Transformers: Dark of the Moon is fun in the time that it lasts, but it doesn't have that same thrill factor that the previous movie tie-in had.

Hardcore franchise fans will no doubt want to play it because the story line does fill in some interesting gaps in the Mana universe's history, but this one's a rental at best. [June 2007, p.85]

If you're hardcore about your angling, Sega Bass Fishing may whet your appetite, but for everyone else, turn your motorboat around and avoid this game.

If you're not already a master, skip this game and try your luck with the real cards first.

Does the basics right—sound effects and control—but is also completely uninventive.

The formula still needs a bit of work, to be sure, but Age of Pirates is definitely a potent breath mint fit for the mangiest of pirates, if only for the seaworthy ambience and ability to play in full pirate regalia without feeling silly.

New Legends could go down as one of the best bad games ever made.

Although entertaining in an arcadey sort of way, the game doesn't exactly play like soccer.

Savage Skies finds a way to creep up your spine...and proves that a little diversity goes a long way.

Deadliest Warrior: Legends doesn't do anything to reinvent the fighting game genre, but it certainly does give it an interesting twist.

An ambitious experiment from beginning to end, this innovative wartime stealth effort just can't seem to rise above the commonplace level of mediocrity found in a sea of cookie-cutter World War II titles.

If anything, I can't help but see We Cheer as a missed opportunity. The game is filled to the brim with personality and has something for everyone on its rather impressive track list, but the gameplay itself is simply exhaustive trial and error routines that leave you with a sour taste in your mouth.

The game works and I got a minor amount of satisfaction completing higher level missions in the story mode. However, The clunky menus, gun fire that sounds like a woodpecker trapped in a metal trash can, and freeze-framing of the character in the middle enemy assaults are just more examples in which there just wasn't enough effort put into Contagion.

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.

Although Armageddon’s selection of slick, diabolical hardware is great, using it turns into a fumbling experience. Between multiple foes attacking in every direction and the unintuitive button setup, switching between your weapons is a chore.

It all works quite well and should prove entertaining to the little ones. The quirky humor and gameplay will be a little too simple for more mature tastes but younger gamers should definitely tune into this one.

Solid controls aside, this is still the same game you've been playing since the first Medal of Honor. It's a solid shooter with the standard cinematic presentation, but I'd probably be much more excited about it if the 800 other titles in this genre didn't exist.

I loved that collecting the gold and black stars scattered about the randomly generated levels changes the environment, but those environments felt a bit empty without any music, as the game has no soundtrack.

One of the worst games I've ever had the displeasure of reviewing.

If you find yourself the baffled over ways to entertain your guests at a gathering, it might be money well spent.

One of the best in the series with exciting gameplay and clever mission objectives.

If you can suffer the controls or have GameCube controllers lying around, it's not a bad kickback-n-relax option for some speedy cartoon laps. [Apr 2008, p.81]

An excellent 2D hack-n-slash title, but it really doesn't stand up to today's handheld gaming standards. If DW Advance was released 5 years earlier, it would have turned a lot of heads.

Repetitive to the point of brain damaging; and a few giant leaps in enemy difficulty will have you cursing the fact that save points are at the beginning of each area.

From its hilariously campy dialogue to the fantastic seventies vibe, Tokyo Beat Down is worth checking out for on-the-go rumblers, and with it's almost non-existent learning curve it's absolutely perfect for first time brawlers as well. [Apr 2009, p.77]

The shallow fighting system, the teenage snark and animation won't impress older fans of the series, but it's good fun for younger Jedis in training.

Carnival Games may look cute, but it doesn't translate into gameplay you'll come back to, and in the end, is just a novelty Wii game that wears out it's welcome way too fast to be worth any price.

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.

Sonic Riders certainly gives fans the velocity they've been craving, but isn't tightly tuned enough to be much more than an agreeable party game.

Graphics are decent, but the sound is obnoxious.

Bet on Soldier attempts to up the ante on the genre, but instead deals a conservative hand that only FPS fans will want to check.

I give credit to this game's developers for working in the cool new visuals and features that they managed to fit in, but for a $7 "remake" of a 15-year-old game, the bar was too high UMK3 to reach.

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.

RF Online delivers an MMO that focuses more on battles and less on stories and quests. For those who lust after solid plots and definitive quests, they can stick to their "World of Warcraft" and "Final Fantasy XI." For those who just want to log on and kick butt, RF Online is the prescription for you.

An intensely frustrating trial of patience that's rewarded with only the most fleeting glimmers of fun.

