As a game, there’s no real mechanics here aside from choosing between multiple options and selecting them with the ‘A’ button. So, while it may not be interesting in its gameplay, that’s not what it’s setting out to do. Late Shift is attempting to blend two mediums together, something I think they did well, making certain decisions weigh heavily on your conscience, unaware of the ramifications later on. You’ll need to commit some time to see all of what Late Shift has to offer, but finding a new branch to the storyline is exciting, and I’m still trying to find a few of the different endings. It's a game experience where your decisions are yours alone to make. Your decisions are you.

This game ultimately requires persistence and patience. No brain busting puzzles here. Just make sure not to skip over key pieces of dialogue or clues or else you will find yourself running in circles.

If you are an absolutely huge Wolfenstein fan and want to see what happens to B.J. in the next chapter of his story, then I would recommend it, but there is little to no replay value and with an incredibly simplistic online, I would still have a hard time recommending this to anyone regardless of brand loyalty.

I would suggest at least getting the buggy parts of the Live experience cleaned up before you release a game like this to the public.

A very easy game to recommend. I didn’t know what to expect from it when I first started playing, but it wasn’t long before I fell in love with it and found myself ardently exploring the ins and outs of every one of its themed locations.

While DOOM was revolutionary for its hyper violence in the early 90’s, seeing violence and blood in almost any form of media these days is par the course. So while it doesn’t have that shock value that the legendary game BUTCHER is pulling its inspiration from, it nails the soul of the game perfectly, even with its completely different visual and gameplay style. BUTCHER doesn’t wear out its welcome with its perfect length and options for replayability with harder mode and collectibles.

I absolutely love the source material, so while I love being able to hang out with my favorite characters, I was surprised how much I enjoyed actually playing my own character alongside them.

If you’re a puzzler fan and have a friend that is also like minded, then We Were Here Too should be absolutely on your radar, as this sequel will put your puzzle solving, and friendship, to the test. Given that We Were Here Too is relatively cheap, even though it has a short playtime and not much replayability, I did quite enjoy my time with it. I certainly learned that me and by buddy have to work on our communication and that if we somehow got into a situation like this in real life, we’d have absolutely no chance of survival or I’d leave him behind and save myself, which I’m OK with.

Going into Disney Classics: Aladdin and Lion King I had a good idea of how punishing the game would be along with some classic graphics and sounds. However, with the rewind and auto-play features in the game it made the punishing levels a bit more tolerable, or at the very least, a whole lot less time consuming. With these tweaks, if you haven’t beat these titles as a kid, then you have the tools to do so, and if it’s new to you then you will definitely not have a problem.

While it has some good ideas, its execution still feels sloppy and having to rebuy the game again for a slightly prettier version on Xbox Series X for early adopters might leave a bad taste in some mouths, especially when many other publishers and games are offering the free upgrades. While it may not have the licensed trucks we’ve come to love in real life, Monster Truck Championship for Xbox Series X does entertain in short bursts when you get a hang of how to control these 2000hp monstrosities, plus it's the most visually appealing and best performing version of the game if you've not played previously.

I’ve never really experienced anything like Cosmic Top Secret before; part game, part documentary, where I actually learned quite a lot of fascinating information about the Danish Intelligence and Cold War. This makes me think that gaming could be an interesting format and medium for teaching history to gamers, but in a unique way that could resonate, as even days after completion Cosmic Top Secret still lingers in my head and I'm glad to have experienced it. Ending Transmission...

Meet Your Maker gives you a really unique first-person shooter/dungeon crawler experience with fun base building that can all feel pretty rewarding if you put the time into it, though that comes with either the lack of a story or an extremely lackluster one. All of that can be easily ignored with its uniqueness and can keep even frustrated players coming back later for just one more base raid.

Styx: Shards of Darkness offers more improvements upon it's original than most other sequels you'll find in gaming today. This is due to the painstaking process of finding out what needed improving, how to improve it, then executing it properly. If you are a fan of games that thrive on creativity and stealth, then Styx: Shards of Darkness should be on your gaming radar. While there are a few issues that plague the game, the overall gaming experience is one of quality and craftsmanship. Earlier I asked if developer Cyanide ticked all the boxes that make up a quality stealth title, and the answer to that is yes.

It's a decent revival of an old title, but at 1200 MS points it's really not worth the price of admission.

