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.

Skate 3 doesn't go as far as I would have liked, but it's still a great addition to the franchise. [July 2010, p.90]

It may not be the breath of fresh air that the original Skate was, but Skate 3 still offers up plenty of innovation in its robust skate park creation mechanic, engaging multiplayer feature, and expanded move list.

There's much to like about 3D Dot Game Heroes, and though it may seem cheap to appreciate a game where so much has been borrowed from games of the past, it's hard to deny that Heroes executes on these stolen ideas commendably.

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.

Zeno Clash features a world with exponential promise, great melee combat, and a completely unique setting; for players unfamiliar with Zenozoik's outlandish scenery, it's an easy recommendation.

It's creepy, mysterious, and spooky, and while it isn't perfect by any means, it's a horror experience well worth your time.

It won't replace scheduled sessions with Team Fortess 2 -- nor is it as good -- but Lead and Gold is extremely fun and has an exceptional amount of potential if Fatshark is willing to fix some of its more glaring issues.

Picross 3D won't exactly set the world on fire with its explosive graphics or its thrilling action but it's a competent and fun puzzle game.

Best administered in small doses, don't expect to spend a lot of quality time with Zombie Panic in one sitting.

Kung Fu Funk has a fantastic style, pulling from the craziness found in '70s era kung-fu action movies; however, none of the fun found in its art has translated into its gameplay.

For its $20 PSN price tag, I'd definitely recommend My Lord 2 to hardcore SRPG fanatics in search of a good (yet brutal) challenge.

Why Sam has stepped out of the shadows and is on full out attack makes complete sense in context with the story, so if you can accept it for what it is and not dwell on the fact that it isn't what you've come to expect in a Splinter Cell title, you'll no doubt agree that Conviction rivals Chaos Theory as the best title in the franchise's history. [Jun 2010, p.78]

It may not be the deepest or most original action experience out there, but it's hard to deny the cheap thrills, over-the-top attitude, and mind-numbingly brutal mayhem present in Volatile's latest.

It's like an ugly puppy: it's not appealing to look at and it sometimes makes a mess, but it's got a special quality that makes you love it regardless.

Super Street Fighter IV is just more of a good thing and fans of the original have plenty of reasons to invest in it. But seasoned players who didn't care for the original SFIV won't have any reason to like the update because, despite the improvements and additions, the fundamental gameplay hasn't changed. [Jun 2010, p.88]

Super Street Fighter IV is just more of a good thing and fans of the original have plenty of reasons to invest in it. But seasoned players who didn't care for the original SFIV won't have any reason to like the update because, despite the improvements and additions, the fundamental gameplay hasn't changed.

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

My experience with Monster Hunter Tri was fantastic. Despite its numerous flaws, it was fun, fascinating, complex, and undeniably alluring. I intend to keep on playing it, not on a daily basis, but whenever I feel the desire to experience the thrill of the hunt.

Why Sam has stepped out of the shadows and is on full out attack makes complete sense in context with the story, so if you can accept it for what it is and not dwell on the fact that it isn't what you've come to expect in a Splinter Cell title, you'll no doubt agree that Conviction rivals Chaos Theory as the best title in the franchise's history.

The ideas behind Fishie Fishie have a lot of potential, but the "single-button to do everything" concept makes the entire thing a frustrating battle of man versus machine.

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.

Mega Man 10 is an extremely fun and worthwhile purchase, and a much better overall value.

Despite the improved character roster and so-bad-it's-funny decapitations, Samurai Showdown Sen has very little to offer you except easy Achievement Points.

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.

While Showcase doesn't include as much variety as past WarioWare titles, it continues the franchise's longstanding tradition of being completely maniacal, frantic and fun.

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.

Art students, old-school gamers, and people with wild imaginations (and lots of free time) are going to love making their own masterpieces in WarioWare D.I.Y.., but if you have trouble drawing stick figures, you'll at least be able to enjoy a sizable new crop of fun, quick mini-games with tons of personality.

