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

The individual elements of the game initially seem passable, but in sum they make up a regressive, repetitive game that only functions as a way to kill your spare minutes through raw attrition. There's nothing epic to see here.

You might get the impression that Remedy is stringing you along what feels like a never-ending nightmare, but in this case, it's a trip worth taking.

If judged solely on its failure to resolve its story, Wings of Liberty could have been a disappointment. But with a production so carefully thought out, masterfully designed, and flawlessly executed, it's impossible to come away from the game with a negative impression. Starcraft II is the sequel that we've been waiting for.

The intricate combat mechanics and exciting battle system can't make up for the poor production values, not to mention the sheer amount of repetitive grinding the game demands.

The experience becomes a monotonous grind before you get anywhere near the level 10 cap for free players, so put some time in before you slap down 20 bucks.

This is an inverted Faustian bargain--will you pay the high price to play the small slice of heaven that lingers in Limbo?

DeathSpank maintains a tongue-in-cheek quality throughout that mocks hackneyed game conventions even as it celebrates them. If you've played several RPGs before, you'll definitely be in on the jokes, but the never-ending fetch-quest gag isn't quite as funny when you actually have to do the legwork.

While in some ways little brother has finally come of age, it still has nagging immaturity issues at times. While there are no new modes, the tweaks to the existing ones are all for the better, and the new running controls are so precise and lifelike that we hope big brother Madden takes the hint.

DarkStar One: Broken Alliance is big, complex, and just messy enough to make it hard to recommend without some reservation. If you've been hard up for a space combat sim, this is a lot of game for $50. If you're short on patience, though, you may want to sit this trip out.

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.

The core of Dragon Quest IX isn't a drastic departure from past games, but the focus on social play has led to a wealth of new features, expanding the game with countless side quests, customization, and character depth. It's a worthy successor for the franchise.

Blacklight: Tango Down offers an impressive amount of content for a $15 release, especially when you consider it's the going rate for a mere map pack in Modern Warfare 2.

It's hard to argue with Crackdown 2's draw. After a multi-hour session consisting of little more than hunting down agility orbs and engaging in unstructured havoc, you'll still find it hard to peel yourself away.

Tournament of Legends is definitely a different type of fighter with a unique mythological spin, but different isn't better in this case. This paltry package is best left to fade into the mists of time.

Puzzle Quest 2 is a worthy sequel in every measure. It improves the look and feel of the original, successfully builds on its mechanics, and still feels different enough to provide a sense of novelty and newness.

APB's good points can't be ignored. It's got the best spread of customization features this side of City of Heroes, and the idea of a player-driven combat environment is certainly appealing. But the multitude of design and technical issues hamper the fundamental gameplay and make it hard to enjoy without some serious compromise.

Enemies are practically defenseless in the face of your super-powers, and the puzzles never advance beyond the basics.

Ninety-Nine Nights II is one of the most difficult games available, but the real challenge is putting up with this mess. Boring missions coupled with tedious combat isn't a recipe for fun. Stay away unless you're a glutton for punishment.

For a series that frequently touches on such dark themes, Harry Potter is surprisingly amenable to the Lego treatment, even at its grimmest moments.

However well it might model the experience of killing with deadly precision, Sniper: Ghost Warrior suffers from a barrage of technical and design mishaps that make it hard to recommend wholeheartedly. If you've been hard up for a shooter with precisely this sort of narrow focus, it's worth a look, especially given the budget price, so long as you temper your expectations.

It's the ultimate rental ride that might just bewitch you into purchasing it.

Gruesome teddy bear murders can be good for a laugh if you can appreciate horrific violence as retribution for intolerable cuteness--and deep down you know you can--but like the giddy announcer making up silly names for your kills, the extremely repetitive gameplay quickly loses its charm.

War for Cyberton is a good shooter that'll hold your attention for dozens of hours with its multiplayer thrills, and the campaign is well worth the trek.

Puzzle Quest 2 is a worthy sequel in every measure. It improves the look and feel of the original, successfully builds on its mechanics, and still feels different enough to provide a sense of novelty and newness.

It's all clearly aimed at kids, but if you let yourself, you'll find it easy to get sucked right in alongside the young'uns. Toy Story 3 is full of non-corrupting sandbox play that's genuinely addicting. As for as movie games go, you can do much worse.

Like Stolen Memories, though, Overlord is a short-lived experience with plenty of familiar elements. Two-or-so hours of gameplay is a little slim for the price, though the quality of the content ultimately speaks for itself.

While we miss the crazy bad guys and refined controls, Peace Walker definitely lives up to the Metal Gear name. Base management adds a deeper sense of growth to the experience and there's plenty to come back to after you finish the story.