This shooter's mindless, gun-centric amusement is delicious junk food for our itchy trigger fingers. [July 2012, p.85]

While a departure for the franchise, Soldier delivers some of the most fun we've had in cloaked camouflage. [July 2012, p.84]

However, drastic spikes in the difficulty still pop-up at bizarre intervals, and being asked to shell out 99 cents to skip the random ultra brutal stages each time they appear feels like an insult. Pay to not play? No thanks. [July 2012, p.85]

It's a good start in the right direction, but anyone with a copy of Dirt 3 already on their shelves will probably be content with a rental. [July 2012, p.82]

The first leg of what promises to be an emotionally jarring five-part journey delivers a very different and refreshing take on zombie apocalypse survival. [July 2012, p.83]

Even without the Vita-specific additions, however, this is an easy recommendation as the game retains everything that made the franchise reboot an accessible alternative. [July 2012, p.83]

A bit of refinement and this could have been something special. [July 2012, p.80]

Sonic games have always worked best at top speed. Unfortunately, for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, commitment to that joyous speed is severely lacking. [July, p.79]

Though a create-and-share track builder does add to the fun, this is essentially just an enjoyable change of direction for the series. [July 2012, p.79]

While we were occasionally frustrated by trial-and-error tedium and forced micromanagement of multiple items, these annoyances were easily overshadowed by Closure's highly unique mechanics and presentation. [July 2012, p.78]

It's not the longest or hardest RPG, but it's heartfelt worldview makes it worth our time. [July 2012, p.79]

What makes this really disappointing, though, is that some aspects actually work well. But without good combat, it's all just academic. [July 2012, p.78]

While Prototype 2's story has its faults, the game is nevertheless jam-packed with fun things to do. [July 2012, p.76]

The third-person gunplay feels clunky when not behind the crosshairs and the deliberate pacing is an acquired taste, but the sharpshooting-focus, campaign co-op, and fresh take on WWII make V2 a welcome alternative to all those Call of Duty clones. [July 2012, p.77]

We keep returning to Starhawk's RTS-flavored feature because it's truly what elevates the game above familiar third-person shooter fare. [July 2012, p.74]

A beautifully told, smartly paced, and relentlessly addictive shooter. [July 2012, p.70]

All this offers is twin-stick controls and slightly crisper visuals. [June 2012, p.83]

This is easily the weakest link in the LEGO chain. [June 2012, p.83]

With a flashy but limited move list, it's nothing more than a basic arcade scrapper. [June 2012, p.83]

It demands a level of precision that is tough to pull off with the cumbersome control scheme, making it hard to muster the effort. [June 2012, p.82]

Though there is some environmental repetition, Awesomenauts is fun, addictive chaos at a decent price. [June 2012, p.82]

Ultimately, the zombie sections are to be stomached while we wait for beter bits to load. [June 2012, p.80]

Ultimately, Deadly Warrior may not be deadly dull, but it's not terribly exciting either. [June 2012, p.81]

Woeful voice acting and poorly paced repetitive missions chuck a pigeon right in Birds of Steel's propeller though. [June 2012, p.81]

Consider a Skullgirls purchase as an investment to preserve the 2D fighting game genre. [June 2012, p.79]

The problem here is the convoluted content and pricing structure: 30 bucks delivers a measly three tracks and five cars. [June 2012, p.79]

Though is succeeds in streamlining and simplifying the basic mechanics, it fails in most every other area. [June 2012, p.79]

This portable rookie has some flaws, but there's all-star potential come next season. [June 2012, p.78]

I Am Alive is a near-perfect, gritty struggle to survive. [June 2012, p.78]

Disgaea's people know who they are, and they can rest assured that Absence of Detention is what they want. [June 2012, p.76]

If ever a game was more about the journey than the destination, it's Mass Effect 3. And what a journey it is. [May 2012, p.71]

Yoshinori Ono and the team at Capcom have done the impossible, crushing 3D fighters onto a 2D plane and making it feel coherent and surprisingly gratifying. [May 2012, p.74]