While it's insane stunts and action-packed firefights ooze their own brand of explosive charm, Just Cause 2 falls victim to an unwieldy mission structure and unfortunate lack of variety.

While it's insane stunts and action-packed firefights ooze their own brand of explosive charm, Just Cause 2 falls victim to an unwieldy mission structure and unfortunate lack of variety. [April 2010, p.86]

If the satisfying melee combat was tied into a better game with a compelling story, I'd praise Red Steel 22 as the next step in the Wii's evolution. But the nonsensical narrative, the repetitive nature of the gameplay, and the poor pacing keeps it from being anything more than a promising glimpse at the future of FPS games on the Wii.

If you're looking for a thoughtful, challenging RPG experience, this is a Strange Journey worth taking; those who take issue with the thematic elements, however, might want to go adventuring elsewhere. [March 2010, p.91]

The question, then, is how much you're willing to suffer through in order to get to know your party.

The developers are trying to take the franchise in an interesting new direction, and the fruit of their labor is worth checking out.

The custom built 4A-engine does a terrific job of bringing this desolate and sad world to life, and the developers made an admirable attempt to build the gameplay around the narrative. But Metro 2033's strength lies in the ideas which underpin its action -- without them, it's just another gritty first-person shooter with some interesting tweaks built in -- and it's unfortunate that the rich source material didn't mesh with the actual gameplay to form a cohesive whole.

But as a fan who actually cares about Kratos and his plight, I found it to be a bit of a letdown. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, I can't help but feel disappointed by the way Kratos chose to say goodbye at the end of it.

Fragile Dreams is touching at some moments and irritating at others, but taken as a whole, it's an adventure that's worthy of your time.

All in all, Awakenings is a must-buy for any Dragon Age fan. It's packed full of new adventures, side quests, cameos from old favorites, and an engrossing original storyline that will keep players busy for hours.

Sure, if you can grind through numerous random battles without losing your patience, the experience can be rewarding when you finally succeed. But for the rest of you, I'd recommend something else if you're not ready to devote some serious study time to the hardcore, incredibly unforgiving trek through this steampunk city.

Add in the ingenious PokeWalker, and it's clear that this is a perfect experience for both old-school trainers and the newest generation of Pokemon fans.

Add in the ingenious PokeWalker, and it's clear that this is a perfect experience for both old-school trainers and the newest generation of Pokemon fans.

Chaos Rising is a great first expansion, and while new players looking to try the single-player should start with the original game, it's an instant purchase for those of you looking for some good online RTS mayhem.

Complaining about the lack of a Japanese audio track might seem like nitpicking but it goes back to my main point: XIII ignored me -- me, a dedicated JRPG and Final Fantasy fan -- to try and seduce someone else with user-friendly tutorials and a Leona Lewis theme song.

It's tons of fun to play whether you're working to actively advance the story or just spending a few hours goofing off and running errands for others.

It's the moment-to-moment excitement of each mission, helped along by the cool and unique objectives, that gives BFBC2's campaign an unforgettable edge.

The core game is a classic, time-tested RPG, and the visual overhaul is excellent, but technical caveats and arguable matters of personal preference prevent me from saying that Silver Star Harmony is now the definitive edition of Lunar to play.

SC2 improves upon its predecessor by taking the franchise formula and upgrading it in a very tangible way.

An emotionally engaging thrill-ride from start to finish, Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain is a superbly crafted interactive experience, told expertly through it's stunning visuals and believable characters.

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.

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.

The overall attention in the Secret Armory is impressive, and the quirks that made the main game so memorable are definitely present here.

Braid may seem like the closest contemporary to Winterbottom, as time manipulation is key to each game's platform challenges, but World of Goo is a near-equal counterpart in my mind. Both offer devious challenges complemented by fantastically clever aesthetics, but regardless of which game makes the most sense as an existing touchstone, simply mentioning The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom in their company should say a lot about how worthwhile and refined a game The Odd Gentlemen have created.

