The shrugworthy Legacy add-on extends Dragon Age II but doesn't improve upon it.

A good pick for young players and experienced gamers alike, but buyer beware: Once you finish the main quest, how long the game card will remain in your DS will depend primarily on how much you like the included minigames.

Simulation fans will enjoy Formula Front's extremely in-depth mech-customization system, but the steep learning curve and lack of any real action will probably turn off everyone else.

There are plenty of good trivia questions, but this is a flawed port of the classic board game.

It is impossible to enjoy the game as a complete experience because you see everything through the eyes of one of the most vapid gaming protagonists ever created, and do all of your adventuring in a world so sickeningly sweet that you should get screened for adult-onset diabetes the moment you put down the gamepad.

Apart from the lack of online play, MechAssault: Phantom War brings all of the mech combat action from the Xbox to the Nintendo DS without losing much in translation.

The bad news is that Gretzky still isn't anywhere near as good as the current crop of competition, and it simply lacks the features and depth needed to be considered one of the big boys.

Because of its high production values, fans of the movie will undoubtedly enjoy this movie tie-in, but the epic scope of the adventure is hampered by the unoriginal gameplay.

If you don't expect the world when it comes to simulation options or graphical detail, it sure is a fine game of racing.

Maintains the status quo and fails to deliver a fresh, compelling experience.

It looks and sounds incredible. However, the ease and extremely short length of the game, matched with other problems like horrific camera angles and lack of a multiplayer story mode, make The Bouncer fair, at best.

Suffers from some major problems--juvenile writing, a lame ending, a clunky camera and interface, some ill-conceived puzzles and action sequences, and major bugs, among other things. Still, fans of old-school adventures who can put up with a lot of problems should find the game reasonably entertaining.

The total lack of online play and lackluster driving mechanics sink this derivative street racer into mediocrity.

Octomania is a cute puzzle game, but that won't keep you coming back for more.

The "dogs of the AMS" make their move to the Wii in this fun but brief port of the on-rails arcade shooters.

Bugs and glitches mar an otherwise fair attempt at bringing the gentleman's sport to the PC.

It may not look as nice as the PS2 version, but for all intents and purposes it feels identical.

Fans will love the inclusion of the pop prince's biggest hits and dance routines, but the barebones package stops Michael Jackson: The Experience from being a thriller.

Fallout: New Vegas - Honest Hearts is a conventional but enjoyable addition to the series.

Though it lacks refinement in some areas, Strike Suit Infinity provides a better experience than its predecessor at a fraction of the cost.

Despite its artistic aptitude, The Last Tinker lacks identity. The combat is remedial, the platforming is robotic, and the puzzles are little more than frustrating roadblocks that fail to mystify.

Dwelling on these few low points may seem overly harsh--they account for no more than a small portion of the whole game, after all. But they are not merely poor moments in an otherwise solid game; they're awful pieces of game design utterly inconsistent with the rest of the game.

The body-swapping combat, RPG-like team of possessable people, the monster-hunting semi-paranormal narrative--they're all exciting until you engage with them a little, when they reveal themselves to be shallow and underdeveloped. The actual experience of playing Slitterhead is constant repetition of systems that aren't very engaging even their first time, across levels you'll see over and over again, telling a story that never makes much sense, with characters that feel like first-draft lists of stereotypes. Slitterhead has a lot of fascinating ideas and compelling gameplay on the surface, but beneath, it's just boring and banal--a bunch of scary-looking monsters who turn out not to be very scary at all.

Technical problems mar what should have been a solid addition to the Xbox 360's growing library of strategy games.

This expansive arcade racer may be ambitious, but it doesn't nail all of the basics.

Even as a longtime fan of the series who adored Kingdom Hearts 3, it's hard to muster up any sort of enthusiasm for Re:Mind. What's more, Re:Mind made me understand Kingdom Hearts 3's story even less, which is a testament to how bonkers it really is. It's not all that surprising this happened; after all, it's Kingdom Hearts. Nevertheless, Re:Mind is an incredibly peculiar expansion that simultaneously falls flat and partially obscures the brilliance of Kingdom Hearts 3.

