With a story that feels half-told and an execution that's barebones in every way that matters, it's difficult to recommend Blood Stone.

Blacklight: Tango Down offers an impressive amount of content for a $15 release, especially when you consider it's the going rate for a mere map pack in Modern Warfare 2.

With repetitious gameplay, chore-like tasks that barely pass for mini-games, and lackluster new modes, Cooking Mama: Cook Off is the kind of game that sounds a lot more fun than it really is, and therefore, it gets its just deserts.

The hack 'n slash category isn't exactly thriving on consoles these days, so if you've been hard up for a cooperative loot bonanza, War in the North is worth sinking a weekend into. Its lack of variety and polish, however, makes it hard to imagine it having any sort of longevity.

It's all combat, all the time, with the absence of exploration, puzzles, or a free range of movement making the game feel a bit too basic for its 40 dollar price tag. Still, decent production values and responsive controls make Medieval Moves one of the better motion titles on the system, offering plenty of action but little in the way of interesting challenges or variety. It's fun, but after a few repetitive play sessions, you're going to want to rest those weary bones.

It has almost as many flaws as there are nights in the title but if you love mindless button hammering gameplay and salivate over the onscreen enemy count then this might be a title that interests you.

There's just no finesse required to overcome the overwhelming odds the game throws at you. You can definitely add quite a bit of flair to the slaughter, but in the end, there's no disguising the routine, monotonous action at the heart of the game.

Blood Bowl is sure to alienate those expecting something akin to Mutant League Football, Pigskin Footbrawl, or similar fantasy-based football games. The poorly designed tutorials, dated visuals, clunky interface, and deliberate pacing are not going to attract those who aren't already familiar with the tabletop game.

The ability to manipulate the world is executed well, and it really does drive the experience into a realm much more fantastic than you'd expect from a skateboarding game. We just wish the story and campaign were better conceived, and the fact that the free skate mode is locked till the end is rather disappointing.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Two ultimately feels loose where it should be tight, slow where it should be fast, and tedious where it should be exciting. Sometimes it's best to let sleeping 'hogs lie.

There's not much to Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes and it pales in comparison to other similar games out there. The large-scale premise is squandered by poor enemy AI and boring combat, and it simply doesn't do anything sufficiently interesting to warrant your attention.

You probably won't want to play through this lengthy, unpolished, one-note adventure more than once, let alone make your own maps with the included level-builder.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate strikes one more blow against the curse of the bad licensed game, but despite unique elements and enjoyable gameplay, it doesn't quite have the polish and longevity to compete with other big-name shooters on the market.

But at the opening price of 20 bucks, players craving something genuinely different will definitely find it in E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy, without breaking the bank.

The time and effort they’ve already invested will keep dot-hackers from logging-out of this mediocre series, and while casual RPG fans may find some decency in the game, its repetitive elements and flawed content keep it from feeling whole.

A more flexible save system is also a step in the right direction. Yet, the repetitive mission objectives and moronic AI ensure that the enjoyment you glean from it will be directly proportional to how much you enjoy using new weapons to kill zombies.

There's some stuff tucked in here that will please devout fans-particularly, some unlockable old school Transformers cartoon episodes-but most everyone one else will be ready to move on after a few hours.

Kinect Adventures is good enough fun for a couple of nights, but it's by no means the most exciting or novel use of the hardware at launch. For that, look to games like Dance Central or Kinectimals.

Somewhere, there's a decent game hiding camouflaged in the canopies. When dinging levels leaves you feeling blue, even a Navi eco-terrorist will run for greener pastures.

While Fatal Inertia fills a niche that hasn’t been addressed yet this generation, it does so with very little style or substance.

Baja manages to capture the chaos and intensity of off-roading, but the finicky controls undermine the experience.

A gorgeous game with clever levels, but the abysmal controls make it all for naught. For all it does right, playing it feels like a frustrating chore, and no amount of affection for the Fable series will make its failings easy to overlook.

Fans of the series will gobble this one up, and if you haven't tried out any of the previous PSP installments, this would be the one to consider. Otherwise, there are several superior anime-style fighters on the market that eclipse Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3.

Though Naruto: Ninja Destiny doesn't quite earn high marks with its fighting system, this solid freshman effort is a footstep in the right direction for Naruto games on the DS.

North American gamers who aren’t rabid Gundam fans, or Gundam fans that demand at least a solid game experience to go with their giant robots, or even fans of the Dynasty Warriors series should approach this battle with caution – sometimes you have to pick your battles.

Shaun White Snowboarding could definitely benefit from some more polish and it's fairly derivative, but its open-ended design and subdued trick system capture the feel of the real sport. Snowboarders will appreciate the ability to play the game how they want, but it's low on flash, so weekend warriors should buy a three-day lift pass for a test run.

A number of fun-halting flaws ultimately make for an experience that's far less polished than the protagonist's shiny shield.

