Though patient motorcycle-simulation fans will see past Suzuki TT Superbikes' quirks and appreciate its authenticity, many will shy away from the game's single-track format, twitchy handling, and claustrophobic environment.

By neglecting to address the fundamental problems of the original and slicing out the online play, Monster Hunter Freedom negates the few improvements it makes to its PlayStation 2 predecessor.

The controls and general feel of Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX make it a satisfying product.

While not incredibly complex, the tactical combat and unique IAS system remain compelling and fresh throughout the 20-plus hours it will take to finish the game.

A brand-new game that combines simple beat-'em-up gameplay with the kind of run-and-jump action that has been done so often, and oftentimes much better, in numerous other side-scrolling games.

Ridge Racer Unbounded is a dramatic departure for the series, but one that's filled with some gloriously destructive, fast-paced racing.

If FIFA 19 on PS4 and Xbox One is a 40-piece orchestra with all the bells and whistles you can think of, then FIFA 19 on Nintendo Switch is the tribute band.

Killer Klowns feels like it should have a steeper hill to climb than some of its counterparts. While other asymmetrical horror games benefit from iconic killers at their centers, this cult-classic '80s movie-turned-game doesn't have the same brand recognition--did anyone think we'd get a game based on Killer Klowns before A Nightmare on Elm Street? But what it lacks in starring sadists, it makes up for with a tense but silly core of intricate maps, diverse weapons, and a more lax PvP atmosphere than the genre is known for. Issues with the metagame exist, and, like some of the team's past horror games, it's all a bit rough around the edges. But it's the game's fluorescent, squeaky heart that makes this a circus worth joining.

Hellgate: London has plenty of neat ideas, but many of them aren't executed as well as you'd like.

The game is a great fit on the PSP, and the widescreen perspective complements the large, horizontally oriented level designs nicely. By contrast, the DS version is awkward and ugly and generally fails to capture the feel of Worms.

This Director's Cut fixes a few things and breaks some others, but Deadly Premonition is still a highly flawed, utterly memorable mystery that never stops surprising you.

Despite a solid combat system and a good presentation, this latest Castlevania is cursed with extremely monotonous levels that prevent it from being an engaging action-adventure game.

Eragon doesn't do much to embellish its simplistic design, but it's a surprisingly satisfying role-playing game despite its shorcomings.

Problems are more plentiful than the collectible monsters in Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals, the epitome of how not to make a Poke-clone.

This gritty and profane detective tale winds down to a sound conclusion.

As brief as it is, Darq does offer well-designed puzzles that are incredibly satisfying to solve on your first playthrough, each one building upon the last in intelligent ways. Darq never fully stumbles into frustration, even if it is tripped up slightly by underwhelming stealth sections. But its gloomy atmosphere and exceptional sound design enrapture you in its dreary world of dreams. Darq is full of great ideas that contribute to a tight and brief package, but it’s hard not to want for more once it’s done.

While PC strategy veterans will find that the gameplay is pretty basic, console owners starved for a real-time strategy game should find Goblin Commander to be a worthwhile experience.

Bionic Commando has some enjoyable moments, but consistent fun always seems just out of arm's reach.

Provides a viscerally enjoyable experience pretty much from beginning to end. The game certainly has its blemishes, and it's definitely not the deepest or headiest action title you'll ever experience, but underneath those problems is a stylish and gory action game with enough kills and thrills to keep you entertained.

The versatile magnet gun marries beautifully with the series' signature destructibility to make Red Faction: Armageddon an exciting and explosive shooter.

Aside from the fact that you play as a female character, life on the farm hasn't changed much, but Another Wonderful Life does bring to light a whole new side of the familiar characters from Forget-Me-Not Valley that fans of the series are sure to enjoy.

Though the improvements are minimal, Super Swing Golf Season 2 is more enjoyable than its predecessor.

This outstanding sense of place and mood is offset by the sheer difficulty of everything that you have to do, the spectacular amounts of time necessary to experience even a tenth of what the game has to offer, and the randomness of death constantly destroying everything that you have built.

