While the original Skylanders was appropriately lauded for being a unique, quality title for all ages, Skylanders: Giants seems to be riding on the coattails of the original title's good will. It's not bad, and it's really similar to the first game, but its limited innovation is largely unnecessary (Giant Skylanders).

Combined with technical aspects that feel like it doesn't use its resources well enough, and you have a title that'll only reach RPG fans who want a little fan service on the side. Still, for those people, it's at least worth a rental if you want something other than the big RPG releases from the last few months.

As it stands, BPM is a solid idea that's well executed, but it's wrapped in some mediocre game design that ultimately drags down the experience. This may sound like a harsh deconstruction of the title, but I would still recommend it to the right person. If you're very much into rhythm games or intrigued by the title, give it a shot. Its gameplay is promisingly solid, but the rest of the experience feels either underwhelming or too repetitive to appreciate over time. I would have loved to see some more drastic gameplay variations, skill-based additions, or maybe a change of pace or music to mix things up.

The premise for Need for Speed: The Run is good, but it is plagued by so many issues that it is hard to appreciate the things that it does well.

The game is even fun at first, until you hit the curse of repetitive gameplay and inconsistent AI, which is where it all falls apart.

FSW: Ten Hammers is not a sequel for people who didn't enjoy the slow action of the original. The pace is exactly the same here, with slightly more player control and all of the same general ugliness you remember.

The premise for Need for Speed: The Run is good, but it is plagued by so many issues that it is hard to appreciate the things that it does well.

The one saving grace is that in spite of all these shortcomings, if you've never played Sid Meier's Pirates! before and only own a Wii console, then this is a title you absolutely must own.

If it sounds stupid, it's probably appropriate.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia isn't a bad fighting game. The fighting seems deep at first but quickly turns chaotic with plenty of moves that don't look like they connect and a roster that looks more generic than impressive. The presentation is OK with decent music and graphics that look a touch underwhelming. The modes are numerous, but those who will want to play online will be disappointed at the lack of rollback netcode. The Switch is already blessed with a bevy of solid fighting games, so the only reason to grab this one is if you really want all of the fighting games that the system has to offer.

Grab a walkthrough or something and get this one on the cheap and you're good for several hours of fun watching Sherlock solve a deeply baffling case. People who actually like to PLAY their mystery games, though, can take a pass here.

Sadly, Avatar: The Last Airbender falls into a trap that many games of its type do – it's already been done by another, more successful, less licensed title. If you liked "Diablo" or "D&D Heroes," Avatar has that special kind of gameplay you're sure to love, for as short as it lasts.

Quake 4 might not be broken, but it sure is boring, and if it is boring, then fix it. Id should save their tech demos for clients and think about how they can evolve their gameplay experience, not their rendering capabilities.

For rhythm fans and those who enjoy the Senran Kagura series thus far, Bon Appetit is worth checking out.

All in all, Guardians of the Galaxy is an average table that will likely sell based on the license and the accessibility for casual players, rather than on the quality of the table itself. If you've already mastered every other table in the Pinball FX 2 library, then give it a look, but if you're still making your way through the Zen archive, there are better options.

The Chosen: Well of Souls has simply been done better many times before.

The story may not be good enough to be considered a mainstream option, but for the JRPG community and SAO fans, there is an extreme amount of fun to be had here. If you've played the previous games, Fatal Bullet is an overall improvement and a step up.

It's a good effort, but it's just not worth more than bargain bin prices.

Section 8 is difficult to recommend to anyone but fans of the space-marine shooter subgenre.

Overall, Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident is a solid attempt at porting the series to home consoles.

As it stands, Carnival Island isn't that bad of a minigame compilation. It looks and sounds fine, and the controls are exactly what one expects from a Move title.

Backbone starts off strong with an interesting premise and setting and tops off everything with great visuals. What starts as an intriguing detective story quickly loses its appeal, as it doesn't scratch more than the surface of its potential with a rather unsatisfying ending and a setting that is never explored to the extent that it likely deserves.

Naruto Shippuden: Kizuna Drive is at its best when enjoyed with multiple people. Playing missions with a team that's totally in sync makes for some fun gameplay, and this is only helped by a combat system that feels faster than most Monster Hunter clones. However, as a solo game, the free missions are painful, as the CPU AI never feels intelligent enough to do anything unless you're babysitting it every step of the way. As with the rest of the games in the series, fans will have already purchased the title, but non-fans who crave a simpler game in this vein should try renting Kizuna Drive.

There may be a good game in there somewhere, but it falls into a standard hack-and-slash rut of boring and uninspired gameplay that leaves you wanting more from the experience.

As it is, Balloon Pop Remix is a touch above average, but it doesn't do anything to define itself as a must-play experience. Puzzle fans looking for something a little different will find that it makes for a nice time-waster when commuting or waiting in line, but for anything deeper, you'll want to look elsewhere.

