With more than 65 hours of FFXVI behind me, I still have a lot to do beyond the story, and I’m glad my time with Creative Business Unit III’s latest isn’t at its end yet. FFXVI has some of my favorite moments in modern Final Fantasy, but its lows threaten the pace at which they arrive. I wish FFXVI’s various elements were intertwined more seamlessly. Still, when I look back at my time with Clive, his friends, his enemies, and Valisthea, it’s those highs that I vividly remember. FFXVI is very different from its predecessors, but in many ways, very familiar; And it’s still a Final Fantasy, through and through, reminding me why I love this series so much.

I think I may have expected too much from this game, as it really isn't the Second Coming that I was waiting for. [Oct 2003, p.132]

Outside of the lack of the more recent PC expansions and the simulation speed options, Cities: Skylines - Xbox One Edition is every bit as good as its PC counterpart. The mayoral planning fantasy is still intact with this version, and now easier than ever to get into. Simply put, if you're an Xbox One owner who is a fan of city-building simulation games, you need to check out Cities: Skylines.

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.

Surprisingly, there is very little graphical degradation that I could detect, and the control scheme has been shunted over to the Xbox controller with a decent amount of effectiveness. [Dec 2002, p.141]

This HD version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X rewards players armed with patience, resourcefulness, and plenty of ink ribbons with a harrowing but memorable trek through the series' heyday. If you've got the grit, try downloading this affordable piece of Capcom history on PSN for PS3 and Games on Demand for 360.

Lacks the one element that really made "GTA" the phenomemon it is: It's just not cool. [Jan 2004, p.150]

Phantom Liberty succeeds as another 20 hours of great adventure in Night City and, coupled with Cyberpunk 2077’s new Update 2.0, a culmination of three years of hard work. It makes a strong case for a return to Night City for experienced mercs and rolls out the red carpet for CDPR to showcase to newcomers all it's done to improve Cyberpunk 2077. From a disastrous launch in 2020 to now, CDPR has finally made good on the promise of this futuristic, dystopian RPG. While Phantom Liberty doesn't stand head and shoulders above the rest of the Cyberpunk package, it slots in nicely, like a preem piece of cyberware you’ve been waiting to be in stock.

In the meantime, Star Wars Pinball provides players three more entertaining tables well worth a spot in their ever-growing collections.

The first Dishwasher game was one of the most action-packed, fast-paced games available on Xbox Live. Its sequel ups the ante in almost every way. The grim style is accompanied by some of the tightest 2D action around. While the challenge and dark subject matter could be a turn-off for some, most players will find a deep and rewarding action title that is more than worth a download.

I have some qualms about Modern Times' balancing, particularly the ludicrously profitable factories and fish farms, but those cast almost unnoticeable shadows on the game's otherwise impressive accomplishments.

Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying DQ VI more than its technically superior descendant. Maybe it's easier to forgive dusty design choices knowing that this was originally a 16-bit game, or maybe it's because DQ VI embraces the mile-a-minute imagination and sense of adventure that made me fall in love with RPGs as a kid.

This HD version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X rewards players armed with patience, resourcefulness, and plenty of ink ribbons with a harrowing but memorable trek through the series' heyday. If you've got the grit, try downloading this affordable piece of Capcom history on PSN for PS3 and Games on Demand for 360.

What surprised me most is just how fast it played. [Nov 2005, p.180]

Graphically, it's a masterpiece. [Jan 2006, p.136]

Capcom has successfully reinvented Resident Evil in the past, the most notable deviation being the brilliant Resident Evil 4. This new vision doesn’t reach the same heights of spectacle and gameplay innovation as that breakthrough release, but is a welcome addition to the series (both in terms of gameplay and lore), and a nice entry point for newcomers.

If you can put up with the game’s complete and total linearity and don’t mind a largely forgettable multiplayer offering, there is a ton of brutal amusement to be had with Dark Messiah’s excellent melee combat.

Developer Wolfeye Studios has crafted one hell of a debut release. Weird West subverts expectations, twisting well-trodden cowboy tropes into dark fantasy vignettes brought to life by immersive sandbox elements.

Even after the unlocks dry up, the challenge and camaraderie that Helldivers offers makes it hard not to attempt "just one more mission" with your friends, a proposition made all the more enticing by the inclusion of four-player couch co-op. I still don't know how the community-driven galactic campaign will shake out over the coming weeks, but contributing to the larger war effort is just one more welcome excuse to enlist.

Need for Speed Unbound feels like a foundational entry for where the series could go from here. Competing across the title’s many events is a blast, and I love the juxtaposed visual aesthetics. Though some elements left me wanting, Unbound is as much fun as I’ve had with a Need for Speed title in years.

NBA 2K6 remains unbeatable. The competition doesn't even come close to touching this release. [Nov 2005, p.143]

Overall, Top Spin 2 gets the job done with an attention to detail that might be a bit offputting to casual fans. [May 2006, p.104]

Without any of the microtransaction complications that so characterize the mobile scene right now, Badland stands apart as a world that draws you in completely and immerses you in its charms free of distractions.

Forza 3 redefines the franchise, but it definitely didn't take me to anywhere I hadn't already been before. [Nov 2009, p.106]

Has a knack for making the seemingly mediocre an incredible success. [Dec 2001, p.95]

Bully was a fantastic release late in the life of the PS2, and I’m pumped that the folks I know who’ve become gamers this generation now have a chance to experience it for themselves. For those of us who’ve already had our fun the first time, I’m not sure a second run at high school is really in order.

Last Light features tighter controls and improved sound design for its arsenal, which now puts the gunplay on par with most triple-A shooters. However, I was more enthralled by the upgraded stealth mechanics.

It's no online tour, but it's a step in the right direction; the kind of slow progress we're seeing in the franchise these days. [July 2009, p.82]