Super Mega Baseball 2 delivers a rock-solid baseball experience that may come up light on modes, but homes in on the fun and skill of pitching and batting. I hope this becomes an annualized series, as Metalhead has a great foundation to build upon.

For better and worse, Riptide plays almost exactly like its flawed-but-fun predecessor. The melee-centric gameplay is still weighty and satisfying. Landing deliberate blows on a zombie’s head or limbs feels great, especially when you break an arm or lop off a head. Dead Island’s undead are just threatening enough to keep you on your toes without ever becoming too frustrating.

A solid 3D Othello, tic-tac-toe kind of a game. [Feb 2003, p.101]

Perhaps what’s most impressive to me is how effectively lean Scanner Sombre is. The entire game is only three hours. Mechanically speaking there isn’t much you do outside of using the scanner to solve puzzles, find your way, and outwit foes. However, the foreboding atmosphere and where its plot ultimately leads is satisfying enough that its gameplay and storytelling are compelling. Whether you’re coming across a new upgrade for your LIDAR or slowly mapping out a spooky tunnel and inching toward danger, Scanner Sombre is a consistently spooky and somber game that’s worthwhile for those who want to scratch that horror-adventure itch.

Because most of my eight hours with Dig were spent spelunking through stages leading down, I rarely had to think about the game’s roguelite efforts. I spent most of my time playing through beautiful stages to the tune of chippy synth tunes, fascinated with how far Nitrome and Yacht Club were able to stretch the “dig” aspect of this game. Perhaps the roguelite nature of Dig will play a bigger role in my post-game excavations because I’m rearing to jump back in to discover all of its secrets. Even if it doesn’t, though, I know I still have at least a few more hours of great Shovel Knight gameplay ahead of me and in the world of platforming, that’s a treasure worth digging up.

I found distracting bugs in all the versions of the game, but playing Riptide on our high-end gaming PC results in a smoother framerate and improved visuals.

Even with its issues, EA Sports FC 26 offers a level of player development and immersion that you just don’t get in other sports titles. On the surface, it’s easy to describe the gameplay overhaul as simple quality-of-life updates, but this year's changes tackle several player frustrations (particularly around goalkeeping), ultimately improving the franchise for the long haul.. EA Sports FC 26 is a robust step forward for a franchise I had lost faith in, and now, I can’t stop playing.

If your GBA hole needs plugging, this is a good choice. [Nov 2005, p.182]

The hack n' slash equivalent of Ozzy Osbourne: It's a little slow, a little clumsy, and pretty damn incoherent, but somewhat charming in its own odd way. [July 2002, p.88]

Unlocking the rest of the ship roster should be easier, since trying different ships is a core pillar of FTL's replayability. The ill-conceived boss fight breaks the established rules to deliver a frustratingly unfair challenge, but the meat of the gameplay itself is an excellent take on one of sci-fi fandom's oldest and most beloved themes. You have to respect that accomplishment when it comes from anyone, much less a two-man studio Kickstarted into a $10 indie game.

Similar to Journey, The Unfinished Swan is brief, visually stunning, and more focused on the experience than with testing combat skills or platforming prowess. Some collectibles are available in the form of hidden balloons and storybook pages, which might bring completionists back for additional playthroughs. While I feel that the overall experience didn't impact me as much as Journey, and won't stay with me as long, it still has plenty of unique ideas to offer.

While Tipping Stars could use a few more new elements to freshen things up overall, the levels remain enjoyable nonetheless. The lack of extraneous minigames and boss battles keeps the focus where it should be – right on the puzzles.

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]

From the moment you step onto these demon-infested lands to the moment you deal the killing blow to the game’s final boss, you’ll experience plenty of surprises – the Konami Code does something really cool, for example. Infernax’s retro soundtrack that rips from start to finish, beautiful art, challenging gameplay, and a fun Castlevania-inspired design, make it worth the price of admission.

The visual upgrade on PS5 is hard to ignore, with Sumo Digital displaying a mastery of recreating materials. Subtle and impressive lighting effects add an additional layer of believably to physical objects such as fabric, metals, and other surfaces – and even the nearly invisible wisps of fuzz on Sackboy’s head. Even though the fidelity isn’t quite as sharp on PS4, a strong overall aesthetic direction makes it still look appealing on the aging hardware. DualSense implementation makes for another strong case to play on PS5 if at all possible. The controller’s haptics and adaptive triggers are put to great use, mimicking the sensation of walking on different surfaces and hoisting heavy objects. Regardless of what version you pick up, you’ll be setting off on a joyous and satisfying journey. But if you have a choice, the PS5 version is the clear winner here.

As someone who has grown increasingly wary of the rote formula most modern adventure games cling to, Hidden Agenda is another fresh and worthwhile experience from Supermassive. It may not have the same impact or polish as its predecessor, but it provides an evening of solid entertainment and a great alternative to the standard choose-your-own-adventure fare.

It's fast, challenging, and surprisingly different - in short, it's great fun. [Aug 2005, p.107]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a simple game, but as is the case with Mario's best titles, there's an elegance to that simplicity. Nintendo has done a stellar job adding features to make it more palatable to a modern audience, but it only comes together because of how well the classic levels hold up. Mario and Donkey Kong have been rivals for over 40 years, and this game admirably carries that legacy forward.

Little Kitty, Big City could have easily over-relied on its cute cat, forgetting that controlling it and interacting with the world around it needs to be just as pleasant. Instead, a perfectly paced runtime, feline-forward mechanics, and engaging exploration coalesce into a reminder of why we love these animals so much in the first place.

While this RPG has some annoyances, its amusement factor is hard to deny. [July 2004, p.123]

Madden 19 doesn’t have earth-shattering features that draw me in. Some new features don’t shake out how I hoped they might, and other problems haven’t been fixed. But I’m still going to spend hours with this title for the way it captures the sport and puts me in the center of it with some fantastic gameplay moments.

If you've been waiting for years to get your hands on this Tri-Ace classic, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth will not dissapoint. [Aug 2006, p.90]

Tetris Axis is another bright spot on the puzzle series' legacy, but some of the aging modes trip things up for veterans. If you're a 3DS owner in the mood for core Tetris without extra experimentation, keep in mind that the eShop already offers Tetris Party Live for only $5.

Gunman Clive 2 has an undeniable old-school sensibility missing from the glut of new-age nostalgia-fueled independent titles.

The Golf Club delivers as a course creator, and it's no slouch swinging the clubs, either. What's missing is the personality: the larger career structure and personal investment in your avatar to spur players on and elevate the experience from a nice set of features to the complete package.

Overall, the game does feel rather slow in comparison to overall MMORPGs I have played, but I is still addicting. [Jan 2004, p.154]

A good solid RTS slugfest with some interesting elements. Veterans of the genre should enjoy the variations on strategy that it brings, while the AI-controlled combat keeps gameplay accessible to newcomers to the genre. [Oct 2004, p.144]

Back 4 Blood is one of my comfort food games of 2021. It is an excellent time with friends that scratches an itch I’ve had since the glory days of Left 4 Dead. While it never reaches the heights of its inspiration, the addition of cards makes me hungry to play more, even when the game isn’t at its strongest.