Nonetheless, flashes of brilliance are in evidence throughout these Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and both games were far enough ahead of their time to hold up to scrutiny. Four friends could have a great time blasting through both games in an extended evening get-together.

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.

Tetris 99 is a pleasant surprise, and is my favorite content offered by the Nintendo Switch Online service to date. The idea of playing Tetris against 98 other players at once seems ludicrous but is fun in practice and delivers intense moments just like when you’re among the final few in a battle royale game.

If you're a tennis fan, I don't know what else you could ask for. [Sept 2002, p.81]

Without exception, the four tables are excellently designed, and fantastic ball physics make the game worth repeated play. [Jan 2011, p.81]

Has the same impressive and deep career mode featured in VT2 for the Dreamcast. [Jan 2003, p.122]

By the end of the game, you'll feel physically exhausted by how much content you've absorbed. [Dec 2002, p.124]

In terms of visuals and pace, Live runs circles around rival "ESPN," but the gameplay is still a distant second in terms of execution. [Nov 2004, p.142]

Despite some disappointing option and feature exclusions, Super Mega Baseball 4 is a strong alternative to the annualized sim-facing MLB game from Sony. Fans of retro-style arcade baseball games will find a lot to love, and roster customization enthusiasts have their new gold standard.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is a series of good ideas that ultimately suffer from its poor controls. There's a lot to do in the game, and more importantly, I felt compelled to do all of it. As the credits rolled I looked back fondly at the experience, as my hand throbbed along with the music. I'm looking forward to doing more with Pit in the future, just not like this.

Gunpoint is short, but it feels like the right length. You can get through the whole game in about three hours. The story is dense and the dialogue choices are varied, offering incentive to replay the game.

Disappointingly average. [Nov 2005, p.154]

There's no question about it, when it comes to action on the ice, Kush's game delivers a lights-out blow to EA's. This is the hockey game to get this year. [Sept 2005, p.96]

But there are a lot of interesting ideas here and, hardcores be damned, it's cute-as-a-button attitude is a great asset. [Oct. 2006, p.110]

I was harsh towards the console version, and although this edition shares many of its faults, it's still pretty good. [Apr 2006, p.133]

Smite is an excellent addition to an expanding genre, and one that distinguishes itself from the rest of the pack with decidedly different gameplay, a quirky and lighthearted take on classic mythology, and a variety of interesting modes.

At its best, Astro’s Playroom recaptures the magic of my favorite Lego video games – except the license on display is the PlayStation brand instead of something like Star Wars or Marvel. The cameos are plentiful and amusing, with franchises that go beyond the first-party catalogue, along with some surprisingly deep cuts that made me feel very old. But in the midst of all that history, Astro feels like an adorably fresh face; I’m glad to see the character break out of the confines of VR and reach out to a broader audience. Astro’s Playroom may not be the deepest or most ambitious game on PS5, but its humor and playfulness are just delightful.

While I enjoyed the extreme challenge of collecting all the letters and conquering the Golden Temple in the original game, I feel that these items make the game more enjoyable without taking away too much of the difficulty.

If you’re looking for something a little different in the mobile space, I can’t recommend this game enough. Just be warned: The puzzle difficulty is designed to mess with your mind and push you to think outside of the box…or boot up YouTube to watch someone else solve it.

Guacamelee 2 is one of the best executions of the Metroid formula.

While not every disparate element comes together as well as it did in Persona 5, I was more than happy to go on another adventure with the characters I developed such bonds with back in 2017. The action may play out completely differently, but the heart of the series remains intact.

The controller simply lacks the precision to effectively transform a dodge into a flip, and then nail the enemy. [Jan 2003, p.110]

Just a fantastic console game that is late to the PC party. [Dec 2003, p.178]

The handful of new characters and modes won’t entice newcomers, but considerable changes and balances have been made to the engine. It isn’t groundbreaking, but it keeps the venerable Street Fighter IV on top of the fighting game hierarchy.

This is still the best playing, most rewarding and realistic basketball game that money can buy. [Nov 2004, p.143]

The addition of loot – a dizzying array of weapons and armor with different damage, arcane, elemental, and bonus attributes – adds even more variety to an already deep and satisfying combat system.

The Overcooked series is similar to that restaurant that made a name for itself with one signature dish. Not much has changed between the original game and the sequel, but the recipe has been honed to reduce frustration and make it easier to chew.

As the kind-hearted Professor learned, give Jenn and Tristan a chance, and they’ll impress you in more ways than one. Young Souls is an exceptional adventure you shouldn’t miss if you’re searching for the next great game to tackle with a friend or want a quality RPG brawler to dig into alone.