Aphelion does well in both providing a good story with emotional pull, while also providing an experience that differs from the studio's previous works. The investigative portions may feel light, but they also provide a nice break from the stealth and climbing sections. The investigation, stealth, and climbing make the game feel more involved than what some may expect for a genre that can border on being walking simulators or Western versions of the visual novel. The presentation is great, and the runtime feels just right, making Aphelion an experience that's well worth checking out.

The problem with Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law for the PSP is that … it isn't a game. It's actually five new episodes of the show, only you occasionally get to make a choice about Harvey's next action.

Road to Glory comes across more as an obligation to a contractual agreement than a worthwhile video game.

Ultimately, if you're looking for an easy way to get an old-school Mortal Kombat fix, the Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection does the job, but just barely.

The gameplay is solid, and I enjoyed my time with the title. It just needs more of ... everything: characters, game modes, maps, and skins. Microsoft and/or Ninja Theory certainly seem to be aware of this shortcoming, if the game's price tag is any indication. That doesn't change the fact that the game desperately needs more content if it wants to keep its audience; otherwise, Bleeding Edge's matches might not be so bloody in the very near future.

It's certainly more of the same when it comes to the stealth action and FPS genres that it follows, and doesn't really rise above or try anything particularly new in order to provide that little bit of an edge that it needs to make it out of the realm of mediocrity.

It's readily apparent that Blitz: The League II is not a game for football purists. The use of power-ups, lack of penalties and dirty play is enough to make them cringe. However, for fans of arcade-style sports games, The League II is pretty good.

Buzz! Jr. RoboJam isn't a bad choice for kids. The simplistic graphics, uncomplicated games, and overall friendly nature make it easy to pick up and play for all ages. The only real problem with it, at least for the age group it is intended, is that it can't hold their attention for very long.

There are plenty of other games out right now that, while perhaps not being gloriously violent future-sports games, have simply pegged the feeling of constant fun a lot better than you do.

For now, I'd pass on NASCAR 2011: The Game. The multiplayer is completely busted, and I'm a big fan of voting with your dollar. If you're a NASCAR fan, maybe you should let your vote be heard by not picking up this mess. For those of you who did, I really I hope that the patch delivers on the promised fixes because I'd be greatly upset if I had spent $60 on this.

Trailblazers isn't a bad racing title. Despite some floaty controls, the actual racing is fine, and the painting and team mechanics are interesting. The modes are also good, but the lack of a community means that local multiplayer is your only other option once you consume all of the single-player stuff. You'll wish the developers did something more interesting with the concept, as it feels untapped. For that, Trailblazers is only recommended for those who have already checked out other racing titles first.

The only real reason to play this game is because you can't play 2002 on Xbox Live, while Neowave is readily compatible.

Chronicles of Mystery: The Scorpio Ritual manages to partly succeed in introducing the world to a clever and adventurous character in Sylvie Leroux, and while she's got a long way to go before she can catch up to Niko from Revolution's Broken Sword series, there's enough potential for future installments to see her on a much longer episode of hidden secrets and ancient mystery.

What it lacks in cutting-edge technology, it makes up for in intensity and difficulty.

Senran Kagura Burst may be repetitive in nature but knows how to remain fun.

Rad Rodgers: Radical Edition has the basic building blocks to be a good throwback platform shooter, but it doesn't put it together very well. The shooting seems fine until you realize that most of the enemies are there only so you have something to shoot. The platforming is fine until Dusty gets temperamental in deciding whether to climb a platform. The Pixelverse sections are frustrating, the presentation feels badly done, and the extras don't add anything significant to the game. On a system with so many other better options in this genre, it's difficult to recommend this one.

At $2.99, it is a tempting enough proposition for the fun it delivers, but it is ultimately a pass unless you have other likeminded players around you.

Heatseeker takes only eight to 12 hours to complete but does something most Wii games do not — it offers a story.

With a disappointingly forgettable story, solid but unremarkable action, and with little else to look forward to in the multiplayer mode, there's not much of a reason to dig for the truth behind this particular conspiracy.

It's by no means terrible, and by no means as bad as you might expect, but by the same token, it's not as good as, after the opening game sequence, you begin to hope it might be.

