Publisher: Microsoft (2005)
Reviewed: 2007/2/25
Rating: Teen (animated blood, violence)
Kinect Adventures
Grade: C
Publisher: Microsoft (2010)
Reviewed: 2011/6/15
Rating: Everyone
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Grade: D
Publisher: Microsoft (2011)
Reviewed: 2018/5/17
Rating: Everyone 10+
Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure
Grade: C
Publisher: Microsoft (2012)
Reviewed: 2018/5/17
Rating: Everyone 10+
Publisher: Microsoft (2010)
Reviewed: 2011/6/15
Rating: Everyone
Kinect Sports Season 2
Grade: C
Publisher: Microsoft (2011)
Reviewed: 2012/4/18
Rating: Everyone
Kinect Star Wars
Grade: B-
Publisher: Microsoft (2012)
Reviewed: 2012/5/29
Rating: Teen (mild language, mild suggestive themes, violence)
Publisher: Ubisoft (2005)
Reviewed: 2006/4/2
Rating: Teen (blood, violence)
King of Fighters XII
Grade: B-
Publisher: SNK (2009)
Reviewed: 2009/10/13
Rating: Teen (violence)

With this
12th edition (!) of the long-running 2D fighting franchise, SNK wisely decided to "reboot" the series. King of Fighters XII retains its classic gameplay and several old characters, yet feels remarkably fresh thanks to a brand-new high definition engine. The beautiful backgrounds look sharp, and the fighters are freakin'
huge! The gameplay has been simplified somewhat, shedding many of the extraneous gauges and indicators that have crept into the series over the years (hooray!). The gameplay is easy to grasp and undeniably fun when played head-to-head. The animation is fluid, and subtle scaling effects ensure you get the closest possible view of the action. The eye-pleasing locales include a bright stadium (and a night version), an Egyptian stage, a Chinese marketplace, and a Christmas-themed Moscow. The vibrant colors are appealing, but these vast stages lack the intimate details that gave the old ones so much character. Some stages even feature lighting effects, and while that's certainly novel for a 2D fighter, it can make it hard to see what's going on. I don't mind having fewer fighters to select from, but why only
five stages!?
C'mon now! The arcade mode is disappointing because instead of competing for points, you try to complete five rounds in the least amount of time. Perhaps this was necessitated by the game's modest number of stages? In addition, the default "normal" CPU difficulty is far too easy for King of Fighters fans. SNK must have focused their efforts on the on-line mode, because the off-line content is positively skimpy. At its core, King of Fighters XII gets the job done, but I was expecting more. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
Konami Classics Volume 1
Grade: B-
Publisher: Konami (2010)
Reviewed: 2010/1/25
Rating: Everyone to Teen
Konami Classics Volume 2
Grade: C-
Publisher: Konami (2010)
Reviewed: 2010/1/25
Rating: Everyone to Everyone 10+
Kung-Fu High Impact
Grade: B-
Publisher: UTV True Games (2011)
Reviewed: 2013/3/17
Rating: Teen (fantasy violence, mild language, use of tobacco)
Publisher: Valve (2008)
Reviewed: 2009/10/18
Rating: Mature (blood and gore, intense violence, language)
Publisher: Valve (2009)
Reviewed: 2010/11/9
Rating: Mature (blood and gore, intense violence, language)
Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Grade: C
Publisher: Activision (2008)
Reviewed: 2013/11/27
Rating: Everyone (fantasy violence)
Publisher: Electronic Arts (2008)
Reviewed: 2008/10/19
Rating: Everyone
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Grade: B
Publisher: Warner Bros. (2012)
Reviewed: 2012/8/13
Rating: Everyone 10+

