Revenge of the Savage Planet is an upgrade over its predecessor in nearly every way. Consistently rewarding exploration pushed me to poke around every corner of the worlds I visited, and often-fun combat encounters kept the experience fresh and engaging. The first game was a fun one-off experience, but its sequel is a far more complete and rewarding package that left me hungry for more savage planets to explore.

New Leaf is one of the most purely pleasant experiences in gaming, free of stressful boss fights, combative multiplayer experiences, or cynicism in any form. Instead, it focuses on clever humor and forming friendships with the residents of your town. Some may find it cheesy or without direction, but I enjoyed this endlessly charming outlier in the current gaming landscape.

It’s tough to say which is better, Pro Evolution or FIFA, given that the former has more depth while the latter comes off as the sexier experience.

Yes, the action is still exhilarating at times, but without Kojima's story and cinematics, I found Snake's Tales to be rather dry. [Apr 2003, p.85]

Rayman Origins is an undeniably beautiful game, with vibrant environments and richly defined characters. The graphical fidelity is astounding, even when you scrunch your face against the TV screen. Characters kick up eyelash-sized tufts of grass when they land, and the backgrounds are layered with loads of tiny details.

Telltale's episodic love letter to zombies remains one of the most memorable gaming experiences of the year. Telltale has already announced it is working on Season Two, and No Time Left beautifully wraps up the story of these last several episodes while teasing things to come. No Time Left isn't a "happily ever after" affair, but it feels like a dark and stormy intro to another exciting chapter.

Wheelman has enough explosive thrills that you’ll be yelling and laughing the whole time.

Can the Xbox controller handle THPS? The feeling is quite awkward at first, but after a few hours, you'll come to terms with the button configuration. It's like breaking in a new pair of shoes. [Nov 2001, p.120]

While it doesn't have the challenge of Donkey Kong Country Returns or the charming art style of Kirby Epic Yarn, Kirby's Return To Dream Land is another formidable entry in a line of great side-scrolling Wii platformers.

This games intricacies are well worth the reward. [Feb 2006, p.111]

With the classic strategy gameplay and trademark Working Designs writing, anybody with a taste for RPGs will find more than a mouthful here. [Jan 2002, p.88]

Telltale's episodic love letter to zombies remains one of the most memorable gaming experiences of the year. Telltale has already announced it is working on Season Two, and No Time Left beautifully wraps up the story of these last several episodes while teasing things to come. No Time Left isn't a "happily ever after" affair, but it feels like a dark and stormy intro to another exciting chapter.

UFC 2 improves over its predecessor in the ways it needed to. The improved ground game and deeper career mode are the biggest draws, but Knockout mode is a blast to play with a friend, and Ultimate Team offers a unique twist on the popular mode from other sports games. If 2014’s EA Sports UFC was a promise being made, UFC 2 is its deliverance.

If you've somehow managed to overlook Final Fantasy IV over its numerous incarnations, this is the best way to get the whole experience. Though not every facet is airtight, The Complete Collection is an addictive mix of traditional RPG mechanics, character-focused narrative, and pure nostalgia.

Xenosaga Episode III has many more successes than failures. But taken in context with the trilogy as a whole, Episode III is the worthy conclusion to an epic that I hadn't dared hope it could be. [Sept. 2006, p.90]

With myriad improvements to both the feature set and the core gameplay, UFC 2 takes the series from prospect to contender in just its second entry.

It's nothing new to the Wario Land enthusiast, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. [Jan 2002, p.96]

NHL 19 still has its share of legacy issues that need attention, but the vastly improved skating and physics make this the best playing hockey game of the generation. The scouting system gives franchise mode a much-needed makeover, and while World of Chel feels like a half-built theme park right now, I’m excited about its future prospects. If you haven’t played an NHL game in a while, this is the year to jump back over the boards.

