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).

If you really want to know all about the Nintendo Switch 2 and its various features as a product, there's no better way than playing Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. But if you're looking for a truly engaging experience, you're in the wrong place.

Microgame madness marred by overcomplications, WarioWare: Get It Together dissolves the fun with frustration.

WWII Aces is a decent title that is meant to be played cooperatively. So long as you have another friend close by, the $40 shouldn't sting your wallet too much.

Stripped down from a car-crime game into a bizarre action-strategy hybrid, The Godfather: Mob Wars actually works pretty well, provided you're not expecting much exploration or any driving. If you've already played through any of the console versions, though, the repeated missions and cutscenes are guaranteed to get tedious.

If you're not too keen on soccer or table tennis, then feel free to knock a few points off this score, since those are the main reasons to play the game.

Avalon Code's story props up the experience even if the game's combat feels punishing, bordering on unfair, and if you're an old school RPG scholar this one deserves some study.

A snappy, fun campaign full of great VO ends too soon, and the game-as-service that comes after is paper thin.

It's just that the intense complexity and cramped screen real-estate kept it from being the accessible, instantly lovable smash-bang, super hero-em-up that the comics themselves are.

The point is, like the rest of this game, the story is okay. But just okay. And it only lasts maybe ten hours, though online-enabled multiplayer matches can extend that a bit. And to be honest, without more innovation (sorry, touch-screen minigames aren’t really new) it really doesn’t deserve to be any longer.

This season, EA has made it easy to skip March Madness. Let's hope it's the end of the era once and for all, lest they continue to heap insults upon hoops fans that deserve something other than microwaved leftovers.

Unfortunately, the repetitive battle tactics and bland storyline get stale after a few rounds, and all but the most dedicated Trekophiles will likely ditch it for more varied (and plentiful) strategic DS fare.

Konductra can be fun, or frustrating. And while it can be fun for the right reasons, it will be frustrating for the wrong reasons. We’re hoping a sequel can really improve on its premise.

Date Everything is a masterclass in character design, full of wonderful faces based on everyday household objects that spring to life who I love getting to meet. Still, juggling 100 characters is an ambitious undertaking, and a lack of nuance means some feel flatter than others, sacrificing some depth. Date Everything is at its best embracing interpersonal dynamics that make the house feel alive. Still, it's well worth working from home for this.

The early hours of CounterSpy's stylish combo of stealth and shooting are worth a playthrough, but after it leaves its sneakiness behind, it's a sub-par cover shooter that's half as fun.

A solid football title that you probably don’t need to play. Make some roster adjustments to 08 (or even 07) or, better yet, make the move to next-gen consoles and start soaking in some big-time NFL atmosphere. Your $40 will thank you.

That’s the real root of the problem with King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga. This series barely evolves at all, so this is a grouping of five versions of essentially the same game.

The combat, for the most part, is satisfying and visceral, and the story, at times, is genuinely compelling. A mostly entertaining experience, it's marred by some terrible flaws and a handful of moments of unadulterated rage; much, we'd expect, like actually selling one's soul.

The original PS2 and Xbox versions of Capcom Classics Collection - which had an undeniably better selection of games - debuted at $19.99, yet this portable version is twice as expensive. We're guessing Sony's PSP publishing rules have more to do with this than Capcom's bank account does, but it sucks either way.

The combat, for the most part, is satisfying and visceral, and the story, at times, is genuinely compelling. A mostly entertaining experience, it's marred by some terrible flaws and a handful of moments of unadulterated rage; much, we'd expect, like actually selling one's soul.

Vets of the franchise will likely be taken aback by how brutal it is to achieve a victory in even the early skirmishes, while newcomers won’t have a clue how to do much of anything. Heck, even the tutorials are rough.

What you're left with is a basic game that follows in the horde of footsteps of the series that has come before it: it's serviceable but uninspired, and won't do much for you unless you're a big fan of either of the source materials. Predictable, right?

