An unpolished mess with few redeeming qualities other than a nifty premise.

All cake and no icing. As long you're prepared to handle that, this could be the best $40 you'll ever spend.

Even if it can intermittently be too clever for its own good, it's still a great throwback to the old-school platforming, and expertly builds on the original.

It ain't perfect – and we're more convinced than ever that perfection in an HD sports game is an impossibility – but it is another soaring triumph that has something for just about everyone.

It ain't perfect – and we're more convinced than ever that perfection in an HD sports game is an impossibility – but it is another soaring triumph that has something for just about everyone.

All in all, this might not be the most revolutionary Galaga to date (that credit of course belongs to the original), but it's a mighty fine diversion worth sinking your teeth into.

It's certainly budget in its lack of polish and its brevity (even with the additional PS3-specific missions added it totaled to barely five hours), so if you really, really have a hard-on for sniping you'll be able to wring some fun from this, but you'll have to swallow some crap along the way.

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 is still very much a Dynasty Warriors game, warts and all. Yet the light tweaks and enhancements – plus giant robots and an attractive new cel-shaded look – really make the repetition a lot more enjoyable than expected. Gundam 3 still stumbles in bafflingly silly ways, but for the first time in a while, the thrill of singlehandedly charging into battle against hundreds of enemies has a flickering spark again.

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 is still very much a Dynasty Warriors game, warts and all. Yet the light tweaks and enhancements – plus giant robots and an attractive new cel-shaded look – really make the repetition a lot more enjoyable than expected. Gundam 3 still stumbles in bafflingly silly ways, but for the first time in a while, the thrill of singlehandedly charging into battle against hundreds of enemies has a flickering spark again.

Its well-crafted point-and-click adventure format is a perfect fit for Wii, and shows that casual games can be respectable too. The presentation is lovely too.

The underlying mechanics are a lot of fun and the new characters, maps and Skill system make it a more robust offering than anything that's been on a console. But even these additions don't justify the hefty pricetag, and with no online leaderboards to spur further playing, we suspect most will move on not long after the five-hour game is complete.

Fans will still find the game fun, because the dances are going to either impress with their novelty or their nostalgia factor, and because the Kinect gets this game a lot closer to what it should've been all along.

Although its puzzles are frustrating and lacking in variety, what's all the more frustrating is there are occasional bursts of brilliance here.

Labyrinth of Lost Souls, for better or for worse, just puts a new coat of paint over its old-fashioned trappings. Whether or not that's something you actually want to play is entirely dependent on your personal taste.

Combining childish humor with bloody demon murder, Shadows of the Damned pays off on the promise of the creative team of developers involved. It may momentarily waver, but SotD has some of the finest grindhouse fun of the summer.

Red River may not appeal to everyone – our sense is that it's too hardcore for the console crowd and doesn't have enough of a unique identity for the PC crowd – but that shouldn't dissuade fans of the series or of modern-warfare shooters from taking a playthrough.

The true winner in Dark of the Moon isn't Autobots or Decepticons – it's excellent pacing. Before any one part of the game starts to truly show its flaws, you're done with it and on to a new section. Sure, it's not the best Transformers game we've ever played, but it's still a good a Transformers game, and that'll be enough for a lot of people.

The true winner in Dark of the Moon isn't Autobots or Decepticons – it's excellent pacing. Before any one part of the game starts to truly show its flaws, you're done with it and on to a new section. Sure, it's not the best Transformers game we've ever played, but it's still a good a Transformers game, and that'll be enough for a lot of people.

On top of the classic Double Fine charm we expected, we found Treched's mechanics more than satisfying, and when you consider the game's approachability and download-only pedigree, the depth is startling.

Definitely think about getting an Xbox 360 controller before you wade into this adventure.

By the end of the campaign we were satisfied with the admittedly-average story, but the stale combat and chaotic multiplayer that are supposed to sell this game just aren't built well enough. On the cheap, you could probably do worse than this, but we can say for a fact that you can do a hell of a lot better.

By the end of the campaign we were satisfied with the admittedly-average story, but the stale combat and chaotic multiplayer that are supposed to sell this game just aren't built well enough. On the cheap, you could probably do worse than this, but we can say for a fact that you can do a hell of a lot better.