The new Off the Ball controls open up the play nicely and the Career mode finally has some depth. I still prefer "Winning Eleven," but EA is closing the gap. [Reiner, Nov. 2003, p.152]

It's an honest-to-God new role-playing game, and I can safely say that Golden Sun rocks.[Jan 2002, p.96]

NHL 19 still has its share of legacy issues that need attention, but the vastly improved skating and physics make this the best playing hockey game of the generation. The scouting system gives franchise mode a much-needed makeover, and while World of Chel feels like a half-built theme park right now, I’m excited about its future prospects. If you haven’t played an NHL game in a while, this is the year to jump back over the boards.

Over the last year, Life is Strange 2 has been quietly weaving a powerful and sincere narrative experience that admirably carries on the series’ legacy.

You're playing it to marvel at the gorgeously rendered environments, giggle at Globox's antics, and enjoy some good old-fashioned platforming done with a fresh twist. [Mar 2003, p.82]

Deck13 included a number of new weapon and armor types, all of which can be upgraded extensively, again putting heavy weight on the act of grinding, which is a bit excessive, but thankfully it ends up being fun. If you like the idea of cobbling together armor sets earned by felling difficult foes, give The Surge 2 a try. You may get a bit lost in the world at times, but every encounter is fun and well thought out. The bosses in particular are nicely designed, exotic in look, and push you to play with brutal precision.

The title's AI (including the too-strong CPU on the penalty kill) still leaves you in a lurch too often. Finally, I'm still not a huge fan of the dekes. [Oct 2003, p.138]

Minerva's Den also offers a tightly wound narrative that is easy to digest and unlike any other tale told under the sea.

Shift 2 defines the franchise in a way that the first one didn't. Although the cars can feel like they swivel on a center axis, the racing is pretty good, and the overall experience gets a boost from the graphics and the erratic nature of the AI racers. It doesn't blow by the competition, but by improving its lap times, Shift 2 is on its way. [May 2011, p.85]

If you happened to miss this in arcades or for DC, MVC 2 is a sweet 2D fighter worthy of purchase. [Dec 2002, p.122]

The new driver ally/rival dynamic makes for some interesting new twists. [Oct 2003, p.137]

The movies may be done, but with games like Battlefront II, I have a feeling that the best in Star Wars is yet to come. [Dec 2005, p.152]

A nice side effect from playing Scene It is that it makes you want to go back and watch a movie you haven’t seen in a long time or even check out an older film you had never heard of before. (Caveman is going straight into my Netflix queue, btw).

I haven't had this much fun with a co-op game in quite some time. [Oct 2005, p.122]

The shooter is a dying breed, but Namco has found a way to revitalize it and make it contagious for both hardcore role-players who seek something fresh and twitchy fingered gamers who have long waited to see this genre evolve. [Aug 2005, p.109]

Odin Sphere’s story, systems, and combat mechanics are easy enough to describe, but the game’s biggest strength is the way it cultivates a sense of wonder.

From beginning to end, the game feels crafted, balanced, and deep, without sacrificing approachability. Set aside preconceptions from the unusual name, and you’ll find an epic well worth exploring.

Ironically, the very thing that made Bully the subject of so much criticism – the school setting – is also its greatest strength. In Bullworth and the surrounding town, Rockstar Vancouver has created an extremely detailed universe, full of secrets, humorous characters, and hidden activities.

F.I.S.T. offers another fine example of an exploration-focused side-scroller, and fans of the genre will find plenty to love. What it lacks in innovation, it makes up for by executing familiar ideas at a high level and dropping them into an alluring world. Developer Bilibili has pulled a nice surprise out of its hat.

Dying Light: The Beast can feel a touch safe at times with a serviceable story, but the high-flying parkour and gorgeous graphics are top-notch. Castor Woods makes for the perfect zombie-slaying playground for you to enjoy. It’s pure adrenaline packed into its 20 hours, continuing to carve out its own corner of the crowded zombie space.

