With detailed attention paid to its more lacking qualities, there's no reason why this couldn't burst into a full-fledged contender in the FPS genre. However, such was also the argument made for its predecessor.

The game blends historical reality and sci-fi elements really well, and while its gameplay is perhaps too comfortably familiar, the inclusion of high-tech future weapons makes the experience diverting.

In a way, Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations is a game that is less than the sum of its parts—on an individual level the game’s graphics, gameplay, and sound are both intriguing and solid.

At five or so hours, Blood Bath and Beyond is not a long game, but with its stripped-down gameplay and one-note humor, it begins to outstay its welcome some time before the final credits roll. As a $15 download it's certainly a better value than its full-price predecessor.

In conclusion, Timeshift is a decent game worthy of a weekend rental. If you enjoy FPS’s like FEAR and are not concerned with story, you may enjoy this game.

It is entertaining, it is appealing, it is addictive, and it is worthy of your time. In short, it’s solid and accessible fun, and in today’s often-dreary marketplace, that’s no bad thing.

Dragon models are gorgeous, eating things is cool, a nice change from the stale humanoid saves humanoid RPG model.

A solid, enjoyable if ultimately mediocre RTS.

I really wanted to enjoy this game. And, well, you can, if you just watch someone play it. Because actually playing Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is pretty boring.

When it is all said and done though, UTIII offers nothing new.

Summarizing, Assassin’s Creed had so much potential, but seems to have out thought itself.

Although its core shooter gameplay is enjoyable, Singularity suffers from being far more derivative than original, with elements appropriated from at least a dozen other, better games.

While Massive Assault has the potential to be a massive assault on your free time, it falls a bit short due to the repetitive feel and limited depth of the gameplay.

While there is a lot to be proud of scattered throughout the double-disc set, a hub system that drags the main game's action to a halt and some unnecessary inclusions detract from an entire package with an unjustified MSRP.

The game makes no major missteps, but neither does it surprise, innovate or evolve the genre in any significant way.

The omission of any kind of multiplayer aspect for the GameCube version in itself takes away a large portion of the title's potential longevity, particularly when the single player section won't take any more than a weekend's worth to plough through.

Sure the graphics are not the best they could be and there's no LAN/Internet play, but that aside it is a fun game to play and it I bought it new for twenty bucks!

Fans of the series will be satisfied by the amount of secrets and unlockable features in the game, but for the non-fans, this might be worth a rental instead of a purchase.

One of the few shining edges Shadow Ops has is in the audio department. Taking full advantage of the now widely used THX sound scheme, the game convincingly places you in an aural war zone.

Beyond the unusually attractive RTS gameplay variety of melee and strategy, and the advanced interaction levels granted to the game's main cast of characters, Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes doesn't quite achieve its own ambitions.

Blood Stone may not be the best Bond adaptation or action game in general, but it's not a gross misappropriation either.

With no multiplayer modes and a barely noticeable graphical upgrade, the only upside to owning GUN for 360 as opposed to any other current-gen platform are the ‘accomplishments’—unlockable rewards that contribute to your Xbox Live account’s Gamerscore.

One of many mediocre platformer games available today. If you are looking for an in-depth captivating experience, then there are certainly better games on the market to fit your needs.

Stand Alone Complex may have proved to be a success on the home console market, but it feels oddly fractured on the PSP, suffering from its own shameless sense of self-importance while failing to provide any opportunistic innovation to a fairly blank and open genre canvas.

Honestly, if this weren’t attached to such a fanatically nostalgic license and fan base, it would be just another vanilla robot action game.

The control scheme could be improved upon, but as it stands, the motions are fairly intuitive and you won’t have a major problem with steering sensitivity.

With no real differentiating qualities other than a half-baked outline for what could have been an original take on the Gauntlet mythos, Seven Sorrows is purely a by-the-numbers exercise in keeping a franchise alive, albeit in questionable health.

Some events are a lot of fun and will have you pushing hard for that world record that you're so close to, but you'll lose interest in other events in a manner of minutes.

For those who base their first impressions off a game’s graphics, they may find themselves rather discouraged, but if you can overcome the aesthetic obstacle, you’ll find that the level of depth and customization, the upgrading and the combat system are fully satisfactory for a RPG.

I am quite disappointed by the fact that the game felt so unpolished and crashed so much.

Roughly six years ago, the man known as Morpheus once said that to know the path is different from walking the path. To all Matrix fans, gamers, and fellow human beings, please take the following advice: steer clear of the Path of Neo.

The game is just a mess at most times (besides the graphics and sound), the gameplay has bugs and there are a couple misleading times in the many levels. The game is also sometimes so fast paced that it's impossible to get some vital powerups and items.

The replay value is literally non-existent.

A fairly average blend of driving, action and puzzle elements. While the idea behind the game seems promising, the gameplay mechanics simply fall short.

Fit to burst with an astounding 21 games from the heyday of arcade history, Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play is an equal parts assault of entertaining variety and challenging frustration.