There's still plenty of fun inside the good ship, especially in the excellent home base where unlockables are abundant, but the LEGO series seems to be losing its new toy shine. Pirates has its moments, but we're ready to set sail in a new direction.

When you get right down to it, Outland cannibalizes a lot of tried-and-true gaming elements and turns them into something entirely new and exciting. The magical realm you explore is visually captivating, overflowing with elegance and mystery. More importantly, it serves up some damn good gaming.

At its core, Virtua Tennis 4 remains a game that can be casually enjoyed by anyone, but for the more serious tennis crowd, it feels outdated and even unresponsive at times.

A mixed package: a competent but bland single-player campaign, plus a considerably better co-op campaign, along with some creatively fantastic multiplayer modes. If you're easily scared by horror movie clichés you might get scared by the attempts at creepiness, but we didn't find it scary at all.

A mixed package: a competent but bland single-player campaign, plus a considerably better co-op campaign, along with some creatively fantastic multiplayer modes. If you're easily scared by horror movie clichés you might get scared by the attempts at creepiness, but we didn't find it scary at all.

Despite lacking some gameplay depth of its predecessor, Gatling Gears dishes out the kind of frenetic action any good dual-stick shooter should, and it does so with great flair.

The definitive version of gaming's most revered and respected adventure. From obvious graphical touches to minor gameplay tweaks, Ocarina 3DS updates an aging classic and makes it presentable to an entirely new generation of adoring fans.

All the trudging, mundane puzzles, and hours spent on air vents are worth it at the end when secrets are revealed and the scattered memories all start to make sense.

Duke Nukem Forever's world-record development time has produced an ugly, buggy shooter that veers back and forth between enjoyably average and outright boring, with occasional surges of greatness along the way.

All the trudging, mundane puzzles, and hours spent on air vents are worth it at the end when secrets are revealed and the scattered memories all start to make sense.

A huge improvement over its flawed predecessor, InFamous 2 injects more variety, personality and explosive fun into the first game's promising formula, while removing or fine-tuning its most irritating problems.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge could have been something special if it had gone for more creative and risky co-op elements, but instead it plays it safe, which leads to something that feels only vaguely cooperative.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge could have been something special if it had gone for more creative and risky co-op elements, but instead it plays it safe, which leads to something that feels only vaguely cooperative.

The game is challenging, visually stunning and is truly a unique experience not found anywhere else. While controller play is supported, and sometimes preferred after extended time waving your arms, playing via Kinect feels futuristic in an exciting and refreshing way.

An ugly, buggy shooter that veers back and forth between enjoyably average and outright boring, with occasional surges of greatness along the way.

If you're still playing SSF4 online, AE is a no-brainer, and the de facto new standard for the game, for better or for worse. If you're looking for any kind of single player content or a chance to get your foot in the door though, you can safely pass on this update.

It still is, at its heart, a foundation of derivative shooter tropes dressed up with Red Faction's (fantastic) physics and weapons. It's a fun game and a worthwhile purchase if you're not hoping for more of Guerilla and you're not turned off by linearity.

It still is, at its heart, a foundation of derivative shooter tropes dressed up with Red Faction's (fantastic) physics and weapons. It's a fun game and a worthwhile purchase if you're not hoping for more of Guerilla and you're not turned off by linearity.

Sporting loads of depth at some levels, yet lacking greatly at others, MX vs ATV Alive will likely have a narrow appeal.

Despite everything it has going against it, Deathsmiles 2X stands out as one of the better shooters available in the Western market. It's action-packed, easy to play, tough to master, and has a certain charm to it that makes you forgive its lackluster presentation.

Some people might be turned off by its ease of entry, but the spectacular online play, neat little fight-a-friend Street Pass feature, and 26-character roster is enough to turn the rest of us on.

It's just too damn confusing to be welcoming to everyone.

At its core, Virtua Tennis 4 remains a game that can be casually enjoyed by anyone, but for the more serious tennis crowd, it feels outdated and even unresponsive at times.

