One part hockey, one part soccer and one part pure fantasy, Quidditch World Cup may not have the draw or the depth of Madden, but it is still plenty of fun to play.

Has great production values, is "spiritually" faithful to the look and feel of the famed Disney attraction, and is a very good action/puzzler to boot.

This game is a brave try, but most players will regard it as a step backwards from the previous game.

As an entry level title, Downhill Jam makes a good introduction to the possibilities of fast-paced gameplay on the Wii, and is definitely more approachable than "Tony Hawk's Project 8," the series' other current entry.

Don't buy it expecting a complete remodel -- it's just a fresh coat of paint on an old frame.

Depending on your hardware, you'll either appreciate the two-year old technology or roll your eyes with disappointment.

With numerous incentives to play, it's a shame that the game isn't more visually appealing. It's not a bad looking game by any means, just rather unremarkable.

Has great production values, is "spiritually" faithful to the look and feel of the famed Disney attraction, and is a very good action/puzzler to boot.

Using the Wii remote just feels natural, too, and although it's not a monumental success, this is a Sonic console game you can feel proud to own. It's been a while since we could make that statement.

If you're a casual player looking to throw down like your favorite superstars, or you really loved last year's game, NBA Live is still the pick of the litter. More refined, strategy-minded tastes are again urged to go with the 2K series.

While this is certainly a playable game, and sometimes even fun and challenging, it crucially fails to immerse players in the world of street art and culture. Instead, it simply appropriates the superficial aspects to make yet another passable action title.

Serious simulation enthusiasts, however, are well advised to stay clear of this game, especially if, like me, you spent hundreds of hours in "EF2000" in the mid-nineties.

A system hog...There are better choices for flying on the Western front in the Second World War, most notably "Rowan's Battle of Britain," which remains an enjoyable sim two years after its release date.

Thoroughly mediocre.

The novelty of the Hulk scenes wears off eventually if you're not a huge fan of the comic books, and the Banner sections are disappointing. Still, it doesn't anger us as much as some movie tie-in mediocrities.

Had Freaky Flyers been a bit more focused, it could have easily been a top tier game, but as-is, the game simply spreads itself too thin.

With its frustrating, haphazard single-player and a set of multiplayer features outshone by others in its class, this one's only for fans of the movie.

While the control system is well thought out, it can at times infuriate as you desperately scramble around trying to reel off rounds into your enemies, while running from them.

Thoroughly mediocre.

One part hockey, one part soccer and one part pure fantasy, Quidditch World Cup may not have the draw or the depth of Madden, but it is still plenty of fun to play.

Gamers who tend to fly solo won't find much to appeal to them in Mario Party 5, nor will the hardcore crowd.

PlayStation2 owners should revel in the fact that Path of Neo looks and feels best on their console. While Sony's hardware generates a relatively smooth framerate, the Xbox suffers a real stuttering problem, and the PC has an absolutely terrible control set.

If the whole Japanese-mech scene is yours, however, it's a good bet that the Armored Core series will appeal, and that the numerous customization options will offer you more than the typical "expansion kit" could ever hope for.

One of the biggest drawbacks with this version is the lack of any multiplayer support. Not only is online multiplayer the strongest feature in this sequel, but it's the only claim it has to replayability.

It utterly breaks the subdued mold of the series.

Younger players out there will get a kick out of the solid controls and bright environments, while more advanced players can appreciate the challenge and depth of the included boost system.

An overly liner, repetitive action game with very little personality.

As it is, it still has much to commend, but its peculiar design choices make it difficult to enjoy to its full potential.

Despite its initial problems, Pokémon Go is an absurdly addictive and approachable game. Chances are you can go out on your lunch break and see people playing at this very moment. After staying out of the smartphone game market for years, Nintendo has finally jumped in headfirst and scored an absolute hit.

A competent, but decidedly average racing game.

The design and presentation make this release more palatable for non-gamers than Konami's series, but the limited track selection and unfortunate forced vocal tracks remove some of that value.

Each game also consists of doing the same thing over and over again, and while this provides the perfect even playing field when skirmishing with a friend, it gets monotonous alone.

With great looks, a clever multi-layer mechanic, and well devised sides, one wonders why Electronic Arts would release a game this good at a time this bad.

Dropping the boomerang in favor of the stronger hand-to-hand combat or some other model might have been a good idea, but it's nice to see the extreme sports influence integrated into the fabric of a totally non-sports title.

Worms 3D's new engine isn't a necessary improvement on the classic and enduring 2D game, but the upgrade works, even if it makes the controls a little more cumbersome. It still has the tone, humour and playability that is synonymous with Worms.