Since the game gives more than a passing glance at animal satisfaction, this game could have been much better if it built upon that better. This one just didn't hold my interest.

It's hard to hand out a recommendation for the content in Fable 2: See the Future considering how it seems to revel in pulling the plug on you, not to mention the fact that the glimpse of the future you get to see is fleeting and not at all memorable.

It's an unpleasant surprise that Tork turned out so utterly "blah."

Super Neptunia RPG negates the positives that it brings about. The fresh perspective that comes from being a classic 2D RPG with a simple battle system clashes with the unintuitive and unresponsive platforming. The presentation is beautiful, but the performance is hampered when compared to its predecessors. The ability to explore also seems nice until you realize that the streamlined side-quest system has been replaced with the more time-consuming method of visiting each quest-giver individually. Fans of the series may still enjoy it.

LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins is an overly ambitious game that isn't as good as the home console edition.

Having experienced every facet of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, it becomes readily apparent that its essence as a platformer has been haphazardly mashed together with a party game.

The game looks fine, and the idea of mixing some of these genres together sounds good on paper. The execution, however, is flawed, with some of the genre combinations just not working well with one another. It might be fine for older players, but with a look and premise that seems catered to younger players, the final result ends up being more frustrating than fun. It isn't terrible, but players can do better than this for the time being.

It still needs some improvements in the controls, and it doesn't offer a deeper single-player experience like its counterpart, Order Up. Still, fans of the original and those curious to try the series will find that this version of the game does not disappoint.

At the current price point of $9.99 on the PC, the title is difficult to recommend if you don't have access to a PC gamepad. However, if the price drops and you have a few bucks to spare, Death Rally may be worth the hassle.

This is the first game I've reviewed where I cannot justify buying this game to anyone-and coming from a hardcore EQ player, that's a tough thing to do.

Ultimately, it feels like Wreckreation tries to be too many things at once. An open-world setting allows for a lot of room for players to create events using the Live Mix tools, but driving between events gets dull quickly. As a conventional racing game, the rubber-banding AI makes me lose interest quickly, and the game doesn't emphasize the Live Mix content as strongly as it arguably should. It's a fun enough game, and it's smaller in scope since it was made by a smaller team. It lacks a defining feature of its own that it really focuses on, and it ends up making the game feel more like an imitation of other games.

There's nothing wrong with not being wholly original — few titles are — but Fuse doesn't even put forth minimal effort in distinguishing itself from other established franchises. It's the equivalent of store brand food, but without the budget price that should've gone along with it.

NHL 09 is as real of a hockey game as it can get. It looks great, sounds good (if repetitive), plays great and has an amazing set of features.

Travel Games for Dummies is perfect for travel, though, and comes easily recommended to businesspeople or those who find themselves on a lengthy commute with little to do. It's a great game for the subway, bus or airline terminal, and it could just as easily provide some entertainment in the evenings when you need to unwind from a long day.

Much like its predecessors, Malicious Fallen is a game with a good idea and less-than-stellar execution. Since it has three times the amount of content when compared to the original and doesn't feel painfully short now, it's easier to accept the idea of a title consisting of nothing but boss fights. The general combat feels fine if you aren't fighting the camera or befuddled by some difficult-to-read systems for your abilities and stats. As mentioned earlier, those who didn't like the original title won't be swayed by this entry, but those who have played the previous two games will find it difficult to justify the $30 asking price when they have to replay two-thirds of the content again. However, Malicious Fallen can be an intriguing game if you're tired of the current offerings on the market.

While I feel the developers missed their mark with some aspects of the humor (fart jokes are from junior high), other pieces of humor were dead-on and had me cracking up. I just wish the game could have lived up to the adventure games of yore.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution is a stopgap title that feels a bit repetitive.

This remake of Splatterhouse is much like a modern slasher movie. It's loud, brash and gory, but luckily, it's wrapped in an experience that doesn't try to overstay its welcome.

The developers have gotten this design down, but a complete lack of innovation and some poorly implemented features cripples Warriors Orochi.

