Barreling down a busy street at 120 mph made my heart race and palms sweat. [Dec 2003, p.172]

Playing cards in connection to successfully racing a horse is a bizarre overlap I did not expect to enjoy.

The charming visuals work with a solid action/RPG that, while still a bit rough in a few small areas, is a surprising treat.

Transistor is as much about what is left unsaid as what is explained. I find that openness to interpretation refreshing; I suspect I won’t be the only one.

The sound effects, music, and gameplay in Electronic Symphony fuse together to form an addictive and aurally pleasing experience. For better or worse, these are the same things I've enjoyed about Lumines since its debut. Even wrapped in some new features and an excellent soundtrack, it's just more Lumines. This musical puzzler is a solid choice for new Vita owners, but it isn't a must-have title in the larger gaming landscape.

Its change of pace and maturity feels just right, the platforming is divine, and the action is something to be very happy about. [Jan 2005, p.112]

With an great competitive multiplayer suite, a fun take on the wave-based survival formula, and an imaginative single-player mode, Splatoon 2 is an excellent evolution.

The experience basically boils down to the Incredible Hulk thrashing about in a kiddy pool. You have so much power and potential, but it's set in a shallow frame. [Mar 2007, p.103]

If you have the time, EverQuest II is, in my opinion, the best group-orientated MMORPG on the market. Its one major drawback being that it still requires a serious commitment of time to experience the game the way it was intended. [Feb 2005, p.85]

One of my favorite things about Yakuza 6 is that it delivers surprises at such a steady clip.

The game's wealth of combos and grapples are made even more impressive by Undisputed's nearly flawless collision detection and animation. [June 2009, p.83]

Fable is still one of the defining role-playing adventures of this generation. And even more so if you go evil. [Jan 2006, p.150]

While the play-to-play action has some awesome moments, the Franchise mode is stuck in a boring rut.

With the availability of multiple control schemes, top-notch visuals, and more extensive customization of your play and control experience, the PC version of Destiny 2 is an excellent way to play the game, especially if you have yet to try Destiny 2.

The Show is a beautiful game, and it offers the best fantasy and create-a-player options. However, the gameplay is starting to show its age, and is in need of an upgrade. [Apr 2006, p.124]

Duels of the Planeswalkers isn't the full Magic experience. It's a taste of the broader landscape to entice players and make them more comfortable attending a casual Friday Night Magic event. If you're new to Magic: The Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers remains the best way to learn how to play without the intimidation of other players. Even with the online connection issues and additional purchases tied to making the most of Sealed mode, this is the best version to date. It's easy to recommend for new players just learning and veteran spellslingers looking for new single-player matches.

Even with its frustrations, Card Hunter is easy to recommend to tactics enthusiasts. The charming nods to old-school dungeon crawls are spot-on, but the depth of the incredibly flexible combat system gives Card Hunter its legs. There’s even a well-designed multiplayer mode that lets you test your skills against fellow online players. The fact that Card Hunter is also a free browser-based game is icing on the cake, and a potent reminder that awesome games are cropping up in all sorts of unexpected venues these days.

One of the most enjoyable sandboxes for players to experiment in this side of Grand Theft Auto. [Issue#204, p.86]

Like Sudoku or crossword puzzles, this is one of those endlessly replayable games. The solution is always there, right in front of you. It’s just a matter of using logic and careful planning to place the block correctly.

Skin textures on the in-game character models are among the most realistic in all of video gaming. The 360 fighters may have looked really good, but these guys look damn good.

So it's short; Steve Wonder could probably rock the combat engine like nobody's business. [Aug 2004, p.97]

This game makes me yearn for "Ghost Recon," with its on-the-fly command structure and passable NPC intelligence. Rainbow Six 3 not only lacks these two very important features, but it also penalizes gamers who play by its own rules. [May 2003, p.93]

Despite a host of involving gameplay mechanics that most RPGs can only envy, Xensaga's crowning achievemenet is its story. [Mar 2003, p.76]

Capcom has reproduced nearly every component that made Alpha 3 the best Street Fighter, despite the GBA's obvious deficiencies. [Sept 2002, p.94]

Super Puzzle Fighter II's Puyo-style gameplay might be derivative and simple, but the overall quality is second to none. [Apr 2003, p.98]

If there's one glaring mistake that brings Madden 13 down, it's the new Infinity physics engine. It sometimes makes good on its intent to bring more realistic physics, varied hits, and multiple contact points on the body, but the effects of player collision are inconsistent.

I've never had more fun competing between whistles, but once you skate off the ice and take a seat as the general manager, the poor AI driving the other teams breaks the fantasy.

With no reason to connect with these characters and little in the way of action to separate itself from the packed FPS crowd, Resistance 3 makes it clear that the series doesn't belong amongst the triple-A competition in the genre.