Children of the Sun is a prime example of an experience born from a straightforward premise and then iterated for the right amount of time before it loses its charm. On occasion, the central mechanic can't keep up with itself – I missed more than a few finicky shots that should have landed, forcing a retry. But once you successfully execute a strategy and finish a level, the satisfaction is unmatched. You then seek to replicate the feeling during subsequent hunts, completely alienated from the messiness of your actions as you chase a higher score.

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

Power Tour is a solid title, but it's not as tight as Bjorn Borg's headband. [Dec 2005, p.190]

Rage's story and overworld design feel dated, but its heart-pounding gunplay is a nice change of pace in a market filled with "follow me" and pop-and-fire shooters. While light RPG elements are present, this is mainly a game for players who love challenging combat experiences.

Napoleon: Total War may not rewrite history, but its subtle gameplay refinements, tactical variety, and new multiplayer campaign do more than enough to offset the litany of legacy issues hindering this otherwise impressive strategy game.

Tabel Tennis is sheer, simple fun, and might well be the killer party game that Xbox 360 owners have been waiting for. [July 2006, p.107]

Despite an entire game being excised from the package, the MGS HD Collection still costs $40 on Vita – the same price as the PS3 and Xbox 360 version at most retailers. If you already own the title on PS3 and want to transfer your saves between devices to play Metal Gear on the go (and maybe earn some extra trophies), then maybe this trimmed-down version is worth considering. If you're not that kind of Metal Gear fan, then you don't need to waste another thought on this release.

Though some aspects of the games are dated now, the Jak games stand up as epic adventures. [Mar 2012, p.94]

If you’re not keen on learning by jumping into the fray and taking your lumps, Samurai Shodown likely won’t do much for you. But when there’s another player facing you down, Samurai Shodown’s bouts are a fantastic mix of fighting disciplines. It’s accessible, nuanced, and flashy, and the ways it asks you to bet big to win make matches as exciting as they are tense.

For those who eat, sleep, and live strategic defense design and implementation, Stronghold should be number one on your to-get list. [Jan 2002, p.94]

Where the entry really shines, though, is multiplayer. Two-person matches, eight-player tournaments, and two-player miniature golf rounds are all seconds away. Each plays fabulously and really uses the PSP hardware well. [July 2005, p.127]

While all these features give Homecourt the depth it needs, the real revelation here is something that's hard to describe in words: it just feels right. [Mar 2007, p.99]

For my part, Flux and its five forebears offer something totally unique within the video game world – a breath of fresh air that is especially welcome on a service like WiiWare. If you're ready for a challenge, give the game a try.

With a robust online mode, scattered borrowings from real-time strategy games, and that elusive indescribable fun factor, KUF is exactly the step-up that this genre needed. [Nov 2004, p.163]

The results are nothing short of astonishing. It's nice to see Springfield get the respect it deserves. [Oct 2003, p.134]

Hurtling down the tundra and concocting ridiculously large combo strings remain irresistible qualities, but the torturous design of the game makes you want to take the next flight off of this mountain. [Nov 2005, p.140]

Players who like getting explicit answers are likely going to feel let down by the Little Nightmares’ conclusion. Things aren’t spelled out for you in the end, but I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, its ambiguous nature made me want to play through it again and pick up smaller details that may have gone unnoticed. The specificity of some of the references – nooses, masks, and those shoes – points to a greater mystery that fans will probably be discussing long after release. Thanks to Little Nightmares' respectfully short length (I took my time and finished that second playthrough in a couple of hours), it’s a great game to show to friends who appreciate imaginative horror.

By affording you such command of a terrific catalogue of diverse hits and certifiable classics, Fuser allows you to aptly fulfill the DJ fantasy better than ever before, without the need for clunky peripherals you’ll only use for one game. Though I poured hours into the experience, I still feel like I have so many corners and interactions to explore within the library of available tracks. Fuser transcends musical genres to deliver a magical and intuitive music creation toolset within the framework of a game.

This remake might not be the AAA first-party killer app the 3DS needs, but it's a solid piece of nostalgia for longtime fans and an exceptionally strong shooter for newcomers to the series.

When I found myself shouting in relief and frenetically raising my fist in the air after a hard battle ends in my favor, I can’t deny the following fact: Darkest Dungeon II is a harsh but fantastic game whose white-knuckled battles and hazard-filled exploration will trap you for hours. If you’re willing to make the needed sacrifices, it’s a journey well worth taking.

With tons of hidden items to collect across the game’s five worlds, numerous minigames to unlock, and fantastic use of the multiple screens, Yoshi’s Island DS is an outstanding addition to the DS’s list of impressive platformers.

FTB’s saving grace is its multiplayer, the only real reason to play this game. A lot of the single player problems evaporate when you go online and sample any of the eight multiplayer modes FTB 2 has to offer.

Its gripping gameplay and the great Cold War-inspired storyline will have you hooked until the last Russkie is dead. [Oct 2003, p.113]

Khura’in is a compelling setting, and Spirit of Justice does a good job of building a world rich with history and lore. Learning about the culture and what led to its corrupt legal system is both fascinating and riveting. While Spirit of Justice brings little novelty to the series and relies on a familiar gameplay system, it nonetheless offers a story full of intrigue and puzzles that are satisfying to solve.

Gran Turismo 6 is the epitome of this series at its most base; it lacks any substantive new features, yet is more committed than ever to its original vision.

Though some of the modes don’t provide the deepest experiences, I enjoyed my time racing around in Dirt 5 thanks to a fun career mode and a community section bustling with potential. Whether you’re earning your spot among the superstars or creating a vehicular obstacle course of your dreams, Dirt 5 is worthy of a spot on the podium.

"Quotation Forthcoming"

My point is this: Kirby good. Me like. You buy. All happy. [Jan 2003, p.122]