Not to sound like a petulant child, but Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March is underwhelming and not fun. The gameplay is inconsistent because the title is constantly fighting with itself about being an RTS or RPG.

Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package is no masterpiece. It never was. However, it is a fun action game that could've been a decent open-world game on the Switch. Instead, it is one of the most poorly optimized ports we've seen on the system thus far, making it hard to recommend. It is not unplayable and it is still somewhat fun, but the technical limitations get in the way almost all the time. For the $40 price point, The Third isn't worth the price of admission.

It's highly unlikely you'll be able to find a steady group for the title's very formulaic multiplayer, and the single-player campaign can be completed in less than six hours on the normal difficulty setting.

For the most part, it succeeds, but slippery control, merely average graphics, and short playtime leave this one to be a rental at best.

Shrek the Third isn't a terrible game, but it's not a terribly fun — or long — one, either. It suffers from boring, repetitive combat with extremely frustrating platform jumping, and while the story and dialogue are hilarious, the voice actors providing poor impersonations tend to detract more than enhance from the entire experience.

Murder in the Abbey shines due to its unique graphics, stirring soundtrack, and the care given in telling its somewhat-familiar story. The clunky gameplay has too many problems to make it feel as if it were worth the effort, though, even with the occasional fun moments that manage to creep in.

It's worth mentioning that the ending of the game is different from the ending of the movie, but arguably not for the better.

At the end of the day, Close to the Sun is the exact opposite of what its name implies. It's not aiming for the sun, and while that also means it doesn't get burned by it, it's such a safe distance away that it doesn't feel like it's even trying. It's unfortunate to say for such a pretty, atmospheric game, but the superb presentation and a decent story are contradicted by slow gameplay that doesn't deliver the satisfaction that the setup deserved. Even at a highly reduced price, Close to the Sun had a lot of promise but ultimately fails to create a memorable experience due to its unengaging and bland gameplay.

While I think the building and prospecting aspects of the title could have been interesting components for a larger Sims game, there's just not enough here to consider it a fully realized title.

Between a modest array of games, inapplicable scoring system, and generally lacking feel for making these sorts of exercises enjoyable and producing the effect that you're actually progressing in training your brain, Brain Training for Dummies lacks what it would take to make a good experience in the edutainment genre.

Trainwreck Studios tried with Time Ace. They tried hard. But it's obvious that while they do have some skill in game design (some of the less prohibitive levels, especially later in the game, are quite enjoyable), their first attempt lived up to the company's unfortunate name.

Running around as a green, humanoid wrecking ball in New York's sandbox of steel and concrete castles can be fun for a while until it starts feeling like a repetitive exercise in dealing with missions that try and enlist the Hulk as a nanny for stolen gear or have him destroy yet another group of bad guys who don't have the good sense to stay out of his way.

The high concept of reality blood sports shows is fairly cool, but they didn't develop it far enough.

Golem is nothing to scoff at. It looks and sounds beautiful, it has an open world that can be explored freely, and the sword combat feels satisfying. On the other hand, cumbersome and awkward controls, a decent amount of motion sickness, and a few frustrating game mechanics prevent the title from reaching its potential. If you have a strong stomach and think you can make do with the controls, Golem will provide some joy, even though it is far from a VR masterpiece.

If you're a huge Spider-Man fan, this game may be for you. Anyone else will be content renting it and amusing themselves for a few hours exploring the Big Apple and returning it before the dullness sets in.

When Velvet Assassin gives up on stealth at the end of the game and decides to spawn waves and waves of soldiers, I regrettably also gave up trying to enjoy the gameplay.

Smarty Pants has all the groundwork for a fun title that's good for gathering up your friends and enjoying a nice, simple Wii experience. Unfortunately, the developers refused to settle for a basic trivia game and instead opted to throw in every little idea they had for ways to make it more "interactive."

When Velvet Assassin gives up on stealth at the end of the game and decides to spawn waves and waves of soldiers, I regrettably also gave up trying to enjoy the gameplay.

MX Vs. ATV: Untamed won't make you tear out your hair or stomp on your PSP, but it's pretty much in the middle of the pack when it comes to PSP releases.

NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a title that has solid basics in place, but it really needed a lot more time and budget to get everything just right. As it stands, the title is a buggy, unpolished mess with easy-to-use, overpowered moves and gameplay that is often more frustrating than it is fun.

It's a rental, but it's worth trying out despite the flaws if you happen to find it at a reduced price.

The flawed feel of Fallout 3: The Pitt extends beyond the battered, war-weary facade of its buildings, and the rushed, unfinished feel of this particular adventure makes it a painfully disappointing experience.

Nostalgia enthusiasts could do a lot worse than to pick up a used copy at their local game store, and $20 is about right for the new price.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time was clearly made for the DS, and on the DS is where it should have stayed.

World War II games have a bad reputation right now, and titles like Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II aren't going to help one bit. The game falls short by nearly every measure and earns a dishonorable discharge for being a poor example for soldiers everywhere.

Should offer up enough simple running and jumping and punching and kicking to satisfy those younger gamers out there who want nothing more than to hopelessly rekindle the experience of watching the film on their GBA.

If you want a game that captures what Freakyforms Deluxe tries to do, you're best served hunting down the Drawn to Life games for the original DS. Kids might find the game entertaining in spite of the number of demos, but without a demo, it's hard to recommend risking the cost.

All in all, Mulaka takes a risk that doesn't pay off. The story and goal of the game are intriguing, but the gameplay and visuals just aren't there. It certainly does things right and will appeal to a few people, but the overall rough approach is noticeable in every aspect and holds it back.

The overall quality feels like a failed experiment. Sure, Hellbent did a great job of porting over a control scheme that most would shy away from, but at the same time, the quality control involved leaves a whole lot to be desired.

Offering zero replayability and little incentive to complete even a first run-through, Atomic Betty has the potential to entertain only those youngest of gamers who are still easily dazzled by controlling familiar characters on a tiny screen.

The bare-bones plot and general lack of direction mean you must make your own fun. It's set in a largely static world that doesn't care about the choices you make, and the few times when you can impact the world may be lost to you or circumvented by others with a mere server hop. There's fun to be had if you enjoy the thought of poking around a Fallout wasteland with a friend. Otherwise, very little here feels new, and it feels like a lot of content is missing in comparison to previous games in the series.

Bland, boring, infuriating, and above all, painfully disappointing.

The frustrating ease of death, an uninteresting story and characters, washed-out visuals and uninspired gameplay do not a successful sequel make.

If you're a gamer looking to whet your palate on something new or, worse yet, a casual gamer looking for something to play during a train ride, consider long and hard before putting down money for this. The sharp difficulty curve is enough to scare away all but the most devoted and patient of gamers, and the repetition will lead to the frustration and hand cramps.

Even if you only play Life Is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection in handheld mode and you've never played either game elsewhere, this offering isn't great. At $40 for a slightly worse version of two older titles, I can't recommend the Arcadia Bay Collection in its current state. It may be worth a pickup at a steep sale, but even then, if you can play it on another platform, do yourself a favor and do that. Both games are still enjoyable narrative adventures with some cool moments, but the Switch iteration simply doesn't do justice to the original releases.

The amusing thing about Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts is that it feels like a preview title; nothing about it is glaringly, hopelessly flawed, but it felt like something that could have improved with some more development time.

There are better representations of what ninja titles can really pull off, and while Red Ninja had the potential to really shake up the genre, it just doesn't have enough draw to even give it a gentle nudge.

It drapes itself in branding, of which Marc Ecko's rhinoceros is but a single offender; exactly what am I rebelling against here?

Overall, World Heroes Anthology really isn't much.

The lack of true strategic possibilities is a vast shortcoming when such high quality alternatives are on the shelves.

At the heart of things MX vs. ATV: Untamed is an ambitious title whose execution fails to live up to the lofty standard set by previous entries in the series.

It really is sad to see a game like King of Fighters XII turn out this way. It has a solid fighting mechanic and great graphics, but the surrounding features are so meager that they kill everything good about the game.

And as for being playable, well, the game is such a bore than most gamers would prefer to let this one rot in the closet than pull it out for another go in their 'Cube.

A well-intentioned game that still suffers from shallow gameplay and a few major design flaws. It can be amusing in short bursts but grows tiresome rapidly.

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.