It's baffling that the MotionPlus accessory can pick up the nuances of a manual deke but can't reliably detect when you're trying to make a shot, and the overall sluggish nature of player control was certainly frustrating. Combine that with a spotty online mode, and all the control options and modes in the world can't make up for the fact that the game just wasn't very fun to play

LucasArts and Day 1 do deserve kudos for taking such a risky endeavor by integrating the terrain deforming mechanic. I can't recall seeing anything like Fracture in a game before, and I have to admit that I had quite a good time launching enemies into the air by putting a mountain right under their feet. When it comes to the game as a whole, though, terrain is but a fraction of the entire experience, and here Fracture falls flat, with few other outstanding qualities to make it stand out from the rest.

SCEA's Gretzky team needs to go to skating camp and really work on building a hockey game from the ice up. Until then, they will be left with a lame game, no matter what sort of bells and whistles they tack onto the box.

As you manage your squads and try to take down the Queen's men in Jagged Alliance: Back in Action, you can't help but feel that the game could have been a lot more. The open premise really works and allows for you to tackle nearly any obstacle in the game as you see fit. The game is fun, but it has a lot of baggage and head-scratchingly rough edges that dull the enjoyment. The title does a passable job of bringing the Jagged Alliance series back to life, but it's not as good as it could've been, and it doesn't live up to the legacy of its predecessors.

Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars is bland, tedious, and unexceptional.

If you can get past the jankiness, Slitterhead has a certain quality that makes it oddly compelling. Everything from the plot to the gameplay and the graphics is a strange combination of insanely dated and bizarrely structured. It's a bizarre, shambling mess of a game that has a flavor all its own, but it never quite manages to come together into something cohesive.

If you’re looking for a lot of polish here, you’re not going to find it. If you like space sims, and "Star Wars Galaxies" isn’t doing it for you, it’s worth at least downloading the free client and checking it out.

James Bond 007: Blood Stone isn't really a bad game. It's just a five-hour, heavily scripted game that's far too easy and short on genuine thrills.

While Barnyard has a few shining points such as the bike and Sharp Squirter, it just isn't entertaining enough to account for a purchase, unless you have children who are really, really into the movie.

Like its previous offshoots, MySims SkyHeroes feels like a "lite" version of other, stronger games. In this case, players feel like they're playing a watered-down version of Crimson Skies for the original Xbox.

While it must have faced enormous pressure during the production and subsequent release of the title, the developers must feel proud knowing they leaped the movie to game barrier and actually created a worthwhile game.

You're getting the combat and battlefield strategy of the regular titles, combined with some of the more strategy-like elements of the Empire series.

A graphically amazing, highly playable engine is let down by a fairly predictably storyline and repetitive mission structure.

There is no aspect of this title that is completely perfect, but every aspect is almost completely perfect, making for a pleasant diversion whose flaws are comparatively minor and won't detract from the enjoyment of the game.

Trinity Universe is a good choice for RPG fans who don't mind a heavy dose of humor in their games, and it'll keep you entertained for quite a while.

Gunpey is simplistic and slowly paced, creating an experience that neither entrances nor exhilarates. Most importantly, it is missing that third element that is crucial in every great puzzle game: addictiveness.

Overall, I found Up for the Wii to be an average movie tie-in game that doesn't do much to impress.

A fun control concept only works when the rest of the game works, too. Unfortunately, WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2008 featuring ECW for the NDS demonstrates this all too effectively, resulting in the weakest iteration of the series in quite a while.

Judged as a stand-alone budget title, Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious is surprisingly robust and worth playing. As a piece of Forza Horizon 2 DLC, it's a harder call.

Despite the mind-numbingly simple gameplay and non-existent difficulty, fans of the show will enjoy blasting ghosts and specters for the three to five hours it takes to complete the title.

A step back for the franchise.

At its worst, however, Cooking Mama is enough to make you want to throw your Wiimote at the screen as the game struggles to recognize the commands that you give it.

Gal Metal is a rhythm game that may be an acquired taste for some players. The lack of direction will be confusing at first, but once you get used to listening to the song a few times, you'll come to appreciate the more freeform nature of rhythm. Though the game lacks original tracks, it does a good job with the metal-tinged classic songs, and while the story has seemingly endless cut scenes, at least it's humorous. While the Switch has a number of solid rhythm games, this flawed title is still worth checking out if you're looking for a different experience.

