The RPG elements and advanced combo system immerse players into the game - letting them make Death into their own unique killing machine. Improved NPC interactions and side quests make this larger world feel not so bland and desolate. Darksiders II outshines its predecessor in almost every aspect.

Sleeping dogs is a fantastic game that you need to play.

The game's fleeting moments of atmosphere are occasionally striking, and will be what Deadlight is most remembered for. It's just a shame that there just isn't enough brains to truly sink your teeth into.

Wreckateer gets a lot of things right. The gameplay is accurate, responsive, and fun. It challenges advanced players that want to get gold while maintaining the fun factor for a younger audience. A little more variety with the structures could've taken the repetitiveness out of destroying familiar variations of the same castle. Wreckateer is a diamond in the rough.

THPS HD is certainly good enough, but it's at least a half rotation away from being worthy of the record books.

If you want to mix your beat 'em up with the joy of seeing numbers pop up, play something like Final Fight, Castle Crashers or Guardian Heroes and punch a calculator. It'll be roughly the same experience and will probably hurt less.

Spelunky is probably not for everyone. For all my attempts to romanticize the game's difficulty, it still demands patience from its players, and that might be too much for some. Those that stick it out though, or have an affinity for similar punishing trials like Dark Souls or Super Meat Boy, will find a game that rewards the time you spend with it with nearly infinite amounts of replayability. It all adds up to make Spelunky the best port of a mining related indie PC game to hit the Xbox.

In a nut shell, it has a few "neat" things but in the long run they aren't worth the $60 price tag. I recommend waiting for a price reduction or saving your hard earned money for the next "Call of Duty".

Beenox has set a standard for Spider-Man games. Even though it has a few quirks, The Amazing Spider-Man is one of the best renditions of the superhero yet.

The presentation is top-notch, the game feels like you want it to never end while you're playing it, and the multiplayer gives it longevity that will stick around for a good while.

The high bar of visuals is followed by a good score, and descent acting, some of the spell and combat audio has a edge to it that sounds lower quality then the rest of the audio landscape.

Other franchises do an admirable job of capturing the spirit of fighting, the spirited back-and-forths of a good brawl. But with Virtua Fighter, you get the very essence of fighting, the true artistry in martial arts. And it's a total knock out.

Lollipop Chainsaw absolutely nails certain aspects of its B-movie influenced aesthetic, not to mention how genuinely surreal and surprisingly inspiring it is to see a major Western publisher like Warner Bros. get behind something so unapologetically bizarre. Lollipop Chainsaw at times is a lot of fun - it's just a shame it's almost as disposable as its titular confection.

Some of the pay-offs for using a single Shepard from the first game through to the end of the third game seem thin. Not bad, just thin. Seemingly huge choices from the first two games amount to less then a full minute of screen time and an email sometime later.

The presentation style in Wrath suits the storyline and characters almost perfectly.

Fantastic art direction. Great fidelity to the comic-roots of this universe.

Nexuiz meets the bar of quality you'd expect from a console arena shooter, and does very little to rise above it. If that's enough for you, Nexuiz will not disappoint.

There's nothing better than completing a multi-million point combo after tricking off of a helicopter while being chased by a massive avalanche – it's reasons like this that we're happy to say, "Welcome back, SSX, we've missed you."

A massive step in the right direction for the series, and helps repair some of the damage done to the brand's reputation over the past few years.

Don't expect to be playing NeverDead very long unless you can forgive the games technical issues and ho-hum gameplay the campaign will last anywhere around the six to eight hour mark.

If you love any or all of the following - RPGs, rich fantasy worlds, action games - Reckoning is a rich action RPG with a deep narrative, even deeper character customization, and plenty of content right out of the box. Go get this game.

My friends and I are going to have a ton of fun playing it, and playing it for a very long time. There are definitely some head-scratching design decisions from where we sit, but it remains that we can sink hour after hour into the game without even feeling the time pass.

