It may not be the be all end all Sonic game that professed enthusiasts like myself have been waiting 15 years for, but Sonic 4 is a fun, frenetic download for fans and newcomers alike.

The game may actually be a little text heavy at times, and the early hours are a tad simplistic, but overall this was a pleasant surprise. [Aug 2006, p.93]

Other than a couple Vita-specific features, an easier difficulty level, and a collection of trial missions, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus doesn't offer anything new. If you loved the original game enough to play through its numerous updates, then you may enjoy taking this new version on the go. However, action fans accustomed to the polished games of this generation may become frustrated with the eight year-old mechanics.

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s campaign misses the mark, but multiplayer and Zombies do the heavy lifting to get the title to a good place. If you’re most invested in the single-player experience, you can pass on this year’s entry, but if you’re into the other modes, Call of Duty remains an excellent choice for some shooting, looting, and zombie executing.

Ultra Despair Girls would be easier to bear if it were just an incidental side story that fans could ignore. Unfortunately, it is important to understanding the world of Danganronpa, but the gameplay and dialogue make you suffer every step of the way.

Dead or Alive 6 sports a robust fighting system, but the framework around it doesn’t capitalize on that. While the tutorial and DOA Quest mode do a decent job of getting you up to speed on what makes combat tick, the awful story mode does it no favors, and the barebones online puts a damper on what could have been a second wind for the series.

The one thing that makes this game worth it to NASCAR rubes like you and me is that the new speed blur makes side-by-side racing pretty damn cool. [Oct. 2006, p.94]

Divinity II isn’t without its charms, but weak game design sullies the thrill of digging into the many secrets of its outstanding world.

As an educational tool, Never Alone is a great success, but the gameplay does more to burden than bolster that achievement.

A certain population of gamers will no doubt find exactly what they're looking for here. especially as they get into the higher-level content and PvP areas of the game. [Jun 2006, p.117]

Excellent arrangements of Dig Dug, Galaga, and Pac-Man maintain the integrity (and brilliance) of the originals. [Feb 2002, p.85]

The physics, audio, and accuracy are lacking. [Oct 2002, p.84]

Can't be praised enough for its truly excellent storytelling, but the greatest coup for the title is that the game wrapped around this tale is engaging, surprising, and very well done. [July 2003, p.103]

It became clear at this point that Horizons follows the MMORPG cannon to the letter, that the graphics are very average, and that there's no reason to play outside the social aspect. [Feb 2004, p.111]

Through the fog awkward mechanics and unsatisfying decisions (not to mention some dumb story twists), the fun and intriguing core of Vampyr is sometimes visible. Unfortunately, that fog lifts only rarely, leaving most of the experience shrouded in darkness.

It just fails to capture the urgency of the console version to a degree that I wish they'd left the cop angle out entirely. [Jan 2006, p.157]

Even in this realm of sub-average platformers, you have several better options than Mushroom Men. [Dec 2008, p.124]

Considering all of the extras Eurocom added to Reloaded, I have no doubt the developer tried to make the definitive version of a modern day GoldenEye. However, I still feel like I would've been happier playing a $10 downloadable HD remake of the original game, similar to last year's XBLA release of Perfect Dark. GoldenEye 007: Reloaded still entertains, but stripped of its nostalgia, it fails to reach the status of an elite agent.

Like dysfunctional characters in a buddy flick, Army of Two has some annoying problems, but if you just want a fun cooperative experience, it gets the job done and delivers sizeable thrills you won’t find anywhere else.

Light Fall draws you in with its stylistic visuals and the promise of a new twist on a classic formula. Creating your own platforms is fun, but Bishop Games didn’t develop this gimmick into a meaningful series of mechanics. As it stands, Light Fall is a handful of interesting ideas that are missing the elements they need to really shine.

I enjoyed my time with this title, but for most, the lack of variety and options will disappoint. [Nov 2003, p.163]

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is a fighting game that tries to appeal to everyone, and it largely succeeds (unless you’re a die-hard Wolverine fan). I occasionally cringed at the bad one-liners, but I also giggled with absurd joy every time photojournalist Frank West tossed a demigod like Thanos across a dilapidated space station. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite isn’t trying to be taken seriously; it’s a series of geeky what-if scenarios that play out in spectacular aerial battles. After I embraced that, I had a lot of fun.

Proves that completely unique games can still be as painfully dull as sweeping your bedroom. [Sept 2005, p.114]

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, don’t miss Crunching Koalas’ brilliant remix. MouseCraft drops you into a series of challenges that will initially make you feel like a mouse trapped in a maze. But after working your way through these environments, you’ll feel like a mad scientist who can’t be stopped.

Graphically, Agent Under Fire is amazing, leaving similar titles like "Red Faction" and "TimeSplitters" in the dust. [Jan 2002, p.77]

It's beautiful, hard, smart, and alarmingly engrossing. [Sept 2004, p.116]

Doomed to be as bland as the Rock's acting. [June 2002, p.87]

This is a fetch quest of unparalleled proportions. [Jan 2004, p.160]