What hurts the game the most is how short the game is. Levels tend to be 2 to 5 minutes of playtime with a total of 19 levels. Doing the math, you can see how the game won't last very long. A good player will likely beat the game on normal difficulty in three to four hours.

The game does have a multiplayer mode, but no one on the Internet is playing it. When you refresh the server list, you get nothing.

If you are a die-hard College Hoops fan, then you will find NCAA March Madness 07 fun enough to forgive its flaws and less than aggressive A.I.

The novelty of the thing wears off kind of quickly. And once it does, there’s not much to do but wait for the flash-forwards to reveal the game’s ending. It’s a shame, because The Longest Five Minutes starts off so well — but, at the same time, it makes the title oddly ironic, since the five or so minutes in which the game seems genuinely interesting and fresh are over far, far too quickly.

It’s more of a half-assed sequel to an excellent game that only fans desperately in need of more Dave Mirra need to check out.

For a $10 game, Magical Beat is a safe bet for anyone who thinks they'd like a little twist on the straightforward match-three standard.

Given a little (okay, a lot) more polish, I could see Rad Rodgers evolving into something vaguely interesting to a certain type of person, but right now, it kind of sucks.

If you just want something to jump in and out of without any commitment required, Urban Trial Playground will more or less do the trick. If you want anything more than that, you’ll probably have to wait until Trials Rising in February, but until then, this will act as an okay stopgap.

Like I said, there are all kinds of really terrible games lingering around the outskirts of the eShop, trying to sucker you in with low prices before they instantly reveal their awfulness. Toree 3D may look like it belongs with those other bottom feeders, but if you give it a chance, you’ll probably be surprised and kind of impressed by what you find.

It's a smaller piece in a much, much larger puzzle, and if you don't go into it fully aware of that broader context, it's not going to make a whole lot of sense.

This one is definitely more geared towards the hardcore RE fan than those that are new to the series with 4 or 5, so keep in mind that if you haven't played through the original trilogy of games, you're going to be in for a bit of shock with this one.

And for 800 points or $10, I don't even think it's worth picking up to finish a level and get the weapon unlockable for Space Marine either.

Online play might have taken NBA Jam off the "rent for nostalgia" list and put it on the "must-have" list. As is, there are better basketball alternatives - several of them.

A great simulation racer that does almost everything well. The Racing Life mode is too short and the rally racing can be unforgiving. But the pressure sensitive gameplay, realistic AI, and event challenges round out a great race package that’s tough to pass.

The problem with State of Emergency is that it doesn't advance in any way. The things you're doing in the beginning are the same things you'll be doing at the end.

It may not seem worth the long wait, but in the end, Shenmue III does more right than wrong and it belongs in your game collection.

Casual gamers will cling to the ease of pick up and play, and hardcore gamers will love the customization options. There is enough to please everyone, but don't expect to be wowed by anything new or revolutionary.

The story is interesting and the mood – from music to visuals and cut scenes – is consistent and well executed. If you're an RE veteran who's ready to move on, it'll feel like you're playing an old game with a new skin.

If it had been given the proper treatment, budget, and amount of time, Kane & Lynch would have easily been an A-/90% game. As it was released, it feels like a preview build that somehow hit retail shelves.

The game is very linear and hopefully one day the EA team will expand this title with a bit more freedom.

Essentially, then, what you're left with is a grind-heavy game with forgettable characters and even worse writing.

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair may not quench the thirst of all vampire hunters out there, though it does provide hope for what could lead to a solid, traditional 2D adventure.

I found myself enjoying Dynasty Warriors NEXT, and it managed to get its hooks in me more than part 7 did on home consoles. In the DW series it still doesn't command my interest in the way Gundam 3 did, but it's definitely the best portable DW game I've come across. It won't be the game to draw in non-Dynasty Warriors fans, but if you're riding the fence on picking this up, I don't think it's a bad way to drop $40.

I would suggest checking out Dissidia Final Fantasy NT if you’ve played the other Dissidia titles, but I’d temper your expectations when it comes to content. You’ll blow through the story mode quickly enough, and then you’ll just be left with a pretty sub-standard online experience that is definitely in need of some work. The stripped out RPG elements from the previous Dissidia titles really do this entry a disservice, and I think hewing too closely to NT’s arcade roots was a bad call. Still, I can’t help but feel there’s something worth playing here, even if it’s not the best Dissidia game to date.

It's definitely enjoyable, just not as polished as a AAA title might be.

There's no reason to knock a formula that works, but keeping too close to the formula through five editions is only going to satisfy those who have a truly insatiable thirst for more of the same.

State of Mind is smart enough to borrow heavily from all kinds of other, better media, but nowhere near good enough to come close to putting a fresh spin on those ideas. You’d be better served taking the dozen hours this game expects of you, and putting them into some combination of Blade Runner, Heart of Darkness, The Matrix, and Deus Ex.

The plot remains as bland as that of its predecessor, and the characters are equally forgettable.