Outside of this, through its array of innovations, Major League Baseball 2K6 blows the doors off of what you could expect from a baseball game. [Apr 2006, p.116]

It delivers new experiences with its gameplay, offers rewarding bonus content (playable minor league teams, and collectable baseball cards), and improves upon its already robust online play with an array of sorting options that will allow players to find the appropriate match-ups. The only area that needs work is Franchise mode.

For a first-time entry into the firts-person market, Black is impressive. [Apr 2006, p.112]

I was a bit worried that moving toward a slower, sim-based game would hurt the experience, but I found that it’s just as intense.

If you like the genre or really graphic material (the first three hours are especially disturbing), Clock Tower 3 is a no-brainer. [May 2003, p.82]

Valkyria Chronicles II is the best PSP game I've played in years. [Sept 2010, p.95]

Thimbleweed Park revels in its humor, and succeeds in its efforts toward better puzzle design. The narrative takes some twists and turns that didn’t always hit home with me, but I enjoyed the whimsical journey nonetheless. With its stellar characters and smart puzzles, Thimbleweed Park is a joy to play from beginning to end.

All That Remains delivers by providing answers to lingering questions from season one and setting up new obstacles for Clementine to face. My biggest reservation is that it features many similarities to the first season; I have to wonder how many zombie fights and new camps of people I can find before they all blend together.

Quotation forthcoming. [Aug 2005]

Artifact pulls a ton of flavor from Dota 2, but it’s not necessarily a game for Dota 2 players. Artifact is instead a highly cerebral card game of push and pull, with intense resource allocation and randomization management. Artifact is absolutely not for everyone, but it excels at creating a crazy strategy cocktail pulling from every bottle on the shelf. For card game fans, Artifact is not to be missed.

Dying Light’s combat is at its best during melee fights due to the sheer brutality of the hand-to-hand animations, as well as the satisfying nature of hitting an attacker with the weapon you looted or crafted.

As ball physics and control go, it's dead on. [Oct 2003, p.145]

Comparing Yo-kai Watch to Pokémon is more than fair as the game borrows from the series that helped establish what has become its own genre, but there’s no reason to pick one over the other. Yo-kai Watch is a worthy competitor that stands comfortably next to Nintendo’s monster collector as a distinct peer.

Despite technical and parkour missteps, the rewarding combat mechanics, well-executed narrative, and excellent cooperative multiplayer bring players a delightful time in the shadow of the impending apocalypse.

This sequel went wide, and while that comes with benefits, like new ways to explore this beloved world and its various sights, it also comes with drawbacks. They aren't unlike anything fans of the genre have experienced before, and playing as cherished characters certainly eases the pain, but the tedium and bloat of the open-world checklist can sometimes get in the way of where Rebirth truly shines. The best of Remake exists in Rebirth, but the various open-world areas surrounding it – the parts that make Rebirth unique from its predecessor – sometimes miss the mark.

While the combat isn’t anything special and the puzzles wear out their welcome, Eastward’s characters, setting, and sounds craft an unforgettable experience. If you’re looking for something quirky, captivating, and somewhat surreal, you’ve found it.

Tropico 4 is the top simulation game I'll be recommending to genre newbies and fans alike.

Even the many vehicle-based levels are solid enough that you can't ask for much more in a platform game. [Nov 2003, p.159]

Combining the progress made with the WiiMotion Plus peripheral with an expanded online footprint, five new courses, four courses of actual mini-golf, and more, Tiger 11 is a full-fledged game with a motion-based swing and not just a slight curiosity.

For the second year running, "NHL" best encapsulates the play and and authenticity of the sport. [Sept 2004, p.103]

The features are there, and I’m glad that the on-the-field play is making strides forward and that it captures the excitement of a college football program that isn’t dominant, but which is more than capable of thrilling its fans.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions lands just shy of being the full package, but it delivers a non-stop action ride with something new around every corner. Though its story leaves something to be desired, it's one of the best Spider-Man titles in recent memory, if not the best Spider-Man title to date.

No one person can sing the praises of this title's presentation enough. [Jan 2004, p.142]

Orcs Must Die definitely falls into the tower defense genre of games, but the speedy controls and solid third-person shooting mechanic make it feel more like an action game throughout.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions lands just shy of being the full package, but it delivers a non-stop action ride with something new around every corner. Though its story leaves something to be desired, it's one of the best Spider-Man titles in recent memory, if not the best Spider-Man title to date.

A new flying gameplay mode has players steer with the left analog stick and hit the X button to propel the blob like some wild rocket. Specific flying zones let you explore for pickups and also challenge you to maneuver through laser hazards and spike-filled tunnels. This gets extra tense when a creeping death wall gets thrown into the mix. It's a blast balancing speed boosts and the slower, fine movement propulsion to narrowly escape instant crushing death.

While I yearned for a little more in a few areas (difficulty curve and graphical polish in particular), the overall experience lies somewhere between the first "Underground" and the second...meaning it's easy fun, but not genre-defining. [Dec 2005, p.148]

It may not push your new hardware to the limit and is a little rough around the edges, but the latest Saints Row is everything it needs to be, delivering a wonderful comedic experience with plenty of depth. While a little irritating, I was never bored and wanted to see where my team’s goofy antics would take them next. The payoffs are often worth the time investment, and just veering off the beaten path pays dividends. I’m glad the Saints are back, hopefully for another long haul.