Rogue proves why it’s time for the franchise to chart some new territory, but leaves no doubt about why we fell in love in the first place.

By embracing established mechanics and gameplay systems, the closing chapter of the America saga regularly feels like a retread. Fortunately, with much of the groundwork already in place, the developers have been able to focus on content creation, and Rogue is one of the biggest and most varied titles in the franchise to date.

Viva Piñata retains its child-like charm, but the content is layered with deep strategies and entertaining gameplay that can suck anyone’s life away.

Despite its minor shortcomings, Nobody Saves the World kept me enthralled from start to finish as I leveled my way through form ranks for the next body or ability to work with. It's most fun when unleashing devious yet approachable combat scenarios, keeping me on my toes to find the best solution to survive. Thankfully, it gave me plenty of those unrelenting loops throughout, justifying the time to save this funny little world.

Without reinventing the concept, Badland 2 strives towards new mechanics and variations on its core design. Precision-focused gameplay make this a deeper experience than it might first seem, and Frogmind once again manages to rise above most mobile competitors.

But if you like to game on the go, Tomb Raider Legend is a solid little addition to the PSP library, and an adventure that is worth experiencing on any console. [July 2006, p.113]

An exceptional adventure and worth a try for any RPG enthusiast. [Aug 2005, p.109]

It takes some clever thinking to take something this old and make it feel new again. Square Enix has done exactly that by maintaining the core "shoot the aliens" gameplay while dramatically expanding the strategy and skill required to succeed in the endeavor. [July 2008, p.95]

I was left wanting more from the love story incidentally promised by the protagonist’s names, but I was eager to keep playing to make Romeo stronger, see where I was going next, and learn more about the colorful cast of characters.

It isn't going to blow anyone's doors off, but it's a solid strategy/RPG with a lot of humor, a great presentation, and a lot of expandability in terms of user-created content. [Apr 2005, p.139]

The control is tight, but the movement icon and camera need work. [July 2004, p.119]

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.

If you think Peter Jackson's true masterpiece is "Dead Alive," you'll be right at home with The Suffering. [Apr 2004, p.90]

Grid 2's LiveRoutes system – where upcoming junctions are populated on the fly to avoid track repetition – helps alleviate the lack of drama, and is where this game shines.

Hell is Us feels like a modernized spin on the classic action/adventure game that, as a third-person game, feels obligated to include combat. The game’s investigation elements are much more fleshed out in comparison to the action, which is, at least, passable enough to endure while I enjoy the main treat of running around and solving puzzles. I’ll be deciphering the game’s remaining riddles well after I rolled credits, and I can’t wait to see what revelations await. Hell is Us isn’t perfect, but it’s a bold and respectable debut that largely delivers on its promise, laying a strong foundation for future stories in its fascinating world.

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.

I went into Sniper Elite V2 with one desire: Disfigure Nazis from hundreds of meters away. The game delivers on this core mechanic beautifully. While I would have preferred enemies with less superhuman vision and better stealth options, at the end of the game I couldn't recall a scenario I didn't enjoy. Sniper Elite V2 is a must for anyone interested in a smart shooter with an emphasis on gore.

Madden 18 is missing a host of fixes, wishlist staples, and improvements, but it doesn't have to appease to have worth. It captures the joy that I find in playing video game football even after all these years. That's not just a love of the sport with a license slapped on it; it's the continuing refinement of gameplay and modes that still has the ability to surprise and excite.

It just might be the FIFA killer. [Feb 2002, p.85]

In the end, NHL 2K7 skates circles around the competition, but it still needs solid goaltending before it can make a run for the Stanley Cup. [Oct. 2006, p.102]

Tales of Xillia made me realize why I fell in love with RPGs in the first place. It has the elements that make them tick: making you feel like you know the characters, enticing you to find every hidden chest, mastering the battle system, and finding it hard to put the controller down because the next revelation draws you in even more.

While the sheer amount of stuff that can happen onscreen at one is impressive, the graphics fall a bit short. [Apr 2005, p.117]

I consider this title a pretty good Sega rendition of "Gran Turismo 3." [Oct 2002, p.90]

Exactly what most people who own a Wii are looking for. This is cooperative gaming at its best – the perfect party game for friends, family, and new gamers alike. Even with its regrettable omissions, Rock Band has a broad audience of Wii owners just waiting in the wings to get their chance on stage.

It's not a revolution, but it's an improvement. [Nov 2005, p.140]

Madden 18 can't easily be characterized by what's on the back of the box. Underneath what seems like a collection of thrown-together or even uninteresting features is a good game whose rewards are less readily apparent.

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.

Traveller's Tales took some chances with Lego Batman 2. The addition of spoken dialogue paid off well, and I hope it becomes a standard for all of this developer's games moving forward. Moving the classic Lego gameplay into a vast overworld is also a success, but the redundancy in secret solutions in this play space hurts the experience, and almost becomes a mundane collect-a-thon. Thankfully, the classic Lego gameplay dominates the main game, making Lego Batman 2 another goofy brick-building blast to play.