're a handful of missions where after a cut scene my shooting button actually ceased to function for a minute or two. Additionally, the ally AI is pretty dumb.

But the core still involves lots of non-skippable cinematic sequences, a fidgety camera (and finicky controls), overearnest voice acting, and tepid platform-style action (any game where the first true action sequence takes place in a room full of crates set up for jumping puzzles is trouble).

Far from a bad game. Stellar art and a darkly unique stage help set it apart from the brown and bloom of this console generation, and Spicy Horse should no doubt be commended for their approach to an underfed genre in the HD-gen platformer.

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.

Far from a bad game. Stellar art and a darkly unique stage help set it apart from the brown and bloom of this console generation, and Spicy Horse should no doubt be commended for their approach to an underfed genre in the HD-gen platformer.

If you just wanna run around and bust heads, this mindless, Mature-rated game is for you!

Contains the most enjoyable modifications the series has seen in some time. [Oct 2004, p.82]

While it's always great to see an arcade title faithfully ported to a home console, Crisis Zone is nearly too arcadey for its own good as both story mode scenarios can be completed in well under an hour on the normal difficulty setting.

Overall the visuals for creatures and terrain are crisp, sharp, and Pokemon-perfect even if the sounds are a little too sweet. Dash might not make much of a splash, but it should be a good kid-pleaser.

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.

This mediocre conversion is better than the last Game Boy effort, providing gamers with fairly short-lived button-mashing fun.

This recipe needs a little more work before its ready to be served as a main dish. [Dec 2004, p.114]

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

It's fun enough, but it's definitely not dangerous.

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.

Vastly more playable, but still falls short of the series' graphical capabilities and ideological potential.

Despite the shortcoming of its snail-like pacing, it's hard not to like Atelier Iris 3, what with its anime-style art and solid battle system.

Mind-boggling quick, XGRA is quite possibly the fastest entry in the futuristic racing subgenre - so fast that a lot of time is spent playing knock-hockey against barriers despite tight controls.

This isn't a game that's going to make you want to abandon your big-screen basketball games by any means, but it can be enough to temporarily satisfy a serious basketball jones.

I can't really recommend Metal Slug XX if you're not already an established fan of the franchise, and in all honesty, I have a bit of trouble recommending it if you've already purchased Metal Slug 7.

In the end, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is a solid golf game that should keep you interested for hours. [Nov. 2006, p.103]

When enemies appear in the same place and use the same simple attack patterns, the game becomes more monotonous than fun.

Aero does provide a fun ride, albeit one you&#146;ve taken many times before.

The graphics are stunning and the season mode will keep you busy for quite a while.

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

Where March Madness really falters, however, is in its startling lack of gameplay modes.

The game isn't perfect--the game still has trouble picking up your commands on the touchscreen at times and some tasks require numerous tries before you can even figure out what to do--but Cooking Mama 2 is a winner without a shadow of a doubt. Every gamer, from the hardcore to the casual, should put in some time with this one.

If you've bought a 3DS and are dying for a game to play, Pilotwings Resort is a pretty good option -- but keep in mind that it might just look like that in comparison to a pretty weak launch line-up.

SOCOM isn't the genre-defining multiplayer experience it once was.

Tabula Rasa is a fun game, but frustrating enough that you are left with a feeling that the fun parts are mocking you from their inaccessible tower guarded by the lag monsters, poorly designed controls and the never ending kill-or-be-killed pacing.

Empire proves no different: It's a game that has great potential and with some extra tweaking, could have proven itself an excellent title. For now, Empire: Total War is a fine game, but one that has a heap of problems that need resolving before its worth any more of my time.

Last year&#146;s installment still has a lot more replay value and there are plenty of noteworthy soccer alternatives for the GameCube that you can spend your money on.

Wireless multiplayer mode (only available in the U.S. version) pits two players head-to-head, but this option is unlockable only after several hours of play (that may be too long for many players).

Given its challenging gameplay, emphasis on techniques, and required replayability, Rocket Bunnies has the potential to offer hours of fun while turning away the casual audience.

Ultra bass-thumping tunes that magically mesh with the game’s ever-changing sound effects will draw you in and keep you enthralled...Unfortunately, the game is super short and seems more like an experiment than a full game.

Too laid back. It plays more like a lazy day at the beach, rather than a gonzo ride atop a force of nature.

This outlandish side-scroller charms with its slick presentation and risque sense of humor, but suffers from some wonky -- and limited -- controls.

The visuals are sharp and clean all around, and the game features plenty of slick aircraft shots and beautiful skylines.

WET's sassy style and minimalistic gameplay give it a tasty enough flavor that you won't find anywhere else, but like movie theater popcorn, you can only consume so much of it before you're hungry for something with a bit more substance.

This game is strictly for action junkies and can be completed in a quick weekend rental. However, the quality of the graphics and gameplay hints at the potential for deeper, more compelling Batman games to come.

While the game's aesthetics and design is spot on to the franchises distinct style, gameplay teeters between fluidly fast-pace action and insanely difficult and tedious game segments.