The PC version of this fun and fascinating role-playing game is far superior to its Xbox 360 counterpart.

While the visuals can certainly be pleasant, Dark Fall: Lights Out is ultimately unambitious and relies on very dated and dry presentation methods. It's also very short; you can finish it in a day. Overall, it feels strikingly like its predecessor.

Blazing Angels has nice looks, but the action doesn't distinguish itself in any way.

There are a few cheap thrills to be had in this off-road racer, but loose physics make its excitement a lot less extreme.

The DS rendition of At World's End delivers a good mix of sword fighting and acrobatic exploration that jibes with the movie's overall tone.

Given how well Guts' bloodlust and battle experience are well-suited to the crowd fighting and mass slaughter of Warriors games, it's a disappointing that this tie-in lacks the engagement and nuance of Omega Force's more imaginative efforts with other franchises.

The apathetic presentation and a slew of gameplay bugs make it hard to enjoy Major League Baseball 2K6, which is otherwise a deep and feature-rich baseball simulation.

The promising schemata system and grandiose cutscenes are solid pillars from which a great RPG could have been constructed, but Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII falls well short of greatness.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is a disappointing return to the classic series. While its gunplay is satisfying, the moments where it shines are all too brief, stunted by cutscenes that force you to stand in place and spectate a story that rarely includes you or your character. On the other hand, the multiplayer has potential but is in need of more players and some balance tweaks. There are some incredible World War II games that are worth playing even today, but Above and Beyond falls short in far too many ways to be considered among them.

With the generous post-launch support that Payday 2 received over years, only time will tell if the same treatment can address the glaring issues with Payday 3's current progression system and evident lack of content when compared to its previous iteration. But it has established a strong foundation for the new, elaborate heists that it has drastically improved upon, inciting you to play Payday in ways you couldn't in the past. If you're more concerned with just having a good time pulling off the perfect robbery with some friends, Payday 3 features rich new challenges and satisfying stealth objectives to keep you entertained for some time. But if you need tangible rewards to keep you around after you've experienced Payday 3's limited number of heists, then its unrewarding grind might keep its limited loot behind a vault door you aren't willing to wait around to crack open.

State of Decay 2 settles into a rhythm that might be easy for you to pass some hours with, but it’s never a ride with genuine surprises, excitement or purpose. There’s promise in so many systems that it introduces, but they’re woefully underutilized to make space for repetitive activities that are nowhere near as exciting to engage with. State of Decay 2 feels like the lumbering enemies that populate its country mountains. Aimless, wandering, and just out of place.

This adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's classic mysteries ruins great acting and atmosphere with lots of tedious busywork.

But as a game of ideas, The Novelist works. It's not a challenging game, but the choices you have to make are.

While it seems like it's missing a lick of paint to make sure that its aesthetics are as strong as its mechanics, it's still a smart step forward and a good example of how we can pay homage to the beloved works of others with originality.

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire is the most fulfilling game in the series, adding easy-to-play charisma to the usual Middle Ages economics and trimming much of the micromanagement that made playing past releases in the series as much fun as doing your homework.

Detective Pikachu Returns is charming and well-made enough for what it is, but that is a mystery game made for younger readers. Its setting, story, and mechanics are all geared toward gently introducing the uninitiated to mystery tropes with a soft-touch approach, and that makes it hard to recommend for any age group above tweens. There's some satisfaction to be had in seeing the story unfold, but mostly this is a game made to be played by or with kids, not to make you feel like a kid again.

Unfortunately, the 3D engine serves only to make Myst a much more frustrating game.

Given what "Bust A Groove 2" could have been, it's somewhat disappointing that "Bust A Groove 2" is such a plain rehash -- a solid game in itself but a lacking sequel.

A solid trip down memory lane for fans of the original NES game. But is that trip worth $20? Probably not. If Excitebike had been part of a larger compilation of NES classics, it would be much more welcome.

If you only played the Xbox version of Mafia, you'd still get a sense of the game's ambitious nature, and you'd enjoy some of its finer points, but you'd also miss out on the PC version's outstandingly good graphics and its more seamless gameplay experience.

Seasoned fans of the freestyle sports genre will whip through Razor Freestyle Scooter in an afternoon, no questions asked.

