If you're a role-playing freak who hasn't given this series a shot, I'm comin' to take your nerd card. [Jan 2009, p.88]

It's still quite a good game--I just wonder why it feels like a step back from the previous trology. [Jan 2009, p.69]

It's still quite a good game--I just wonder why it feels like a step back from the previous trology. [Jan 2009, p.69]

Underworld is an excursion worth taking for fans of low-impact, low-commitment adventuring; I just wanted more. [Jan 2009, p.71]

Kickoff does a great job of satiating my hunger for old-school videogame football--a yearning I didn't even know I had. [Dec 2008, p.84]

L4D is one zombie apocalypse I completely and utterly embrace. [Jan 2009, p.84]

The outstanding music and the tension of pursuit make this a first-person experience like few others. [Dec 2008, p.65]

The outstanding music and the tension of pursuit make this a first-person experience like few others. [Dec 2008, p.65]

This is one game that everyone should be playing long after it comes out, both online and off. [Dec 2008, p.83]

The campaign's quick-paced action and violent nature will entice any FPS fan. [Jan 2009, p.75]

Tearing into Gears 2 is a treat--this blood-soaked sequel offers a smorgasbord of sadistically entertaining content. [Dec 2008, p.78]

But EndWar's biggest flaw? Insane micromanagement. [Dec 2008, p.68]

But EndWar's biggest flaw? Insane micromanagement. [Dec 2008, p.68]

Single-player's certainly the game's weakness, but the multiplayer excelence more than makes up for it. [Jan 2009, p.81]

Still, it's the kind of hugely ambitious game that doesn't come around very often. [Dec 2008, p.69]

An improvement in every possible way over the original MotorStorm, this is what we all knew the original could be. [Dec 2008, p.76]

Yes, it's the most charming game I've ever played, and it's one of the most enjoyable. [Dec 2008, p.72]

Fable II is the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for folks who hated(and liked, too)the latter. [Dec 2008, p.80]

Still, despite the tedious travel periods, Far Cry 2 features some truly gorgeous environments, (mostly) satisfying combat, and a lengthy, entertaining campaign. [Dec 2008, p.66]

Still, despite the tedious travel periods, Far Cry 2 features some truly gorgeous environments, (mostly) satisfying combat, and a lengthy, entertaining campaign. [Dec 2008, p.66]

Wii Music's biggest downfall, oddly, is its music. [Dec 2008, p.64]

Still, Saints 2 evolves the genre with its character creator and the ability to play the entire game cooperatively online. [Dec 2008, p.74]

Still, Saints 2 evolves the genre with its character creator and the ability to play the entire game cooperatively online. [Dec 2008, p.74]

It's a fun, beautiful, and intense alien-zombie game wrapped around a mediocre sci-fi horror center. [Dec 2008, p.70]

It's a fun, beautiful, and intense alien-zombie game wrapped around a mediocre sci-fi horror center. [Dec 2008, p.70]

While it doesn't top Silent Hill 2 or 3, I'll still be proud to add it to my collection. [Nov 2008, p.72]

Unfortunately, beneath that striking detail, Shake It! plays exactly like Wario Land 4(GBA). [Nov 2008, p.68]

An ambitious--yet ultimately dissatisfying--effort. [Oct 2008, p.82]

An ambitious--yet ultimately dissatisfying--effort. [Oct 2008, p.82]

And once the music ended, it was pretty clear: Rock Band 2 is another chart-topper. [Nov 2008, p.79]

It's absolutely recommendable, but it ccould've been so much more. [Nov 2008, p.78]

It won't light the world on fire, but this playground offers plenty of things to do and destroy. [Nov 2008, p.69]

It won't light the world on fire, but this playground offers plenty of things to do and destroy. [Nov 2008, p.69]

Series vets should expect deja vu from Vesperia's linear town-dungeon-town progression, superfluous cut-scenes, and lame cooking minigames. [Oct 2008, p.86]

This game's simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all these things to all people, so in the end result is in dire need of polish and focus. [Oct 2008, p.88]

