One of the most enjoyable sandboxes for players to experiment in this side of Grand Theft Auto. [Issue#204, p.86]

One of the most enjoyable sandboxes for players to experiment in this side of Grand Theft Auto. [Issue#204, p.86]

One of the most enjoyable sandboxes for players to experiment in this side of Grand Theft Auto. [Issue#204, p.86]

Fortunately, the good parts in Red Steel 2 are quite good. The combo system is flexible and offers room for experimentation.

Uncovering all the Schwarzwelt's secrets will keep you glued to your DS for hours of intense RPG action. [Issue#203, p.96]

The great ideas present in MotoGP are a good foundation. However, the failure to develop them further is what keeps this game from greatness.

The great ideas present in MotoGP are a good foundation. However, the failure to develop them further is what keeps this game from greatness.

Stick with it and you'll find a unique puzzle game that's quirky enough to redeem most of the bad bits. [Issue#204, p.96]

I’m hoping that people get into it, because I plan on keeping this one in my regular rotation for some time.

Reinvigorated by the folks at Nicalis, Daisuke Amaya's remarkable game is engrossing, challenging, and quite lengthy for a downloadable title.

Frustrations aside, Perfect Dark is a great example of how a remake should be done.

It’s not bad, but it doesn’t deliver the payoff (and neither do the isolated multiplayer battles) after the time you spend on the more exciting ship building.

C&C 4 is not without redeeming qualities, and in the right situation it offers something truly unique to the RTS genre. I have no doubt that there will be gamers who fall head-over-heels for its tightly engineered co-op design. The binding dependence on teammates can be a pain, though, and legacy issues like bad keyboard shortcuts and unit AI persist. I can recommend the game, but only to a certain style of gamer and only with a handful of caveats.

Metro 2033’s greatest success is the consistency of its pacing. You’re constantly encountering new factions, discovering interesting new locations, or being tasked to do something you haven’t done before.

Despite those nitpicks and a couple frustrating late-game sections, Metro 2033's greatest success is the consistency of its pacing. You're constantly encountering new factions, discovering interesting new locations, or being tasked to do something you haven't done before.

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such a powerful, cinematic, and breathtaking conclusion to the saga of the Ghost of Sparta.

Awakening enriches the universe with new revelations and characters (two of the new party members are particularly awesome), but only makes half-hearted attempts to improve the basics. [Issue#204, p.95]

Resonance of Fate may appeal to the JRPG connoisseur who is looking for an interesting and challenging new take on combat. Others most likely will be thrown off by the silliness, steep learning curve, required grinding, and other pains – especially when there are so many recent well-rounded RPGs out there.

Resonance of Fate may appeal to the JRPG connoisseur who is looking for an interesting and challenging new take on combat. Others most likely will be thrown off by the silliness, steep learning curve, required grinding, and other pains – especially when there are so many recent well-rounded RPGs out there.

If you’re a huge Punch-Out fan and slightly curious about Rage of the Gladiator, I’d still recommend the WiiWare download. While it doesn’t dethrone the champ, it’s got the potential to be a contender if Ghostfire Games makes some changes next time around.

Even though the classic Pokémon formula still works as evidenced by HeartGold, I can’t help but hope for a new Pokémon title that breaks some new ground.

Even though the classic Pokémon formula still works as evidenced by SoulSilver, I can’t help but hope for a new Pokémon title that breaks some new ground.

Overall, Mega Man 10 offers all the nuts and bolts a diehard blue bomber fan could want in a retro sequel, while boasting even more content than Mega Man 9 with all its DLC combined. The game's technical ambitions are modest and it's not a life-changing experience, but it delivers nostalgic fun in truckloads.

The fundamental experience isn’t noticeably different, but the breadth and variety that Chaos Rising adds are solid improvements to an already good game.

If Scrap Metal was nothing but arena deathmatch missions, it would be much harder to recommend. An awkward camera angle and the lack of creative characters would keep it from being worth the asking price. However, the variety of vehicle types and mission objectives should satisfy car combat fans looking for signs of life in the genre.

A phenomenal RPG destined to be remembered as a technical milestone for the series. [Issue#203, p.88]

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

Final Fantasy XIII is an excellent game regardless of what system you're playing on. However, the Xbox 360 version's graphics are a few steps behind, with noticeable compression in the cutscenes and less impressive lighting.