Judgment tells a sprawling, action-packed story that veers dangerously close to melodrama without falling apart. It has some genuinely shocking moments, and proves that you don’t need Kiryu or Majima as tour guides to have a great time in Kamurocho.

As a big Final Fantasy fan and enthusiast of video game music in general, I love being able to appreciate these classics in a new way. I'll always get a chill listening to the intense orchestral version of "One-Winged Angel" or the happy-go-lucky chocobo theme. The tacked-on progression system may be unsatisfying, but it doesn't stop Theatrhythm from being a fun, simple rhythm game with an amazing musical library.

The Walking Dead remains a narrative-heavy experience. Thanks to the unique art style, I often felt like I was watching a motion comic instead of playing a game, but as long as the game's narrative remains strong, I don't mind. I just hope later episodes can be as creative with the gameplay as they are with the story.

More of a throwback to classic arcade shoot-em-ups like "Berserk" and "Smash TV," than a cinematic epic like "Grand Theft Auto III." [Apr 2002, p.70]

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.

If you're into insane boss fights and haven't already hit this up on another system, Lost Planet deserves to be found. [Mar 2008, p.100]

This entire game is held up by the comedy that it delivers, and as a result, I don't think I've laughed this hard in years. [Oct. 2006, p.95]

This is actually one of the better games of this ilk I've played in quite some time. [Oct 2003, p.131]

You can find more ambitious sci-fi shooters out there, but you won’t find anything else that captures EDF 2025’s delightful mixture of action and atmosphere.

For all that it does right, perhaps it’s telling that this series has improved its presentation off of the field, while still lacking some of it on the field. It’s these kind of intangibles (and those above) that need to be addressed to unify all of NCAA’s elements – as well as some of them are done – to create the ultimate college football experience.

Not only does it throw a lot of racing at you--in various forms and on a bunch of locations--but it captures the spirit of Rainbow's rhythm racing. [May 2006, p.113]

This iteration is good enough to make Matt holler with delight, but the action seems to have been turned up to a frantic pace. [Oct 2002, p.93]

The intensity of battle, breathtaking graphics, and intriguing story are powerful enough to overcome any shortcomings in the game. [Sept 2003, p.118]

Despite being plagued by a slow pace and late-game repetition, Bravely Default’s core mechanics kept me engaged until the credits.

The Show's solid debut is very much in line with the experience offered on PS3, but the sensitive analog controls put a big hole in its swing. If the Vita is your only avenue of play, though, there are workarounds. If you use this version as an extension to your PS3 play, it negatively affects your stats to a degree, but it's still a suitable companion that allows you to play more video game baseball. Especially when your significant other is hogging the TV.

As someone who derives real pleasure in admiring beautiful paintings, Dordogne ups the ante by letting me creatively interact with its gorgeous art. Even better, it layers a largely enjoyable tale on top of it. Like Mimi and Nora’s relationship, there are some bumps to overcome, but good times await those willing to work through them.

Payday obviously comes with some caveats, but it's a great game when everything goes right.

Niggling control issues aside, Housemarque's latest entry is a great showcase for the handheld's beautiful screen, and a wealth of modes will keep you blasting aliens until your batteries run dry.

Song of Horror’s production values initially turned me off, with poorly animated characters and awful voice acting. Despite those flaws, I had a hard time putting the game down once I was drawn into its world. The quirks even grew on me, the same way I embrace schlocky low-budget horror movies. What I most appreciate about Song of Horrors is that it doesn’t just mimic what came before. It’s clearly a tune inspired by other survival-horror classics, but it has its own unique tempo and melody. And it’s a darkly catchy one, to boot.

There's no question about it, when it comes to action on the ice, Kush's game delivers a lights-out blow to EA's. This is the hockey game to get this year. [Sept 2005, p.96]

Quotation forthcoming.

Though it doesn’t add much for players looking to play around with its improvements solo, Nidhogg 2 adds layers of depth to a simple formula without breaking what made it so appealing in the first place. The new weapons and maneuvers blend seamlessly into fights, making them more dynamic and tense. Its single-player offerings may be paper-thin, but for anyone looking to test themselves against their friends, Nidhogg 2 is hard to beat.

