The card trading mechanic can be a lot of fun, and as an extra in a full-featured franchise like FIFA or Madden, it would feel more at home. Standing on it’s own two feet it’s not quite enough to carry a game by itself.

An attractive game with a dark bent, and the pitches really bring the game to life.

The inclusion of superstar fighting styles and the struggle submission system is a step in the right direction, but it’s still difficult to recommend Smackdown vs Raw 2008 for a purchase to anyone but the most ardent fan.

Anarchy Reigns throws a lot of blows, and while it's sometimes recklessly off target, this is a talented and capable fighter at its core.

Endless Ocean is a specific type of game for a specific kind of player. Leisurely swimming and looking for wildlife may be a bit slow paced for some, but if you find yourself glued to Animal Planet on Friday nights, it gives you a chance to live out your dreams of undersea discovery.

A bit similar to "Crackdown." The sum of its parts doesn’t really equal anything outstanding. In fact, it’s downright crap in some ways. But when you actually play it, you’ll find yourself coming back for more…even if you’re not totally sure why.

With a more deliberately-designed fighting system, Battle Royale strives for the sort of cred you'd sooner find in an arcade than a living room get-together. The end result is a serviceable party game that shoots for the stars but ultimately comes up short of its competitive aspirations. In its attempts to take its format in a different direction, it has inadvertently skewed itself away from the fundamentals that would make it work. In the end, you can safely say that Battle Royale is indeed not like Smash Brothers, but it might have been better if it were.

Though Guitar Hero: Aerosmith plays heavily on the notion that it’s a must-buy for fans, even they will be ultimately disappointed with what they’re getting.

If you can overcome navigating pre-rendered backgrounds and enduring countless random battles, Devil Summoner 2 turns out to be an enjoyable experience.

It’s clear that some effort certainly went into this dastardly devil’s creation, but Vergil’s Downfall leaves us wanting more; the inability to play as Vergil in the main campaign, much less the recently released Bloody Palace mode, is a puzzling omission given the precedent set with Devil May Cry 3.

The Gunstringer is short, has some control issues, and isn't especially deep in modes and options, but if you're looking for something substantial to play with your Kinect there aren't many better options.

Patapon maniacs will find a lot to keep them interested: this is a long game, especially at $20, and there's a lot to the online if you can deal with its rough edges.

Loads of fun, and it's a decent buy at $14.99. While it could benefit from a wider range of weapons and environments, its engrossing and unusual gameplay makes it a safe bet for any dedicated tower defender.

Given that the elements designed around its collectability are the game's biggest hook, though, it's hard to recommend to those who'd play on the cheap. If you aren't willing to shell out for the plastic, then you should reconsider clearing some shelf space for this one.

The Club is a lot like junk food—it initially tastes good but it won’t leave you satisfied for long.

Dark Sector goes for gore and glory, but does better spattering blood than it does applying polish. Despite a number of original elements and a fairly solid gameplay core, the game isn’t able to add substantially to the formula and mechanics it’s borrowed from other games in the genre.

Darkspore is merely a pretty good action-RPG. It works great on a fundamental level, but its execution is a little too cumbersome to let you truly appreciate its breadth.

Quotation forthcoming.

The learning curve is steep, the controls take effort to master, and the single-player game is ultimately there to prepare you for head-to-head matches. It’s a very specific game experience that rewards trial and error and fails to appeal to a broad audience in the process.

Cold, Cold Heart is a bit curt and claustrophobic, not unlike Mr. Freeze himself. If you felt Arkham Origins didn’t do enough to force the franchise forward then you can give this DLC the cold shoulder. If you’re a committed defender of Gotham City, you should be amused by this brief addition to Batman’s beginning. Just don’t expect this New Year’s party to last all night.

Golf seems like a sport that would be easy to replicate with the Wii remote, but apparently it's not. Where swing mechanics are concerned, Wii Sports Golf is far superior as it actually replicates what you're doing with the remote on-screen.

Think of it as a dumbed-down edition of the console game, providing an on-the-go fix for fanatics.

Yet great strides have been made in creating a more realistic-playing game, especially when factoring in the assortment of sliders that can adjust the action even further. There are still areas that could use additional polish, but the overall experience is a step in the right direction.

The vainglorious plot and meticulous landscapes of cliché will draw you in place of base compulsions to hit a level cap or maximize a "gearscore." If you can stomach the horrors of the night, as well as rote combat and occasionally glitched gameplay, you might just be the perfect pledge for this secret society.

This Wanderer may have strayed a bit from its roots, but for some players, that's reason enough to welcome it home.

The learning curve is steep, the controls take effort to master, and the single-player game is ultimately there to prepare you for head-to-head matches. It’s a very specific game experience that rewards trial and error and fails to appeal to a broad audience in the process.

