This is an incredibly slick package, and not just on the surface, either. On Tour tightens up a lot of the underlying course designs and gameplay mechanics, and it quickens the pace without betraying the fundamentals of SSX.

It's certainly a bold undertaking that delves into some philosophical and science-fiction territory that most games wouldn't dare touch, and though it may not be a superior game to its predecessor, on its own merits it's a great and original experience that's well worthwhile.

What could have been an action-packed, combat-intensive game gets muddled down by mechanics that make it frustrating more often than satisfying.

As is the case with most party games, EyeToy is simplistic at best, but the way you play the game truly makes it a one-of-a-kind experience that just about anyone, regardless of skill, can enjoy.

While some of Makin' Magic's more-colorful additions seem a bit out of place, this final expansion pack adds plenty of new things for you and your sims to do.

Gamers who like their games action-oriented may find Broken Sword to be too slow, but patient folks who like a good story that continually unravels will be delighted by this game.

Originally designed for the Naomi hardware in arcades, the Dreamcast version looks virtually identical to its coin-op counterpart.

With the addition of online play, Bomberman Online takes an old standard and makes it feel at least somewhat fresh again.

Golden Abyss is full of disappointments. The action set pieces are great, but there's too few of them; the voice acting is exemplary, but the narrative doesn't do it justice; the touch and motion controls work well for some actions, but they ruin others. For every moment of enjoyment you have, something comes along to spoil it. Despite its problems, though, Golden Abyss still succeeds in delivering some intense, entertaining action and combat.

But the game design doesn't take full advantage of the huge city, so instead you'll usually end up repeating the same half-dozen or so tasks over and over again, with some unique challenges thankfully sprinkled in to keep things moving.

Kiwami does a great job as both a remake of the original Yakuza game and as a sequel to Zero. Despite that combat remains more of a bump in the road than a rewarding pursuit, it's a no-brainer for existing fans of the series, and shouldn't be overlooked by newcomers, even if Zero passed them by. There's nothing else quite like Yakuza, and Kiwami isn't afraid to show it.

This horror-themed sequel's thrilling set pieces and bloody combat are remarkably satisfying but not for the faint of heart.

You don't have to love the decade of Rubik's Cubes and Pac-Man Fever to get a kick out of Blood Dragon. But if you do, then all the better: this action-packed shooter will strike all the right synth-pop power chords.

Driver: San Francisco's inspired shift mechanic and wealth of action-packed content make it an absolute blast that revives the franchise.

Agent Sam Fisher's latest assignment turns out to be a fairly routine stealth action operation, but changes to Splinter Cell's innovative multiplayer mode help make up for this.

Even if the new bells and whistles aren't enough to bring back established fans, this is still Lego Star Wars at its finest.

Blood and Truth is uneven, especially when it's determined to get you to focus on an uninteresting story while you're putting up with the shortcomings of VR. But the beauty of Blood and Truth is that it also does marvelous things with the platform. The addition of motion control make familiar and mundane mechanics engaging, while also breaking up the smartly designed first-person shooting and establishing a great rhythm to the six-or-so-hour campaign. Blood and Truth doesn't manage to stick the landing in all aspects, but it's definitely a step forward for PSVR shooters.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a weird package. On one hand, Sonic Generations is a remaster of a great game from 2011 that now feels like it's a little outdated. And on the other, Shadow Generations is the conclusion to a storyline that the franchise hasn't really cared about since 2006. As someone who specifically got into Sonic games during that early 2000 period, this collection feels like it speaks directly to me. But it also feels much like its protagonists--lost in a place out of time and desperate to return to fonder times. It's a nice enough trip down memory lane, but the trip features all the speed bumps you'd expect from games from that era.

It bears repeating that Pacific Assault really does a great job of creating a believable atmosphere, even if the gameplay itself, as well as your allies' inabilities to die or shut up, isn't realistic.