Without question, this is the best way to experience Final Fantasy V. However, if you're the kind of RPG fan who needs a strong story to keep you playing, even this definitive version won't be satisfying. On the other hand, if you usually skip through dialogue just to get to the next battle, you'll love this game's unique blend of character-building and combat.

Kororinpa serves as a quick dose of fun. It just needs some more beef to keep players coming back.

In the end, if you're looking for a way to show off your new Kinect, this provides a great complement to the pack-in title, Kinect Adventures.

The gameplay matters most in Wild Hearts – it’s fresh, chaotic, and breathless. It does not reinvent the hunting genre, but it does just enough with its addition of the Karakuri gadgets and arresting locales (not to mention the myriad ways to traverse them) to give the genre a fresh and welcome perspective. A stronger story would have been welcome, and the camera leaves much to be desired, but Wild Hearts is a deeply engaging experience even with these faults.

If you've only played Persona 3 and 4, Persona on PSP may not be what you're expecting, but it's a landmark RPG regardless. [Oct 2009, p.101]

The unwieldy Stage Battles maim the battle system and multiplayer, but this gaffe doen’t take away from Brütal Legend’s charm. If you’re a fan of Tim Schafer’s humor and the type of person who decides between wearing a Metallica and Slayer tee-shirt when you wake up, this is a must-play.

TopSpin 2K25 aptly brings the beloved franchise back to center court, showing that not only does the series still have legs, but so does the sim-tennis genre as a whole. Though its modes are somewhat repetitive and it’s missing several high-profile pros at launch, TopSpin 2K25 serves up a compelling package for tennis fans.

Racing is a constant challenge. Each corner, opponent, and straightaway is a chance to gain or lose positioning at a bevy of different points on the track. I’m used to that cadence, so to introduce new wrinkles that evolve and deepen the experience on and off the track is exciting. It feels like a new take on speed.

Guitar Hero Aerosmith delivers where it counts — with great music enhanced by the chance to play along.

If you can put up with a few outdated cliches, and the occasional irritation, though, this collection has a lot of prime gaming packed onto the disc. [Feb 2006, p.103]

The interplay of the simulation and combat elements form an addictive cycle that makes it easy to immerse yourself in the surreal world of Persona 4, but it isn’t for everyone. The game implements a deliberate and regimented structure, requiring a lot of planning, repetition, and level grinding.

Ghosts had potential to be more than it is. As the first series entry on new consoles and the first of what will assuredly be a new brand, I was disappointed to see it resemble its predecessors even more than the franchise typically does. Even without its own significant hook or sense of identity, however, Ghosts is still fun thanks to Call of Duty’s polished and reliable backbone that’s been established for years.

Hip-hop moves fast, and Def Jam seems to have lost its cutting-edge appeal. [Aug 2006, p.93]

Crytek's first iOS game is a decent 30-level romp for folks that are looking for something new and pretty to play on the go.

The intelligently designed stages offer a well-balanced challenge even without bumping the difficulty to hard. [Mar 2009, p.86]

This is not a game for the faint of heart and some might even find its lack of taste, especially in later levels, appalling. But for those who appreciate nasty aesthetics as well as amusing-if-simplistic action, Mother Russia Bleeds is a fun time.

The title’s gameplay is more than just a band-aid. It's fulfilling in its own way – one which is as temperamental as the sport itself – and it’s the fundamental piece of a title whose benefits are more subtle than overt.

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, don’t miss Crunching Koalas’ brilliant remix. MouseCraft drops you into a series of challenges that will initially make you feel like a mouse trapped in a maze. But after working your way through these environments, you’ll feel like a mad scientist who can’t be stopped.

As a debut title, it's a straight-forward affair. [Dec 2008, p.112]

If you’re looking for something a little different in the mobile space, I can’t recommend this game enough. Just be warned: The puzzle difficulty is designed to mess with your mind and push you to think outside of the box…or boot up YouTube to watch someone else solve it.