Parity's finally come to Madden multiplayer, though - the new difficulty-balancing feature works great, and it allows me to finally play competitive games against better players. [Sept 2008, p.80]

As for total newcomers, welcome to what is, in my opinion, the most fun, fully 3D fighter on the market. [Sept 2008, p.76]

As for total newcomers, welcome to what is, in my opinion, the most fun, fully 3D fighter on the market. [Sept 2008, p.76]

The controls are indeed a dream, effectively putting to rest the notion that a strategy game can't work on a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

The controls are indeed a dream, effectively putting to rest the notion that a strategy game can't work on a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

If only it featured more varied game types - instead of a dozen different ways of spinning the clam-collecting battles - I could get behind this one. [July 2008, p.78]

If only it featured more varied game types - instead of a dozen different ways of spinning the clam-collecting battles - I could get behind this one. [July 2008, p.78]

That its online component is limited to a linear and moderately laggy co-op mode - and therefore feels even more ponderous than the single-player game - does little to spirit this comic book tie-in from gaming purgatory. [July 2008, p.80]

That its online component is limited to a linear and moderately laggy co-op mode - and therefore feels even more ponderous than the single-player game - does little to spirit this comic book tie-in from gaming purgatory. [July 2008, p.80]

If you can handle inelegant controls, graphics, and story, and a text-heavy menu system, this might hold some appeal. Otherwise, avoid it like lycanthropy. [July 2008, p.81]

It remains worth it for all of the reasons that made the original Tactics so engrossing: Switching between different jobs, mastering new abilities from your gear, and recruiting and building your clan all remain as appealing as ever. [July 2008, p.82]

Every good idea here is brought down by bad basic design, including a shoddy third-person camera, a too-slow first-person mode, and bizarre forced switching between the two. [Sept 2008, p.82]

"Groovy," "trippy"...however you want to describe it, Extreme does right by the classic. [July 2008, p.84]

"Groovy," "trippy"...however you want to describe it, Extreme does right by the classic. [July 2008, p.84]

Business as usual. [July 2008, p.84]

Early on, you fight a boss named Jack of All Trades - add the usual "master of none," and you've got a pretty apt description of this game. [July 2008, p.]

This sequel feels like the original game on expert mode - and that's a good thing. [July 2008, p.81]

But most importantly, it feels like an overhaul without losing the fun details and epic feel that have always made the series work. [Aug 2008, p.74]

Blast Works sure looks juvenile, but it's not a bad shooter--it's an enhanced version of "Tumiki Fighters", an indie PC game that uses "Katamari Damacy"-like mechanics. [June 2008, p.76]

Get rid of the drama, though, and Burst Limit becomes a delight. [July 2008, p.78]

Get rid of the drama, though, and Burst Limit becomes a delight. [July 2008, p.78]

Despite the addition of execution moves and a recharging life guage, the series' renowned(and reviled) difficulty is left mostly unchanged. [Aug 2008, p.80]

Prepare for some frustrating deaths. [July 2008, p.79]

Prepare for some frustrating deaths. [July 2008, p.79]

Brawlers offers incredible customization, but the front end looks like, well, an NES game. [June 2008, p.87]

I'm no fitness expert, but I don't see Wii Fit supplanting gymnasiums or aerobic instructors any time soon. Not that it's bad. [July 2008, p.76]

Representing this summer's European tourney, UEFA impresses in many ways: shimmering presentation, engaging game modes, and tweaks to problems that hurt "FIFA 08". [June 2008, p.78]

Representing this summer's European tourney, UEFA impresses in many ways: shimmering presentation, engaging game modes, and tweaks to problems that hurt "FIFA 08". [June 2008, p.78]

Frustrating or not, Shikigami isn't a bad shooter. [June 2008, p.78]

This is a weak port that doesn't do Myst justice; it's not worth a revisit even for nostalgia. [June 2008, p.87]

Hit me over the head like a ton of virtual bricks. [July 2008, p.74]

