Putting on a three-man aerial show is about as tough as it sounds, but making the Gamebreakers controllable definitely improves the strategic aspects of the game. [March 2005, p.84]

Rez strikes a very distinctive look by way of combining a virtual reality viewpoint with themes relating to ancient mythology - and if that sounds as intriguing to you as it did to me you'll undoubtedly have a blast.

In short, you'll have a blast but you'll pay a heavy price for it sooner or later.

Morrowind effortlessly grabs the other PC RPGs by the throat, swings them around, and leaves them in a heap on the side of the road.

What makes Fable II so thoroughly absorbing, despite a few notable shortcomings, is the heady illusion that every choice you make sends ripples through the world, its people, and your own simulated heart.

If you’re looking to play hockey of the NHL variety, to tackle pro challenges and use real-life strategies, NHL 2K3 will thrill you as much as watching your team heroically survive a five-on-three penalty kill.

"Final Fantasy IV" is an outstanding and epic work that impresses despite its advanced age...Although the visual and audio aspects have aged poorly, "Chrono Trigger" is nevertheless an invaluable offering to its genre.

There's an incredible amount of fun that comes from filing the shoes of some of the most inspiring musicians ever to walk the earth, and Harmonix captures this experience with same sense of magic that the Beatles were known for. It's well worth the price of admission, even if you forgo the replica instruments and stick to your stock Rock Band gear. [Nov 2009, p.74]

Incredible cooperative and competitive multiplayer is brilliantly designed around the new maps, modes and enemies.

All in all, I can't recommend Left 4 Dead highly enough.

Unmatched in its field thanks to major improvements in every category combined with a deeply rewarding simulation experience.

If you’re looking to play hockey of the NHL variety, to tackle pro challenges and use real-life strategies, NHL 2K3 will thrill you as much as watching your team heroically survive a five-on-three penalty kill.

There are just enough rough edges--erratic frame rates, astronomically long load times, and the aforementioned camera problems--to suggest that Jade Empire may have benefited from a few extra months of development polish. But no matter. In the end, the game is still hopelessly engrossing and thoroughly replayable.

It's about time Nintendo 64 gamers got a chance to survive the horror. Capcom finally brings the PlayStation classic to the Nintendo 64, and they've done the impossible. The problem is that the N64 isn't quite the best place for this evil to take residence.

It's straightforward, hack-n-slash combat online or off. But you must jump online, however, to get the full experience of what the Dreamcast is capable of doing.

Reclaims the crown "Wipeout" stole from F-Zero with lots of stuff to unlock, a stout Story mode, and lots of group fun - but it can be frustratingly difficult, too. The chemical response of your adrenal gland could be hazardous.

If you've already tackled the console version, you certainly don't need to shell out for the PC version, too, but if you haven't yet experienced this magnum opus, this is the version you should play.

In short, it's everything I could have hoped for in a (spiritual) successor to Demon's Souls. I'm pleased to recommend it to anyone who wants to see the medium pushed to its limits and beyond.

Putting on a three-man aerial show is about as tough as it sounds, but making the Gamebreakers controllable definitely improves the strategic aspects of the game. [March 2005, p.84]

Between its ripping sense of speed, edge-of-the-seat gameplay, and impressively original and deep features, [its] glorious PS2 debut just smokes.

I'm going to recommend Gay Tony but only to GTA-fanatics who are willing to gloss over the still persistent faults; it's with them in mind that I award the game a high score. But gamers who've already given up on GTA won't find anything here to change their minds, so save your MS points for something else.

Going backwards instead of forwards in the timeline was a masterstroke - it's totally satisfying for fans and does nothing but stoke the fires for the forward-looking, new GameCube tale coming in 2005.

While the gameplay remains the same, the new features and improvements make Cataclysm even more enjoyable the original.

Turns in a superstar performance with its addictive gameplay, authentic hockey feel, and exhaustive features.

When playing in a loud stadium, visiting teams face a rowdily vibrating controller, shaking screen, and players whose lack of composure causes bad plays. If you think you can handle it, you're in for a surpise - the overall effect is huge, really adding to the challenge in key moments like kicking a field goal. [Aug 2004, p.90]

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

One area where Guild Wars sets itself apart from other MMOs are the environments; they are flat-out the most impressive, especially when seeing that even lower-end rigs can run the game at a respectable frame rate.

While Guitar Hero 5 doesn't re-invent the wheel (or the guitar, for that matter) it does offer up a bounty of new rockin' features that puts it above a "yearly update." With an eclectic set list, 85 playable tracks, and some DLC content sure on it's way, GH5 will keep your fingers strumming for a good while until the next inevitable installment arrives. That is, if you can get over the creep factor of seeing Kurt Cobain in GH form.