If all this year’s Madden did was restore its feature set, then that alone would hardly be cause for hope. However, by improving the gameplay, it makes it so I’m much more apt to actually play more than one season before putting my controller down. This series isn’t out of the woods just yet, but this year lets it be known that Madden’s best days aren’t behind it.

Demonschool is infectious. The tactical clicks as I fired off a masterful turn that wipes out swathes of demonic creatures kept me coming back, day after day, week after week. Each new character pushed me in new directions, opening new horizons, while also luring me into new bonds and relationships. Though it takes a while to get going and falls a bit short in its side activities, Demonschool still manages to be a haunted PS1 disc of tactical joy.

A simplistic isometric hack n' slash game that plays like a blood soaked version of "Gauntlet." By no means a revolutionary game, just one that knows what players want. [Nov 2003, p.168]

Without spoiling the ending, I enjoyed how the team reminisced on some of the major plotlines of the series. I had fun remembering the team's adventures over the last 11 months, but I wish the story had spent a little more time on the events in this episode. Despite some awesome action scenes, the events of the episode feel rushed and the overall conclusion ends abruptly, leaving me unsatisfied with how everything plays out.

If you don’t mind taking the scenic route, Mages of Mystralia provides the unique opportunity to write your own spell book. Up until the end of the game, I was unlocking new runes that exponentially added to my magical arsenal. Piecing all of those runes into a new master spell made me feel like the most creative mage who’d ever lived, making this light-hearted adventure truly magical.

Dead to Rights: Retribution isn’t subtle or refined, but it excels at letting players move from one sleazy place to another and scouring it clean of life.

Clever class design accepted, Torchlight III doesn’t offer tremendous innovation or nuance in its systems or gameplay. The gratuitous destruction is often great fun, right up until the hour marker when it’s not, and it all starts to feel a bit tedious. Thankfully, there’s always a new magic sword to collect, a respec to try out, a new character class to discover, or a dungeon to delve. Torchlight III is an approachable action/RPG that’s especially welcoming to newcomers, or simply players who don’t want to focus too hard on their evening’s entertainment. Repeat conquerors of heaven and hell may wish to look elsewhere, but if your desires for fantasy destruction are more about high-octane action, Torchlight III rarely disappoints.

It’s easy to be skeptical of LEGO Rock Band as a quick cash grab, but Traveller’s Tales’ trademark LEGO silliness blended with a few interesting new mechanics from Harmonix elevates the game to a level fans of both series shouldn’t brush off.

Without spoiling the ending, I enjoyed how the team reminisced on some of the major plotlines of the series. I had fun remembering the team's adventures over the last 11 months, but I wish the story had spent a little more time on the events in this episode. Despite some awesome action scenes, the events of the episode feel rushed and the overall conclusion ends abruptly, leaving me unsatisfied with how everything plays out.

Garden Warfare 2 is active and engaging throughout. Finding challenges to take on, even when you don’t want to play online, is easy, and everything feeds into your leveling and unlocks regardless of where you are playing. The new classes add worthwhile abilities (and character designs), the new modes keeping things moving (and are often weird), and the combat is interesting, without venturing into the cumbersome or complicated.

Though it doesn’t add much for players looking to play around with its improvements solo, Nidhogg 2 adds layers of depth to a simple formula without breaking what made it so appealing in the first place. The new weapons and maneuvers blend seamlessly into fights, making them more dynamic and tense. Its single-player offerings may be paper-thin, but for anyone looking to test themselves against their friends, Nidhogg 2 is hard to beat.

Burning Shores is an entertaining epilogue for Aloy’s sophomore outing. It’s more Forbidden West with a few cool wrinkles, meaning it’s a good reminder of the things that the game did right while retaining a few old headaches (like the hand-holding during puzzles). More than anything, Aloy’s trip to Hollywood justifies its existence by meaningfully building upon the base game’s story, paving a solid runway for the next title to take off.

Despite the improvements made to this year’s title – including a noticeable bump in graphical quality – it still doesn’t have all the corners dialed in yet. AI cars take better racing lines than in 08, but they still don’t show near enough variety or smarts to pit at different times, take rim-riding race lines, or avoid plowing into each other during a caution.

