A damn good game in its own right. Visually, it's everything we've hoped for - even if it isn't exactly the RPG we all wanted.

The PSP version loads a bit more slowly but looks better, and the DS version features lightning-fast loads but tosses in slightly sluggish, clunky touch-controls.

In all, Nintendo and Grezzo have pulled off a surprisingly refreshing retooling of the Link's Awakening engine. All hail Princess Zelda.

We never got tired of watching blocks whirl around in the air to form new objects, stupefying everything in sight, or sitting through the often hilarious cutscenes.

The action is tight, the running time is surprisingly long and the cheerful amorality makes it extremely likable.

MLB 09 The Show remains the definitive handheld baseball experience, a startlingly deep and expansive take on America’s Pastime that offers more hardball than most of us could likely get to in a full season.

Trauma Team isn't quite as focused or challenging as its predecessors, but even though the faces have changed and the scenarios have evolved, Atlus has proven that it still knows how to create a compelling and engagingly tense medical drama.

NiGHTS really soars when it's in the air, maintaining the essence of the original game. Some of the crappier additions send it into a bit of a nose dive, but overall the game rights itself with its bold originality and a unique charm that's unlike anything else out there.

Huge levels and an incredible array of new ways to take down your targets make Sniper Elite 4 a killer addition to the stealthy series.

Music is top-notch again, and the graphics are spiffier overall than in the last game.

It's not without frustrating bits, mind, like not being able to change direction once you're ascending/descending ladders or stairs. It's also quite slow. But regardless, it's a super-stylish puzzle game that offers hundreds of levels.

This is the perfectly polished, logical extension of what Guitar Hero started and where the music genre needed to go. It's a real shame to see the Wii version stripped of some of the game's best features, but it still just flat-out rocks.

In Japan there's a miniature control pad that slots over PSP and includes 'proper' diagonals, but until it comes out over here, this is simply a slightly-too-tricky version of one of the greatest fighters ever.

While rough around the edges, the franchise still wears the crown of best team-based experience in gaming today - for now.

When Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties has me gunning for max daddy rank or using over-the-top brawling moves to smash gangster skulls on behalf of my orphan children it's a sunny adventure like little else. Many great remake choices shine, but a few hold them back, like an edgy and dull bonus campaign that adds very little to the narrative or the series in general.

While not a huge departure from the original Dead Rising template, Dead Rising 2's concession to friendlier game-saves and excellent addition of a creative and funny weapon-crafting system make it a rewarding and gleefully entertaining experience. But alas, the corpse-killing hijinks are noticeably marred by some inexcusable hark-backs to archaic game design. A lot of fun then, but with some definite frustrations.

Minor criticisms aside, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon does a fantastic job of servicing the demand for retro nostalgia, but inside the comfortable setting of a very modern, very well-made shooter. It’s the best of both worlds: it looks like a fun retro game, but plays like a properly modern one. What it lacks in genuinely new features it more than makes up for in pure style, and although it controls in exactly the same way as Far Cry 3 the setting makes the action feel fresh.

We're not against the idea of mandatory server-based DRM in all cases, but for us to agree to "always-on DRM," we need the servers to be "always on."

A rich and far-reaching addition to your Sims library, but may be too much for brand new Sims fans.

An extremely entertaining, surprising, and inventive adventure all the way through. The characters' surprising stories make you want to uncover the dark history of each one, and the challenging puzzles are rewarding to conquer.

We had a great time with Valkyrie Profile, and it has great replay value with multiple endings and branching stories. However, the difficulty spikes randomly during the battles, and that’s hard to look past.

Gore-hounds might go into sugar shock, but if you enjoy light-hearted action RPGs, you’ll probably fall in love with Gurumin.

NHL 2K8's biggest problem is that it's not "NHL 08," which has put it all together this year like few sports games we've ever seen.

While not a huge departure from the original Dead Rising template, Dead Rising 2's concession to friendlier game-saves and excellent addition of a creative and funny weapon-crafting system make it a rewarding and gleefully entertaining experience. But alas, the corpse-killing hijinks are noticeably marred by some inexcusable hark-backs to archaic game design. A lot of fun then, but with some definite frustrations.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope will deliver a ton of Japanese RPG goodness.

Filled with great puzzles and an engaging world, Crow Country is a well made recreation of how you remember classic 90s horror games. It's familiar enough to feel authentic but different enough to keep things mysterious.

This is a great, if short, horror game with impeccable looks and fantastic atmosphere. It's scary and full of character, but with a barely five-hour run time your enjoyment could depend on what you paid for it.

While it might have its share of annoyances, the positives outweigh the negatives in The Sims 3: Supernatural. It's one of the strongest expansions for the core game yet, and might even give lapsed players a reason to return to the game.