This newer game is by far the more impressive choice, with fully fleshed out features, excellent animation, solid soccer gameplay, and an exciting presentation, replete with another batch of great music from around the world. [Jun 2006, p.112]

Even with so much of the gameplay clinging to the formula Traveller's Tales created for its first LEGO game, The Clone Wars offers a vastly different experience that captures the best of both of the LEGO and Star Wars licenses. It's easily the best LEGO game to date.

This enhanced remake of Final Fantasy IV does a remarkable job of blending 3D visuals with classic gameplay; it's familiar, yet still drives you to keep playing. [Aug 2008, p.91]

Even with so much of the gameplay clinging to the formula Traveller's Tales created for its first LEGO game, The Clone Wars offers a vastly different experience that captures the best of both of the LEGO and Star Wars licenses. It's easily the best LEGO game to date.

It may not be the lengthiest of adventures, but it does prove to be entertaining. [April 2002, p.89]

The movies may be done, but with games like Battlefront II, I have a feeling that the best in Star Wars is yet to come. [Dec 2005, p.152]

Featuring a different assortment of classics than the consoles' Capcom Collection, Remixed even features the first "Street Fighter", which isn't always easy to come by. [May 2006, p.111]

The Stanley Parable is built upon a single, simple premise, and only offers a few hours of entertainment. That said, they were a few hours unlike any I've experienced playing games before. If you're a fan of experimental indie projects or just in the mood for a fun detour from your typical gaming adventure, look no further.

Like many of the '80s action flicks it mimics, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has the potential to alienate people with its crass sense of humor and repetitive one-liners. But if you long for an era when smart-mouthed badasses were more concerned with making things go boom than catering to your social sensitivities, Rex Power Colt is your man, and Blood Dragon is your game.

Little more than "Battlefield 2" with mechs and gunships. In nearly every way, a round of 2142 plays out exactly like a round of its predecessor. Not that that’s a particularly bad thing, but for all intents and purposes this is a $50 mod.

Blood Dragon's neon veneer and synth-heavy soundtrack may call to mind B action movies, but this retro aesthetic is slapped on top of the state-of-the-art Far Cry 3 engine. The tight gunplay, open-world exploration, animal hunting, and wealth of side activities all return with slight modifications to fit the totally radical motif.

It's a fantastic addition to XBLA and PSN, and it's a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Galaga.

It's too bad the single-player mode is a bit short, or this would have been darn near perfect. [Apr 2002, p.89]

It's a fantastic addition to XBLA and PSN, and it's a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Galaga.

This first expansion to "Supreme Commander" is an excellent add-on to an already outstanding game. [Dec 2007, p.155]

Even serious engagement doesn't ensure story completion without many hours of investment, and only the most dedicated players will see the full spread of what Hades has to offer. But Supergiant’s latest opus is a beautiful and thoughtful twist on Greek mythology, flipping these old stories on their head and transforming them into commentaries on modern relationships. High-octane action gameplay may pull you into hell for the first time, but I suspect you’ll stay to find out about this eccentric and fascinating family.

I’m not sure why EA stripped away features that already worked beautifully. I wish this year’s five new courses were just the beginning of the additions instead of one of the highlights, but it’ll have to do while we wait for a course creator.

Slime Rancher has the ability to keep you hooked for hours; I often looked out over my ranch, felt pride at my accomplishments, and eagerly ventured back into the wilderness to see what other strange things I could find.

Dawntrail doesn’t reach the peak of earlier Final Fantasy XIV expansions, but its path is different. Its mission is to begin a new grand tale, and it absolutely succeeds in placing the threads for the future while weaving an effective story about legacy and loss. Although I have grievances about the pace of questing and the main character’s contradictory actions, I’ve loved my time exploring Tural and can’t wait to see what the next chapter of the story brings.

Labyrinth of Refrain is an excellent dungeon crawler that brings some cool new features to the table. While the title can be grindy at times and includes some frustrating maps and encounters, the core systems underneath are a joy to tinker with for hours.

I'm really pleased to see the inclusion of a good selection of original arcade ports as well. [Jan 2005, p.119]

Thanks to new avenues of play and smart restructuring decisions, MLB 19 The Show is once again a contender that is worthy of your time both offline and on. Iteration has paid off for this series in a big way, and it’s nice to see Sony taking chances with new ideas again.

Those who yearn for more gadgets will be disappointed, as Mooncrash only offers a few, such as the admittedly cool Psychostatic Cutter energy dagger. However, the expansion pack’s achievement is more substantial than a bunch of doodads thanks to how it takes the promise of the base game, slices out the fat around it, and then serves up an experience as thrilling as it is challenging.

With credits behind me, I’m excited to discover more of Monoth’s secrets and collectibles I haven’t yet found, and I’m especially thrilled to play more with my 7-year-old nephew. Illusion Island doesn’t overhaul the platformer genre, or the Metroidvania formula for that matter, but its distinctive no-combat focus on simply moving through Monoth keeps the trip amusing, brisk, and gratifying. I would have liked more challenge; this is a simple adventure that might not capture the interest of platformer enthusiasts with little to no preoccupation with Disney. But when met on its own terms, it’s hard to deny Illusion Island is a jubilant love letter to these characters and platforming.

Even if you're not old enough to remember blowing on carts, Retro Game Challenge is interesting and varied enough to entertain for hours. [Feb 2009, p.87]

After last year's revolutionary success, this game - like "Madden" - is slowing down with age. [Oct 2004, p.125]

Even with some foibles, Hell is Empty does a fantastic job filling in the blanks of what happened before Chloe was reunited with Max. As a fan, its references to the original shed light on how many things came to be, such as Chloe's transformation. Yes, I knew the conclusion, but it still has enough interesting developments to keep me invested. Before the Storm accomplishes what so many prequels fail to do; it tells its own story that leaves you content, while also connecting to the original game in a meaningful way.

The game contains the sophistication of a sim-racer while still packing enough pick-up-and-play fun for anyone watching from the couch. I don’t imagine, however, that there are going to be a lot of people content to simply sit and watch Dirt 2 without getting their hands on ­it.