The characters are sloppily animated, and when the camera zooms out, the fight is shown in an odd, blurry style that mars the action.

In the end, though, Quantum Theory bears the terrible imprimatur of the also-ran. While it's a noble effort on Tecmo-Koei's part (this is, after all, their first foray into this genre), it just doesn't have that "oomph" that a killer action game hits you in the sensory cortex with.

If you love adorable Nintendo games that are meant for eight-year-old little girls, then give Chibi-Robo! a try. Otherwise, steer clear of this mind numbingly droll title.

Rengoku doesn't break down, but it doesn't' break new ground either.

If you know what you're getting yourself into, Fast Racing League is worth your time. A racer more reliant on strategy than brawn is always a good thing. But it suffers from some serious flaws, and unless you're already a big fan of the futuristic racing genre, this $10 title will likely comes at too high a price.

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.

The actual gameplay of Gladius is innovative, but the execution is just as slow as the story telling. Combat is dished out through turn-based clashes; when an arena is filled with at least a half-dozen pugilists, the action tends to be very, very sluggish as you wait patiently for your next turn.

While the prospect of running around, blowing the hell out of space arachnids starts off as a blast, a lack of variety, the fact that you can't save your games mid-mission, and a camera that actually serves as a One Ring-sized gameplay burden ensure that the fun won't last for long.

Somewhere along the way, someone forgot to implement the core of any action game: comfortable controls.

You have four major game options when online: quickmatch, play a friend, custom match and home run derby. On top of single game options you have what amounts to be the best online function any sports game could have, leagues.

Despite some decent features, Mickey is way too easy for the experienced kart driver. Courses are short and the gameplay is straightforward, lacking any depth and variety to the characters and races.

Harmony of Despair is a beautiful achievement, but the poor gameplay and frustrating design is a huge stain on an otherwise colorful canvas.

Love it or hate it, Wrath of Cortex Xbox is more of more of the same.

Overall, Heroes of Mana is a nice enough diversion, but it's hard to see what Square Enix was trying to do with this title. [Sep 2007, p.84]

A slew of glitches run constantly throughout the game.

The inability of this series to learn from its mistakes is baffling. You'll often find yourself fighting enemies you can't see because some decorative element in the foreground entirely blocks your view, and you've zero control over the camera.

Samurai Girl is a Korean 2-D RPG that offers a bizarre spectrum of creatures to defeat, admittedly fun combat, and some truly beautiful art. Too bad the level grinding and uninspired maps make it a chore to play through.

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

A fantastic concept upon which an average game lies. Play it as a curiosity and an example of innovative technical game design, and you'll enjoy yourself. [Mar 2004, p.72]

If survival horror is your bread and butter, then Homecoming is right up your alley; otherwise, you might be better served waiting for Resident Evil 5.

The flawed cursor interface gives you little reason to do anything but swing at every ball—in fact, if you take a pitch, the announcers instantly chide you!

There are over 400 missions, which is insanely impressive and the depth of the weapon and armor customization is ridiculously. But in the end, all that content feels kind of wasted due to the horrible camera and lackluster combat.

Combine the dull career mode, spin-out crazy physics and average graphics, and you get a ride evoking the same emotions when DX Civics buzz down the street late-night with coffee-can mufflers.

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.

Too bad the slow pace of the gameplay hobbles the cool concept.

I'm still in awe of the graphics, and the game's strategic depth eventually grew on me, but unless you're the kind of person who can afford to buy every launch title the 3DS has to offer, I don't think Steel Diver should be your first pick.

The dialogue and plot are more clumsily written than the lyrics to a Christian rap song, which makes it hard to get involved in the tasks at hand. When you don't care, you don't care, ya know?

Could be worse, but it could also be a lot better.

Zombie Apocalypse 2: Never Die Alone is far from terrible.

If you liked what you saw at the theater and need a way to blow off a few hours then it's a perfect weekend rental. But it doesn't live up to the epic nature the classic poem and it certainly isn't going to make you forget about God of War III either.

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

The dialogue and plot are more clumsily written than the lyrics to a Christian rap song, which makes it hard to get involved in the tasks at hand. When you don't care, you don't care, ya know?

Ultimately it all comes down to this: There's an achievement for killing 100 ants, and you'll get that before completing the first level. Does that get your blood pumping "EDF! EDF!"?

Fails to delivery compelling gameplay.

Zombie Apocalypse 2: Never Die Alone is far from terrible.

