Scrapland is the symbol of what games without multi-million dollar ad campaigns should not be. Trying for something unattainable is synonymous with creating something subpar. And that's all Scrapland is, when it's said and done.

It feels as if, somewhere during development, the overall idea suddenly got truncated and was left as a concept stretched out into a full game, so it eventually wears out nearly every idea it's got.

The multiplayer in each title is superb, bringing me back to the fun old days of heated score competitions, and, best of all, this is one of the few PSP releases to support wi-fi download play, so my few friends with PSPs don't have to charge out and spend $40 just to play a few rounds of Dig Dug.

EA games never fail to impress with the overall presentation on any of their sports titles, but sometimes it seems like that's all they were focused on when developing the game. Sadly, NBA Live 08 falls into this trap.

Even months after its release, Naruto Ultimate Ninja 2 remains one of the best Naruto fighting games. It's got lots to satisfy solitary players, and versus mode matches are both fun to play and watch.

It features a host of interesting mechanics that do a great job of capitalizing on the character and world of Sherlock Holmes, and the six cases are very intriguing. Crimes & Punishments is easily one of the best Holmes titles I've played, and I look forward to what Frogwares has in store for the next game in the franchise.

One Piece Odyssey is a nice RPG for fans of the franchise. It's clearly crafted with a lot of love, and there's a ton of great banter and interaction between the cast members. The core gameplay is perfectly serviceable, but it never really reaches the realm of "great," and it takes a bit too long to get going. It's probably not going to attract the attention of anyone who isn't a big "One Piece" fan, but for those fans, it should be an enjoyable little RPG. At the end of the day, how much fun you'll have boils down to how much you enjoy punching bad pirates in the face with your favorite pirates, and there's a whole lot of folks who want just that.

No matter how you look at it, New International Track and Field may be a gorgeous little title, but it isn't a must-buy simply because the button-mashing and stylus-rubbing gameplay was old the moment it was invented.

Falls short in gameplay fundamentals. If Electronic Arts would just step back the next time around and retool the basics of their level design, and enemy and allied AI, they may have a real winner on their hands. As is, though, the game is merely another "me, too" WWII shooter.

The Deadly Tower of Monsters is a very enjoyable romp.

Zumba Fitness: World Party works as an exercise title and a complementary title to Just Dance 2014, the only other rhythm game on the system thus far.

Mini Ninjas is just purely, simply a great video game. Period.

The graphics really do serve to enhance the overall feel of the game, almost working to white-out the flaws that are present.

Army of Two: The 40th Day offers a very attractive package for shooter fans, particularly those looking for an experience that is first and foremost centered around a co-op mentality.

Depending on what you're looking for, Killzone: Shadow Fall is either a hit or a miss. If you're looking for something to showcase the power of the PS4, this does the job very well.

Once you start playing Rainbow Six: Extraction, it's difficult to stop. From the XP feed to the randomized nature of the levels and objectives, there's enough to keep players coming back for quite some time, especially with the constant opportunities to pull off nice saves amidst the chaos and tension. It is a great alternative for Rainbow Six fans who crave PvE after playing PvP for so long, but it also gives single-player fans a solid opportunity to experience some elements from Siege. It's still early in 2022, and a bevy of other co-op PvE games are still on the way, but Rainbow Six: Extraction provides enough variety that it needs to be played.

Battlefield: Hardline might not help the series evolve, but it is a solid game.

The best in a limited line of Western shooters.

If you’re a hard-core gamer looking for an action-packed challenge then go elsewhere. EP is designed for a mainstream audience and with a short play time you’ll probably wish you picked up "Tomb Raider 17" instead.

If the controls were a bit more comfortable, and the car battle mode wasn't so hard to control, it might have made the game a better experience overall, but still not near the magic of Rare's entry.

It doesn't come close to living up to the concept. Unexpectedly glitchy, terribly repetitive and incredibly easy, Just Cause might be fun for a rental, but even the most die-hard fans of sandbox games will want to look elsewhere for their fill.

I found the gameplay in The Sims 2: Castaway to be quite entertaining and, to a point, addictive, especially after delegating a large amount of the repetitive resource gathering to island primates and other castaways.