Most of the game's foundation is solid. The beat-'em-up combat, the art, and a lot of secondary gameplay is surprising and fun. Though its blend of gameplay variations feels unbalanced at times, and it isn't always the laugh-riot it tries to be, Battletoads is an entertaining little romp.

Fallout: New Vegas - Honest Hearts is a conventional but enjoyable addition to the series.

And therein lies the true tragedy of Diluvion. For every one fresh, intriguing, and delightful element it brings to the table, the act of getting to experience any of it is an exercise in frustration. And while the story answers the questions posed at the outset, more often than not those answers aren’t worth the Sisyphean effort it takes to find them.

In Rain World, the spectre of failure, often caused by events you can't control, lingers heavily. It quickly drives home the point that you're a foreigner in a ruined land where anyone larger than you wants to eat you. Its stunningly detailed backgrounds and few rewarding gameplay opportunities are vastly outweighed by its platforming imperfections and hibernation mechanic, which makes little sense in its connection to accessing new areas. Oftentimes, the frustrations resulting from failure devolve into apathy, which is a wholly unfortunate outcome for a game that gives off a deceptively promising first impression.

This Is the Police continually presents you with memorable and important choices that impact the story, and even though its most intriguing conflicts could benefit from more examination, the game is carried by a captivating antagonist.

A wave of tedium nearly sinks this medieval trading game.

The space combat is short-lived fun, but everything else about this online role-playing game is bland and shallow.

It's true to the arcade original, capitalizes on its platform of choice, and provides a fully-formed experience--which is more than you can say about some VR titles. The draconian solo play, unimpressive AI, and repetitive missions stymie the fun to an extent, but with friends, Battlezone VR successfully scratches a nostalgic itch an exciting new way.

NHL 2K10 may be a shallow, straightforward arcade hockey game, but it isn't without its charms.

With so many better action adventure games available on the Game Boy Advance, this short, simplistic game is especially difficult to recommend, even for fans of the movie.

This third-person action game lacks the compelling storyline that it alludes to early on, but offers plenty of enjoyable combat nonetheless.

City of Brass is a good dungeon crawler, with some of its best moments and mechanics derived from its rendition of an Arabian Nights theme. While its repetitive scenery and uneven presentation are noticeable tarnishes on its sheen, the satisfying combat and well-balanced difficulty curve will keep you going back for more.

Ultimately a decent effort, but only because of its online play. The offline component of the game is simply too pointless and spotty to hold anyone's attention.

Despite the Amiibo additions and gamepad Bowser games, as well as a delightfully bright and colourful aesthetic, it's hard to ignore just how similar this game is to its predecessors. But even if you could overlook it, the fact remains that even with some fun minigames in tow and a good group of friends to enjoy it with, Mario Party 10 just doesn't have the depth or the challenge to hold your attention for long.

Man, is Consortium glitchy.

Using a tweaked version of EA Tiburon's Madden engine, Arena Football at the very least manages to nail down many of the intricacies of the sport. But the actual gameplay feels like too much of a nebulous gray area between arcade and simulation, and both the presentation and the features set are lacking.

The Half-Blood Prince is a lousy representation of the best-selling novel.

King Arthur II captures the spirit of the legend, but it's weighed down by an inferior wargame.

A deeply flawed game that fails to bring anything new to the world of golf games.

While the promise of political intrigue among colorful factions in a futuristic setting will draw you into the game, Neocron's inability to make a significant impact with any of these things will push you away.

While the PS2 version retains the over-the-top gameplay and appealing characters, the game's visual quality has been compromised somewhat by a fluctuating frame rate, slightly less-detailed textures, and washed-out colors that take away from the game's visual style.

The combination of the irritatingly tough mission structuring along with the relative simplicity of the combat ultimately makes Battlestar Galactica a bit too basic of an experience for any seasoned space combat fan, and it's too difficult of an experience for casual fans that are just looking for a simple trip down memory lane.

This is still a solid game of hockey, but it isn't the most realistic or best-playing NHL title out there, and as such, it shouldn't be your first choice for one.

Magic Ball's short-lived thrills are anything but magical, but they make for a decent distraction.

