Dragon’s Crown is an extremely well-constructed blend of old-school action elements and role-playing depth. It looks great, the gameplay is rewarding for the hardcore and accessible to newcomers, the control is rock solid, and the amount of content is worthy of the $50 price tag in my eyes.

Exactly what it should be: a fun-filled romp down memory lane for the old-schoolers, and an entertaining glimpse into the past for the younger gaming class. Besides, one of the best new features is something we can all identify with- you can save.

There's a lot of fun to be had; the diversity of the gameplay is a bonus, the world is nicely designed, the bounties are almost always entertaining, and the control is competent. Nothing about this game is particularly amazing but nothing is especially bad, either.

With superior balancing and pacing, a unique sense of awe and wonder, and a traditional role-playing theme to boot, it’s hard to complain.

Despite a lot of good things, MLB 2K5 just isn’t the overall package that "MVP 2005" is.

For others who appreciate a little strategy to go with their shooting, Brothers in Arms delivers a rather intense war-playing experience that goes along with a fascinating story told from the perspective of the soldiers who lived it.

Clearly the most impressive and important aspect of this game is its multi-player mode.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is a game that sticks to its roots and expands upon a winning formula. It still can't quite put long-standing problems to rest (or sleep, whatever) but it presents fans with a cohesive, satisfying adventure and in truth, there are three of them.

It offers a splendid assortment of pinball tables, with a superb game engine that boasts great physics, runs at 60 frames per second, can render at 1080p, includes flawless recreations of the original tables, and boasts sound bits directly from the original pinball machines.

The game is frustrating, the rubberband A.I. does suck, and there are some unusually poor design choices, but with a large city, good customization, good visuals, terrific audio, and solid online gameplay, Midnight Club is still worth taking a look at.

There are some games that are best described with the simple “fun” adjective, and this is definitely one of them. The action is fast and satisfying, the control is solid, the 80s humor is usually spot-on (and makes some of us all sorts of nostalgic), and the combination of the gameplay and totally sweet retro atmosphere makes for the ultimate guilty pleasure.

MotorStorm 2: Pacific Rift delivers the sensation and fun of the original, but with far [fewer] problems. Evolution has crafted an even more outrageous experience that boasts all sorts of chaos, speed, huge jumps, amazing track design, solid replay value, great audio, gorgeous scenery, and absurdly fun online matches.

Good for what it is... a simple, arcade style racer that retains the core concepts of the original OutRun arcade game while incorporating many necessary gameplay and audio-visual enhancements.

Quotation forthcoming.

This is basically a cartoon-ier version of GTA with an emphasis on gratuitous violence and some sexual content. It’s the kind of game that will hook a certain audience but will eventually grow wearisome for another, and it really just depends on your own personal taste.

Overall, the bottom line is that even though this isn't exactly a next-generation game, it's still Tekken. In fact, it's the best iteration of Tekken, thus far.

The A.I. can be absolutely unfair, the sound is lackluster, and the car detail could've been much cleaner. But, the multiplayer is great fun, as is the gameplay, and there's a decent amount of variety as far as cars and tracks.

A great first effort, which is largely marred by a limitation of the PSP itself and not necessarily a fault of the game's design. If you can get over the controls and really get used to them, you'll find, what is essentially, a portable Gears of War.

The online sessions can make for some great fun, and supporting offline four player support is also a great move. A round of applause for Clap Hanz.

One of those games that just has to be experienced. Even if it's not your cup of tea, you'll probably be thankful that you tried it.

Another gem to add to your collection. The movie is just a throwaway piece of content that doesn’t do anyone any favors, and the updated PSP title can still feel old. That being said, the rest is pure Kingdom Hearts gold, and that’s precisely what the ardent fans desire.

Better than last year’s production; it features better cosmetic and aesthetic features, it often feels more streamlined and accessible, and the upgrades on the defensive side of the ball are huge. It’s finally fun to play on defense! Sadly, the game still gets bogged down by a balancing issue, as the defense is simply overpowered.

There’s nothing like it. I laughed, I screamed and I danced in the belly of the worm as I completed level after level. It was quite an experience, and perhaps others will feel the same triumph I felt when I finally reached my goals. This was one hell of a title, and I look forward to more Slime-san in the future.

Hellblade is a bold game in that it represents an issue that people have in a more positive and realistic way and more importantly confronts the stigma attached to mental illness. All this is all wrapped up in a tight, purposeful, and meaty package that should be experienced at least once.

The super solid gameplay and expansive variety is really what makes it so great, because such merits greatly increase longevity.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is a compelling, bloody story against its long-awaited feudal Japan backdrop. Its later story beats have some epic set pieces and equally great performances. Despite that, though, it’s still an Ubisoft slog to get through, and ultimately, its uneven pace might make the journey to get there worth it. It struggles to justify the balance between its two heroes — and while they play differently, they still feel the same, providing enough gameplay disparity to invest in either one truly. Yaksue’s inability to stealth and parkour means that most will use Noe for exploration, which completely breaks the immersion of the experience in gameplay and story. It’s still a Japan-inspired journey worth taking — even if Ghosts of Tsushima did it better.

A very good game and should be satisfying for fans of the series as well as people looking to satiate their need for online deathmatch action. Insomniac still needs to find the perfect balance for Ratchet, but there are sure signs that they're getting there.

There's no doubt you'll get plenty of bang for your buck with this one, but again, it has to be your cup of tea.