A solid platformer with some nice visuals and simple but enjoyable gameplay. It doesn't have any huge, glaring deficiencies to speak of, but at the same time, it's simply not cut from the sort of stock that makes a classic.

Evoking the essence of late-'90s platforming without significantly modernising it, Yooka-Laylee is a game with noble aspirations, grounded by clumsily flawed execution.

NeoGeo Heroes has good things going for it – a great premise, fantastic boss encounters, and a load of extras for a very reasonable price. Frequently dull levels suck out a lot of the charm, however, and the game's biggest selling point – SNK nostalgia – is completely underutilized. In the end, NeoGeo Heroes feels like a fun idea executed merely adequately instead of spectacularly.

An interesting change of pace for a first person shooter that has some nice ideas and mechanics, but can’t quite get everything to sing.

Escape Plan is a fantastic concept, and one that often makes use of the system's greatest features to amazing success, but the final product left a great deal to be desired, and left us more than a little conflicted.

It's a shame that combat in Children of Mana is so mindless. The ingredients are there to make this a really excellent action RPG.

We're also sure the majority of today's gamers will find it nasty, plodding, and archaic.

If you played and loved it in 2008, then it's worth picking up for the power trip of playing as Lady. Alternatively, if you've beaten Ninja Theory’s faster, prettier DmC reboot and still have an irresistible urge to combo something, then, flawed though it is, Devil May Cry 4 will deliver.

The game is still playable, although not without its frustrations. And seriously, why bother giving us an accuracy percentage when aiming is nearly impossible. That's like yelling at an arthritic waiter for spilling your soup. But the wonderful presentation COD fans have come to expect is intact, and the game visually translates unimpeded.

It’s also worth noting Defiance’s death mechanic, which fails to elicit much from the player. You periodically get the ability to revive exactly where you died, but generally you’ll need to "extract," which pulls you just a little bit farther out. Even so, you will rarely revive anywhere that's not in eyeshot of where you just were. In other words, you can always just respawn--and the experience and gold penalty to do so is negligible. It’s too forgiving, and a significant part of what makes Defiance an oftentimes flat and emotionless experience.

CCP has a history of making their games better over time. But if you’re playing in the hopes that DUST 514 eventually delivers on the promise of a completely player-controlled galactic struggle, it’s likely to be a long wait--one tinged with equal parts frustration and fun.

Darwin's Paradox is a charming and good-natured adventure that struggles to stand out in the puzzle-platformer genre. Octopus abilities are a nice idea, but ultimately add little to this simplistic adventure that often feels like it's treading water.

At $10 more than the PS2/GameCube versions, you’ll get a better looking game, but with wonky controls. Had the Camera or Dash button been changed, then we might have film-tie in greatness here. Either way, the GameCube version is cheaper and will still play on your Wii.

If you have any love for the little rodents left once you’re done, go ahead and buy G-Force for your home console. Otherwise, wait until the game inevitably finds its way into the bargain bin, and then pick it up if you’re curious.

That X-Blades remains a decent title despite the lack of compelling missions and likable characters is something of an accomplishment in itself, though not one we'd recommend advertising from the rooftops.

Feels like a game from a different era, and despite half-steps to make it more approachable, is painfully frustrating in ways that probably can't be changed without altering the core of the game. If you can get past that, NGSP is a deep, lengthy adventure, with combat that's still one of the best in 3D action gaming history.

EDF 2025 makes the most of repetitive gameplay with its charming over-the-top vibe. The new classes do a lot to mix up the straightforward formula; the online co-op, sadly, does not.

Catalyst does some interesting stuff but doesn’t add enough to the mix. It’s a game I enjoyed but one that also left me feeling partly frustrated and sad. While it has good ideas and mechanics, they peak early and, in such a sparse and minimalist space, struggle to carry the whole game.

