Cool story moments and combat improvements offset some of The Golden Country’s frustrations, but not enough to entirely redeem the experience. It is missing some of the best parts of the base game (like the thrill of collecting unique allies and completing quests tailored to them), but retains many stumbling blocks that impeded the fun before. However, the way the story fills in gaps and provides insight into the characters makes The Golden Country a satisfying addition for fans who have already built up a tolerance for the sometimes-baffling quirks of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Super Mega Baseball 3 could use some tweaks to its gameplay, such as the automatic triggering of small defensive animations to prevent your player from getting turned around on a routine fly ball or missing an easy tag, for example. But on the whole, it provides solid gameplay in a fun, stylish wrapper. Add in the series’ own touches, such as extensive customization options, cross-platform online play, and the abundance of co-op (online or off) opportunities, and you’ve got a game that makes an already-familiar sport stand out.

Modern Warfare should have received a new Call of Duty subhead given just how different its avenues of play are. Not every one of Infinity Ward’s ideas works, but a few are successful enough that I could see them as series staples. Modern Warfare’s accomplishments may not be as pronounced as Black Ops 4’s (Blackout being one of them), but it still delivers a hell of a multiplayer experience. Gunfight alone is worth the price of admission.

As Elite: Dangerous is continually updated, I’m hoping we get a better sense of the overarching story and our participation in it, more opportunities to have an impact in the enormous open world, and more chances to participate in activities with fellow pilots and pirates.

Even as its second half failed to match what came earlier, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a finely honed delight. Its action is precise and responsive, and learning the intricacies of each adversary is exceedingly fulfilling. While I wish its back stretch was either pared down or had a wider variety of foes, this is a rare title that induces trance-like focus and euphoric moments of victory. It may not quite reach the heights of the works that inspired it, but it’s not far off.

The action is fun, the graphics are astounding, and players are pulled from one high-adrenaline moment to the next. But it’s also disappointing. Fans are accustomed the rising stakes and escalating scale that make Kratos attain deific heights, but Ascension proves that he is mortal after all.

Given that fact, however, this game largely remains the same as it ever was--due to the consistency of the gameplay from last year. But because that the tour has adopted the new FedEx Cup system, your career can't help but feel a little different. [Nov. 2006, p.128]

I keep wondering how some of my choices will play out, and I'm invested in these characters and the world. Hopefully, Dontnod can make everything between the characters' struggles and supernatural occurrences feel satisfying and pay off in the end.

With The Entropy Centre behind me, I’m fascinated by what Stubby Games accomplished with its debut. It’s full of excellent puzzles, but the stuff around them, like bugs and narrative pacing, stop the entire package from coming together in an equally impressive way. Despite the exhaustion I felt as the credits rolled, I’m stoked The Entropy Centre exists. It brings something unique and new to the genre, and I hope Stubby Games continues to iterate on that in a sequel, spin-off, or spiritual successor. It’s not every day a game shows me something I’ve never seen before that it also happens to nail, and what The Entropy Centre does well is worth pushing through its long narrative to ensure you see every trick up its sleeve.

Everything leads up to a hell of a cliffhanger, making me intrigued to see what happens next. I just hope Telltale doesn't disappoint with its result, as in the past some of the cliffhangers have had unsatisfying resolutions, not altering the story as much as I expected. While some things remain predictable, like needing to constantly look for resources or evil people showing up at the worst times, Telltale does a good job with its reveals and twists. As long as they continue to lead to interesting places, I'm on board for the rest of season three.

The core Buzz quiz show mechanic maintains the familiar tone of past games, but the extras really sell this debut on the PS3. [Nov 2008, p.124]

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.

Despite the extraneous content, Lego Dimensions is a hit. I haven't laughed this much playing a video game in a long time. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, and my wife even sat in to watch the story unfold in crazy ways.

The features are there, and I’m glad that the on-the-field play is making strides forward and that it captures the excitement of a college football program that isn’t dominant, but which is more than capable of thrilling its fans.

