Generally a polished and highly playable rhythm title that delivers in spades when it comes to play modes and options. We just can't help but feel like that titular revolutionary spark has faded in recent iterations.

Ultimately, this series is going to have to evolve into a more accessible, playable, solo-friendly experience if it ever wants to be known as anything other than a niche curiosity.

The gameplay is still fun if you’re willing to suffer through painful hand cramping from playing guitar and bass, severely wounded vocal registry, and a general lack of precision provided by the Drum Grip. Oh wait, that doesn’t sound so fun. The peripherals do more to kill the experience than enhance it, which totally defeats the purpose of this pricey package.

Don't force us to play the minigames to expand the already-uninspiring campaign. It's sloppy game design, and it drags Bee Movie Game even further into the mud.

It’s really too bad that Afro Samurai is bogged down by nagging annoyances, because the core game is actually decent, if not spectacular. If it had a healthy dose of polish it would be a solid rental (but not full-price purchase).

It lacks the emotional and technical "oomph" of its big-screen relatives, highlighted by the notoriously futzy control scheme that'll have you pulling out your hair. With that said, it's still one of the best shooters on the PSP, packing a serious challenge in an impressively sized campaign (not to mention some ad-hoc multiplayer) that'll keep you busy for awhile.

Powerstar Golf blends time-tested mechanics with a unique style, rewarding your hard work with a pleasant sense of accomplishment. As long as you don't let the microtransactions ruin it for you, you're all but guaranteed to have a good time.

It fixes lots of the little problems that plagued the first game, and it's just involving enough for a long flight or repeated visits to the DMV.

Control without the superpowers was always going to be a tough sell. Sadly, FBC: Firebreak makes a pretty appalling case. Moments of supernatural whimsy are few and far between, bogged down by repetitive objectives centering around shooting some pretty mediocre feeling guns.

Unfortunately, there's just not enough here to keep you coming back. Once you've finished the campaign once, you can play through online modes or take a shot at an even more difficult campaign, but more than likely you'll follow the Bond-film route and call it quits.

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.

As we weaved through wave after wave of enemies, downing them wholesale, we couldn't help but wish there had been a replay feature included with the game. Still, for the raw, explosive fury of aerial battle, you can accept no substitute for Blazing Angels.

Something surprisingly fresh, fun, and satisfying for only $10.

The nicest thing you can say about its difficulty is that Izuna 2 isn’t as diabolical as its compatriots, but its admirable art and writing could draw in new players.

We really wish you could battle using multiple dinos at once, but in the end, the combination of paleontology and Pokemon won us over.

And when a game’s biggest problem is that it left us wanting more, we’d say that’s a good problem to have.

Ultimately, Barnyard is an easy, mildly entertaining grab bag of minigames and missions. Kids will undoubtedly enjoy the game and their parents will find themselves sucked into numerous minigames as well.

Super Motherload's premise of digging for richs on a lonely planet sounds about as boring as actually digging for richs on a lonely planet. But stick with it long enough, and you'll find an eerily soothing adventure with addictive strategy elements that make for a wholly enjoyable next-gen gaming experience.

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.

It's not like M.A.C.H. is going to set the world on fire. We're not saying that. But for a game that's pretty much gonna fly right into bargain bins due to zip awareness, it's a shockingly tight package.

Right from the start you're surrounded by creatures that suck away your life. The only way to get ahead is to learn a novel's worth of tricks and memorize the mazy layouts - something only the old-schoolers may have the patience for.

More successful as a single-player experience, which can be seen as good or bad depending on your inclination.

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.

Eliminator improves on its PS2 predecessor. It has more modes, more customization parts, and makes for a respectable single-player experience. But the sketchy controls and oftentimes sleep-inducing levels and presentation keep it from being the king of street.

Its toughness means that for the bad tempered out there, this game is a sure source of busted controllers. And its visual and story blandness might be a turnoff.

The slow pace, poor voice-overs and lack of handheld convenience lends WCP2 a strong sense of "thank god it's over" whenever it's time to switch off the PSP - and no game should ever do that.

If you like the idea of flying a cool-looking helicopter in a 2D action game that makes you think, Choplifter HD is totally worth checking out. When it works, it's old-fashioned and yet not quite like anything else out there currently. If the chopper had controlled just a bit more nimbly, it's possible all of the game's problems would disappear or at least be reduced to much more tolerable levels.

There’s some minigames and a wi-fi Battle mode, but good luck trying to play with a friend more than once. We wanted to adore Cookie & Cream; it’s a shame we only get a clumsy mess.