Super Mario Galaxy 2 throws something new at you nearly every single level - and with over 240 stars to collect, that's no small feat. [Issue#206, p.94]

I now know how film critics felt after screening "The Godfather." It's been days since Grand Theft Auto IV's credits rolled, yet I can't seem to construct a coherent thought without my mind wandering off into a daydream about the game. I just want to drop everything in my life so I can play it again. Experience it again. Live it again...Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming.

Once that nostalgic music rings out and Mario leaps into the air, all your complaints instantly vanish. This is, in my opinion, the best Mario game since the NES classic, Super Mario Bros. It innovates in a genre that we had thought we had seen everything from, and in doing so delivers some of the most entertaining gameplay to date.

Rockstar Games deserves credit for pushing the boundaries of its flagship franchise yet again with improved controls, great mission variety, and the most jam-packed open world I've ever visited.

The Final Cut opens this strange world up to a wave of new superstar detectives on console, and the additions provide a rewarding return trip for the rest of us.

The narrative fails to match the impact John Marston or Niko Bellic's tales, but the colorful characters kept me interested in the story nonetheless. Like the golden state it parodies, Grand Theft Auto V is filled with beautiful scenery, a wealth of activities, and the promise of fortune.

I was entranced by this version of Hyrule, and it surprised me at nearly every turn, from its wealth of discoveries to the way it shuns the established tropes of previous Zelda games. It represents a profound new direction for one of gaming’s best franchises and a new high point for open-world interactive experiences.

The most rewarding, playable, and addictive game on the Playstation 2. Just wait until you see who the hidden characters are! Skateboarding stalwarts rejoice! [Dec 2001, p.86]

Rockstar Games has outdone itself again with Red Dead Redemption II. The up-close portrayal of the outlaw Van der Linde gang’s unraveling is a compelling companion story that blends seamlessly with the original game, and depth and breadth of the open world is a technical triumph that every gamer should experience.

I can’t stress just how much fun it is to experience Grand Theft Auto V again from a new perspective. The impact it has on the series is huge, but is somewhat muted from it debuting in a re-release and not a new entry in the series. I went into this review expecting to play the same game again, and I did, but Rockstar made it feel new.

From utter blasphemy to unadulterated praise, my time with Metroid Prime stimulated a whirlwind of emotions. [Jan 2003, p.98]

The environments of Liberty City are stunning in scope and detail, dwarfing anything I've ever seen, and your choices are endless. [Dec 2001, p.87]

Quibbles aside, Super Mario Odyssey is an absolute delight, and another Switch release that will have Nintendo fans debating which 3D Mario game is the best of them all. I still hang my hat on Super Mario Galaxy as the pinnacle of the series, but Odyssey and its wealth of gameplay styles and moons make it a close second.

Its graphical prowess is truly unprecedented, lighting up the screen with a flurry of chaotic effects that can best be described as glorious. The sheer depth of gameplay, and the countless innovations within it, are equally impressive. [Nov 2001, p.118]

Technical wizardry is married to artistic brilliance throughout the presentation, from the oddly beautiful vistas of a post-apocalyptic Earth to the creepy alien Citadel...This will be remembered as a historic occasion in gaming. [Dec 2004, p.184]

It’s ingenious, enthralling, and a masterpiece of the most epic proportions. So without further delay, would you kindly enter Rapture so that you too can experience the best that video games have to offer?

Uncharted 2 is a ringing testament to the power of both games and storytelling. It pulls you in, keeps you engaged, and concludes with a thunderous bang.

There are no flaws in Resident Evil 4. It is the greatest horror game to date. I never thought that a game, or a movie for that matter, could deliver pulse-pounding action in such an awe-inspiring way. [March 2005, p.134]

Baldur’s Gate 3 is unforgettable and one of the best experiences I’ve had in games. I may have just finished my lengthy first playthrough, but I’m already eager to delve further and push the boundaries of what’s possible in this exceptional world that Larian created.

For those who have played both, don’t worry – there is still $60 worth of new content in this package, so you too should go ahead and re-read that headline, because you shouldn’t have to read this whole review to understand why The Orange Box is probably the best videogame deal ever.

For those who have played both, don’t worry – there is still $60 worth of new content in this package, so you too should go ahead and re-read that headline, because you shouldn’t have to read this whole review to understand why The Orange Box is probably the best videogame deal ever.

This game could be one of the biggest and most enjoyable time sinks of the year. Arkham City not only lives up to the standards set by Arkham Asylum, it bests its predecessor in every way and stands tall as one of Batman's greatest moments. [Nov 2011]

The loss of RPG elements may hit some people hard, and the repetition in minigames may lead to yawns and tired eyes, but none of these faults hold Mass Effect 2 back from being a work of bold ambition, and one of gaming’s most exciting sequels.

It's one of the biggest, most content rich games I've ever had the pleasure of playing.

Simply put, Resident Evil 4 is a landmark video game, no matter what system you play it on... Truly brilliant. [Nov 2005, p.158]

Video game sequels are often iterative on what came before them. It looks a little better, plays a little smoother, retains important mechanics while introducing new ones, and continues the story. Tears of the Kingdom checks most of these boxes, but getting rid of the Runes from the first game and giving players new ones to use in exploring a familiar but undeniably new world is ingenious. Nearly every encounter, whether puzzle, traversal, or combat, must be reconsidered. It makes you think in new ways. I didn’t get the same goosebumps exploring Hyrule as I did in the past, but I did experience new emotions both on a granular level from solving individual puzzles and on a larger scale by going back to one of my favorite video game locations. They say you can never go home again, but I adored returning to Hyrule with all new tools.

Blows every Zelda game out of the water and stands as the video game event of a lifetime. It's an absolute necessity for anyone who considers themselves a gamer. [Apr 2003, p.86]

From the attention to detail that went into the graphics to the sophistication of gameplay, Hideo Kojima and his team set out to create the perfect game, and the result is nothing short of this. [Dec 2001, p.84]