But even though it offers some worthwhile moments, it unfortunately squanders most of its vast potential on a heavily scripted experience that doesn't take full advantage of the compelling world around it.

All in all, Star Ovean: First Departure has aged very well, and remains a unique and innovative RPG full of life and personality. [Nov 2008, p.104]

Minor issues aside, this is a very fun title. Leaderboards, trying to beat your personal best times, and some unlockable bonus levels do add some replay value, and clever features (free look mode, the blob itself has a high cuteness factor) give the game some charm. If you're looking for a fun and breezy diversion, and an excuse to brush up on your knowledge of the periodic table, Mercury Hg is worth a look.

The Disney music isn’t quite as infectious as the DDR originals, and some people will cringe at “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “It’s a Small World (Ducking Hardcore Mix).”

For fighting enthusiasts still holding on to their PlayStation, Capcom vs. SNK Pro will entertain you. PS2 owners, though, should skip this title and just pick up "Capcom vs. SNK 2" instead.

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.

Solid audio effects round out the aesthetic package, but the obnoxious music score is best left silent.

Just as you can't fully appreciate heavy metal without experiencing Black Sabbath, any gamer with any interest in truly understanding the video-game medium's roots should at least rent this compilation of classic arcade games.

A game that finally does the Western action genre some tough justice.

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]

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.

Defiance shines with pure entertainment value, with crisp and gorgeous visuals and squishy sounds that invoke the feeling of steel crushing flesh.

If you're into puzzles and/or games with a high level of challenge, and you don't mind plenty of charm (and let's face it, except for Communists, who does?), Hamilton's Great Adventure is a download you should make.

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.

The repetition of everything from the enemies to the wintry city streets sets in after only a few missions, but as constricted as the gameplay is, it can be exciting and fun in small doses.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken is a blast to play. A title with a silly premise, satisfying action, plenty of content (15 solo chapters and 10 co-op) and a first rate game presentation is hard not to cluck about.

If you've ever wanted to be a monster fighting for its soul, or if you've ever had designs of creating your own RPG, then let "Vampire" seduce you to the dark side.

Darkwatch mixes its Western Roots with gothic horror and steampunk aesthetics, and the results are uniquely engaging...Just darned good fun while it lasts. [Sept 2005, p.64]

The game’s only real flaw is that Spyro kind of handles like a broken bicycle, and steering him/her/it through the pseudo-3D landscape can get frustrating after the nine-hundredth time you’ve inadvertently come too close to a puddle of lethal water.

While the game’s levels offer plenty of freedom, TransWorld Snowboarding itself sticks close to the established trail.

The epitome of an addictive multiplayer game that has just the right amount of action and team strategy to make it worth every cent to play online.

With so many inconsistencies, Finest Hour just doesn't live up to its PC forefather. Alone on the consoles, this is one World War II moment that's better rented than bought.

Yet as innovative and inviting as the Forgemaster system and customization facets are, Curse is slightly hexed by a repetitive play scheme: enter room, kill enemies, exit room, repeat.

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]

PIQ2 provides a robust online environment for competitive puzzle solving, but unfortunately it does little to captivate or entertain with its core gameplay. Only those willing to dedicate a decent chunk of their day to what amounts to a standardized test in polygonal form need apply.

All in all, I really feel like Puzzle Quest 2 on the DS is very limited by the hardware. While it's unrealistic for this port to look anywhere as good as the Xbox Live and PC versions, I at least would've liked some form of online multiplayer to give the port a little more replay value.

Packing pretty much all of the major features of its bigger console siblings, FIFA 11 does a remarkable job in bringing the world's most popular sports game to iPad.

On its own merits, Galaga Legions is an enjoyable but short game. But for old school gamers the original title, available on XBLA for half the price, has much more to offer.