It looks like Wario should stick to minigame compilations, after all.

Dead to Rights: Retribution isn’t the most refined shooter out there. The story is mediocre and it can be rather ugly at times, but if you don’t take it too seriously, the gameplay’s versatility and throat-ripping ferocity is fun while it lasts.

Sonic Unleashed takes two steps forward with some of the best speed levels in recent memory, and one step back by tacking on yet another failed experiment with the Werehog.

There are many things to see in this land, but wandering around can feel empty.

WarTech: Senko Ronde is most certainly a niche game, and fans of the genre will definitely take to its manic style. But it's hard to rationalize spending $60 for an arcade experience that's short on content and repetitive.

Playing games should be fun, but you'll find absolutely no joy in Ken's Rage. The mindless battles and atrocious combat are a sad mockery of the source material. If you're foolhardy enough to bite on this, you'll find yourself quite literally able to relate to its furious protagonist.

While it hosts a great set of playable characters, it doesn’t make the best use of them, and the recycled enemies, boring level design, and low production values make for a brawler that’s simply uninspired.

It's hard to overlook White Knight Chronicles' flaws the second time around. The subtle improvements don't have a huge impact on the bottom line, and the game lacks the refinements expected of a sequel. If you're looking for an RPG that delivers both a lengthy single-player mode and comprehensive online component, there are far better choices available.

The HD visuals in Re-Shelled are a nice touch, but the aging formula, coupled with too few options and modes, makes for a repetitive and lackluster trip down memory lane. There simply isn't enough here to make you want to come back more than once or twice.

The game isn’t terrible, but it isn’t any more engaging or less repetitive than it’s been for the past five versions.

Rooms has some value if you're into puzzle games, but it's mediocre at best. If you're seeking a fix to your intellectual craving, there are plenty of other games better suited to the task.

Though we're happy EA revisited the sandbox structure, everything that made the previous outing a solid game has been sacrificed in exchange for simpler controls and gimped action in Half-Blood Prince.

If it’s a game you want, the Birdman may not be the best video game attorney for the job, but when it comes to cracking cases to go with funny bones Harv is a class act.

BlackSite: Area 51 features a handful of fun moments blasting giant aliens, but there’s too much time spent in forgettable shootouts, the story fails to engage, and it’s so riddled with bugs that not even the Orkin Man can feel safe purchasing it.

Sing Party gets by well enough as a minimalistic party experience that's heavy on embarrassment potential and light on actual gameplay, but the inability to switch off the vocals tracks is the biggest detriment to the experience. It's a frustrating design decision that goes against the very spirit of what the game is trying to emulate. Serious karaoke enthusiasts will bristle at having to sing over the original tracks, and casual players will likely be uncomfortable mustering the resolve it takes for party play. What's left is a pretty weak package with limited appeal.

Explorers of Time does very little to expand upon the original entry into the series, and relies too heavily on the Pokémon brand.

No, you won't find volumes of content or progressive new ideas, and the forced touchscreen controls are a minor strategic bungle. However, the well-paced single-player campaign is punctuated by a strong and varied weapon set and online multiplayer that hits an unprecedented level of quality for a handheld.

Time Crisis is the undisputed champion of arcade rail shooters. Considering how irrelevant the genre has become, that’s not exactly glowing praise.

Heatseeker is a decent choice for fans of aerial combat who don’t want to have to monitor 20 different gauges at once. There are plenty of fighter jets to unlock, and it’s nice that it’s accessible, but it also has its share of issues, and fails to doesn’t bring anything new to the genre.

Jericho is way too ambitious and it hurts on every side. While not broken, it’s poorly designed and dull, from spawning enemies making the tactical play irrelevant, to a horror story that, despite its charm and intricacies, just isn’t scary. Jericho may be art, but not all art is good.

You can get through the main story in a casual weekend of playing, and the extra mission objectives aren't exactly compelling. Tack on some seriously under whelming visuals and a problematic camera, and you're left with a game that has its moments, but is ultimately disappointing, even for true believers.

Need for Speed Undercover lacks challenge, struggles technically, and practically requires sunglasses to play. The framework for a stronger game is present, but the final product simply doesn't come close to competing with games like "Midnight Club: LA" or "Burnout Paradise."

Even with a few problems and annoyances, a generous, no-failure design makes it fun to just screw around or work together with another player. Super-serious cloud-whale pilots, if such a thing exists, may want to go for high scores and best times on the leaderboards.

Dark Void’s single real achievement is the way it blends in-the-air and on-the-ground action without creating a horrible accident of compromise. While the game can be a lot of fun on a mechanical level, it’s not quite different enough to feel like a brand new experience, and there are enough minor-yet-noticeable problems that make it harder to appreciate the overall package.