The major drawback of WG2 is that the game could have been accomplished on a PlayStation. Being a PS2 game, the detail on ships and overall graphics are not up to scratch. I would have liked to have seen more varied missions, maybe even some little men running around decks.

A disappointing game that will have GameCube owners going to their PS2-owning friends’ houses to play "SmackDown."

There's nothing awful about Iron Man for DS, but there isn't really anything that spectacular about it, either. Shmup fans already know they can get great, stylish games online, so this one will probably be left to young fans of the movie.

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.

Although it's by no means the deepest gaming experience you'll have on the Wii, The Brave and the Bold is still worth checking out, even if it's just a rental.

While it does offer some features, including the fact that it's the only hockey title with Wayne as a playable skater, the overall gameplay just can't compete with the other two titles due to Gretzky's stiff-looking animations, limited control options, and suspect A.I. [Dec 2004, p.146]

Ms. Pac Man sometimes gets a mind of her own when you tell her where to go, but the simple controls keep gameplay chomping along.

All things considered, Fate/Extra simply isn't a game I can recommend to everyone, but those who can accept the game's many imperfections will likely enjoy their time with it.

Kinda accessible, sorta deep, and relatively enjoyable, MX2002 may find its true niche with big motocross fans, but casual gamers will likely be left in the dust.

Don't skip this new Spider-Man game, but just be aware that it's a few strands short of a full web.

The generic levels, poor audio, and sometimes downright confusing level objectives and bizarre CRT system become a little worse for wear.

Save for a handful of relatively current songs, most of which are unlockable, the music is purely recycled from earlier games. Some of the new gameplay modes are interesting, like playing online, but a "workout mode" hardly seems innovative.

Turtles in Time Re-Shelled is a great example of how much games have evolved. Even though we may have thought we wanted this classic "remake" this release shows that it is no longer enough to slap on a coat of paint to outdated gameplay.

Don't skip this new Spider-Man game, but just be aware that it's a few strands short of a full web.

Dedicated fans of the series will find a challenge, but the cumbersome controls and questionable AI remain most effective kill-joys.

A huge amount of slowdown, even when there’s little going on, detracts from the overall simple shooting-n-slashing frenzy. A sloppy targeting system and the inability to strafe make the controls more of a pain than painless.

Playing side by side with some friends did yield some fun moments at times -- tag-teaming enemies with combos of physical and magical abilities, working together to solve puzzles, or the flustered excitement of teamwork-under-duress that's only possible in local multiplayer made me really wish the game wasn't quite so gimped. But in the end, the series' rep for punishing gameplay is intact, leaving this competently flawed experience as an oscillation between fleeting enjoyment and agitated boredom.

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

Take note, game developers: Loading and re-loading does not a fun play experience make. Give us quick-saving or give us death.

Fails to do both the genre and the franchise justice. [Apr 2010, p.87]

The game’s worth a visit for anyone whose ideal night of TV involves The Simpsons episode where they go to Japan followed by two Iron Chef episodes back-to-back. It is, however, potentially baffling to anyone else.

Tabletop fans will probably enjoy playing it when a flat surface and friends aren't available for the pen-and-paper version. For everyone else, it's best to go into Blood Bowl understanding that it's best played with others, and largely a brow-furrowing affair when played solo.

This zombie hero would have been better off left for dead.

From the random bugs and collision problems to some joke missions that have no punch line, the whole game feels rushed and unfinished.

A solid racer, but it is definitely not for everyone. Take it out for a spin only if you're familiar with rally racing. Otherwise, this niche sport is worth passing up.

You have four major game options when online: quickmatch, play a friend, custom match and home run derby. On top of single game options you have what amounts to be the best online function any sports game could have, leagues.

Unfortunately, thanks to the unwieldy controls and poor design choices, Prinny bombs. [Mar 2009, p.81]

A relentlessly slow plot, plodding dialogue, and the unfortunate fumble of the robot interfaces's potential keeps Xenogears out of that stratosphere enjoyed by its far superior cousin, "Final Fantasy VII."

I plan on playing more Heroes VI, and if you've enjoyed past Heroes game, you're going to enjoy this one, too. But it'd be nice to see Ubisoft try more new things and ditch their lousy online strategy.

Looks pretty, but the flawed controls prevent it from having the wide appeal a sport featuring toned female athletes in bikinis should have.

It’s too easy. You'll be able to breeze through the game's 13 levels and only encounter about three tough bosses, which comes out to roughly $17 a challenge.

Real talent produced this technology and artwork. So much of LocoRoco is so clever and original that it's almost perplexing when it stops being any fun. The fun does run out, though, long before the game is over -- in that sense, the experiment has to be called a failure.

