Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think Midway could create a game that competes on EA’s level, yet Hitz does it. [Feb 2002, p.87]

Where the previous games felt like work, A Wonderful Life feels curiously satisfying. [Apr 2004, p.100]

When all is said and done, it’s the potential for laughter that proves to be Pit People’s standout achievement. The tactical gameplay is interesting and entertaining, but the comedy is the star of the show here. I enjoyed my time with The Behemoth’s new, funky world, as well as the cast of lovable characters who inhabit it, and will fondly remember many of its gags for a long time to come.

The King of Fighters XIV’s combo system is loose and expressive, and the character variety makes it easy to keep playing for hours. The learning curve is still a bit too steep for new players, but those who make the effort to climb it will find a fun, if unadventurous, fighter.

I like aspects of Madden 20 like the addictiveness and slightly easier progression of Ultimate Team, the way players feel, and the new abilities. But too much remains stagnant and unchanged. It’s like expecting a few free agents to change the course of an entire organization when there are key areas the franchise needs to have addressed yesterday. Instead, its roster has gotten old fast and the problems are mounting.

Tales of Berseria does some interesting things, and is the most captivating Tales storyline in some time. I like the majority of its ideas, but the execution often feels half-realized. It still feels like the franchise isn't making big enough leaps, and is just content to bring its fans more of the same. By now, you probably know if you're okay with that. Nothing ever made me stop playing, but the flaws are impossible to ignore.

Arctic Edge looks good for MotorStorm’s first appearance on the PSP, but gone are the days when I can be impressed with simply squeezing down a console title intact onto a handheld. Let’s ask for more so we can get more.

MTX is simply the fastest motocross game I've ever played. [Apr 2004, p.89]

Perhaps Age of Imprisonment’s best trick, however, is how it makes me feel like I’m back in the world of Tears of the Kingdom. The art direction, menu elements, music, sound effects, and more all make me feel like I am back in 2023 getting lost in one of my favorite games of the last decade. Imprisonment’s gameplay is very different, and not nearly as engaging or consistently novel, but I eagerly pulled the warm blanket around me while executing Zelda’s ultimate attack for the hundredth time.

Trials Rising feels like a pure incarnation of the series, and its significant structural and progression problems could be addressed over time as the live game evolves. But that revision (if it ever comes) is not the game currently on offer, and the current playthrough offers too much frustration in return for the moments of humor and skill mastery. I’m still an enthusiast for Trials, but when your gameplay is this established and staid, there’s no excuse for the surrounding trappings to be subpar.

Play with a well-balanced cooperative team, stay in parity with your levels, and conserve ammo. Do so, and Alienation offers one of the best twin-stick experiences on the market. Add in a deep progression system and lots of ways to enjoy replaying, and it’s only balance issues that hold me back from the same fervent recommendation I apply to most Housemarque releases.

Not only does GGX not push the 2D fighter envelope, it doesn't even give it the slightest edge. [Dec 2001, p.93]

I love pounding bad guys with an array of cool attacks and inventive weapons, even if I feel robbed by cheap tricks. River City Girls’ chaotic battles are entertaining, but they’re surrounded by an array of decisions that add more inconvenience than challenge.

Frustrations aside, Perfect Dark is a great example of how a remake should be done.

Despite its questionable approach to the campaign that abandons huge set piece moments in favor of smaller skirmishes, Gears of War: Judgment remains a polished, replayable experience. Even if you never touch any future DLC, the game disc has enough content to keep you busy for the better part of 2013.

While I wish it had an adjustable camera or the ability to tweak visual settings on console, I had a great time regardless. Ultimately, whether it's online or local, the dedicated two-player experience is Lego Voyagers' secret weapon. The game is intentionally abstract and open to interpretation, so you'll fill in the gaps with your partner: you create a relationship between your Lego avatars, shorthand for game terms to get through levels, and eventually build a new, player-specific version of the game for yourself. Light Brick Studio did a great job designing Lego Voyagers, but the experience I built with my partner is what will stick with me.