Somehow the simple mission style, sharp cheddar-y dialog and voice work, upgrade-unlock-chase (that is in every game these days), and straight-forward controls do add up to having some real charm.

NFL Blitz is one of the best, if not the best arcade sports experiences on the market.

A source of great entertainment that is easy to pick up. Whether you're a dedicated Marvel fanatic or just someone who likes pinball, you shouldn't have too much trouble enjoying the game. For 800 Microsoft Points, or roughly $2.50 per table, it's not only cheap, but lots of fun.

A great bang-for-buck ratio happening right here. An engaging, well-written story with gameplay that is just as accessible to casuals as it is challenging for the hardcore, Trine 2 will give you an experience that will leave you with a look of satisfaction on your face all the way through.

Plain and simple this game isn't very good. In fact, it is very close to bad, which is such a shame because of what an awesome idea the core of this game is, and the bar set by last years stellar NFS Hot Pursuit.

RAAM's Shadow is worth your $15 investment. The campaign will take you 3 - 4 hours to complete on the Normal Difficulty.

The gameplay is a little better than the original game. A lot of this has to do with the experience being more streamlined but if driving sections and first person platforming frustrate you, The Doctor Who Cloned Me won't change your mind.

Voltron's Survival Mode mechanic and shoot 'em up stages help try to keep the gameplay unique, but it is bogged down by uninspired base gameplay and a bizarre boss battle system. There are better dual stick shooters out there, but the amount of nostalgia they've packed into the game may make it a worthy purchase for Voltron fans.

Tropico 4 is an enjoyable and well-polished strategy experience that's accessible and highly addictive, and for that reason we have to recommend that strategy fans pick this one up. After all, it's (probably) the closest most of us will get to becoming any kind of tyrannical dictator.

The environments alone almost justify the cost of admission! In this massive world the sound and presentation mix to keep you engaged throughout the storyline and leave you wanting more at the end. This is definitely a game to check out.

The strong cast of characters, each of them with their own unique look & feel, really gives KOF XIII a certain appeal. Fans of Anime will absolutely adore the artwork.

If you've had the urge to sneak around in Snakes shoes once more than heed the call. The Metal Gear Solid is the standard by which future HD collections should be judged.

This is an incremental update with a lot of fresh paint.

Like Saints Row II, but bigger. The game concentrates on giving you fun, which helps mask some of the flaws. Saints Row: The Third may not have a huge improvement in terms of mechanics over its predecessors, but it is far more fun.

If you haven't played through the campaign that redefined console FPS then there is no better way to do it than with the new HD graphics and remade maps. Unfortunately, long time fans may be disappointed with the small selection of maps on the disc and the removal of the original multiplayer component.

It's not a particularly complex or challenging game, but it is charming, addictive, funny, and a joy to play.

There are some undeniably cool settings and promising combat mechanics, but the experience doesn't have the depth to draw players through to the end of the campaign.

The multiplayer is the strongest it has ever been, and the coop mode has been expanded from an addition to a full-fledged mode. Modern Warfare 3 won't blow away anyone looking for anything new, but it will deliver enough thrills and quality to keep players engaged and coming back for more.

This is easily one of the best RPGs to come out in this generation of consoles. You must own this game.

Daytona USA will make for a welcome trip down memory lane for fans of the original, but newcomers to the franchise won't find much to entertain themselves here.

Eurocom has done a fantastic job of bringing back one of the multiplayer experiences of all time – which was not an easy task. Reloaded has the power to stand on it's own as a engaging first person shooter and play with the big boys. It's just a shame it had to be released right between two of the biggest boys of the year.

If you go into the game expecting a rush of nostalgia backed by solid gameplay you will not be disappointed.

Not a bad game... It just doesn't last long.

The formula that Rocksteady started with Arkham Asylum has been all-but perfected in Arkham City. This game hits you hard, hits you where it hurts and leaves you begging for more.