An enjoyable and stylish street racer that offers plenty of customization options and a few sweet gamebreaker features.

Crazy power-ups, and a variety of exciting tracks make TNT Racers a shallow good time.

Although this genre's been done to death, Harold's inspired levels, imaginative mechanics, eye-popping presentation, endless charm, and steep challenge separate it from the pack. It's only that latter element that crosses the line, sometimes making Harold more frustrating than fun.

This game is doesn't significantly build on or vastly improve any of the features of its predecessor, so those with high hopes for a stellar sequel will be disappointed. Still, Crackdown 2's core action and appeal remain very strong, and there is great potential for cooperative mayhem, making this a fun stop on your summer videogame tour.

Running around at the speed of sound might be a mantra of the fleet-footed hedgehog, but Sonic Frontiers is at its best when you're given time to simply explore. The music is calming and also solemn at times--even if it knows when to burst into life with a punk rock energy--and there's even a fishing minigame that lets you earn rewards while slowing down the pace a step further. It's easy to fall into a zen-like flow as you traverse each island, rattling off objectives as you happen upon them. There are frustrations that arise and break the flow, whether it's a middling mini-boss or a struggle with Sonic's floaty movement, and it's a big departure from what Sonic fans are used to. I'm fully on board with this new direction, though. Sonic Adventure set the template for the last 24 years of 3D Sonic games, and I'm hopeful Frontiers will do the same for the next generation. It has its flaws, and there's definite room for improvement, but the spiky mascot is finally moving in the right direction.

The Sims 3: Pets doesn't add much to the series aside from cats and dogs, but it's hard to resist the charm they bring with them.

Age of Empires Online effectively infuses its conventional real-time strategy gameplay with massively multiplayer online-style loot and leveling mechanics.

Gunpey for the DS is a charming and accessible puzzle game that may not hold the same level of challenge as its PSP counterpart but more than makes up for it with its own unique presentation.

Its slavish dedication to convention will scratch the methodical, cerebral itch all diehard adventure game fans have. As a genre exercise, though, it exerts little energy to draw in new players.

Crossing Souls has good mechanics, and its facade is a visual treat that is easy to be seduced by, but it fails to achieve a level of holistic enjoyment that raises it past the giant pile of references.

Eye-catching visuals and creepy atmosphere aren't enough to make up for this game's poor pacing, cheap tricks, and muddled story.

Although the rebounding game is a bit improved, there are new presentation elements, and the new franchise mode adds quite a bit of replay value, NBA Live 2002 does not improve significantly on last year's version and seems to be falling behind competing hoops products.

Easily one of the best PC-style role-playing games to ever grace a console.

The game's incomplete interface, uneven pacing, and typical units all serve to make it less interesting than it might have been.

Though it divulges a few more bits of storyline, Outbreak's gameplay is simple and repetitive to the extreme and is even worse off for being just like "Mutation" before it, which in turn was just like the first episode, "Infection," which was marginally good to begin with.

Though the game's developer plans to make many additions to the game, for now, The Sims Online lacks many of the options that made the original game so intriguing, and it doesn't really replace them.

Though there are a few good scenes--such as the first time you see Pyramid Head--it becomes quickly apparent that there aren't many startling, truly scary moments to support the mood.

The developer might not have created the most technically sound action-oriented horror game out there, but it has provided outstanding thrills and chills.

The lack of originality and one particularly glaring multiplayer flaw make Jungle Storm less than exciting overall.

A pretty fun game that's a little short on options but not bad on offering up some well-rounded soccer gameplay.

The characters and their moves are positively hilarious, and the combat system is complex enough to allow two human players to play match after match without growing bored.

By all means technically proficient, but it's uninspired and will probably give you the sensation that you've already done all this before.

A good, solid beat-'em-up with enough variety to stay fresh throughout.

While more accomplished gamers may find some of the minigames too simplistic, this accessibility ensures that Mario's party is one that just about anyone can enjoy.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more visually impressive shooter on the Dreamcast, and the game is highly playable to boot.