Bionicle Heroes looks good, and has a decent license backing it, but completely fails to capture the magic that made the LEGO Star Wars games a hit. What you get instead is an average, boring shooter that’s only worth playing if you have a deep love for the source material.

What originally looked like another throwaway movie to video game tie-in is a surprisingly well conceived horror story. The combat is Saw's biggest weakness, with the replay value a close second.

Sega Bass Fishing does a lot of things right. It's easy to pick up and play, yet tough to master, and it emulates the art of fishing quite well thanks to the Wii remote.

Unless you can’t seem to get enough games about demented children and ghoulish babies with poor combat and stupid-proof puzzles, then I suggest you steer clear of this one and save your money for "Silent Hill 5."

In all, it's a complex recipe that just isn't prepared in the most appetizing way.

Bionicle Heroes looks good, and has a decent license backing it, but completely fails to capture the magic that made the LEGO Star Wars games a hit. What you get instead is an average, boring shooter that’s only worth playing if you have a deep love for the source material.

This latest Monkey Ball is briefly enjoyable, but the charm quickly spirals into maddening chaos.

With career mode and total team control M.I.A., it's much thinner on the options than past games, but the perpetual left-hand turn never ends, and that's just about all NASCAR fans ask for.

If nothing else, Ultimate Band proves that you don't need plastic instruments to feel like you're the second coming of Eric Clapton or Tommy Lee. The gesture-based controls are well-designed, fun to use, and contribute significantly to the experience.

Lost in Blue 3 is one of those games that starts off well, but eventually you realize that its mundane elements are never rectified and it becomes a grind.

Despite the new additions, Epic Mickey 2 feels phoned in. The charm and novelty of the paint mechanics are starting to fade, and it lacks the ambitious decision making that helped to distinguish the original. What's left is a mediocre platformer, and all its allusions to Disney's rich history can only help it so much.

A good idea that’s hampered either by poor programming, or perhaps expecting too much of the Wii’s controller. It’s hard to tell which. And really, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which is to blame. The sad fact is that it just isn’t much fun to play, and if you try to use the motion control setup, it becomes a real struggle.

The game isn’t terrible, but it isn’t any more engaging or less repetitive than it’s been for the past five versions.

While the various play options and ESPN integration makes for a great front end, the slo-mo gameplay, horrid animation, and awful online execution means that the competition--"NBA 2K7"--is the only game in town for virtual ballers this season.

Dark of the Moon provides plenty of popcorn thrills that you'll likely forget as soon as the credits begin rolling. Judged against other movie games, it's actually pretty good; next to last year's superior entry, however, it looks a bit like a tin can.

Time Crisis: Razing Storm's arcade gameplay lacks the challenge and variety needed to make it worth replaying. And rather than trying to advance the genre for a home audience, Namco has opted for a cheap imitation of Western FPS games that feels completely out of place.

There isn't much to explore in Steel Diver's shallow waters. There are better ways to showcases the new hardware, even among the 3DS's sparse launch lineup. Only the most dogged would-be Nemo need apply.

There’s a ton of wasted potential here, but by the standards of the movie game the third Pirates game doesn’t fare too badly.

THQ's Battle of the Bands doesn't look good, sound good, or feel good.

While Dungeons & Dragons Tactics has a lot to offer, the real enjoyment of the game lies in the details. Yet it’s such a hassle to pick up its intricacies that most players will stumble through the game and have a rotten experience.

Judged as a pure action game, Evolved isn't bad, with its strong customization element letting you blow things up any way you see fit and creating action that satisfies on a basic level. Unfortunately, Square Enix has squandered many of Front Mission's strengths, and the game falls well short of its potential.

APB's good points can't be ignored. It's got the best spread of customization features this side of City of Heroes, and the idea of a player-driven combat environment is certainly appealing. But the multitude of design and technical issues hamper the fundamental gameplay and make it hard to enjoy without some serious compromise.

The first movie's cult status will draw people into Tron: Evolution, but the single-player campaign's repetitiveness and the unmemorable multiplayer action point to a game that's best enjoyed as a rental rather than a purchase. Tron: Evolution isn't a total failure, just a disappointment for fans hoping for something as innovative as the original film was back in the day.

The flaws are numerous, even in comparison to other launch games, but if you want to spend a mindless weekend full of fantastical hacking-and-slashing it’s not a terrible choice.

As the first game in the series since Itagaki's departure, it's kinder, gentler, lighter, and a little less interesting.

Edward’s trip to the park is no picnic, but suffer through the controls and some aggravation and you’ll be compensated with a lot of unique moments. The game needed more gestation to really iron out the interface issues, but it remains an adventure worth pursuing.

Expect about an hour of play, give or take. If you're desperate for more Assassin's, jump right in. Just be aware that you're only getting half the story.

Some classics should remains where they belong--in our memories.

It will scratch that itch if you’re looking for nothing more than some mindless gunplay mixed with dangerous doses of testosterone, but there’s nothing going on upstairs. And for a tactical shooter, that’s not going to cut it.