For a goofy little action game Evil Dead isn't terrible. The juxtaposition of the art style and the gore (which you have to wipe off the screen with your finger) is fun, though once you're done with story mode, there's not much else to do. Some additional game modes might go a long way in making this a more rounded-out experience.

Looks great with well-animated action and vivid story-buiding cut-scenes. However, the gameplay is simply too redundant to hold interest, even with the addition of two-player action. [Aug 2005, p.77]

For the most part, though, Spyro is a graphics bonanza with blasts of color and eye-catching nuances, such as rippling water, glowing flames, and shimmering portals.

But even if you are in the game's target demographic, you should avoid this lackluster effort as it just isn't a faithful representation of the upcoming Games; instead, expend that energy on following the actual action and look for the title in a bargain bin once the Olympics have concluded.

Once you get the hang of the game engine and acquire better strike craft, the game becomes a very pleasurable experience. Ace Combat Advance is the perfect stopgap between an air-combat sim and an arcade top-down shooter.

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).

Touch the Dead is like a decent B-grade horror movie: sure it's laughably bad at points but there's a loveable camp quality to it that makes it worth enduring through.

Simply put, it’s ok, but it’s not great.

Regardless of the system you play it on, Trenches: Generals is a strategy game that offers a unique take on the genre, and is sure to appeal to players of all ages, but only if you can overlook its shortcomings.

It's barely better than mediocre, and just another game that should be heading to the used shelf in record time. Pick it up on the cheap for a young sibling/nephew/cousin if you do buy it at all.

Once I got past all of the problems in the collision-detection and accepted the fact that as long as my ninja stabbed the floor within a three foot radius of a bad guy, it was a kill, I had a mild amount of fun.

Weighing in at five cases, Miami Law isn't a terribly long game nor is it terribly original, but for what it is -- a rather mindless police point and click -- it's a decent enough adventure.

A satisfying scrap that'll keep you mashing buttons, if for nothing else than to see Stacy Keibler in her bitmapped bra and pixel panties.

There are flashes of genius to be found in Korea: Hidden Conflict, but a lack of polish results in a strategy game that leaves much to be desired.

If you are starving for some snow shredding action, jump on it, but if you are looking for some cutting edge carves, hold off for "SSX."

While not as advanced or socially oriented as the recent Bomberman releases, players will find the original Bomberman pleasantly and subversively enjoyable. [Sept 2004, p.93]

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

If you can tolerate endlessly replaying the same levels just to progress, light RPG elements like collecting equipment, acquiring skills, and upgrading pilot and mobile suit levels might make up for some aggravation, but even faithful fans of Gundam and Dynasty Warriors alike won't find much in the way of lasting excitement here.

Combine that with the problematic 3D, and it's apparent that Super Monkey Ball 3D is below average even as launch titles go. Its one saving grace is that the core gameplay remains intact and is entertaining as ever. But when those core mechanics contradict the foundation of the 3DS, I have to wonder whether Sega should have bothered.

If not for the wretched controls, it would be a perfect first-time RTS game for the younger crowd. As it stands though, it's too frustrating for both veterans and beginners.

So, is Watchmen worth your hard-earned cash? I'm going to have to give a resounding "yes" to this expertly crafted beat-em-up. Even with its' shortcomings Watchmen always feels fresh, and really stands apart as a downloadable title.

Crazy Machines Elements gives me a similar feeling where I just want to play with the pieces and see what can be built. But, like a parent worried their child will choke on the board game's tiny pieces, Crazy Machines Elements doesn't trust players with all of its tools from the start, preventing many from ever finding the fun lurking just beneath the surface.

More a mediocre tribute to past games than a fresh experience. Unimpressive graphics, a mundane fighting system, and a slate of characters borrowed from other titles leaves Warriors Orochi a stale appetizer left on the plate as you wait for the "Dynasty Warriors 6" main course.

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.

While not nearly as groundbreaking as it's console-based role models, Ubisoft's C.O.P. The Recruit serves as a solid sandbox title with some incredibly fun gameplay and inventive shooting and stealth scenarios.

Still, it's an enjoyable way to waste away the weekend, especially for casual Wii owners who are looking for a challenge; hardcore gamers, on the other hand, will scoff at the games' puzzles' but as long as you don't go in expecting the second coming of The Last Crusade, you'll be fine. [July 2009, p.80]

Essentially, Spike could've developed a better game if they used some kind of fusion to merge the original Raging Blast's gameplay with Ultimate Tenkaichi's stellar graphics. But the end result here just falls short of being a memorable experience.

This version offers is not worth the $15 asking price and should be avoided by all but the most hardcore "Wheel" fans.