Forza Horizon is a well-crafted game that offers a fun racing experience that accommodates different approaches. It's not a complete experience, but it's a take on the Forza franchise that does the series proud.

It offers a nice variety of gameplay, and the story ties in perfectly with the existing lore. [July 2008, p.95]

If you’re an old-time lover of roguelikes that’s into things like Binding of Isaac or Dungeons of Dredmor, Dreamscaper is for you. If you’re a newer addition to the ranks of procedurally-generated dungeon crawls with the new era of roguelites like Rogue Legacy or Hades, Dreamscaper is for you. Either way, smart design decisions and surreal vibes surround the experience, making this an excellent summer surprise.

Fusing the content from the recently-acquired license to the Lord of teh Rings books with its existing movie-based assets has resulted in another winner for Electronic Arts. [Apr 2006, p.130]

Most maps are dazzling sandboxes just waiting to be leveled, firearms feel impactful with detectable recoil patterns, and a bevy of demanding progression challenges keep the grind loop fresh. But like in most hard-fought victories, not every wartime decision yields a winning result.

Outside of the lack of meaningful additions, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is still a massive and compelling timesink, offering over 90 beasts to pursue and defeat.

Though it is not for the faint of heart, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number provides thrills at the occasional and momentary cost of your sanity. Though you’ll likely find yourself screaming at your screen on a regular basis, you’re equally as likely to find yourself eagerly loading the next level.

The Awakening is a welcome and wild addition, giving Path of Exile just what it needs to stay interesting. With the additions in this expansion and other content updates since launch, there’s enough variety and alternate advancement to keep even the most voracious of loot grinders and build optimizers coming back for more.

The city’s sections felt too similar to each other. I admit, I don’t have all the answers on making a perfect open-world racing title, but Carbon falls short in this area. Don’t worry though, the speed in this game is enough to outrun such criticisms.

The Switch version may suffer visually, but the modular nature of this narrative makes it a perfect companion for gaming on the go.

Minerva's Den also offers a tightly wound narrative that is easy to digest and unlike any other tale told under the sea.

This is everything I've wanted the franchise to become. [Dec 2005, p.161]

With its realistic animations, solid controls, and ambitious Association mode, NBA 2K9 makes its title run once again. But the competition is stiffening, and next year needs to bring significant leaps forward with online play and the low-post game if 2K wants to make it 10 in a row.

Sure, the controls are clunky in comparison to the smooth moving Zone of the Enders, but as you know, it’s all about building your own dream machine and using it to blow the galaxy a new hole.

Chemistry is an important aspect of any championship team--even more so if you're going to win The Double--and FIFA 10 brings its pieces together nicely. [Nov 2009, p.101]

The multiplayer experience is a good time – and quite different than single-player (most time powers have been excised) – but it doesn't have any depth or a progression for players to follow. At the most, it's a fun distraction. The single-player game, however, should not be missed.

Dark Arisen is a great expansion for a game that was already loaded with content.

If you’ve beaten the game and moved on, there’s enough new stuff to explore that it warrants another playthrough. And for those who are looking for a quirky RPG with epic moments (and pig-throwing hijinks), here it is in one neat bundle.

Mordhau is not for those who want a multiplayer experience that’s easy to drop into and utterly destroy foes. However, the joy of mastering its challenging system as well as memorable moments of violent ballet make these engrossing battles unique.

A release finally worthy of the fans who have been waiting patiently for it. [Dec 2001, p.114]

I'm really pleased to see the inclusion of a good selection of original arcade ports as well. [Jan 2005, p.119]

While not every disparate element comes together as well as it did in Persona 5, I was more than happy to go on another adventure with the characters I developed such bonds with back in 2017. The action may play out completely differently, but the heart of the series remains intact.

New Pokémon Snap delivers an experience similar to that of the original while expanding on the formula in ways that prolong the appeal of the expedition. In the two decades since the first game’s release, the Pokémon world has changed in innumerable ways, but the simple appeal of immersing yourself in this universe and taking pictures has remained unchanged.