Offers up more in terms of variety, and can become an oddly compelling game to play for those who enjoy managing their resources. The problem is that it takes a good five hours before it truly becomes enjoyable, which is a lot to ask from the typical player.

The mixture of real-time action and strategy is a joy to play, and a nice departure from what is fast becoming a stale play mechanic.

The end result is a game that feels unrefined as a whole. You can certainly power through it if you're determined enough, but it drags the experience down nonetheless.

As a standalone game at full price, we would rake Wii Play over the coals. But as a pack-in with the Wii Remote that basically costs $10, it’s a winner.

Datura just doesn't seem to go far enough, offering just a quick dip into occasional oddity instead of a full-on baptism in the truly peculiar. Even its most attention-grabbing moments can come across as a little dull. With gimmicky motion elements, threadbare puzzles, and a ghost's whisper of a narrative, Datura ends up as an underwhelming experiment.

The story is interesting and fairly epic, but told in such large chunks at a time, that sometimes the pacing is thrown off.

Landit Bandit can wildly fluctuate between quirky fun and complete frustration, but if you don't mind a little turbulence, it's not a bad pick for $10.

With career mode and total team control M.I.A., it’s much thinner on the options than past games, but the perpetual left-hand turn never ends, and that’s just about all NASCAR fans ask for.

Boogie could be fun, but it’s kind of like playing with a younger sibling. They’re not going to offer you a real challenge, and it’s going to be kind of embarrassing.

However important its place in the lore may be, this DLC simply doesn't play very well to the main game's strengths.

A visual presentation that looks more PSP than Vita, doesn't help matters. It makes a killer first impression-and certainly earns points for offering something different on launch day-but such limited appeal may not be enough to send gamers to Hell.

The replay value is tied to your interest in collecting items like newspapers, action figures, golden spiders, and alternate costumes. The story will take roughly seven hours to complete, with the majority of your time spent crawling, climbing, and clobbering your way through an uninteresting environment that offers little interactivity.

Feels like it's held back by the need to incorporate the different features of the Vita, ultimately over complicating a package that would have benefited from some simplification.

The game has a lot going for it when everything is working properly and the handful of new gameplay elements turns Riptide into something legitimately better than its predecessor. In some ways, Dead Island: Riptide feels like a massive content patch, but considering its smarter pacing and greater visual and gameplay variety, it's closer to what the original game probably should have been.

Dawn of Mana is a tale full of marvelous art and storytelling that captures the look and essence of the older Mana games, but beneath the veneer is a different beast that has excised most of the gameplay elements that make the old games so memorable.

Not even Don King's legendary hair and hype combo can cover-up Prizefighter's mediocrity. It's a case of all glitter and no glam thanks to awkward gameplay and controls.

BlackSite: Area 51 features a handful of fun moments blasting giant aliens, but there’s too much time spent in forgettable shootouts, the story fails to engage, and it’s so riddled with bugs that not even the Orkin Man can feel safe purchasing it.

A straightforward stealth game that's capable of scratching a particular type of sneaky itch for many players, but also feels slightly dated and accomplishes little that hasn't been done before and done better.

Another Sonic game, another disappointment. It seems like whenever the hedgehog jumps off the tiny screens of the current handhelds, everything just falls apart for him.

Purposely frustrating, Spelunker HD offers a lot of game to work through, straddling the fine line between good difficulty and rote memorization for an entertaining enough throwback, but one that few will end up finishing. Idle thumbs need not apply.

A year or two ago, it may have been a viable option, but with great alternatives out in the market right now, you can stand to sit this song out.

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast certainly feels and plays differently than your typical brawler, which is a good thing, but the dizzying camera limits its appeal to hardcore enthusiasts of the anime series instead of the general public.

Lightsaber Duels is an average fighter with solid visuals, but it doesn’t deliver on its most important element. There’s plenty of fan service, and swinging the Wii remote around can be fun at times, but the payoff just simply isn’t enough. This one’s still a padawan in training.

It does a good job of recreating timeless fairground classics, and because they are so recognizable, this really is a game that you can play with friends and family members of any age and they’ll instantly get it.

The Viva Pinata Universe is a creative one, and has loads of potential. Party Animals doesn’t really harness all of that, but it does provide a somewhat shaky foundation for a much better sequel.

It just never offers more than a middling gameplay experience for its price. That on its own might satisfy the casual freebooters, but when you couple that mediocrity with abysmal NPC pathing, inexplicable bouts of lag, and the game's tendency to crash at key moments, even they may find themselves tossing this one down in Davy Jones' locker for good.

As a cartoon tie-in aimed at a very specific demographic, Transformers Prime does a pretty good job defining its setting an action. It just doesn't go far enough. A decent kids game that gets old a little bit too fast, Prime just won't quite measure up for Transformers fans that frankly have shinier, better toys to play with.

