Like a Dragon: Ishin is an awesome spin-off to an already-great series, and one I'm glad finally came to the States. Even if it tripped on the landing, the story kept me gripped, and I hope some of the new combat styles and special moves make their way to other RGG games. I also hope we'll get the other spin-offs that never made their way over. Time will tell, but for now, it's nice to be back with my favorite criminals.

In the end NBA Live 10 may have the glamorous look of a basketball superstar, but it still needs to round out its game to steal the crown of best hardcore hoops game from its rival.

Knowing that the next game in this series will star a new up-and-coming defense attorney, Trials & Tribulations is a fun and fitting farewell to Phoenix and company. [Nov 2007, p.162]

The further I played into Stellar Blade, the more it surprised me with the depth of its action and the breadth of play experiences. The story never clicked for me, but the world-building, top-notch art, and silky animation certainly did. Even when certain devastating bosses made me curse, it was always because I made a mistake and was left eager to dive back in for another shot. I loved the gradual mastery I developed as I explored its many interlocking systems of combos and special moves. Stellar Blade is unabashed in its titillating approach to sex and violence, but unlike so many games that use those appeals as a crutch, it’s also a top-notch action experience that can easily stand with the big girls.

Racing cars of this magnitude is not like hitting the streets with some jacked-up sports car. F1 cars are a special breed, and Codemasters has done a great job conveying that. Some of the racing moments are challenging and exciting the likes of which you won't find in other titles. A little more depth in the series' career mode could go a long way into making that portion of the game just as special.

The new bells and whistles streamline gameplay and make this title much more fun than I was expecting. [Oct 2004, p.146]

The gameplay exceeds any baseball title to date! [Apr 2003, p.83]

As you can probably imagine, gameplay can be tedious, but the title does a good job of changing things up and adding new elements to the mix. [Dec 2003, p.187]

As good, if not slightly better than all the other FIFAs before it. And as long as this is all anyone asks for, it looks like FIFA will crawl along from year to year knowing that it never has to fully pull it all together. [Nov 2004, p.149]

The new moves are great; fighting is tolerable; and being able to knock down the goalie is a blast. However, the speed is greatly decreased. [Oct 2003, p.131]

If you’re a huge Punch-Out fan and slightly curious about Rage of the Gladiator, I’d still recommend the WiiWare download. While it doesn’t dethrone the champ, it’s got the potential to be a contender if Ghostfire Games makes some changes next time around.

SteamWorld Quest plays it too safe to satisfy hardcore card-crawlers, but the campy characters, gratifying combat, and splashy synergies make it an enticing option for those looking for a traditional turn-based RPG that’s easy to wade into.

Minerva's Den also offers a tightly wound narrative that is easy to digest and unlike any other tale told under the sea.

Sniper Elite 4 is a well-rounded experience that delivers on multiple fronts. The campaign is flexible and full of satisfying objectives, and I enjoyed jumping into missions with a friend. The unique collection of competitive multiplayer modes rounds out Sniper Elite 4, giving shooting fans a game that’s worth a look despite its flaws.

Despite a campaign that struggles with occasional mundane shootouts that bring the out-of-this-world story down to earth, the overall Call of Duty: Black Ops III package is incredibly strong, with something for everyone. Whether you’re into traditional multiplayer mayhem or zombie survival, you’ve got lots of choices that are fun solo and even better with friends.

Episode 4 builds to a promising series finale, and the writers make sure that the emotional toll of every decision and horrifying experience plagues your psyche. In that, it succeeds by properly laying down all the groundwork for Episode 5. The episode starts off slow, but by the end, lights fire in a worthy cliffhanger. I'm still thinking about it, and it doesn't get much better than that.

Age of Wonders: Planetfall takes several turns to get moving, and newcomers might feel overwhelmed until they gain their bearings, but Triumph Studios’ newest strategy offering is full of fun, creative ideas and each faction is worth taking for a spin at least once. Building a sustainable empire and managing a happy populous takes some grunt work, but they are really just stepping stones to Age of Wonders: Planetfall’s epic firefights.

Etrian Odyssey Nexus has a ton of things to do, but I’ve done them all before. While this shouldn’t shake off fans of the series from diving in to its last handheld entry, the love letter to the franchise can feel uninspired with its recreations of the past. Even for a series built on a classic and time-tested formula for dungeon crawling, Nexus relies too heavily on the substance of its predecessors.

Fall Guys doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s hard not to grin after a few rounds of delightful diversion. Whether by yourself or with friends, this refreshing and ridiculous game makes every triumph and failure into a celebration.

Amazon Game’s second run at the MMO market is very impressive. The years of content already created for Lost Ark provide an enticing package filled to the brim with fun activities and exciting locals to explore. Each class is wonderfully unique, and the customization systems allow for an abundance of freedom to tailor to a variety of playstyles. I’ve had a great time with Lost Ark in these early days, and I’m looking to sink many more hours into it with friends over the coming weeks and months. Those looking to scratch an Action/RPG itch or sink time into an MMO won’t go wrong giving this adventure a fair shot.

While some of the content is new, the game plays exactly the same--fast, thick with the flavor of classic arcades, and kind of simplistic. [Jun 2006, p.110]

With over 20 hours of gameplay, and one of the most enjoyable cooperative multiplayer experiences I've had, I couldn't recommend Legends more highly to fans and newbies alike. [Nov 2004, p.144]

Despite the unfortunate boss retreads and disappointing final dungeon, The Champion’s Ballad is a great excuse to revisit Breath of the Wild’s enormous world. Its new challenges highlight what made Breath of the Wild great in the first place, giving you some fun new ways to utilize your old toolkit. Figuring out where the new shrines are, puzzling out how to complete them, and finding several new secrets along the way gave me the same exciting wonder I had when I first started exploring Hyrule, and make me eager to continue exploring it and see what other secrets I’ve missed.

Void Bastards is funny, misanthropic, and yet still fun to play, and even after arising from some pretty clear inspirations, manages to feel like its own mutated beast.

God of War III is still a fantastic experience, and a significant beat in gaming history, but this remaster doesn’t build on its legacy.

Some minor tweaks are appreciated, like having all of the minigames unlocked from the beginning, but nothing has been done to alleviate SMB's myriad frustrations. [Apr 2005, p.117]

The Asian Dynasties features three short and sweet mini-campaigns focused on events in Japan, China, and India, but the multiplayer is where you can truly test your mettle.

Easily the most hard-hitting MK in the series yet. [Jan 2003, p.100]