Tinykin feels comforting in an old-school sense. Its challenges never become convoluted, nor does its design reinvent the wheel, and that’s okay. Tinykin executes its handful of ideas exceptionally well, making it a thoroughly enjoyable and laid-back journey that only requires six to eight hours of your time. Don’t let this delightful adventure sneak under your radar.

This is everything I've wanted the franchise to become. [Dec 2005, p.161]

Battlecry gives you some blistering combat, but the franchise could truly explode if it tapped into the series' rich subtleties. [Nov 2002, p.140]

It's the way everything fits together that's so much fun... The simple nature of this game masks a surprisingly deep and engaging experience. [Jan 2005, p.136]

Simultaneously fun and extremely frustrating, compelling and flawed, mature and foul, engaging and confusing. As a game, it can be aggravating, but as a piece of interactive storytelling, it flirts with brilliance. [Oct 2005, p.123]

Cut the Rope: Time Travel is a great follow-up to one of the most successful games on iOS, and proves to be well worth the asking price.

Ultimately, 3D Dot Game Heroes combines the original Legend of Zelda's world with A Link to the Past-style gameplay, which proves to be an absolute blast.

Digital Extremes provided a rip-roaring play, but neglected to make it mean something. [June 2005, p.124]

I haven't had this much fun with a co-op game in quite some time. [Oct 2005, p.122]

I Am Alive's desperate scenarios and inventive gameplay should not be missed by masochistic gamers interested in entering a world of unrelenting dread.

It's no online tour, but it's a step in the right direction; the kind of slow progress we're seeing in the franchise these days. [July 2009, p.82]

I know everybody’s excited for downloading classic games on Nintendo’s Virtual Console, but if you’re looking for the best value for your old-school dollar the best choice is the Sega Genesis Collection. For the low price of $20, you get 28 of the best-loved (and in a few cases, least-loved) 16-bit games ever.

Even so, the improvements to the controls and mechanics, plus an option to have a buddy jump in for co-op at any time, means there's never been a better time to pick up a Zap-O-Matic and vaporize some meatbags. [Nov. 2006, p.130]

Hardcore platforming for the true believers, a game that dazzles the eye and even tickles the funny bone with its satirical dialogue. [Jan 2005, p.146]

Overall, I loved the combat, leveling, and look of Birth by Sleep, and I applaud the bold storytelling approach of having three storylines. I'm just glad I won't have to start up another character from scratch in this game ever again.

A Crooked Mile is a much more balanced episode than its predecessor.

Sigma 2 is a longer, more action-packed edition of Ninja Gaiden II, and if you’ve never played the original you won’t notice the missing gore.

Sun & Moon feels significantly different from previous Pokémon games. X & Y may have marked the series’ biggest visual change, but Sun & Moon shows Game Freak is willing to re-examine Pokémon’s tenured mechanics in order to improve the game. Sun & Moon is still Pokémon, but it showcases some of the biggest changes the series has ever seen – and that’s a good thing.

Crashmo improves on Pushmo's formula in every way, but I have a nebulous complaint: For some reason Crashmo doesn't inspire that "just one more" desire in me that I expect in puzzle games.

Shift 2 defines the franchise in a way that the first one didn't. Although the cars can feel like they swivel on a center axis, the racing is pretty good, and the overall experience gets a boost from the graphics and the erratic nature of the AI racers. It doesn't blow by the competition, but by improving its lap times, Shift 2 is on its way.

Playing Lost Planet 2 for the story is like going to a movie to watch the credits. If you go into this game, go into it with the intent of joining up with your friends to slay moon-sized monsters, and enjoy one of gaming’s top co-op experiences.