It can be a lot of fun -- but anything that has "Sims" in the title should probably hew a little closer to the franchise.

Only the most desperate deathmatch champion will get their money's worth out of this purgatorial port.

Only the diehards will appreciate the detail and complexity, while the rest of us only see the flaws.

A top-notch action title that captures the depth of a turn-based card game. Open-minded Magic fans and tactical action gamers should check it out.

The game's short length and near nonexistent replay value means it's hard to justify recommending beyond a rental or picking up at a reduced price.

Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.

There's a lot of twisted humor to warm the hearts of players.

Gamers who liked the idea of, say, "Twisted Metal Black," but found the execution too quick and snappy to be satisfying, should check out Road Kill, a decidedly more kinetic follower.

In the same league as the disposable horror flicks that fill video shelves and late-night cable. It's not particularly frightening, but good atmosphere and short-lived twitch satisfaction is enough to sustain interest for a while.

It's a lot like its hero: packed with character, impressively capable, and never puts a foot wrong. What higher praise for a licensed game is there than that?

An adventure game that could have been much more if players weren't preoccupied with the game's poor voice acting and bugs. That said, if you're itching to play a new point-and-click PC adventure with good puzzles, you might not be disappointed with this sub-$30 game.

A refreshingly good -- albeit a bit short -- movie-based game with a dose of ingenuity and plenty of memorable game-play moments for fans and action-adventure gamers alike.

Def Jam's most damaging flaw is the single-mindedness of the combat. Unleash all the punch and kick combos you want, but in very short order it will become obvious that environmental hazards are the only way to take an opponent down.

While free of crash bugs, problems in interface, gameplay, and content abound. But if you're an old-school player, or a WoW player who's ready to delve deeper into a more complex MMORPG, then Vanguard was made for you.

The great control, realistic physics, and abundance of tracks give MX vs. ATV Unleashed: On The Edge a lot to boast about.

It's a shame that the initial cooperative multiplayer scheme for Rise of the Kasai was dropped as it could have elevated a solid sequel into an exceptional one.

Despite its kiddy appearance and theme, it's far too frustrating and unhelpful to recommend for a youngster. Or anyone that hasn't exhausted the many better options, for that matter.

Each iteration of the Medal of Honor series has been better than the last, and Rising Sun is no exception. It would have been nice to see EA take a few risks and break formula, but the game's a great war shooter nonetheless.

Is Harry Potter a good game? No, not particularly. The story's vague and badly realized; the characters aren't especially likeable, and the tasks you're given are tedious and involve a lot of plodding about Hogwarts. But does it capture the feel of the franchise? Absolutely, and if you really get involved in the game you'll forgive it its flaws.

The perfect game for obsessive fans of the comic franchise, those who never tire of senseless violence, and activists looking for scapegoats, but it simply doesn't have enough to offer anyone else.

If you just want to experience the visceral knockout quality of a good arcade-punching match, then UFC is exactly what you need.

One part hockey, one part soccer and one part pure fantasy, Quidditch World Cup may not have the draw or the depth of Madden, but it is still plenty of fun to play.

It's not the prettiest game going, but its reliance on tense, cinch-your-belt strategy with limited forces is a welcome break from the near-mindless tank- (or in this case, monster-) rush blues.

If you're coming to Sword of the Stars from titles like "Galactic Civilizations," things may seem stripped down... but "focused" is a more accurate way to look at it.

The simple truth is that Juiced is behind the curve. The racing isn't bad, but the game places emphasis on the wrong reward system.

The game can be repetitive and frustrating, and the graphics won't leave you breathless, but there's a ton of free-form gameplay to be had for those who dig the series.

The auto-target feature for the bungun is way too helpful and intrusive. The double-jump looks and feels absolutely wrong. Most of all, the overall game is just a little too unchallenging, a little bit rote, and a little too, well, immature.

This game lacks Batman's attitude, Green Lantern's gadgets, The Flash's quickness, and Superman's strength. It's a mediocre action-RPG through and through.

Completing the (sometimes difficult) challenges can be rewarding, but as it is this will probably only be of passing interest to Gamecube owners.

This take on the Hogwarts crew is purely by the numbers, not at all emblematic of the magic wielded by the characters within.

Approach this sharp blade with caution, because it's likely to turn on you before mastery comes.

At the core of any racing game should be the feeling of fast movement, and the Gameube version just doesn't seem to deliver in this regard.

Big brains are certainly desirable, but big price tags are a different matter, and Wii Degree's standard $49.99 asking price is a little hard to stomach. While the game is tons of fun, there's just a handful of minigames and not much else, which puts it in a different class to other full-priced options.

