Though it may appeal to fighting-game greenhorns learning the ropes, Phantom Breaker is far too simplistic and bare-bones to justify its $40 price. [Apr 2012, p.85]

It's an intriguing new piece of the puzzle, to be sure. But the two-hour Lost Archive quest doesn't go quite far enough in pushing forward the overall series storyline, making it less essential for those who care more about Assassin's' open-world adventuring than the lore behind it.

Overall, there's not a lot of depth to Country Dance, but it is a pleasant, non-demanding way to spend a few hours kicking up your cowboy-booted heels.

This DLC isn't quite the arm-jerking reflex test that Gunstringer's Real Big Shootin' DLC was - you have to be quick but careful in deciding whether to shoot targets - but both packs were built purely for diehard fans. If that's you, spend the $3.

Like the rest of Saints Row: The Third's DLC packs, Clones is only an hour, but it's a terrific romp through Steelport, showcasing the series' unique style and fun. Of the game's three add-ons so far, it's definitely our favorite.

By virtue of Season Two's weak core collection of mini-games, Basketball slots in as the second-best sport on-hand (after golf). And this DLC's 10 Basketball-themed Achievements are some of the easiest 250 Gamerscore you'll ever earn.

There's just no way this charmless slapdash mess is worth anywhere near its asking price, much less your hard-earned recreation time.

This game is all about silly fun. [Oct 2012, p.79]

To its credit, Home Run Stars swings for the fences at every opportunity and clears the wall as often as it completely whiffs. At the very least, it's a cheap, interesting experiment in trial and error.

In the rare instances that frantic limb-flailing does land your lasso around a calf's neck, the rewards are minimal and unsatisfying: success in the barely-there campaign only unlocks variations on the same boring events in new venues.

Think of Karaoke as a backup for a night at the pub with rowdy pals; serious singers won't find much satisfaction here.

An outrageously slight, unattractive, and ill-refined tribute to a franchise that deserves better.

But all the crayons and glitter in the world can't disguise the fact that this game is really just an animated examination booklet with a price tag.

All three modes are fast-paced and enjoyable, but don't expect them to add anything major to the game: aside from letting you gradually unlock weapons and characters that can also be earned in Mercenaries (including the new, faceless Agent and mysterious Carla Radames), they're a little shallow.

Want an excuse to keep climbing ledges and sailing the high seas? This downloadable Assassin's Creed III pack gives you exactly that, and little more.

It's as maddening and absurdly designed as it sounds, and even the simple local co-op play — which allows four reticles onscreen at once — isn't enough to make Heavy Fire appealing.

The new missions are the highlight here, especially the two "Lost Expedition" levels, which toss you into secret Japanese World War II facilities (one in the process of self-destructing) filled with retro sci-fi tech and abandoned except for hordes of pirates.

It feels truly unlike any other location on the map, allowing you the opportunity to speed through terminals and vault up to the rooftops of the flashy, modern structure — but that’s only the half of it.

Though you’ll hunt pigs, turkey, elk, and many other animals across the 30 core missions, Hunter’s Trophy 2 is absolutely exhausting in its monotony. Neither the pursuit nor the kill proves remotely interesting, and it makes for a terribly tedious time.

This expansion’s biggest problem: the woeful lack of people with whom to play. Days and even a couple of weeks after Lost Island’s release, finding even a single match often felt like an endurance trial, which is a shame — this add-on’s neither truly spectacular nor a fantastic value, but it is worth playing.

Quest for Cool Stuff is short and simple: an adequate diversion for tykes, but lacking particular creativity or excitement. In an era of great, affordable downloadable games, $40 for a routine, bite-sized licensed game seems like a stretch.

Finally, the Chronicles pack offers three short-ish missions, each centering on one of Last Light's supporting characters. [Jan 2014, p.70]

The Developer Pack, meanwhile, gives us a behind-the-scenes museum in which to try out every firearm and safely examine the game's monsters and human characters up close. [Jan 2014, p.70]

If you don't care so much for story and just want grindy, hard-as-nails combat, the Tower pack features a succession of difficult shootouts against waves of enemies in diverse areas, with a combat-simulator conceit that allows for deviations from realism. [Jan 2014, p.70]

With a semi-open layout that requires return visits to a base camp to resupply and save, it's unlike any other mission in Last Light, and more than worth the $5 all by itself. [Jan 2014, p.70]

Technical problems aside, The Raven’s three chapters are charming and sincere, with a knack for breezy puzzles, punchy dialog, and memorable characters.

The Raven might test your patience in more ways than one, but Zellner remains as endearing a protagonist as we’re likely to encounter.

Despite its literary ancestry, The Raven is uneven in its narrative delivery. Whether stuck on the Orient Express or relaxing on a Venetian cruise ship, The Raven’s cast of well-heeled socialites is deftly drawn, with sharp dialogue and expressive voice acting to match.