Simulacra is one of those games that you don't expect to be a horror game, but when you start playing, it's extremely clear that something's not right, and even for someone who usually steers clear of anything horror, I still enjoyed it. Was it my cup of tea? No. Was it mind-blowing to the point that I was speechless? Again, no. But, that doesn't mean you won't enjoy it! Folks that like horror will find this game very interesting and potentially creepy. I now feel I need to clear my cache, browser history and hope whatever was in Anna's phone doesn't come to mine.

You know that B-movie that not many people enjoy, but you just absolutely love it for whatever reason? Outcast - A New Beginning reminds me of something like that. It may not have a AAA budget, and it’s certainly clunky in some places, but I enjoy its 90’s vibe even with its flaws. A beautiful world to explore and enough to keep you busy for quite some time, even if it is busywork much of the time, I’m glad I finally got to have an adventure with Cutter Slade and hope for another in the future.

As an overall package it has a solid foundation of gameplay mechanics that should keep you entertained for a while. If you love RPG’s with a mix of hack and slash combat, then give Anima: Gate of Memories a look and join The Bearer and Ergo as they fight back the darkness.

The only people I would recommend this game to are the hardest of hardcore music gamers. Otherwise, save the $60 for something better and wait for the disappointed gamers to trade in and buy it used if you really have to have it.

Double Kick Heroes a very fun add to the Game Pass library and it’s a blast to play with friends passing the controller back and forth while sipping on a few adult beverages. The soundtrack slaps and the story and dialog don’t get in the way while you’re trying to just chill and have a good time. Double Kick Heroes knows what it is, and it does it pretty well.

If the online actually 'worked' and wasn't completely useless I know I would have enjoyed Dungeon Siege III much more and for a much longer period of time like I did the original two games, sadly now I have a game I finished in a few days and is already on the shelf to collect dust.

There has to be a way to choose who is going to call the game and what type of crowd is in the stands. Have a variety of commentators from around the world do the voice work.

Steep is a beautiful package that unfortunately, once opened, gives you more hassle and trouble than you may imagine.

As an indie bullet hell title, Ghost Blade HD was a fun little title I sunk a few hours into. Once I learned all of the mechanics it utilizes I had a lot of fun with it, as should you, regardless if you’re a casual or hardcore fan of the genre. Is it going to sit amongst the legends in the genre? No, but for the price of admission, shmup fans like myself should have fun trying to climb the global leaderboards trying to prove their shmup prowess amongst the community.

For those seasoned anglers, you’ll appreciate just how much detail went into the over 1000 items, nearly 150 fish, numerous fishing holes and detailed gameplay. While I may be a fishing beginner, I really appreciated just how in-depth The Fisherman: Fishing Planet really was while also never feeling too overwhelmed with its steady mission structure or the option to freely do whatever I want and still progress. If you’ve been curious about the sport, or simply can’t wait until next summer to do the real thing, The Fisherman: Fishing Planet has more than enough content to keep you busy until the next fishing season begins.

Having taken a year off and changing its name, I was hoping Monster Energy Supercross 25 was going to be a drastic improvement. Sure it’s better in some aspects with the new engine, but it just feels like the same game once again. If I didn’t know what year of the game I was playing, I wouldn’t be able to tell you without looking. If you’ve skipped the last game or two, then it’s a worthwhile upgrade, as well if you’re a superfan of the sport, but for casual fans or those that buy it every year, it just feels like another lap.

Ultimately while GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is loosely based off of the original source material, the big question is, should you part with $60 to pick up this game? If you are looking for a beefed up version of the Wii title, then without question as you will find a lot to enjoy with GoldenEye 007: Reloaded. However, if you are a purist then unfortunately you will not find this game filling that void.

The Invincible is a slow paced first person walking simulator but with a heavy emphasis on its storytelling. It may not have the excitement you’d expect, though I can’t delve into much more of the story for fear of spoilers. Having never read the novel I wasn’t sure what to expect, and the fact that the game is a prequel to the novel is exciting, and now I have plans to read the source material. If you enjoy a slow burn sci-fi story, The Invincible tells quite an interesting and compelling tale, one footstep at a time.

It’s strategic and allows for some varied gameplay based on how you want to build and play your character, just be prepared to sink a lot of time into it before you get to that point.

If you're a hardcore fan of 2D platforming that feels impossible to beat then step right up to Fenix Furia and see what lasts longer, your controller or your patience.

The third instalment of the Nightmares of the Deep series did not disappoint me, even though I have not played any of the previous ones. With the phenomenal artwork, the excellent in-game experience, and the well written story line, I’m already wanting more games from Artifex Mundi. Please forgive me, but I must continue my search for a gold bird, tree, circle and sailboat and find Davy Jones' treasure!