Legendary is by no means a legendary experience, but it's not a train wreck either. It's not worth the full $60 asking price, but it's a good rental for anyone who wants to punish some ancient myths or who's in need of a decent FPS to pass a few hours.

It lacks focus, and rather than building upon itself, it's something that only the most dedicated players can appreciate.

Zombie Driver isn't a bad game, but given the number of similar games on the market, there isn't really much to recommend it.

It's perhaps a fun weekend rental, but there's no need to invest any real money in owning this game because you're just going to forget about it in a month anyway.

As a stand alone release Broken World doesn’t merit anything more than a bargain-bin purchase.

Cake Mania 3 suffers the same fate as many other casual titles in that it's a delicious treat at first, but after a couple of days at room temperature, it grows stale.

When all is said and done, LEGO Jurassic World is still going to appeal to fans of the LEGO franchise, but it's not going to impress them.

In the end, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is fine. The lack of combat combined with a lack of guidance creates a challenging and refreshing experience for most — and frustrating for some. The overall presentation is fine, despite the game's use of an engine intended to deliver stunning visuals. The game will appeal to those who are fascinated with the Cthulhu universe more than those looking for thrills and scares. Players won't feel compelled to stick with this title for long sessions at a time.

In the end, I found Dead Island: Riptide to be a fun stopgap in the series, despite not being a full-fledged sequel. Certain things could have been better, like the characters, story, and more innovation. There are a couple of new skills, a new character, and new locations, but it's not wildly different. The initial location is nearly identical to the starting island area from the original game, and while it might feature a different layout, it's really hard to initially tell them apart.

Amazingly enough, Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team is still an enjoyable game in spite of all its technical issues, and that's a credit to the purity of its design. If you're a fan of Warhammer 40,000 or killing stuff in general, chances are good you'll enjoy giving this one a go. Just don't be surprised if it feels like the Orks did some of the programming.

Passable, though there is not enough new to it to really recommend it, and its flaws stand out like a sore thumb.

The license might not match up, and if the developer had created it without "Red Bull BC One" being attached, I believe that more people would have been willing to check it out, but as it stands now, it's definitely enjoyable.

Battletoads isn't bad, but it is boring. It starts off relatively strong and quickly devolves into uninteresting minigames. When the title returns to beat-'em-up gameplay, it shows the potential to be something more, but then you're forced to play "rock paper scissors" or mash buttons for a few minutes, and it all fades away. The concept, characters and visuals are excellent updates of the original, so it's a shame that the gameplay isn't.

Awful camera movement, less-than-ideal control setups, and some laggy online play prevent this from being a Star Wars title that's worth checking out, even for the hardcore fan community out there. If the series is going to continue its life on handheld systems, it certainly needs to see more of an improvement than this.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is going to appeal the most to die-hard fans of the film series. The ability to ride some of the creatures of Pandora and take in the lush surroundings of the moon are more than enough to satisfy those who want to wander around and soak in everything. For everyone else, the game is simply decent. The missions are very hit-and-miss in quality and execution, while the ability to use human and Na'vi weapons isn't as appealing as the developers may have expected. The world looks gorgeous, but navigating it isn't that intuitive due to a poor map and navigation system, and that also goes for other elements, like hunting and gathering. The game isn't terrible or as bleak as the first title, but you'll need to temper expectations to get some enjoyment out of Frontiers of Pandora.

A fun, albeit easy, rhythm game.

Terminator: Resistance is reminiscent of the days when tie-in games were released with practically every action movie. It's playable, but it's forgettable. It's fun to get your chance to shoot Terminators in the face and see John Connor being John Connor (instead of the mess he became in the various sequels), but beyond that, there's not much to recommend it. If you're a die-hard Terminator fan who is eager for a chance to visit the future of the original movies, then it might be worth a go. It's difficult to recommend for anyone else, though.

Overall, Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom isn't that bad. The story is good enough, if a tad generic, while the characters are likeable if you can get past their odd dialogue and exaggerated reactions. Outside of a pretty finicky magic and parry system, the combat is done well for those who crave real-time action over menus, and some of the other systems bring some depth to that. Presentation is decent, but the camera can be enough to put off some people. If you're craving a game that sticks to some JRPG standards, Shiness isn't a bad one to check out once you're done with the heavy-hitters on the system.

The real problem is that Suikoden 4 fails to stand up to role playing games that came five years or more before it. The title looks, plays, sounds, loads, and I dare say is written like a first-generation import Playstation 2 launch effort.

It's very sad to see a game such as this, where the enemy actually seems like they want you to kill them. They are completely predictable, and most times will just run straight at you, leaving themselves open for a quick combo attack.

As is the case for most games like this, only fans should bother giving this one a spin.