The Gathering Storm features a long checklist of other new additions, including 18 new units, 9 new world leaders, 9 new technologies, and 10 new civics. These are all nice little bonuses, but Gathering Storm’s world congress and natural-disaster system are robust enough to make Civilization feel fresh. The Gathering Storm adds new layers to Civilization VI’s incredibly deep strategy system, but taming the planet remains far from simple.

If you are one of those players that takes their tournament stick around the country and competes against the best, you'll undoubtedly want Arcade Edition in your collection. However, it's harder to recommend if you're on the more casual end.

The only thing missing is custom entrances for created characters. [Dec 2004, p.174]

The full-team on-court action plays the best it ever has, and the graphical leap is impressive to boot, but it still comes up short in some key areas.

Super Time Force is a fascinating design experiment, and deserves your attention if only for its innovative twist on the classic shooter experience. Goofy humor and nostalgic visuals might be what capture your attention, but the reimagining of how we perceive time in an action game is what makes it memorable.

The campaign is challenging without being cheap, and my units' behaviors never caused my mouse to get launched across the office. [Aug 2004, p.105]

Pokémon Sword & Shield are strong first attempts for the series’ full transition to consoles. While some frustrations hold it back from true legendary status, this new generation proves the Pokémon franchise is still great more than two decades after its debut.

Uncovering all the Schwarzwelt's secrets will keep you glued to your DS for hours of intense RPG action. [Issue#203, p.96]

The Game Breaker special shots are, frankly, corny; and the Dynamic Dekes are just too hard to control. [Nov 2002, p.142]

While this latest title doesn't take any huge risks, I would argue that's a good thing. Skate has always been one of those rare games where you can just aimlessly play with no goals or objectives.

Despite a few setbacks, Puppeteer features all the entertainment and creativity I've come to expect from Japan Studio. Sony has another exclusive title it can be proud of, and while Puppeteer may not take center stage in the company's holiday lineup, fans of family-friendly adventures won't want to miss it.

Tomb Raider: Legend fails to be a reinvention of any genres, but succeeds in every way at reinventing itself. [May 2006, p.96]

EA Sports College Football 25 makes the gridiron feel new again with stellar visuals that heighten the gameday intensity and smooth controls that evoke the high-octane moment-to-moment action that makes college football so beloved. I enjoy the painstaking, time-consuming process of revitalizing weak programs in Dynasty as well as competing against teammates to earn that coveted starting spot in Road to Glory, but some skin-deep progression systems and game modes are concerning; beyond the campaigns, there simply isn’t enough to see or do. Nevertheless, CFB 25 is a confident spiral throw in the right direction, and I’m excited to see how its strong foundation evolves in future releases.

As Skate Story’s credits rolled, I wasn’t totally sure what to make of it. Despite its imperfections, I knew I liked it, but I struggled to articulate why. I won’t pretend that every metaphor or symbol resonated with me or even made sense. It’s a deeply poetic journey, and the way to enjoy any good poem is to focus more on how it made me feel rather than any literal interpretation. In that sense, I’ll fondly remember the awe I felt admiring this imaginatively conceived underworld, the adrenaline rush of barreling through courses as a shining beacon of defiance and perseverance, and the thrill of hitting stunts so sick that entire celestial bodies shatter at my awesomeness.

The opening two episodes set the stage for the new adventure. They have everything you've come to expect from The Walking Dead: shocking deaths, intense betrayals, and split-second decisions to second-guess. Ties That Bind mostly focuses on familial bonds - the risks we take for the people we love and how far we're willing to go to put another's life above our own.

Graphically, it's a masterpiece. [Jan 2006, p.136]

Immortal Throne’s not going to change the way you look at action/RPGs, but it breathes some new life into one of last year’s better games. For my money, that’s an expansion I can support.

Despite these issues, Joe Danger Infinity remains in the auto-running elite with quirky characters and backgrounds, responsive touch controls, and enticing progression rewards. While the old stuntman hasn’t learned many new tricks, Joe’s still got it where it counts.

Avowed is a confident and fulfilling fantasy adventure without pretension, accomplished by a studio that knows what it’s delivering. It may not change your world, but its world should be more than enough to satisfy.

