It's the gaming equivalent of a local neighborhood eatery: the food's good and service is decent, but it certainly won't be the best meal you've ever had.

Coming in there shouldn't be any expectation that Commanders: Attack of the Genos is trying to do anything new for the turn-based strategy genre. Instead it offers a fairly substantial amount of gameplay for a fairly small price tag, which should be enough enticement to grab those in need of another turn-based game.

But, in trying to recreate the magic of the series, the game dies on the toilet with recycled gags, rehashed plot premises and repetitive gameplay; this is despite solid scripting and voice work from Seth MacFarlane and company.

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

The gameplay stays varied throughout, but Master of Disguise ends up feeling a little gimmicky due to uninteresting characters, plot, environments and graphics.

If you absolutely loved the Battle Network games or played the first Star Force to death, then this is probably a game that you'll want to look into - it's a solid title with a lot to offer. [July 2008, p.83]

The game is easy to pick up and great to look at, but there's little to it.

Even though it's shrunken down to fit the DS, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is almost as fun as the Wii version. [Apr 2008, p.85]

Ultimately, whether or not Lost Odyssey is worth your time and money comes down to how absorbed in the broad strokes of this world you'll let your own imagination become, and whether you're willing to make the emotional investment asked of you. Ordinary suspension of disbelief simply won't cut it in the face of such overt melodrama and strained gameplay.

If you absolutely loved the Battle Network games or played the first Star Force to death, then this is probably a game that you'll want to look into - it's a solid title with a lot to offer. [July 2008, p.83]

At its best, the game is a fun and interesting diversion, but it's rarely at its best. It's a good first effort and I personally hope it's a sign of more to come.

The fact that it's practically Sims 2 with Desperate Housewives textures, voice acting, and character likeness, hardly makes it appealing. The super-simple controls, drama-filled thematic scenes, and $19.99 price point may appeal to the casual gamer, but hardcore gamers should stray far away.

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.

I'd suggest you pass this one up unless you're a Wii fanatic, a light-gun aficionado, or a Zelda freak who just has to have every single Link game around. [Feb 2008, p.77]

Sure it has a ton of great options and modes, but it simply doesn't have the action packed excitement of the Virtua Tennis series.

Although it's leaning in a good direction, Music Jam could've used some more rehearsal.

A solid RPG experience that is muddled by some unfortunate pathfinding and UI issues.

Series fans'll eat it up , but others may want to contemplate whether learning the Digiropes is something they're really willing to invest in.

Full Auto 2 is certainly worth a rental, if only for the high-resolution destruction, but it's plagued by too many other irritating issues to be a true candidate for purchase.

Unreal Tournament III's game style is still too tied to the PC's mouse-and-keyboard interface to be easily playable on a console controller (and believe me, I tried). Had Epic dialed down the speed, simplified the interface, and re-tuned the weapons to leverage the strengths of the Xbox 360's input device, Unreal Tournament III might've found a niche on Xbox Live.

Series fans'll eat it up , but others may want to contemplate whether learning the Digiropes is something they're really willing to invest in.

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

It's hard to make a glowing recommendation about a $60 game that includes virtually no offline mode, lacks variety in its weapons and match types, and suffers from rookie blunders in terms of presentation and interface. It all points to a rushed, chaotic development cycle.

Unfortunately, the PS3 version features a choppier frame rate. F.E.A.R. is still playable, but the frame rate doesn't maintain a preferred rate of 30 frames per second, giving the action a slightly sluggish feel. Luckily, the controls give super-precise targeting abilities, which helps compensate.

A decent addition to the survival-horror/psycho-horror genre and at its best, is an intense thrill-ride experience. However, to get to these moments, you have to endure a flawed presentation and design elements.

If you're looking for the sense of depth and complexity that made the previous SimCity titles so memorable, you might find yourself feeling disappointed.

Only mildly amusing and the violence and gore gets tired after a while. If you're into movies like Eli Roth's Hostel then this game's right up your alley. But, if you're looking for a thriller with a little more substance, you might want to look elsewhere.

Action mode is fast-paced, as you seek out a fresh pathway for a pursing tank, which becomes immobile if gel blocks stand in its way. Puzzle mode, however, is less stressful.

For diehard Potter fans and those who walk away from the movie with stars in their eyes, the game will hold some value, especially in the unlockable videos and interviews with the cast and staff members of the movie and games. However, the rest of you Muggles should definitely stick to the novels and the power of your imagination to get you in a magical state of mind.

It's buggy and unevenly presented, which spoils what fun there is to be had. However, it did give me a taste of how FPS games can and will change on the Wii, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the genre will play out in the future.

The ultimate downfall of Shred Nebula is the controls.

The $10 asking price is too much to plunk down for this shallow card game.

Viva Pinata Party Animals is squarely aimed at a specific audience populated by those that find burping hilarious and think cartoon violence and comic mischief are peak entertainment; i.e. children.

Call of Duty 4 for the DS provides some decent--if watered down--first person shooting action. It doesn't live up to the standard set by Metroid Prime: Hunters or do a terribly good job of replicating the efforts of its console and PC bigger brothers, but it's a decently entertaining game for any DS owner who needs a FPS fix.