At best, Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is strictly for fans. The combat is good, but the lack of major enemy intelligence and variety dulls any fun one can have. The game is brimming with visual novel-style cut scenes, and the characterization is great, but the emphasis on Neptunia characters can be disappointing for those who want more of the Senran Kagura girls. The constant crashing during cut scenes makes the whole affair messy, and it needs some patches to address this before we can recommend it.

It's very difficult to recommend Disney Tsum Tsum Festival. The best minigame happens to be the one originally made for mobile platforms, and the second best is the coin-pushing game. The other minigames have various control and design issues, and they range in quality from OK to bland, so even the great presentation can't compensate for those shortcomings.

There's nothing to recommend Knack, and it's destined to join the ever-growing pile of low-budget launch titles that nobody remembers.

The economics of the game simply feel shoddy. The AI is frustrating. The bleak emptiness of your mall initially and the fact that the best way to build a satisfying mall is by taking out loans seems a little funny.

Ultimately, Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party for the Wii has ended up erasing about four years of progress within the genre. The improvements have been replaced with unnecessary and annoying gimmicks galore, which only make it look that much worse when compared to the latest rhythm offerings, Guitar Hero III and Rock Band.

There's potential in Unknown 9: Awakening. The story and setting are fascinating, since so few games are set at the cusp of World War I. Haroona's powers add an enthralling wrinkle to the stealth and combat systems. The experience falls apart when you scrutinize some of these gameplay mechanics, and the bad bugs and mediocre presentation heavily reduce the game's potential. Give it a few patches, and maybe the title will end up being a guilty pleasure for those looking for a straightforward adventure game, but don't expect to uncover a hidden masterpiece.

Kinect Star Wars is a decent title only if you ignore the myriad of flaws. Had the focus been on themed minigames and if the controls and objectives were tweaked a bit, this would have been a derivative but enjoyable title for casual Kinect fans. Unfortunately, the included minigames don't feel very fleshed out, and the main focus of the game delivers some underwhelming moments due to flaky controls and boring combat.

With the performance hit, lack of customizable heroes, poorly executed strategy map and inept AI I cannot in good conscience recommend this game.

In some respects, Honda ATV Fever is certainly a better title than ATV Quad Kings. The vehicles seem to drive a little faster, and there is more to take into account when selecting your ATV. However, it shares too many similarities with its sub-par predecessor.

Fossil Fighters: Champions is too derivative and too stuck on the source material to really stand out. Instead of bringing us something clever and entertaining, we're instead saddled with what feels like leftovers from the first game.

"Bland" pretty much sums up the entirety of Flow.

The overall presentation looks nice, but with such a steep difficulty curve during the game's middle segment, few people will find enjoyment in having baristas pummel an unrelated menagerie of characters for too long. With so many other beat-'em-ups on the system, Coffee Crisis will be a title that you'll check out after exhausting the other options.

If you're itching to play Verdun, then the PC version is the only way to go. A healthy online community and good performance mean that there's always a game going on with people who know what they're supposed to be doing. On the Xbox One, that's not the case. Problematic presentation aside, there aren't enough people around to keep the games interesting, and the weapons unlock system doesn't seem to function correctly all the time. It may be the more realistic title when compared to Battlefield 1, but none of that matters when other factors make this a title that you should avoid unless you're willing to put in the time to learn the ins and outs of the system, provided the community sticks around.

Unfortunately, the buggy, short, one-shot gameplay, dodgy AI and disappointing storytelling leave you feeling more alone in the cold, dark reaches of space than behind the stick of the deadliest fighter in the galaxy.

It has the ingredients of a good platform game: good graphics and controls, but unfortunately, poor level execution and weak audio take away from the game.

When looked at through a modern lens, it is difficult to recommend Postal Redux to anyone who didn't play the original on the PC decades ago. The early attempts at being edgy backfire now into groan-worthy territory, while the singular focus gets tiresome if you're playing through the short campaign. The inaccuracy of your guns and their muted damage makes ammo management almost impossible, while the larger hitboxes create far too many missed shots and accidental deaths. The result isn't a terrible game since there's still some grim fun to be had, but there are certainly better shooter titles out there unless you're set on experiencing the shooters of yesteryear.