This game has all the right pieces to be one of the top tier games on XBLA, but an incredibly frustrating control scheme holds it back.

During our review period the servers for online matchmaking crashed twice and locked out all players. The singleplayer also has its limitations in terms of storytelling but none of this detracts from the AAA multiplayer experience offered. For any other game these hiccups may have affected the overall score but even those who have only played BF3 for a few hours should be able to tell the game will have a bright future.

Namco Bandai should be proud of what they have here. Sure, there are a few hiccups in play here or there but it is nothing that is so bad as to turn you off from the experience.

On one hand, the systems and gameplay here are AWESOME, on the other it seems that lessons learned in making solid single player games that are also co-op or vice-versa have been missed, and missed hard at that.

The visual finery, combined with the faithfulness of the driving experience and Forza's trademark attention to detail make this game the finest simulation racer available, in our opinion.

I wish there were more boss fights (and that there were more super-villains rather than the four), and I wish that the "witty" banter could have been reined in by about 300%. Over-all though, I was more impressed and happy with this game than I was disappointed while playing it.

Charming and full of content.

There are issues that need fixed – online being the most severe – but that doesn't undermine the fact that it's still an incredibly fun game to play.

It can be fun but flawed, and fans of Worms gameplay will likely find Worms or Worms 2: Armageddon to be more satisfying.

Solid gunplay combined with powerful but balanced Nanosuit abilities, plus plenty of replayability thanks to the open nature of many of the game's levels.

Content wise, it is hard to justify spending 800 MS Points on what should have been an expansion or DLC to MLB Bobblehead Pros, as they share most of the game assets, from stadium and character models to sounds to stats and even to the menus and loading screens.

The formula is a promising one, but unfortunately it hasn't been fully realized here. Instead of being as thrilling an experience as the real thing, X-Fighters World Tour is at best mediocre, and at worst a thoroughly boring, half-assed title.

It's hard to imagine what EA can do to improve this series even more for next year's offering.

Small annoyances like low quality environments and repeating enemy models may deter some players. One bright spot is the dialog, written by longtime comic book writer Mike Casey.

While the game doesn't necessarily introduce any kind of ground-breaking gameplay elements, what it does is perform some tried-and-true FPS staples (and some newer concepts too) at a very high level, and hits the mark an overwhelming majority of the time.

If you're looking for some explosive fun on Xbox Live, it is hard to go wrong with Renegade Ops. The gameplay is tight, the experience polished, and the game plays out like a 80s action movie.

The excellently crafted encounters, tons of extras and story are well worth the price of admission.

Gears of War 3 is a must own and chances are once it gets a hold of you it will be hard for you to let go.

Bloodrayne: Betrayal is not without its moments, and at times can be exhilarating to play, but you will struggle with some of the decisions WayForward made with how Rayne controls, and if this is your first foray into 2D gaming, it's unlikely you'll even finish Rayne's adventure.

NHL 12 offers a ton of options and improves on key areas like control, artificial intelligence and the number of game modes.

The gameplay is repetitive, not at all fun, and more of a chore than a game.

Rock of Ages might not be the most taxing or deep strategy game out there, and with only 23 missions available, it won't take you long to polish off the single player campaign. However what's there is fun, simple and accessible.

If you're looking for a competitive tower defence/strategy hybrid game, Toy Soldiers: Cold War is tough to put down.

Did I enjoy this game? Absolutely. Did it scare the crap out of me at times? 100%. Was there a real feeling of survival horror (as opposed to just jumping-scares) that has been sadly lacking from other contemporary zombie games? You bet.

It is this flexibility which keeps Bastion fresh from beginning to end.

The game is engaging and atmospheric, and you'll find yourself compelled to explore every inch of it just to see what it offers.

If you're looking for an insane amount of depth or replayability you're not going to find it in Fruit Ninja Kinect. What you will find is an excellent party game with some neat visual flair. If you need a reason to dust off your kinect and feel like having a few buddies over for a night Kinect fun, then Fruit Ninja Kinect is for you.