Rumble Blast looks and feels like something you'd expect on Nintendo's eShop, but instead it's a retail release at full price. Don't be deceived--Rumble Blast is a far cry from the quality you've come to expect from the Pokémon series.

It’s hard to completely dismiss the game as trash, but it’s harder not to feel like the game should be giving you a lot more.

Many of the individual games exhibit occasional flashes of brilliance, and the absurdity of the Galactic Dance Off bears witnessing at least once. We just can't recommend picking up the entire package in order to do so.

A serviceable showpiece, but there aren't a lot of modes to explore, and the short-lived mini-games get repetitive pretty quickly. It's fun in short bursts, but it doesn't approach the staying power of the most memorable party games.

Conceptually speaking, Onechanbara entreats a dangerous dance of kitsch and low-brow entertainment. But poor design philosophy, a general disregard for story, and gameplay that will literally leave you sore land it in a special category of games barely worth the plastic they’re burned on. Sexy just isn’t enough, and contrary to its buxom beauties, Onechanbara is an ugly game from most angles.

The lack of camera control is a travesty, especially since the right analog stick’s defensive dodges are redundant with the Sixaxis controller’s tilting functions.

North American gamers who aren’t rabid Gundam fans, or Gundam fans that demand at least a solid game experience to go with their giant robots, or even fans of the Dynasty Warriors series should approach this battle with caution – sometimes you have to pick your battles.

The extra modes are more forgettable than fun, but the core Monkey Ball experience passes muster, though keep in mind that using the gyroscopic controls kills the 3D. For best results, pick your primate, turn your circle pad on, and the 3D slider up.

It’s fun to run around as the Hulk in an open world, harassing pedestrians and tearing the city apart with your bare hands, but with its uneven pacing, dull missions, and sloppy presentation, The Incredible Hulk won’t keep most players interested for long.

Warriors Orochi combines the characters and features of two successful franchises into one game, but the convoluted crossover storyline, unimpressive production values, and lack of major innovation aren’t likely to have new players ready to enlist.

Despite bugs that seem to pop up around every corner, Haze isn't an awful first-person shooter. It's just not a very good one.

The controls suit the system, with a surprisingly smart option to touch on-screen icons to turn the camera toward potential threats. The stealth play and covert killing is fast and satisfying but when blades clash, things can get awkward. You're eventually given a reversal move can quickly end fights with weaker enemies, but there's no running away from certain fated confrontations, which are almost always prolonged and clumsy.

Variety is nice, but when it borders on the absurd, it’s just stupid. And overall, the gameplay in 300 fails to do service to the movie or the genre at large.

You don't have to be a line judge to point out Smash Court Tennis 3’s faults. Pinpointing targets is frustrating, since you have a small margin of error while aiming, and the timing isn't always consistent for "nice" shots.

Wielding the game’s powerful spells can be a lot of fun, but the repetitive shooting and tedious trekking from barrier to barrier make you feel like you’re paying penance for someone else’s crimes.

While the swift pace and simplified mechanics might seem appealing, the combat is wholly unsatisfying, the environments are shallow and stifling, and the camera is annoying.

Frankly, though, it's unlikely that the gameplay will hold your attention long enough that you'll want to sample these extras.

Conquest relies too much on retreading old ground in almost every way. Numerous bugs, unpolished mechanics, and average presentation are the telltale signs of a rushed game, and this one has all three. It's not quite bad enough to cast into Mount Doom, but only those who can't get enough of Tolkien's tales need apply.

Lost Via Domus will be tempting to fans obsessed with the show, but the story—as good as it is--has no bearing whatsoever on the overall canon. It’s short, much of the gameplay amounts to a hurdle to get to the next cutscene, and at just over five hours long, under no circumstances can we recommend it for a purchase.

It’s fun to run around as the Hulk in an open world, harassing pedestrians and tearing the city apart with your bare hands, but with its uneven pacing, dull missions, and sloppy presentation, The Incredible Hulk won’t keep most players interested for long.

There’s a ton of wasted potential here, but by the standards of the movie game the third Pirates game doesn’t fare too badly.

As generic as a hack-and-slash can be. If you’re looking for responsive action, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re looking for story and dialogue, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re the masochistic type that likes spending dozens of hours slaughtering repetitive foes in order to create the ultimate character then step on up and start grinding.

If a you're going to release an unlicensed football game, it had better knock our socks off. Backbreaker doesn't even come close. Pass on this one and hope for a better game next year.

Basketball should be fast-paced and fluid, yet Chosen One constantly slams on the brakes with impractical design decisions. Irritating computer AI, frustrating challenges, sloppy controls, and an over-reliance on performing specific combos to win are not what you want in a street ball game.

