It’s been awhile since I played a game that butchered so many of the basics of gameplay and design. [Sept 2008, p.103]

It’s been awhile since I played a game that butchered so many of the basics of gameplay and design. [Sept 2008, p.103]

When it all clicks, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a well-oiled adventure combining good design and fun gameplay that any strategy/RPG fan will appreciate. [July 2008, p.94]

Alone in the Dark can be applauded for its innovation, but it cannot be saved from its dysfunction. Had Eden Games added polish, or dare I say it, play-tested the game, it could have been a welcome addition for survival horror fans.

Alone in the Dark can be applauded for its innovation, but it cannot be saved from its dysfunction. Had Eden Games added polish, or dare I say it, play-tested the game, it could have been a welcome addition for survival horror fans. [Aug 2008, p.85]

The extreme polish evident in the final product makes it all worthwhile. Both single- and multiplayer shine - at long last redeeming DICE for the crappy bot-fests offline players had to endure in previous games in the series. [July 2008, p.82]

The extreme polish evident in the final product makes it all worthwhile. Both single- and multiplayer shine - at long last redeeming DICE for the crappy bot-fests offline players had to endure in previous games in the series. [July 2008, p.82]

With more responsive movement controls and a better transition game Top Spin 3 could have been king of the court, but for now it will have to settle for being tagged as a promising but flawed prospect.

With more responsive movement controls and a better transition game Top Spin 3 could have been king of the court, but for now it will have to settle for being tagged as a promising but flawed prospect. [Aug 2008, p.86]

Online play is as good as we’ve seen out of the genre on console, mostly because of the improved controls, but C&C 3’s reliance on hard counters, unit specials, and speedy expansion is a terrible fit for the limitations of the gamepad interface. Kane’s Wrath executes its mediocre ideas solidly, but that doesn’t make it any more fun to play.

A relative disaster. The PC version of the game still comes highly recommended, but steer clear of this console iteration.

Even with some clever adjustments, On Tour just doesn’t feel the same.

Exactly what most people who own a Wii are looking for. This is cooperative gaming at its best – the perfect party game for friends, family, and new gamers alike. Even with its regrettable omissions, Rock Band has a broad audience of Wii owners just waiting in the wings to get their chance on stage.

It takes some clever thinking to take something this old and make it feel new again. Square Enix has done exactly that by maintaining the core "shoot the aliens" gameplay while dramatically expanding the strategy and skill required to succeed in the endeavor. [July 2008, p.95]

It takes some clever thinking to take something this old and make it feel new again. Square Enix has done exactly that by maintaining the core "shoot the aliens" gameplay while dramatically expanding the strategy and skill required to succeed in the endeavor. [July 2008, p.95]

It offers a nice variety of gameplay, and the story ties in perfectly with the existing lore. [July 2008, p.95]

As the crowning achievement of the series' 20-year history, Hideo Kojima's final Metal Gear Solid title may not be what you expect, but it is everything you could hope for in a video game.

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.

Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles tries to capture the essence of hard-boiled sleuthing, but it falters mainly because it takes itself way too seriously. [June 2008, p.101]

Prizefighter definitely has its frustrating moments, but there was enough fight in it – in and out of the ring – to keep me from needing the smelling salts.

Despite the improvements made to this year’s title – including a noticeable bump in graphical quality – it still doesn’t have all the corners dialed in yet. AI cars take better racing lines than in 08, but they still don’t show near enough variety or smarts to pit at different times, take rim-riding race lines, or avoid plowing into each other during a caution.

Despite the improvements made to this year’s title – including a noticeable bump in graphical quality – it still doesn’t have all the corners dialed in yet. AI cars take better racing lines than in 08, but they still don’t show near enough variety or smarts to pit at different times, take rim-riding race lines, or avoid plowing into each other during a caution.

The word “good” should never be used when describing this game, but “entertaining” definitely fits it. Who doesn’t love smashing stuff? The Hulk does it better than anyone, and it’s captured quite well within this game.

The word “good” should never be used when describing this game, but “entertaining” definitely fits it. Who doesn’t love smashing stuff? The Hulk does it better than anyone, and it’s captured quite well within this game.

Though The Bourne Conspiracy is weighed down by broken gunplay mechanics, its thrilling hand-to-hand combat, slick presentation, and relatively short time commitment (eight hours) make it a perfect rental for fans of the films.

Though The Bourne Conspiracy is weighed down by broken gunplay mechanics, its thrilling hand-to-hand combat, slick presentation, and relatively short time commitment (eight hours) make it a perfect rental for fans of the films.

If there ever was a game developed for the attention deficient, this is it. Ninja Gaiden's action is so fast bullets would have trouble keeping up. But since it's is action game and not a round of golf, this intensity is pretty flippin' awesome.

Although the drift racing is too dependant on the hand brake and I’d like more emotional investment in the cars in my garage (some tweaking would be nice, as would more of a sense of pride in each car I own), Grid is a shining example of how to make a fresh racing game that captures that age-old, fundamental desire to go screaming down the asphalt like a rubber-shredding, hell-bent maniac.