A major improvement over the original in many ways, but still lacks in Sound.

Unless you absolutely feel the need to play Quake on your 360, its technical issues hinder it from being worthy for most gamers.

Hopefully, if EA and Criterion are allowed more time to develop Black's sequel, the proper attention can be made to fleshing out the total experience-and not just shining up the guns.

Far too many Sonic titles are finding themselves occupying a disappointingly mediocre niche in the industry, and Sonic Racers never really advances beyond being acceptable in every department.

Being very mildly priced, this compilation is a worthwhile purchase if you're interested in venturing into retro gaming on the PC without delving into the world of emulators.

A game that reeks of mediocrity. If you were a fan of the lowbrow, unfunny humor present in the previous titles and if you enjoy "tennis," then you might have a pleasant experience.

It was a major letdown considering the extensive weaponry and ninja moves available, but in the end this game runs dry fast.

Does a very good job of representing the sport that inspired the game. This also means that unless you’re really into the air racing scene, many of the minor demerits (bland graphics, the scarcity of the sounds, the extensive load times) will discourage rather than delight.

Unfortunately its graphics, sound effects, AI, and various other things are way below par.

A moderately solid action RPG that fails to live up to its peers in this generation. It just isn't as solid, gameplay wise, as games like "Baldur's Gate" and its humor is way too hit or miss to make up the difference.

The choice of speed and rehashed gameplay are what drag the game down. Shadow the Hedgehog is still a fun game for Sonic fans, but is too average to be really interesting to casual gamers.

The downsides include subpar voice casting, slow gameplay and rather dated by today's standards graphics. I wouldn't recommend it just to anyone – but fans of turn based strategy and RPG games might find a hidden gem here.

The online support for 32 players might be enough for some to gather their money’s worth, but if you desire a challenging tactical shooter then there are certainly better choices on the market.

A let down; not a terrible game, but disappointingly short of its potential.

As a whole, Final Fantasy: Anniversary Edition on the PSP doesn’t cater to a huge audience. Diehard FF fans will be disappointed by the lack of extra features, and newcomers can be frustrated by the simple design and overload of randomized battles.

Enemy AI, environmental inconsistencies, and narrow alleys of opportunity brought the game down from its solid play design.

While it's lacking somewhat in content and variety, Shrek Superslam offers instant and easy cartoon scraps to those gamers either a little on the young side, or looking for quick fix, bite-size battles. It doesn't push the boundaries in any particular department, but remains true to the ideal of pure and simple fun.

Be prepared to turn off the sound as soon as you install it. I do not exaggerate when I say your opinion of mankind will plummet after hearing these voice actors mutilate some of the worst scripts ever to leave the desk of a Dragonball Z fanfic author.

But it definitely falls short of its potential, skimping on voice talent, mission variance and structure, and that principal fusion that makes the whole game feel like one big ball of fun.

A mediocre game. It is suffering from many annoying problems like repetitiveness, bland graphics, and horrible sound effects.

Though I'm sure the timetable may have been tight and the work not easy, especially with a newly formed studio, to make this sequel, it's simply disappointing to see such light fare being passed off as a new SKU. Crackdown is certainly a franchise-worthy IP, but if Ruffian and Microsoft plan to green light a third iteration, they need to hit more than a few nails on the head.

Without a doubt, Blue Castle Games and Capcom continue to show us abuse of the undead makes for good gaming-it's just unfortunate Dead Rising 2 accomplishes little else.

The game play, unfortunately, doesn’t offer as much as the visuals or audio.

Earth Defense Force 2107 isn't a great game, but it's a really fun one and unlike the grease bomb you score from the local burger emporium, it won't have any long-term deleterious impact on your health.

Other more robust PC software would be better for the true fan, but if you’re new and want to see if this is something you would like to pursue MTV:MG3 would be a good place to start.

With hours of violent action capable of being employed, Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is certainly an easily rentable option if you're looking to kill time as mercilessly as the in-game enemy, but anything beyond the re-skinned Dynasty half only proves to be a chore.

With hours of violent action capable of being employed, Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is certainly an easily rentable option if you're looking to kill time as mercilessly as the in-game enemy, but anything beyond the re-skinned Dynasty half only proves to be a chore.

In a time when action games are becoming Hollywood material, it is unacceptable to release a game with such low production values.

The shallow gameplay and mission construction coupled with elementary strategic play will turn off hardcore RTS fans, strategy-lite for the 'whacking' minded.

I can't and won't say Guerrilla was a perfect game, but it was far and beyond more ambitious and entertaining than Armageddon.

On the whole, the game feels like it struggles with itself: On one hand it presents some enjoyable artistic and campy elements, as it plays homage to an old film genre, and delivers a star cast of mildly acted voice talent complemented by a superbly fitting rockabilly soundtrack; while on the other, it tussles with quirky gameplay mechanics that sometimes just don’t work.

