The title has some great ideas and produces a great, relaxed atmosphere. The game is missing the most important element to a game: the gameplay. [Oct 2008, p.105]

Ridiculous gags involving our well-meaning hero experiencing caffeine for the first time or arguing with a bitter old granny to get her to teach him a song put a smile on my face. However, the gameplay distracts from these whimsical delights instead of complementing them. I walked away from my time with Wandersong having enjoyed the story beats and being charmed by both the world and its characters, but I wish I had more fun actually playing it.

There’s not much to do outside of slicing and dicing, but high-speed rail grind sequences and fast-paced grapple hook-focused parkour segments can be almost as fun as the combat. Although the often lengthy battles can wear out their welcome and need wider enemy variety, and the simple side quests and challenge rooms are uninspired, Ninja Gaiden 4 gives fans what they want: a pure, often arduous test of their ninja skills. This comeback finally washes away the bad taste left by the reviled Ninja Gaiden 3, and I hope to see Yakumo’s legend grow over a new series of stylish action adventures.

It's fun, fast, and simple without being dumbed-down. [Jan 2005, p.134]

While there's a lot to love about this series, and this entry in particular, Agent 47's world still foesn't offer the subtlety necessary for this great premise to really be satisfying. [June 2006, p.110]

While – both graphically and in gameplay – Saints Row feels behind the standards set by GTA IV, it has an ace up its sleeve in the online arena: true online co-op. And it works.

Though my playthrough only lasted around five hours, I wanted more. Shortly after I finished the story, I dove back in to explore every path I didn’t already venture down with my new powers in tow. The draw to keep playing and exploring immediately after I finished is a testament to how much I enjoyed Severed.

This is one of those games that is successful in the delivering of instant action, but doesn't offer up much in terms of depth. If you thrive off the online deathmatch scene, you'll fall head over heels in love with Battlefront. [Oct 2004, p.121]

I also got the feeling that my ship was more in control of me than I was of it – which means I had t rely on AI piloting. [Apr 2002, p.85]

It may not be an accurate portrayal of NHL, but it blows away EA's game with little effort. [Nov 2002, p.127]

Where are the new modes? Where are the innovations? Not here, folks. This is just another DDR update for those who want more songs. [Oct 2003, p.122]

Broken Age is the best venue I’ve seen for Double Fine’s twisted sensibilities in a long time. They’ve crafted two unique worlds, ­filling them both with just enough silliness to be fun without overwhelming the characters and their ultimately touching journeys.

While Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark might lack graphical style and an enthralling story, the combat loop is the stuff dreams are made of for fantasy tactics devotees. If you’re a fan of strategy battles and a plethora of interesting unlocks, this is the game to take you back 20 years, when you met Ramza and Delita for the first time.

A Plague Tale is a double tragedy. On one hand, Amicia and Hugo’s tear-filled journey through rural France is marked by adversity, but the bigger misfortune is how this powerful story of sibling love is soured by simple puzzles and clunky stealth mechanics. A Plague Tale is a forgettable game wrapped around a memorable adventure.

Burning Shores is an entertaining epilogue for Aloy’s sophomore outing. It’s more Forbidden West with a few cool wrinkles, meaning it’s a good reminder of the things that the game did right while retaining a few old headaches (like the hand-holding during puzzles). More than anything, Aloy’s trip to Hollywood justifies its existence by meaningfully building upon the base game’s story, paving a solid runway for the next title to take off.

Blur is the thinking person’s death race – if there is such a thing – where your mind is racing just as fast as your motor.

Resistance: Retribution is a worthy addition to Insomniac’s series. It adds an amazing story to the existing lore, and is a great standalone experience for those of you who haven’t played a Resistance game before.

While this newest version of Hot Shots ushers in a welcome new swing mechanic, it’s unfortunate that other areas have been neglected. Out of Bounds is worth getting, but what it gains in its drive distances it loses in its short game.

Old-school FPS fans and gamers looking to get back to the roots of online fragathons will undoubtedly find a lot to love in Quake IV, and the game has perhaps fewer flaws than any I've ever reviewed. [Nov 2005, p.168]

Kingdom Hearts II and Birth By Sleep offer an incredible amount of quality gameplay. If you’re feeling nostalgic or running through for the first time, there’s a ton of meat to sink your teeth into that can easily last well into the new year.

Overall, Mega Man 10 offers all the nuts and bolts a diehard blue bomber fan could want in a retro sequel, while boasting even more content than Mega Man 9 with all its DLC combined.

WoW Classic is far more than a historical novelty, and the incredible design shines through even today. It may seem odd to play an MMO, a genre that hinges on the constant promise of an evolving future, with an ostensibly finite lifespan as updates take us to where WoW ended before the Burning Crusade, but WoW Classic proves that there’s so much to be experienced in that journey. With WoW Classic available to anyone with a WoW subscription, it’s an adventure worth taking – whether again or for the first time.

Starbound is a satisfying space sandbox that rarely disappoints, with occasional minor bugs or mandatory missions offering minor quibbles with unbridled, endless exploration. This ambitious indie project has something for everyone buried within its retrograde graphical framework.

It packs some true scares, a fresh approach to its genre, great graphics, and fun gameplay mechanics. In short, Condemned is the start of the next great horror series. [Dec 2005, p.162]

The new Nail the Trick mode, which enables the player to control each foot’s movement with the analog sticks, adds yet another new move to Tony’s long list of techniques. I’m happy to report that it works well within the established arsenal of moves.

Vehicles may not be as exciting this time around, but the thrill of soaring through the skies and navigating with ease makes up for it. With tons of upgrades and weapon customization, making your President more and more powerful is an addictive and rewarding affair, and you can become virtually unstoppable by the end.

NetherRealm clearly had a blast creating Injustice. The team’s appreciation of the DC universe blends nicely with their well-worn Mortal Kombat formula to create an experience that is a success on both fighting and comic book levels.

Nidhogg is well-honed, mechanical gameplay stripped down to its core. The combat is fun, but I wish Messhof applied the same striving for perfection to the presentation and game modes as it did to the swordplay.