Ultimately, The Saboteur is a refreshing change from the usual WWII hodgepodge because it finally brings open-ended sandbox gameplay to such a historic era.

If you're looking for a fun, easy, and inexpensive way to learn Spanish basics, or if you have a DS and need a translation tool for future travels, you should definitely look into picking up a copy.

Wii-owning soccer fans will do fine to pick up FIFA Soccer 11 for their systems.

The title has great gameplay and presentation, but the issues that plague it — the sudden inclusion of out-of-place enemies and the woefully unbalanced multiplayer portion —tend to drag down the overall enjoyment level of an otherwise spectacular game.

Dawnguard adds more of what made Skyrim great, without feeling like it was tacked on at the last minute.

The load times have the added effect of killing a lot of the joy that can be gained from playing this game.

The kind of game that needed a lot more work before it was released. While it's great to play as football legends, the roster creation system is incredibly restrictive, and it's impossible to field the kind of team of which you've always dreamed.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a solid puzzle game with some platforming elements, even if it isn't a particularly great platformer on its own. If you can look past the occasionally clunky controls and its inherent frustrations, you're in for a treat with the great level design.

Skybolt Zack is a gem of a game. The focus on speed and execution is well done, but the variety in levels and enemy designs ensures that the act doesn't get old. The various pathways do a great job of adding in some replay value, and the challenge modes give hardcore players something else to work with. Combined with a solid presentation, Skybolt Zack is one of those games that may be a pleasant surprise when compared to some of the bigger indie games in the field.

If you have a dedicated group of friends who are ready to toss down on some Mario-themed minigames and game board shenanigans, then you're probably good to go with Mario Party 9.

The biggest issue with MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is that it hits you with all of its shortcomings at once. Keep playing, though, and the game establishes itself as a fun title that's worthy of the MechWarrior moniker. Play it with friends, and it becomes even more entertaining. Dated aspects of its presentation aside, the combat remains fun mission after mission, and it continues to test you as you become more powerful. Start blowing apart enemy mechs with a small array of PPC cannons and make a few big pay days, and you'll appreciate the game for what it is.

For the creators out there, check out the free version to see if you can come to grips with the system, but dive in to the Starter pack if you want a wider range of elements to jumpstart your creative endeavors.

The mini-games were without question added to increase the replay value of this game and they did such to at least some degree. I admit they are kind of fun and it is cool that they added them I guess I just would rather play one of my other multiplayer centric games instead.

Tesla vs. Lovecraft isn't going to win you over if you crave innovation. There isn't anything here that hasn't been seen in other twin-stick shooters, but there isn't much for those wanting something off the wall, either. The story is lacking, but the game provides a solid and lengthy shooting experience, and even though there isn't a shortage of that genre on the PC, Tesla vs. Lovecraft is good enough for fans to check out.

Phantom Doctrine's biggest issue is that it compares unfavorably to X-COM. That doesn't make it a bad game, but it emphasizes X-COM's tight design. With Phantom Doctrine, you end up feeling like everything's a touch too unfocused. The metagame is interesting but messy. The combat is filled with interesting ideas but weaker execution. A lot of this may sound really negative, but I had fun with Phantom Doctrine. Fans of X-COM-style games will absolutely find it to be worth playing; it just has so much potential that it's easy to zero in on the little things that it does wrong.

The game runs flawlessly and is extremely fast-paced. It may not be "Quake," but for PS2 to be able to handle speeds of this caliber is just amazing.

Pitfall's main game is very short, as I blazed through it in seven hours. While it does have a few secrets, such as the ability to play as Nicole and the unlockable Pitfall games you can find in a shrine near your starting point (complete with a giant Mayan monument to the Atari 2600), Pitfall is still a bit on the brief side.

Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown DLC is a very nice complement to the main game. The story contained in the expansion pack is of the same caliber as what's in the main campaign, but it also does a great job of slotting itself into the campaign without feeling like a huge diversion. The environment is fresh, and the enemies are enjoyable to fight, especially those on mechs, but the gameplay mechanics introduced here and in the previous patches give Wasteland 3 veterans enough of a reason to return and try another run. It's good enough that we want to see what the next expansion looks like.

With strong production values, great visuals and an excellent audio score to back it all up, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is easily one of the best efforts in the franchise to date. No, it's not perfect, but the game has strong appeal across the board. It's also one of the few cases where a licensed game is better than the movie on which it is based.

