MLB The Show 24 doesn’t hit it out of the park at every at-bat, but it doesn’t have to. The series is in the middle of an experimental phase that’s trying to mitigate its perpetual “online vs. offline” war. Despite a clear lack of innovation in mechanics, it has still found a way to impress, inspire, and engage with a younger generation that shares an interest in history. The Show’s art team is second to none, its OST shuffles Eladio Carrion, IDLES, Flowdan, and Brittany Howard with the grace of a 2 Chainz verse, and its “Grind 99” mantra has been edited to be a modern ideology – “play however and whenever.” It’s why Diamond Dynasty is the best take on Ultimate Team in terms of approachability and competition and why The Show 24 hopes to reignite annual titles through personalization. As the great Toni Stone once implied: “Get you one ‘cause I got mine.”

After years of iteration as a minigame and in beta, Gwent has come into its own as a great card game. It emphasizes keen decision-making over chance, and a great back-and-forth buildup ratchets up the tension across multiple rounds. With a great variety of decks and strategies at its disposal, as well as strong incentives to play match after match, Gwent proves great ideas can come from small beginnings.

BoxBoxBoy may be remarkably similar to the original BoxBoy, stripping it of its experimental indie cred and slipping it into a comfortable and safe sequel – but comfortable and safe are not bad things. Those are the words I use to describe all of my favorite clothing. You get more of what made the original BoxBoy worth a recommendation, and the same can be said of this follow-up.

A handful of technical stumbles can't keep Lego Lord of the Rings from being the best Lego game so far. Finding a great compromise between the linear installments and the sprawling open world of Lego Batman 2, Traveller's tales hits sweet spots in the structure and gameplay, constantly giving players new goals and new places to explore.

Millennium Girl won’t change how you feel about Etrian Odyssey, but it may open the door for further improvement.

Last Light features tighter controls and improved sound design for its arsenal, which now puts the gunplay on par with most triple-A shooters. However, I was more enthralled by the upgraded stealth mechanics.

All in all, families that loved the first one would be well advised to pick up the sequel. It’s a better game, and for the price of admission you get an accessory that will (hopefully) allow for improved gameplay for the future.

Overcooked is a wonderful local co-op experience, and a party game that hits all of the right notes in turning friends against each other and making even the quietest people scream uncontrollably.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is full of highs and lows. From one moment to the next, it can be a lot of fun. Farming and fighting are each entertaining independently, but the systems supporting those central concepts feel unrefined. Combat is cool, but the pacing interrupts its momentum. The rice-based progression is interesting, but the story and characters are not. All of these trade-offs prevent Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin from delivering its full bounty, though you can still reap the benefits of its novel combination of ideas.

Outlast is a virtual tour through a hall of terrors. Even playing the game in full daylight makes me uneasy. However, the game's overall level design and gameplay were sacrificed at the altar of fear. If you're looking for an experience that will get your adrenaline pumping, Outlast is hard to beat, but if you’re looking for a meatier horror experience then you might want to run past this one.

One of the year’s best deals in gaming. [May 2009, p.78]

Ace Patrol shines in its mechanics and may very well become a good game after a steady progression of updates. As it stands now, this one could use some more time in flight school.

With a great variety of maps and tons of secrets to uncover, From Dust's amorphous sandbox ensures a consistently entertaining journey.

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]

The network is the only place Disgaea 4 breaks much in the way of new ground, but it's a wonderful complement to yet another iteration of an already slick design. Absent a major rework of Disgaea's foundation, this is about the best that we could ask for – even if you have to remind yourself that you're not playing the same PlayStation 2 game from 2003 once in a while.

Virginia is a taut thriller that strikes a fine balance between storytelling and interactivity in a way that narrative-driven first-person adventure games have not accomplished since their inception, thanks to its blend of classic cinema and exploration. It should not be missed.

As much as I loved parts of the overall experience, others let me down. Even so, I enjoyed learning about these characters and seeing them grow through my actions.

I wish there was more meat to it, but this title still comes well-recommended. [Sept 2005, p.110]

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a solid RPG with its own unique style and appeal. I could do without the tedious dungeons, but I still found plenty to love about the zany ride.

Baten Kaitos is awesome. I was most surprised by how quickly this game drew me in, and it wasn't even the story that captured my interest - it was the setting. [Dec 2004, p.178]

Gunman Clive 2 has an undeniable old-school sensibility missing from the glut of new-age nostalgia-fueled independent titles.

If you're looking for some good, old-fashioned devastation, you could do a lot worse spending time as a renegade.

More of a rebirth for the series than the sequel it's trying to be. The action is mindless and fevered, and Jackie has transformed from a vengeful protagonist into someone who probably listens to "Dream Weaver" as he cries himself to sleep. I found it to be an interesting journey. [Mar 2012, p.91]

All in all, Street is more of a pure multiplayer experiece. [Mar 2004, p.96]

The control is solid and impressive. [Mar 2004, p.114]

Co-op is the most entertaining multiplayer mode I've played in a long time. [July 2003, p.115]

Although many of its elements tie into the greater Final Fantasy universe, this is but a faint echo of what you hve come to know and love...There's little here that truly excites. [Feb 2004, p.104]

Pokémon Sword & Shield are strong first attempts for the series’ full transition to consoles. While some frustrations hold it back from true legendary status, this new generation proves the Pokémon franchise is still great more than two decades after its debut.