It does a good job of recreating timeless fairground classics, and because they are so recognizable, this really is a game that you can play with friends and family members of any age and they’ll instantly get it.

Dark Sector goes for gore and glory, but does better spattering blood than it does applying polish. Despite a number of original elements and a fairly solid gameplay core, the game isn’t able to add substantially to the formula and mechanics it’s borrowed from other games in the genre.

The Club is a lot like junk food—it initially tastes good but it won’t leave you satisfied for long.

It's almost funny how seriously the game takes itself, but if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, this trip through the underground provides just enough of everything to be worth playing.

While the lackluster shop mode doesn't deliver anything fun or engaging, the rest of the game is still just as enjoyable as its predecessors.

The lack of notable stars, the flat atmosphere, and the by-the-numbers career mode are disappointments. Yet, for better or worse, it's the control scheme that ultimately defines Top Spin 3. Once acclimated, you'll find that it brings you closer to the on-court action than any tennis game before it, but it’s also unforgiving.

UEFA offers a solid game of soccer with no glaring flaws, a slightly steep learning curve, and a deep amount of play options that should keep most players satisfied--at least until next year's installment hits the market.

Complemented by absorbing environments and evocative imagery, Homefront's presentation succeeds in immersing players in its plausible nightmare. Sadly, a weak script, unremarkable gameplay, and a short campaign undermine much of the promise in solo play.

The controls suit the system, with a surprisingly smart option to touch on-screen icons to turn the camera toward potential threats. The stealth play and covert killing is fast and satisfying but when blades clash, things can get awkward. You're eventually given a reversal move can quickly end fights with weaker enemies, but there's no running away from certain fated confrontations, which are almost always prolonged and clumsy.

It’s great to see Formula 1 come back to the North American gaming scene, and Championship Edition is a very solid entry. But it’s a bit disappointing that, outside of the shiny new PS3 graphics, F1 still has all of the same problems we were seeing in these games years ago.

Though better than most, Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces doesn't quite have the lasting power or polish to set it apart from the high fliers in the genre. For most prospective pilots, it's a decent rent, but if all you care about is smooth controls and shooting down bogies anime-style, then this is your bag.

The lack of any online functionality hurts the bottom line, but the series has never been renowned for its multiplayer components. This is the perfect chance to get acquainted with StarFox if you've missed out after all these years, but this classic game from the 90's is merely a good game today.

The high-quality presentation, touch features, and substantial cache of content that includes ad-hock co-op and an addictive Conquest mode should please repeat customers and perhaps even bring a few newcomers to the battlefield.

Its truncated length is a deterrent to a full price purchase, and its head-to-head options are unique yet limited.

There are many things to see in this land, but wandering around can feel empty.

UEFA offers a solid game of soccer with no glaring flaws, a slightly steep learning curve, and a deep amount of play options that should keep most players satisfied--at least until next year's installment hits the market.

The vicious combat is a lot of fun, and building your army and laying siege to the enemy is a compelling experience in an action game setting. If it didn’t run out of ideas so quickly and had a smoother presentation, Viking could have struck an even mightier blow.

Sonic Rush Adventure more or less hits all the notes we’ve come to expect in a good Sonic game. It stays largely in safe, familiar territory, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

If you enjoy creating your own shows, forming your own factions, and designing your own stable of pro wrestlers, you'll view WWE 13's creation suite as the best there is, the best there was, and possibly the best there will be, with options more diverse than Mick Foley's wrestling personas. Yet the gameplay, AI, and controls have not significantly advanced from last year's title, making WWE 13 more uneven than the "People's Eyebrow."

Its truncated length is a deterrent to a full price purchase, and its head-to-head options are unique yet limited.

Who would’ve thought there would ever be day when a new Guitar Hero release would be met with such a tepid response? Maybe it’s the price, maybe it’s the looming threat of Rock Band, but at the end of the day, Rocks the 80’s fails to excite.

The more straightforward design of Lords of the Fallen puts more focus on combat than building an interesting world. Players may be less likely to get lost, but the game lacks a sense of wonder and isn’t helped by its dull narrative and recycled enemies. Still, the solid mechanics are a step in the right direction.

Edward’s trip to the park is no picnic, but suffer through the controls and some aggravation and you’ll be compensated with a lot of unique moments. The game needed more gestation to really iron out the interface issues, but it remains an adventure worth pursuing.

Despite a distinct look and feel, Hohokum doesn't live up to its more ethereal aspirations.

The vicious combat is a lot of fun, and building your army and laying siege to the enemy is a compelling experience in an action game setting. If it didn’t run out of ideas so quickly and had a smoother presentation, Viking could have struck an even mightier blow.