A mediocre medley.

A solid, rather than remarkable, title with some intriguing spins on the established formula.

The camera, for one, can be quite erratic and gets frustratingly inadequate when you only have the option to centre it behind Bats.

On the one hand it has a terrific atmosphere and a style that fans of the movie will most likely adore... Yet on the other it is exceedingly frustrating thanks to the lack of an in-mission save feature.

Scratch below the surface, however, and the game reveals its suspect paint job with the actual degree of variation in gameplay terms proving very limited.

One part hockey, one part soccer and one part pure fantasy, Quidditch World Cup may not have the draw or the depth of Madden, but it is still plenty of fun to play.

Some sort of tutorial mode covering all the new features would have been nice, but all-in-all, what's here is a good little time-waster. If you're looking for a break from the mundane, give it a spin.

This game lacks Batman's attitude, Green Lantern's gadgets, The Flash's quickness, and Superman's strength. It's a mediocre action-RPG through and through.

While the symbol-drawing controls and cunning elemental system are deep and enjoyable, the rest of the game drags it down to a level of tedium from which even the competent multiplayer can't rescue it.

The package, then, is balls-out fine. It's a bumpy court to play on at times, but one that's ultimately rewarding.

The music is the type of lame, new-age drivel that will lull you to sleep, and the graphics aren't more than a line of plain balls that fell off the Bust-A-Move truck...Magnetica is one of the most generic puzzle games to come down the conveyor belt.

Root of Evil puts itself across as a lighthearted, if slightly demented, kid's game. But it can be much more challenging than such a presentation implies, and the disconnect is sometimes jarring.

Kept from greatness by the terrible camera, pacing issues, short quests, and general lack of continuity, making it a sequel that actually tacks more criticisms on to the series, instead of fixing them.

Although it is mindless fun in short bursts, its problems, such as rare restart points, dodgy graphics and the flying stages really overwhelm the good stuff -- weapon selection, general violence and mayhem -- and leaves the overall package as somewhat disappointing.

The simple truth is that Juiced is behind the curve. The racing isn't bad, but the game places emphasis on the wrong reward system.

It's a solid first-wave title, while the awesome 3D engine and multiplayer game makes it a truly new experience in the portable arena. Let's just hope the next legend that SOE tells has more surprises.

It's a pleasingly solid sequel, and doesn't leave the inexperienced out in the cold.

Terminator 3: The Redemption is more interested in being a playable movie than a real game. There's little to no choice for players, who just have to sit back and shoot everything.

If you're going into Sigma Star Saga looking for the next R-Type or Thunder Force, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you want a good, solid GBA game that brings something new to the table, it's a shoo-in.

Glyphyx bit off a little more than it could chew, as the bugs and hiccups show. Still, the developer dishes out a thrilling tale with varied gameplay that will keep you immersed through the end.

For all its brilliance – and there are undoubtedly some very special moments here – Mafia III never manages to maintain its initial momentum. There are too many other open-world games that do what it does better, smarter, and with more stability. Like its motley cast of gangsters, Mafia III is simultaneously likable and unpleasant, a tempting offer that all but the most dedicated gamers would do well to refuse.

In choosing to take their inspiration from such a strong game ["RollerCoaster Tycoon"], the developers have invited comparison with it, and, perhaps inevitably, it's a little wanting in that context.

What you're really looking at is more of the same.

Whether you sit down for three minutes or three hours, there is little to dislike here. Just be careful when playing -- it's quite easy to get a bit carried away with the stylus. It any game is going to test the durability of your DS's touch screen, this is it.

Gets many things right - gameplay, map design, game modes like trailer, and the physics really do make for a promising experience, but the complete lack of a community (in Europe), the poor netcode and the ho-hum single-player bot AI make for a decent effort that'll, at the moment, just gather dust on your shelf.

One thing that has not changed is the game's unparalleled sense of atmosphere...But its faults cannot be overlooked, and though supremely entertaining, it has failed to carry the baton that its prequel held so loftily.

Each iteration of the Medal of Honor series has been better than the last, and Rising Sun is no exception. It would have been nice to see EA take a few risks and break formula, but the game's a great war shooter nonetheless.

The ultimate laugh-out-loud party game.

Offering 20 characters, 16 levels, and a ton of replay value, this title is great for kids and adults alike, and shouldn't be dismissed as a mere licensed game (or "merchandise") -- it's the real deal.

Whether it's a licensed track by Moby or Timo Maas, or a Bemani original such as Genom Screams or the Shining Polaris, the selections vary in style, speed, and genre.