IGN

• PC
• 9.2 / 10
• États-Unis

If you've so far neglected to enter Grand Theft Auto IV's stunning modern metropolis of Liberty City, by all means get this game. The overall GTA formula has been refined and retooled in this version to be more convenient, more realistic, and ultimately more mature, though it still gets stuck on brambles held over from games past. As far as living a virtual life goes, managing the social network, night life, travel habits and explosive forays of virtual dynamo Niko Bellic is one that'll stick in your thoughts for years to come. The PC version comes with a few added features, such as online filters for finding matches, the ability to save clips and edit them together, added graphics and control options, as well as a larger player capacity in some of the multiplayer modes. Though you'll need a high-powered system to truly experience the PC version's enhanced visuals, Liberty City is still a wonder to behold.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

It's tough to get excited about Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. It's essentially a re-release of Guitar Hero III with a new song list and some new avatars. Still, it is Guitar Hero and the formula can deliver a lot of fun. The game is easier than any before it, which makes it a nice choice for anybody looking to jump in and try out a Guitar Hero game for the first time. Just double check your status in the Aerosmith fan club and make sure your PC meets the system requirements before running out to buy this one.

• PS2
• 1.9 / 10
• États-Unis

• WII
• 3 / 10
• États-Unis

Regardless of the version, Tale of Despereaux is the type of game you need to avoid at all costs. Despereaux's movement and jumping (especially on the PS2) is pretty much a disaster; combat is a serious exercise in button-mashing and the lack of camera control, as well as any real sense of depth, makes playing through Despereaux a chore. No matter where you look, you'll only see poorly executed game design. I strongly advise you to save your money and leave this one on the shelf.

• WII
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

Boogerman was a fine idea for a mid-'90s video game superhero, as in that era you needed to do whatever you could to get your game to stand out from the crowd -- the platforming genre was incredibly popular, and it was definitely difficult to distance your product from your competitors'. But his gross-out theme just isn't strong enough to stay interesting beyond that first few minutes, as the novelty of seeing a hero be so nasty wears out quickly when you realize the gameplay is just as standard as any other cookie-cutter platformer from that same 16-bit age. Boogerman isn't a bad game, and if you're finding yourself captivated by the concept for whatever reason, it's not the worst way to spend 800 Wii Points. But I'd recommend you save that eight bucks for a better adventure -- maybe Interplay's own Earthworm Jim, or Earthworm Jim 2, which is also coming soon to the Virtual Console.

• PC
• 8.3 / 10
• États-Unis

Fans of D&D and single-player role-playing games should definitely check out Storm of Zehir. Yes, there's a shortage of single-player D&D games in this age of MMOs that we live in, but Obsidian has still crafted an involving and engaging adventure. It's also nice to see the company take risks, presenting new forms of gameplay and evolving its series even further. With its emphasis on party, this feels like an homage to the old school D&D games of the past.

• PC
• 3 / 10
• États-Unis

Dynasty Warriors 6 isn't necessarily broken, but the fundamental formulas that govern the gameplay are terribly stale. But at the end of the day, hardcore Dynasty Warriors fans who want the PC version will still probably pick up a copy; it's a shame that they'll have to suffer through such inexcusable visuals and stagnant mechanics -- and they don't even get the extra content from the PS2 version. After playing so many Warriors games, I'm becoming hard pressed to see where the fun is here.

• PS3
• 10 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• 4 / 10
• États-Unis

• WII
• 3.5 / 10
• États-Unis

It almost feels like PopStar Guitar is an entry in some type of "who can make the worst music game" contest. Of course, with fare like Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Naked Brothers Band, the worst music game on the Wii is a hotly contested title. But PopStar Guitar is definitely up there. Or, down there, I should say. The lack of calibration renders it unplayable on some TVs, it's ugly as sin, and the track list is made up of only the most banal pop groups around. The packed-in peripheral works ok, but this game should be avoided at all costs.