Death Tank offers an exciting twist on tactical action, but its price tag will leave you feeling robbed.

It's a haunted mansion romp that looks and sounds really impressive, but it's ultimately marred by repetitive, overly simple punch-and-kick gameplay that's compounded by the game's lack of length.

While it's not a complete waste, Mercenaries is a disappointment, and it left me second-guessing my allies in war.

Even if Playgrounds' single-player mode lacks the unbridled merriment that makes multiplayer so enjoyable, finally getting the upper hand in a tournament is rewarding and exciting in its own way. But even at its best, Playgrounds doesn't offer enough variety to keep you engaged for long. Playing the same game type over and over, with only levels and opponent names changing, quickly gets old, no matter how good they feel in the moment. Even one additional game type at launch might've made the overall package more enjoyable, but as of right now, it might be best to wait for Saber to patch in some variety.

Once mastered, the inventive gameplay mechanics have a way of becoming addictive, and the no-frills graphics get the job done.

3 on 3 NHL Arcade is overpriced and annoying.

An overabundance of weaponry gets in the way of the killing in this intense shooter.

This survival horror game looks good and controls well but never manages to bring either the scares or the laughs it's aiming for.

Tedious quests and little payoff make this Korean massively multiplayer online game a real grind.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 has an appealing look and minigames that are fun at first, but the gameplay quickly wears thin because there's nothing to keep you playing.

Commando 3 is an all-too-brief shooter that delivers high-caliber fun in solo and cooperative bursts.

The game tries to deliver an authentic street racing experience, but the racing itself tends to be rather unexciting.

Lives up to its name. It's competent enough as far as blatant rip-offs of the great-granddaddy of survival horror go, and the co-op mode certainly adds appeal, but so much has been cobbled together from remnants of other games that Obscure has no distinct identity of its own.

Lucky's Tale seems like it would be a good fit for someone who doesn't normally play games and has mild curiosity in VR. Experienced players will certainly appreciate the great controls, but that's it. It's hard to get upset about a game that's technically free, but it's worth acknowledging that Lucky's Tale is too basic to get excited about, and not inventive enough to communicate the potential of VR.

A small, simple, but incredibly affecting story that showcases the power of the ability to encourage empathy through the most basic expressions of humanity and imagination.

The game is far from perfect, but it is, at points, truly exceptional. Its jaw-dropping visuals, adrenaline-pumping audio, and highly-customizable handling make screaming around the darkened streets of Ventura Bay an intense thrill. The sense of ownership that comes with tuning a single ride to perfection rather than simply grabbing the flashiest vehicle available proved tremendously rewarding.

Card games don't get any more addictive than Lost Cities.

Shred Nebula is too stuck in the past to offer much excitement to the postarcade era. It's an okay diversion for a few hours, although at 800 points there are better bangs for the buck available over Xbox Live.

NASCAR is a deep and enjoyable game that sacrifices little in the transition from consoles to the PSP.

The next fully 3D installment in SNK's long-running fighting game series is a lot better than the first and features a surprising number of interesting characters to play around with.

A short campaign and the lack of online multiplayer hobble this ambitious puzzle adventure.

An emphasis on its dull single-player campaign, rather than the more entertaining party play mode, fails to make the most of the competitive spirit of the Olympics. There's some fun to be had with friends, but even then the uneven quality of its minigames means that as soon as the Olympics are over, London 2012 will lose its allure.

Newcomers to the turn-based strategy genre are likely to have a blast with Tiny Metal all the way through its campaign, though the endgame is no doubt a little restrictive. Old hands to this type of strategy game will find a campaign that wears its influences on its sleeve, but still admirably and respectfully fits right in with them.

It doesn't break much new ground, and it's not as polished as it should be, but it offers loads of thrilling, old-school shooter action.

Unfortunately, humor is the only thing Whiplash seems to really nail, and chuckles alone aren't enough to carry an entire game.

The improved visuals are nice, and some of the additions made to the fighting system are fun, but Budokai 2 still comes out as an underwhelming sequel.

The mechanics for ducking and getting behind cover are well done, and the premise is a good one. Unfortunately, that's all kill.switch really has going for it.