I enjoyed my time with the first Halo Wars, so I’m glad that Microsoft took a chance with a sequel. Unfortunately, aside from Blitz, I don’t feel like Creative Assembly pushed the envelope. Simplified base building, smaller maps, and outdated level design keep Halo Wars 2 for achieving great heights. However, if you loved the first Halo Wars, this entry delivers more of the same.

Deserts of Kharak is a single-player focused RTS game designed for lovers of the waning genre. If that’s what you’re looking for, it won’t disappoint, but the campaign is rather short, and the multiplayer options don’t do much to keep your interest piqued.

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

A small group of hardcore gamers will revel in Don't Starve's punishing difficulty, but without a better sense of overarching progression or purpose, there are more entertaining and rewarding gaming experiences to spend your time on. I'm interested to see what Klei introduces in promised future updates of the game, but even when playing in a world that's customized to your liking, the thrill of Don't Starve is fleeting.

If you've got a hankering for some good multiplayer fun or a mindless testosterone tirade, Hitz is your hook-up. [Jan 2002, p.87]

The hitting has good pace, the graphics are gorgeous, and the fielding is on par. [Apr 2002, p.83]

Escha & Logy may have some flaws, but it's good at providing a formulaic experience that rewards you with seeing your progression play out before you.

Put simply, this is an excellent mobile translation of a tabletop experience – but random design elements in the source material hold it back.

Defeat can be a bitter pill in Anger Foot, but I was amazed at how eager I remained to jump back in time after time. Firefights remained an exciting challenge even if I’d played it numerous times. Thwarting foes milliseconds before they pull the trigger, either by brute force or cleverly utilizing my surroundings, never ceased to feel cool. You should definitely walk a mile in these shoes.

A tremendous game. [Feb 2003, p.105]

I think a lot of players won't notice too many of this year's more subtle new additions, but will instead help themselves to the 24-player online (where you can construct your own Ryder Cup-like competitions), GamerNet challenges, online tournaments, and five new courses. That's fine, but the smaller improvements made to this year's game offer players more freedom and customizability.

While not dazzling as a remaster, the core Alan Wake experience holds up well.

The single-player offering is incredibly fun, and the multiplayer bouts bring limitless depth and couldn't be much more contagious. [May 2005, p.128]

Heat Signature’s strength lies in its ability to make you think fast when you have all the time in the world.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was a fun time when it hit the Wii U, and it’s still a fun time today. The new levels are easily some of the best in the game, but they don’t really justify a second purchase. I’m thrilled Nintendo wants to make use of this well-traveled fungi, but I hope the next time I see Captain Toad, he’s going on a completely new adventure.

These are great characters that have been the same since the start of the franchise. I want more now. [July 2004, p.123]

Fun, innovative, and surprisingly deep, de Blob 2 is bright spot in a sea of gray games and iterative sequels.

Make no bloody, broken Nazi bones about it: The Switch version is the least visually appealing version of Wolfenstein II. However, for me, that compromise is easy to accept when I can take Machinegames’ opus with me wherever I go. Even the worst version of The New Colossus is an incredible, must-play game for anyone who loves zany action and honest, powerful stories about the cost of hope.

Despite my thoughts on Episode 2, I’m eager to see if the next installment of République changes things up in the environment and opens up more of the overarching story. This series still has plenty of exciting potential, and I think Camouflaj and Logan Games have what it takes to nail it in the end.

FIFA may be more popular than ever, but FIFA 20 is a standard bearer with no clear focus. The gameplay comes up just short of carrying the title, and while Ultimate Team is engaging in its own way, it’s the same grind it’s always been. The next-generation of home consoles is approaching, and I can’t tell if EA has run out of ideas or is running out the clock.

A complete turnaround from last season, and a direction that I hope EA steers clear of in the future. The user should always have control over the most basic gameplay functions. [Sept 2005, p.96]

More of a rebirth for the series than the sequel it's trying to be. The action is mindless and fevered, and Jackie has transformed from a vengeful protagonist into someone who probably listens to "Dream Weaver" as he cries himself to sleep. I found it to be an interesting journey. [Mar 2012, p.91]

After the embarrassment of The Perseus Mandate, F.E.A.R. 2 should be in consideration for comeback player of the year. While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won’t make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.