The fights aren't overly strategic, but you are rewarded if you know the weaknesses of monsters you're facing; there are tons of these fights, and each is rather short unless you pump up the difficulty.

It is a lot faster paced than "Blade Warriors" and surprisingly you can somewhat button mash in this game (Usually doesn't work out though since the game requires a massive amount of skill).

This version fails to even live up to the console counterpart, as the controls suffer far too much on the PSP itself.

SingStar: Queen is the type of track pack that you want other music games to follow. It takes the songs from one band, puts it in a compilation for fans to enjoy, and retains features from the series' previous titles.

Most who manage to make it through to the end-credits of XIII will likely do so due to its consistently interesting and engaging storyline.

A veritable treasure trove for history buffs, aficionados of that particular time period, or people otherwise interested in how wars were actually fought through human history.

An excellent addition to a strategy fan's library. Though is forgoes the engines of war most often associated with those titles, it offers an intensely interesting, fast-paced and addictive distraction.

Though the new content isn't necessarily bountiful, it's a worthy pickup for those who are still invested in the series.

Kunai is a solid game. The genre formula sticks to the blueprint well enough to not mess it up. The game is of a decent length, and it has the right amount of difficulty most of the time, but the kunai movement sells you on what makes the game enjoyable. For genre fans, this is well worth checking out.

Lumo is an enjoyable puzzle platformer.

Another issue is with control. It's not as bad as the camera; but the trouble is, it often works in tandem with the camera. This can make for some very strange play. Outside of that, it's quite loose, and takes some getting used to.

They can reduce the load times, clean up the graphics, and iron out the little mechanical issues in the game, they’ll have themselves a solid soccer game. Right now, it’s just an average title.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure feels like the definition of an unnecessary sequel. It doesn't feel like a natural continuation of Life is Strange, and in many ways, it is kind of a step backward for the characters. At the same time, it doesn't have enough of its own voice and ends up feeling weaker than True Colors or Life is Strange 2. It's nice to see Max again, but fans would've been happier if she hadn't shown up again. Taken entirely on its own merits, Double Exposure is a relatively fun little mystery, but it's too bogged down for its own good.

At its core, Escape Plan is a mostly good puzzle game.

Nine years may have passed since LEGO Harry Potter first released, but the games still feel as fresh and enjoyable as when they debuted. If you didn't know that LEGO Harry Potter Collection was a remaster, it would be easy to mistake it for a new release. The only real downside has to do with those who own the original Xbox 360 games. Since they've been withheld from BC, if you want to replay these on the Xbox One, you'll have to buy the LEGO Harry Potter Collection.

Fans will still like it; nobody will be angered by it. But, when looking at the great work done on the PC version, which has positioned itself on a very different path than the original (thanks to the generation hopping), there really isn't enough in this GameCube version to warrant a release past "Livin' Large."

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered is an excellent remaster of a very weird game. It's one of those games that is difficult to necessarily recommend because so much of what it does evokes love or hate. If you're curious about the franchise, it's probably a lot easier to hop in with SaGa Frontier Remastered or Scarlet Graces. If you like games in the SaGa franchise or want to try something different, Minstrel Song is a worthwhile experience. If you already know that you don't like the franchise, you'll probably be annoyed and frustrated with this offering.

With strong production values, great visuals and an excellent audio score to back it all up, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is easily one of the best efforts in the franchise to date. No, it's not perfect, but the game has strong appeal across the board. It's also one of the few cases where a licensed game is better than the movie on which it is based.

Fritz 9 is ideal for players interested in seriously developing their chess games, but fails to do much for the casual player or players new to the game.

No one can fault NBA Baller Beats for being ambitious, especially since it actually works. It's a fun rhythm game, but it also works as a teaching tool for those who are motivated enough to want to improve their game. If it weren't for the insanely specific requirements to get a basic game going, this would qualify as a must-have title for the Kinect. As it stands, basketball fans who have lots of room and little to break will enjoy this title.

I don't think anyone will feel The Sims 3 is an incomplete game without Island Paradise. Sure, it's fun, but $30 is a lot to spend for filler content for a game that's four years old and already has an announced sequel.