If you are looking for originality, you'll find some here, but most of the game is a combination of several great aspects of other big name games.

A second helping of same-same for those who truly grooved on the first installment – which is available as a $29 Platinum Hit bargain-title.

Battletoads in general is just a fun, silly and all around interesting game, even if you don’t know what's going on or are up for a challenge. If you ask me, anyone and everyone should jump at the opportunity to give this classic reborn a go.

Simply put, it's a fantastic and simple puzzle game that allows you to freely think of a solution, rather than being forced into a predetermined one. For the 800 Microsoft Points, it gets a solid recommendation from me towards any puzzle lover.

I honestly was expecting to be quite bored with a management game that is quite menu heavy; however, once I started getting the hang of how to prioritize my research and start to make enough cash, I became hooked at trying to win the space race to Mars and furthering my reach into our solar system. It might not have much replayability, but Mars Horizon might just be something that you'll be positively surprised with if you give it a chance.

If you like extremely difficult rougelikes then you might want to take a look at SYNTHETIK: Ultimate. It’s not hard just for the sake of it, but you need to be very deliberate and methodical in your approach to every level, as it’s quite easy to become overwhelmed. It’s also going to take many hours to put in the work to become proficient, but there is a decent reward at the end of the tunnel for those that make the commitment to learn all of its intricacies. While I wouldn’t suggest it for the casual fan, it does make for a unique one, even if it’s frustrating at times.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a great tactics style game that I couldn’t put down, but Reverie Knights Tactics did just that, having me wanting to play ‘just one more battle’. While not the most unique SRPG out there, it’s a solid experience overall and even leaves itself up for a hopeful sequel down the road even if its ending happens abruptly.

I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical about playing Star Trek: Resurgence given that I’m not much of a Trekkie at all. None of that mattered though, as even though I didn’t know much of the previous context or background lore outside of main concepts and characters, I still quite enjoyed my narrative focused mission with Commander Jara Rydek and Engineer Carter Diaz. While it hasn’t converted me into a full Trekkie, it certainly had me going down a Star Trek wiki rabbit hole, wanting to learn more about certain races, characters and factions. Live long, and prosper.

It makes me happy that THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp Studios took their time to make a proper remaster with more than just a simple shiny coat of paint, and it shows in the final product. Other than the multiplayer being a slight issue, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a solid choice for any SpongeBob veteran. It's not very often that a classic is showcased so well that it even makes me reminisce of how awesome my childhood really was. I've always been a fan of SpongeBob SquarePants, from the TV Shows to their games back in the day, and it still makes me happier than Mr. Krabs seeing money, especially this remaster. Well, I gotta keep exploring Bikini Bottom to help stop Plankton!

Most gamers can appreciate a throwback to the days of old 8 and 16-bit side-scrollers and Toy Odyssey is well worth it, especially for those looking for something unique in a world where FPS, sports and shooting games are the norm.

It's hard to recommend if you've already played Dead Rising 2 as it's fundamentally the same game for the most part. If you haven't though, then definitely pick it up as this is the version to get as there's really no other game like it.

What Dungeon Punks does is make almost every moment of the game enjoyable, even with those issues I mention above. If you can rationalize that there is more to Dungeon Punks than the faults and flaws, you'll see that there is a quality job in paying homage to a classic gametype that hasn't seen much use in years.

The Bee Movie Game has eye-catching graphics, great sound and music with enough authentic gameplay to appeal to gamers of all ages. A solid effort here, despite the generally bad rap that movie-based games entail.

The graphics aren’t up to par for the Xbox, lets face it this is a port from the Gamecube . The monsters look just like their big screens brothers, but at times seem boxy where there should be curves.

For $14.99, Pawarumi offers up a weak story, overly simplistic gameplay, very sparse content and a gameplay system that offers up no reason to continue playing, ever. This game is actually a heartbreaker for me because I wanted to love this, but I can't overlook the sparse content and all the flaws that come within the game itself. If you're a fan of shumps then look elsewhere for a quality title and pass on Pawarumi until a big sale.

