As this DLC ups the shock factor, it makes it clear when season two rolls around that Telltale has no boundaries, and you should prepare your emotions accordingly.

The sound, on the other hand, makes me cower in a corner, trying to find a warm place. [Nov 2002, p.122]

Giving players creative control isn’t enough of a spark to make this experience shine.

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.

FIFA 22 might tout next-gen visuals and solid gameplay, but there aren't enough exciting changes to differentiate it from last year's experience.

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

It’s certainly not perfect; the difficulty balancing is rough around the edges, and the co-op multiplayer is ruined by the fact that the camera doesn’t pull back, resulting in total chaos as each player’s hunk of junk grows in size. However, I’m pretty addicted to Blast Works.

Overall, NBA 2K23 is a fitting tribute to the historical legends and iconic moments that made this sport what it is today. Though the game has its fair share of issues with its poor narrative choices and omnipresent microtransactions, it’s still a solid improvement over the previous game. This year’s release isn’t quite the flashy free-throw line dunk that lands a perfect score, but it is a worthy, all-around effort that would earn M.J.’s shrug of approval.

Thankfully, it is a perfect fit for VR, and the series’ barebone narrative makes this is a great chance for newcomers to jump onboard. The puzzle-box gameplay is great for VR, and Fireproof’s moody environments should delight fans of atmospheric horror. In some ways, A Dark Matter is the culmination of everything Fireproof has done on mobile, but I also hope that it is a new beginning for the series in VR.

Regardless of the numerous frustrations, I had a blast combing the game’s open worlds for hidden gold bricks, and seeing Harrison Ford in action again as Han Solo. I can't stress just how cool this is, and he did a fantastic job reprising his role. A Lego title is a strange choice to deliver new Star Wars story material, but it works surprisingly well, and gives fans plenty of interesting and new content to digest.

Don’t go into Sonic Racing expecting tons of surprises or genre-redefining innovation. Rather, prepare for a Sega-studded interpretation of the classic kart racing formula.

With just a dozen levels, Unravel's brief six-hour runtime still proves too long for the basic puzzle mechanics. However, the satisfying platforming, thoughtful story, and adorable protagonist make it a worthwhile journey. I grew tired of repeating the same puzzle solutions, but seeing Unravel through to the end was still a treat.

For some, Blaster Master Zero might be an appealing trip down memory lane, but for those without an affinity for the original, this remaster won’t leave an impression. Blaster Master Zero features a few welcome additions – like retooled boss fights and more generous save points – but these changes aren’t enough to give this release a modern feel. Despite its facelift, Blaster Master Zero is a blast from the past that feels like a bit of a relic.

If you are one of those players that takes their tournament stick around the country and competes against the best, you'll undoubtedly want Arcade Edition in your collection. However, it's harder to recommend if you're on the more casual end.

With the classic strategy gameplay and trademark Working Designs writing, anybody with a taste for RPGs will find more than a mouthful here. [Jan 2002, p.88]

Differs from "Dynasty Warriors" in that it simply kicks ass. [Feb 2003, p.103]

A marked improvement over the Playstation 2 version, with buffed-up character models, faster action, and more responsive analog-stick control. [Apr 2002, p.83]

An ambitious release for IO, but the end result is a garbled mess of a game that has lost its way. [June 2004, p.122]

Fortunately for Nintendo fans, the single-player mode is engaging no matter what console you're playing on, and the story simply can't be beat. [Aug 2004, p.92]

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]

While the music changes and audio mishaps are disappointing, the Sonic Origins package is terrific overall. Having the best versions of the classic Sonic saga in one bundle is supremely satisfying, and Anniversary Mode’s enhancements make the experience of playing through them more enjoyable than ever before. Even in a gaming landscape where most of these games are already available to download on every platform, Sonic Origins is a worthwhile package.

The opening two episodes set the stage for the new adventure. They have everything you've come to expect from The Walking Dead: shocking deaths, intense betrayals, and split-second decisions to second-guess. Ties That Bind mostly focuses on familial bonds - the risks we take for the people we love and how far we're willing to go to put another's life above our own.

On day one, the game feels a few reinforcements short to pull off the overwhelming victory we’ve come to expect given the series’ strong lineage.

If anything, Dragon Quarter will likely tear the Breath of Fire fan base apart... As intended, it's unlike anything you've experienced before. [Mar 2003, p.79]

Rather than the fun and addicting challenge of past Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles, Minis on the Move feels more like homework.

Multiplayer now includes online play, but most people will probably focus on bettering their online time trial rankings.

The game looks phenomenal. Vivid colors blanket the backgrounds and characters alike, and the detail work, from waving grass to rippling waterfalls, is remarkable. While the plot and humor at play here rarely reaches for anything beyond immature power fantasy, the gameplay package is far more than you (or I) would have expected.

I may be slightly disappointed by Pocket Planes, but that feeling only set in after a solid week of compulsively checking my planes, sending them out on jobs, and amassing an in-game fortune. Though it doesn't have the depth of a full-fledged simulation, the accessible mechanics and tempting rewards make Pocket Planes worth some short-term attention.