A fun but poorly paced horror adventure that's both slow to start and over too fast.

Despite its repetitiveness and the unfortunate lack of multiplayer modes, Monster House is good game that's perfect for some violence on the run.

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge on PS2 may not be as robust as the previous PS3 versions of MotorStorm or as handy as the PSP version of Arctic Edge (what with the being portable and all), but it’s not a bad racing game to have around if the PS2 is your only option.

More frustrating than fun as we saved, loaded, and crashed our way through this epic, yet tedious title.

Not the best Life is Strange episode. Dialogue choices are poor, it often feels like the outcome is inevitable, and - aside from Captain Spirit - few of the supporting characters are likeable. But the core bond between Sean and Daniel remains the key draw.

Soulcalibur Legends does offer some solid hack-'n-slash gaming that'll also make for a nice Wii tech demo to show your non-gaming friends and family over the holidays. But in the end, the title's appeal will likely expire before that half-drunk carton of egg nog sitting in your fridge.

They’ll likely stir some major nostalgia for a lot of older gamers out there that remember when arcade games were fixtures in bars and pool halls - back when the cabinets came complete with ashtrays and drink holders. But they haven’t stood the test of time as well as some other bona fide arcade classics.

SimCity's a mess of moving parts, occasionally clicking into place and allowing for brilliant experiences before coming undone and tearing everything down. With updates to both server stability and the game itself, SimCity's wonderful moments may be able to overtake the bad ones to create the best game in the series. But if those don't come, EA's bustling metropolis may end up a ghost town.

Capsized isn’t without its fair share of problems, nor does it provide something you haven’t seen before. Still, it does a great job telling a story of survival and creates an eerie ambience worth experiencing. Not everyone will appreciate its perplexing soundtrack, nor tolerate its iffy controls, but if you don’t mind putting up with some irritating moments and would rather play the game on your console, this little astronaut tale is for you.

Stick to the solo game and you'll get a decent, serviceable shooter that would have been memorable in 2000 - today, not so much. It does a respectable job of replicating the console experience, but it's still no replacement for the real thing.

A competent and crunching MMA sequel that brings key improvements to the Octagon but stumbles when the action moves to the ground.

The problem with the game is that it really isn’t a game at all. We’re not just saying it’s too linear – what little (very little) gameplay you’ll find smattered throughout is completely spoon-fed to you.

Contact does sport an incredible surprise ending that adds depth and changes your perspective on all the main characters in the game. However, its impact is greatly diminished by the extremely short play time.

Warframe brings solid gunplay and a rich infrastructure to the PlayStation 4 in a rare free-to-play model. It's a missed opportunity on some levels, but if you're itching to get more use out of your new console, give it a whirl.

Fantastic at capturing the charming spirit of the Dragon Quest series, but the repetition in its arena design cramps on its personality. Best played in short bursts.

Shining Force EXA will pass the time; it's just that your memory of it will, ironically, be worn dull six months from now.

Kinect Sports: Season Two might be worthwhile if it is one of your first sports game compilations, but for those who own or have played any other motion controlled sports game, it would probably be a good idea to let this one pass.

But with its clumsy combat, dim AI and generic plot, HoAE fails to add anything new to the already crowded fantasy based RTS genre.

Read that last bit again. “Dress up Mama to your liking?” Has there ever been a creepier, more Freudian feature in any game, ever? No, we do NOT want to put cute clothes on Mama.

The predictable and disappointing list of "seconds" in volume two muddies Reminisce’s otherwise unique presentation.

Pac-Man Championship Edition is awesome, but just doesn't feel like a full game. It feels like a bonus mode to a more full-featured title.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a spin-off with big ambitions let down by lacklustre execution.

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.

More than anything, Astro Boy is a great surprise for what many would assume is simply some child’s Christmas present. The Astro Boy coating is there so kids ask mommy and daddy to spend their holiday bonuses on it, but High Voltage Software felt nice enough to sneak in a fun game too. It’s like the whiskey Grandpa adds to the eggnog.

MLB 2K8 is more of an obligatory title than a passionately crafted offering, and it feels like it most of the time.

Free Time is more a gap filler than anything else. It gives a few more things to do and smoothes some rough edges, but there’s a sense that EA is playing out the string here.

Concord is by no means a disaster and has the potential to grow into a compelling hero shooter. But a thin selection of modes, characters who leave a weak impression, and a misguided overabundance of lore make it a hard sell currently.

Lego Batman 3 has all the ingredients of the other, enjoyable, Lego superhero games, but is let down by clunky controls, poor signposting and questionable translations of well-known comic book personalities.