The waves, water swells, storms, ice floes all make for a very immersive environment that just feels right. Real voices with real crab fishermen (and women) and tons of video make the title slightly more robust. Unfortunately, there are clipping issues and some bugs that make what would've been a very polished game feel like it released maybe just a bit too early.

Overall, Boulder Dash: 30th Anniversary Edition is a flawed but fun experience. The base game still runs on a good formula, the challenge is great, and the curve isn't too punishing. The addition of power-ups changes things up a bit, and level creation is a nice addition to a game that's already packed with over 200 stages. However, the presentation feels flat, and the grind can be enough of a deterrent for those wanting to actually complete the game. It's worth checking out, but mostly if you can wait for a sale on it.

As an episode, this would be quite entertaining to watch once or twice. As a game, however, it doesn’t manage to get the job done, falling way too short on actual substance and gameplay.

At the end of the day, Arc of Alchemist delivers a decent gaming experience. The characters' personalities are fun, and their antics are worthy spectacles. The building mechanics are a fun respite from the otherwise ho-hum aspects of the game. Those who are interested in the genre may find this to be worth their time, but the music, art, and significant chunks of the gameplay are too blasé to talk up.

The aloof nature of Beyond Dimensions may make it intriguing at first, but it doesn't hold together in the end.

If you have the choice, check that you're really a huge fan of the show by reciting Hurley's winning lottery numbers, and then either play Via Domus on a PC or rent it.

The swing system is just about as complex and variable as possible, without becoming overwhelming or cumbersome to use.

The adventure feels tedious, and the overall package seems like it doesn't have as much polish as it should in a few areas. Unless you know a young child who's a big fan of the series, it's best to rent this title in order to get your money's worth from the game.

It's a decent enough throwback to a genre that doesn't get much love nowadays, but it doesn't manage to improve upon the genre's fundamentals.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is the video game equivalent of giving your old car a new paint job and a spoiler and claiming it's as good as new. The combination of the dated Tomb Raider areas, mixed with the uninspiring and boring Tomb Raider: Anniversary alone, feels like a patch job, and the addition of the Wii elements to the original versions of Tomb Raider: Anniversary only serves to increase the feeling that most of this game is just new elements stapled haphazardly onto a prettier version of a 10-year-old game.

Fans will definitely get some enjoyment out of this title, but it's going to fall a little flat for everyone else.

City of Brass brings some interesting features to the dungeon-crawling genre, but its overly generic style and atmosphere don't break any new ground. It's a game that can be picked up and put down easily, which would make it a good candidate for a Nintendo Switch port. City of Brass' qualities are unfortunately marred by its lack of personality and other technical blunders.

Zero Division is a game with a good amount of potential, but it still needs a few passes to get smoothed out. The core gameplay is fun and engaging, but some balance issues and bugs keep it from reaching its full potential. It's difficult to recommend right now, but it's the definition of a game to check out once it's had a little more time to bake. Despite my complaints, I am genuinely looking forward to returning and trying Zero Division again once it's more stable.

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.

Below is divisive. Few will argue about the bleak beauty of the game, but everything else sets it up as a title you'll either love or hate, with few reservations. From the lack of instructions to the slow pace and the combat and survival mechanics, there are things that seem to conflict with one another but work fine at the same time. It is a game that asks you to stick with it for a while, and you'll be rewarded with an atmosphere that allows you to interpret things your way. Given some of the game's shortcomings, not everyone will have the commitment to playing until they encounter that "Eureka!" moment. As such, Below gets a cautious recommendation if you weren't already sold on the idea.

Altogether, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is not a great game, but it's decent enough to be playable, and I can see the charm that younger fans of the franchise will enjoy.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a double-edged sword. It does a lot of things right with the story and atmosphere, but the gameplay is mediocre to good, with many flaws around the companion AI, which often ruins the experience. Since the fun multiplayer component of the original release isn't included yet, this game is only for serious fans of the movie or the original game.

As an arcade flight combat game, Dogfight 1942 is decidedly average.

MotoGP 09/10's racing mechanic still hasn't grown significantly, and many surrounding features, such as the multiplayer, are severely unpolished. Hardcore MotoGP fans will be able to sustain themselves on the more in-depth career mode, but anyone else will get bored fast.

Bright Memory: Infinite looks incredible for a game from a small development team, and the core sword-and-gun gameplay is fun enough. However, everything surrounding those two elements feel unpolished and poorly thought-out. The incoherent story, the non-combat gameplay mechanics, and general lack of quality control drag down the entire thing. If you're looking for a quick and breezy shooter to tide you over for an afternoon, Infinite might be fun for you. Otherwise, there's nothing here that you can't see in videos that show off its rain-soaked beauty.

