I can’t knock Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged for too much; it’s an enjoyable, arcade-like racer that feels like something you might find in the arcade. It captures what it’s like to be a kid imagining race courses for your toys and offers an almost overwhelming customizable playbox. The quick races and variety in modes never let anything become too dull before you’re on to the next objective, boosting your way to victory. I’m not a Hot Wheels diehard, but the sheer creativity, speed, and customization hooked me.

Not only is it fun for Disney lovers, it's a good time for skateboarding fans looking for creative environments or a more forgiving learning curve. [Oct 2003, p.123]

If Vanquish had been fleshed out with better characters, more variety, and a more substantial campaign, it could have been great. As is, the awesome suit amounts to little more than a fun toy in a forgettable world.

The ideal way to experience Spirits Unleashed is to round up your buddies, rotate through maps, take turns playing as the ghost, and proceed to hoot and holler. If that’s not an option, matchmaking with random players is smooth and quick, and in-game markers make teamwork possible even if everyone’s playing off-mic. The thrill of Ghostbusting eventually starts to wane, but it takes a while to get to that point, and updates down the road could help to keep those Proton Packs humming.

Unquestionably the best MMORPG available for the console, with a high potential to eat away at your free time, and possibly be responsible for some "sick" days at work. [May 2004, p.99]

Even with these new elements, the game isn't as dynamic or addictive as others in the series, but it does manage to find some identity amid its more familiar feature that Sims fans will certainly appreciate. [Nov 2005, p.150]

With a robust online mode, scattered borrowings from real-time strategy games, and that elusive indescribable fun factor, KUF is exactly the step-up that this genre needed. [Nov 2004, p.163]

It may not be an all-time standout among beat 'em ups, but Rita’s Rewind is the Power Rangers’ best cooperative outing yet.

Beautiful and challenging. [Oct 2005, p.146]

There's a reason why most people buy the newest year of a sports game, and it's not just to get the new rosters. It's always good to get the latest gameplay tweaks – but you won't find them here in this FIFA title. FIFA Soccer for the Vita may do a good job showing what the new system can do, but it could do a better job with offering a tighter gameplay experience.

It has a blemished, blood-soaked face that's going to scare off some gamers, but there's a lot of heart and fun to be found by those willing to dig beneath the ghoulish surface.

The journey through Tower of Guns is what makes it fun; it isn’t a game about completion. Its intense firefights and ever-evolving environments are best enjoyed in short bursts. Many of your attempts end in failure, which might entice you to put the controller down, but its classic high-octane action is enough to lure you back for another run – at least for a while.

Gameplay, meanwhile, makes some minor adjustments this year--giving a few more control options including the ability to play with a scheme that is identical to Konami's "Winning Eleven" button layout. [Oct. 2006, p.94]

Matt Hazard’s debut missed the mark with gamers, and though this entry isn’t a bull’s-eye, his aim has gotten a lot better.

Apart from the cute twist of playing as a cat, Gato Roboto does little to innovate and feels like a decent game you’ve already played.

DriveClub works as advertised, and despite the seamlessness of its single-player and online features, the game's not wildly more captivating than most other racers out there.

Even though the routine is familiar, Xeodrifter still provides fun exploration augmented by nostalgia. A game doesn’t need to be groundbreaking to be entertaining, and Xeodrifter does an admirable job following the prescribed orbit of the classics in the genre.

MediEvil Resurrection is largely based on old hack n' slash design tropes (like collecting runes to open doors and rudimentary arena-based boss battles) that seems a bit dated in this day and age. [Oct 2005, p.154]

It's a step behind the console versions, but it's damn impressive and even better for how fast it moves. [Dec 2005, p.190]

The final sequence is so charming that it makes me wish there were more story cut-scenes throughout the game. As it stands, all of the light drama is mashed into the last 15 minutes.

While there's a lot to love about this series, and this entry in particular, Agent 47's world still foesn't offer the subtlety necessary for this great premise to really be satisfying. [June 2006, p.110]

The mashup of rhythm and adventure works in Cadence of Hyrule, even if not all of the elements from Zelda and Necrodancer intermingle well. The spirit of the Zelda series, including its wonderful sense of exploration, iconic music, and fun combat are alive and well here, enhanced by a killer set of songs that both celebrate and elevate one of gaming’s most enduring soundtracks.

It doesn’t change the reality that Destiny 2 feels greatly stripped back at the moment, even with the addition of several new ventures in these early weeks of Beyond Light. As an expansion, Beyond Light introduces some captivating narrative beats and missions, but it’s not enough all on its own to carry the load of the Destiny universe. I’m left ambivalent, with plenty of enthusiasm for the new content, and excitement about what comes next, but also the sense that for the first time, my longtime hobby game feels lesser than before.

I’d recommend this wholeheartedly to fans of dungeon crawling, but it could be a frustrating choice for non-enthusiasts.

A general lack of polish holds Perimeter back from being a real contender for top dog in the RTS genre. [July 2004, p.121]

FIFA 08 is the most playable version of the series yet in the next-gen era--including a cool Superstar-like mode--but ghosts of old gameplay still haunt this release. [Oct 2007, p.110]

In skating terms, this game's success is more than just dropping in on a vert ramp for the first time without eating it face-first. Shaun White Skateboarding has some tricks in its back pocket, and I look forward to it expanding its arsenal in the future.

Even with these new elements, the game isn't as dynamic or addictive as others in the series, but it does manage to find some identity amid its more familiar feature that Sims fans will certainly appreciate. [Nov 2005, p.150]