Branching the Lego brand off into RTS territory is a good idea, and one that, at times, can be seen bearing some fruit. Unfortunately, there are just too many problems to make this game worth recommending. With a graphical overhaul and a few tweaks, this game might be able to briefly make the kids forget about their desires to catch all those Pokemon. However, like that space jet you attempted to construct when you were five, this game is probably better off forgotten.

With all of these faltering features, Spyro’s newest adventure feels more like it was meant to be played on the PlayStation rather than on the GameCube.

Sometimes a game can be a little too authentic. This is one of those occasions. While a dose of realism is a good thing in a game, My Little Baby takes it a little too far. Besides being a ton of work, infants also bring great joy, a feeling not experienced while playing My Little Baby.

After playing this game, it would be a real stretch for me to recommend Invincible Tiger at any XBLA price level.

Just don't expect any plot to further motivate you through the game, and don't assume that lots of money was spent on localization (clearly a Japanese woman attempted to voice the part of Mama, and clearly she did not earn her paycheck). That being said, where else are you going to find a game that times how fast you can rip the heads off of shrimp?

It's too bad the play mechanics are not more engaging, especially given the potential of the Wii-motion controls. But as is, the range of mini-missions and quests you lead the precocious Coraline through will feel familiar to anyone who's played any number of average film-tied titles.

The story and dialogue aren't deep -- the play and art are the stars of the show -- but what little there is comes off as morally confused.

Attempts to be an exciting pugilist but fails miserably.

If you've been aching for a hardcore RPG experience on the PSP, go to class. [Apr 2009, p.83]

Would you settle for Ozzie Canseco when you could get Jose Canseco for an extra dollar? Me neither. And because Arcade Essentials isn't able to pull off its lofty goal of modernizing five classic titles, this is one arcade you should walk right on by.

The most ruthless design decision is found in Astro Tripper's unforgiving and unflinchingly old-school life system. You start out with just a few lives and only gain new ones after reaching score benchmarks. The problem is you're forced to re-start a timed stage from scratch every time you die, and when you run out of lives altogether, that's it. Game Over. Add that to the cumbersome controls and absurd difficulty curve and you get an experience that's not very accessible or enjoyable.

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.

I mostly enjoyed Knights Contract's blistering combat, absorbing story, and dark fantasy setting, which makes it all the more difficult to see it sullied so significantly by a single bad idea. But honestly, the buzz-killing boss battles made reaching the game's conclusion more frustrating than fun.

Although I was disappointed by Poker with Bob, it is priced at $0.99, so you can see for yourself if the game is worth it at very little cost.

After playing this game, it would be a real stretch for me to recommend Invincible Tiger at any XBLA price level.

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

As a top down RTS game, Super Army War would have been great. But as a 2D side-scroller, this game is a logistical nightmare.

The mediocre graphics do an adequate job of rendering believable jungle environments, but the unattractive artistic style tends to jar with the hardboiled atmosphere. [Dec 2004, p.114]

DC3's biggest problem is the visuals - not the look but the presentation. Camera angles constantly change perspective - often times during platform jumps - and you're forced to suddenly change direction on the controller.

Sadly, Ducati's not first-rate in this trial run.

The Dreamcast's analog controller just can't mimick the subtle nuances and control of original trackball games such as Centipede and Crystal Castle, or the simple twist knob in Tempest and Super Breakout.

The fact that there is so much misinformation potentially in play, and your own units can basically be turned against you without you knowing, is a great twist and could have made for a great strategy game if AGOT: Genesis either placed all its emphasis on those mechanics, or if it paired them with equally solid combat and controls. But that's not the case here. Instead, there are a couple potentially great ideas, surrounded by poorly-executed mediocrity.

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.

Doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the GameCube’s capabilities.

The X button rebounds the ball and also is the shoot button on offense. In the heat of a game, you often throw up shots by accident.

It seemed impossible to mess up but sadly, that's exactly what they did.

The controls are still the most frustrating part of the game: They’re sloppy, inexact, and derivative of Street Fighter's with a dash of Tekken's thrown in.

Rather than mixing speed and destruction Full Auto feels messy and made me wish I could turn my rocket launcher toward my head.

The smaller GBA screen means you can't see as much of your surroundings as you could in the originals, making it easy to sustain damage from something you can't even see.

Dedicated (read: sadistic) gamers willing to invest the time necessary to figure out the controls might get a kick out of this one, but the convoluted controls will turn off most players. The lesson here is clear: Wii developers need to start with a blank slate rather than graft old-school control schemes onto the Wii Remote because, as SSX Blur demonstrates, it just doesn't work.