The odd thing is that while Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel is clearly not a well-executed game, it still manages to be fun with a friend. It's quick, stop-and-pop gameplay with carnage and explosions aplenty. Every awkward moment and terrible line of dialogue is a potential laugh -- or two -- so it's not the worst choice for a weekend rental.

Though largely lacking in ingenuity, Watchmen: The End is Nigh proves that if licensed games can’t be good, they can at least look good. The gameplay has a life expectancy of about 45 minutes, and at a pricey $20 for just a few hours of play, it probably should have been released for five bucks and used as a promotional tool for the flick.

A poor man's Mass Effect. It's too heavy on frivolities and too light on gameplay.

Why Sega decided to skewer[] one of our beloved childhood heroes on the tip of a clunky, sword-swinging spree is beyond us, but at this point, it simply hurts. Maybe someday we’ll live to see Sonic take back the speed that is so rightfully his, but for now, the only sprinting he’ll be doing is on the bad end of a running joke.

Need for Speed Undercover lacks challenge, struggles technically, and practically requires sunglasses to play. The framework for a stronger game is present, but the final product simply doesn't come close to competing with games like "Midnight Club: LA" or "Burnout Paradise."

There's so little variation in how any given activity is completed that even younger muggles will quickly bore of it. Not even Bellatrix Lestrange would be crazy enough to spend $50 on it.

Lost Via Domus will be tempting to fans obsessed with the show, but the story—as good as it is--has no bearing whatsoever on the overall canon. It’s short, much of the gameplay amounts to a hurdle to get to the next cutscene, and at just over five hours long, under no circumstances can we recommend it for a purchase.

Just like the DS versions, the concept for Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked hits all the right marks, but it's the execution that fails. A stupid, impractical A.I. companion and the unrealistic stat maintenance make playing it just about as much fun as being stranded on an island in real life.

Facebreaker tries to revive the arcade boxing glory achieved by classics like Punch-Out!, but with its punishing difficulty, minimal gameplay modes, and humor that falls on its face, it doesn’t come close. Creating your own boxers can become addictive, and it’s not a bad option for a casual party atmosphere, but for serious players it lacks the depth to pick itself up off the mat.

So, lame missions, filled, again, with arbitrary restrictions like time limits and invisible walls, meet a clunky camera and mindless wash/rinse/repeat combat that doesn’t require the suspension of disbelief, but the annihilation of it.

Lair is one of the PS3’s biggest disappointments so far. The potential was great, and the core gameplay isn’t bad. But instead of the fantasy epic fans dreamed of, the final product comes across as a short and unsightly mess.

In spite of some strong individual elements, it ends up feeling like a sloppy and ultimately pointless conflict. Focusing on superficial distinctions that add nothing to the game, Warfighter lacks a convincing reason to fight, and there's no reason anyone should pick up the banner apart from brand loyalty or sheer boredom.

The Wii version of Spider-Man 3 plays sloppy, looks bad, and just doesn't feel complete.

Think of it as a way to spend some personal time with the girls from the fighting game. If that doesn’t interest you, and you don’t have a thing for well-endowed video game chicks, you’re probably out of luck.

It is yet another game with potentially interesting mechanics that fail to deliver on their promise, making Inversion's approach to gravity feel more plodding than liberating.

Genesis thus toys with a promising twist on the real-time strategy formula, but its shortcomings nevertheless manage to repel both audiences it seeks to attract.

It’s really difficult to recommend Pokemon Battle Revolution. For casual players, there’s no substance to the game—especially if they haven’t played Diamond & Pearl on the DS and are unable to upload their critters. For the hardcore Poke-maniac, the online play provides an opportunity for bragging rights and little else.

The only way Shred won't make you want to tear your hair out is if you play the game on the casual setting, during free ride, and with low expectations.

A poorly-executed horror game with a lot of control and design issues. It’s a rather painful game to play, and fails to provide any real scares. We recommend playing Resident Evil 4 again before spending the time and money on this.

The campaigns are repetitive, the action is fairly mindless, and it's not all that rewarding to play. Masochistic players who really enjoy the series may get a mild kick out of this new spin, but everyone else would be better off chalking this one up to ancient history.

With its shallow multiplayer modes and brief campaign, Bodycount's long-term play value is limited, making it more suitable for renting than purchasing. Had the developers spent more time in fleshing out the game's modes, play mechanics, and options, Bodycount might have been more memorable than your average B-action movie. Sadly, it's not.

Warriors Orochi combines the characters and features of two successful franchises into one game, but the convoluted crossover storyline, unimpressive production values, and lack of major innovation aren’t likely to have new players ready to enlist.

The problem with Eat Lead is that it only replicates the looks of all the games it spoofs, and not the gameplay. What's left is a repetitive, subpar third-person shooter skinned in various game themes and filled with cheap gags.

