Like a moth drawn to a flame, I can't pull myself away from the incredible explosions, blinding speeds, and impressive vehicular carnage. Once you get behind the wheel, it's almost impossible to turn this speedster off. [Oct 2005, p.118]

The graphics and physics are inferior to "Courtside" on the 'Cube, but 2K2 gets the nod in nearly every other aspect. [May 2002, p.85]

I obsessed over Stephen's Sausage Roll for several nights in a row and ended up rolling sausages around in my dreams. Thankfully, Stephen’s Sausage Roll is an obsession worth having.

Orta actually comes packed with a few surprising enhancements, injecting some depth into the gameplay. [Jan 2003, p.105]

It still looks great and has one of the best single-player stories out there. [Jan 2005, p.143]

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.

Hollow Knight is deliberate in ways few games are, from its tough-love first hours all the way to the end of its long, content-packed journey. Challenging end-game bosses put every single skill I had to the test and left me with a sense of mastery.

Like this year’s New York Yankees team, MLB 09: The Show is stacked with unrivaled gameplay, simulation, online, and presentation. With "Major League Baseball 2K9" underperforming this year, the choice for baseball fans is easy. The only logical choice is MLB 09: The Show.

The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game. Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn’t have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes.

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

For the second year running, MVP is home to the best all around gameplay package. The pressure sensitive pitching mechanic, and sheer intensity of batting best exemplify the realism of the sport and skills that it takes to excel. [Apr 2004, p.93]

Addicting as hell. [Dec 2002, p.137]

Nothing but wild fun. [Nov 2001, p.125]

You might question whether a sushi restaurant management sim crossed with underwater diving is your cup of tea, but that would be missing the point. Dave the Diver is a unique and memorable vacation away from expectations, and it’s the very fact that you don’t usually play games like this that makes it so satisfying.

A short but engrossing play that will remain with you long after you finish. [Aug 2010, p.110]

Hi-Fi Rush finds a magical sweet spot between rhythm games, stylish action, and lighthearted, character-driven platformers we don't see very often anymore, and by every measure, it comes out on top.

Tense, strategic, and hard to put down, Mark of the Ninja is one of the welcome surprises of the year. If you miss the heyday of pure stealth-focused games, or you never played a great stealth game and wonder what all the fuss is about, Klei Entertainment just snuck out of nowhere to offer you a weekend's worth of fun.

The moment you finish the game, you'll be chomping at the bit for the inevitable Assassin's Creed III. [Dec 2010, p.112]

While the novel gameplay and awe-inspiring art style will be the hook for many, the tale told here is one filled with heart and humor. [May 2008, p.95]

While Chained Echoes has the advantage of decades of distance from the games it looks to for inspiration, it’s a better experience in many instances than those vaunted games from which it arose. I prefer this combat, storytelling, and approach to progression and exploration to many of the JRPGs I grew up so enamored with playing. That’s the highest praise I can heap on a game so removed in time from the games to which it might be compared. Whether you currently count yourself a JRPG connoisseur or fondly recall the ʼ90s heyday of the genre, Chained Echoes is well worth your time.

With Super Meat Boy's cornucopia of offerings and irresistible charm, you'd be hard-pressed not to get your money's worth out of this title.

Regardless of the game’s mechanical simplicity, Rockstar has created an addictive, bite-sized serving of its patented “breaking the law” gameplay. Chinatown Wars jams an entire metropolis in your handheld that’s just begging to be exploited.

A monster of a sequel, offering bigger scares and more excitement than I expected... The tease for Dead Space 3 has my head spinning with questions. [Feb 2011, p.92]

The concept may be just as extraordinary as its predecessor's, but with a hefty dosage of multiplayer and a quest that isn't as nerve-racking, Pikmin 2 is deserving of mainstream recognition and is easily the most noteworthy and praiseworthy GameCube product this summer. [Aug 2004, p.101]

Forget about hating the controller and you'll light 'em up. [Nov 2001, p.121]

The ridiculously overstuffed suite of gameplay options extends even further with the inclusion of historic teams for head-to-head play and collectible card based MyTeam mode fashioned after EA Sports’ Ultimate Team. This game has no shortage of ways to hoop.

As a hardcore strategy gamer who is no stranger to planning out my empire's production dozens of turns in advance, I've already turned to Civ V for my world-conquering needs – but at the same time, if anything is going to rear a new generation of strategy gamers like the very first Civilization did for me, it's this.

Super Mario 3D Land isn't perfect, but the few complaints I have (like the lack of variety in boss fights and some re-hashed levels) can't bring down this entertaining mix of nostalgia and innovation. It lives up to the level of quality set by previous entries and is easily the best reason to own a 3DS.