The continued absence of an online Franchise mode and the stale nature of Road to the Show are disappointing aspects of this release, but MLB The Show 24 still maintains the series' commendable output with fantastic gameplay and another collection of fascinating stories exploring The Negro Leagues and its players. A journey through the exalted career of Derek Jeter might not be quite as gripping, but it builds on Storyline's established framework and lays down an exciting blueprint for the mode's future. The addition of women in Road to the Show is another positive step, further reinforcing the overarching theme that baseball is for everyone, while the ability to customize how you play Franchise mode makes it a much more palatable proposition for those embarking on a 162-game season. MLB The Show 24 might not swing for the fences, but it's still a great way to spend the looming summer months.

Gwent clearly learns from other digital collectible card games that have carved their niche out of the market, but its play style offers up an entirely different type of challenge. It's one that requires some investment, and hard decisions on which Faction you'd like to invest in, but Gwent also respects your time by rewarding you for nearly every action in a match, tempting you to play just one more. Its matches could use some fine-tuning in their pacing and presentation, but Gwent is otherwise a refreshingly new take on card games that establishes itself firmly outside of the simple side activity it was in The Witcher 3.

Space Invaders Extreme is short, but there's plenty to keep your hands, eyes, and ears occupied during this psychedelic invasion.

Lego The Lord of the Rings is perhaps the finest treasure that the partnership has yet produced, a compelling mixture of cooperative gameplay, secrets galore, and a story that remains one of the most fantastic that Hollywood has ever captured on film.

The original Etrian Odyssey is remade with refined customization, enchanting visuals, and an intriguing story.

Last Light is notably superior to its predecessor, merging storytelling, shooting, and sneaking into a remarkable and cohesive whole. And through this harmony of game design comes the caustic dissonance of a world so torn asunder that a single possibility can bring with it endless hope.

A wide variety of games and accessible-yet-deep controls make Wii Sports Resort a must-have party game.

Certainly, the updates it does include make it a richer game of football than Madden NFL 06, but it's hard not to look at the game on PC as something of an afterthought in the grand scheme of Madden's release calendar.

TMNT on the GBA doesn't slow the tempo with silly puzzles or frustrating platform-jumping sections. Instead, it's a pure, fast-paced brawler that lets you go wild beating on bad guys and bosses with a healthy variety of exaggerated martial arts moves. And, thanks to the eye-popping graphics and catchy audio, the game is as much fun to see and hear as it is to play.

The visual design is excellent, the music is avant-garde and memorable, the boss encounters are thrilling, and it’s chock-full of challenges to keep you coming back and playing more.

The PC version of Darius Burst allows you to recreate the arcade experience by stretching the game across two monitors, creating an ultra-wide image. Otherwise, you have to accept the game's letter-boxed format, which squeezes the ultra-wide image to fit your display, leaving black bars on the bottom and top of the screen. The one exception to this rule is Chronicle Saviour mode, which is tailored for a standard 16:9 screen. Though four-player local coop is available, the lack of online multiplayer is a disappointment, especially given that there are some missions that can only be cleared with four players.

Even if it's a little rough around the edges, Sakuna is a genuine gem. Its rewarding and engaging sim gameplay, exciting freeform combat, and just the way it feels like a warm and comforting experience while you play it are what makes it one of the best life-sim style games to release in quite some time. Whether you're big into action, simulation, or both, Sakuna's journey of redemption is one well worth taking.

Most of the time, particularly early on when its quirks are fresh and unknown, it delivers. Even its weakest moments owe their existence not to ineffective ambiance and tension, but rather to excessive confidence spurred by eventual predictable encounters that clash with the promise of the setting.

A remade classic and a passable sequel meet in this fun but inconsistent package.

From Dust provides a rich world full of engaging challenges, though there are some frustrations even a god must suffer.

It feels a bit too much like its big brother, but all of the speculative history, nuclear tension, and Cold War spice make it a great addition to Paradox's stable of strategy games. It's also a great bargain when you consider the sheer amount of game you get here for less than $20 and the extra hours you'll get out of what modders will undoubtedly create with the scenario editor.

Homecourt is easier than ever to pick up and play, and almost all of the new moves and dunks are fantastic, but thanks to a shallow career mode and a limited number of other gameplay modes, there aren't enough ways to enjoy it.