Despite having cute otters, The Otterman Empire doesn't work out. The speed at which you deplete your ammo makes shooting more of a chore than fun, while your low health pool and inability to tell where enemies are shooting from means that you'll be going through the respawn sequence far too often. The squirrelly controls don't help matters, and while the local multiplayer is appreciated, the lack of online play hurts the game's potential longevity. For the time being, pass on this one.

Fighters Uncaged shows promise but nothing else.

At the end of the day, Lair is more of a visual and aural masterpiece than a game you'd actually want to sit down and play.

Overall, The Slater is a barely competent stealth game. The limited move set is disappointing, but it would have at least provided some sort of challenge if the AI were competent at its jobs. If the game weren't so precise about where targets should be killed, then the more open approach to the levels would've been interesting. Combine all of this with a presentation that seems fine until everything is in motion, and you have the recipe for a game that stealth fans will only play if there's an afternoon to kill and all of the other good stealth options have been exhausted.

Aztech: Forgotten Gods is a classic example of a good idea with failed execution. The premise feels fresh, as does the use of gods from a civilization that isn't often covered. The combat system and various traversal mechanics have potential, but technical issues, bad presentation, and an uninteresting open world lead to a game that squanders its potential. Hopefully the team can rebound to present some of these ideas again with more polish. In its current state, it's difficult to recommend Aztech.

In the end, Lost in Harmony just doesn't deliver. The dual stories can be hit-and-miss for some players, but the music is good in both tales. However, the poor gameplay implementation sinks the experience, and the lackluster presentation doesn't help, either. The game is inexpensive at $6.99, but it can only be recommended if you've exhausted all other options and still want something to play that isn't terrible.

Edens Zero really is a game made for existing fans, specifically those who aren't too picky about their gameplay. The combat is serviceable enough to provide button-mashers with some fun, and the open world gives the game some legs once the story section has been completed. For those new to the series, the rushed and initially convoluted storytelling provides a terrible first impression, while the gameplay's stunted nature makes you wonder why the game was made into an action-RPG title instead of a more straightforward action title. Overall, the game can be decent, but it fares poorly when compared to many other anime-based games on the market.

Overall, Art of Fighting Anthology certainly did not stand the test of time, and the titles definitely don't have anything on current 2D fighters.

The monotonous gameplay wears thin all too soon, and what you're left with is a boring game that I can't see anyone enjoying for more than a few hours at best.

Ultimately, Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle is lacking in so many ways. The basic combat system lacks polish, and boss fights look cool but are boring to actually play. The presentation also feels unfinished, with missing bouts of audio and a pause that occurs at inopportune times rather often. It gets the modes right, and the presence of local co-op is appreciated, but none of that matters when the basics aren't up to snuff. It might be fine for young kids, but fans who are looking for a throwback to their SNES/Genesis days would be better served by digging up those titles instead.

If you're looking for a good exercise game, go with the Wii console version of The Biggest Loser instead, as this iteration will be more cumbersome to use once you start getting active.

Finding a way to pump more music into the mix should have been a higher priority as well.

Everything else about the game — the story, characters and setting — is fabulous, but the gameplay doesn't live up to this promise and is among some of the drabbest that I've encountered in an RPG recently.

There's just something disturbing in seeing a game that is part of such a storied and influential franchise sacrifice so much to rush headlong into the social sphere. Perhaps the bugs and shortcomings will be resolved in a few weeks, but until then, SimCity's hidden requirement of additional patience still applies.

The nuggets of genuine hilarity hidden within a few encounters are worth a once-over, but Matt Hazard's reboot should perhaps have been left for a later date.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the Wii simply does not have enough magic in it to fly on its own.

You really, really have to like the kind of humor in High on Knife to enjoy the DLC. You're not going to get any character from the new gun, and Knifey's psycho nature doesn't take long to become grating when compared to the rest of your living loadout. The combat is less enjoyable than before, since the pinball gun is the only weapon you can use to deal any real damage, and the act of collecting everything in the game feels more meaningless since you don't get anything from it. If you're into the rambling nature of the jokes with a sense of humor that's often crude or referential with no real payoff, then you might want to check this out, but anyone who's hoping for good gameplay to balance the humor will be disappointed.

A very annoying and superficial piece of work.