MLB 2K7 is certainly a better game, but most of the new content is of the visual variety. I can't stress enough how impressive this aspect of the game is. It captures the look, sound, and feel of the game better than anything you've seen before. [Mar 2007, p.98]

This game does the quivalent of grabbing you by the groin and tossing you off a cliff. [Aug 2003, p.87]

A great package crammed with more value and personality than most rhythm games. [Dec 2003, p.143]

You got GBA? You dig RPGs? Breath of Fire is your hook-up. [Nov 2001, p.130]

Ubi obviously had to remove the voices and animated segments, but in doing so, it also sacrificed the story. [Feb 2003, p.108]

Evil. That aside, you will get sucked into the hype and love almost every minute. [June 2002, p.82]

Even if you don’t care about crafting your own stages, the virtually limitless stream of everyone else’s content will keep replay value high long after you’ve beaten all of the on?disc levels.

If you’re a Silent Hill fan interested in a fresh take on the stale formula, this Wii entry may be the Cheryl you’ve been searching for – but it comes at a cost.

Echochrome II provides a fantastic amount of entertainment to those who can overlook its shortcomings.

The Pro Evolution series was known as the franchise that is too old school, too hardcore, and a step behind. I think that's changed, and it's now in better position for itself and the sport as a whole.

I’m hoping that people get into it, because I plan on keeping this one in my regular rotation for some time.

The tactical demands Siege puts on players is unlike anything else on the console market today, and may prove enough for those seeking this flavor of first-person shooter. However, Siege doesn’t do enough to unite players who understand the importance of communication or provide variation in rest of the package.

It doesn't pollute the entire RCT experience, but it certainly doesn't add any content you're eager to drink in. [Aug 2005, p.105]

Even when it fails, though, Rune Factory: Frontier is packed with so many other activities that there's always more than enough to do. [Apr 2009, p.85]

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a good reminder of why the RPG genre left some parts of its Golden Age behind. It’s also a testimony to what makes the genre special and the power of good storytelling to move and inspire. Admittedly, rigid adherence to archaic structures makes those first impressions tough to look past, but a creative battle system, extensive party customization, and top-notch writing make up for the retro jank.

Overwatch 2 doesn’t flip the formula the way you might expect a long-awaited, numbered sequel would. But through various clever tweaks, it’s a well-rounded evolution of the experience into which I’ve poured more than a thousand hours since 2016. I may never recreate the magic of those first few years in Overwatch, but Overwatch 2 is a big step towards restoring the faith in the franchise and has me thinking it’s time to pour a few more hundred hours into my favorite team-based shooter.

Isle of Pigs does VR well in that it is not a demanding or strenuous experience. Looking at a teetering structure in a 3D space, moving around it to eyeball its weakest point, and then picking up a bird to fling at it is just fun. It sticks to what Angry Birds is good at – satisfying destruction – it just needs more content to become a VR game I would universally recommend.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure reminds players that happiness can be found in supporting worthy causes bigger than yourself. It feels nice to play a game about actively improving the world, and it does so with skill and charm instead of cringe. It’s the video game equivalent of sneaking vegetables into a tasty smoothie. This is one good deed that shouldn’t go unrewarded.

In a sport that symbolizes the cutting edge of car technology and the pinnacle of racing, the F1 series' slow progress is a contradiction. I enjoy the racing itself, but that only counts for so much. It's getting to the point that I'd rather see how other series like Forza incorporate F1 cars rather than play this franchise – and that's a bad sign.

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.

Living up to the standard set by Legion, one of World of Warcraft’s best expansions ever, is an almost impossible task. Battle for Azeroth isn’t quite there yet. With warfronts, raids, and more story beats coming in the future, that may change. For now, the only thing for certain is that World of Warcraft still captures the MMORPG magic. And now that magic has dinosaurs.