Offers a metric ton of activities for you to engage in. The sheer variety is unheard of for this genre (on a console anyway), and it all works. That said, little of it is outstanding, and while all the pieces are in place, there isn't a single aspect of this game that will blow you away.

It's too absurdly mechanical for those uninterested in the process, and too bare-bones and lackluster for those willing to engulf themselves in it.

Graceful Explosion Machine is the gaming equivalent of empty calories. It's pretty to look at, super smooth, and has some interesting weapons, but there's no real hook to keep you sustained beyond the act of moving around and blowing up aliens.

Miami Law isn't horrible. But its fast-paced 24-style plot just doesn’t mesh with the slow and methodical gameplay found in point-and-click titles like these.

A solid-if-not-spectacular entry, and fans will appreciate that they haven't been forgotten and will doubtlessly eat this up and ask for more. But anyone who hasn't already invested hours in the three previous Broken Sword games will have a hard time seeing Secrets of the Ark through to the end.

Both an incredibly faithful take of the Scott Pilgrim story, as well as a frustratingly inconsistent beat-em-up that is elevated by the art style and soundtrack. While it's great that fans news and old have a chance to rediscover its quirks, it's by no means a forgotten masterpiece.

Supermassive steers The Dark Pictures Anthology toward brave new horizons in Directive 8020, and for the most part, the mission stays its course. The survival horror narrative, despite delivering chills and heart-stopping thrills aplenty, is often held back by pacing issues, plot armor, and the promising yet inconsistent implementation of series-first stealth. It's neither the best nor worst of the Dark Picture series, and while I had a pretty good time aboard the Cassiopeia, I might not become a frequent flyer.

MotoGP4's licensed bikes and riders, accurately rendered tracks, and extensive single and multiplayer gameplay options are all good selling points but the unpolished graphics, bland audio, and out-of-date licensing are serious misfires.

We played through the PS3 version and noted several bugs with the network along with large loading times. Although these problems didn't distract us from enjoying the game, dropping connection during a race can cause extreme virtual road rage.

This is a true showcase for Xbox One in every area except the racing. Inconsistent difficulty, random payouts and way too many dull events seriously spoil the party.

There's some really snappy and interesting combat hidden within Lost Soul Aside, but it can be hard to appreciate after its slow, dull opening and drawn out chapters. With a transforming multi-weapon that's also a dragon, combo possibilities can be really fun to explore, but you often don't have enough reason to do so.

Despite TDU2's lack of realism and a force-fed story-mode, the game does provide an open-world experience that very few titles have succeeded with in the past.

It's exciting, guts-spilling fun in short bursts, but the campaign feels too long and dramatically self-indulgent for its own good. That said, if you want to sever limbs and cleave through torsos using bullets and a blade, you're bound to enjoy yourself. Just don't expect to get your brain or your heartstrings involved.

Starfield Shattered Space is a solid expansion that presents lots of choices and exploration, but it doesn't really deliver on the horror aspect Bethesda teased. There's plenty of intrigue to be found in Va'ruu'kai and the city of Dazra, and some side quests offer some memorable highlights. But as one of most elusive factions in Starfield, Shattered Space feels like a missed opportunity to go all in on the weirdness and the unsettling atmosphere the opening did so well to establish.

Despite its promising new mechanics that make conversation a game of strategy, the interaction between its characters lets The Council episode one down.

Web of Shadows is a passable, but sincere, form of flattery to the king of the genre.

Jikandia is a visually distinct, charming game that has the potential to be fun in small doses – but since the game design actively discourages you from playing like that, it simply turns into a somewhat-better-than-okay experimental platformer.

When the level mechanics still depend on mashing the attack button mindlessly for minutes at a time, with no real cue as to when to stop, no amount of snappy dialogue or Tim Burton-esque scenery will make it fun to play.

The gameplay feels right and contains most of the core tenets of what makes us love this series so much, but the whole experience is wrapped around a disjointed frame that's almost as off-putting as it is inviting. Die hard series fans and Vita loyalists will find some enjoyment here, to be sure, but Liberation's all over the place--and only some of those places hit the right notes.