It's a blast, and the combat is a great balance between a wrestling and a fighting game, but I felt like a terrible human being. I guess that's the price you pay for being a gladiator. [Feb 2005, p.116]

Shift 2 defines the franchise in a way that the first one didn't. Although the cars can feel like they swivel on a center axis, the racing is pretty good, and the overall experience gets a boost from the graphics and the erratic nature of the AI racers. It doesn't blow by the competition, but by improving its lap times, Shift 2 is on its way.

Combat feels like a necessary part of the game's design, rather than something that was begrudgingly added to provide interaction between cutscenes. I left the game feeling that I made my mark on Gransys the way I chose to, instead of being escorted from plot point to plot point. When you're talking about an open-world game, I can't think of higher praise. [June 2012, p.90]

Octopath Traveler II does what an excellent sequel should. Instead of breaking new ground left and right, it improves on the original in nearly every way and feels more confident about the stories it tells. There’s still room for improvement in some of its stiffer areas, but Octopath II is a sterling achievement all around.

Combat feels like a necessary part of the game's design, rather than something that was begrudgingly added to provide interaction between cutscenes. I left the game feeling that I made my mark on Gransys the way I chose to, instead of being escorted from plot point to plot point. When you're talking about an open-world game, I can't think of higher praise. [June 2012, p.90]

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp might not include much new material, but it presents a strong case that classic games don’t always have to change to be relevant again. Sometimes, they just need a second chance.

With the addition of both local and online multiplayer, Fortune Street is a much smarter, infinitely more playable title. If you're a fan of board games, it deserves your support.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is impeccably paced, with new powers and options opening up just when you were getting comfortable with your current loadout. The world is fun to move around, the characters are charming, and the process of gradually increasing your efficiency is airtight. Even with some lackluster combat, more intuitive controls and focus on mobility make it even better than the original.

The game's disarming voyeurism, bizarre camera angles, and exceptionally well-placed tension is what the series has been trying to do all along, but The Room is the first entry to do it right. [Sept 2004, p.104]

Duplicating its success from The Walking Dead, Telltale has created an excellent new way for fans to enter Westeros – one that has a unique vibe that sets it apart from the books and show. The Forresters' story boils with intrigue in this first episode, and with Telltale's scribes mimicking George R. R. Martin's cruel pen, concludes with a cliffhanger and chaos.

The next episode will surely define what Dontnod is out to accomplish, but Life is Strange’s introduction is a good look at the characters and dilemmas.

SvR’s great right stick grapple system hasn’t changed much in the last few years, so it’s hard to say the series has evolved much on the mat. I’d still love to see a tutorial system to help newcomers ease into play.

You can’t knock Neversoft for resting on its laurels. In what seems like the umpteenth GH title released this year, the company delivers yet more solid work. Guitar Hero 5 is clearly aimed at correcting some gripes shared by long-term fans of the series.

Bully was a fantastic release late in the life of the PS2, and I’m pumped that the folks I know who’ve become gamers this generation now have a chance to experience it for themselves. For those of us who’ve already had our fun the first time, I’m not sure a second run at high school is really in order.

MLB The Show 24 doesn’t hit it out of the park at every at-bat, but it doesn’t have to. The series is in the middle of an experimental phase that’s trying to mitigate its perpetual “online vs. offline” war. Despite a clear lack of innovation in mechanics, it has still found a way to impress, inspire, and engage with a younger generation that shares an interest in history. The Show’s art team is second to none, its OST shuffles Eladio Carrion, IDLES, Flowdan, and Brittany Howard with the grace of a 2 Chainz verse, and its “Grind 99” mantra has been edited to be a modern ideology – “play however and whenever.” It’s why Diamond Dynasty is the best take on Ultimate Team in terms of approachability and competition and why The Show 24 hopes to reignite annual titles through personalization. As the great Toni Stone once implied: “Get you one ‘cause I got mine.”

The appeal of Double Dragon Neon lies in its cartoony homage to the brawler genre and the time period in which the original game released. Some of that appeal may be lost if you're not familiar with the references, but the solid production and mechanics have a universal appeal.