A nice distraction with lengthy play value for dedicated fans of the series as long as they can deal with the slow pace and limited interactivity. However, anyone looking for a good virtual pet simulator should look elsewhere.

This Jet Ski racer looks fine, but it lacks the addictive gameplay of its aqua-racing predecessor.

If you took a "Dynasty Warriors" game and stripped away every redeeming quality, you would more or less end up with March to Glory.

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

The new content is a mixed bag and doesn't really do enough to make this version worth your time. There are some cool features the Wi-Fi item trading, for example but ultimately, Hoshigami Remix plays like a port rather than an update. And with no quicksave option during battles, it doesn't lend itself to "portable" gaming where the ability to turn a game on and off quickly is a must.

Ninjamurai's sense of speed doesn't last long enough to get you through the waiting room at the doctor's office, nor does it compare to other offerings on the PSP Mini lineup.

Diner Dash has always been a fun and frantic game, but the rough graphics, lack of online players and steep price tag makes this port hard to recommend.

The glitches and sense of sterility make everything feel just a little out of alignment, but Totaled!'s arcade-sy core and multiplayer mode still make it fun. [August 2002, p.82]

The characters look nice enough, but the station itself is uniformly drab, making it easy to get lost. This situation isn't helped by a control system that seems designed to give you carpal-tunnel syndrome.

The slow, unintuitive controls underlie awful, slapped-together graphics and a bargain-bin soundtrack that features MIDI-rock sound-alikes of the wrestlers’ classic themes.

Trioncube doesn't offer much for a puzzle game. There's little depth or difficulty to be found, and while the odd story is surprisingly entertaining, it isn't enough to keep you playing for long.

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.

Let this middling tennis game be a lesson to why you shouldn't port a PSP game to the Xbox 360.

The game's biggest defect lies in its terrible early-gen PS2-grade graphics. I haven't seen anything this blocky since the last time I played with my Legos!

A perfect port of the PC version of the third installment of the Myst trilogy, and nothing is lost in the translation.

Playing missions with another human player (instead of the brain-dead A.I. ally you usually get) makes things far easier at the start, giving you a chance to learn basic battle strategy without dying every other moment.

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.

If there's a problem with Rabbids 3D it's that it's a little too forgiving, despite the game's best efforts to be otherwise in its latter half. Still, given the as-of-yet anemic selection of 3DS releases available, Rabbids 3D is one of the better options.

Really short and super-easy. Mini-Ulala works mostly as a neato novelty act.

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

Although there is still work to be done, Showdown: Legends of Wrestling’s new look and play style is a big step in the right direction. Fans looking for a walk down memory lane aren’t going to be disappointed.

The core gameplay is great--the counters are brilliant and the energy stays high--yet it isn't enough to be chosen as more than a casual distraction.

For someone interested in videogame design or history, The War of the Worlds is an interesting case study. But is it fun? Dear god, no. Just, no.

The gameplay is fun but quickly gets tiresome. It's also somewhat frustrating because the DS screen is a bit cramped and the stylus controls sometimes resulted in careless errors.

Personally, I wouldn't give this game the time of day, and I happen to like RPGs. However, I'm envisioning Trinity being available for 99 cents a couple years down the line, and some very poor college student may want to grab it because they're bored and can't afford the latest shooter du jour. To those people I say, hey, if you don't mind forgoing ramen for a day, knock yourself out. You'll get a healthy 15-20 hours of kicking around goblins for your money. As for the rest of you, you'll probably be happier sticking with the ramen.

It really does grow on you, and once you get past the ridiculous premise you end up with a decent poor-man’s "Twisted Metal" that’s worth the budget price and not much more.

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]

Even if your suspension, brake, and gear ratios are fixed for maximum handling, the controls are just way too sensitive -- the slightest touch on the analog stick makes your car careen into walls and run off course.

While a scant few of The Grinch's tasks are fun, the rest are either boring, frustrating, or both.

Missions get yawn-inducingly monotonous after awhile, and the game's final motorcycle chase sequence is one of the most frustrating ever designed.

Empires gets old quick. While it is fun to use your superior skills against giant mobs of enemies, game play and skill boil down to your ability to hit the buttons as fast as you possibly can.

But boring combat is just one half of the misery pie that this game serves up, with half-baked role-playing elements comprising the rest.

If you're looking for something with a light sense of humor that's kid and family friendly and inexpensive, this might be the title for you. But for those searching for a deeper experience in their downloadable games or a nostalgic trip to the past, BurgerTime World Tour might not cut the mustard.

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]

In its current state, Backbreaker neither matches Madden's polish nor overcomes its monopoly on the NFL license; in fact, its shortcomings highlight several reasons why Madden remains so appealing.