Virtua Tennis 4 is a weak tennis game that fails to bring the series back to its glory days.

Its story reshapes an adult plot for a younger audience seamlessly, with a strong sense of humor that kids will adore. Like a lot of content aimed at families, my strongest sense of joy is found not in how I experience Lego Horizon but in watching my kids become immersed in it. Levels often feel repetitive, but combat is exciting and tactical enough to teach depth and ask players to consider their approach, even as Aloy may be dressed up like a corn cob, a firefighter, or a pug. It's that blend of child-like style and mechanical substance that makes Lego Horizon Adventures a lovely game to play for parent and child pairings, though it's also just neat to see these usually self-serious characters put through a washing machine loaded with crayons.

Empires actually brings some much-needed depth to the aging Dynasty Warriors formula with a new strategy-oriented game mode.

H1Z1 predicates itself on eliminating the more random factors seen in other battle royale games, and it remains a competent execution of the genre. The game has its intense moments and exhilarating firefights; the thrill of besting 100+ players is very much present. However, the incoherent gameplay elements overshadow the better moments, and the lack of variety in both map design and weapon selection makes H1Z1 lose its appeal rather quick, especially in the genre it spearheaded.

Lead and Gold's straight-shooting multiplayer action is good fun, despite a few drawbacks that tarnish its appeal.

Maxis' bold changes to the original formula set forth by The Sims aren't all for the better, but they make The Urbz a very distinctive and surprisingly solid game.

This short expansion is only for Company of Heroes completionists.

Sanctum is a fun first-person take on traditional tower defense; it just lacks enough content to round it out.

The Egyptian palette swap and minuscule formula changes aren't enough to prevent Luxor 2 from feeling like the inferior Zuma rip-off that it is.

This accessible arcade-style soccer game eschews realism in favor of fast-paced fun and features some great multiplayer options.

Scurge: Hive is a solid action adventure with a slick presentation that should appeal to anyone who enjoys the Metroid style of play.

With plenty of panache and some clever twists, Nervous Brickdown manages to make the classic Breakout formula feel fun and fresh again.

This enjoyable remake proves that bubble popping never goes out of style, but a few control quirks hamper the fun.

In many ways, Brigador is the modern, indie progeny of classic mecha games like Armored Core. It's rough around the edges, and doesn't do much with its story or its tutorials, but distills the gluttony of the 90s action genre into an impassioned, indulgent package.

Creepy masks and intense bank-robbing action make Payday: The Heist a thoroughly entertaining shooter.

Global Agenda's novel take on class-based combat has the potential to be exciting, but drudgery and other issues present serious obstacles to your enjoyment.

The Outfit's aim for a bold blend of action and strategy gets sabotaged by a repetitious single-player campaign, but it is redeemed somewhat by a more-inspired multiplayer.

Though Assassin's Creed III: Liberation toys around with intriguing concepts and centers its story around a character you desperately want to know more about, none of it comes together especially well. Liberation often excels, but it stumbles just as much.

Starlink is an interesting and enjoyable open-world game, one that fully understands the appeal of exploring new planets and dogfighting in the cold depths of space. With a small fleet of ships at your disposal, it can be a lot of fun to progressively assault and weaken the Forgotten Legion's hold on the galaxy. It's just a shame that if you're interested in the physical models, you'll have to spend more to get the same experience as the digital version.

An interesting time-shifting mechanic and fun-to-shoot weapons can't make up for the rest of TimeShift's run-of-the-mill first-person shooter gameplay.

Demon Gaze is not a game for those looking for fast, easy rewards; you need a great deal of patience to find success, and sometimes it feels like the game's narrative is actively working against your desire to progress to new places. But when you are narrowly clutching victory from the jaws of defeat, laying waste to a challenging foe through party synergy and clever planning, or finding an incredibly rare piece of loot that completely changes how you use a party member, you feel like your efforts have yielded delicious fruit.

Sony's EyePet is a creative and fun game with plenty of content but it suffers from a lack of proper instruction.

This just isn't an especially engaging game, so it's unlikely that anyone past the youngest of audiences will get too much fun from it.