The more you play this half-baked sack of pixels, the more you become convinced that there is no The Matrix game, and the only thing being played here is you.

This unfortunate version of HP2 is just plain slow and its handling just doesn’t feel right. If possible, stick with the stellar PS2 edition or the strong Xbox game.

It promises you the world, but never delivers, which is a shame, because, with some polish and some elbow grease, it could've been a spectacular RPG on the order of a BioWare classic. As is, though, I simply cannot recommend it.

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.

The sequel to one of the best fishing games ever unfortunately delivers nothing but a fishy stench instead of a prize catch-of-the-day.

When will ESPN learn the difference between a game worth endorsing and one that’s utter garbage? Not soon enough, apparently.

BLSC's camera movement is an immediate hurl-inducing experience: the camera swoops around like a roller coaster gone mad.

The graphics are crisp and astonishingly smooth, but the game is terribly short—the mission mode is too easy and the auxiliary racing bits are uninteresting.

Despite offering a laundry list of moves and button combinations, the game's complicated controls feel shallower than the three-buttoned Capcom arcade classics like "The Punisher" or "Alien vs. Predator." Group battles feel too constricted with the auto target locking mechanics, and the simplistic one-on-one fights are somewhere on the level of "Pit Fighter."

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]

Thanks to some horribly generic gameplay and uninspired combat, it ends up continuing the disappointing trend of movie license video games.

Given its low price it's not really surprising that Test Yourself: Psychology is just a small piece of what's going to be a bigger puzzle. But if this incomplete diagnosis of a game is a taste of the treatment to come, this is one doctor's visit you might want to consider rescheduling.

One thing's for sure about The Sims 2 on PSP: when load times comprises 30 to 40 percent of the gameplay experience, it's excruciatingly boring.

But for the most part the technical and visual achievements that make this title tick on consoles are all but absent here, leaving PSP players with a broken bro-mance.

As a simple diversion for kids twelve-and-under PlayStation Move Heroes is fine. The younger crowd will enjoy the challenges, motion controls, and maybe even the horrific, over-the-top announcer. But if you're a fan of the platforming/action-adventure roots of any of the game's heroes, you'll likely be disappointed.

The gameplay itself is unchanged from 18 Wheeler, with your lumbering truck falling out of control at the drop of a feather and the graphics looking just a shade above Dreamcast quality.

The game features physics that wouldn’t be caught dead in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

In this case, though, it’s better to travel with a legend in a book than play as one on the PlayStation.

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.

But aside from a boring narrative and some excessive backtracking, the cute art aesthetic and challenging platforming make this a satisfactory experience.

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.

Blade II has a lot of good raw materials, but the end product doesn’t congeal into a bloody good time.

That we had to wait for the content for so long -- it suffered a delayed a couple weeks after its announced release date, and was subsequently pulled from Xbox Live when it did hit -- makes the quest taste even more bitter. Five dollars isn't a lot to drop on extra content, but when it's as bare as this it's hard to recommend to anyone who didn't shed a tear over Duncan's death.

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

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

Fight Drunk is sort of joke app, and although it should probably be free, I'm glad to have paid $0.99 for it. Kudos to GravitySensation for making me laugh.

I genuinely wanted to like this game. It's based around a great concept and the writing gives it an entertaining personality, but the control scheme is just awful.

While the outrageous roller coaster inspired tracks and arcade-themed charm where enough to bring a smile to my face, Speed Zone's charm is inevitably overpowered by a lackluster control scheme and a barrage of all-to-frequent deaths.

An intensely frustrating trial of patience that’s rewarded with only the most fleeting glimmers of fun. [Sept 2004, p.81]

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.

Regrettably, the game does too many things poorly to allow itself to rise above being forgettably average, and that's a shame considering its palpable potential.

The highly-detailed graphics create a cluttered screen, making it difficult to locate potential threats, so your success relies more on memorization than skill. [Oct 1998]

Worms 2 is here to rectify the mistakes made with the first game, but I'm sad to report that it isn't entirely successful. Yes, there are tons of new weapons and modes, and online multiplayer is finally here; theoretically, Team 17 did everything they should have to deliver the ultimate Worms experience, but a still-clunky UI and shoddy graphics make this an inadequate sequel.

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.

This baddie-slapping App Store entry packs a fun concept and a charming visual style, but its oversimple execution leaves much to be desired.