So, lame missions, filled, again, with arbitrary restrictions like time limits and invisible walls, meet a clunky camera and mindless wash/rinse/repeat combat that doesn’t require the suspension of disbelief, but the annihilation of it.

There are some brief moments of fun in Kinect Joy Ride, but most of the time you'll be too busy fighting the loose controls to really enjoy it. Making matters worse, the game would be an absolute pushover if you played it with a traditional analog stick and buttons. With shallow gameplay and just a handful of tracks, it certainly doesn't justify the $50 price tag.

Lost Via Domus will be tempting to fans obsessed with the show, but the story—as good as it is--has no bearing whatsoever on the overall canon. It’s short, much of the gameplay amounts to a hurdle to get to the next cutscene, and at just over five hours long, under no circumstances can we recommend it for a purchase.

Rygar: The Battle of Argus is sub-standard in every area, and while it has its moments, most are filled with boredom or outright frustration. The PS2 version is readily available for a few dollars, and the meager additions to this Wii iteration provide little incentive to pick it up.

Gangs of London gets the portable game design thing absolutely right, with lots of choices and play sessions that are over relatively quickly. But the decent collection of distractions doesn’t make up for the awful controls.

As it stands, these blades still need a lot more sharpening.

Soul Calibur Legends isn’t a particularly bad game, but it does absolutely nothing to separate itself from the piles of generic action games on the market.

Again lacks almost all of the elements that made Cing's previous games stand out amongst fans and critics alike. This dull, plodding experience isn't worth your time or money. Given the lack of meaningful interactive segments, you're better off just reading an actual thriller.

In spite of its novel class-based combat and varied multiplayer, Operation Raccoon City can't shake its one-note campaign and fundamental mechanical problems.

A horribly repetitive platformer.

With awkward control schemes, modes that don’t differentiate from one another, and a bleak overall look, it pales in comparison to similar games in the genre.

While the 3DS-enabled features are a nice touch and the core concept is intact, The Sims 3 ultimately feels like a lightweight launch title. Newcomers may get a small kick out of living a fake life, but if this isn't your first virtual rodeo, you're better off sticking to the real world.

For those wanting to explore the wilds of Westeros, climb to the top of The Wall or engage in a thrilling battle with a direwolf, this Game of Thrones falls completely flat. However, if you don't mind suffering through the combat, the visuals, and the lackluster environments, there's actually a decent interactive story to experience. Of course, that's a very big "if."

Dark Messiah certainly had potential, but poor decisions and a sloppy conversion put a damper on what should have been an improvement over the earlier PC game. Oddly enough, we found ourselves continuing to play just to see if it got any better. Unfortunately, it didn’t.

Battlegrounds is a competent enough shooter, though it could use more depth and originality. The single-player portion can be completed within an hour, and the multiplayer games lack the depth to sustain long-term play.

Warped charm makes these bizarre critters and their zany game world likeable enough, but Rabbids Land falls woefully short of the Mario Party format it attempts to mimic.

It could be a raw and visceral action game, but it’s merely another way to distribute his music and generate interest in his clothing. If you like 50’s tracks but don’t own any of his CDs….then buy the CDs.

Bionicle Heroes looks good, and has a decent license backing it, but completely fails to capture the magic that made the LEGO Star Wars games a hit. What you get instead is an average, boring shooter that’s only worth playing if you have a deep love for the source material.

Like flowers in a trash dump, the fragrance of NeverDead's high points is overpowered by the tons of garbage surrounding them. Even the most worthwhile moments are awkwardly handled, and there's nothing fun or helpful about having your body torn apart over and over again.

It will scratch that itch if you’re looking for nothing more than some mindless gunplay mixed with dangerous doses of testosterone, but there’s nothing going on upstairs. And for a tactical shooter, that’s not going to cut it.

Bionicle Heroes looks good, and has a decent license backing it, but completely fails to capture the magic that made the LEGO Star Wars games a hit. What you get instead is an average, boring shooter that's only worth playing if you have a deep love for the source material.

All that saves Pirates on PS2 from completely walking the plank is Johnny Depp’s boisterous performance, the rare drop in co-op gameplay, and the fact that it’s always fun to be a pirate for a while. But as far as everything else goes...you’ve been warned.

It’s good to see a developer at least trying to break the mold on the system, but Dragon Blade is far too archaic and bland to appeal to either side of the Wii equation.

Instead of rebuilding Spy Hunter's Interceptor from the ground up to make an action-racer that could potentially smoke "Burnout," or adding third-person shooting and grappling control to make you feel like Sam Fisher and Triple H at the same time, Nowhere to Run ends up being a mediocre mix of both.

A horribly repetitive platformer.

Superman Returns looks like a passable game, and it definitely feels like one when you first start playing it. Six or seven hours later, when you’ve done absolutely everything Metropolis has to offer, you’ll be shocked how little they’ve sprinkled over the obscenely huge environment.

