IGN

• PS3
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

If you’ve followed the Ar Tonelico series this far, I’d imagine you’ve already discovered the secrets of Ar Ciel and seen the heights of Clustania on Sol Cluster. But for anyone new to the series, make sure you know what you’re getting into. The first two games soared on charming visuals and mechanics of the great games from the 16-bit era. With all the technological bells and whistles driving this sequel, it ended up halting rather than evolving the series. Great animations set against clunky backgrounds, too much repetition in both the combat and music, and the lack of difficulty hold this JRPG back from being something truly special.

• PS3
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

For all its excellent visual flair, interesting characters, and creative storytelling, the fact Gray Matter’s puzzles are one of its less impressive aspects is a major disappointment. The creative magic trick conundrums are an interesting touch, and the challenges do get more elaborate further along in the game, but many of the puzzles just aren’t that enjoyable. Even so, Gray Matter’s winding story and masterful presentation captivate enough to hold everything together, particularly as the tale reaches its bizarre climax in the final chapters.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS3
• X360
• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

All told, Red River just about achieves its objective - an engaging halfway house between soldier simulation and improbable heroics, and a slick, smart co-op modern warfare experience. If only it had trimmed down the flabby downtime and the reams of prattling fratboy dialogue which dominate its campaign, and instead pursued more tactical variety, we'd perhaps be looking at something exceptional. As it is it's merely capable, with occasional flashpoints of brilliance.

• PS3
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• IOS
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

At less than a dollar, Storm in a Teacup is easily worth the time and money it’ll take to unlock it’s second, more entertaining half. If you’re looking for a way to lose a few hours on a commute, or a cute game for all ages, look no further.

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

If this were a contest to see what downloadable game could look the most like a full retail title, the Section 8: Prejudice would be an impressive release. Prejudice certainly does a lot – it just doesn’t do very much well. With a few friends, the Horde-alike Swarm mode could justify Section 8: Prejudice as a purchase during the slow time of the year if you’ve exhausted your other, numerous options. Regardless of its status as a downloadable title, Section 8: Prejudice doesn’t do enough well to make it a must-play. In the morass of other, better shooters, it feels destined to burn up in the atmosphere, rather than establish itself with a community.

• PC
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Dino D-Day easily captures attention by mixing Nazis and dinosaurs into an online World War II shooter but doesn't stay interesting for long. The guns don't feel powerful and the Nazi dinosaur combatants, despite all the humor value they bring to a fight, bring little in the way of satisfying gameplay. Sloppy controls, class imbalances, mediocre maps and a general lack of polish make Dino D-Day a tough game to enjoy. Once it's done making you laugh, there isn't much else worth sticking around for.

• PS3
• X360
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Mortal Kombat combines the novelty of extreme violence with a great fighting engine. My favorite moments with Mortal Kombat were always playing against a friend (Gamespy’s Ryan Scott is a beast), but I was disgusted by how unbalanced some of the single-player challenges are. Even still, Mortal Kombat is a great game. It’s not the most polished fighter out there, but it has a distinct flavor and it’ll be a hit at gamer get-togethers. I’ll leave you with some friendly advice: show your friends Noob Saibot’s default Fatality. It’s amazing.

• X360
• PS3
• PC
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

The original Portal benefitted from its brevity. It had a concise story paired with inventive first-person puzzle mechanics that challenged you to be creative while pulling the trigger. Portal 2 makes the original look like the prototype it was. It's filled with a larger cast of characters vividly brought to life through brilliant writing and some of the best voice acting in video games. Its puzzles are challenging without being unreasonable, and, once you're finished with the single-player mode, one of the best co-operative experiences on the market awaits. Valve cuts no corners and finds ways to make you care about everything from the major characters to the cubes used to solve puzzles. From the beginning of the single-player story to the end of the co-op mode, Portal 2 is a novel, unforgettable experience.

• WII
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

The Xbox 360 version of The Dragon Knight Saga is a game slightly better than the sum of its parts. While its graphics are subpar for a modern game, the combat is fast-paced and fun. It feels much better with the 360 controller rather than the mouse-and-keyboard setup of the PC version, especially with auto-aim being this forgiving. Although the expansion is a bit weaker than the core game, the total package is well worth the price of admission. If you haven't touched Divinity II at all and you enjoy action-RPGs, you won't be disappointed with the Xbox 360 version.

• PC
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

• PSP
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

Clearly, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is the ultimate purchase for Final Fantasy IV fans. Even if you’re already experienced with the core Final Fantasy IV experience, there’s still so much to see and do here that it’ll be hard not jump back in. The After Years and Interlude certainly aren’t as strong as the primary game, but fans like me will enjoy getting to know more about the characters we love in locales we’re already familiar with, putting a little bow on the entire saga. But there’s just as much here for gamers who are unfamiliar with Final Fantasy IV. The main game is enough of a draw, but having all of this extra content will simply give you more bang for your buck. Just be sure to play sequentially if you’re new to Final Fantasy IV, or you’ll be completely lost. If you haven’t played Final Fantasy IV, are a fan of RPGs, and don’t find yourself utterly impressed with the game, I will be surprised.

• PC
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

While 1C Company should be congratulated for being ambitious enough to put forth the effort to recreate in minute detail, one of the most pivotal events of the Cold War, they should perhaps be admonished for not being ambitious enough. For all its aspirations in regard to realism, Theatre of War 3: Korea fails to set the bar high enough for itself when it comes to AI, player feedback, unit responsiveness, framerate, new player tutorials and oh yeah—fun. For all its historical correctness, the experience of playing the game just isn't as much fun as it could be and in the end proves not only that "War is Hell", but that sometimes it's Hell for all the wrong reasons.

• 3DS
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

It’s a pleasant surprise that The Sims 3 for the 3DS isn't just the DS version, but while some of the additions are welcome like the new graphics and interface, the removal of certain features like multiple saves, personality traits and calling for services is odd. Also, since they went for a “T” for Teen rating, I would hope that you could “WooHoo” in order to create multiple generations of Sims, but that’s not available. Still, if you’ve never played a Sims game before, prepare to be addicted. Even though this version has some problems, the positives outweigh the negatives.

• X360
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do is, in many ways, a predictable follow-up to the series' three previous titles. It contains many of the same kinds of activities and presents them using the same audio/visual approach. Where it makes a significant improvement is by making the jump to Kinect and greatly increasing the player's sense of control. Short, simple, and repetitive as it is, this isn't the kind of title hardcore gamers will get much out of. Casual gamers and party game enthusiasts, on the other hand, will probably get a kick out of it.