The absorbing tactical battles haven't evolved much, but a great cast of characters and consistently funny writing keep Disgaea 4 entertaining.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't feature an engaging combat system, save for the moments where the team huddles provide a loose connection to the much more engaging narrative theme of the strength of communication. The game instead shines via its storytelling, which is enhanced by a talented collection of voice actors and a wonderful soundtrack. If this game is your introduction to the titular heroes, it's not the best first impression, but sometimes when the galaxy needs to be saved, you can settle for good enough.

Oxenfree is more than a ghost story with a Freaks and Geeks-like coating. It's a tale of coping with loss, broken relationships, and the inflexibility with which teenagers deal with sudden change, all layered under an alarming paranormal encounter. I left Oxenfree feeling hollow and strained, emotionally spent yet excited to play again and uncover more of the mystery. It doesn't hammer you with platitudes about friendship and loss, but hands you a knot to untangle that rewards you at every success with an emotional gut punch. It doesn't ask you any big questions, and certainly isn't easy in relenting its answers; Oxenfree just is what it is, a big little game about the all-too-human inability to let go of what hurts us.

It's clear that Stormregion didn't need to fix much in Phase One, and so Phase Two plays it safe by offering more of the same. But in the case of Codename: Panzers, "more of the same" still translates into some fun and beautiful destruction.

Defend your Grannie from mutant hordes in the tough but satisfying Mutant Mudds.

After a few dozen hours the semi-ludicrous story and systems set in front of you feel so comfortable together that this mashup of developer Atlus' most popular franchise and Intelligent Systems' beloved strategy RPG seems like it was destined to be.

Often ends up feeling like a string of puzzles whose solutions are pretty obvious. Nevertheless, Full Spectrum Warrior is very good overall, and deserves credit for being something other than just another military-themed shooter or strategy game. It's just too bad that it isn't more involving.

Duke is back and he's still out of bubble gum. Come get some.

Though you won't find anything especially new in this version of the game, you will find all the same classic Mega Man goodness that was on the other versions, and at a slightly cheaper price at that.

Teardown's greatest strength then lies in its underlying premise. The ability to jump into highly reactive maps with an assortment of fun tools to tear them apart remains as entertaining now as it was when I first started playing, and the chaotic nature of its physics are a consistent source of joy. It's a pity that the campaign fails to leverage this well in its first half, exacerbated by a slow trickle of new objectives and tools to use. These help expose the smart design that Teardown has from the start, which only really becomes evident much later in its campaign. If you can get past that, or if you dive into the bursting modding scene, there's a lot of cathartic mayhem in Teardown that will likely keep you coming back for more.

Pro Evolution Soccer returns for a third PSP outing, and though it still plays a good game of football, it offers relatively few new tricks.

The battle system has a flaw or two, but the lavishly detailed world of Baten Kaitos is a great place to go for a nice fairy tale.

Wanderstop, at its core, is the type of game that I suspect a player will need to play at precisely the right time in life to truly connect with. As its story (and Alta) unraveled around me, I was reminded of my own struggles and kept thinking about how comforting it might have been back then. Regardless, I adore the fact that it exists and will surely serve that purpose for so many others. It's an audiovisual delight, its narrative and characters are memorable, and I applaud the way it tackles burnout and how self-destructive productivity can be--especially in a time when just about every other influencer is preaching hustle culture and life optimization. That said, Wanderstop is not for everyone, and its gameplay and rough edges create a formidable barrier to truly enjoying what it does well.

Tetris' first appearance on the PlayStation 3 is also one of its best.

Explosive combat and terrific controls make Renegade Ops a great vehicular dual-stick shooter.

Darwinia+ is a crazy addictive repackaging of two great puzzle real-time strategy games for Xbox Live Arcade.

Levels are linear and predictable, focused on ushering you from one straightforward encounter to another so that you can go crazy with those deranged arms of yours. If you are a fan of the original game, bear this in mind: The Darkness II is a fun, very short FPS without the authentic atmosphere and subtle touches that made its predecessor so intriguing. Still, if you've got a lust for virtual blood, The Darkness II leaks enough of it to satiate you.

Deftly avoids the many pitfalls of AI squad tactics, and this, combined with great control, mission design, and presentation, makes for a truly fantastic game.

