Closure's grip of levels aren't so devious that you won't exhaust them in a few play sessions, but there are more than enough secrets for those willing to repeatedly wade into the shadows. Puzzle aficionados who like their "eureka" moments mixed with a splash of action will devour this shadowy gem.

A top-shelf effort that spiffs up the series with touched up visuals and plenty of extras. Having all three games together in a collection like this is a golden opportunity for veterans to get reacquainted with Dante. And if you've somehow missed out on Devil May Cry, then this is your chance to finally experience a trilogy that played a large part in paving a new road for action games.

A disappointment. Not for the specific titles included, mind you, but rather for the sloppy handling and questionable changes associated with the conversions. The inconsistent presentation, compromises to the original developer's vision, and lack of any interesting bonus features make this compilation's $40 price even more unnerving than its games.

While the presentation could still use work, the tweaks to the play mechanics add a welcome layer of depth in how you approach and execute shots. More importantly, it strikes the right balance between easy to learn and hard to master that's been conspicuously absent from earlier entries in the long-running series.

There's been a lot of talk lately about how Japanese RPGs are fading into irrelevancy with their increasingly linear designs, but Xenoblade delivers a world where you're free to explore at your own pace that frequently entices you to indulge in its many extracurricular activities. This is easily one of the best games on the Wii.

A rare shoot 'em up that successfully draws in the entire spectrum of players, and it's hard to get too frustrated with the frequent deaths you'll suffer in arcade mode when it's all wrapped breathtaking in a presentation that swings effortlessly from 2D to 3D perspectives. Above all, it's simply fun.

A step in the wrong direction for the series. Tension and atmosphere take a back seat to cheap, impotent scares and tedious combat encounters.

If you want substantially new play options and features, then MLB 12 may come as a disappointment, particularly if you aren't interested in playing the game online. Yet if you place a higher value on the quality of the on-field action, then MLB 12's attention to detail will enthrall and entertain.

Stumbles a bit due to its uncompromising control scheme that puts just a few too many hurdles in the way of your enjoyment. Largely, though, Pit's comeback is a successful one.

Small actions like switching menus can cause disproportionately long load times, and the game suffers frequent mission-killing bugs. Moody music, mixing in piano with synth, while the voice actors do their best with the script, trying their best to self-distinguish.

Like clockwork, Ridge Racer is sliding in for the launch of a new PlayStation. Rather than delivering a fast-paced payload, this Vita racer is here just to take your money and run.

There's fun here, but it comes with some unavoidable roughness. It's tough to get excited about a zombie game that's only decent, but whether it's Yakuza's special history or inimitable blend of drama and absurdity, there's something here that might be worth biting into.

In spite of its novel class-based combat and varied multiplayer, Operation Raccoon City can't shake its one-note campaign and fundamental mechanical problems.

As it stands, these blades still need a lot more sharpening.

As the first game in the series since Itagaki's departure, it's kinder, gentler, lighter, and a little less interesting.

Too bad the game doesn't offer much variety outside of its weirdo flea market.

Major League Baseball 2K12 could desperately use a new engine and some more polish to smooth out the rough edges, as the batter-pitcher interface, commentary, and MLB Today mode are all solid. There are simply not enough changes or fixes to make it worth paying full price this year, though. It seems that each time this series appears to be heading towards home, it trips on third base and stumbles to the ground.

There's no mistaking that Tales of Graces was originally released on the Wii, and it seems that little effort was made to bring it up to PS3 standards.

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.

A successful reboot that captures the spirit of street soccer with realistic tricks requiring some skill and strategy to pull off. While it comes up a bit short in breadth when compared to other sports franchises, and the gameplay could use some fine tuning, the World Tour mode and addicting fundamentals make this Street a welcome detour from more stodgy sports games.

Dungeon Hunter does offer a few moments of fun, but they're eclipsed by painful repetition and clumsy design.

The gameplay is sound at its core, but suspect AI, plodding boss fights, and a heavy-handed plot all stand out as flaws that should have been eliminated before mass production. As is, this interesting prototype could be worth examining--just don't expect it to attain peak performance.

Like its scant narrative backbone and starkly drawn world, I Am Alive is just evocative enough to keep you playing for the five or so hours it lasts. You'll come away with the feeling that what good ideas it has are mere specters of a more ambitious past. That said, few games are willing to go to so dark a place as Haventon.

The context-sensitive commentary by Pat Cash and John McEnroe has a casual, often comedic tone that starts off strong but quickly grows monotonous to the point of frustration.

Improves many of the series' individual elements, and provides finality to a saga in which numbers of us have invested dozens of hours. But despite this success, it's unable to reward the effort and investment of players in the same way previous games did. Still, it handles its subject matter in a way that invites you to care, and the addition of multiplayer does add another dimension to the game. When all has been said and done, there's a very good chance that you'll feel something.

Aside from the original PS2 release, this is easily the worst iteration of Snake Eater. The lack of extras, the frustrating controls, and the overall performance issues hold it back from being one of the premier third-party games for the 3DS. Don't be hypnotized by this snake's gaze--this is far from the optimal way to experience this classic.

It has little to offer fighting game fans bridled with brand fatigue and even less to Tekken players still wary of polarizing mechanics and the tricky jump to 2D. But in terms of keeping pace with innovation and bringing something new to the table, Street Fighter x Tekken duly makes the effort worth the while.

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.