Novel time-manipulation mechanics are crippled by clumsy platforming in this downloadable puzzle game.

Guncraft doesn't get high marks for originality--it's a pretty obvious mash-up and one that has been done before, albeit not as successfully--but the developers do layer lots of cool ideas onto the core ingredients they borrow from other popular games.

This straight-ahead arcade action game hits its mark with a good deal of enthusiasm.

Badge of Carnage Episode 2 offers another rowdy good trek through the vile streets of Clappers Wreake.

If staring at a brainteaser for lengthy periods of time is your idea of excitement, or if the idea of creating puzzles and sharing them with like-minded friends is intriguing to you, then you'll find enough enjoyable mind-benders to make this worth a purchase.

Even serious strategy fans will find it to be a nice diversion... It's short and sweet--just not very deep.

While the innovative game mechanics are challenging and fun at first, they quickly become frustrating where precise or fast control is needed.

A solid re-creation of the sport that delivers fast and responsive gameplay. While the graphics aren't on the same level as EA Sports' other PS2 titles, such as Madden and FIFA, the gameplay makes up for it.

The visual style may seem kid-friendly, but the level of challenge I-Ninja has to offer keeps the game interesting for a wider audience.

What makes Ty 3 unique and ultimately satisfying are the many instances within the game in which players get to step out of Ty's shoes and instead take the reins of a giant robot, helicopter, or fighter plane.

Despite some strategic elements, it really is a pure action game at heart, filled with plenty of targets to shoot at, plenty of power-ups to collect, and a good variety of tough missions to accomplish.

Conflict: Desert Storm II isn't without problems, but it's not the worst squad-based game you'll ever play, and it's decidedly improved over the original game.

Illusion Island has a lot going for it: It looks great, controls wonderfully, is packed with charm and character, offers enjoyable exploration, and features a memorable multiplayer experience. If you're a big fan of the genre, you'll get a kick seeing little references to other all-time classics, too. However, the slow start and the blase boss battles put a bit of a damper on the whole thing, especially if you plan on going on this trip solo. It's well worth playing provided you can get over the initial hump, and even better if you've got a younger family member to share the journey with. It may fall short of being an all-time gem, but Illusion Island's still earned its place in the Disney Vault of Gaming Goodness.

In Andamiro's Pump It Up: Exceed, the first US home edition of a popular Korean dancing series, we're finally presented with a good alternative to DDR.

Once you get over the whole rewriting-the-end-of-the-movie thing, Scarface: The World Is Yours is a competent but usually uninteresting action game.

Star Allies is yet another Kirby game, but it's up there with some of the best. It's an artistic showcase, and a great opportunity for co-op platforming. The one real complaint you can levy at it is that it gates off its more challenging aspects, but the fact that they are present to begin with will please anyone who's grown weary of the series' painless platforming.

The Victorian era's greatest fictional sleuth takes on its most infamous real-life villain in an adventure that alternates between generic and gripping.

NHL 2K7 for the PlayStation 2 lacks much of the forward progress of its Xbox 360 counterpart and instead provides an enjoyable hockey game that you've pretty much played before.

It's derivative and occasionally buggy, but solid action and over-the-top gore make X-Men Origins: Wolverine a cut above other movie tie-ins.

Imagine sitting on the floor in front of your TV watching the pilot episode for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the 1990s, and that's how it feels to play TMNT: Tactical Takedown. All the elements are there, you had a great time while it lasted, but you can sense it's really the rock-solid foundation for something much grander. The game itself is a great distillation of some radical concepts, but it also feels like it's straining against its own limitations. Nonetheless, this is a great start to what I can only hope becomes another way to spend time with the turtles.

So while Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 may not take the series in a big and bold new direction, or benefit from the kind of refinement you would look for in a sequel, it does deliver the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect.

This mild-mannered adventure neatly captures the whimsical charm of Wallace & Gromit.

Eufloria offers a unique real-time strategy experience that stumbles just shy of greatness.

War Front: Turning Point is a decidedly different take on the WWII real-time strategy game, complete with jetpack Nazis and freeze rays.

While Ashes of Ariandel is ultimately a safe addition to Dark Souls III, it's convincingly satisfying; the risk of death at any moment is as likely as finding a new piece of practical gear or the discovery of an unexplored path. Just don't expect any areas as memorable as those in the main game or revelatory moments that substantially expands the lore.

Oxenfree II is a strong sequel to the original game. A particular secondary character and antagonist drag the experience down a bit but the overall storyline is a satisfying foray into an adult woman's tenuous grasp on reality and her ultimate decision to cut through the static and strive for something better with the help of the friendships forged whilst speaking over a simple walkie-talkie.

When you get down to it, if you enjoyed Sacred, then you'll no doubt enjoy Underworld; it pretty much offers more of the same, but at a ramped-up level.

Mark of Chaos captures the fantasy combat of the popular Warhammer franchise in a beautiful way, but it's marred by some technical issues and a basic strategic campaign.