Legendary is by no means awful — it’s just about as vanilla as first-person shooters get. It all wraps up with a completely unsatisfying “wait for the sequel” type cliffhanger. We’ll see.

There are some things you never knew you wanted in a strategy game. The third-person view does wonders to get you invested in every decision, and it’s great to have a worthwhile story. The gorgeous presentation and versatile combat make Valkyria Chronicles one of the best surprises of the year.

The gameplay shows potential, but the rest of the game isn’t strong enough to lift it up into an experience that any gamer needs to see.

The gameplay shows potential, but the rest of the game isn’t strong enough to lift it up into an experience that any gamer needs to see.

For multiplayer fans, Resistance 2 delivers everything you could want from a game, but the single-player experience sadly falls short of expectations.

It leaves you wanting more. [Oct 2008, p.15]

The co-op nature of the campaign sets it apart. Every single mission (and there are enough to deliver dozens of hours of playtime) has two commanders working side by side, and it’s an absolute blast to pound the AI with a buddy.

There’s plenty here to twist and turn your brain.

This game is massive, and as your character’s stature in the Wasteland grows, so does the excitement. It’s not a true sequel to the Fallout series, but as a fan of the games of old, I found it to be every bit as good.

This game is massive, and as your character's stature in the Wasteland grows, so does the excitement. It's not a true sequel to the Fallout series, but as a fan of the games of old, I found it to be every bit as good.

As a racer, Pacific Rift hits all the gears – it just lacks that extra one to kick things into overdrive.

Don’t let the cutie-pie exterior fool you — Ninjatown is a gamer’s game through and through.

The only glaring ommision from the original Scene It was online play. Now that it's implemented well in Box Office Smash, you won't have to cajole your friends and family into a game every time you want to play a session. [Jan 2009, p.71]

LittleBigPlanet is a gaming epiphany – one of the rare titles that opens new horizons on the landscape and changes the way you think about interactive entertainment.

If World Tour has a trump card, it’s the groundbreaking new GHMix studio mode. It’s basically a full-on set of music creation software, that allows you to write, arrange, and record your own songs, then upload them to be freely shared with fellow players. Even better, the game instantly translates them into fully playable jewels charts on the fly. As much fun as I had tackling “Hot For Teacher,” this mode feels like the future of the franchise.

If World Tour has a trump card, it’s the groundbreaking new GHMix studio mode. It’s basically a full-on set of music creation software, that allows you to write, arrange, and record your own songs, then upload them to be freely shared with fellow players. Even better, the game instantly translates them into fully playable jewels charts on the fly. As much fun as I had tackling “Hot For Teacher,” this mode feels like the future of the franchise.

If you spent months bowling in Wii Sports, then this will be an upgrade. Otherwise, it isn't worth your time. [Jan 2009, p.76]

Through its richly interactive world, gorgeous art design, and often-humorous writing, Fable II crafts a world where you’ll quickly feel at home.

Long story short, this is a flawed game through and through. Even the most devout Spyro fans should avoid it. [Jan 2009, p.69]

Long story short, this is a flawed game through and through. Even the most devout Spyro fans should avoid it. [Jan 2009, p.69]

Long story short, this is a flawed game through and through. Even the most devout Spyro fans should avoid it.

The game’s greatness makes suffering through a few poorly designed bosses worth it for hardcore Castlevania fans and 2D action experts. But unlike many other titles in the franchise, I can’t recommend this much beyond this limited demographic.

BioShock was undoubtedly the best game of 2007, but after a year with so little extra polish, its luster has diminished slightly.

If you don’t mind playing a game for six or seven hours before getting to the good stuff, Web of Shadows eventually packs a nice little punch. However, if you want instant gratification from your games, this experience won’t do much for you.

If you don’t mind playing a game for six or seven hours before getting to the good stuff, Web of Shadows eventually packs a nice little punch. However, if you want instant gratification from your games, this experience won’t do much for you.

Ubisoft has managed to strike some potent emotional chords with Far Cry 2. Combined with the depth and breadth of the sweeping African environment, they may very well be enough to overcome a combat system that isn’t nearly as intricate as the game world in which it is housed.

Ubisoft has managed to strike some potent emotional chords with Far Cry 2. Combined with the depth and breadth of the sweeping African environment, they may very well be enough to overcome a combat system that isn’t nearly as intricate as the game world in which it is housed.

The gameplay and plot show their age, blending into the sea of modern role-playing conventions.