If you enjoy listening to the broadcast, NHL 2002's dual commentary is the best I've ever heard in the game. [Nov 2001, p.104]

Its stunning visual style, high concept story, and wildly open level design are like nothing else, even if too much repetition begins to frustrate in the later hours. It’s a game people will still be talking about five years from now.

I was doing stuff that at least looked neat right away. Then, the game got harder, and I got better. This is one of the title's strongest points - a perfect ramp-up of difficulty and skill acquisition. [Nov 2003, p.154]

The bar for the next generarion of RPG's has been set. [May 2006, p.92]

With extremely tight controls and finely tuned balance, the core fighting mechanics and local multiplayer are spot on. There’s still nothing like learning the intricacies of every character, discovering possibly the most unlockables in any game yet, and using all of that to beat the crap out of your friends late into the night.

The speed and polish of UT 2004 cannot be denied. [May 2004, p.104]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate isn’t dramatically reinventing the franchise, but that’s all right with me; it’s a refinement of what’s come before. Some of my favorite gaming moments have centered on Smash, and it’s great to have a solid new anchor for moments yet to come – even if it means getting knocked into oblivion by a snoozing Jigglypuff every once in a while.

BioWare has not only made a sweet combat system, but the game's universe itself is a joy. [May 2005, p.118]

I'm glad that games don't have feelings. If they did, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence would be the over-achiever that makes the games around it feel embarrassingly inadequate. [Apr 2006, p.121]

Certainly a great addition to the EQ universe, but falls short of the "Scars of Velious" expansion, which is still the best in the series simply because it offered so much content. [Jan 2003, p.118]

Super Paper Mario's seemingly simple concept - giving the player the ability to flip between 2D and 3D worlds - pays off in level designs that are nothing short of brilliant.

It's like a simple "Sims"...but it's a lot of fun, I swear. [Oct 2002, p.86]

I would recommend buying Madden over all other franchises 100 times out of 100 to any Xbox owner. [Sept 2002, p.89]

Blue Prince is everything I want in an indie game: a unique, creative idea brought to life with expert execution. Its combination of roguelikes and puzzle games feels effortless, with each aspect boosting my enjoyment of the other. Like the best puzzle games, it makes the player feel smart, and like the best roguelikes, it makes the player infinitely hungry for another run. Ultimately, Blue Prince is about mysteries. It harnesses the innate, burning curiosity one feels when seeing a closed door at the end of a hallway and crafts it into an unforgettable experience.

Neon White achieves everything it sets out to with remarkable success. Not only is it one of the most entertaining experiences I've played in years, but it also speaks to a highly specific audience many just don't anymore. It's for weirdos, misfits, and dorks. Neon White is one of the best games of the year, and it'd be a colossal mistake not to check it out...If you're able, we highly recommend playing on PC – particularly with a mouse.

Ghost of Tsushima captures the mystique, fierce violence, and barely contained emotional angst of the great samurai films. The line of inspiration is clearly purposeful; Sucker Punch included a gorgeous “Kurosawa Mode,” which sets a black-and-white, film-grain, audio-treated effect that doubles down on the classic cinematic vibe. It’s well worth turning on, if only for a few missions. But even beyond that cool feature, this is a game that nails the aesthetic it’s shooting for, firmly establishing itself as the medium’s defining samurai saga.

Doom: The Dark Ages is modern Doom executed better than ever. It’s a bloody, challenging, and strategic thrill ride that tested my skills, forced me to catch my breath, and always had me asking for more. With the Shield Saw and other great additions, id Software gives me something I didn’t know I wanted, proving once again that this legendary series can still evolve in ways we haven’t even dreamed of.

Players can influence the way every action, subpolot, and mission plays out to an uparalleled degree. [Jan 2004, p.152]

It looks much better than it does in the movies. This is a blasphemous statement for George Lucas fanboys, yet one that speaks volumes. [Dec 2001, p.96]

There wasn't one moment during my time with this game that I wasn't engaged and having fun. Ultimately, that's the mark of a great title in any genre. [May 2005, p.106]

The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we're willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we're willing to do so save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won't forget it.

Never before have I seen this level of detail in a PC game. Unreal II blows the lid off the graphical standards we as PC gamers have set, and elevates the playing field to an unprecedented level. [Mar 2003, p.90]

Quadrilateral Cowboy is a strange, fantastic journey that will likely charm and test you in equal measure. I expect to come back to it many times over the next few months despite having completed it, searching the environments for nuggets of the story hidden away in the corners of each level and striving to become the best thief this side of cyberspace.

Honestly, the only crowd that I can imagine not enjoying Kirby is jaded gamers who are too cool for something so whimsical. Whatever the case, they're missing out on a colorful, unique game that reminds me of why I fell in love with gaming back on my NES: imagination, challenge, and fun.

With its moving story and deft execution, Fable is quite literally the adventure of a lifetime. [Oct 2004, p.138]

God of War Ragnarök feels a lot like God of War (2018), which is a compliment considering how fantastic that game is. Sony Santa Monica was right to not break what wasn’t broken and it has expertly continued the story threads that were left hanging from the previous game. Any complaints about the overall experience (familiar combat, collecting and leveling up equipment isn’t particularly interesting) are quickly forgotten in the face of the compelling narrative, believable character relationships, and incredible visuals and animation. Even from its early PlayStation 2 days, the God of War series has always set a high, quality bar for itself, and with few exceptions, it manages to leap above that bar. God of War Ragnarök is no different.

These are just a few of the dozens of minor tweaks to what was already an incredibly strong formula. Firaxis' newest entry in the Civilization series isn't a game changer, because the game was already great. However, Civilization VI could easily be the pinnacle of the series.

It may not live up to the lofty standards recently displayed in "Twilight Princess", but this adventure is worthy of Zelda canon, and still has enough great stuff going for it to be considered one of the year's best adventures. [Oct 2007, p.126]