Its hair-raising visual creep-outs and deft handling of foreboding folklore are undermined by a steadfast reliance on survival/horror-genre trappings and boring gameplay execution.

Takes off in a fresh new direction with riveting air combat that mixes thrilling missions with simple controls, solid multiplayer support, and an intriguing story line.

Parasite Eve will leave you thrilled, chilled, and a little hungry, but it’s well worth the price of admission.

Ultimately, if you're not a Pokéfan, this game won't change your mind…but if you don't mind the adorable monsters, there's lots of unusually satisfying gameplay here.

If "serious" is the last thing you associate with hockey games, you'll have a blast hammering out checks on Hitz’ rink - especially since Midway’s rolled back the price a notch.

Plays like Zelda with bombs instead of swords and shields.

Like "Mario Party," "Bomberman," and "Super Smash Bros." before it, the amusement level in this ridiculous frenzy increases exponentially with the number of people in the room.

At such an enticing price, having to subscribe to the episodic format is a small concession for such great content found in Sam & Max.

The bottom line is that Worms has always been a fantastic game so it all comes down to how complete a given installment is, and Worms Open Warfare 2 is easily the defining title in the series. [Oct 2007, p.87]

Most surprising are the vehicle-based sections of the game. In a word, they're fantastic.

Hardly a groundbreaking fighting game, but it delivers a massive lineup of classic characters coupled with a tried-and-true fighting engine. It’s rock-solid fighting, plain and simple.

It doesn't reinvent the wheel with new gameplay mechanics or revamped graphics, but WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 excels once again as the definitive pro wrestling game on the market. Fans of the series and pro wrestling alike should definitely put it in their queues.

Even with these few select caveats, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is a stellar addition to the series and a new beginning for Capcom's fourth largest franchise. One has to wonder with all the multiplayer RPG aspects, will there be an online Onimusha title on the horizon.

Deception's drop-dead gorgeous graphics are loaded with clever details (Mileena's thinly veiled mouth or razor-sharp teeth, for instance) and vibrant colors.

The gameplay area is huge.

Though a few weaker points keep it from reaching amazing new heights in the B-ball genre, NBA 2K6 remains a fine example of what a high quality multiplayer launch title can be.

Overall, Perfect Dark Zero is a solid first-person shooter (it's certainly more user-friendly than "Quake 4"), but the nagging flaws push it a few notches below the greatness of its predecessor--not to mention justifying the $50 price tag.

By no means a perfect game - however, it's quite addictive and has the best controls for any soccer game so far. [Nov 2004, p.145]

A "Jedi Outcast" follow-up that feels more like an expansion pack than a whole new game... [It] won't bake your noodle or drop your jaw, but it's certainly a fine answer for those of you looking for more Jedi Knight.

Smackdown 07 is easily the best wrestling game to date. There's enough juicy content here to keep you busy for years to come, which is enough time for Hulk Hogan to retire and unretire twelve times.

Tremendous depth, great story, original gameplay-Deus Ex is the kind of game that almost shocks you with how good it is.

Ninja Gaiden II is a slick and thrill packed action game but it's nowhere near the masterpiece that fans have been clamoring for. It's worth playing through and you'll have plenty of fun but finicky camera and uneven difficulty definitely cuts into the fun.

This year's version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour is as sweet as a 350 yard tee shot down the middle of the fairway. It will challenge experienced players while still providing enough teaching and lessons to acclimate even the newest of players.

While there's occasional pop-up and clipping, those glitches are trumped by smooth animation and incredible explosions. When an enemy Mech is trashed, the bright blast lights up the screen and ripples the surrounding terrain in the most satisfyingly way.

The courtroom antics of Phoenix Wright are well worth the trip, even if the formula hasn't changed.

Pokémon LeafGreen and Pokémon FireRed draw you into the mesmerizing world of strange little creatures no matter how many times you've been there before.

MVP executes one element of its game far better than any other title this year: It’s just stone-cold beautiful.

Although Solomon's Boneyard does all the things that gamers have come to expect from an iDevice dual stick shooter, it never really sets itself apart from the wealth of similar App Store entries.