The game's single player is short, clocking in at about 4 or 5 hours, but when you factor in the ability to play the game cooperatively with a friend from a completely new vantage point this gives it some much needed depth.

The immersive Kinect controls are worth keeping the game around, especially as demonstration for what the Kinect is capable of. Even playing Child of Eden for 10 minutes leaves you with a sense of happiness.

If you can get passed the muddy graphics, dated character design, difficult first person platforming and throwaway multiplayer there is an enjoyable single player campaign to be had.

If you are looking for an action-packed game that is reminiscent of some of the best side-scrolling action games of yesteryear, you can do far worse than Moon Diver.

Gameplay-wise, little has changed since the 1995 original, and in many ways the series seems a little too eager to cling to the past.

Truly this is the most mature game that Rockstar has been a part of. In the end it is something that will go down in history as one of the most innovative games of our time, and for good reason. You are simply supposed to have this game in your collection, if you consider yourself a gamer by any definition of the word.

The gameplay in Top Spin 4 is almost unrivaled. The amount of customization, options and fluidity the control scheme gives really heat up the competition. If you've never played a tennis game before Top Spin 4 will change how you look at the sport.

Even though some of it feels familiar, there's enough new here to keep you coming back for more.

Offers a staggering [amount] of unlockable content and a solid campaign mode.

It is engaging, clever, genuinely funny, and all-around unique. The puzzles are always a challenge, but none of them go into the realm of the impossible – clever thinking and analysis is always enough to solve them, and gives a sense of accomplishment when you get it right.

It's not a terribly-made game, there just not anything... exceptional to it. For the money you'd spend picking this title up you'd be better off picking up any of a number of other Arcade games which provide a unique and engaging experience.

It's got a lot going for it in the graphical and sound department, and while the gameplay suffers initially from an unfair difficulty spike, if the player can tough it out and stick with it long enough to get some upgrades he or she will be smiling for the rest of the journey.

Overall I'm not just impressed with the game as it's presented, but I'm also impressed knowing that one guy did pretty much all of it. That blows me away as I'm sure it will do to you too when you get a true feeling of the style, the story, the over-the-top action and replayability that lies beyond the opening menu.

At 560 Microsoft Points, the add-on is a bit steep with its lack of content and for the casual player, but for the completionist who want to absorb the complete canon of the series and prepare for the next game, it's worth a stab.

The helmet-cam is a revelation of exciting perspective in a genre who's main innovations come in the form of physics-tweaking or creative power-ups on the arcade side of things.

Nothing Crysis 2 has to offer will revolutionize the genre but the customizability of the nanosuit and multiple ways to play the game make it a unique experience for every person who plays.

I love the Ghostbusters and was really looking forward to some fresh protoplasmic delights, but this one just didn't quite fit the slimy form.

It's unrealistic to expect every aspect of a franchise game to change from year to year, but 2K11 borrows so many elements from its predecessor that it's genuinely difficult to tell the two apart during key aspects of the experience.

It has charm and polish that elevate it beyond a simple Diablo clone to something special in its own right.

Full House Poker is easy to learn, easy to get into, but challenging and increasingly rewarding so I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing me hitting the tables once the game releases on March 16th.

Simply fun. The exciting campaign and unique twist on first-person mechanics make it an exceptional addition for any shooter fan.

Capcom has provided players with a package that rivals any other fighter on the market and surpasses the best of them in terms of presentation.

Ambitious, enormous and an experience that many people can lose themselves in. But with its forgiving lack of consequences, obnoxious storyline and poor AI, the game's lasting appeal falls on the multiplayer and simply filling your garages with dozens of automobiles.

If you are looking for a new multiplayer shooter to pass the time until a triple A release comes out and have the points to spare than Breach may be for you. For everyone else try the 30 minute trial first.

The game is atmospheric, creepy and exciting throughout.