The levels are eerily familiar to the Nintendo 64 game. [Nov 2001, p.116]

Version 2 is essentially the same game with new material scattered along the outskirts. [Nov 2001, p.124]

Complaints aside, I've really enjoyed the recent time I've spent with Sonic CD. The game begins to shine after you get accustomed to traveling through time and exploring each unique level. This downloadable rerelease is an easy choice for fans of the series or anyone interested in some pure platforming goodness.

Tales of Berseria does some interesting things, and is the most captivating Tales storyline in some time. I like the majority of its ideas, but the execution often feels half-realized. It still feels like the franchise isn't making big enough leaps, and is just content to bring its fans more of the same. By now, you probably know if you're okay with that. Nothing ever made me stop playing, but the flaws are impossible to ignore.

The gimmick of Kingsway is rather glorious, but the grandeur fades quickly as you take up your sword and staff for the third or forth completion run. The novelty of Kingsway is quite potent, but it just doesn’t have any staying power. As something to hammer out in a day and put down never to play again, it’s a fun diversion – but don’t count on it to keep you exploring the ever-changing island for much longer than that.

Shadow of War fulfills the promise of its predecessor, completing a dark and violent lost tale set within the world of The Lord of the Rings. I was initially frustrated by the liberties that Monolith takes with this beloved fiction (which are plentiful), but I eventually abandoned myself to the insanity, and fell down the rabbit hole into a superb fantasy adventure. Monolith captures the thrill of power with aplomb; the way it simultaneously speaks of its dangers and corrupting potential is the real magic.

Judgment tells a sprawling, action-packed story that veers dangerously close to melodrama without falling apart. It has some genuinely shocking moments, and proves that you don’t need Kiryu or Majima as tour guides to have a great time in Kamurocho.

NBA 2K20 also comes through in the gameplay department, allowing individual expression within a team dynamic.

Lego Builder’s Journey doesn’t give you the total freedom to build what you want, but it taps into strong feelings – problem solving and the satisfaction that comes with it. The game is a good start to what I hope is an evolving franchise.

Keeper is strange in many ways, and sometimes crosses over into genuine psychedelia. In evaluating it as a game, some things didn’t work for me. As a piece of art and creative endeavor, it fares far better.

This is the most fun I've had racing in a Forza title, and yet it's not the most complete entry in the franchise.

While Hitman is still slower than most games, it's also smarter. Devising a strategy, using the environment and disguises to your advantage, and leaving before anyone knows you're there are the hallmarks of a perfect hit, and Absolution proves Agent 47 is still gaming's premier hitman. [Dec 2012, p.98]

SvR’s great right stick grapple system hasn’t changed much in the last few years, so it’s hard to say the series has evolved much on the mat. I’d still love to see a tutorial system to help newcomers ease into play.

Given both its de-emphasis on low-level tactical decisions and its ambitious scope, EEII resides in a bizarre no-man's-land between "Civilization III" and "Kohan II." [May 2005, p.124]

A positive step forward for the series after the last dud. Machine Games presents a competent shooter with more polish and a better array of characters, but ultimately the game feels more comfortable recompiling established conventions than it does striving for innovation.

Yakuza 3 does offer an involved, lengthy story for those with the patience to wade through the repetition and annoyances.

A respectable adventure, but it drives players forward with its visual content and not its gameplay. [Jan 2006, p.144]

There's a reason why most people buy the newest year of a sports game, and it's not just to get the new rosters. It's always good to get the latest gameplay tweaks – but you won't find them here in this FIFA title. FIFA Soccer for the Vita may do a good job showing what the new system can do, but it could do a better job with offering a tighter gameplay experience.

NBA Jam's only major flaw is the lack of online multiplayer. This game was made for competition, and not everyone has three other people to play with in their house.

SNK has proven with King of Fighters XIII that it cares about the fans. Nearly every bit of negative feedback about the last game has been addressed here, resulting in distilled fan service in disc form. Devout King of Fighters fans left wanting last time won't have much to complain about here. And while the tutorial and missions mode offers some guidance for casual players, I can't recommend this over other superior fighters on the market.

There's a comfortable familiarity to its medieval setting, and the story is refreshingly non-linear - if you want it to be. [Dec 2002, p.148]

Throw in such music game warhorses as Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and you’ve got a soundtrack that – with some notable exceptions – feels a bit stale. It’s a shame, too, because the gameplay is strong enough to make this much more than just a solid handheld music title.

It may not be the deepest game or the best video pinball title of all time, but it is a fantastic cart, and one that you will come back to again and again for as long as you own your Game Boy Advance. [July 2002, p.92]

Metroid: Other M is the most disappointing Nintendo release in quite some time and a blemish that isn't likely to be forgotten on an otherwise superb franchise.

Far Cry 6 is a gripping and exciting thrill ride from the opening moments, delivering the best entry the franchise has had in years.

On the easier levels, I usually just died of boredom, on the harder difficulties I swore in anger at the title's merciless assault. [Mar 2004, p.107]

The hack n' slash equivalent of Ozzy Osbourne: It's a little slow, a little clumsy, and pretty damn incoherent, but somewhat charming in its own odd way. [July 2002, p.88]

To say this is the poor man’s street racing game is quite an understatement.