If you’re looking for a deep single-player experience with a lot of modes and cutting edge presentation, leave All-Pro Football 2K8 on the bench. But if you’re simply looking for straight-up solid football to play online or with friends, All-Pro Football 2K8 answers the call.

Uprising's hand-drawn sprites are stunning, and they blend with the 3D environments to good effect. The same can't be said of the audio, with effects that feel dull and flat only barely redeemed by a genre-appropriate metal soundtrack.

A charming and enjoyable package. The variety of levels and modes will keep you busy for hours, and the online play provides much in the way of chaotic fun.

It’s not a particularly attractive game and there are some gameplay quirks to work around, but it’s easy to forget the issues when you’re making a total mess of things, tossing objects from one side of the room to the other and letting gravity take its course.

On one hand, Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is a serviceable sequel that genuinely tries to stretch the limits of its design, but lackluster new features, poor follow-through, and gameplay that has yet to evolve past its prehistoric husk make it clear that the series has some serious thinking to do.

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.

Those hoping for an in-depth solo campaign should look elsewhere to satisfy their story-driven shooting, as what's included is short and largely forgettable. Yet, if you value large-scale battles, tactical combat, and team-oriented play, Fuel of War won't leave you running on empty.

While the game offers a lot depth and content, there just aren’t a whole lot of frills and the game definitely lacks mass appeal.

No game has come closer to destroying the line between pencil and pixel than Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm. But after the honeymoon’s over, the romance doesn’t last. The series is struggling for some new ideas, and this game isn’t going to be the one to provide them.

While the novelty eventually wears thin due to lack of variety, Not a Hero offers its share of moment-to-moment thrills. The simple tactical action is sure to please players in the mood for its quirky vibe and pulp setting.

While we might sound a bit harsh on GRID Autosport, it really is a solid racer with tight controls and competitive opponents. It is an improvement over over GRID 2 in some ways, but with so much repurposed content, it's more like a best-of collection than a completely new game.

There are some questionable gameplay choices and it can be confusing at times, but the sharp script, solid voice acting, and uncanny atmosphere show an appreciation for the source material like few movie games do.

Fenix Rage isn’t for everybody. Some fans of Super Meat Boy, Flappy Bird and other challenging platformers may want to test their mettle in a new arena, but conquering its trials results in a hollow sense of victory.

Quake 4 is everything that fans loved about Quake 2 and 3 in one package, providing an engaging single-player story and chaotic high-flying multiplayer.

Dirt Showdown is certainly a different type of racer, trading bumpy wheel-to-the-road driving mechanics for the dents, scrapes, and screams of vehicular mayhem. In some ways, it feels more like an expansion pack than an all-new game, but if you don't take this departure too seriously, it makes for some great summer parties online.

Shank sure sizzles, but it isn't much more than a flash in the pan.

Though Kingdom Hearts fans might be put off by some of the ways that 358/2 Days alters the structure, the underlying game is faithful to its legacy and jam-packed with content. Once the experience moves past its plodding early paces, it's great fun.

The Vita crossover feature allows for almost seamless alternations between portable and console gameplay; in fact, the lush visuals of Thieves in Times tend to fare better on the Vita. Yet the most satisfying achievement of Thieves in Time is that this isn’t a mere nostalgia trip like 2010’s Sly Collection; with Thieves in Time, Sanzaru has proven that there’s never been a better time to join forces with Sly and his merry band.

Chocobo Tales couples a mini-game challenge with clever writing and simple card battling to create a game that is borderline brilliant. But no amount of Final Fantasy allusions, sharp graphics, or WiFi support can mask the fact that stylus and mic mini-games are starting to grow long in the tooth.

Many games aspire toward aesthetic sophistication, but only a precious few manage to emerge as great game in the process. El Shaddai achieves this, and it leaves you smitten and awestruck. It's both simple to grasp and rich enough to keep you coming back for more. Those seeking something refreshingly different will be well rewarded by this rare and original experience.

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.

"In Sheep's Clothing" nails it where it counts. Not since episode one have we felt so fascinated with The Wolf Among Us.

Lacking some of the magic that made Beatles Rock Band great, Green Day Rock Band by comparison feels like a pedestrian effort.

Ducktales Remastered is clearly made with care and considerable skill, but it might actually have a little too much in love for its source material. It looks and sounds great, but the huge effort spent to tell a story in the same voice as the TV show gives it the unbalanced feel of a fan project.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane doesn't make a huge splash, but riding the waves and boosting for shortcuts make for some good, cheap summer thrills.

As if card games weren’t enough of a niche market, a video game like The Eye of Judgment complicates matters by seeping into an even deeper crack within that crevice. But for what it’s worth, the game is a steal--especially if there’ll be more use to come of the packaged camera in the future.

Lego Star Wars III has some interesting, innovative concepts that sound great on paper, but they ultimately fall apart the moment the game gives you control. What you end up with is one of dullest entries in the entire series.

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.