A fantastic expansion. It does everything right, fixing some troublesome bugs, adding new units and a new faction, and continuing the story without completely destroying the original good-versus-evil concept that has been the staple of the Lord of the Rings universe.

Despite a few rough edges, I can say something I haven't been able to say in nearly a decade: I'm actually looking forward to the next Tomb Raider game.

Retro/Grade is a novel game with a great concept and great execution but suffers from an unfortunate pitfall.

Sonic Colors is a fantastic game. Its greatest achievement is that one does not have to be a super-tolerant dyed-in-the-wool Sonic super fan to enjoy it or to forgive a laundry list of flaws.

An interesting romp and a nice technical achievement; fans of Max Payne or anyone interested would do well to check it out - but should be warned that the game is not the end-all be-all of isometric shooters on the GBA.

Even though it only looks slightly better than its PSP counterparts, the game is still fun, and the core game will keep strategy RPG fans busy for a long, long time. For those who've already gone through the PS3 incarnation, there isn't enough of a reason to get this one unless you never invested in the DLC. For everyone else who are fans of the genre, this is a worthy enough purchase.

Sonic Origins Plus still can't be considered the most comprehensive collection of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog titles. From a completionist's standpoint, it would've been nice to have Sonic 3D Blast, and the Genesis version of Sonic Spinball and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. Others will lament the fact that the original music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remains missing. The inclusion of 12 Game Gear titles makes this feel like a better value, while the modified versions of the original four titles are still a great way for new players to experience these classics without dealing with the things that don't fly in modern game design. For fans of old-school platformers, Sonic Origins Plus is well worth checking out.

At the end of the day, the Mega Man Zero Collection is a functional compilation that will please the hardest of hardcore Mega Man fans.

This game is mainly for Final Fantasy fans who don't mind something different from their titles or for fans who love the character roster and its crossover possibilities. However, people looking for a deep, rewarding fighting game should most definitely look elsewhere.

With great controls, gorgeous graphics, awesome sound, and a perfect sense of speed, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a very exciting kart racer and the closest that anyone has come to matching Mario Kart on a portable Nintendo system.

To my chagrin, EA Sports UFC 5 feels like a mega-update to UFC 4 that flexes the muscles of the Frostbite engine and the PS5 for the sake of visuals and not much else. The score I 'm giving the game is out of respect for the slightly tweaked but still intricate fighting system that's flexible enough for people of all skill levels and time availability to enjoy. Also, it really does look fantastic, and would probably be a solid library addition for fans who haven't played any of the previous UFC titles and want a way in. For me, this wasn't the level change I 'd hoped for, and I can only hope there 'll be some newer pieces in the next one.

There's little you can get from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II that you couldn't get from other titles that likewise do it better. The narrative is winding and confusing, the characters are off-putting, and the visuals are a sore sight for the eyes. While the music and gameplay show some glimmers of promise, they ultimately end up feeling lifeless and overcomplicated, respectively. At the end of the day, Trails of Cold Steel II ends up feeling like a middle-of-the-road shonen anime that's a little too scatter-brained, and you have to slog through the off-screen battles.

Between the fantastic characters, wonderful story and largely entertaining gunplay, this is a title that's worth checking out.

Even in the face of those hiccups, I enjoyed every moment of playing Assassin's Creed: Syndicate and have returned to highly anticipating the next chapter. I still find time to bounce around London with the Frye twins, and I hope whoever comes next can provide the same kind of company.

Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion manages to be a lot more than the sum of its parts. There are a lot of things that you can complain about, from the dumb antagonist to the legacy of its PSP roots. It's a credit to the game that despite those flaws, it is still probably one of the best Final Fantasy spin-off games on the market, and Reunion is by far the best way to experience it. It should do a good job of tiding over fans until at least Final Fantasy XVI.

Metal Slug Anthology was supposed to be one of the portable system's A-list titles. Instead, due to reasons that probably couldn't have been helped, it ends up being one of the system's biggest jokes.

There is potential with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but for every positive thing the game does, there's at least one big negative to counteract it. The variety of aircraft you can pilot is more varied than before, but you'll need to brush up on the various controls to get the most out of each craft. The ability to take photos while flying and on the ground is neat, but be prepared to only be wowed in certain areas. Those hoping for some detailed shots in more populated areas on foot will be sorely disappointed (or horrified). The inclusion of actual people would've been nice if they didn't look so last generation, and while the game has an abundance of activities and a full-fledged career mode, it would have been nice if the experience had faster loading times and was more stable overall. If this follows the trajectory of the previous game, then what you'll get in time is a flight sim that will cater to the hardcore but still be accessible enough for the casual player. Unless you're dedicated enough to want to get in right now with the latest and greatest or need more variety and objectives in a campaign, you might want to stick with the 2020 edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator for a little while longer to get your casual flight fix.

Rock Band Blitz is an above-average music game and a worthy addition to the libraries of genre fans and dabblers alike.

It has well-balanced gameplay, and the fishing and gardening allow your Sims to finally relax and enjoy the great outdoors instead of constantly being in motion. Unfortunately, with all of these new features come even longer loading times.

If you're treating Kinect Nat Geo TV: America the Wild as a game, it really isn't much of one. The minigames are too similar, and the other interactive sections aren't exactly the most involving. If you're treating the product as a DVD collection of episodes, it doesn't work well at that task, either, since there's no way to skip the interactive segments. However, as a whole, the product is excellent and engaging with the right mix of educational content and silliness coming together for an enjoyable 40+ minutes per episode. Young nature lovers who want to do more than just watch TV will certainly get the most out of this.

The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia is an experiment that works better than expected. The focus on boss fights is the right one, as the exploration and puzzle sections are novel but not noteworthy. The controls can seem unwieldy at first, but part of the charm and excitement is in trying to concentrate on typing and moving at the same time. The presentation is excellent, and the length is perfect, as it never feels like the game goes on for too long. The Textorcist may seem like an odd game on the surface, but give it a chance, and you'll find it to be one of the more inventive and fun experiences out there.

Skylanders: Trap Team is a mixed bag. The core gameplay is still enjoyable, and the new villains are some of the most charming, creative and fun characters in the franchise.

Still, the fighting is fun whether you go solo or with allies, the minigames help break up any potential monotony, and the loot system will entice people into going for another round. Wrap that up in the top-notch stylized presentation, and it's easy to see why Charlie Murder is highly recommended.

It might not be as grandiose a job other things that sim fans may have had experience with, but it's a unique change of pace that they may want to try out.

Taking Bejeweled Twist for what it is, you are left with a clearly superior casual puzzler. Twist offers a great tweak on a classic formula, but it would have been nice if things had been taken a few steps further.

As it is, it's a beautifully made, unique, and sadly under-the-radar title; it's exactly the sort of unique experience the PSP needs, and something I can't imagine the DS quite matching (sorry, Super Monkey Ball: Touch and Roll).

Origins is definitely a step in the right direction; the gameplay fits the nature of the original series well enough, and while it isn't the most challenging or overly original type of adventure game, it manages to be fun and does a great job of capturing the mood of the original Dragon Ball.

Rune Factory 4 is probably the most polished and well-crafted Rune Factory to date.