It takes quite some time to get used to the slow reaction of your car, but doesn’t prevent you from winning races right from the start – DDA wants you to destroy your environment rather than to skilfully avoid obstacles.

The overall experience will probably not inspire and entrance, but stripped of the features that tarnish Aura’s… aura, waddling through finely crafted paradises and solving the many interesting riddles will surely please all the thinkers out there.

When all is said and done, Speed Racer: The Videogame is a licensed title that is actually a fun game, but it's just not complete.

Overall, the game felt a little lacking for TLC, but if you're an avid puzzler and a DS owner, Brain Voyage is a solid bet.

Ultimately, Haze is still sitting in the wake of Call of Duty 4, and falls into that category of being just another FPS.

Ultimately, despite the game's disappointments with a short length and excessive battling, we’re intrigued to see what becomes of Baldur and the Aesir in the coming sequels.

A Tear of Vermillion is yet another example of shameful missed opportunity for the sake of safe expectations and profit margins.

The RPG system is very simplified, and the lack of any new armor or weapons is really a serious deterrent to continuing through to the end, but then Blade & Sword saves itself from being a total disappointment.

As a condensed version of the anime, hardcore fans may walkaway from Afro Samurai with mixed emotions, while the full-fledged newbie will most likely be somewhat pleased...and accompanied by a curious case of bloodlust.

ProStreet may not be a comfortable mix of two racing genres, but it certainly is an interesting curiosity.

Technical problems plague audio, visual and gameplay aspects, wholly detracting from a game with a nothing-special mission structure.

If you played the previous game in the series and liked it, then the expanded story mode as well as the number of new characters may be enough to pick up the next installment. If you have not played the original Tenkaichi or did not care for it, the sequel is most certainly not for you.

Dead Island's teaser trailer made it look as if the game was going to be one to actually bring the emotional conflict to the forefront, something they almost achieve in once instance out of many. Instead, the game's released as but another vehicle for insipid violence.

Those who don’t mind some muscle trimmed from their action RPGs may take to this most current Bard’s Tale adventure, but it’s mostly a lamentable devolvement of anything RPG or action-oriented.

Just another average game that tries well but just doesn't stand out amongst the myriad of great shooters out on the market.

Manages to passably imitate a decent gaming jaunt, at least for its first few levels. However, once the largely bland and repetitive environments, generic opposition, disgraceful A.I. and lack of genuine gameplay panache make themselves known, Rogue Agent quickly becomes little more than a rinse-and-repeat shoot fest.

But tie the high-brow nature of the cockpit-nerd content with the disconnected, unhelpful interface, and what comes up for the rest of us is a recognizable flight sim that’s very firmly grounded.

Though 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand can boast fluid controls and a well-designed co-op mulitplayer, there isn't much to push the game past it qualifying as either an expensive XBL/PSN arcade title, or interactive merchandise for the 50 Cent brand.

It's not a mind-blowing first go, but a new boxing franchise could find its way for fans; Venom will just have to refine the basics to make it a true challenger.

The impressive amount of unlockable mobile suits probably won’t be sufficient to satisfy most regular players, and the main game mode can lapse into the realms of boredom rather swiftly.

The gameplay is very poor once you’ve played it for a couple of hours and realize that you will be doing practically the same thing over and over again.

For a movie-based game, The Incredible Hulk is an enjoyable experience that works technically better on the Playstation format than the 360.

An interesting premise and setting is torpedoed by a lackluster presentation, and while Bleedout definitely kicks things up a notch for high-level players, it's hard to recommend Crimecraft for the kind of long-term commitment an MMORPG typically requires.

Seems to take for granted that because it is aimed squarely at kids, it doesn't have to bother being very good. That's a shame. Given such great source material, they had the potential to create an awesome game but fell short.

In the audio-visual department, the game shows how little it has matured since Worms 3D yet is still bearable, and the cartoony feel draws comparisons to Saturday morning cartoons.

As a condensed version of the anime, hardcore fans may walkaway from Afro Samurai with mixed emotions, while the full-fledged newbie will most likely be somewhat pleased...and accompanied by a curious case of bloodlust.

A simple, fun and well designed game, Kung Fu Panda doesn't offer the deepest narrative or most though-provoking gameplay for the more mature audiences; it's more of a guilty pleasure.

I would classify this as a game that was a fantastic idea containing a ton of great, raw material. Unfortunately, it is a little rough in the execution.

Dark Void ends up a mediocre package despite housing such promising fiction—even if we wish the story of the Watchers, the Void, and even Will would have been fleshed out with more than texts found in-game.

While there is a lot of complexity in the game play it is hard to grasp the many aspects due to the unpleasant interface.

After a few levels in Path of Neo your mouse clicking finger will hurt from the button mashing. Even the biggest fans of the trilogy should think twice before going down with Neo in this path.

Stacked against the pleasingly immersion-friendly fighting mechanics are a restrictive camera, lackluster sound, fractured A.I., and shamefully substandard graphics.