This collection offers up a wide range of brawlers and shooters from days long gone, but sadly, not many of these are all that memorable.

While Tapout didn't bandage the wounds of its predecessor, it's much better than a punch in the groin. [Mar 2002, p.84]

While XIII has style in spades, gameplay is nowhere near as groundbreaking. [Dec 2003, p.166]

The developers failed to develop a camera system capable of dealing with the 3D action. [Apr 2002, p.79]

Classic compilations really don't get much better than this...A nostalgic dream come true.

I eventually abandoned the physical toys for the convenience of quick onscreen tweaks, and the road to victory had some bumps and dips with balance issues and some repetitive mission structures. Nonetheless, I found a lot to like in Starlink’s uncomplicated and wholesome sci-fi campaign. And I have no doubt that the 11-year-old version of me would be at least twice as thrilled.

Over the years, the tone of the Resident Evil series has morphed from a George Romero horror flick to Michael Bay summer blockbuster. That metamorphosis into insane action is front and center in Resident Evil 6, and bringing a buddy along for the chaos is great fun.

Our Darker Purpose is fast-paced life-and-death frolic and provides many hours of delightfully difficult gameplay. An unforgiving game is nothing new, but the clever setting combined with the challenge and customization makes this title shine within its own niche category.

The gore may be too extreme and nauseating at times, but the decent animations, nice-looking restaurants, and compelling narrative kept me pushing through to the last cuts. Ravenous Devils is unlike anything out there, and it won’t be for everyone, but there’s no denying that it’s a nicely made and oddly enjoyable experience.

As complete a package as one could hope for. [May 2005, p.132]

Even PS3 gamers who would be playing it for the first time should be wary about a purchase. [Issue#203, p.97]

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

My biggest problem is the fact that you can't hold down a shot button to pre-load a swing - the computer takes the backswing for you - something that seems contrary to the way most tennis games have operated in the past. [July 2004, p.115]

When you’re dancing Spotlight is fun, but it is easily the weakest game in the Dance Central series.

Players may find their enthusiasm flagging at times, but it’s hard not to cackle with glee after watching yet another base bloom into a fiery blossom.

When Superliminal’s mechanics work, I felt like I was participating in a magic trick, but when they didn’t I felt like the developers were playing a trick on me. I was both amused and frustrated while playing Superliminal, but didn’t think much about the game after its credit’s rolled. Like a fading dream, Superliminal is also a bit ephemeral.

MX vs. ATV: Reflex features some great racing moments, but the game's technical ambitions sometimes get in its way. The possibilities of reflex racing with the right analog are clearly there, they just haven't been mastered yet.

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.

For diehard fans of the series, this one's a must-play. For everyone else, Case West is fun, but hardly essential. [Feb 2011, p.95]

Fans of the well-crafted, single-player campaigns of previous Rainbow Six games will find nothing of value in Siege. The short tutorial missions lack replay value, and the popular Terrorist Hunt mode, which can be played with up to five friends, gives players little options other than ramping up the difficulty. Locking players out of selecting the map they want to play on is a curious decision, as are many of the battle tactics you see the enemy A.I. employ.

Ultimately I came the realization that, at the end of the day, I would have been happier playing this game with a conventional analog stick.

As good as the player models are, their uniforms surprisingly don’t pick up dirt or grass stains. It is cool, however, to see clumps of turf get kicked up by players’ cleats.

A Brighter Darkness is more than passable, but it’s not my favorite. Compared to Disgaea 4’s ambition and heart, it is a letdown. Disgaea 4 took the series to new places, opening up multiplayer and community, but A Brighter Darkness doesn’t do anything as impressive. This is even more disappointing if you are a fan anticipating a reunion with beloved characters.

Resonance of Fate may appeal to the JRPG connoisseur who is looking for an interesting and challenging new take on combat. Others most likely will be thrown off by the silliness, steep learning curve, required grinding, and other pains – especially when there are so many recent well-rounded RPGs out there.

These drivers get treated like absolute superstars, and ungodly amounts of money get poured into these racing programs, but that’s not conveyed enough here. I don’t want a caviar-eating minigame, but I think the series should reflect that F1 is about more than just fast cars.

Great characters, decently designed puzzles, and nifty graphics. [Nov 2003, p.175]

I Am Setsuna has lots of nods to Chrono Trigger, from its general combat framework to specific references to skills like X-Strike and Luminaire. However, it doesn’t capture why most players connected to that seminal title. Even though the combat is entertaining, I Am Setsuna’s characters are dull, the environments are repetitive, and the story is predictable.

Easily the best option for college hoops fans. [Jan 2003, p.96]