Even with the omission of late hits, NFL Blitz is an old-school arcade experience that hasn't lost the fun factor it had a decade-and-a-half ago. As a casual football fan who hasn't seen more than three regular season NFL games this year, it still managed to win me over with its fast-paced action. Blitz's gameplay will seem unmistakably familiar to fans of the original, but it's still a great title to have in your library to pull out for the occasional game.

Dontnod does a great job at introducing these new characters and fleshing them out, and it will be interesting to see how Daniel comes to terms with his life-changing powers.

Etrian Odyssey V feels close to what the series has done before, but the new classes and skills keep things from getting too dull. For those who enjoy retro RPGs, love building characters, and don't mind grinding for victory, that’s certainly all here. Still, the tedium and slow-paced nature of the game leave a lot to be desired, and the feeling of déjà vu left me wanting more.

Sleeping Dogs has enough entertainment value to justify Square Enix's decision to save it from cancellation, but it also displays a lack of polish that makes its troubled development evident. [Sept 2012, p.90]

FIFA is still doomed to feel a little stiff due to its reliance on set animations to govern play, and there are plenty of frustrating AI mistakes that linger. [Oct 2005, p.128]

Remnant II is most successful as a tour through a series of disparate dimensions, each contending with their own battles against the villainous Root plaguing their world. The gunplay is solid, the co-op with up to two other players works great, and the lore is fascinating (if you want to dig deep). Remnant II’s plot, characters, and progression are where it falls short, but I like its third-person shooter take on mechanics and ideas borrowed from the Souls games.

For fans of this long-running series, Skies Unknown doesn’t live up to its name. This is the Ace Combat we’ve known and loved for decades, and it’s great to have it back. The dogfighting is rightfully the highlight and will give your reflexes a good workout.

It's still a hell of a game, but if you come back to it year in and year out, this season's offering doesn't have much of a spark.

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.

Striking and intense moments make up the bulk of 400 Days' appeal.

The IsoMotion controls are still difficult to master, and the story-driven 24/7 mode still lacks decent team AI, but these faults pale in comparison to the amount of things Visual Concepts does right with this hoops title.

If it had been made by an upstart studio trying to make a name for itself, we’d be praising its ambition and presentation. Coming from Relic Entertainment as the follow-up to one of the landmark real-time strategy games in the genre’s history, though, it fails to meet expectations.

In the end, everything is sharply pulled into focus with a simple, but dramatic final story revelation and level. It made me want to replay the game from my new perspective and even seek out the collectibles I had earlier written off as unnecessary. Many elements of Rime are familiar, but it is an effective use of the medium and expertly builds up to (and executes) its cathartic finale.

Fortunately, the good parts in Red Steel 2 are quite good. The combo system is flexible and offers room for experimentation.

For all three games, the feeling of repetition never sinks in, a factor that goes a long way in making this trilogy a blast to play. It's good to have Crash back in the limelight. I hope this isn't the last we see of him.

Don’t let the cutie-pie exterior fool you — Ninjatown is a gamer’s game through and through.

Maybe it's unfair to compare Moto GP '06 and "Tourist Trophy" because they are on different systems(Xbox 360 and PS2, respectively), but whereas the latter comes off as clinical, Moto GP '06 gets the blood pumping. [July 2006, p.107]

Despite all of these cool minor additions, the core gameplay feels mostly like one big retread. With all of the great new games coming out this holiday, it’s hard to justify replaying this series. For diehard fans, however, this is the definitive LEGO Star Wars game.

Ultimately, Wii Fit Plus is basically the same game, slightly expanded. If you liked the first game for a while but lost interest, it’s hard to say that this one will keep you coming back.

Yes, it is a platformer; but the excellenet play mechanics coupled with the unlockable movie clips and smooth character animations make this title a pleasant surprise. [August 2002, p.91]

In most ways a duplicate of the first Karaoke game that appeared on PS2, I was disappointed to see so little new content in the transition to the Xbox. [Dec 2004, p.183]

Watching Alta grow and accept her limitations will stick with me and make me reflect on my own inability to turn off and just relax.