The racing action is peerless, with Codemasters' racers still clearly in a class of their own. But the style has perhaps swung too far from the Americanised festival atmosphere and it's much more sober as a result. Still absolutely worth your money, mind.

Pirates has its moments, but we're ready to set sail in a new direction.

Truly a labor of love, this amazing sequel fortifies the foundations laid down by a flawed classic and creates a brilliant masterpiece. Visceral combat, dizzying player customization and a truly immersive story all come together to create one of the best role-playing experiences of the year.

The content isn't much more graphic than your average TV cop drama (apart from the occasional nudity), but it's heavy subject matter for a game, and Noire plays it surprisingly straight, with very little of the wry humor that characterizes most Rockstar releases.

The content isn't much more graphic than your average TV cop drama (apart from the occasional nudity), but it's heavy subject matter for a game, and Noire plays it surprisingly straight, with very little of the wry humor that characterizes most Rockstar releases.

It's only disappointing that Brink feels so confined by its own premise. Its innovative mechanics far outdo its lifeless, confining story, and, while respectable, its pure focus on multiplayer, team-based objective matches confines it further...Brink is still a very good game, and it deserves notation - just below Team Fortress 2 - as an exemplary team-based shooter.

Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Though the difficulty spikes steadily once you get through the early portion of the game, frequent checkpoints save you from having to replay lengthy stretches of challenging turf.

Well animated sprites, catchy music, challenging bosses and enough abilities to keep the admittedly monotonous action from grating on your soul.

In the end, what Elements of War amounts to is wasted potential. There are good ideas here, but their execution is tarnished by mistakes that the bigger franchises have long since outgrown.

Not only does it stack up to its handheld counterpart, the online multiplayer and upgraded audio/visuals help exceed it.

At only $30, Rio is worth looking into if you're a parent with kids who just aren't satisfied with 96 minutes of endangered animated birds on the big screen. If you're an older player looking for some multiplayer action for parties with your buds, however, it probably goes without saying that you should stick with Call of Duty or Guitar Hero. This bird just isn't meant for you.

Prejudice won't completely reshape the way you think about online shooters or alter the multiplayer landscape forever, but it doesn't intend to. What it does do is deliver a feature-heavy, high energy experience that'll satisfy shooter fans craving a new addiction. All for a measly 1200 points.

The story is absolutely forgettable and the level design is boring, but the gameplay is competent and the bedazzling genetic monstrosities along with the copious amounts of loot you've collected are fun. If you're an action-RPG fan who simply cannot wait for Diablo III, give Darkspore a shot.

Sadly, aside from a sharp online Wii experience, Conduit 2 rarely impresses, relying too much on generic drudgery and sad attempts to capture the magic of more popular titles; worse yet, the storyline and characters seem aimless and forgettable.

While the combat in the game leaves much to be desired, the new perspective on the tower defense genre is a welcome and refreshing change of pace.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

It's frustrating, derivative, at times nearly unplayable, and frustrating.

LEGO Battles: Ninjago will satisfy gamers looking for a change from LEGO's popular action-adventure titles and don't mind looking at shabby graphics.

Both immensely satisfying and somewhat frustrating at the same time.

Like a fast food burger, Dungeon Hunter: Alliance is a generic mishmash of tasty ingredients that crudely satiates your appetite, but it's nothing particularly special. Though unfortunately, at $12.99, it's definitely not on the value menu.

Most of the time, though, it just sort of is, existing as a weirdly generic, blandly acceptable compromise between casual and hardcore that doesn't really go far enough to please either set of fans.

FFIV stands completely on its own so if you look at it as a PSP release of one of the greatest RPGs with some extra bonus content thrown in, it's an easy sell.

A pleasant bastion of everything that drew so many to this genre long ago. Amusing characters, a rich setting and great mechanics all smoothly coalesce to create a surprising and thoroughly enjoyable tale, prompting us to speculate that our little PSPs are far from retirement. We're ready for part 2.

A successful sequel that both reboots and redeems the wayward series, though it's not a flawless victory. Character balance, inconsistent detection and a stingy coin reward system drag down an otherwise bloody good time.