Mirror’s Edge’s gameplay is adrenaline-filled and beautifully tailored, but the experience does end up feeling a bit hollow as the game runs out of new tricks to show the player. In the second half of the game, I started second guessing if I had already run across a particular section. I also became so in-tune with specific challenges that I could do them with my eyes closed...Regardless, this is one of those genre-defining games that everyone needs to see. DICE has pulled off a miraculous feat that hopefully will inspire other FPS developers.

Rise and Fall adds numerous new leaders, buildings, units, and wonders. It also tinkers with the nation-building strategy in some bigger ways thanks to the additions of loyalty and golden ages. In the end, Rise and Fall’s moment-to-moment action isn’t dramatically different from the base game, but the new bells and whistles provide a good excuse to return to Firaxis’ excellent strategy game.

Even through my multiple gritted-teeth attempts at the battles, I loved figuring out the puzzle of how to take down each monstrous foe. Finally executing on your plan to defeat a boss you’ve been stuck on is beyond rewarding. Mechstermination Force is action packed and exciting, but hit-or-miss controls and a disappointing final boss prevent it from reaching its best form.

From its astounding visuals to the constantly compelling gameplay, this experience will make role-playing veterans recall the good old days, and give newcomers the opportunity to start creating some memories.

That said, any brawler fans that haven’t played Final Fight should still strongly consider downloading this. And despite the fact that I’ve beaten up literally thousands of Mad Gear gang members in my lifetime, I can’t wait to do it over and over again.

I had a really difficult time adapting to the inconsistent accuracy of the weapons. [May 2002, p.92]

It adds some important elements to the game, but also has a ton of junk that really has nothing to do with the city building experience. [Dec 2003, p.183]

The ninja game the world has been waiting for. It fights with honor, but still handily slays the competition. [Apr 2003, p.80]

A solid driver, with good control and some decent graphics, but that's about it. [Jan 2002, p.80]

Mega Man X was a great experience back in the day, and this faithful re-interpretation with a sleek new look is nothing to complain about. [Mar 2006, p.120]

The problem is – despite everything mentioned above – the game isn’t that fun. While Charged is an improvement over the original, it still piles on so much craziness that it buries itself with simplistic gameplay.

This game works best as a memory of things past. [Sept 2004, p.118]

Doesn't offer enough depth or strategy. [Jan 2003, p.114]

This thing's sweeter than that beer with candy pieces in it; y'know, Skittlebrau. [Nov 2003, p.157]

It's disappointing that many of the new features fail to bring value to the table, but elements like last year's excellent motion system are at least in place to make the game exciting from moment to moment. Although I wasn't in awe of the new player hot/cold streaks, I liked the player roles and how they changed from year to year and gave your players a career progression arc. Other bright spots are the online communities that help weed out the riff-raff from your online multiplayer (thanks to stronger griefing rules), and the accompanying leaderboards also offer a larger structure to the experience. This is especially useful since the online franchise feature is still a bust.

After a troubled development and several delays, this Future Soldier looks more like a military game of ­the ­past.

Series fans might be put off by Monster Hunter Stories’ simplified combat, but I enjoyed the opportunity to pilot some of my favorite creatures from the franchise on the other side of the blade. Fans of turn-based JRPG fare, newcomers to the franchise, and younger gamers have more to enjoy here – to explore and engage with the Monster Hunter universe without having to enter through a less accessible door. Monster Hunter Stories is a warm and welcoming trek that’s only brought down by stale and repetitive combat. Despite its shortcomings, there’s still a neat egg to crack here.

While the campaign fails to provide a compelling tale and is often bogged down in uninteresting large-scale slaughter, Call of Duty:WWII nails its multiplayer, new social hub, and zombie modes to provide the back to boot-on-the-ground experience fans have clamored for since the first foray into space.

While it's fun, this is really just more of the same. [Dec 2004, p.183]

The reboot, in spite of its dumb writing, felt fresh and was consistently entertaining throughout its campaign thanks to its focus. The sequel, however, feels stretched out, like it’s trying to be an RPG, an open-world game, and a shooter all at once with little success. In the end, there’s precious little of Shadow Warrior 2 that makes for a compelling experience.

