You can fault this game for a number of things, as I’ve done here, but you can’t criticize because you haven’t the inclination to appreciate the product for what it is.

The online is decent if you can stomach the gameplay enough to get into it; and the mini-games do offer some fun diversions. But “The Life” is undercut by poor fundamentals and the restrictive nature of the animations and controls.

Sadly, we have to say that both previous Atelier Iris titles were better than this one, although Grand Phantasm does maintain that excellent sense of humor.

It just didn’t quite hit the necessary benchmarks for execution and the ultimate realization of the main concept.

Thanks to Koei making some key enhancements, the controls have now been fixed up considerably, erasing much of the game's previous faults.

I'm just not a fan of the new swing mechanic or the jumping, just because it seems to put a serious damper on the pacing and flow of the gameplay.

One of the better games geared toward the younger audience. It's easy to get a hang of the controls even though the tilt seems useless, and the open world - while depressingly very empty - still lets you drive just about anywhere you wish, letting you participate in any event at any time.

The only big problem is that our sense of accomplishment is greatly diminished due to a lack of a challenge. It's really just too easy, even for the younger crowd.

Worth your $29.99? If you like the games on the "best" list above, sure. Otherwise, no.

If this open-ended style works for you, than you ought to have plenty of fun, especially if you can’t make it out to the slopes yourself. The controls aren’t always spot-on, the technicals are merely average, sometimes it can be tough to gather enough speed (not sure what that’s about), and locating those tokens can get immensely annoying.

There just isn’t enough top-quality goodness here to warrant a $60 purchase because really, one feels as if the developers were restricted. In short, they were too in love with the multiplayer idea.

Trailblazers definitely needs some fine tuning, and more importantly needs the ability to create and host private online matches with friends (you are currently limited to local splitscreen or single player online), but for the budget price this is mostly a winner.

There is no "The Life" or any career-mode variant present in the game, the NBA Replay mode is a novelty that wears thin, and the mini-games leave a lot to be desired.

This is the poorest Medal of Honor yet, and we truly hope we can expect a vastly superior experience from the upcoming "Airborne."

For $30 it's not a bank breaker, and is an acceptable cost, but don't expect anymore than 4-6 hours worth out of the game. Hopefully a sequel offers more bang for the buck.

Bubsy: Paws on Fire! is a game that you may actually find enjoyment out of. Behind its childlike design and mobile-friendly layout is a genuinely challenging platformer. Gameplay may feel stale in a mere hour or two and the death screens may grate your ears every now and then, but it at least provides a challenge and fairly solid gameplay. Am I saying I enjoyed this game? Not really, but I certainly enjoyed it more than I expected I would from such an infamous franchise. It also proved, to me, that the developers are really trying to bring Bubsy back and improve upon him.

It is certainly an improvement over the original game, but it's still not at the quality it should be this far into the generation. It lacks innovation and diversity, with an end result that is a boring and highly derivative experience.

If you’re over 30 years old and grew up playing pinball, then Pinball Hall of Fame, at its current $10 price is certainly worth picking up. Unfortunately, the gameplay is limited due to the poor ball physics, lack of analog flippers, and questionable table selection.

It’s okay, but that’s where my praise ends.

It’s sensitive enough to annoy the uninitiated and the diverse objectives are challenging enough to force you to play one area many, many times.

The control is iffy, the story seems to hinder more than help, too much of the gameplay seems written in stone, and the adventure just feels forced. However, there is plenty to do out there, and if you get sucked into the noble endeavor of restoring the Ruins, you may find yourself playing for quite a long time.

It isn't about super tight controls, an engrossing storyline, or intensely challenging puzzles that will tax you to the limits. It's about huddling beneath a warm, velvety quilt that imparts a very comforting feeling.

The frame rate isn’t great all the time but it’s mostly functional and the comically dark atmosphere seems to be more attractive. Perhaps it just feels less drab and dreary. At any rate, it’s worth trying if you’ve always loved Bomberman.

Heroes Over Europe is a capable flight production that is high on fun factor but a little low on flash and lasting appeal.

This simply isn't what I'd call a polished game; it is below what the average racing game should be. It's largely ruined by its impairing visuals, as they prevent you from accurately judging distances, thus ruining your ability to take a proper turn. It offers the rudimentary gameplay content, and doesn't have any online gameplay to speak of.

It would be a better buy at half the price but at $9.99, it’s worth it if you’re a Texas Hold ‘Em fan.

The sound effects for the cars are fine, and you can actually hear the effect that the different exhaust and exhaust upgrades have on each car. Whine about Electronic Arts all you want--at least they have the resources to put good soundtracks in their games.

Offers a friendly mixture of hands-on fighting and strategy. Certainly the game's portable nature and multiple story paths ensure ample bang for your buck. The game's graphical problems are bad enough, however, that you really ought to rent before you buy.