Plenty of people can put up with a bit of ugliness if there’s still a pretty good time to be had overall. For Modern Warfare II, the good time offered by its multiplayer and in glimpses within its campaign may be enough.

It may not have the built-in fanbase of Pokémon, but in terms of gameplay and visuals, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker puts up a good fight.

This is my number one frustration, as any mistake puts you back much closer to square one. Any contraband you've hidden in your desk remains, but the on-hand keys, equipment, and weaponry you spent your time crafting are gone, and it's not quick or easy to regain. It wouldn't be so frustrating if the game allowed for manual saves, but the individual levels are tied to their online leaderboards and autosave every few seconds. I wish I could have turned this off for local play.

Mystery Room departs from the Layton series’ signature elements, and can’t measure up to the other interactive novel titles it attempts to emulate. The story and characters are interesting at times, but aren’t strong enough to keep the whole experience afloat. Mystery Room has bright spots, but the uneven execution and shoehorned-in Layton connection make the case go cold.

This is a surprisingly big and challenging release, and not one to be overlooked as just another simplistic rail shooter. It may not be the next big release in the franchise, but Umbrella Chronicles deserves its place right beside the other games in this venerable series.

Please, someone put a hit out on this one before it commits more crimes against gaming. [Sept. 2006, p.93]

Stepping into the shoes of the lead guitarist adds a new layer of excitement to the Rock Band formula, and the new gameplay mechanics are fun to mess around with, even if it feels completely different from the original gameplay style. Harmonix has always prided itself on giving players new ways to experience their music, and Rock Band VR succeeds in that regard. Though lacking in content, Rock Band VR is a fun, new way for the long-running series to let you live out the rockstar fantasy.

With guns firing at full tilt, and mindless carnage taking center stage, Midway has a surefire hit on its hands. [May 2005, p.108]

Outlast 2 asks more questions than it answers, and too much is left to your interpretation. This ambiguity might have worked, but it makes the conclusion unsatisfying. Even with its hiccups, it is nonetheless an intense ride that makes you question your sanity. If gory thrills are something you seek, Outlast 2 provides plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat as long as you can look past the clumsy storytelling.

The main problem I found was that this type of game needs to tread a fine line between player control and AI, and I don't feel that Space Colony does it all that well. [Dec 2003, p.181]

The first Tropico offering was a bit wittier, and a touch more engrossing, but the Pirate theme is done as well as possible in this title. [June 2003, p.116]

If market trends and supply/demand curves don't set your blood aflame, Patrician III will have you napping in no time. [Jan 2004, p.157]

Since I was a Huffy riding, "Dukes of Hazzard" watching child of the 80's, I found playing these old classics particularly appealing. [June 2002, p.87]

You get just enough time to either shake that turd out of your shorts or to start firing - but not both. [Dec 2002, p.133]

I look forward to the day when Tak gets the game he deserves. [Oct 2005, p.128]

For the second year running, "NHL" best encapsulates the play and and authenticity of the sport. [Sept 2004, p.103]

When you go up against "RE Code: Veronica" armed with only a flashlight, you just aren't going to win the battle. [Nov 2001, p.125]

Stylish action games have evolved a lot in recent years, and this release skillfully straddles the line between new and old. The extra characters offer more variety and versatility that any fan of the genre should appreciate. They don’t completely mask the other problems, but the inventive twists on the content ultimately outweigh the legacy complaints.

Overall, Top Spin 2 gets the job done with an attention to detail that might be a bit offputting to casual fans. [May 2006, p.104]

Had The Old Blood been injected with more new blood, maybe it would have matched or surpassed the quality of The New Order. But by over-relying on nostalgia to drive the experience, it's well-crafted fan service rather than an attempt to push the series in new directions.

The gameplay is alll that really matters. [Jan 2006, p.147]

For a by-the-numbers space shooter, you can't go wrong with the second installment of this DS franchise. [Jan 2008, p.102]

As the novelty wears off the C&C setting begins to dissolve, you're left with a decent FPS that quickly becomes as easy to put down as it was to pick up. [Apr 2002, p.84]

One year after the initial launch of Job Simulator, Virtual Rick-ality doesn’t do much to expand on that VR experience; Owlchemy Labs has applied a new coat of paint to an old foundation. This game achieves its modest ambitions of letting fans to dive head-first into the Rick and Morty universe. While I enjoy the faithfulness to the subject matter, Virtual Rick-ality doesn’t have the depth or variety to make it successful on other levels.

Deck13 included a number of new weapon and armor types, all of which can be upgraded extensively, again putting heavy weight on the act of grinding, which is a bit excessive, but thankfully it ends up being fun. If you like the idea of cobbling together armor sets earned by felling difficult foes, give The Surge 2 a try. You may get a bit lost in the world at times, but every encounter is fun and well thought out. The bosses in particular are nicely designed, exotic in look, and push you to play with brutal precision.

The current free and paid mini Battle Passes and daily quests kept me busy throughout my time with MultiVersus. While I enjoyed unlocking content, the need to grind out repetitive bot matches to hit some numbers in a reasonable amount of time can be a slog. Completed seasonal goals annoyingly didn’t clear out for me so I had to dig into the menus and turn past a page of grayed-out items to check my progress constantly. Living games have the potential to go in frustrating directions, but MultiVersus has a strong foundation. If it can meaningfully roll out content and smooth out its rough edges, this could become a new crossover obsession for years to come.

Filled with amazing battles and worthy strategy, and anchored by strong gameplay. [Dec 2004, p.166]

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]