For all of the things I enjoyed about Way of the Hunter, I was constantly reminded about all of the issues and bugs along the way. There’s some great ideas here, and while it may be a bit basic with its weapon choices and handful of animals to hunt, there’s quite a feeling to be had when you finally track down your kill after spending the last hour attempting to and about to give up. With some polish and patches I could see Way of the Hunter being quite immersive and fun to play alongside friends, it’s just a shame that it’s currently held back by a plethora of issues that frustrate. I have no doubt this will improve in time, but in its current state, Way of the Hunter will absolutely reward the dedicated fans that can overlook its numerous shortcomings and have a mountain size of patience. For the rest of us, you’re going to become more than frustrated and have hours with little to no progress.

Do yourself a favor and check this title out.

If you try the demo, and you're having fun it's worth playing through it, just realize the game isn't going to give you much more than that outside the story, its just more of the same.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Maneater, but what I got was an odd mixture of Grand Theft Auto for its threat level and Assassin’s Creed for its map markers, all while being a shark. While it has its flaws and can suffer from fatigue in long bursts, it’s also a unique experience (I’ve never heard of a shaRkPG) and can be quite entertaining and comical. Oh-oh, here she comes, watch out boy she'll chew you up. Oh-oh, here she comes. She's a maneater.

Once again, I will continue to stress WWE has done the right thing giving exclusive licensing rights to THQ. If you purchased SvR 2011 and are wondering if you should be rushing out to buy '12 - I would say give it a rental and make your decision based on that.

It’s a vicious side-scrolling combat adventure that punishes even the tiniest of mistakes. Some people enjoy rage-inducing games, and that’s ok as that is exactly what this game does.

Demetrios: The BIG Cynical Adventure doesn’t do anything special that others in the genre don’t, but what it does well is stand out amongst the crowd, even if it is mostly for its immature toilet humor. Man-child’s like myself found myself laughing on more than one occasion as it never tries to take itself seriously at all. Given that Demetrios is created by a single person is even more so impressive, as I was expecting a very short adventure. The story draws out and isn’t as captivating as in the beginning, and there is a lot of going back and forth from scene to scene numerous times, but it’s still an entertaining adventure.

It feels as though Battleborn wanted to be so much of everything including an RPG, a MOBA, an FPS, and the list goes on, but instead of trying to be good at everything, I would suggest that it should have been great at a few things.

I’m trying my hardest to not be a Worms elitist, as I’m sure Worms Rumble will find its audience and fans, but for a longtime Worm fanatic like myself, I’m not sure how much longevity it has for someone that isn’t into Battle Royales. The best part though is that Worms Rumble is on Game Pass for Xbox and PC, so there’s no reason to not check it out regardless if you’re a Worms or Battle Royale fan to decide for yourself.

To be fair, when Dead Island shipped, it did have a fair share of issues, and to be honest some of them were game breaking, however most, if not all of the issues, have been resolved and Dead Island is shaping up to be a sleeper hit of 2011.

At the end of the day, whether NHL 23 is worth purchasing is a subjective decision. It’s a better game than those which came before it, but it doesn’t feature any massive or earth shattering updates or changes. Thus, it’s not a huge upgrade despite being one. If you’re happy with NHL 22, you’ll be fine. However, I enjoyed my time with NHL 23 and look forward to playing it a lot more.

If you go into this game with an open mind and realize it has no association with SVR then you should love it.

While the world itself is very bland and uninspiring, it’s still somewhat calming, being in the middle of a lake by yourself, waiting for a bite. The sunlight and reflections on the water look decent, but for a game that absolutely revolves around being in and around the water, I was hoping for more in the visuals. Of course I wasn’t expecting it to hit the realistic water standards set in Sea of Thieves, and you can see a small bit of transparency in the water when the fish near the surface, but everything else simply looks average and bland at best.

The amount of content is within is quite decent and I have no complaints with regards to that, especially since most puzzles, unless you're a puzzle wizard, will take you about 20-35 minutes to complete. I'd recommend this game to anyone who can see past the mundane nature of a puzzle game with a few quirks here and there. As for me, I'll leave the shards right where they are for now.

Once I figured how to best utilize the dual currency system and escape with my rope as needed, I started to enjoy my time with Demon’s Tier+ much more. While the grind is long and arduous, there’s plenty of replay value within for those that want a challenge to unlock everything it has to offer, including multiple tiers. Highly addictive twin-stick gameplay combined with tough-but-fair roguelike elements make for quite a decent experience overall, one that had me trying “just one more time”.

Lake is a relaxing gaming experience that is quite unique, not just mechanically, but with its laid back game design. You can tell that Gamious made Lake with a lot of heart, as it’s a charming experience that can be enjoyed in any way you see fit. While the courier parts may become dull after a while, Lake is a great example of a charming and unique gaming experience unlike anything else if you’re looking for a comforting game to unwind with.