Burial at Sea is a worthy return to Rapture, but by the end you’ll wish you could’ve spent more time absorbing the sights and sounds of the city’s unspoiled areas. The grand tourism of the game’s opening versus the constant combat in the rest of the DLC creates a disconnect that makes both halves feel underdeveloped. Hopefully episode two will mend the tear of Burial at Sea’s two disparate parts.

The game has a solid set of mechanics and challenging gameplay, but it doesn’t make much of an effort appeal to casual fans looking to get a taste of meticulous tactical maneuvering. If you’re thirsting for a challenge, you’ll find it. If you’re hesitant to join up, this isn’t your war.

MySims Agents is a solid entry in the series filled with memorable encounters and characters. Fans of MySims Kingdom will certainly enjoy the change of setting. While older players will breeze through it and yearn for more things to see and do, younger ones will enjoy the minigames, agency customization, and quirky cases.

The sporadic moments of greatness, when you’re storming enemy walls or have finally brokered a peace agreement, are swallowed by tedium. With patience, your inner imperialist is satisfied as you skillfully cultivate a sprawling empire. It’s too bad you have to put up with so much to get there.

For a work that prides itself on its story and your role in it, Beyond: Two Souls can’t help but make you feel a bit inconsequential in the ultimate scheme. The looks, the action, the acting, will have you see Jodie and Aiden through to the end, but not without shaking your head at what feels like a missed opportunity, bandaged by ghostly pranks and callbacks to more established games and movie staples.

If there’s anything that sticks out the most in Penny Arcade Adventures’ presentation it’s the art, and rightfully so. Mike Krahulic’s trademark style looks great with the in-game portraits, and even better in motion thanks to the game’s bevy of gorgeous animated cutscenes that seamlessly work your avatar into the action.

A game that has definite charm. Just don’t count on its effervescence to produce a long-lasting result. Despite its pretty package, many of the game’s strongest points are marred by incongruities that keep it from excelling in a genre where excellence has already long been established.

It’s a tale of give and take. Echoes of Time is meant to be played with friends, and if you don’t, it can be incredibly frustrating.

Alice: Madness Returns doesn't quite operate under modern game logic, and while it's certainly fine for a game to play by its own rules, it helps if those rules don't feel slapdash and outmoded.

The ridiculous stereotypes, somewhat offensive writing, and ho-hum gameplay all manage to come together to be something worth playing.

You can wrap up the story in about 6 hours. There are 12 costumes to try on and 27 cards to collect. Whether you can handle the grind or not Costume Quest 2 is a shallow game. It’s also a celebration of this sacred holiday that you may find yourself replaying next year. If there’s still time before the sun rises on November 1st, you may not regret buying this game.

Sonic Rivals runs a fairly solid race, but it’s running in circles around a limited amount of content.

Despite successfully improving on some of its predecessor's mechanics, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is ultimately bogged down by untimely bugs. If you can work through these issues, there's a decent action RPG hiding behind the mask. It might just be too much to ask of the average player.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate strikes one more blow against the curse of the bad licensed game, but despite unique elements and enjoyable gameplay, it doesn't quite have the polish and longevity to compete with other big-name shooters on the market.

Lasting about three hours, this $10 first act has a hard time standing on its own.

While X-Men Origins: Wolverine is clearly undercooked, it's still genuinely fun, and most importantly, it delivers the kind of visceral, untamed experience that fans expect from the character. It's been a long time coming. Just like Logan, it's a beast on the outside, but it has a good heart within.

Your enjoyment of Eye of the North will depend largely on your own personal desire to collect trinkets and doo-dads while following a reasonably interesting story.

The story is interesting and fairly epic, but told in such large chunks at a time, that sometimes the pacing is thrown off.

The best rhythm games successfully tie gameplay and music in such a way that players feel like they're part of the song. Rock Band Blitz doesn't quite bridge that gap.

The Adventures of Kai and Zero lacks the innovation of the original Elebits, but the obstacle-laden gameplay is engaging throughout and there are some fun boss battles for players to look forward to as well. It’s not the brightest adventure on the DS, but it does have enough juice to provide some kid-friendly enjoyment.

The atmosphere needs some work; and the game is far from a simulation in terms of realism and depth. Yet NBA 09 can still become addictive for those who want a fast-paced, accessible hoops game.

Need for Speed Nitro's cartoony nature and zoned-off tracks take some of the edge out of street racing, but the fiery boosts and hectic police encounters make for a fast, simple arcade racer.

It’s been three years since the previous Animal Crossing on the DS, but City Folk is virtually identical and costs $20 more.