It will scratch that itch if you’re looking for nothing more than some mindless gunplay mixed with dangerous doses of testosterone, but there’s nothing going on upstairs. And for a tactical shooter, that’s not going to cut it.

Instead of rebuilding Spy Hunter’s Interceptor from the ground up to make an action-racer that could potentially smoke "Burnout," or adding third-person shooting and grappling control to make you feel like Sam Fisher and Triple H at the same time, Nowhere to Run ends up being a mediocre mix of both.

Fans of the movie are going to be put off by an extended story and characters that don’t live up to the original.

X-Blades doesn’t fail for lack of originality or innovation, because that would imply that it met some meager expectations. X-Blades fails because it’s an ill-conceived lovechild of poor taste and even poorer game design.

Wii Sports is still the reigning champion when it comes to party sports games. Deca Sports is, if anything, a distraction, and worth renting if friends are coming over.

Soldier of Fortune: Payback is a one-trick pony of blood and guts. And if that’s your thing, you might be able to overlook the generic shooting mechanic, enemy AI that’s cheap and stupid, and dull level design. But we just can’t.

Fans of the movie are going to be put off by an extended story and characters that don't live up to the original.

Most of the characters, courses, and board types are also locked away from the outset, so getting to any of the worthwhile content is a test of your patience and endurance. The presentation, meanwhile, is average at best. Ultimately, you'll find little value in Adrenalin Misfits. Seek your Kinect thrills elsewhere.

Soldier of Fortune: Payback is a one-trick pony of blood and guts. And if that’s your thing, you might be able to overlook the generic shooting mechanic, enemy AI that’s cheap and stupid, and dull level design. But we just can’t.

Fans of the movie are going to be put off by an extended story and characters that don’t live up to the original.

Final Fantasy XIV is in no way, shape, or form ready for commercial release. We suppose there is potential down the line for the experience to improve with patches and tweaks, but that doesn't justify why the game is in such shambles at launch.

Dungeon Hunter does offer a few moments of fun, but they're eclipsed by painful repetition and clumsy design.

Knights Contract is far too rough around the edges to be worth its asking price. The needlessly frequent cutscenes interrupt the game's flow, combat against the majority of enemies requires little thought, and you'll be constantly fighting either the camera or the level design. The finishing blow is Gretchen's AI, which makes the boss fights annoying instead of exciting.

Despite all of its flaws, Nitrobike has one thing going for it: if you blowup 15 times during your career you can unlock crash test bowling. It’s not particularly fun and uses some whacked-out physics, but at least it will keep you from playing the main game.

The battles are often tiresome, not only because of the activity level associated with the controls, but because fights tend to drag on with rock-paper-scissors type counter attacks, blocks, and deflections. While you can unlock over 50 characters, all of the fighters control the same, and the first-person perspective means you can't even see them in action. Considering the lack of new content and spotty controls, Dragon Ball Z for Kinect ultimately puts the "sigh" in Super Saiyan.

Giant robots or not, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 doesn’t quite have the thrust to wedge this stagnating series out of its fixed orbit.

It's a bare minimum situation that will disappoint even the most desperate player. We have to go back a long way to remember a Madden game that offered so little.

It's a case of missed opportunity with Castlevania Judgment. The concept sounds so enticing, but it doesn't take long to realize that the series has not done a good job of creating memorable characters. It tries to implement creative ideas, but nothing really clicks and both die hard fans and fighting game enthusiasts will be discouraged by gameplay that's anything but immortal.

Fuzion Frenzy 2 is like a decent-tasting smoothie of low-calorie gaming activities with a disgusting cherry on top. The game improves a lot if you’re playing at home with friends or smack-talking strangers online, but like any party, it isn’t meant to be a solo affair.

It's an embarrassing, abhorrent heir resting on its laurels with plenty of ugly humor, bubblegum pastiche, and very little in the way of ass-kicking prowess.

Even at the discounted price of 30 dollars, this is clearly the wrong move to bust on a new platform.

The battle system is fairly shallow; the dragon riding is plagued by bad collision and controls; the presentation isn’t up to Xbox 360 standards; and the story is merely decent.

Maybe one day, they'll come out with a motion-controlled game that captures the frightful excitement and immediacy of being in a fistfight. But that day has yet to come. Not even the grizzled charmer Danny Trejo can salvage this trainwreck.

Worse than Bound in Blood in every way, and you'll have more fun laughing at its missteps than anything else.

Fantastic Four isn’t bad in the sense that it’s incredibly buggy or overly frustrating. It’s just mind-numbingly mundane. And the thinly veiled attempts at character customization aren’t enough to make the game any less boring.

A horribly repetitive platformer.

A monotonous button-masher, the splashes of other gameplay styles aren’t well executed and we can only recommend this to the true Hellboy fan.

Though the premise isn’t all that bad, poor execution and terrible controls keep Wing Island from taking flight.