The strength of this game’s racing only makes its lack of growth in other fundamental areas all the more baffling. How easy would it be for Gran Turismo to rule the racing world if Polyphony put half the effort it does into capturing muffler audio into areas like a new career mode, pacing, and other features that rival franchises have conquered long ago?

Marvel Cosmic Invasion follows in the footsteps of Shredder’s Revenge by offering a smartly modernized take on the arcade games of yesteryear. It’s not the deepest package, nor does it completely shatter this genre’s reliable mold, but anyone bearing a nostalgia for the Marvel arcade brawlers of old will have a great time smacking around villains as Earth’s – and the galaxy’s – mightiest heroes.

While all the components from the franchise are here, it lacks that over-arching cohesion. [Apr 2005, p.116]

With its leaky goaltenders, heavy hitters, and eager fighters, NHL 14 may become the most popular hockey game of the generation for casual fans. However, the hardcore contingency looking for a deeper simulation experience may hang up their skates thanks to the arcade-leaning gameplay and dull game modes in desperate need of ­sharpening.

From raising a family, becoming a land baron, and even partnering up with friends locally or online, this is the most fully realized version of Albion yet. It's a must-play for fans of adventure or anyone who thinks they can run things better than those bums in Washington. Good luck.

Valorant doesn’t reinvent aspects of core tactical shooters, but it differentiates itself in meaningful ways by giving players new ways to glean information, protect areas, and obscure enemy perception. While Valorant’s characters may be mundane and its modes limited, I had plenty of fun with its precision shooting, careful planning, and soft footsteps.

Danganronpa proves why having an interactive experience can make stories more thrilling, even in the context of such a bleak scenario.

Pending a retail disaster this year, I suspect another Skylanders sequel is already in development and slated for release next holiday. Giants makes a good case for the fun and collectibility of this series, but also raises the warning flag for franchise fatigue.

It's impressive how much content Treyarch managed to cram onto this Wii disc, but it's by no means the way to experience Black Ops. The campaign is well-paced, and the multiplayer is packed with features that can keep you coming back if you can get over the less-precise controls. If you have a choice, however, this version is not the one to play.

A veritable host of small technical problems keep Dragonshard from reaching the potential created by its innovative design. [Nov 2005, p.174]

Ruined King is a conventional RPG set in the League of Legends universe with an exciting lane system that smartly reconstructs the standard turn-based loop. Still, a forgettable story about good vs. evil and reiterative backdrops are apparent drawbacks. The action and imaginative characters do their best to keep the game’s 20-30-hour time sink enjoyable. Still, players that aren’t already fans of Riot Games’ flagship franchise are better off skipping this entry.

Even with all the new abilities and mission types, too much of Gravity Rush 2 is dedicated to tasks that don't make the best use of your ability to control gravity. Falling around the various locales is a lot of fun, but that doesn’t assuage the nagging feeling that with better missions and less frustrating side content, this series could go from a fleeting joy to something truly great.

Cracking each puzzle is rewarding, but the true excitement comes with trying to complete all the bucket-list items in one fly's lifespan.

As a reinvented version of a 16-bit game, this looks quite nice on the PSP's sharp display, but it plays like nobody's greased the machinery since its original 1993 release. [Oct 2007, p.127]

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.

Pokémon Sword & Shield are strong first attempts for the series’ full transition to consoles. While some frustrations hold it back from true legendary status, this new generation proves the Pokémon franchise is still great more than two decades after its debut.

Little more than "Battlefield 2" with mechs and gunships. In nearly every way, a round of 2142 plays out exactly like a round of its predecessor. Not that that’s a particularly bad thing, but for all intents and purposes this is a $50 mod.

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

Despite these problems, there is something undeniably magnetic about the game.