It may not be the flashiest Vita title, but Hustle Kings is a perfect fix for armchair billiards enthusiasts. [May 2012, p.77]

Army Corps is Pikmin in hell. [May 2012, p.77]

Players in it for the Trophies may find the price worth it, but most will be satisfied with the version they probably already own. [May 2012, p.77]

Much about 13 feels familiar, but considering the quality of this portable package, that's not a bad thing. [May 2012, p.77]

Thought not a terrible tribute to the series, Downpour seems to tone down everything we loved about the earlier games, leaving only an average shell. [May 2012, p.78]

Ninja Gaiden 3 isn't just a great hack-'n'-slash action game, it's a great Ninja Gaiden game. [May 2012, p.78]

It's a shame the idiotic A.I. and hit-and-miss recognition spoil it, turning this into a merely "solid" shooter. [May 2012, p.79]

Yet for a mere $8, we highly recommend this all-you-can-eat buffet of awesome. [May 2012, p.81]

As a twin-stick shooter, it's inferior to the tighter, more ingenious Geometry Wars, but boosting clean through a massive iceberg is ace. [May 2012, p.81]

Gotham City Impostors is a solid multiplayer shooter trussed up in a big, rubbery premise: one team dresses as Batman, the other as the Joker. [May 2012, p.81]

Despite the mechas' new,smaller stature(roughly two-thirds the size of those in previous titles), battles felt sluggish. [May 2012, p.81]

Those who can overlook the aging process, though, will discover the best versions of two of the genre's greatest games. [May 2012, p.80]

With so much content at our fingertips, we suspect we'll be making devils cry again for a very long time. [May 2012, p.80]

It's a functional squad shooter, but it's one that's probably best suited for series diehards. [May 2012, p.82]

Really, though, The Show is all about the modes. Road to the Show in particular is much less of a grind now. [May 2012, p.84]

PGA Tour 13 is most certainly a complete golf sim package, but the additions merely refine rather than shine. [May 2012, p.84]

Still, for a budget title, Time did manage to keep our attention longer than we anticipated. [May 2012, p.85]

Escape Plan could've been a classic. [May 2012, p.85]

A game of precision and timing that demands a perfect port. Here, it gets one. Fighting fans will be pleased. [Apr 2012, p.61]

An impressive port that will satisfy seasoned fighters. [Apr 2012, p.61]

Wants so desperately to be Burnout: Revenge. Unfortunately, the game feels more like a cheap knockoff than a compelling successor. [Apr 2012, p.60]

Fans of the series know what they're in for, but everyone else can rest their fingers for deeper games. [Apr 2012, p.60]

It's just unremarkable. [Apr 2012, p.60]

It's hard to fault VT4's easy-entry arcade feel and rewarding career mode. [Apr 2012, p.60]

Alliance is plagued by some rather lengthy load times, which can put the kibosh on short commute playtime. [Apr 2012, p.59]

Looks stunning, losing none of the visual splendor infused in its PS3 counterpart. [Apr 2012, p.59]

It's by-the-book Lumines, and it's amazing. [Apr 2012, p.59]

It's intuitive, and we loved the precision it allows on tight through passes. [Apr 2012, p.59]

Truly great games, it seems, never grow old. [Apr 2012, p.58]

Eccentric and bursting with charm. [Apr 2012, p.58]

Avoid the new controls and this is as addictive a racer as you'll find on a handheld. [Apr 2012, p.57]

Sadly, ModNation's creative side trumps the racing. [Apr 2012, p.57]

Steering and handling is a tiny bit sluggish, but we'll take that over twitchy any day. [Apr 2012, p.56]

Falls short of its price point - the only difference between this and the $5 app version is the playlist. [Apr 2012, p.56]

Dimwitted enemies and bland looks also make for a subpar experience. [Apr 2012, p.56]

Where's the rear touchscreen functionality to control shot power? Where's the touchscreen aiming? [Apr 2012, p.56]

