I guess that this game doesn't bowl me over just because I felt like I was always going to finish a level in two (at the most three) attempts. Doing the math, that means a few hours of gameplay for most players. [June 2004, p.137]

The gameplay has evolved to a frightening degree, and exacting painful death upon your opponent is only the tip of the bloody iceberg...Deception is easily the most-accomplished fighter to date. [Oct 2004, p.120]

Wasteland 2 feels like a perfect execution of what inExile hoped to accomplish with this Kickstarter-fueled project, not only an excellent retro nod to the computer RPGs of decades ago, but a great RPG of today After a 26-year hiatus, this long-awaited sequel is a worthy successor to the CRPG throne.

Even in the face of some structural missteps, Muramasa is a visually stunning game that is entertaining in the heat of battle – though that heat eventually cools down due to short and shallow encounters. Without better pacing and a lot more depth, Muramasa isn’t fit to run with the top-tier action titles.

Despite its problems, Reckoning is a good game with a lot of stuff worth checking out. But even with all of the talent backing it, it's just on the edge of being something much greater than it is. For a game that's all about breaking out of the confines of fate, it's a shame that so much of the content feels stuck within such narrow conventions. [Mar 2012, p.88]

This year's title attempts to cover a lot of ground for the franchise, and the outcome is akin to a QB throwing for 400 yards and still not winning the game. A lot went right even if it wasn't a resounding victory. In the case of Madden 13, there is such a thing as a moral victory.

A good solid RTS slugfest with some interesting elements. Veterans of the genre should enjoy the variations on strategy that it brings, while the AI-controlled combat keeps gameplay accessible to newcomers to the genre. [Oct 2004, p.144]

This may be the only game that college fans need to care about, but College Hoops 2K needs to step up its game next year to avoid leaving the court with a towel over its head instead of a basketball net.

Whether you’re all on the same couch or meeting up online, Monaco offers a multiplayer experience unlike any other game on the market. The text-based story that unfolds between levels is great fun, especially once you begin to see the different perspectives on the tale that unlock as you play. Rule out impatient players and graphics snobs when picking your team, but everyone else should gear up for the big heist.

Xenosaga Episode III has many more successes than failures. But taken in context with the trilogy as a whole, Episode III is the worthy conclusion to an epic that I hadn't dared hope it could be. [Sept. 2006, p.90]

Just what the doctor ordered: a fun, fast racing experience with enough content to keep you playing for months.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin’s story might not light the world on fire, but it’s a fun experience that can acclimate new players to the great elements of the Monster Hunter series. Combat encounters are full of rich strategy, and Monstie collecting and gear customization kept me coming back even after the credits rolled. If you’ve been curious about Monster Hunter, but feel intimidated by the main series, Stories 2 might be just the entry point you’re looking for.

It’s a fun, deep, and somehow accessible entry in a genre that’s often viewed as complicated and excessively complex.

The story is barely present, and persistent elements that tie the rogue-lite experience together – like crafting and store expansion – have too little impact to convey a satisfying sense of progress. When viewed on a smaller scale, the accessible combat and simple formula make it easy to pick up and enjoy Moonlighter casually. However, my excitement and enthusiasm were at their highest during the brief window when I didn’t know exactly what to expect next.

Stories Untold is a unique four-hour experience that both horror fans and those who love to dissect head-scratching enigmas should check out. Though a number of frustrating puzzles may prove too tiresome for many, those who stick with it will find themselves rewarded with a treasure trove of gruesome and morbid delights.

Because most of my eight hours with Dig were spent spelunking through stages leading down, I rarely had to think about the game’s roguelite efforts. I spent most of my time playing through beautiful stages to the tune of chippy synth tunes, fascinated with how far Nitrome and Yacht Club were able to stretch the “dig” aspect of this game. Perhaps the roguelite nature of Dig will play a bigger role in my post-game excavations because I’m rearing to jump back in to discover all of its secrets. Even if it doesn’t, though, I know I still have at least a few more hours of great Shovel Knight gameplay ahead of me and in the world of platforming, that’s a treasure worth digging up.

You Don't Know Jack is proof that games don't need to be excessively complex in order to be fun.

Planet Zoo put up a lot of obstacles to my enjoyment, but once I broke through the majority of them, I found that engaging loop of mastery and success that makes simulation games fun. I enjoyed trying to one-up my last creation and surpass my previous revenue and years in business. Unfortunately, Planet Zoo requires an unreasonable level of patience that creates a barrier around its best qualities.

If all this year’s Madden did was restore its feature set, then that alone would hardly be cause for hope. However, by improving the gameplay, it makes it so I’m much more apt to actually play more than one season before putting my controller down. This series isn’t out of the woods just yet, but this year lets it be known that Madden’s best days aren’t behind it.

Public executions aside, Far Cry 5’s world is meticulously constructed, and it’s a remarkable facsimile of Big Sky Country. Unfortunately, too much of the action in it is uninspired. It’s a beautiful but bland recitation of what’s come before, from both the series and Ubisoft’s open-world playbook. It’s never bad, but considering how great the past games have been, its overall predictability is disappointing.

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.

As much fun as I had with Extreme G3, I have to give the slight nod to Kinetica in this issue's futuristic racer debate. [Nov 2001, p.110]

The fielding is the only aspect of that could still use some work. Otherwise, this is as good as digital baseball gets. [Apr 2002, p.76]

My main gripe comes from the game's seeming inability to provide consistent gameplay...the game's performance couldn't equal its scope. [Jan 2002, p.95]

The unholy cursing that took place wasn't directed at Freekstyle's design or gameplay, but rather, how dreadfully challenging the game manages to be. [July 2002, p.82]

Without a doubt in my mind, the scariest game ever made. [Jan 2004, p.124]

Although this game is well-rounded enough to at least give you an enjoyable experience, it fails to grab you by the stick with enough G-forces to set the seat of your pants on fire. [Dec 2003, p.148]

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