A successful sequel that both reboots and redeems the wayward series, though it's not a flawless victory. Character balance, inconsistent detection and a stingy coin reward system drag down an otherwise bloody good time.

Die hard Sam Fisher fans don't necessarily need to return because they've seen the same thing better, and newcomers are jumping into an inferior version of an easily accessible console game. It's just cheaper to play Chaos Theory at its best.

If you're willing to spend a few hours to teach yourself how the game works, you might just enjoy how the game plays.

One of the finest games available on Xbox Live Arcade, and a fantastic value for 2D slasher fans.

Our compulsion to keep playing "just one more level" meant that our feelings and hands would get hurt along the way, but in the end we liked what we saw.

Somewhere amongst all of the clunky design decisions is the charming style that made the LEGO series so popular. The game just oozes charisma, and as long as you're not banging your head against the wall trying to figure out what to do next, it's solid, lightweight fun (especially when played co-operatively).

The never-ending explosions shake the screen and before long chaos and confusion take over. Battlegrounds is hectic given the small maps and spawning becomes silly as you come back from death straight into another death. It's annoying, yet not as annoying as waiting for an online match to start thanks to a nonexistent community.

The never-ending explosions shake the screen and before long chaos and confusion take over. Battlegrounds is hectic given the small maps and spawning becomes silly as you come back from death straight into another death. It's annoying, yet not as annoying as waiting for an online match to start thanks to a nonexistent community.

This is a game that benefits from simple design. Supported by well-executed mechanics and a very cheap price tag, Hoard is the perfect game for anyone seeking a quick fix.

Complemented with a solid plot and gameplay that finds a steady medium between strategy and action, Anomaly is a clever game that is sure to draw in tower defense fans. It's a very interesting twist and breathes new life into what was quickly becoming a tired genre.

If you've already played Stacking and you're on the fence about getting The Lost Hobo King, all you really need to know is that it's about the size of a Stacking level and the quality is as good as anything in the main game. Whether or not you want to shell out $5 for that is ultimately a personal decision.

From the very start of the game, it becomes quickly apparent that Rush'N Attack has nowhere to go but down. The visuals are ugly and look dated, it borrows the majority of its concepts from other better games and it simply is no fun to play.

From the very start of the game, it becomes quickly apparent that Rush'N Attack has nowhere to go but down. The visuals are ugly and look dated, it borrows the majority of its concepts from other better games and it simply is no fun to play.

DDFF is an interesting take on a lot of well-worn ideas - never exceptional, though usually a lot of fun.

An absolutely killer tennis sim.

An absolutely killer tennis sim and one worthy of being considered one of the deepest and most rewarding seen thus far.

Ghostbusters: SOS will break you down, challenging your patience and your goodwill toward the franchise. Even if you're a diehard Ghostbusters fan, don't let yourself be duped: this game is a waste of your $10.

"For fans only" is a well worn cliche, but in a game as incredibly specific and dedicated as NTG: 2011, it's the truth.

"For fans only" is a well worn cliche, but in a game as incredibly specific and dedicated as NTG: 2011, it's the truth.

Ultimately, we tapped in for par what should have been a birdie – the best description we can come up with for Tiger Woods 12.

The Dynasty Warriors franchise is a beast of inveterate laziness. The gameplay is tired and, while the story and characters could be intriguing, the presentation is too bland and wonky to draw in gamers who are new to the series.

It's always refreshing to have a good game like this sneak up on you. Controlling the Swarm is solid and the platforming requires a deft precision.

This game might be worth a few bucks on your iPhone, but not forty bucks on your 3DS. This title is so easy, uncomplicated, and unexciting that we can't recommend it for anyone.

Ultimately, we tapped in for par what should have been a birdie – the best description we can come up with for Tiger Woods 12.

Everything about Madden 3DS is curious, from its timing (released well after the end of the NFL season) to its design (no multiplayer, no franchise) to its price ($40 when it should be half that). Our cynical side thinks it's an attempt to cash in on the excitement of a new handheld device, while our naïve side prefers to think of it as an honest attempt at meeting a deadline and having to prioritize.