The PC version unquestionably has the best online features of any of the game's versions, since it lets you create clubs and track various stats online.

It's unfortunate that some elements of "NBA Street's" sense of style were lost in the translation between basketball and football, and the lack of a consistently enjoyable single-player mode is a problem for sure, but the game's excellent multiplayer component and its great level of graphical polish ultimately make NFL Street a game well worth playing for any fan of the arcade football genre.

My single reservation it's that the AI isn't always as sharp as it could be...But in the end, Rifles is still a deep, satisfying, wholly entertaining wargame.

As a historical monument of two genre landmarks, it is fantastic; as two individual RPG titles, each is a masterpiece of gameplay and storytelling; but as a modern collection of classic titles, the package falls unfortunately short.

The standard that subsequent fighting games published for the Game Boy Advance must meet or beat. It compromises nothing in delivering the arcade KOF experience to the palm of your hand.

The game's real goals aren't exciting enough to carry the game, so once you've unlocked enough levels to be satisfied and gotten the hang of the controls, there really isn't a whole lot more to see. Fans of the genre will be left wanting more.

It's not for everyone--but, in the end, Crystal Chronicles can be a tremendously entertaining multiplayer game for those willing to work together to overcome some obstacles both in the game itself and in its design.

The huge number of levels available and the two-player split-screen mode -- slowdown ridden as it is -- make for an incredible amount of value.

Fans of either series would do well to check the game out.

In collecting, battling, and exploring, Sword and Shield cut out the bloat and focus on what makes these pillars of the Pokemon games so captivating in the first place. You're not held back by overly complicated back-end systems or hoops to jump through; from the outset, you can start wandering the Galar region, seeing its new Pokemon, and trying out its new battle strategies with very little in your way. This leaves you free to enjoy what Pokemon is all about, and that makes for an incredibly strong showing for the series' proper debut on Switch.

Despite its aging formula, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is still a great entry in the series, with its typically tight platforming and both accessibility and depth to spare. While it can feel a bit stale for those who have been round the Mushroom Kingdom one too many times before, Deluxe is well worth playing, especially if you didn't get a chance to play NSMBU on Wii U.

When combined with the original game, Tribunal's features make an excellent role-playing game even better.

It may be a simple package on the surface, but Luftrausers will have you taking to the skies again and again.

This is another expertly designed entry in the enthralling series. Though the core action remains largely unchanged, it's as exciting as it has ever been, thanks in part to the gorgeous visual design that brings each location to life.

The pitfalls of Spec Ops don't detract from what Modern Warfare does well, though. Realism mode is an excellent addition to the slate, and although not all the new multiplayer modes are great, Gunfight and the Night Vision playlist are refreshing standouts. And while the campaign ends up playing it safe in the end, it's still a memorable one, and it lays a strong foundation for where the Modern Warfare series could go from here.

These issues, especially due to their persistence year after year, do hinder NBA 2K23 from being historically great, but for annual players who have gotten used to these problems, they'll likely sting less. What remains after you forgive (or just try to forget) those issues is undoubtedly still an exceptional basketball game made with an intense attention to detail and a love of the game. On the court, NBA 2K23 looks and feels lifelike and exciting in every drive, and the new and revamped modes treat the NBA like a revered historical monument. In those important ways it does its best to reflect Jordan's greatness and shows both NBA newcomers and historians what it's like to play like Mike.

Perhaps the next true frontier is the search for a procedural generation system that can create something more ostentatious, something that can surprise…something not so visible derived from an underlying system of ones and zeroes. But then, maybe it's there in Elite: Dangerous, in its way, and the problem is that I need to learn to start being more impressed by LaGrange points.

With a set destination, the journey has to be the focal point of Old Skies--which is great for it, as the game is a fantastic journey. The memorable dialogue is bolstered by an incredible cast of voice actors, and the story is compelling from its shocking first hour to its timey-wimey final moments. I'm normally one to play point-and-click games in small bursts to sit with each chapter of the story, but I found myself regularly playing Old Skies in large chunks, going through multiple chapters in each sitting just to see what would happen next. And even though I didn't enjoy every step there, the overall package more than made up for it with one of my favorite stories of this year.