A title with an interesting concept that gets too bogged down in its own mediocrity to use that concept well. Most of the game can be played on autopilot - issuing simple commands and then watching lackluster ship models fight until one explodes.

This isn't going to do much for you if you're not already a fan of horror games, but longtime Silent Hill fans should really appreciate this particular release.

It may not be the prettiest or the most innovative FPS out there, but Cold Winter is worth a look.

If you don't mind enduring the brutal difficulty curve, you'll find for your trouble quite a wellspring of turn-based strategy.

If you're into games for the experience more than the narrative, Stela might work for you. A few of the puzzles took more brute force than smarts to solve, but nothing was impossibly difficult. The idea of plane-jumping is good, except for when you can't tell if the feature is active. The graphics look beautiful, but the early levels suffer from too many dark colors muddying the waters. It's too bad that the set pieces lack anything special to connect them together. Overall, while Stela may not be top-tier material, it is solid enough to warrant a look.

If the rest of the series plays out like The Council: Episode 1 – The Mad Ones, then adventure game fans are in for quite a ride. The storylines and mysteries are intriguing thus far. While there is simplicity in the puzzles, the RPG elements and deeper conversation system make the game more appealing than some other adventure titles. There's currently no timetable for future episodes of The Council, but adventure fans will enjoy this title.

Batman: Return to Arkham is a good, but not great, package. The games have both aged very well and are still plenty of fun to play, and the remaster allows newcomers to experience them. However, the inconsistent remastering job means that it's tough to be overly impressed. Return to Arkham is effectively a mediocre port of two excellent games. If you've never experience the Arkham games before, then this is a good starting point, but returning fans may be more disappointed than excited by some of the changes. There's still a lot to like in the collection, and the nagging flaws aren't enough to distract from the excellent games.

Wild ARMS Alter Code: F contains too many technical and presentation missteps to be considered a classic worthy of the hallowed halls of RPG Valhalla, but coasting along on story and style alone takes it far.

Packed with a solid gameplay, a substantial amount of levels for a lengthy experience, some really, really cool special powers, and a really enjoyable storyline.

There's a lot of potential in Fobia: St. Dinfna Hotel, and it has some moments of excellence. Unfortunately, the lackluster visuals, weirdly unfriendly UI, and general awkwardness drag it down. It's a fine game to play if you want to scratch the survival-horror itch and you've already gone through a lot of other titles, but it doesn't do enough to distinguish itself. I'd be deeply interested to see a more polished and refined sequel because the potential doesn't shine through as well as it should.

HarmoKnight is a fun, rhythmic endless runner for all ages and skills. The rather low initial difficulty level coupled with inviting graphics make it good for players just getting their feet wet with the genre. The bonuses from the gold medals provide some appeal to genre veterans or those looking for a challenge. Having a much more memorable selection of music to run with would have been ideal, but as it stands, this is another fine entry in the system's eShop.

Even though it isn't as robust as past collections of the series, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is still worth getting if you're a Mega Man fan. The eighth game may be a letdown, but it demonstrates some fun moments while the other three titles are solid. It isn't bursting with extras, and the inclusion of side games would've made this perfect, but for some people, it might be enough to be able to play MM9 and MM10 properly with save states.

It's got a low learning curve, and once you get past the admittedly slow-going first couple of stages and pick yourself up a real plane, it's a sonic-booming good time all around.

A delightful mix of different gameplay elements.

Disney Illusion Island is a fun, all-ages romp through a Disneyfied fantasy world. It doesn't do anything outside of what is expected, but what it does, it does well. The platforming is easy to pick up and fun to master, and there's a sense of progression and advancement to the game that helps keep it feeling like a true Metroidvania. It's a cute, charming and enjoyable adventure, and sometimes, that is all a game needs to be.

The arcane unlock requirements will put off people who aren't already sold on the idea of playing dance games, and may even frustrate less die-hard fans. Still, if this sounds like your kind of game, it's worth the money.

Although it is formulaic at times and some of the set missions such as protecting a boat with a helicopter gunship while it catches sharks for a restaurant are a bit cheesy, the challenge of making more money, spending it and gaining greater power are as addictive as the white substance that makes its way up Tony's nose.

