IGN

Daily and weekly objectives should, in theory, encourage players to stick with Heroes of Ruin, but even with the promise of rare items exclusively available to those who complete these tasks, it might not be enough for seasoned gamers who would prefer a more substantial challenge.

Virtua Fighter 5 is the fighting game fan’s fighter. There are no frills or a fancy art style to mask lesser gameplay. It’s a brawler, pure and simple. However, the more you put into it, the more you practice, the more it gives back, giving it an immensely rewarding quality that can only be found in truly great competitive online games.

Quantum Conundrum's inventive puzzles put your brain to satisfying work. Everything surrounding the challenges feels a little empty and could use some of the rest of the game’s ingenuity. But a disappointing ending and lack of visual detail shouldn't keep you from the thrill of inter-dimensional puzzle solving. The foundation has been laid, and I hope to be cracking many more Quantum Conundrums in the future.

Civilization V: Gods and Kings enhances the base game immensely, so much so that I can’t imagine playing Civilization V without it. The other, more standard expansion content, as well as the really fun scenarios ensures that there’s plenty of ways to more than get your money’s worth. Longtime Civ fans and newcomers alike have plenty of reason to go forth and find faith Gods and Kings.

It’s not hard to see why the Ratchet & Clank games were such a hit during the PS2’s life. Their focus on combat and creative weaponry was a great gameplay foundation, but it was all the additional touches that helped make them special. The gadgets, puzzles, platforming, mini-games, exotic locations, art direction and sense of humour. Oh, and let’s not forget the bolts. Those magical, jangly bolts.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a collector's paradise. You have to play through the game to get studs to unlock characters to go back to old levels and access different areas to collect more secrets. I polished off the story in about nine hours, but I spent the next 11 chasing down bricks and characters -- and I'm still not done.

Lollipop Chainsaw doesn’t even attempt to differentiate itself from the genre, and most of what it does try new in the realm of its characters and writing ultimately ends up taking away from an incredible-on-paper action game. The music and sidekick are really all you can rely on to stay great from start to finish. The rest of Lollipop Chainsaw is all over the place before it ultimately settles for mediocrity and disappointment.

How much interest do you have in Sins of a Solar Empire? If you, like me, loved it and haven't played it in a while, Rebellion is a good way to get caught up on all the previous expansions in a single package. If you've been meaning to check out the series, but never have, then Rebellion is the perfect entry point. However, if you've been a loyal fan, you're likely to be disappointed by the tweak-first, content-second approach that Rebellion offers.

В конечном счете, несмотря на все недостатки The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III, лично мне было приятно в последний раз встретиться с Ван Хельсингом и Катариной. Надеюсь, что если мы еще когда-нибудь увидимся, то это будет приключение, выполненное на более высоком уровне. Они это заслужили.

I had a hard time putting Plague Inc down, despite the game’s copious amounts of downtime and bare-bones presentation. It’s exhilarating (in a grim way) to see your rate of infection climb into the billions thanks to perfect planning, and then mutate in killer traits like Pneumonia and Fever to secure the end of human history.