GTA4 is a traditional crime story through and through, with a script that rarely strays from its purpose, a pitch-perfect supporting cast, and an expert combination of in-game storytelling and crafted cut-scenes. [June 2008, p.80]

GTA4 is a traditional crime story through and through, with a script that rarely strays from its purpose, a pitch-perfect supporting cast, and an expert combination of in-game storytelling and crafted cut-scenes. [June 2008, p.80]

While Mario Kart Wii is predictably similar to its predecessors, something has changed with this installment. Something that makes it feel subtly unlike other Mario Karts--and not a change for the better. [June 2008, p.73]

It's not perfect, but it's refreshingly original. [May 2008, p. 88]

Get FES no matter how familiar you are with "Persona 3". [June 2008, p.86]

This latest NBA Ballers seems to have been built in a vacuum. [June 2008, p.79]

I say Prologue is a demo. [July 2008, p.80]

Still, it's one of the few games that can overcome shaky fundamentals in light of an astonishingly engaging adventure. [May 2008, p.77]

The first few levels drag a bit, but by the time you hold your full suite of special abilities, the combat really clicks. [May 2008, p.80]

The first few levels drag a bit, but by the time you hold your full suite of special abilities, the combat really clicks. [May 2008, p.80]

Sure, the controls aren't perfect--selecting units usually boils down to an all-or-nothing strategy--but that issue aside, UAW is a triumph. [May 2008, p.85]

The most frightening thing about this experience is how filled with hatred and rage I get when I find myself stuck in the environment or when the camera swings into "s*** view" for the billionth time. [Apr 2008, p.72]

Viking simply doesn't do enough to stand up to the more polished action experiences out there. [June 2008, p.86]

Viking simply doesn't do enough to stand up to the more polished action experiences out there. [June 2008, p.86]

Opoona's flaws are hard to ignore, but I at least had a decent time with it. [may 2008, p.78]

As an example of how to forge a modern action game for DS, Dragon Sword has no equal. [Apr 2008, p.80]

Core defines "great portable experience." [Apr 2008, p.86]

With 50-player tournaments, oodles of character-customizing doodads, and the promise of downloadable content, this game should have extra long legs. [May 2008, p.84]

Entertaining enough at first, but lacking any staying power. [Apr 2008, p.78]

Entertaining enough at first, but lacking any staying power. [Apr 2008, p.78]

Repeating the same mundane tasks every day so that I could do what I actually wanted to do--go exploring, which was great--really got to me. [May 2008, p.87]

With rock-solid gameplay and plenty of creeps, Bloodshot finds its soul by making your heart race. [Apr 2008, p.74]

Thanks to the awesomely balanced difficulty curve, I haven't had this much fun dungeon-crawling since "Diablo II." [Apr 2008, p.82]

The foundation of Pro Evo still supports enjoyable and technical soccer, but it badly needs something new for next season. [May 2008, p.78]

You could quite easily mistake Nanostray 2 for a game in any other shooter series, but it lacks the focus and polish that make series like "Gradius" and"R-Type" great. [Feb 2008, p.84]

It also looks great, the character classes are interesting, and I appreciate the puzzlelike missions with more ambitious objectives than "kill everyone". [May 2008, p.89]

That said, Brawl still shines as the go-to party game for a houseful of friends. [May 2008, p.70]

Army of Two definitely doesn't deliver the genre revolution some were expecting, but I still had a good time spraying bullets with a buddy. [May 2008, p.82]

Everything included has been executed so ridiculously well that it's easy to forget this is a PSP game and think you're back swinging your blades on PS2. [Apr 2008, p.84]

Success is 30 percent planning, 30 percent persistance, and about 80 percent luck--making for a challenging, infuriating, but deeply rewarding experience. [May 2008, p.89]

Fielding features the sweetest setup in years, with its simple analog-based meter. And baserunning and hitting benefit from less-complex models. Something's still missing. [Apr 2008, p.73]

Fielding features the sweetest setup in years, with its simple analog-based meter. And baserunning and hitting benefit from less-complex models. Something's still missing. [Apr 2008, p.73]