Forge is a fun break from the monotony of the same old competitive multiplayer games, but with only four maps, two game types, and an uninspiring progression system, it currently lacks the depth to be something you can fully sink your teeth into.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 comes in a next-gen wrapper, but feels like a last-gen experience. There’s plenty of fun to be had thanks to some fun battles, an entertaining story, and scads of collectibles. Just be prepared for an experience that looks and feels extremely familiar.

If you’re patient with plot, love your amnesiac protagonists and get aroused at the thought of having to keep two saves so you can reroll a character if need be, Lost Odyssey has your name written all over it.

A glut of unlockables makes LEGO Star Wars III's smash-and-grab emphasis a somewhat addictive grind. Even so, it lacks the nostalgia factor of its predecessors, and with all of the challenge completely stripped out to cater to a younger slant, it's tough to recommend this one for anyone but the most devout of Star Wars enthusiasts.

The later stages of the game do sharpen the experience somewhat, at least. A full suite of powers gives you more to balance in combat, and some barriers require a modicum of acumen and skill to remove. But this isn't enough to stop Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden's from feeling leaden-paced. Its open world remains in the shadow of renowned predecessors, with few of the testing puzzles, fascinating landmarks or riveting combat situations that built their reputations. Having forged my way through to its ending, I doubt Banishers will haunt my thoughts for long.

Despite smooth gameplay and fancy visuals, this game is handicapped by a distinct lack of courses and players, leaving it feeling incomplete and rather bland.

We absolutely found ourselves drawn to Marvel Trading Card. It's just that the intense complexity and cramped screen real-estate kept it from being the accessible, instantly lovable smash-bang, super hero-em-up that the comics themselves are.

Thanks to the strange combination of one diverting new mode with a slew of rehashed sporting events, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games disappoints as much as it entertains.

The Elder Scrolls Online features entertaining quests, dynamic combat, and a whole lot of other people. Sadly, those other people largely feel like an unnecessary addition to the game.

With Nintendo's Pikmin 3 having just demonstrated such mastery of both game design and the Wii U hardware, it’s disappointing to see such a superficially similar yet confused and messy game following it mere weeks later.

FIFA Street 2 just isn't much fun to play, plain and simple.

Yet another game that's careful to not rock the boat. Nothing is broken or painful to play, and there's still an intrinsic fun to being a video game Spider-Man – but this is too much like what we've played before, only with less going for it than games like Web of Shadows or Ultimate Spider-Man.

Kids probably won't mind much, and they're definitely the target audience here. Pirates' Carnival isn't spectacular in any one sense, but the solid mini-games and well-used license are enough to put it near the top of the distinctly uncompetitive party game genre.

Though it sheds many of the series' best elements, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China has its own charm, and is worth a play for those in search of a simple stealth experience.

Rise of the Argonauts has a nice story and something to offer, but shortcomings like this chip away at the fun and ultimately keep the game from matching its legendary sources of inspiration.

We loved the game's self referential tone at times, but calling itself out on its own tired shortcomings can't really save the gameplay.

Bruising, buggy and beautiful, UFC 2 is a technically triumphant fighter, but its combat can easily flounder and frustrate.

Crisis Core Reunion is a fascinating look into the Square Enix of the past, meshed with Final Fantasy 7's current trajectory in the Remake saga. Zack might be a dunce, and the early '00s-era script fails him miserably, but he's utterly loveable by the game's end, far outshining Final Fantasy 7 stalwarts like Aerith, who mostly seem present for their cameo impact. The retooled combat system is Crisis Core Reunion's most impressive upgrade, an elegant and electrifying system that'll always keep you on your toes with smooth Digital Mind Wave implementation. Given Zack’s inevitable role in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Crisis Core Reunion is an essential part of the overarching Remake saga, even if the writing does hold it back.

