IGN

• WII
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Kirby is not necessarily for you or me, but for our children, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. It is a whimsical, charming adventure that has clearly been designed for a younger audience first and others second. That's not a bad thing, but it does come with limitations. It's a little frustrating that Nintendo couldn't have aimed for both audiences at the same time, and I know when I was a kid I would have killed for the harder challenge, but you can only fault the game so much for that. If anything, Return to Dreamland is mostly disappointing because it doesn't really attempt to do anything we haven't seen before. Maybe games like Mass Attack, with its clever group-based gameplay, or Epic Yarn, with its bold visual style, have spoiled me, but I want to see Nintendo take risks with this franchise. I've seen Kirby as a typical platformer. Let him continue to be the canvas upon which talented designers can let their imaginations run wild. But originality, in the face of a capable and competent game that admittedly has few faults within its intended design, only matters so much. It might take six hours to get to what really interests me about Dreamland, but that's time very well spent for someone a fifth my age.

• PS3
• X360
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

When you shut down Battlefield 3 and let the Frostbite 2-powered dust settle, it certainly has some problems. But DICE’s adoration of and expertise with the online experience permeates every aspect of its multiplayer. Regardless of the narrative missteps or the occasional glitches, Battlefield 3 offers an unforgettable, world-class multiplayer suite so fun that it more than makes up for the package’s shortcomings.

• PS3
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

House of the Dead: Overkill -- Extended Cut is one of the best reasons to own a PlayStation Move in months, but that's more a reflection of the weak Move lineup than the game being anything other than a solid light-gun shooter. I liked playing though this game, but when the credits rolled, I was fairly ready to move on. Still, let's not overlook what the game gets right. The grindhouse treatment is cool, collectables dot the background of every level, and who doesn't love blasting limbs off psycho clowns with a couch co-op friend?

• 3DS
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

If you're looking for fun co-op multiplayer on the cheap, PayDay: The Heist fits the bill at $20. I enjoyed my time with it and want to play more with my friends. Working together to get the loot and the insanity of trying to get out alive are tense, enjoyable experiences. Issues like the clipping and generally "blah" presentation keep PayDay from being an amazing experience, but they don't stop it from being a good time.

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

While owners of last year’s The Sims 3 might feel ripped-off with this pet-centric new title, it’s a fun jumping off point for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to tackle a virtual life. Whether it's purposefully terrorizing humans or watching your dog head off to work in its own cab, The Sims 3: Pets is a fun and funny way to tackle a virtual life – but that’s if you can get over the stuttering animations and load times.

• PS3
• X360
• PC
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Still flawed in many of the same ways as last year's version, WRC 2 is an inadequate follow-up. It's a minor improvement but it's left positively languishing by the likes of DiRT 3. In 2011 WRC 2 really doesn't look good enough or sound good enough to compete, and it's arguably missing the zest of even the six-year-old WRC: Rally Evolved.

• PS3
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• PS3
• X360
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• DS
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

From top to bottom, this is the most expertly put-together Layton game in the series. From the gripping, touching story to the challenging puzzles to the insane amount of extras - this is inarguably the definitive Layton experience. Even if you missed the Layton boat the first three times, as a prequel Last Specter marks an ideal place for newcomers to jump in. All DS and 3DS owners should take it upon themselves to play this game. After all, as Layton himself says… every puzzle has an answer.

• WII
• 3.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

Is Football Manager 2012 a revolution? Probably not, but in that respect it's a victim of its own success. When a game is this colossal, this rich, it's hard to see how it could possibly be bettered, match engine excepted. Is it worth shelling out 30 quid for once again? Ask that same question when it's quarter to three in the morning and you're looking around the room for someone to high-five as you've just survived your first season in the Premier League with your beloved MK Dons. Some may look at Sports Interactive and detect a faint glimmer of complacency, but just because Football Manager's opposition have all but given up, this doesn't mean the king can't rule his kingdom.

• WII
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

Go Vacation evolves the mini-game collection genre in many ways, but it lacks the polish of Nintendo's first party efforts. The open world island, while fun to explore, feels empty because of the lifeless NPCs that haunt its shores. You’ll find plenty to do with the wide variety of mini-games, though some (beach volleyball) didn’t turn out as well as others (table hockey). Although Go Vacation certainly has its moments of intense fun, I found the lack of polish disappointing. All in all, it makes for a nod-worthy effort that boasts numerous triumphs, but ultimately never turns out quite as good as it could have.

• DS
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

That's like five stages for every penny you spend. Not bad.

• X360
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

When I mentioned to a fellow IGN employee that I was working on the Dance Central 2 review, she asked if she could watch. This single spectator soon turned into a small audience comprised of women that work around the office in various departments. To me, this shows the unconventional appeal of the dancing genre. People love to dance. And Dance Central 2 gives you a fun way to share that love with friends.

• PS3
• X360
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• X360
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

I’m not the biggest Ace Combat fan, so maybe that’s why the changes in Assault Horizon intrigued me. It’s not as well polished as previous games, but this new step is more interesting than if it had been yet another Ace Combat game. Dogfights are exciting, the helicopters are interesting (though underdeveloped), and the real world setting and story ground the game in reality. Assault Horizon is worth taking a look at for flying game fans, and it works well as an introduction to the series for newcomers. Plus nobody makes any dumb barrel roll jokes.