All in all, Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition kind of achieves what it promises: a smaller Farming Simulator that borders on machinery porn. It's not overly exciting, but it doesn't have to be. It has good moments, and the portable nature of the Switch makes it easy to drop in and out at any given time. Technically, it's underwhelming, and the world is cold, empty and feels too disconnected to engage the player. When repetitiveness sets in, only hardcore fans and enthusiasts can look past it and still enjoy the game. The core experience is fun enough that I'm reasonably surprised. If developer Giants Software can expand on the idea, I'm certain the Farming Simulator series will gain even more traction in the coming years.

Up until the finale, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is a compelling adventure game that largely does things right to appeal to both fans and non-fans of point-and-click games.

Have you ever been rewarded for ripping 250 guys in half with your bare hands? You will be while playing this game, and if that's not reason enough to buy it, then I really don't know what is.

All in all, The LEGO Harry Potter Collection on Switch is a fun game that is suited for all ages, and it's best played with a friend or family member. The gameplay is simple fun, and it delivers one of the better LEGO stories and environments. It's a step back for players who are coming from newer LEGO experiences, and the title has its share of technical issues on the Switch that occasionally interfere with the gameplay, but if you can look beyond those blemishes, it can provide some fun times.

UA2's inspired story, backed with plenty of thumb-blistering destruction, can be fun, but by staying firmly within the lines, it ultimately keeps itself from mastering anything new.

Eufloria is a basic strategy game that can be both frustrating and entertaining. The overall simplicity might not be enticing for more seasoned fans of the genre, and the slow pace will prove maddening to those expecting more action at a faster pace.

The only major issue I had with the game was the inability to garrison units inside buildings. While the title may bring more similarities than innovation to the genre, it is certainly a high-quality offering with a solid multiplayer portion and excellent replay value.

#Blud is a delightful adventure game that oozes charm. The story is good, and it's helped by the absolutely hilarious dialogue. The gameplay is excellent, and the overall gameplay length is just right, even with the various side-quests. Despite the aforementioned issues, the title is highly recommended for anyone who's looking for a solid, under-the-radar title.

As a sequel, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is at least on par with the first title. The game strikes a good balance of platforming and puzzle-solving, while also giving you the freedom to figure out things without much hand-holding. The art style may present small characters, but the graphics still shine, and the music is haunting enough to maintain a feeling of unease throughout the adventure. It is once again the fleshed-out characters, deep narrative, and excellent pacing that will keep you hooked on the game from the opening moments all the way to the end credits. For fans of adventure games, Oxenfree II is a worthy buy, even if you've never played the first title.

A huge disappointment. The board games provided are enjoyable, but the journey to each one is ultimately not even worth it.

The Escapists 2 is a well-made sandbox game and a fun continuation of the series. While the title gives you a good amount of freedom and tools to spend your time in fun ways, it can also get rather repetitive and overwhelming. The Nintendo Switch version mostly runs well, although the two-player limitation on local play is disappointing.

It falls behind with its skimpy plotline, which is made worse by a series of monotonous missions which usually involves sweeping the map and killing everyone. Consider buying Warhammer if you're in the mood for a fun but flawed gothic fantasy romp.

Project X Zone 2 is an improvement over the original game in a lot of ways but still maintains some of its fundamental flaws.

Clever puzzles, fun boss fights and crazy costumes make for a charming and enjoyable experience. However, there are too many things that can go wrong to easily recommend the game to those who may not have a dedicated group of local friends to play with.

Yet another cutesy game that is veiling the usual raison d'etre of video games — killing — and isn't anything new. Peanuts characters should soften the blow of the dropping biplanes, but really, maybe you should pick up a later volume of those complete Peanuts collections, and show your children a true work of art.

Monolith did attempt to reduce the ratio of movies to gameplay, and succeeded, to a degree, although they did also shorten the game by half or so.

If you're interested in interactive storytelling, you're an adventure gamer in need of a fix, or you're a big fan of The Longest Journey, pick this up; no one else should feel compelled to bother.

Overall, Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Wii seems like it should have been held back until more work was done on it. The transfer to the Wii didn't add enough polish to justify a purchase in my eyes, so those who really want the Animal Crossing experience can go get the GameCube version for a steal and not really miss very much at all.