Grand Kingdom is a solid strategy/RPG, especially if you've been hankering for something new and different.

I’m not totally sold on the melding of universes that Renegades aims for, but I think the expansion as a whole offers many hours of satisfying exploration, build-crafting, and new rewards to discover. This isn’t the fundamental reinvention of Destiny that many fans seem eager for, but as a creative twist on expectation, it offers plenty of good times.

Developer Lucid Games has a firm handle on Geometry Wars' twin stick action, but sometimes struggles to put it to good use. The star-based progression system is a head-scratcher of a decision, as it likely blocks the majority of players, and is strictly there to give skilled players a real run for their money.

Even though you may have to wince through a few conversations, VA-11 HALL-A sells its cyberpunk atmosphere with great presentation, including an exceptional soundtrack and cool character art.

Colossal Cave isn’t for everyone, but it’s like a slow and meticulously designed theme park ride, all built around an old text adventure game, making for a fascinating experience. Whether you play it or not is probably more up to your personal sensibilities, but Colossal Cave remains an immersive excavation that’s more than worth the trip, even with all the old screws and rusty bolts binding the two periods of game history together.

Cuphead is a singular experience. Studio MDHR knew what it wanted to make, then went ahead and made it. A tough boss-rush game based on classic animation archetypes? It shouldn’t work, but here we are. It’s fun to play, and possibly even as satisfying to watch, since you can fully absorb what’s going on screen.

Not only is it the best Arnold or Terminator-themed game ever (which isn't saying all that much), but it's also one of the best licensed games around. [Oct 2004, p.127]

All these years later, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from ToeJam & Earl beyond a blast of nostalgia. In some ways, the original was ahead of its time, and it only took a little tweaking to bring it up to contemporary expectations. Back in the Groove is a great gift, tucked inside an earnestly funky wrapper.

I had some trouble aligning the camera to work best for some routines, but Kintetic is still easily the best way to fight the physical inactivity we gamers are prone to. [Nov 2005, p.161]

It would have been easy to dial down the overall difficulty (and I wouldn’t have complained), but that wouldn’t have been Cuphead, either. Stick with it, is all I can say. We don't often get something that will make you laugh and grind your teeth in such close proximity.

It's definitely the most fun I've had with a fighting game in a long time, and it's also the one title that's managed to bring my PSP out of storage. [Nov 2005, p.178]

I was relieved when Requiem’s second set of credits rolled. Not because I didn’t enjoy playing the game, but because the de Runes’ journey in this game is tense and stressful for much of it. At times, it feels too long and oddly sadistic in its focus on inflicting fakeouts, pain, and suffering on the de Runes. Other times, I admired Asobo’s command of this series, its rat-infested stealth mechanics, and its grandiose storytelling. Fortunately, the latter edges out the former, and Requiem feels like much more than just a follow-up. With this journey behind me, I’m excited about where the series might go from here, but if Asobo plans a break for the franchise, rest assured that Requiem goes out with an impressive bang.

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.

The two games aren't identical, but at times you wouldn't know the difference. [Nov 2005, p.166]

If you can take all the messages and empathy out of This War of Mine, then it boils down to a rather simplistic survival experience that takes around 40 to 50 in-game days to complete.

Electronic Arts has resurrected the franchise after many years, transforming it from an isometric strategy game to a first-person shooter. If you're a hardcore superfan of the original who has an issue with this decision, nothing anyone says is going to change your mind. But if you're open to an FPS reinterpretation with loads of references to the old games, or if you've never heard of Syndicate and like sci-fi shooters, this may be the game for you.

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.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is hard, but in an intense way that makes you fear death with sweaty palms. It’s not frustrating – it’s a well-balanced challenge.

Still, this has more than its share of thrills; it's a fender mangling joy that few games can match. [Apr 2007, p.101]

Starbreeze managed to add another unique spin to the FPS genre that's worth checking out if you're not hung up on the property's legacy.

