IGN

• WII
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

Back on Game Boy Color, Konami hooked me with a little gem of a title called Survival Kids. Now nearly a decade later, its evolution, Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked, is still trying to offer a similar experience, but is stretching itself way too thin. The concepts are there - you need to eat food, get water, build shelter, and explore the island – but it’s wrapped up in needless gameplay fodder. The design doesn’t need a girl character to babysit, a flawed pet system, dozens and dozens of decent (but not great) mini-game challenges, or a huge cast of supporting characters in order to be good. Just give me an island, full use of the Wii-mote for interacting with objects I’ve collected, and make me brave the elements. After nine years of development, Lost in Blue has moved away from it’s “Zelda on an island” game design, and instead is moving closer to a mini-game fest for casual gamers. We’ve got plenty of those games on Wii already; bring back the true feeling of survival.

• X360
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Death Tank isn’t disappointing solely because of its price; it’s the game’s soul that leaves plenty to be desired. The weapons are too run of the mill and the structure of both the single and multiplayer portions is unimaginative. Playing with others, as it so often is, brings more fun than playing alone, but after long you’ll grow tired of the same action over and over again.

• X360
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

• WII
• 6.9 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• 3 / 10
• États-Unis

• DS
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon doesn't offer a revolutionary experience, but it is a highly polished and well-balanced example of strategy gaming. Nintendo did a nice job making sure it kept the challenge the series is known for while at the same time providing a friendlier experience for newcomers. The series superfans may be disappointed at the lack of new features, but this is still one of the strongest turn-based strategy experiences on the DS.

• WII
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• X360
• PC
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

Everything about X-Blades is mediocre. It works for what it is, and there’s some charm to the action and the characters, but the gameplay design is lacking in ingenuity; a notion that is perpetuated the longer you play. Some will be able to find more enjoyment with X-Blades than I, but most will likely wind up walking away before the adventure is over.

• WII
• 6.9 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• 5.2 / 10
• États-Unis

There is something addictive and mindlessly fun about Minesweeper, which is why it’s been so popular over the years. But why would I want to download a $5 console installment when I can open six different versions for free on my computer and play them all as I type this? Minesweeper Flags works as advertised, so if you’re dying for the Minesweeper experience, you won’t be disappointed. But there's nothing new here that's really worth the download, multiplayer included.

• WII
• 0.8 / 10
• États-Unis

2009 got started shakily itself, as this year's January didn't look much better than last's. But now that we're into February, and now that we've seen the first fresh wave of solid games like The House of the Dead: Overkill, Deadly Creatures and Tenchu: Shadow Assassins make it out to market, we can breathe a little easier -- 2009 will certainly end up being a better year for Wii than 2008 was. As for the final fate of 2008, well, hopefully we can have a little fun with it now that we're gaining some distance from those dreadful days. And as for the worst game of 2008, well, Action Girlz Racing really is my pick. It's a horrid product full of terrible track design, lifeless characters and glitched programming that's only service to its developer and publisher is to make all their other bargain bin games look better by comparison. So let's send it off with the score seemingly most appropriate for '08 -- 0.8. Good riddance, 2008. You won't be missed.

• DS
• 8.9 / 10
• États-Unis

Dragon Quest V is a must-play RPG, pure and simple. By extension, that means that Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is also a must-play RPG, though I can’t help but wish we were getting it sooner than 17 years late, and with a bit more fanfare and polish. The core game is simply incredible, offering some of the best story, gameplay, and customization available in the Super NES era, and most of the DQ series to boot. The DS version is the only one we’ve got, and while I wouldn’t go as far as to call it the definitive version without having a chance to experience the original, the updated script is very well done, things like the fan-missed party chat option (removed from DQIV on DS) is now back, and the sheer amount of impressive gameplay found in the nearly doubled in size monster battle system is immense. The 3D design is great, the presentation is top notch, holding up what was originally done with the Super Famicom version and amplified by the PS2 remake in Japan. There are still issues with the game as a current-day DS title though, such a very plain interface, a bland top screen during battles, and an archaic menu system that really makes the game feel dated. The source material for this one is nothing short of amazing, and hands-down one of the best classic RPGs ever created. The DS conversion of that source material – while still very commendable – could have been even better after seeing some of Square’s other works on the platform. With that being said, DQV: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is a must-own game for anyone that calls themselves an RPG fan – it’s just that good.

• PS3
• X360
• PC
• 8.3 / 10
• États-Unis

With F.E.A.R. 2, Monolith has crafted a solid follow-up to F.E.A.R. It’s a good shooter, bordering on great at times, but it’s not as groundbreaking as its predecessor. Still, it’s definitely faithful to the idea of F.E.A.R., which is mainly trying to get under your skin using a combination of tried-and-true horror elements, not the least of which is a creepy little girl.

• PS3
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

thatgamecompany's Co-founder, Jenova Chen, told me that Flower is experimenting with territory outside the traditional "fun pie," an abstract pie chart Chen constructed that maps out the emotions and motives of modern game genres. If you're interested in something very unique and very powerful, Flower is a must-play. It will especially resonate with people that possess a deep connection with nature and spirituality, as it's the type of game that reaches out to us and whispers about the beauty of life -- without saying anything at all.

• WII
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

I pray that Wii owners take notice of Deadly Creatures so that this ambitious new property from Rainbow Studios may blossom into a lucrative franchise. If definitely deserves the attention. This is a game for Wii owners who want something refreshingly different. It's powered by a dark, intelligent storyline, boasts great production values through and through, and features smart, fun controls (that use the Wii remote well), not to mention some unexpectedly engrossing exploration elements. The game's got a few polish issues -- camera and framerate hiccups and some frustrating bugs of the technical nature -- but it's still engrossing from beginning to end. THQ's creepy Wii exclusive action-adventure is not just a console showpiece, overflowing with cutting-edge graphic design and ultra-ambient audio, but one of the few titles for the system available whose main characters will give you goose bumps, let alone the supporting cast. If you complain that Wii never gets high-quality third-party games and you don't buy Deadly Creatures, you've only yourself to blame.

• DS
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

• WII
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PSP
• 8.3 / 10
• États-Unis