IL-2 Sturmovik's dogfights and bombing runs are exciting enough to satisfy anyone with an interest in air combat. It successfully caters to both novices and veterans, and it's good to see such a faithful sim appear on a console.

The multiplayer's a bust, but God of War: Ascension's campaign is a gloriously bloody adventure filled with exhilarating combat.

Electronic Arts improves upon the solid foundation they laid with Tiger Woods 06 and builds a great game in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07.

Beyond the mood-breaking fetch quests and blank stares, however, Life is Strange has finally come into its own in Episode Three, shedding some dialogue and pacing problems from previous episodes.

It moves quickly--and in some pretty familiar directions, given how we’ve seen events like the attack on Prescott and the desperate search for a new refuge many times before. But not everything is as expected here, and the dramatic weight tied to unpredictable moments--as well as the amount of action--provides more of the franchise alluring edge-of-your-seat storytelling.

Although Buzz on the PS3 is more of the same, the addition of user-generated questions, downloadable question packs, and new wireless buzzers makes it a worthwhile upgrade for fans.

Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they’re still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history.

In any game within the toys-to-life genre, there's sometimes an unspoken question: is this also a great toy or just a great game? In LEGO Dimensions' case, the answer is easy: it's both.

NCAA Football 10 is a great football game that offers a new level of accessibility for newcomers, but keeps the core mechanics that veterans love.

Gathering Storm is overall a great expansion, ushering in two significant new systems that work hand in hand to deepen the experience. The embellished diplomatic options extend the range of interactions with other leaders, allowing you to work cooperatively towards common goals or pull the strings to your advantage behind the scenes. While the introduction of climate change delivers new strategic choices whose consequences resonate ever-more-loudly as you advance throughout the eras. It isn't simply more Civ, it's a whole new way to play Civ.

It's a bold, declarative statement backed with aesthetic skill on nearly every front. ROM is a resounding success and one of the most affecting adventures I've ever had.

PixelJunk Eden is beautiful and serene, until an impatient clock mixes far too much stress into this otherwise leisurely game.

The Stetchkov Syndicate's additional weapons, aggressive suspects, and new multiplayer mode breathe new life into an already great tactical shooter.

Arcade Edition is the most comprehensive version of Street Fighter IV released to date, and an essential buy for fans who don't already have Super Street Fighter IV.

Despite being the first WWE game ever to offer a full roster of WWE voice talent and the first North American-released wrestling game to feature online play, neither of these features live up to their potential, and the other random gameplay upgrades just don't feel like a significant enough progression for the series.

A really funny game that puts an innovative twist on the side-scrolling shooter.

Deliver[s] a stunning presentation coupled with solid gameplay and a lengthy campaign.

Despite being plenty of fun and sporting a few new tweaks, Pokemon White 2 fails to outshine its predecessors.

In collecting, battling, and exploring, Sword and Shield cut out the bloat and focus on what makes these pillars of the Pokemon games so captivating in the first place. You're not held back by overly complicated back-end systems or hoops to jump through; from the outset, you can start wandering the Galar region, seeing its new Pokemon, and trying out its new battle strategies with very little in your way. This leaves you free to enjoy what Pokemon is all about, and that makes for an incredibly strong showing for the series' proper debut on Switch.

PS2 owners who haven't played any other version of MDK2 should be pleased with the game, and Dreamcast owners who couldn't muster the dedication to complete the game might want to see what they missed on the PS2.

Offering several new features, as well as improvements to the game's graphics, sound, and overall polish, NBA Live 2004 is a good game for Live fans and general basketball fans alike.

Sci-fi trappings don't make the repetitive gameplay in this dungeon crawler feel any less dated.

The gameplay has an ultrarealistic feel to it, thanks to an accurate physics model that not only shows the car lean from the stress of a turn, but also totally lets you stay in control with tight responsive controls.

There are only a few improvements to help distinguish it from NHL 2002, but these changes further increase the realism of what is considered the best hockey simulation on the market.

An incredibly appealing sports game.

If you're after a good single-player game, rent "Fur Fighters" first to see if you can look past the game's camera problems.