Some people will surely love this game, but I feel that it'll be a much better time for adventure and RPG types than action fans. [Jan 2005, p.139]

More straight-up innovation is needed next time, but until then, we've got a good solid game on our hands. [Mar 2004, p.94]

Has a lot to unlock; it's visually appealing; and the music, voiceovers, and FMV all add to the atmosphere. I can dig it. [Oct 2002, p.91]

This is one of those games that is successful in the delivering of instant action, but doesn't offer up much in terms of depth. If you thrive off the online deathmatch scene, you'll fall head over heels in love with Battlefront. [Oct 2004, p.121]

Ghost Games has crafted an exceptional experience that captures the classic battle of racers and police in a new light for next-generation machines. The shared world concept is the driving force, making it easy for players to switch factions, team up, and continue making progress in their campaigns. I can’t stress enough just how great of a multiplayer experience this is for friends.

Unless you're going to dive into multiplayer, though, Retribution is a mediocre expansion pack even though the base gameplay is still quite good.

Tribute has become skilled at creating visually nostalgic beat ‘em ups, and its return to the Scott Pilgrim franchise is no exception. It is, however, light on surprises or mechanical innovation.

While the game could use some enemy variety, overall the good mix of encounters and potential outcomes shine and keep things interesting the whole way through.

With improvements in nearly every area, NHL 16 is a positive stride in the right direction for the franchise, but like a defensive-oriented team adopting trap tactics, the series plays it safe and lacks any game-breaking quality.

Even after playing for dozens of hours, you'll still find new things in Dead Rising 2. I won't spoil anything, but there's a lot of variety to be found in the game beyond obvious things like the number of objects that can be used as bludgeons. This game is designed for multiple playthroughs, and I'm looking forward to each and every one of them.

Despite some poor controls for minigames, The Red Strings Club conceptually flourishes, with fascinating subject matter, well-written characters, and unique approaches to gameplay. I enjoyed feeling like a puppeteer as I made others do my bidding by exploiting their emotions or deceiving them through phone calls. However, these actions begged a bigger question: Was I just as bad as the mega corporation? Was I playing god? The Red Strings Club had me pondering these moral questions for days.

Virtua Tennis 3 is a perfectly serviceable tennis game (pun intended) that fails to provide a big enough splash to make it anything else than just another tennis title. Next time I hope it won’t take Sega seven years to come out with the same game.

This year's PES title won't change anyone's mind about the series. It hasn't gotten any less complex, but it also hasn't lost any of its brilliance. In that sense, its success is all its own.

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]

Duels of the Planeswalkers isn't the full Magic experience. It's a taste of the broader landscape to entice players and make them more comfortable attending a casual Friday Night Magic event. If you're new to Magic: The Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers remains the best way to learn how to play without the intimidation of other players. Even with the online connection issues and additional purchases tied to making the most of Sealed mode, this is the best version to date. It's easy to recommend for new players just learning and veteran spellslingers looking for new single-player matches.

Pokémon Conquest takes the Pokémon you know and recognize (and love?) and places them into the world of tactical turn-based strategy with little kicking and screaming. Unfortunately, its simplicity will turn away tactical purists, and its complexity and management demands will turn off fans of the traditional Pokémon RPG.

Outside of a couple of glitched spawns that left me stuck in mid-air, I didn't run into many issues when it came to lag or connection errors. As a downloadable title, Global Offensive offers a tried-and-true experience at a reasonable price, even if its gameplay isn't for everyone. If you prefer working with others and attacking the opposing team with well thought-out tactics instead of brute force, you should find plenty to like in this updated release.

Virtua Tennis 3 is a perfectly serviceable tennis game (pun intended) that fails to provide a big enough splash to make it anything else than just another tennis title. Next time I hope it won’t take Sega seven years to come out with the same game.

Slime Rancher has the ability to keep you hooked for hours; I often looked out over my ranch, felt pride at my accomplishments, and eagerly ventured back into the wilderness to see what other strange things I could find.

This mountain biking game blends an idyllic nature aesthetic with tight arcade action to create a surprisingly thrilling adventure.

If you're a Caduceus veteran, the new controls, multiple difficulty options, and new surgeries and tools will more than satisfy. [Jan 2007, p.103]

Grim Fandango is a tough game to evaluate, because it comes with so much baggage. If you’re already a fan of the game, the few new additions are nice – but aside from the commentary, they’re far from indispensable.

The game's lack of polish is also another problem. The graphics and textures aren't impressive at all. [Dec 2005, p.158]

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