Mobilized cannot completely emulate its older brother and should get better at what makes it unique.

If you’re a serious fan of Final Fantasy and have somehow yet to play the second installment, this is a fairly solid re-make that will at least bolster your appreciation for the series’ roots.

For all the interesting and novel things that Gord brings to the city building genre, it's just not coherent nor determined enough in what it's trying to do to create something with the necessary confidence to compete with the countless options available to genre fans these days. The result is a game with a strong start and a compelling world, but one that cannot build upon those strengths to retain interest over each new settlement and its repetitive gameplay.

Yes, you may tire of I Am Alive before you reach the credits, but the overall experience is still an intense and worthwhile one - the game not only forces you to take risks, it takes some great risks itself. If you've already tired of every other shooter's and climber's formulas, this hybrid will surprise you, test you, and remind you why experimentation in games is always a good thing, even when it doesn't fully work out.

As the only game in town this year, NCAA Basketball 09 pulls its own weight but shouldn’t demand your full attention. Only hardcore hoops fanatics need drop down their hard earned cash; the rest of us can shuffle along just fine without it.

At any rate, your best bet is to choose your game by track list. Pop Vol 2’s 30-track lineup is listed below. It’s strong, though we’d suggest it commits the series’ typical sin of trying to appeal to fans of too many genres.

Never has patience been a bigger virtue than in Tenchu Z. It succeeds as a game of stealth, but only as a game of stealth. Any deviation from hiding and throat slitting - say, katana-slinging your way right up main street like a samurai - won’t elicit much fun.

BCR2 is still based on an awesome premise, so even a downgraded follow-up is pretty OK.

As long as you’re comfortable with a great degree of difficulty (and a bit of monotony), and provided you’re comfortable with your own mortality, Izuna offers a reasonable distraction.

If you have any love for the little rodents left once you’re done, go ahead and buy G-Force for your home console. Otherwise, wait until the game inevitably finds its way into the bargain bin, and then pick it up if you’re curious.

While Hardboiled Chicken loses out on some fundamentals, it does get a fair bit right. Best enjoyed in bite-sized chunks, players can find a lot to enjoy if they're simply looking for something to pick up and play. If you're a fan of side-scrolling shooters and have a weekend to spare, Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken may be just what you're looking for.

It's the same solid game you've been playing since "Dynasty Warriors 2" came out back in 2000.

In fact, that’s the real root of the problem with King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga. This series barely evolves at all, so this is a grouping of five versions of essentially the same game. Thus, it isn’t really for anyone but the super fans.

Meteos: Disney Magic will only sell because of the Disney name. Yes, it’s still Meteos, but the experience is shallow because of the diluted gameplay. Instead of being simplified, the difficulty is spiked and like most crack that's peddled, the Disney high wears off quickly.

Not that it's terrible, but we can only watch Kim Possible gyrate for so long before folding up our dance mats and moving on.

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.

Look past the tedious story and Eternal Strands features some brilliant massive monster battles, especially when you unlock some great magic to use on them. The problem comes in getting to those bits, bogged down in plenty of bloat and repetition that results in its best moments being fewer and far between. Flawed but fun behemoth battling makes this an interesting if imperfect mix of its superior influences.

Players who've enjoyed the Battlefield franchise for its signature rollicking vehicular combat can skip this expansion altogether.

The whole game only takes ten hours - tops - to finish, and honestly, that’s just long enough before the tedium begins to set in.

At least Tiger’s PSP offering this year resembles a full-fledged title (unlike his counterpart on the PS2, which is embarrassingly devoid of features). Even so, though, we can’t justify shelling out 40 bucks for what amounts to a fresh coat of paint, no matter how well it plays.

There’s a lot to like about Assassin’s Creed on PSP, provided you’re tolerant of its heavy flaws, and we love that you can connect it to your PS3 and unlock new weapons in Assassin’s Creed 2 – we just wish the developers had looked more to the future rather than the past when creating it.