A decent enough game that won't leave much of a lasting impression. It's good if you just want some mindless fun but don't go in expecting anything more because the only payback you'll get is a shot in the foot.

Bomberman Land is basically a PSP version of the classic Bomberman game plus a bunch of random stuff you can take or leave. The trouble is, there are better versions of Bomberman around, so unless you really want to play the mini-games, you're better off sticking with those.

Johnny Depp adds a good deal of credibility to his role in the game (and the movies, for that matter), but as far as late-generation PS2 titles go, this one should walk the plank.

Monster 4x4 isn't a particularly deep title, but you'd have to be a fool to go into thinking that it would be. It's probably best as a weekend rental to blast through with your friends.

Graphically, it's almost there but the gameplay felt like something I'd seen from multiple PS2 games in the past.

With over 40 challenging stages to push through and bot upgrades that reward you with cool retro game blocks to collect on repeat play throughs, Blocks That Matter has a lot of content for its meager price. But despite the immense level of creativity infused throughout the entire experience, there are still moments where the gameplay is not that enjoyable to muscle through. Unless you crave a good brain bending, your mileage may vary with this one.

Seems expressly designed to become an obscure B-game classic - it's unpolished and controls strangely, but it's too weird and drop-dead funny to ignore if you're a very special sort of gamer.

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.

The fact is that there are games on both the PS2 and GameCube that easily outclass this one in everything it sets out to do.

No multiplayer, boring sound and graphical design, lack of variety.

Hardcore fans of the original's online modes might find enough to justify a purchase, but the monotonous campaign and overall lackluster design makes it hard to recommend to anyone else. And if you didn't care for the original, don't expect anything in Lost Planet 2 to drastically sway your opinion.

I'll admit, I was disappointed by the fact that the game only allows you to play as a cop, and I think most people will agree that it's far more exciting to be chased than to be the chaser.

Though this is one of the better Transformer games around, chances are you'll have more fun dressing up in a cardboard box and beat-boxing as you pretend to be Sound Wave.

It's almost gut-wrenching to realize that with it has come all the problems that plagued it in the past. Add to this the newly implement touch-screen mini-games that feel like more of a distraction than an addition, and you're left with an experience that only the hardest of the hardcore fan could stomach.

TMNT provides some fairly fun ninja-style leaping around, but it's hampered by boring combat and annoying jumping puzzles that further suffer from control issues.

Sounds disastrous, right? Well, it mostly is—except for multiplayer, The Clone Wars' only saving grace.

Might be the best version of the classic sports game to come out in recent years, but that's mostly because nobody has yet made a fantastic port of it (don't touch that hideous XBLA remake).

Despite its storied history and retro charms, Ys I and II is easily the weakest of XSEED's three PSP Ys releases.

A much bigger, much longer version of a Sega classic that captures the spirit of the original perfectly, but the repetitious nature of the gameplay doesn’t quite withstand the test of time.

It's deep enough and features enough referential material to draw in the diehard fans of the source material but it isn't innovative or interesting enough to stand alone in the action genre. However, if you come in with lowered expectations, you just might have fun with it.

If you're still not tired of the extreme-sports trick performing/exploration formula, Crusty Demons offers a pleasant but outdated rendition of Tony Hawk style gameplay at a bargain price.

Though Opoona is original and exciting, there are too many problems for it to be anything more than an interesting diversion. [May 2008, p.84]

A fun mixture of addictive action, tough obstacle course maneuvering, and actual wit.

Captures the beauty and magic of Tolkien’s world...visually. Once you pick up the controller, you’ll find your enthusiasm slipping quickly away.

Chicken Coup is pitch-perfect at its $0.99 price point. It doesn't have enough raw content to satisfy my desire for a real, meaty game to play for extended sittings, but as a quick, pick-up-and-play option it's fine. Plus, it's really pretty.

It's not a gold medal winner, but it finishes the PlayStation invitational with a bronze.

Even though they feel a little canned and inorganic, most of the stunts are a breeze to execute, thanks in part to a great tutorial mode that will get even total newbies up to speed in a half-hour.

The games biggest offender is the questions themselves, there's no rhyme or reason to any of them.

While it's clear that College Hoops 2K6 is capable of satisfying most sports gamers' thirsts for an NCAA licensed basketball game, we can't find a single reason why anyone should pony up the extra cash for the same game they could own on their recently abandoned Xboxs and PS2s.

DKC 3 is a passable casual adventure platforming title, but it just doesn't compare to the masterpiece of the original--how can you have a Donkey Kong game without the main ape anyways?

Fun at first, but soon becomes repetitiveboth in terms of the Punisher's actions and the criminals' voice responses. Add to that weak graphics and animation, as well as not enough opportunities to "enjoy" Punisher's originality, and you end up with an adventure that turns a bit stale too quickly.

As it is, Spectrobes is little more than a dull game of collecting fossils with a momentarily enjoyable gimmick attached to it.

High Voltage's shooter sequel is certainly not a vast improvement over The Conduit, but its campy campaign and decent multiplayer is enough to make Conduit 2 worth recommending to fans of the first game. And if you're a fan of shooters who's willing to look past the game's many flaws, you might want to give the game a chance.