This fine sequel is much better the original, offering imaginative stages, less repetitive fighting, and a lot more variety. You'll explore the sprawling city of Gotham including points of interest like the chemical factory, Arkham Asylum, the zoo, and an amusement park. You can drive vehicles to navigate between locations, and the rainy, gothic scenery looks sensational. The water effects alone are downright spectacular. The cut scenes now contain voice acting which adds a lot of good-natured humor. The jealousy Batman exhibits toward Superman is downright hilarious. The basic action is pretty much business-as-usual as you bash the scenery for cogs, pull levers to access new areas, and beat up goons. You can now alternate control of Batman and Robin instead of relying on the CPU to control your partner. The puzzles are satisfying, but there are times when you can't seem to pull a switch in plain view. Suits provide special powers like a hazard suit that lets Robin hose down hazardous waste and an electricity suit that lets Batman overcome electrified obstacles. The suits play a vital role but I hate how they can lose their "charge". The stages are really cool and you never spend too much time in any one place. The camera is fixed (in most cases) so sometimes it's hard to see doorways and objects in the shadows. The new save system seems like an improvement at first, but upon reloading you may find yourself in an unexpected location. Also, the game is not immune to locking up. As the title suggests, you'll get to use other DC characters although Batman is still the star of the show. A big game with a lot of play value, Lego Batman 2 is probably the best Lego title so far. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.
Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4
Grade: A-
Publisher: Warner Bros (2010)
Reviewed: 2018/4/5
Rating: Everyone 10+
Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7
Grade: B-
Publisher: Warner Bros (2011)
Reviewed: 2018/4/5
Rating: Everyone 10+

There are eight Harry Potter movies in all, so when I saw "Years 5-7" I worried that I was missing something. In fact this edition covers three books and the last
four films, since the last book was divided into two movies. The opening stage takes place on a playground during a thunderstorm, the atmosphere is positively electric! No Lego games capture the spirit of their films like these Lego Harry Potter titles. I was a little concerned the developers might just be going through the motions until I reached the stage where you fly a broom over the Thames river. Holy cow - that has got to be one of the most awe-inspiring sights I have even seen in a video game! It feels like you're along for the ride! The stages follow the films very closely with all the fun characters and memorable locations rendered down to the most subtle detail. You'll use magic to destroy, build, and manipulate the environments. And I never seem to get tired of collecting those "studs" - especially the blue ones. I think it's that tick-tick-tick sound. There's a lot to explore but if you just want to keep the story going you can just keep heading for the big white arrows. Many areas (like the Hogwarts school) have been recycled from the last game, and I have to admit there were times when the game feels awfully familiar. These stages have been reworked to some extent but a few of their animations are a bit repetitive. Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is low on the difficulty scale, but it's the kind of game you can play a little each night and savor for weeks on end. © Copyright 2018 The Video Game Critic.
Lego Lord of the Rings
Grade: C
Publisher: Warner Bros. (2012)
Reviewed: 2014/1/1
Rating: Everyone 10+ (cartoon violence, comic mischief)
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
Grade: B-
Publisher: Disney (2011)
Reviewed: 2012/7/3
Rating: Everyone 10+
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
Grade: B-
Publisher: LucasArts (2006)
Reviewed: 2007/6/19
Rating: Everyone
Publisher: PlayDead (2010)
Reviewed: 2011/9/29
Rating: Teen (animated blood, mild violence)

This downloadable title seduced impressionable critics on the strength of its surreal visuals, but guess what? Limbo is severely
overrated. Its innovative graphic style employs hazy, black-and-white landscape that effectively conveys a foreboding atmosphere. With giant spiders, dead bodies, flooding chambers, and startling death traps, it looks like a childhood nightmare. The audio is understated so when music kicks in it heightens the tension. Limbo gets an A+ for style, but gameplay matters too! The action boils down to a linear series of 2D platform puzzles. Most require moving objects into place in a timed sequence, and you'll need to pay close attention for subtle visual clues. The puzzles are imaginative and clever, but solving them can be tedious and frustrating. It's all about trial-and-error, so if do don't execute a sequence of actions perfectly you'll need to start over. Cerebral gamers will be intrigued, but thrill-seekers will be bored. Would Limbo have been so well received had it been rendered with bright, colorful graphics? I suspect it would have been ignored, or worse yet
panned by most critics. Limbo is well constructed and held my attention for a while, but it's not as fun as it looks. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.
Lollipop Chainsaw
Grade: B
Publisher: Warner Bros. (2012)
Reviewed: 2014/11/2
Rating: Mature 17+ (blood and gore, drug reference, intense violence, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language)
Publisher: Sega (2012)
Reviewed: 2012/8/13
Rating: Everyone
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
Grade: B+
Publisher: Electronic Arts (2008)
Reviewed: 2010/3/27
Rating: Teen (fantasy violence)
Publisher: Capcom (2010)
Reviewed: 2013/7/30
Rating: Teen (Animated Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence)
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Grade: B
Publisher: Capcom (2007)
Reviewed: 2007/2/11
Rating: Teen (animated blood, mild language, violence)
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