Iro Hero is a decent game with a poorly thought-out execution. The game is difficult but almost unforgiving, as longer-than-usual levels and a high enemy count mean you'll start at the beginning of stages far more often than you'd like. The mechanics are barely explained in-game due to the ill-conceived layout, and the story suffers the same fate as well. With an inconsistent presentation to boot, Iro Hero is a game that's solely for hardcore genre fans, as everyone else will barely make it out of the first stage before deleting it in favor of other, better-executed shooters.

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.

Taking a classic game that was built on the meticulous design of a single area, and trying to expand it into something much more than what it needs to be is a crime upon the integrity of the original.

Keepsake ultimately feels like a lot of conundrum strung together loosely around a lackluster storyline and lots of jogging.

Track Lab is an interesting title. If you're looking at it as a game, it has some great puzzle mechanics, but there's only enough content to last you about an hour unless you get stuck on one of the puzzles. If you're looking at it as a music creation tool, the interface is novel but not something you'll use to seriously create tunes, especially since there's no easy way to export your creations. Ultimately, Track Lab is more of a fun toy in VR but not something you'll be itching to visit more than a few times.

Inferno Pool may offer an interesting variant of the main game, but it doesn't do much else to make it a good alternative to fans of the video game representation of the sport.

If you're just a casual poker fan or are looking for a way to brush up on your skills for friendly games, you'd probably be better off just playing online for free. WSoP '08 tries to go all in and steal the pot, but I'm here to call its bluff.

Calling has all of the technical chops to become a decent horror game. The sounds and graphics are fine, while the controls aren't all that cumbersome. Unfortunately, the story just isn't scary so the game feels like it drags on. If you can't stand to miss any horror game release, then your best bet would be to rent this title.

Cars Race-O-Rama tosses a lot of content at you, but it can't disguise that the game isn't very fun to play.

The worst flaw in any RPG is the lack of a decent save system, and in that respect, Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer is guilty as charged. This frustrating trait, combined with the mediocrity that's prevalent in the rest of the title, makes for a pretty poor showing.

Unfortunately, the execution is so flawed that it is going to take a dedicated player to reach the "fun" hidden within. The controls are awkward and uncomfortable, and the gameplay mechanics are unintuitive. The level design is weak, and the boss fights are simply embarrassing.

Monochroma has the heart of a good dramatic game, but it has neither the soul nor mechanics of one.

Where Winds Meet has potential. We're starting to see RPGs in a Wuxia setting, and this is perhaps the most compelling one yet. The number of activities varies greatly, and the combat feels wonderful. The game's vastness means that there's loads of longevity, even if the experience can feel like a grind at times. The many systems at play can lead to a confusing experience, especially since the game does a poor job of teaching you the gameplay mechanics. The spotty presentation doesn't do the game any favors when coupled with the lack of translation in places. If you're willing to put up with all of these hindrances from the start, you'll find a game that does a good job of keeping you interested. Most people will be better served by waiting to see if the team can add some much-needed polish before jumping in.

As cartoon translations to the video game genre go, Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun does a few things wrong, but it does very few things very wrong, and that puts it head and shoulders above some of the other examples of this type of crossover.

It's reasonably good-looking, intelligent and fun, but with a lot of flaws.

Nearly every element of The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame can be described as basic or simple. It doesn't hold a candle to other LEGO games, and while the world-building can be interesting, it is much more limited than LEGO's proper sandbox title. The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame game is the definition of average mediocracy. Rent if you're curious, but don't bother with a purchase unless you find it on deep discount and want the Achievements.

It's far from the worst HoMM-alike out there, but Disciples III has far too many flaws to recommend, and considering the excellent alternatives, there is little reason to pick it up.

When you get down to it, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is absolutely boring to play on the DS. It's a constant series of fetch quests that's rarely broken up by the wand duels, potion-making and Quidditch matches.

American Fugitive is fine if you can overlook its slew of flaws. From shaky AI to an overzealous crime detection system and spotty controls, there's enough here to make one quit the game rather quickly. It helps that the core aspect of the open-world gameplay and the small town setting are enough to keep some people interested. If you really want a throwback to the old GTA system, then this will do, but don't expect something as polished and varied as Retro City Rampage.