It's an interesting take on the Pokémon formula, but it can hardly contend for the top spot, and it's really only going to appeal to the fans of the show, leaving a lot to be desired when it comes to gameplay and story.

Aside from a quick rental, it's not worth it to pick up this title.

Pure Chess is both an excellent title for the solo player and a disappointment for those who want to play the game online.

Friday the 13th: The Game is a fun but flawed experience. When it is on, it feels great. The feeling of hunting down that last survivor or dodging Jason and escaping at the final moment is tough to beat. However, the technical glitches and lack of launch content drag it down. If you're willing to overlook them, then you'll find an enjoyable experience that should improve down the line.

Rare will be the adult gamer who enjoys Up purely on his or her own. As a game for the kids, the title deserves consideration, so much so I'd say if they're mad to get it, well go ahead and get it. As a family or group game, the involved, enjoyable and sometimes unintentionally hilarious co-op setting makes Up quite a good bet.

Tharsis isn't a game for everyone. Strategy may be an important factor in determining how long you'll survive, but luck plays a much bigger role in things toward the end. The game is punishingly difficult early on, but it throws you a bone every now and then with character unlocks that can make things feel different.

There's very little to recommend Rayman 3D, even when keeping in mind the 3DS' rather limited launch lineup. There's the core of a good game here, but that's about all that this version of Rayman 2 has going for it.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a fun but flawed experience.

The quality and low price and make this game worthy of at least a rental, if not a purchase, but if you're expecting more from your off-road racing title, go with MX vs. ATV Reflex for now and wait to see if there's enough content for this game to warrant a look.

No matter how you cut it, DW5E is an experiment that has gone wrong, and this is coming from someone who unabashedly loves this franchise.

As it stands, I think that judicious use of patches can iron out many of the issues with Loki. Until then, I'd still recommend it, but see if you can find it for a good budget price.

Dokapon Kingdom is a great party game, especially for RPG fanatics. Closer to competitive card games like Munchkins than what gamers generally think of as a party game, it offers a surprising amount of fun and depth for such a simple-looking package.

Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest is a surprisingly good title, especially for those who don't mind a little on-rails action in their games. The combat is good, though limited because of some missing moves and the general uselessness of the throwing stars. Multiplayer, while not exactly deep, is fun enough, and the addition of online helps give the game some legs.

Do you like simple gameplay? If the answer is yes, then you will enjoy N3 and consider your time and money well spent. If the answer is no, then it can end up being an exercise in frustration and boredom.

It’s actually not a bad introduction to strategy games, and it may keep those starving for some tactics busy for a few hours. But the enemy AI, clunky controls and camera, and lack of real variety in the game make it worth not one penny more than the price tag.

No matter how frustrating the combat became or how broken the environments turned out to be, I loved doing case work and figuring out obscure deaths or uncovering secret organizations within this peculiar game world. Given all the downsides, this is a game that is difficult to recommend, especially at full price.

For all the Yu-Gi-Oh fans out there, it is 10 out of 10, but unfortunately, not everybody is.

Its gameplay mechanics are at best, boring, and at worst, snooze-worthy. If you enjoy Neopets, you may want to give this one a tentative rent, but that’s the most that I can suggest to anyone.

Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle is a fine game but seems to be an ill fit for the Nintendo 3DS platform. The 3-D effect is gimmicky at best, and with most of the images on the upper screen being either useless or not amusing, you won't care about them.

With a little more foresight into the viewpoint, things could have become infinitely more playable and turned out to be a far more rewarding experience.

Flying Red Barrel: The Diary of a Little Aviator is solid. The back-to-basics shooting feels good, as do the difficulty and the changes, like a limited continue pool. One really needs to put in some effort to see this through to the end. Its age means that it lags behind its contemporaries in terms of graphical options and online hooks, but for genre fans, those elements matter very little when the gameplay is still going strong.

