But playing this game live on the console systems lacks the finesse and speed to which you're accustomed. Lag is apparent everywhere, from watching other players float across the ground to empting an entire magazine into a foe at close range with no effect.

The challenge with Groove is to make it feel less like a mechanical button-pressing game and more like you’re actually dancing, and that, my friends, is all up to you.

Soulstorm is certainly not a bad expansion pack, but time has certainly conspired against it. Being released almost four years after the base game much of the game is showing its legs, especially in the graphics department.

By playing Banjo-Tooie, you can get a sense of what platformers used to be like. Besides Nintendo with Mario, no one pulls them off better than Rare and this is no more evident than in this well-made remake of the classic Banjo-Tooie.

It's more suited as a light snack and won't satisfy your hunger for a gourmet feat of beat-em-up goodness. [Nov 2006, p.93]

This game is not for the faint of heart and should be reserved for those that enjoy repetitive battles and watching badly built sprites bumble across their television screen.

The scores of happy families, the gentle and caring characters you've grown up with your entire life, and the chance to virtually wander around a place that is so beloved can't help but make you smile.

Although you’ll encounter heavy slowdown and flat textures, the graphics are pretty slick.

The combination of "Thief"-style sneaking with smart enemy A.I. and the use of realistic weapons-piano wire, silenced pistols, sniper rifles, and even M-60s-creates an intense experience, though many gamers will be frustrated by the lack of in-game saving.

If you throw a lot of parties or have people over often, this is a good game to have on hand, especially if you're just looking to have a night of casual fun with some friends. [Feb 2008, p.82]

But in the meantime, it's the only game in town, and it's certainly not a bad one at all. While it might be lacking some options to give it longer replay value, PES 2011 plays a sophisticated and subtle game of football, and delivers a terrific-looking 3D soccer experience.

Too bad the slow pace of the gameplay hobbles the cool concept.

Racer Revenge looks more like a first-generation PS2 game, complete with draw-in and bland environments. The sounds can be just as dull.

Showcases a pleasant portion of gory violence and splashy red sprays, but the aloof camera can easily loses your character in the sea of suffering humanity, forcing you to rely on blind button mashing.

Though it misses a beat here and there, DAMM ultimately rocks hard in the gameplay department.

Ms. Pac Man sometimes gets a mind of her own when you tell her where to go, but the simple controls keep gameplay chomping along.

The game is also rather short, but when every outrageous environment is so chock full of goodies, and the atmosphere so relentlessly positive, it's still hard to resist playing just one more time.

Nexus is a welcome addition to the Armored Core franchise, but for all the upgrades and tweaks that From Software has instituted for this latest version, it seems too little, too late, and too bad. [Nov 2004, p.106]

An excellent flashback to old-school gaming in its finest hour. [Feb 2006, p.70]

Drawn to Life is a must-have for every DS owner's library. [Oct 2007, p.87]

The controls fall into the same annoying trap as other touch-control FPS games in that you're always resetting your thumb to look around.

The move to the PS2 meant the omission of any type of communication among teammates whatsoever. You can press one button to taunt or another button to cheer, and that’s it.

For those with patience, a good sense of direction, and an interest in the obscure, you owe it to yourself to try the game out. If you have a short temper or enjoy the mundane, it's best you avoid making contact with this one.

The saving grace in this title is the level design. A living breathing world has never looked so good.

Still, there's no denying that the Tony Hawk franchise has some life left in it and Proving Ground is yet another deep and satisfying entry in the dominant skateboarding franchise. [Dec 2007, p.120]

Pac-Land has never looked better, cartoonishly but lushly rendered, and full of bright colors and crisp 3D objects.

Test Drive needed this reboot, and the gritty, underground-racing angle isn’t bad; it just doesn’t feel as thrilling or daring as it should.

The first game’s take on noir was fresh and powerful; the sequel has the same haunted spirit with less surprise value. While Max Payne’s rain-soaked world is a weary one, it’s also undeniably compelling.