As a shooter fan and someone who watched all eight films that make up the Alien, Predator, and Aliens vs. Predator series, I had high hopes for the title, but it fails to do both the genre and the franchise justice.

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

Miles Edgeworth is worth picking up if you're an Ace Attorney fan, as the cameos are delightful -- keep your eyes peeled for Lotta Hart! -- and the cases are still interesting enough, even though they're far too easy and much too predictable.

Strip away the camaraderie, competition, and character interaction of the online experience, and Ragnarok DS simply sticks you with all the hardcore monster-slaying and loot grinding of an MMO without the payoff of being able to crush other human opponents under your mighty battle-hardened boot.

Still, BioShock 2 not only re-captures the dystopian aesthetic, gripping narrative, and deep gameplay of Irrational's original, but it actually greatly improves on the BioShock experience as a whole, fine-tuning what made Jack's voyage to Rapture such a memorable experience two years ago.

At high levels, playing Shiren is a bit like Demon's Souls -- impossible tasks slowly become manageable and then trivial as your skill increases. Shiren the Wanderer is a hard game to put down once you've gotten into its one-more-turn rhythm, which is exactly as it should be.

Because most gamers aren't familiar with the Divine Comedy, the devs were free to safely take creative liberties but that doesn't absolve them of the burden of crafting a coherent narrative where your actions actually matter. Dante's doesn't do that particularly well and while the combat and level architecture is interesting enough that I stuck with it to the end, I was never fully invested in the story nor did I ever come to truly care about Dante's quest.

In the end, it often comes down to understanding the solution but not being able to feasibly execute it. Add these difficulties to a rather repetitive five-hour adventure, and the game becomes more of a chore than an adventure.

White Knight Chronicles is definitely hit-or-miss at times, and while it finds itself occasionally hampered by a stale single-player campaign and wonky combat system, the overall experience brings just enough fresh content and online innovations to the table to make it a worthwhile purchase for hardcore JRPG fans.

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.

An improvement on just about every aspect of the original game, with the exception of one tiny aspect; the very final battle. Mass Effect 2 sees BioWare's approach to the role playing genre evolve beyond anything they've worked on previously, and gives us a glimpse of how both RPGs and shooters will begin to merge in the years ahead.

Quirky, crass, and incredibly fun, Suda51's stylish sequel to 2008's No More Heroes slashes its way onto the Wii with even more boss battles, much-improved gameplay, and loads of worthwhile new content.

While Tatsunoko vs. Capcom isn't nearly as deep or as "technical" as Capcom's other offerings, it's still an excellent fighting experience, especially for Wii fighting game fans that don't have a wealth of options available to them.

So when everything clicks just right, that click is deafening; a good match here is very, very good, and good matches show up just often enough at this early stage to make the rest worthwhile.

If the foes were cunning enough to make every encounter unique, or the game made better use of the verticality inherent in the premise, Dark Void would have fared a whole lot better, but ultimately, it's a disappointing title that never manages to leave the tarmac. [Feb 2010, p.78]

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.

But as a whole, while The 40th Day has its moments, it just isn't consistent enough to keep my attention.

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.

Grind through this cheesy apocalypse story only if you're already a fan going into it.

Ultimately, Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is a game that deserves to be in the library of anyone who enjoyed the film, and a worthwhile purchase for flight sim fans as well.

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.

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.

The idea behind the franchise has enough merit that it deserves a better effort and it's lamentable that they didn't realize that from the very beginning.

Even after suffering through the grueling battles, the repeated deaths, the campy dialogue and the head-numbingly bad plot, I still had a hell of time thanks to the immensely satisfying combat, the inspired level design and the memorable boss encounters.

It would have been nice if Mad Moxxie lifted the level cap, but it still offers enough mayhem to make it worth the download for any Borderlands player looking for a little mindless killing.

Crystal Bearers is slick and polished but it somehow comes off feeling like a half-finished product.