The Mercenaries 3D had the potential to be an awesome expansion to Resident Evil's popular survival mode. But due to a severe lack of new content, it's not worth $40, and it almost certainly won't hold your attention once you complete the all-too-brief missions.

Easily forgotten, Project: Snowblind delivers on the promise of an FPS game and nothing more. Were it the only option, it would be instantly snatched up; however in a crowded market, there's no reason to settle for "average" when you could be playing "great."

The combination of a mostly-uninteresting puzzle mechanic, and many missed opportunities make what could have been a great game, a good one.

True-blue Medal of Honor fans will still enjoy Rising Sun’s cinematic style, respectful and historically accurate atmosphere, and heavily arcade feel. But for many, the game will feel too familiar in a fast-food way, lacking that old Medal of Honor magic.

While the online upgrade and improvements in the wireless multiplayer make it a feat to behold, just make sure to play the DS version instead of its unattractive, very unpolished console port.

Another caveat is that while the game does run on an iPhone, I would not recommend that anyone with adult hands play it on anything but the iPad. There is too much going on, both visually and with the controls to cram it on to the iPhone's screen.

Again, this is why I find Bloodstone so confusing: Trying to release an original Bond title that isn't tied into a big budget motion picture is risky on its own, but releasing it the same day as the remake of one of the most beloved Bond games of all time, with what will no doubt be the biggest selling game of the year in Black Ops waiting in the wings, seems like an odd business decision.

While those curious about the unsolved mysteries from the first game get some much-needed answers, the puzzles used to forward the story are rehashed and noticeably easier.

It’s disappointing when a game finally nails the hard parts of reproducing Superman (the powers) but blows it with ho-hum missions and repetitive gameplay.

If playing the demo intrigues you, you'll probably not have a bad time going through the rest of the game, as I did. Re-imagining something as simple as an Atari 2600 game makes it pretty easy to get creative, and the new Yar's Revenge is definitely creative, with a respectable level of quality in its art design. But while it has the looks, and is a decent clone of games like Panzer Dragoon, it needed a little more attention to be able to match them.

It could have innovated, or at the very least, reinvigorated the console RTS genre, but instead, it only achieves a certain level of mediocrity.

Shoot'em up purists won't be deterred by these issues as "Joint Strike" does have something to offer, especially when playing with a partner. But for most gamers, who after buying the game have already put their 40 quarters on the arcade cabinet glass, some continues should have been included.

Simply put, the controls are awful.

Offering up what is essentially a diet version of Spider-Man 3 with motion sensing web slinging and combat is a weak showing, which is why I suggest you pass on this one and find a way to play the far better 360 or PS3 versions instead.

I would never recommend Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 to a non-fan, simply because the gameplay is nowhere good enough to overcome the lack of interest in the toy box. But for the rest of us, we'll take a half-decent English language Gundam title wherever we can get it.

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.

I would never recommend Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 to a non-fan, simply because the gameplay is nowhere good enough to overcome the lack of interest in the toy box. But for the rest of us, we'll take a half-decent English language Gundam title wherever we can get it.

Whether you're in the EA or Konami camp when it comes to soccer, you're probably better off waiting for "Winning Eleven" when it comes - less rushed - to the 360 later in 2006. [Jan 2006, p.48]

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.

It's a mystery (and a shame) why with solid survival horror games like "Nightmare Creatures" or the "Resident Evil" series out there as examples, a "can't-miss" movie license like Evil Dead couldn't have faired better.

Lovers of Le Matrix should play just to see all the official Wachowski peripheral story stuff—it’s really quite cool, and actually adds to the story—but the PS2 game was jacked out of its own development Matrix too early.

Unfortunately, once you level up enough, you can get through the game simply by mashing the "attack" button, which doesn't say much about the game's complexity. [Nov 2008, p.103]

The linear gameplay can get extremely frustrating.

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]

Despite these issues, my family had fun playing Hole in the Wall. We'd laugh at some of our silly poses and would bump into each other to hurriedly get in position when playing as a team. While not even close to being the family favorite (a spot currently held by a Fruit Ninja Kinect), a fun Kinect game in this price range is a hard bargain to pass up.

I realize that what I liked most where the DC characters and comic book cut scenes at the end of missions. But $15 a month is a lot to pay for only one or two of those -- and if the developer tried to make five or more for content updates every month, I don't know how the company could keep up the pace.

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.

Worms: Ultimate Mayhem has a lot of content and gameplay mileage to offer those with the patience to look beyond its faults, but despite its obvious charm, it still remains one of the weaker offerings in the Worms arsenal.

Developer Novarama deserves praise for what they've accomplished with "augmented reality" gameplay on the PSP. Even though the actual game isn't anywhere near as engaging as it could be, it definitely brings more to the table than what I've seen from most other Pokemon knock-offs.

A fairly enjoyable game. With introductions to new characters and enemies in every mission, the option to customize and improve your weapons, and a hardy plot, there should be enough to make a rental worthwhile. [June 2004, p.71]

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]