The core gameplay is so well done and the mechanics are so clean. Thanks to the great A.I., there's no question of the game's longevity.

Star Chamber freshens up the CCG genre by blending traditional card play with a strategic game of planetary conquest. [Mar 2006, p.85]

The development team used some real forethought when creating this trilogy. From a plot-development standpoint, think of it as the anti-"Star Wars." [Feb 2006, p.82]

Short but sweet - and you get to be a giant gorilla. [Feb 2006, p.75]

Good, but we crave more. MORE BRAINS! [Feb 2006, p.78]

Does Most Wanted feed my adrenaline addiction from start to finish? No - repetition, while unavoidable in a game ilke this, ultimately does in the game's ability to raise your blood pressure. But while it lasts...damn, it's good. [Feb 2006, p.80]

One of the most addictive and enjoyable games you'll play this year. [Jan 2005, p.84]

Fun... but you'll forget which side you're on until the police drones zap you. [Feb 2006, p.69]

Surprisingly strong Star Wars combat. [Jan 2005, p.92]

A tad creaky, but pepped up with plenty of spine-tingling and head-scratching action. [Jan 2005, p.106]

Like a good meatloaf, it expertly scratches that comfort food itch, leaving you well-satisfied until the craving hits you again, months later - just in time for the inevitable expansion. [Jan 2005, p.94]

If you harbor any interest in strategy games and want something with more depth than the average mindless RTS, then you would do well to immerse yourself in Civilization IV and let it soak in.

Sam II's wild, random charm makes for a twisted Duke Nukem meets Alice in Wonderland sort of roller coaster ride-a perfect change of pace from the scads of grim 'n' gritty shooters steeped in WWII war zones and dystopian postapocalyptic futures. Just don't take it too seriously, OK?

F.E.A.R.'s troopers try so hard, you almost hate not fighting fair. [Jan 2005, p.96]

In many ways, Blood feels like the polished game Gearbox couldn't completely nail last time around. Most of the evolution takes place under the hood.

Offers amazing depth of play for even the most discriminating hockey fans. [Jan 2005, p.88]

For $35, you get a ton of replayability plus new downloadable planes and campaigns each month. For those who don't mind abstraction in the name of fun, DIF is a must-have.

Winter Assault further cements Dawn of War as one of the great next-gen strategy titles. If you thought you were sick of the genre, come back. This is worth it.

Indigo Prophecy marks a tremendous rebirth for a very stagnant genre. Let's hope its mature style serves as an inspiration for other developers.

If you happen to be an X-Men fan and enjoy running through fairly linear, enemy-filled levels, smashing up highly destructible environments, and collecting scads of shiny items, Rise of Apocalypse ain't a bad way to spend a few Friday nights with some friends-and it's still a hell of a lot better than those damn comics.

Tiger 06 is a hardcore character-building RPG wrapped up in a sports game, letting you craft your own story of spectacular success or crushing failure. If a nongolfer like me can love it, pretty much anyone can.

Wisely focuses on humankind's hedonistic tendencies, with less emphasis on acquisition and more on enjoying life outside the house.

Another incremental step, but still a great game of football. [Nov 2005, p.100]

If anything, it reminds us that ridiculous production values and high-powered rigs aren't always necessary to make a game that's just plain fun.

FlatOut doesn't have nearly enough variety in its tracks. Though the layouts will change (sometimes only slightly), there are only a few landscapes, and they do get repetitive. This minor complaint aside, FlatOut is a great arcade-style racer.

Above all, the writing and voice acting are far superior to most other videogames'. [Oct 2005, p.76]

The neat thing is that none of it—the chain of command, the elitist bands of E-brothers, the Patton-approved battle plans—needs to matter, at least to the curious weekend commando looking to pop into a public server and simply shoot somebody.

This latest GTA is an epic, involving experience, no doubt--but when you get past the expansive world and the RPG-like elements, it's the same epic, involving experience it was last year.