Even though I am not their biggest fan, I still felt like the band deserved much better than this half-assed effort.

From planting explosives beneath enemy sniper nests to speeding over the lush Parisian countryside, there's so much to do and see in Saboteur that it's incredibly easy to lose sight of the game's minor quirks and frustrations. It may not be the most original title under the sun, but it is an absolute blast while it lasts, and an innovative and welcome addition to the overwhelming selection of World War II games.

It's an incredibly original and ambitious project, but the weight of its problems, both old and new, keep it from being much more than a nostalgic love letter addressed to diehard series fans.

With solid gameplay and humor to spare, Rise of the Pirate God provides a fitting ending to a fun story. That leaves newcomers the task of doing what series vets have been up for since July -- getting on board.

While it isn't perfect, Spirit Tracks does enough things right that you won't regret persevering through the initial sluggishness. Once the game picks up momentum and speed, it packs a locomotive sized punch, one that doesn't reinvent the wheel but still manages to do the storied franchise proud.

A generic, buggy and broken shooter with limited appeal, even to dedicated fans of Marcinko and the many books and novels that have documented his incredible life.

Simply a rather dull experience, which could be the worst thing you could say for any piece of entertainment. From my time with it, James Cameron's Avatar: The Video Game only furthers the point, rather than dispels it, that the movie-to-video game genre is as treacherous as the planet of Pandora itself.

It's becoming increasingly rare for companies to release new and unproven titles that buck convention and focus on changing the current landscape but Clash of Heroes does so remarkably well, making for a unique and satisfying title that feels totally fresh. I recommend it to any RPG gamer looking for a unique take on the established genre; puzzle fans should take a look as well.

For all its simplicity, there's no denying that Serious Sam HD has enough old-school charm and addictive gameplay to make it a worthwhile purchase for gamers that just want to get some killing done the old fashioned way: with a portable ship cannon, gatling gun and four-barreled rocket launcher in your pocket.

A decent way to get a small dose of Twilight in with a couple of your friends on a lazy afternoon and the diehard tweeners will no doubt be too entranced by the game's stock of film clips to notice or care.

Where Stoked was an impressive if flawed debut, Big Air Edition is a superior semi-sequel that should cement the series as a successful snowboarding franchise. If you missed it the first time around, be sure to grab a lift ticket for Stoked's second run.

Gyromancer also takes a while to get the hang of thanks to a poorly explained tutorial, and the lack of multiplayer seriously hurts the game's replay value; still, gamers get quite a bit of bang for their buck (it's priced at 1200 MS Points, which is $15), and while it won't win any awards for originality, it's a slick and addictive puzzle experience that's sure to keep Bejeweled and Puzzle Quest fans playing late into the night.

Few games so deftly balance the contrasting qualities achieved here. It's at once both epic and intimate, earnest and lighthearted. The scale of it is truly magnificent, but often its largest and most moving moments come from the smallest and most carefully composed scenes.

Few games so deftly balance the contrasting qualities achieved here. It's at once both epic and intimate, earnest and lighthearted. The scale of it is truly magnificent, but often its largest and most moving moments come from the smallest and most carefully composed scenes. [Jan 2010, p.62]

If you absolutely loved Umbrella Chronicles and know the Resident Evil series by heart, you might extract enough fun out of Darkside to make it worth your while. but otherwise, you can safely pass this one by.

Incredible cooperative and competitive multiplayer is brilliantly designed around the new maps, modes and enemies.

Simply a good idea that awaits complete realization. [Jan 2010, p.77]

A step forward for fighting games? Not exactly. But it's certainly a tasty bit of comfort food for the fans.

But even as a solo-only experience, LittleBigPlanet is a brilliant fit for Sony's portable, maintaining nearly every bit of the charm and wide-eyed wonder of the console game while introducing PSP owners to this wonderfully unique series.

The fact that we get access to two classic games in one package is also a win for us, but again, the ability to take a long look back at Kratos' journey is the true reward of this amazing collection.