An over-reliance on random chance over strategy can quickly derail the experience when things go awry at the worst possible time, but when matches come together with the right balance, Mario Party 9 does deliver the fun this exuberant series is known for.

Where the original was intriguing for its gratuitously unhinged take on sandbox-enabled chaos, Prototype 2 feels like it's just going through the motions. The series badly needs an injection of creativity if it's to merit another installment.

The Bourne Conspiracy walks the line between pander and cater, giving an accessible roller coaster ride to anyone with rudimentary hand-eye coordination. It's a nice mix of gameplay styles that allows you to play it however you want, but all the niggling issues eventually pile up.

Pandora's Tower isn't the best-playing action RPG out there. Its fixed camera and control issues are often quite frustrating. Yet these issues aren't enough to completely outweigh Elena's convincing character.

Lasting just a couple hours and adding nothing to Metro's world or story, there's little value in Last Light's Faction Pack. Thankfully, at only $5, the ranger mission is worthwhile for players itching for just a bit more time behind the gas mask.

The hack 'n slash category isn't exactly thriving on consoles these days, so if you've been hard up for a cooperative loot bonanza, War in the North is worth sinking a weekend into. Its lack of variety and polish, however, makes it hard to imagine it having any sort of longevity.

Even with its faults, we’ve enjoyed much of our time with Assassin’s Creed Rogue. Exploring the wilds and icy seas is still fun for a while, and facing off against hidden assassins has its moments. Overall though, Rogue is left feeling stretched thin, held together by the threads connecting it to other games in the franchise.

The infrastructure stands and the game is fun, which is most important. But the additions can grate, and most of the minigames strike out, though multiplayer anything that requires people to make foolish gestures has some merit.

The impressively eerie environments provide a convincing backdrop to the tale, and a few good scares and unsettling revelations mean that Machine for Pigs can still grind at your mind.

Costume Quest is a bit shallow and repetitive, but if you're looking to get into the Halloween spirit with a bizarre sense of humor, it's not a bad pick for 15 dollars.

Escape Plan’s memorable puzzles are wrapped up in a unique presentation, but once you finish the 3 hour campaign there's not much of a reason to comeback.

The Bourne Conspiracy walks the line between pander and cater, giving an accessible roller coaster ride to anyone with rudimentary hand-eye coordination. It's a nice mix of gameplay styles that allows you to play it however you want, but all the niggling issues eventually pile up.

Halo’s track record has been impeccable up to this point, but its first outing on the PC comes off as little more than a ploy to get users to upgrade to Vista.

With its terrain-deforming mechanics and physics-based weaponry, Fracture features some creative gameplay ideas and can be a lot of fun, but unfortunately that creativity isn’t matched in the art direction, story, or enemy AI.

It’s not an ideal experience on any level: it’s too long as an arcade game, and too short as an RPG, but it’s sure to find a niche--especially by trumpeting the brand it’s built upon.

Lost Planet 2 has many missions, modes, and battles to experience, but it's not accessible without some effort. You'll definitely need to enlist a few allies in order to properly take advantage of the game's co-op-focused structure. It's a poor choice for anyone without the means to party up.

It's not the new Jak game most fans were waiting for, but as a surrogate portable platformer, it will do in a pinch. But you better like flying. And eco.

Sorcery embraces the Move's functionality to deliver something only possible with gesture-based controls, even if they're still not quite optimal. It's unfortunate that Sony couldn't muster a more complete package with extra content and incentives to come back after completing the single player mode.

It’s a classic “jack of all trades, master of none” scenario and it’s easy to think of other franchises that do every element of Saints Row IV better than it does. That isn’t to say the game won’t keep you entertained, but hopefully the next Saints outing is as refined as it is irreverent.

Infinite is all about the story, and for Disgaea diehards, this amounts to a huge helping of fan service.

Landit Bandit can wildly fluctuate between quirky fun and complete frustration, but if you don't mind a little turbulence, it's not a bad pick for $10.

If you're looking for combat, in-depth crafting options, or a true survival simulation, then Miasmata's limitations will likely be disappointments. Yet if you are the type of player who enjoys exploring, cartography, and the danger of being hunted by a creature you cannot defeat, then Miasmata will prove a to be a highly memorable experience that's equal parts exasperating and thrilling.

It's hard to deny the fundamental appeal of Nintendogs + Cats. These lovable virtual critters are a pleasure to play with. However, the package would've benefitted greatly from more options, especially ones that broadened the ways you interact with your pet.

It's hard to deny the fundamental appeal of Nintendogs + Cats. These lovable virtual critters are a pleasure to play with. However, the package would've benefited greatly from more options, especially ones that broadened the ways you interact with your pet.