• PC
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

With Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft's play style has been tweaked to be more accessible, addictive, and deeper. Any longtime player is sure to be pleased with what Blizzard's done here since it gives the higher level population a wealth of new content for play as well as improves the overall look of the world. And let's be honest, if you're going to spend hundreds of hours in a virtual space, it helps if it's pretty. It's an MMO system that works, as the game's success underlines, but you've got to ask yourself after four years how long this kind of momentumcan last. Perhaps within the next two years, or by the time the next World of Warcraft expansion is released, there'll be a clearer answer. As for now, Blizzard is more than content to build on World of Warcraft's formula, improving and refining nearly every aspect of the game, delivering new quest systems, a better and more focused narrative, loads of new goals to chase by yourself or with friends, and made acclimating to its world's complexities a process generally free of the headaches of something like CCP's EVE Online. Those who've yet to jump in should absolutely do so; it's hard to imagine anyone being disappointed with such a well-run, polished product that offers so many reward strata and diverse styles of gameplay.

• PS3
• X360
• 7.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 makes a valiant effort at keeping pace with FIFA 09, and there are some improvements and good ideas under the strange gameplay changes that were made, it’s just tough to see them if you’ve played FIFA. As with most beleaguered franchises, it seems like PES 2009 could use a bit of a reboot with a new engine and improved visuals and presentation values. If not, I’d be willing to bet that FIFA will be the king of the pitch for years to come.

• DS
• 8.6 / 10
• États-Unis

Age of Empires: Age of Kings released two years ago, and it has since been an unsung hero on DS. Now we’ve got the sequel out, complete with a new publisher, new developer, and expanded design. The end result? A game that rivals that of Advance Wars, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2, and Disgaea. Age of Empires has returned to DS, and with it comes more units, more strategy, just as strong of an economy system, and even more to explore within the package. Multi-card multiplayer, single card multiplayer, hot seat play, Wi-Fi, three campaigns, achievements, over 40 unlockables, and 24 maps. The battle animations are stronger this year, the overall visuals have received a significant bump, there’s more VO, and far more to see and do within the game. Age of Empires: Mythologies is indisputably one of the most robust, rewarding, and entertaining strategy games on DS. It needs to be supported, and it deserves to succeed. We hope to see the series back again on DS, complete with more than three playable cultures, more customization (map editor?) and even more of what has made this series great. Until then, we’ve got more than enough to see and do in Mythologies.

• PS2
• PS3
• WII
• X360
• 6.2 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• 5.3 / 10
• États-Unis

The Last Remnant is a technical mess, but it's also behind the curve in so many ways. While games like Fallout 3 and Mass Effect use voiceovers for every conversation, The Last Remnant doesn't even voice every main story sequence. While games like Eternal Sonata offer immaculately detailed environments, The Last Remnant often tosses you into cookie-cutter battles in repetitive bland caves or barren fields. And while games like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey deliver towns to explore and secrets to find, The Last Remnant skimps and gives only a few points worth visiting in each small town. I can't think of one aspect of The Last Remnant that is even on par with other recent titles, let alone leading the charge. It's not saved by a fantastic story or exciting gameplay either, which proves that just because it's a Square Enix RPG on Xbox 360, it doesn't mean it's a good thing.

• PS3
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Even though I didn't enjoy SingStar Vol. 2's offering this year because it didn't add anything new to SingStar's functionality, at least it brought 35 songs that were different enough where everyone could find something to sing; that's not the case here. SingStar ABBA has all the moving parts that make the SingStar games fun, but the scope is so limited that I only see a tiny audience really enjoying this title. If you're not the world's biggest ABBA fan, do not buy this disc. It's not worth forking over $40 to only enjoy the three or four real hits out of this collection. The track SingStar is on is flawed. The franchise is pissing off hardcore fans like myself by not embracing DLC and it's not sucking in the casual fan by creating roadblocks to adoption.

• WII
• 3.5 / 10
• États-Unis

When we look back at other casual golf games on Wii, we can see where Carnival Games Mini Golf goes terribly wrong. In Wii Sports Golf, for example, skill actually comes into play, while in Carnival Games players are forced to rely more on trial and error, and random luck. Wii Sports Golf rewards the player with the personal satisfaction of doing well, and the knowledge that they’re improving, while Carnival Games uses pointless collecting to try to give some small sense of accomplishment where there is none. It’s impossible to give that feeling when players have so little control over their own performance. If you’re looking for a golf game to play on Wii, there are plenty to choose from. This one’s definitely not worth the price of admission.

• PS3
• PS2
• WII
• X360
• 4.9 / 10
• États-Unis

It’s easy to see how paintball enthusiasts could love this game, but hard to envision anybody else spending more than an hour playing it before they got bored and disillusioned. This is a niche game and it does a nice job catering to that niche, but doesn’t provide a product that the general gaming audience will appreciate.