Due to its nature, it is difficult to rate Pattern like you would a traditional video game. It feels like a germ of an idea that has been released to the public in its current form; it's different from what the developer originally intended, but it's fascinating nonetheless. The decision to turn it into a diary makes it an artistic endeavor more than a traditional game with an explicit goal, and its endless nature can have several interpretations, none of which can be considered wrong. Regardless of score, your decision to try Pattern is dependent on whether you enjoy the genre; those who do will find this to be an experience that'll stick with them for some time.

If not for the impressive sound and the sheer intensity of fighting a seemingly endless supply of terrorists, this game would have no redeeming qualities.

By no means is Ashwalkers an action-packed survival adventure sim, but the story and importance of the journey was compelling enough to have me on the edge of my seat through my playthrough. I cared about Squad Three and wanted them to succeed, and for a narrative-driven game such as this, isn't that all you can ask for? If postapocalyptic survival games are your jam, Ashwalkers is worth its very reasonable $12 price tag and offers a different spin on the genre that you know and love.

Infini rewards those who can accept its oddities. The story and presentation aren't going to be accepted by the masses, but if you're up for something that you likely haven't seen before and want to try out some atypical puzzles, give Infini a shot.

Ultimately, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is Sonic in name only. Rather than being a revival of classic gameplay, it feels more like a fan project that didn't quite get everything right. Rip away the Sonic sprites, and you're left with nothing more than an average platformer. If you have a hankering for old-school Sonic, snag Sonic Generations instead.

At the end of the day, Godfall is a game with a dull story, boring world, uninteresting loot, and simplistic combat, but it looks pretty and feels nice to play. It's not a bad game for a quick playthrough, but it's not something that is going to keep your attention for very long, despite theoretically being designed for loot-grinding fun. Considering the new game price of $70, it's difficult to recommend Godfall, even if you're very hungry for a new game for your PS5. Once it comes down in price, it'll be easier to justify picking it up for a mindless hack-and-slash weekend, but at the moment, it doesn't do enough to really be worthwhile.

For people who have already distanced themselves from Koei's game series, this title will do nothing to change their minds about the genre. For fans of the formula, though, the decision of purchasing this game comes down to whether or not they can live with its trade-offs. For those who can live with the changes, the game provides a fun experience that will last for quite a while.

Better than a fair amount of licensed games out there, Over the Hedge still falls a bit short of what can be considered a good game.

On its own, The Walking Dead: Onslaught isn't a bad title. The gameplay is decent enough if you wanted something with a little more substance than the first crop of PSVR titles, and the length is more in line with a traditional modern title versus a VR-specific offering. The problem is that the bugs with hit detection and checkpoint triggering are enough to sap away any of the fun that the game could have provided. The other problem is that we aren't that far removed from The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, a much more satisfying experience that feels like what all VR games should aspire to. This probably would have gotten a higher recommendation if the release dates were reversed, but as it stands now, this is more for the TV show fan who wants a fun diversion, as long as they're willing to accept some big issues; this isn't suited for someone who's looking for the next big VR milestone title.

Fun but extremely basic. There is lots of speedy platforming coupled with a simple beat-'em-up fighting style, which makes for a brief but mostly unsatisfying experience.

One line in the game struck me as particularly amusing: One of the animals sarcastically asks, "What's more fun than doing something over and over again?" I had to write it down, as it perfectly described my own attitude towards the title.

Overall, this is a good return to form for the series, and fans will love this game. Action game fans who are a bit more cautious with their purchases should certainly rent this, as the lack of multiplayer may not immediately peg it as a purchase, but don't be surprised if the Shadow levels and the sheer brutality make you want to purchase the game.

A fairly solid economic strategy simulation where the player can utilize a number of varying tactics and maneuvers to gain an advantage in a well-designed medieval environment. Unfortunately, the impressive level of detail and the interesting gameplay options at your disposal take a backseat to the technical issues and repetitive micromanagement.

With few moments of exciting action and no real choices to make as you storm through the short campaign, the game fills the void with an uninspired use of gadgets and loads of cut scenes to gloss over the essential un-Bond quality of the shooting experience.

Wanted is mediocre and too short, and it's only of vague entertainment even for players with prerequisite interests.