A great sense of humor and flashy style make the Caped Crusader's latest adventure entertaining, despite the lack of challenge.

Plot is more of a protracted errand through drab, gray streets that are a chore to navigate.

There’s comfort to be found in the simple mission goals, but it’s impossible to ignore how repetitive they are--and how outdated they make Resurrection feel in practice.

The core Bomberman gameplay remains as enjoyable as ever, but there's very little to set Battlefest apart from its predecessors.

A game of enjoyable moments that are, unfortunately, far too easy to breeze through.

It does have a fanciful quest, endearing characters, and solid Zelda-style gameplay, and this should more than satisfy true fans of the genre.

The old-timers out there may find that though the transition to 3D is novel, it doesn't really have much impact on the overall experience.

Makes good use of the material and provides some thrills when battles play out explosively, but as good as the game looks, some flawed mechanics and a general lack of polish keep it from being as fun as it should be.

A by-the-numbers movie-licensed game that makes pretty good use of its source material without really doing anything too surprising. It's perfect for kids.

College Hoops 2K6 for the Xbox 360 is a late entry that maintains the same great gameplay from its previous versions, but doesn't have enough new features or content to justify the new price of admission.

Easily as good as "Raystorm" or "G-Darius" and tough competition for "Einhander", Thunder Force V is a shooting fan's dream

The gameplay is fast and intuitive, and while the graphics aren't eye-popping, Radical has managed to capture what is most important in snowboarding games: the spirit of freedom.

There are a number of things that EA Sports could have improved upon from the previous game, but this series is still far and away the best for anyone looking for a traditional football game on Nintendo's popular handheld.

This is definitely a game for a younger audience, yet it displays a level of polish rarely seen in a kid's game, and some of the game's art design may actually impress people outside of its targeted age bracket.

The main problem affecting the Dreamcast port of SoF is the game's ridiculously long loading times. Each game level is broken into numerous smaller stages. Every time you complete a stage, you have to wait more than a minute for the next to load.

Sega Rally Online Arcade doesn't add anything new to the series, but it still offers plenty of enjoyable racing.

Though Xyanide plays similarly to various classic arcade shoot-'em-ups, it's got its own strange twists and style that are worth experiencing by fans of similar games.

even though these systems achieve competency, they've been done before (and done better) in many other games. So any praise leveled at StarDrive 2 inevitably ends up faint when it's taken alongside other entries in the sci-fi 4X genre.

Boasts more than enough fast-paced gameplay and depth to justify its asking price.

This year's game does put a greater emphasis on its included pro players, and the online multiplayer is certainly a draw, but the offline play is still a bit mundane, thanks to off-kilter artificial intelligence and lackluster presentation.

The Cave's puzzles are challenging, its story is well constructed and narrated, and its cartoon-like visuals and sprawling, morphing tunnels are pleasant to look at. Its mashup of elements from platformers and point-and-clicks fare less well, but if you can overlook those small flaws The Cave is a dark, yet humorous adventure that ably exercises the grey matter.

The gameplay of Papo & Yo won't grab you, but its imaginative portrayal of a young boy's struggles makes it a worthwhile and special experience.

The EyePet's creative gameplay and varied content is marred by a lack of proper instruction and a short-lived experience.

Geared exclusively for fans of the original who want to take the experience online, and they'll likely have some fun playing the game with other players like them.

Code Vein adopts the Souls-like formula in its structure, presenting a familiar cycle of progression and basic combat similarities, and there are some interesting ideas here, too, built around the use of various Blood Codes and their distinct Gifts. You can see the fragments of a fantastic game hidden within these systems and its meaty combat feedback, but the mundanity of its enemies and the effect they have on nullifying the combat's enjoyment prevent Code Vein from ever realizing its potential.

Change is not always for the better, but Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One provides enough delightful moments to offset its shortcomings.

Phenom has also added a two-on-two mode and a free-roaming story mode to its repertoire, but underneath those additions is a game design that hasn't changed much and a graphics engine that is beginning to show its age.