Everything from the menu screens to the game’s graphics has been revamped.

Overall the game can tend to get repetitive after a while, but when looking at the sum of all its parts it acutally is incredibly fun, something I didn't expect. The story points break up the simulation parts, and honestly the police sim is really well done and it is a lot of fun to run your own police department. This is the Police is a very enjoyable title, and one that that is worth playing for anyone who enjoys simulation games or noir police stories.

The genre may not be what it once used to be, but Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure proves that you can still create a fun and inviting game within its constraints. While it won’t reach classic status like Banjo-Kazooie, Unbox is a fun distraction that offers a decent amount of gameplay should you want to invest the time into it, all while being an adorable cardboard box. If you’re a fan of the 90’s platforming and have been yearning for another adventure, come meet Newbie and help the GPS, as it will most likely put a smile on your face.

Make sure to remember you will be getting absolutely nothing new game-wise in Smash Hits; you will only be able to replay the classics from Guitar Hero 1, 2, 3, and Aerosmith with all your instruments.

Overall BloodRayne 2, although lacking in some departments is still a drastic improvement over the original.

Fragments of Him is a fascinating take on storytelling with the game medium, and while I know that many simply won’t “get it”, I appreciate what it was trying to accomplish: showing the fragments of a man that touched people in his life who died much too young, and the aftermath of said event.

The Kings Bird is a rare kind of game that combines fast-paced gameplay with thoughtful movement and rewards the player with a proper feeling of accomplishment. Well done Serenity Forge. I look forward to seeing what else you bring to the gaming world in the future.

I always appreciate games with such important historical importance like this and was thankful it wasn’t just a dry history lesson. At the same time, it was quite challenging to keep on top of everything needed to survive, especially when much of my success felt luck based at times. While it has its moments of enjoyment when everything goes according to plan, having to restart numerous times because you lose an important squad member like your medic becomes quite frustrating. There’s a lot of depth and strategy to be had within WARSAW, but surviving will be the priority and fun being a distant second.

Although there were a few things that I think could make the game a much better experience, mostly more checkpoints for myself, the beautiful art style and surreal feeling while playing really make this a game I have no problem recommending for people to check out. It may not be a very long game but I enjoyed my time immensely. The ocean will always be mysterious, alluring and you never really know what may lie below. I hope we see more games like this in the future.

For as much as I was impressed by Breakdown it’s not perfect, the gunplay is dull, but again understandable because it’s all about the fighting.

Less reverb and echo! Sure the game is underground and all, but lay off a bit!

Other than focus on improving the story delivery and increasing the amount of activity you can do in the world, I would love to do a review of the soundtrack should one exist. Honestly readers, the soundtrack is a masterpiece.

There’s always two sides to a story, and you only know half until you see The Medium to its conclusion. Rather than winning, The Medium is meant to be an experience, which it more than succeeds in. With a deeply immersive narrative and symbolism throughout, it never wore out its welcome with its 8-10 hour length and will be one of those games that I’ve been thinking about long after its credits rolled. The Medium truly is something unique and special.

My wife and I both agree that El Hijo - A Wild West Tale is super cute and age appropriate for kids and adults alike as there is no violence or bad language. I mostly recommend El Hijo for young people interested in puzzle games, or adults who need a game cleanser or break from their main games now and then and want to complete a few levels at a time.

The character models are a little blocky and a little bit on the cartoony side; but they're innocent looking and play their roles adequately, [and] the look of the game could have been smoothed out a bit.

If I was to categorize each and every game made by some metric or another, AER: Memories of Old would land firmly into the folder labeled Hot cup of tea emoji. This game is damned relaxing, and right up there in quality to comparable titles like Journey. It is a brightly colored, beautifully styled, combat free adventure that’s perfect for a Sunday morning gaming day. When your sole purpose is to look around, explore, and try to piece together a story by reading, you can lay back and let the stress of the world go in a way that other more traditionally demanding games just don’t allow for. It’s a simple game with simple demands and is quite simply fun. A breath of fresh AER.

Rocket Arena has an interesting concept and a great art direction with its Overwatch/Fortnite aesthetic and character design, but with a change to free-to-play, I could see Rocket Arena garnering a stronger following given that players are already being asked to purchase premium currency for skins and a Blast Pass to get the most out of it. While fun in short bursts, it took me quite a while to settle on a main, as many characters never clicked with my playstyle, and the poor matchmaking balancing was quite demoralizing as a new player, though bonus points for incorporating crossplay.

