Review: PlayStation icons join in 'Battle Royale'

Unfortunately, "LBP Karting" also revives the weird, floaty physics of its parent. That worked fine in the two-dimensional fantasy world of "LBP," but it's annoying when you're behind the wheel. The tracks are filled with the power-ups, obstacles and gravity-defying leaps you'd expect in a kart racer, but the vehicles themselves feel sluggish and unresponsive. Two stars.

—Insomniac Games' popular "lombax"-robot buddies are celebrating their 10th anniversary, both in "All-Stars" and their own "Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault" ($19.99). The latter game, however, is a big disappointment, stripping away most of what made the team so endearing.

It's a "base defense" game, meaning you're plopped down on a planet and then have to protect your turf from waves of invading enemies. That eliminates the exploration and discovery that made most of the "R&C" games so absorbing, replacing it with a tiresome cycle of building fortifications, having them destroyed, then rebuilding them. Instead of the comedy that was once this series' trademark, you get drudgery. One star.

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Online:

http://www.playstationallstarsbattleroyale.com/

http://littlebigplanet.com/games/littlebigplanet-karting

http://www.insomniacgames.com/games/ratchet-clank-series/ratchet-clank-full-frontal-assault/

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