A very impressive achievement. [Apr 2012, p.54]

At times, it felt phoned-in, unoriginal, and fairly buggy, though the visuals and multi-path levels shine. [Apr 2012, p.87]

This lack of mercy had us cursing the game, but it also made every completed puzzle a truly satisfying victory. [Apr 2012, p.87]

While it's far from an essential download, this beat-'em-up offers old-school fun to the hands of Simpsons fans. [Apr 2012, p.87]

It possesses an undeniable charm that its intended audience will embrace. Who exactly that audience is...well, we're still trying to figure that out. [Apr 2012, p.86]

Manipulating the analog sticks will take some serious practice, but once mastered, skinning the last defender, faking out the keeper, then heading the ball into the goal is wonderfully satisfying. [Apr 2012, p.85]

While 2K12 plays a solid game and displays improvements over the past version, it doesn't add enough to achieve its lofty aspirations. [Apr 2012, p.85]

Thanks to the flawed fundamentals, all the great mechanics in the world can't save Syndicate. [Apr 2012, p.84]

The expanded universe and story options don't stop this from feeling like the same Naruto game we've seen so many times - though the game is not without its unique quirks. [Apr 2012, p.83]

The campaign feels awkward and unfamiliar and the multiplayer doesn't allow for direct head-to-head competition (oh well), but the game still manages to fuel our competitive juices. [Apr 2012, p.82]

Optional challenge rooms aren't as engaging as the critical path, but their inclusion doesn't sully the sinister fun. [Apr 2012, p.81]

While it's still a solid sequel, Shank 2 may have benefited from a less-is-more approach. [Apr 2012, p.81]

Hopefully sequels will enhance the career mode. [Apr 2012, p.80]

Journey's short length and limited replayability make it difficult to wholeheartedly recommend. It is, however, a tour de force of brilliant visuals and music, as well as a joy to play through and explore. It's absolutely worth experiencing at least once. [Apr 2012, p.78]

If you're into the cartoon 12-year-olds, adjust the score up a few points. Otherwise, avert your eyes and move along. [Apr 2012, p.77]

The cast is another pack of pastel-colored munchkins from anime central casting. [Apr 2012, p.77]

The sequel bests the original in just about every way while maintaining the same story-focus that helped the first game rise above the average shooter. [Apr 2012, p.76]

The sum effect of all of Metal's play options, depth and unrelenting challenge is a game brimming with replay value - a seemingly endangered species these days. [Apr 2012, p.72]

Change can be a scary thing, but the developer's gamble paid off: SCV is the most fun we've had with the series in years. [Mar 2012, p.78]

Unfortunately, it doesn't get the basics right. [Mar 2012, p.80]

Still, Trine 2 is easily PSN's prettiest game and is definitely worth the price of admission. [Mar 2012, p.80]

Jak and Daxter Collection feels more like a lightly upgraded historical document than a lovingly tweaked attempt to make these aging classics shine for a modern audience. [Mar 2012, p.81]

Still, the experience as a whole suffers only slightly, and we're left with an endlessly engaging arcade title any gamer can enjoy. [Mar 2012, p.81]

Wacky additions like a zombie invasion mission add further punch to the reboot. [Mar 2012, p.85]

GST2 doesn't yet match up to its main tennis rival, but it still has game. [Mar 2012, p.85]

For 2D fighter fans, EXTEND is $40 well spent. [Mar 2012, p.85]

NeverDead does show some promise. Still, these bright spots aren't nearly enough to elevate NeverDead above its frustrating combat and flawed concept. [Mar 2012, p.84]

Reckoning may not set new RPG standards by any means, but it's an earnest attempt at encapsulating everything we love about the genre as a whole. [Mar 2012, p.82]

Younger kids will likely be enthralled by the game as well, but some of the unique control interactions (motion, sound, etc.) will require parental intervention. [Feb 2012, p.87]

Delivered exactly the fun, casual experience we expected. [Feb 2012, p.87]