IGN

• DS
• 3 / 10
• États-Unis

I was really looking forward to getting behind the flight yoke in Freedom Wings. But that anticipation was slaughtered when the game simply took control of everything I wanted to do in the game. Eventually I learned that it’s a simple matter of hitting a switch to command your craft, but the controls are horribly touchy to the point that the only way to succeed in the game is to let the computer do all the work. And that, pretty much, goes against the very definition of a “game.”

• PS2
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

In some ways, Disgaea 2 is almost exactly like the first title in the series, it suffers from a lack of explanation of various terms or features. There are a couple of times where you'll wonder just why making certain moves in the Senate are important, or why doing specific things in the item world can help, and they're not explained as well as you might need them to be. Even though there's a continual amount of help present, you may discover that you'll be somewhat lost every now and then as you journey through the game. Many of the new additions are mild modifications to the original title; the subpoenas are literally extensions of the item world, the Geo Monsters are relatively mild additions of the pre-existing battle system, and the game still hasn't fixed things like the camera issues. While the hardcore won't have a problem with that, even sinking multiple dozens of hours to defeat certain bosses at early sections of the game, casual players may find themselves literally feeling like they've been here and done this before a ton of times, especially if they've played a lot of strategy games. That being said, Disgaea 2 is still an awesome strategy title that manages to provide an obscene level of depth and strategy with at least 8 endings, hundreds of characters to create or discover, a new court system and an additional Shadow World on top of the Item World. Plus, when you get to an estimated full completion around 200+ hours, you know you have a title that will keep your attention for some time to come.

• PSP
• 9.3 / 10
• États-Unis

And there it is. Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror packs an uncommon amount of detail, variety and overall quality. It blends intense action sequences with stealth in a way no portable game has before, and it does so with style to spare. It controls well, plays well and generally does everything right. Not perfect, mind you, but what’s actually wrong with Dark Mirror is barely worth mentioning. Add robust multiplayer options and you’ve got one excellent little package. Highly recommended.

• PSP
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

• XBOX
• 6.3 / 10
• États-Unis

Xyanide took years to develop, though it's hard to see what was being worked on. The levels look pretty at first, but quickly become nauseating and boring when the same backgrounds continuously scroll by awkwardly. The gameplay itself is solid with intense, difficult combat, intriguing weapons, and huge battles. Unfortunately, the repetitive levels and unshakeable headache the game gave us prevented us from having fun. In the end, Xyanide ends up being hurt most by the one element that was supposed to be make it stand out; the three dimensional backdrop. Rent it to see if you have the stomach before diving in head first.

• DS
• 3.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PSP
• 8.6 / 10
• États-Unis

Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins may not be a particularly original title (or one with highly-responsive controls), but it's still a great, great showpiece for Sony's handheld system. The long overdue weapons and abilities that Arthur has gained for this installment are just the beginning -- as the game's truly excellent visuals, smart difficulty settings, and solid action-platforming make for one heck of a fun (albeit short-lived) day at the graveyard. Don't forget about the strong portable save options, multitude of hidden goodies, or the killer remixed soundtrack either.

• NGC
• PS2
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

If you’re a fan of the One Piece franchise, Grand Adventure is simply a no-brainer. The amount of depth and entertainment found in this seemingly tame fighter is just amazing, and even if you’ve already gotten your fill from One Piece: Grand Battle, there’s still enough extra content to make this one worth your cash. Players be warned ahead of time though, that most of the gameplay is still the same. While the addition of bigger super attacks and a huge roster of support characters should be enough for the die-hard, it may be a bit shallow for others who were expecting Grand Adventure to be a full-on redesign of the franchise. At the core of its design, Grand Adventure is simply the next installment to an already solid gameplay mechanic, though it offers a tremendous amount of game for those willing to dive in. It is truly a One Piece fan’s dream come true.

• DS
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

In fact, aside from the horrid kicking issues (that will have people returning their games, assuming it’s a faulty copy), the rest of the package is actually pretty strong. There are a ton of modes and options, lots of multiplayer, and the overall graphical and audio presentation has received a bit of a bump as well. It’s going to come down to whether or not you feel it’s worth the risk (and the aggregation) to track this game down and work though a few of the serious issues it will bring to the table. The rest of the gameplay is pretty strong (aside from a few awkward passing/receiving accuracy issues that we had over our many hours of gameplay), and it’s really a shame that EA would take something as simple as kicking, and actually hurt the gameplay while trying to add in the touch implementation we’ve all been asking for. Is it worth your cash? We really can’t say yes after seeing a few of the major design flaws. That being said, there are still fans all across the net on game boards finding ways to work around the kicking system, and anyone who can get it down hails Madden 07 as the best DS football game yet, but there’s no way we can give an honest recommendation to the game taking into account a few major flaws (kicking being one of them). Hopefully we’ll see a comparable version to this one in Madden 08, minus the aggravating touch screen bugs and half-assed implementation. It really is a strong title that’s brought down by a few plaguing issues.