While this sequel does succeed in proving Rayne is more than a pretty face, a few more tweaks are needed before her playtime prowess matches her dark mystique. [Nov 2004, p.147]

At some point, being "the best soccer game in America" shouldn't be enough. [Dec 2002, p.130]

But if you're curious about blending exercise with your favorite pastime, Wii Fit is definitely worth checking out.

There’s plenty here to twist and turn your brain.

A dark and unnerving game that will impress and worry you with how nefarious it truly can be. [May 2002, p. 82]

Overall, The Red Lantern is a stunning game that offers a juxtaposition of being both a calming experience and one that can inspire a level of anxiety due to the more randomized nature of the mechanics. Watching that meter drop and feeling hope drop down with it can sometimes feel like a punch to the gut, but eventually a rhythm is found and relaxing around a campfire with a full belly, a warm fire, and adorable furry friends more than makes up for those dips in euphoria.

The cutscenes look good, and surprisingly, the voice acting is some of the best I've heard lately. [Nov 2002, p.128]

It's a pretty rocking title that can hang with the b-ball big boys. [Mar 2002, p.80]

The Midnight Walk is a rare case of a book best judged by its cover. If its aesthetic speaks to you, you'll have a pleasant, spooky journey alongside Potboy. If it doesn't, its simple gameplay is unlikely to grab your attention tightly enough to make up for it. Regardless, its execution of this style is commendable, and as the score soared in the final moments of my playthrough, I knew it was a walk I was glad to have taken.

Although using the analog stick or d-pad doesn't compare to the arcade joysticks of old, I appreciate being able to tweak the number of lives you get for each game. [Oct 2005, p.128]

Abzû is a game of mysteries and its world will move you to muse the beauty of life and our place in it. It contains moments that transcend the simple act of playing a video game by making a connection with the beings around you – a profound experience.

Borderlands 3 is a love letter to its fans and a celebration of the style of play it first popularized. Filled with characters from previous installments, and unapologetic in its silly humor and bombastic action, it’s an amusing ride that seems hesitant to innovate. If more of what you loved before is your chief desire, Gearbox has granted that wish through a game of impressive scope that charts some very safe territory.

Wii gamers have often been forced to make do with a substandard product for their less powerful system. This time, they get a great game built from the ground up to succeed.

Rogue Heroes is simple yet satisfying, painting an enjoyable and low-stress adventure for one or a group of friends. Nothing about the experience is likely to blow your mind but basking in its comfy confines might be just the recipe you’re looking for.

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

Rebellion isn't a massive departure for Sins of a Solar Empire, but it's a good enough reason to get back into the game or to discover for the first time one of the more interesting evolutions of the strategy genre in recent memory.

Balance of the Force isn't quite as strong as the first Star Wars Pinball pack, but it still offers plenty of variety and replay value to fans. After playing countless hours across dozens of tables, I'm still not tired of Zen Studios' pinball formula, and these new tables are sure to tide me over until the next offering.

Balance of the Force isn't quite as strong as the first Star Wars Pinball pack, but it still offers plenty of variety and replay value to fans. After playing countless hours across dozens of tables, I'm still not tired of Zen Studios' pinball formula, and these new tables are sure to tide me over until the next offering.

Nothing should stop you from downloading Street Fighter X Mega Man and giving it a shot. After all, it's free. Street Fighter X Mega Man pales in comparison to the rest of the classic entries, but it's still a wonderful test of the waters for newcomers and a charming experiment for lifelong fans.

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.

For some of the hardcore fans of the original, New ‘n’ Tasty may disappoint simply because it is different, but – as someone who saved every Mudokon in Abe’s Oddysee – I had a great time revisiting this classic.

Nobody Wants to Die delivers a few hours of largely engaging storytelling, easy yet well-presented puzzle-solving, and jaw-dropping sights. It has an ideal length, as it wraps up just when the long investigation segments begin feeling repetitive since your toolset never changes. While I didn’t get to wear my detective hat as tightly as I wanted, I enjoyed my tour through this cautionary vision of the future.

Thankfully, the game's shape-shifting shtick lifts it above the average, by allowing the good doctor to transform himself into a spider, gorilla, and several other types of creatures. [Nov 2002, p.140]