Not only is Apotheon a tireless devotion to ancient Greek art and culture, it’s also a damn fun game and one of my surprise early favorites of 2015.

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]

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.

All That Remains delivers by providing answers to lingering questions from season one and setting up new obstacles for Clementine to face. My biggest reservation is that it features many similarities to the first season; I have to wonder how many zombie fights and new camps of people I can find before they all blend together.

Yes, this is just a golf game at its core, but Golf Story makes you care about the characters and their world just as much as sinking a do-or-die putt. Part of its charm is keeping you off kilter, forcing you to hit a 300-yard drive with pinpoint precision one second, then solve a murder mystery the next. A continual delight to play, Golf Story is a breath of fresh air for sports, and another fun story to follow for role-playing fanatics.

Yes, the art and animation are even more gorgeous, but none of the core design problems from the original version were addressed. The result is a familiar experience that feels both faithful and flawed.

Delivers with an expert mix of action and suspense, and a robust array of weaponry. [Aug 2003, p.100]

I think a lot of players won't notice too many of this year's more subtle new additions, but will instead help themselves to the 24-player online (where you can construct your own Ryder Cup-like competitions), GamerNet challenges, online tournaments, and five new courses. That's fine, but the smaller improvements made to this year's game offer players more freedom and customizability.

While it is one of the better looking first-person games to come out this year, it isn’t the most technically savvy. The gameplay isn’t perfectly honed, but an ever-changing mix of clever ideas, evocative locations, and engaging characters tap the best traditions of the Western genre.

Pinball FX 3 contains a number of welcome additions and improvements, and gives pinball fans what they need most: an excuse to return to and keep replaying all of their favorite tables. Hopefully the studio can also shore up and heighten the sense of rivalries again, but either way, it's a great time for pinball wizards to dive back in.

Despite some gameplay quibbles, the core loop of BattleTech – mech acquisition, customization, and combat – does a great job of adhering to the source material and providing engaging ballistic battles. Crunching an enemy core under your metal boot or scoping out a target for an enormous missile barrage are satisfying as hell, even if the frame of the title could stand for a little extra armor.

Olija isn’t a long game; it took me a little over four hours to finish even after gathering most of its collectibles. But it packs a lot of good stuff in that timeframe and never wears out its welcome. With tight gameplay, fun exploration, and an alluring atmosphere, Faraday’s disastrous voyage turns into a rewarding expedition.

This shadowy adventure will get you in the mood for Halloween all year around with its atmospheric design, creative combat system, and well-crafted story.

One of my favorite games of the year...It makes up for its lack of finesse with sheer style and quirkiness. [Dec 2004, p.168]

Wonderlands is upbeat and fun from start to finish, offering a rewarding adventure filled with goofy characters, imaginative bosses, and a great sense of ownership over your character through it all. Even with one of Borderlands' most loved characters leading the charge, this experience feels like the start of something new: a rare spinout from an existing series that deserves just as much of the spotlight. As someone who has played plenty of Dungeons & Dragons, I adored how often Wonderlands reminded me of rolling a 20-sided die with friends. It’s a love letter to on-the-spot creativity and friends enjoying each other’s company in a make-believe world.

Overall, Curse of the Dead Gods is a solid roguelite, though it doesn’t attempt anything revolutionary or ambitious. Its familiar approach to genre-specific structure makes it easy to dive right into without fearing a loss of the challenge. The different strategic approaches available with the upgrades system also makes progression feel rewarding. The art, the variety of curses, and the overall formula that Curse of the Dead Gods follows make it a tale worth exploring, even if the moral of the story is that greed equals painful and agonizing death.

Its biggest assets are the relationship building and expansive branching paths. I keep coming back to explore its variations. Not only are they fascinating, but I cared about where I left these characters. The overall message about technology and our future lingers long after the credits roll, making me wonder how I'll handle my relationship with technology as it takes us to new places.

This PSP title gives you a full feature set. [May 2005, p.136]