A satisfying approach to the visual aspects of world-building hints at the possibility of a more complex adventure, but Goblet never delivers. Wasting the amped-up drama of the Triwizard Tournament on simplistic tasks that are actually less enjoyable than the levels you have to complete to arrive at them, Goblet is a likely disappointment to Potterites young and old.

Rustler can be a fun enough game if you're willing to forgive some of its flaws. The missions may not be that different from other genre titles, but seeing it all play out from a top-down viewpoint can trigger nostalgia for those who have dabbled in the older titles. The humor is subjective enough, and the overall length feels just right, but some can attribute this to bugs and design decisions that may feel archaic nowadays. Rustler may not be for everyone, but it's good enough for those who aren't too fussy about their games.

Feels limited, and your powers seem squandered on simply fixing statues or any of the other humdrum tasks you're instructed to complete.

If it weren't for the steep difficulty level, Jimmie Johnson's Anything with an Engine would have been a very competent kart racing title.

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.

If it weren't for the steep difficulty level, Jimmie Johnson's Anything with an Engine would have been a very competent kart racing title.

In some ways this game understands that the core of a game is not flashy graphics and interactive soundscapes but is in actuality the gameplay. DDR is an extremely involving game, it’s like being mind controlled.

Like the original release on the 3DS, Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition is fit for younger players who can't quite grasp Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the hardcore Disney fan. The simple activities, brisk pace, and overall Disney vibe is a perfect fit. For everyone else, it has a good amount to do but nothing that captures your attention like Nintendo's game. If you're tired of being on your own deserted island, then Disney Magical World 2 will briefly scratch the life simulation itch, but you can skip this one if you're still paying off loans, are deep in the "Stalk Market," or knee-deep in designing houses for other animal visitors.

If you can get past the shaky controls and low replay value, you'll have a fun experience, especially if you're a Dragon Quest fanatic. However, if the controls aggravate you, the entire experience is going to be more of a chore than a game.

The disjointed nature of the actual cooking, mediocre graphics and bad cut scenes don't exactly make it a clear candidate for top cooking game.

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.

It's an easy game to recommend for a rental since the story is too interesting to pass up, but for those who were interested in buying it, wait to see if there is still a community after the title has been patched.

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

Overall, Fantasy Wars was rather disappointing, since it had the potential to be so much more.

I still can't shake the feeling that I'd rather break out my actual Monopoly board instead of popping the Monopoly Streets disc into my Wii. It's not an awful game since it's based on something that I definitely enjoy, but the added features don't add much to the gameplay, and I feel that most of the additions got in the way of the fun.

If you're not sure on the game, wait for a price drop or two, and a weekend where you and a buddy don't have much to do.

If you're not sure on the game, wait for a price drop or two, and a weekend where you and a buddy don't have much to do.

After popping this game in, I was immediately impressed by the amount of features available.

It's very scary, but it's held back by an annoying save system, limited inventory and respawning enemies.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse is a game for the fans. They're the ones who will appreciate seeing the well-known story arcs through different perspectives and being able to play them out in unconventional ways.

If this is your first chance to play Final Fantasy IV, it's not to be missed, but if you already own the PlayStation port or the original SNES version, think about it twice or even three times.

A diamond in the rough. It is apparent that a great deal of research and design went into the creation of this title, but unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the documentation and tutorial.

As stated before, Wizards of Waverly Place is an above-average game for the recent crop of Disney Channel games to come out on the Nintendo DS.

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.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is fine. The core game mechanics may feel outdated for new players, but those who have played the original entry on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive will appreciate how the game hasn't deviated from that blueprint. The presentation is fine in parts, but the game offers no incentives to keep playing once you finish it. Those with a fondness for the original will love this, but those with no memories of the game will find this to be lacking compared to the remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and the last sequel, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.

PS3 owners should rightly gravitate toward the MLB: The Show franchise, while Xbox owners may as well sit out this year entirely.

For anyone who plans on picking up Fable II, Fable II Pub Games is an easy XBLA title to choose. Those who aren't interested in the game's lineage or continuing story line, or those who aren't fans of board games, will likely pass this one by.

If you want a compelling, complex storyline ripe with betrayal and confusion, go ahead and pick this one up. If you want something to whet your twitch appetite between Nanostray and whatever the next space shooter will be, then pass on this one, or try it before you buy it.

Dragon Ball Z: Raging Blast 2 is a game for the fans, but even fans may find this particular entry to be a little lacking.

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.

I thought it was fun to look forward to the next action you unlock, however, I felt it took way to long to actually unlock most of the stuff. This might not have been so bad if the game had more to keep me occupied with besides just watching my characters talk in warp speed for hours.

At the current price point, it's hard to justify a game that is ultimately so simple and small, even if it can be fairly enjoyable. Pieces Interactive has a good premise here, but ultimately, they didn't make enough out of it to justify the cost.