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.

All of the levels are extremely short, but that seems to be well-suited to the design of this game, so that's not necessarily a bad thing. Kids seem to really latch onto this game, so if you've got a little one running around in your house, this might be worth the download to keep them entertained.

The Galaga collection is a special kind of questionable. The question is if you're so into Galaga that you'd be willing to pay for and play up to four variations on the game that all look homogenous. Just don't forget that for $2.99 you can get the earlier Galaga Remix, which gives you two full games for the price of one, and is just as much a celebration of Galaga.

Graphically, this version is slightly below the recent Xbox release but in line with the competent PlayStation 2 iteration.

You might get sucked into the online world of competing slayers and level grinding for a while, but the tedium will kill you far quicker than any member of Hell's vast.

SpongeBob SquigglePants has a few problems that can be justified -- the lack of impressive 3D effects doesn't sting since the game includes a variety of cool art styles, and the game's derivation from the WarioWario formula can be forgiven since the core gameplay is entertaining. Unfortunately, there's no good reason for the game's biggest problem: the extreme dearth of content. At $40, there's not nearly enough of SpongeBob SquigglePants to justify a purchase.

Droid Army's one-note gameplay includes fierce button tapping broken up by stretches of aimless wandering; the vague missions ("make your way to X") don't help.

The gameplay, however, isn’t anything that hasn’t been done already, and the paint-by-numbers seek-and-destroy missions can get pretty dull after a couple of hours.

Death Tank is a well made game but does not offer any mind blowing features. At the current overpriced price point, Death Tank is tough to recommend.

A fun, but pretty conventional ride.

This game is just too bare. Sure, some reviewers will pick this one up, play it for an hour, and slap on a decent score, but not this reviewer.

In many ways Red Bull X-Fighters is an exercise in frustration. Many of the elements of a really cool extreme sports game are here, but this title just can't pull it together. If you're a big fan of this genre, or of the real-life X-Fighters racers, it's certainly worth a look. But for others who require more refinement, there are much better options available.

Despite their distinctive art style, Madfinger makes amateur mistakes with Samurai II that show they're not quite ready for the jump from mobile to the big leagues.

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

The multiplayer modes are certainly good for a competition amongst friends, but the time consuming campaign and lackluster graphics will wear pretty thin for the serious gamer.

The writing is solid and engaging and the setting is fun and different but the adventure and platforming elements are completely average.

I love Sonic because his speedy style of platforming is fun, and Sega should have just developed a game around that and left everything else out.

For the $7 price tag you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck. Decent gameplay and addicting multiplayer make “Cocoto Platform Jumper” something to check into despite its very few flaws.

While the controls make handling your snowboard a breeze, executing the automated tricks becomes boring quickly in this lackluster simulator.

Though the story has a great moral, how it’s shown through gameplay and style doesn’t earn this RPG big points.

All in all, Shaun White's Snowboarding didn't leave me blown away. I liked the terrain they provided, the impressive visuals and the push towards new ways to perform tricks. I hope this title continues on and that all of the little glitches and feedback from fans help create an epic snowboarding game worthy of Shaun White's name.

A great-looking game, but since a standard Monopoly board is so large and dense with information, it's often difficult to see certain elements on the board.

If you were hoping the new management would give Crash a big kick in the pants, however, this is one pair of pants you will find quite unkicked.

The transition from polished first-person console shooter to 16-bit RPG is a smooth one on the visual front, thanks to Vlambeer's excellent pixel art and attention to minute details. It's just a bummer that the gameplay itself isn't quite as absorbing past the first world or so.

Sadly, when considering this game's origins, Trials and Tribulations on WiiWare looks and sounds like nothing more than -- yet another -- lazy port to the console.

A mediocre title that won't exactly leave you bragging to your friends about your shiny new toy.

This game probably won't appeal to new fans but it has more than enough to keep die-hard mud flingers satisffied. [Dec. 2006, p.119]

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.

The game is obviously aimed at children who will most likely eat this one up like it was sweet, sweet candy. Adults, however, will find it about as appetizing as steamed cauliflower and should definitely avoid it as such.

Learning with The PooYoos: Episode Two isn't perfect, and it will by no means replace other teaching tools, but it is a simple diversion that could translate into a lot of joy for the children in your household.

But if you're not a fan of this genre, don't be fooled by the hype – this is a solid rail shooter, but it's certainly not worth spending your money on, especially in this crowded and star-studded holiday shopping season.