With its realistic animations, solid controls, and ambitious Association mode, NBA 2K9 makes its title run once again. But the competition is stiffening, and next year needs to bring significant leaps forward with online play and the low-post game if 2K wants to make it 10 in a row.

Sure, the controls are clunky in comparison to the smooth moving Zone of the Enders, but as you know, it’s all about building your own dream machine and using it to blow the galaxy a new hole.

Chemistry is an important aspect of any championship team--even more so if you're going to win The Double--and FIFA 10 brings its pieces together nicely. [Nov 2009, p.101]

The multiplayer experience is a good time – and quite different than single-player (most time powers have been excised) – but it doesn't have any depth or a progression for players to follow. At the most, it's a fun distraction. The single-player game, however, should not be missed.

Dark Arisen is a great expansion for a game that was already loaded with content.

If you’ve beaten the game and moved on, there’s enough new stuff to explore that it warrants another playthrough. And for those who are looking for a quirky RPG with epic moments (and pig-throwing hijinks), here it is in one neat bundle.

Mordhau is not for those who want a multiplayer experience that’s easy to drop into and utterly destroy foes. However, the joy of mastering its challenging system as well as memorable moments of violent ballet make these engrossing battles unique.

A release finally worthy of the fans who have been waiting patiently for it. [Dec 2001, p.114]

I'm really pleased to see the inclusion of a good selection of original arcade ports as well. [Jan 2005, p.119]

While not every disparate element comes together as well as it did in Persona 5, I was more than happy to go on another adventure with the characters I developed such bonds with back in 2017. The action may play out completely differently, but the heart of the series remains intact.

New Pokémon Snap delivers an experience similar to that of the original while expanding on the formula in ways that prolong the appeal of the expedition. In the two decades since the first game’s release, the Pokémon world has changed in innumerable ways, but the simple appeal of immersing yourself in this universe and taking pictures has remained unchanged.

Tinykin feels comforting in an old-school sense. Its challenges never become convoluted, nor does its design reinvent the wheel, and that’s okay. Tinykin executes its handful of ideas exceptionally well, making it a thoroughly enjoyable and laid-back journey that only requires six to eight hours of your time. Don’t let this delightful adventure sneak under your radar.

This is everything I've wanted the franchise to become. [Dec 2005, p.161]

Battlecry gives you some blistering combat, but the franchise could truly explode if it tapped into the series' rich subtleties. [Nov 2002, p.140]

It's the way everything fits together that's so much fun... The simple nature of this game masks a surprisingly deep and engaging experience. [Jan 2005, p.136]

Simultaneously fun and extremely frustrating, compelling and flawed, mature and foul, engaging and confusing. As a game, it can be aggravating, but as a piece of interactive storytelling, it flirts with brilliance. [Oct 2005, p.123]

Cut the Rope: Time Travel is a great follow-up to one of the most successful games on iOS, and proves to be well worth the asking price.

Ultimately, 3D Dot Game Heroes combines the original Legend of Zelda's world with A Link to the Past-style gameplay, which proves to be an absolute blast.

Digital Extremes provided a rip-roaring play, but neglected to make it mean something. [June 2005, p.124]

I haven't had this much fun with a co-op game in quite some time. [Oct 2005, p.122]

I Am Alive's desperate scenarios and inventive gameplay should not be missed by masochistic gamers interested in entering a world of unrelenting dread.

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]

I know everybody’s excited for downloading classic games on Nintendo’s Virtual Console, but if you’re looking for the best value for your old-school dollar the best choice is the Sega Genesis Collection. For the low price of $20, you get 28 of the best-loved (and in a few cases, least-loved) 16-bit games ever.

Even so, the improvements to the controls and mechanics, plus an option to have a buddy jump in for co-op at any time, means there's never been a better time to pick up a Zap-O-Matic and vaporize some meatbags. [Nov. 2006, p.130]

Hardcore platforming for the true believers, a game that dazzles the eye and even tickles the funny bone with its satirical dialogue. [Jan 2005, p.146]

Overall, I loved the combat, leveling, and look of Birth by Sleep, and I applaud the bold storytelling approach of having three storylines. I'm just glad I won't have to start up another character from scratch in this game ever again.

A Crooked Mile is a much more balanced episode than its predecessor.

Sigma 2 is a longer, more action-packed edition of Ninja Gaiden II, and if you’ve never played the original you won’t notice the missing gore.