As a strategy board game, Culdcept Saga integrates luck and skill well enough to be generally entertaining, and even more so if you are prone to obsession when it comes to collection and optimization. [Feb 2008, p.101]

I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.

I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.

The limited inventory system often forces you to waste items to make room, and multiplayer is a complete waste – unless prancing through the fields collecting faeries with a net is your cup of tea. However, for a children’s movie licensed game you could do a lot worse.

Downstream Panic’s Lemmings-esque gameplay is hard to resist.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more. [Apr 2008, p.88]

The three-dimensional game world is basically linear, but a brave attempt to add verticality adds some scope.

This final PS2 installment doesn’t move the franchise forward, but it does take us all along for a ride into its past. With a collection of goodies for fans of the franchise, this budget-priced game offers some thrills but fails to stand particularly well on its own.

A highly polished, very original, and extremely fun strategy title.

Fans will appreciate the classic versus bombfests and the multitude of modes and maps, but the lack of online play means many solo players will be stuck competing against lame bots.

With a little more polish BigBig might have had a good series on its hand, but it's not quite there yet. [Feb 2008, p.102]

What's here is nothing short of amazing, but I can't help but wonder what could have been. [Feb 2008, p.94]

What's here is nothing short of amazing, but I can't help but wonder what could have been. [Feb 2008, p.94]

It’s a unique take on open world play, and its almost nihilistic fixation on violence for the sake of violence has a satirical and darkly comedic edge. Unfortunately, the repetition and lack of substance behind the flash left me cold.

With an excellent soundtrack and a simple concept, Endless Ocean succeeds in its goal of being a relaxing, educational experience. However, it fails miserably when it comes to feeling like a game. [Jan 2008, p.95]

The addition of online multiplayer via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection will be a great boon for some, but the core single-player experience feels like a small step back from the brilliance of Dual Strike. Still, this is a standout in the DS lineup and a sequel that shouldn’t disappoint the series’ many fans.

Melee attacks in light gun games always suck. It’s too hard to judge the effective distance of your weapon, and much of the fun of melee combat as a concept is tied to the use of space and the tactics involved in controlling the flow of the fight. Unfortunately for Samurai Warriors: Katana, it’s basically a light gun game with melee weapons.

Sure it’s got remote tilt steering, liberal boosts, and plenty of jumps, but the core control is so fundamentally sloppy it verges on unplayable.

Circle of Doom’s problems all seem so frustratingly obvious the first time you see them that it makes you wonder why they were never changed.

EA should be ashamed that it’s trying to bilk some kid out of $50 while offering so little in return. I can understand simplifying the controller in an otherwise button-heavy sport, but that doesn’t mean the gameplay itself has to become uninspiring and so lacking.

EA should be ashamed that it’s trying to bilk some kid out of $50 while offering so little in return. I can understand simplifying the controller in an otherwise button-heavy sport, but that doesn’t mean the gameplay itself has to become uninspiring and so lacking. [Feb 2008, p.96]

If you’re already a fan of Harvey and the craziness that surrounds him, you’ll love how this game nails the feeling of the series. If you’re just a regular gamer looking for a solid legal adventure, other attorneys will represent your interests better.

You have a GameCube controller handy, Zero Gravity is very nearly mediocre.

Fans have been holding their breath for this sequel for 11 years, yet Sega answered their dreams with a game that feels like a Sega Saturn expansion. Only approach this game if you still love playing the original, otherwise your fond memories of this series will likely be tarnished.

What it may lack in revolutionary features it makes up for on the tracks where speed, skill, and surprises are not in short supply.

What it may lack in revolutionary features it makes up for on the tracks where speed, skill, and surprises are not in short supply.