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.