• PSP
• 8.1 / 10
• États-Unis

Takeover offers one of the best fighting packages on the system. It packs an intuitive fighting system and varied characters, not to mention an in-depth storyline that just about any genre fan can enjoy. It also supports two players over a local ad-hoc connection and boasts great production values, making it a worthwhile and surprisingly polished product. The only real gripe are the momentary pauses when navigating menus or traveling between locations. Nothing major, but it does hamper the experience somewhat.

• PS2
• 4.8 / 10
• États-Unis

VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple is by no means the worst Christian-themed game out there, It's also relatively understated with its themes, mostly focusing on different types of temptations that should be avoided rather than how to accept Christ as your personal lord and savior. Honestly, the most overtly offensive part of the game is the videogame-themed level where LarryBoy's reporter friend gets captivated by her own gaming induced stupor. Papaya Studio had the audacity to cram this level with references to game design philosophy, clearly stating that gameplay should always come first over graphics. Of course, with a product where both the graphics and the gameplay are outstandingly bad, admonitions like this come off as a little overzealous and totally out of place. Ultimately, VeggieTales is not even mediocre at best. It does very little right, and a whole lot wrong. If your goal is to get your kids to lose all interest in videogames and go outside for once, then VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple should surely do the trick.

• PS2
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PSP
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

It¿s nice to see a large overhaul of last year¿s game, which was somewhat clunky and full of problems, into a smoother running title. The largest issue is that it seems to have brought along some of the issues from the console version as far as a lack of true innovation. However, it¿s still an extremely solid football title, with only some slight issues that mar the experience.

• PS2
• 4.8 / 10
• États-Unis

VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple is by no means the worst Christian-themed game out there, It's also relatively understated with its themes, mostly focusing on different types of temptations that should be avoided rather than how to accept Christ as your personal lord and savior. Honestly, the most overtly offensive part of the game is the videogame-themed level where LarryBoy's reporter friend gets captivated by her own gaming induced stupor. Papaya Studio had the audacity to cram this level with references to game design philosophy, clearly stating that gameplay should always come first over graphics. Of course, with a product where both the graphics and the gameplay are outstandingly bad, admonitions like this come off as a little overzealous and totally out of place. Ultimately, VeggieTales is not even mediocre at best. It does very little right, and a whole lot wrong. If your goal is to get your kids to lose all interest in videogames and go outside for once, then VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple should surely do the trick.

• PC
• 7.7 / 10
• États-Unis

• DS
• 6.5 / 10
• États-Unis

In the end, Deep Labyrinth is going to be a love it or hate it experience for tons of players. If you’re thrown off easily from somewhat clunky controls and repetitive exploration, you may want to pass this one up for a more modernized RPG. For role-playing fanatics, however, Deep Labyrinth offers some awesome diversity in level-up strategies and a story mode that’s still very satisfying if you have the stamina for it. For anyone that thinks Deep Labyrinth looks like the perfect DS companion, we encourage you to chase this one down, rather than being discouraged by the overall score. For anyone else, though, the amount of flaws could seriously outweigh the rewards, making this a game that should be passed up. If there’s any way to rent this one, we suggest doing it, as Deep Labyrinth will either suck you in, or force you out, which is one of the primary reasons we simply can’t fully recommend the game. The control is a bit too clunky (especially when trying to move and turn at the same time), the stylus input isn’t as tight as it could be, but the overall RPG experience is there. Purchase at your own risk.

• GBA
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

When it comes down to selecting B-Daman over any of the other recently released titles for GBA, there’s really no reason to compromise. With games like Summon Knight: Swordcraft Story, or even Super Robot Taisen (if you’re into the whole robo-customization thing), B-Daman just doesn’t hold its own as much as we’d hoped. There are still some awesome battles, and the customization is pretty strong, but the overarching gameplay will draw thin eventually, and when it does, be it after a few dozen or a few hundred face-offs, there’s nothing more to see. If you’re crazy for B-Daman it’s a fine choice to accompany the show. If not, take a pass on this one.

• PC
• 6.3 / 10
• États-Unis

If you really crave more of that Dungeon Siege II action, you'll definitely find it in Broken World. The problem is, you won't find enough of it to last you more than two or three days. And while there are some interesting additions here, the main arc of the story just isn't dramatic enough to support it all. I like that the combat is hard enough to force you to outfit your party properly but the action still winds up being little more than a clickathon.