Basically, Dream Trigger is a shooter that comes off like it was trying to reinvent shooters, but falls pretty flat. And that's probably not the kind of "trip" it was going for.

In effect, Front Mission: Evolved is an arcade game on a console platform, through and through. Even its multiplayer component, with its limited loadout of deathmatch and capture the flag modes, feels very much like arcade co-op.

Maybe it would be more exciting if there was some actual challenge involved, but most of the battles amount to a rock, paper, scissors competition where your opponent is limited to 'rock' for their arsenal.

Reservoir Dogs should be a game that puts you right in the middle of a gang of thugs. But instead, arguments about the meaning of Madonna lyrics and trading stories about near misses with police make it a disjointed game of multiple perspectives and confusing timeframes.

MLB Stickball is a cute and simple game but its a weak groundout, not the home run it aspires to be.

While I wasn't expecting too much from G.I. Joe as a whole, I walked away with the impression that, while it wasn't absolutely horrible, it really didn't leave much of a lasting impression either.

The video-game equivalent of fast food—quick, easy, and disposable. Its main problem is that poor game design choices.

When met with the game's linear nature and over-reliance on quick-time events, these technical issues tear away at what could have been the perfect tribute to the original film.

Although it comes wrapped in an attractive package, Monster Blaster just doesn't hold up when compared to other puzzle alternatives, even on iOS.

A bit too tough for the Dora crowd, too immature for pre-teens, and not interesting enough for adults, Pucca's Kisses Game doesn't really have a built-in audience, despite having some unique gameplay elements.

While the mini-games are cool, you will sadly spend most of your time fighting to control your drunken gun sight, and practice only yields marginal improvements.

A frustrating and inconsistent mess that truly disappoints. By the time I reached the seventh episode, which degenerates into a needlessly painful time-sink grind to upgrade Edward with "spectral vision" points, the few things the game had done right had been virtually drowned in a murky sludge of ill-conceived and half-baked failures.

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.

I didn't find myself particularly enthralled with Laevatein -- the dull as dirt presentation did little to augment a game system I often found flawed.

Most should pass on this one, but if your swimsuit area is specifically turned on by the scantily-clad ladies of DoA, then Paradise's brand of portable soft-porn may just do it for you.

Regretfully, Army Men RTS’s cleverly conceived combat units and resource system are quickly overrun by deadlier forces: lackluster controls and frustrating gameplay.

The mediocre graphics do an adequate job of rendering believable jungle environments, but the unattractive artistic style tends to jar with the hardboiled atmosphere. [Dec 2004, p.114]

The total lack of a cluttered HUD, the animation, and the graphic detail are all good points, but lazy mistakes and no palpable sense of fear make Extermination more annoying than alarming.

In the end, fans of Tekken will simply ask, "Why?" [Apr 2005, p.80]

Greg Hastings Paintball 2 is made for a very specific clientele. But because the video game lacks the excitement of the real thing, it does little to expand interest for the sport outside of its core demographic. If you're someone who owns your own gear and is really into paintball, you'll appreciate having a game dedicated to your sport. Everyone else, however, should save their $20 for something else.

Fans of the Battle Network series will delight in the further adventures of Lan and Mega Man, but everyone else is warned to stay clear. [Aug 2004, p.78]

An old-skool movie-based game in the worst way, taking you back to the days when a Hollywood license was a recipe for a giant ball of suck.

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.

This is one of those “look at what we can do with water physics” games, and in that regard, it’s cool—but the standard mission-based gameplay isn’t nearly as deep as the ocean it takes place on.

This tribal take on shoot-em-ups seems like it would be pretty refreshing, but some basic flaws keep this from being a prime time-waster.

I got tired of the one-button combat almost immediately, but I could appreciate the 8-bit versions of the Linkin Park "classics.

A landmark in programming incompetence. Exclusive or not, it's a bigger embarrassment than any retro port could have been.

There's just nothing to hold your interest over the long haul and while roaming around with some friends helps, it just isn't entertaining enough for me to recommend it to anyone, not even those who love fairy tales and platform titles.

If monotonous gaming and skimpy Pokemon action aren't your thing, then this is one mystery that's best left unsolved.

Even taking the gameplay at face value, there are still flaws like horrendous enemy A.I. and a severely limited set of offensive and defensive moves.

It's shallower than the shallow end of a kiddie pool during a drought, and dammit, it's such a disappointment, because the series has delivered compelling storylines and settings, if nothing else, up to this point.

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.

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.