Sure there is some gem of PvP in there somewhere, but you have to work far too hard to get there.

All this enthusiasm leads us to the sad reality of the game's release. This would have been a glorious XBLA title at $10-$15, but Deathsmiles comes as a boxed copy and asks the uncanny price of $50. Sure, the game has replay value, but after a few playthroughs, only the ultra dedicated score chasers will have reason to keep going.

Three or four years ago, this game would have been brilliant. Unfortunately the unexciting combat, ho-hum level design, and unimpressive graphics make it a poor alternative to the more recent champions of the hack and slash genre.

Without the AI and stealth problems, it might be a decent, if extremely derivative, shooter. As it is now, you're better off skipping this one.

A bullet hell shooter that's just sane enough for anyone to enjoy. The action is nonstop but manageable, and the bosses are freakish and challenging enough to warrant a few repeat plays just to figure out how to totally destroy them the next time around.

By taking ideas from some of the best games of the last five years and combining that with a respect for the material that isn't so excessive as to alienate non-fans, War for Cybertron ends up being the best Transformers game yet.

Metal gear Solid: Peace Walker is huge, diverse and beautiful. Sadly, some awful boss fights and simplified stealth means it's not quite essential.

Fun as any Rock Band game could be, but only if you're already invested in both brands.

As we expected, Tiger's polished and predictably good – more so than his real-life counterpart these days. It's not necessarily a must buy, but has plenty to keep you busy all summer long.

Devoted fans to the Disgaea franchise will feel oddly at home with the game's unpredictable dialogue, overly crazy plot and familiar line-up of characters - many of whom make an appearance in this virtual action novel - but if you're not invested in game's history or its characters, this title is passable at best.

While its story, characters and conversations are interesting and fun to play around with, Alpha's third-person shooting – which makes up the bulk of the game – is not. It's a far cry from terrible, but we'd been led to expect much more.

So is this the definitive version of Tetris for the current console generation? Sure. But is it so much better than the WiiWare release so as to warrant another, way more expensive, purchase? I'm going to say no.

Expanding on the original's brilliance, this ingenious platformer only gets better by embracing the Wii's limited capabilities and adds so many ideas, big and small, that we can't help but love it. Even if you (mistakenly) believe it's too similar to the first game, what's wrong with more of an incredibly great thing?

Like slipping in and out of a nightmare, Alan Wake is a mixed experience. You'll adore the game's well-written characters and grow obsessed with the deeply intellectual story, but thanks to repetitive action and uninspired levels, reaching the end and solving the mystery can sometimes prove a bit tedious.

Without a doubt, Red Dead Redemption has been worth the wait. The finesse of the final delivery and the richness of the world is awe-inspiring and will keep you thrilled from start to finish.

Without a doubt, Red Dead Redemption has been worth the wait. The finesse of the final delivery and the richness of the world is awe-inspiring and will keep you thrilled from start to finish.

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.

Lighter, more focused and ultimately more linear than its predecessors, Forgotten Sands never quite feels like a "real" Prince of Persia game, but its popcorn plot and slickly designed, trap-filled environments make it wildly enjoyable anyway.

Lighter, more focused and ultimately more linear than its predecessors, Forgotten Sands never quite feels like a "real" Prince of Persia game, but its popcorn plot and slickly designed, trap-filled environments make it wildly enjoyable anyway.

As entertaining as Rocket Knight’s jetpack mechanics and gameplay are, the whole experience still winds up feeling pretty standard.

It’s too bad there’s so little variety, because this could’ve been a great game.

Though 3D Dot Game Heroes is a fun game on its own, it's impossible to divorce it from the games it parodies. Your overall enjoyment will depend on whether you're in on the joke or not. But if you do "get it," then it's the perfect game for the nostalgic fan looking for another taste of their childhood while getting a few good laughs at the same time.

Fast, frenetic, and frequently spectacular in scale, Lost Planet 2 will do the job if you have an itchy destruction finger, and provides some fun and well thought-out times in co-op. But ultimately, it's just all about the carnage, and frequently seems to have no care for the needs of the solo player.

To make matters worse, Iron Man 2 can be shockingly ugly at times, especially in the cut-scenes, which spotlight terrible effects, fuzzy and slow-loading textures, and choppy animations.

Aside from the downgrade in players per match, nearly everything about Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake is as good, if not better than the PS3 version.

It’s last year’s top-rated game remixed with 10 new fighters and fantastic new online modes, all at a lower price. That’s an incredible deal no matter how you slice it.

If you’re the kind of gamer who loves a quick and competitive romp through gaming of yesteryear, absolutely give Final Fight: Double Impact your consideration. Mike Haggar is one mayor who definitely deserves your vote.

While co-op kicks an unholy amount of ass, the Fisher campaign wasn’t the drastic departure from the series’ punishing trial and error we were all expecting.