If you’re a fan of the lore and Anima series, then The Nameless Chronicles is a no-brainer and an easy sell. If you’re looking for challenging combat with some RPG elements, you could do worse. It has a very interesting story if you can follow along, more-so if you’ve played the first, but is simply bogged down by its constant and repetitive combat that does little to excite.

I think that Fox n Forests is an excellent reminder of the good old days when games were simpler, times where we spent summers sitting on the couch playing games with our friends taking turns, beating the levels over and over again trying to beat each other's scores. While Fox n Forests isn't going to be remembered as one of the greats, it's definitely a game that even if the 16-bit platformer isn't your thing, you should give it a look.

While flawed, especially when it comes to controls and a quite short runtime, I still enjoyed my time with The Inner Friend. I may not have completely understood all of its symbolism, but if you take it like more of an experience than a game, you can appreciate it more without your typical expectations. Bizarre and odd at times, but surreal for the majority, The Inner Friend tells its story through fantastical imagery, but it’s up to you to determine what all of it means to you.

Another impressive example of Rogue Trooper's AI is clearly and believably evident in the fact that very seldom can the player pull off a long range sniper shot without being shot at in turn.

So to sum everything up: We have a Batman game without a Batman, we have generic first person shooter gametypes and controls, average graphics, below average sound, and no real feel that makes you think you're fighting crime like Batman.

Bottom line is like I mentioned at the start, if you like The Simpsons and don't hate platformers then you will enjoy this game. The humour that is all throughout this game is well worth a play through.

While you can complete the game in a single sitting if you really try to rush through, finding the clues and taking your time to explore, watching the narrative unfold is the hook to The Coma: Recut. Multiple endings add some replay value if you really want to get your money’s worth and enjoy the gameplay, and while I’m not usually big on the genre, I can appreciate what it does well, even if it has some flaws.

I would recommend it to somebody who craves a proper tennis experience without being an over the top comedic look like Virtua Tennis, and is sick of the Top Spin series. Otherwise, casual gamers looking for that fun sports title to play with their friends for hours should pass. Give EA another year or two to work this one out.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a capable Soulslike that isn’t terrible by any means, but when comparing to it to Remnant, the lack of guns and complete genre shift simply doesn’t feel as satisfying or stand out. Maybe this is partly due to its VR roots, and while it makes some interesting changes to the typical Souls template, Chronos: Before the Ashes is a much simpler experience overall, not just with its combat, but overall design.

I think this title is a disaster. It would be one thing if this were the first of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise, but this franchise has been around for a long time, and there is no excuse to take things away from the game, throw in a few catchy animations to "wow" people, and then wrap it up and charge more than previous installments.

If you can take it for face value, knowing it's a QTE heavy experience and you like the Japan and anime style, you'll without a doubt enjoy your time with Asura. For everyone else though, it has charm, amazing visuals and sound, and a certain uniqueness that's a spectacle to be soon, albeit a short one.

This is supposed to be a reboot for the Ridge Racer series, yet it feels like it's just trying to be a Burnout, Split Second, or FlatOut rather than a true Ridge Racer.

It is real-time and parts of it are strategy but it is not a real-time strategy game. While a decent first attempt into the genre for the Xbox, there's obviously plenty of room for improvement.

As a whole, this is the best Red Faction title to date. I missed the 'sandbox' style of Guerrilla but I enjoyed the story focus (and not having to travel from one end of the map to the other) to complete objectives.

All in all, Crackdown 2 delivers more of what we loved in the original game while adding enough nuances to drive a very compelling story.

I still don't get how making breakfast or taking a bath can take up half the day, but the real fun in Sims 3 Pets comes from recreating all your past and current pets over the years.

For what it's worth, however, this is a fantastic game by every stretch of the imagination. Those who have waited 4 years for another installment will not be disappointed.

I think The Outfit was a good first effort, now all the need to do is wrap the DOD feature in some innovative solid game play and you’ll have yourselves a real winner.

Without any online multiplayer, I can’t see myself going back to this anytime soon unless my daughter randomly wants to play it again with me sometime. Mayhem Brawler is fully competent as a Beat Em’ up, checking off all the boxes, but doesn’t do much else to stand amongst the classics that we’ve seen many times before.

Entertaining, visually clean, but not enough to set it apart.