A distillation of everything the genre does right. It delivers the intensity of competition and the thrill of victory, all through elegant techniques that are easy to learn and difficult to master. Street Fighter IV is more than mere nostalgia - it's the best thing to happen to fighting games in years. [Mar 2009, p.82]

A distillation of everything the genre does right. It delivers the intensity of competition and the thrill of victory, all through elegant techniques that are easy to learn and difficult to master. Street Fighter IV is more than mere nostalgia - it's the best thing to happen to fighting games in years. [Mar 2009, p.82]

The Lost and Damned makes me feel bad for PlayStation 3 owners everywhere. Gamers on the GTA hate train won’t find anything to change their minds here, but series fans shouldn’t miss this incredibly deep expansion pack.

To Prinny's credit, it rewards dedication with inventive stages, clever boss battles, and an enduring sense of accomplishment. [Apr 2009, p.89]

Old-school fanatics should enjoy the gorgeous audio and visuals, but beware the slow crawl to victory. [Mar 2009, p.94]

The turn-based tactical battles and permanent character death are as unforgiving as ever, and the story is banal as only mediocre heroic fantasy can be. Fans will love this for being a nicely updated piece of history; the rest of us will wonder why Nintendo is re-skinning this venerable franchise yet again.

After the embarrassment of The Perseus Mandate, F.E.A.R. 2 should be in consideration for comeback player of the year. While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won’t make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.

While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won’t make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.

While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won’t make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.

The Wii version is notable for using motion slashing on both the nunchuk and remote, although the attacks you generate aren't that sophisticated. The game's areas are also slightly bigger and require less loading on the Wii. [Apr 2009, p.81]

The core game is one of the strongest platformers out there, and the mountain of extras pile on the enjoyment.

One of the more unfortunate things about this game is that for a supposedly comical kart racer, the drivers’ personalities rarely come through. At its worst, NASCAR Kart Racing stands out as little more than a marketing opportunity in a sport already filled with them.

Even if you're not old enough to remember blowing on carts, Retro Game Challenge is interesting and varied enough to entertain for hours. [Feb 2009, p.87]

The lack of online play is a shame, but the list of titles included here is a true all-star lineup from the Genesis era.

The lack of online play is a shame, but the list of titles included here is a true all-star lineup from the Genesis era.

The star of The House of the Dead: Overkill is the unabashed writing, which finds gold in spoofing the genre with a brazen effectiveness. The parade of F-bombs and one-liners fit in perfect harmony with the grindhouse presentation. Tarantino fans shouldn’t miss this clever, curse-heavy shooter.

It's hard to know which is more laughable: Onechanbara's story of sisters who absorb zombie blood through their skin or the fact that this game is so shallow. [Apr 2009, p.81]

For gamers looking for something different on the Wii, this might be the ticket – provided that you’re willing to cope with the unpolished mechanics.

Unfortunately, the good parts like the unlockable skills are obscured by generic enemy designs, monotonous combat and the most tedious boss battles I’ve seen.

Unfortunately, the good parts like the unlockable skills are obscured by generic enemy designs, monotonous combat and the most tedious boss battles I’ve seen.

However, the clunky controls, frustrating camera, and broken combat all spoil the game's flow. [Apr 2009, p.86]

When you look past the mask of satirical humor this game puts on, My World, My Way is just a parade of tired mechanics orbiting a single cool concept.

You might have some fond memories of this series, but I suggest you avoid eye contact with this game the next time you're at the store. [Feb 2009, p.86]

With the remarkable hip-hop infused soundtrack and strong voice acting from all the lead actors of the show, the game is worth it for action fans willing to tackle this bloody exploration into the nature of vengeance.

With the remarkable hip-hop infused soundtrack and strong voice acting from all the lead actors of the show, the game is worth it for action fans willing to tackle this bloody exploration into the nature of vengeance.

Art that fails to distinguish between moving yet non-interactive backgrounds and gameplay elements is a problem as well in this otherwise tightly tuned action/platformer. [Feb 2009, p.87]

The nuts and bolts of gameplay are apocalyptic failures, but the awfulness doesn't stop there. Managing games is utterly pointless. [Feb 2009, p.85]

The nuts and bolts of gameplay are apocalyptic failures, but the awfulness doesn't stop there. Managing games is utterly pointless. [Feb 2009, p.85]