Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system.

Grapple Dog isn't doing anything new or revolutionary, but it is nicely delivering on a simple premise. It felt like uncovering a forgotten gem in a Game Boy Advance bargain bin, then taking it home and discovering some parts that are a little uneven or awkward. It's the kind of game that's just imminently likable and endearing, even if I don't expect it to hook me long-term.

Patrician II successfully blends trading, city-building, and simple ship combat in a way that's constantly engaging.

Takes a little longer to get used to than your average motocross game, but the result is a deeper game that still has all the fun of a more arcadelike offering.

Despite a slightly flawed interface and presentation, provides an enjoyable and deep strategy experience.

You can create a route, enjoy riding around on it, and with the new interactive industries and AI drivers, you can really make the train do something.

Sloppy controls and a lack of cooperative play hurt Indiana Jones' first Lego adventure, but the humor and puzzles still make this worth playing.

Manages to convey the same feeling of deadly tension that its PC counterpart was famous for, and the compromises that were made to make it portable are fairly minor.

Easily the most graphically impressive, deepest, and by and large most enjoyable surfing game to be released yet.

It has all the necessary fundamentals intact, but a general lack of polish and a long list of annoying quirks make it difficult to recommend.

Players who lost touch with baseball games when they went 3D on the PlayStation may find that Slugfest is exactly what they've been missing.

Much like its predecessor, Dragon Quest Heroes II isn't short of opportunities for high-volume slaughter while effectively preserving the charm of Dragon Quest. Omega Force's thoughtful mix of familiar Dragon Quest Heroes designs and new features not only makes this sequel engrossing, but it also shows this side series' potential for future installments. It makes for a satisfying hack-and-slasher that is not only a great Warriors spinoff, but also an effective gateway to the main Dragon Quest series.

Making History certainly adds more to Kerbal Space Program, and those who've already poured hundreds of hours into the game may be grateful for the tiny cache of new supplies it introduces. But in this particular space race, players have already been to the Moon (sorry, Mun) and back long before developer Squad unveiled its new rockets.

Mario's various dalliances into sports have been inconsistent, often because they feel so bare-bones and perfunctory. Mario Tennis Fever breaks this trend with a multitude of modes and a playful, flexible gimmick that makes it more wild and unpredictable while also testing your tennis skills in a new way. It's the best a Mario sports game has been in years, and hopefully charts a course going forward for the Mushroom Kingdom's other sporting events.

While the gameplay in Tony Hawk's American Wasteland is still sharp, and the game still looks and sounds just fine, this seventh installment just seems to lack that special spark that made the series so much fun in the first place.

If you can tolerate the forcibly cute presentation, you'll find Puyo Pop Fever to be a solid, addictive puzzle game.

Meticulous attention to detail makes even the most mundane things, like a forgotten book in a corner or a bottle of shampoo, captivating, and strong voice acting and writing gives surprising depth to characters who are physically absent from the story itself. But its two levels never really intersect in meaningful ways, culminating in an ending that's thought-provoking but short of being revelatory.

More than just Mario Party with a different mascot, Rayman Raving Rabbids makes great use of the Wii technology to create a bizarrely enjoyable minigame collection.

Gatling Gears is a fun shooter that reminds you how much of a blast destruction can be.

When it's letting you live out its proposed reverse-horror fantasy, Carrion is at its best. It excels at making you feel empowered as an evolving lab experiment gone wrong, giving you ample opportunities to flex your death-dealing tentacles and tear enemies limb from limb. While giving you numerous tools to wreak havoc, it also uses them in smart ways to find a good balance between its gory combat and problem-solving. Carrion falters when it requires too much fine precision from you with a control scheme that doesn't allow for it, and is at its lowest when you're not playing as its headlining monster at all. These are disappointing distractions, but Carrion's main event is still a bloody great time.

This entertaining and varied sci-fi shooter doesn't break new ground; it's just a bunch of goofy, gory fun.

Battlestations: Midway strikes just the right balance between action and strategy to create a game that's as unique as it is enjoyable.

FlatOut 2 seems a little too slick for its own good in spots, but it still manages to provide plenty of destructive racing fun.

Dancing All Night might have sounded like a fun idea on paper, but it simply doesn’t hold a candle to better portable rhythm games.

It's a shame there are so few noteworthy changes, because the core gameplay is still well done. But recycling the same content isn't enough to make this worth buying. NCAA Football 13 is another entry in a long-running franchise that desperately needs new ideas.

The disconnect between the gameplay and the narrative elements of Spec Ops: The Line is numbing, which makes it more difficult to contemplate the murky morality of war in the way the game wants you to.

It's not the revelation that last year's debut was, but Madden NFL 08 is a worthy follow-up and a fun game in its own right.

The PC version of GRAW 2 is custom-built for the platform, and it's so difficult that it appears to have been custom-built for masochists, as well.

Torment is far more than just a phenomenal role-playing game. It’s a challenge to restore the depth and nuance for which the genre was once known.

While it offers an interesting and varied campaign, Big Red One doesn't quite nail down the intense feel of World War II infantry combat.

The game offers a couple of new modes and options, but it's basically just a new batch of songs for you to sing, and how much you'll get out of the game is tied directly to your interest in the songs on the disc.

Despite some new and enduring weak spots, Doom Eternal's frantic combat (mostly) continues to shine through. Once you get back into the swing of the action, the rock-paper-scissors design philosophy still results in a great time. I just wish Doom Eternal could get out of its own way.

Scurge: Hive is a solid action adventure with a slick presentation that should appeal to anyone who enjoys the Metroid style of play.

Its story and themes are delivered well, but they don't come off as pretentious or preachy. The challenging boss battles deliver immense satisfaction, and the breaks of tranquil exploration offer delightful moments of discovery.

Cosmic Star Heroine is still an enjoyable sci-fi RPG with a classical spirit. It's shameless in its celebration of its inspirations, and the soundtrack goes a long way to sell every moment. Though it has more than its fair share of flaws, none of that stops this game from being exactly what it sets out to be.

This intriguing real-time strategy game overcomes its feeble campaign by encouraging a different approach to battlefield tactics.

PGA Tour 2K21 improves on the mostly stellar foundation of The Golf Club series, offering the most realistic and pure golf experience in a game to date. There are still some minor annoyances that can temporarily take you out of the experience, but it offers a closer approximation of the actual PGA Tour schedule and a relaxing, streamlined approach to MyPlayer. For the most part, PGA Tour 2K21 admirably captures the peculiar magic of the game of golf.

It's hard not to be drawn in by Frozen Synapse 2's style, but it's even harder to pull away once the game's combat gets its hooks in you.

The rewarding sense of experimentation and problem-solving that dominates this quest makes putting up with its foibles worthwhile, and the twisting, puzzling halls of Quadwrangle Manor are substantial enough to justify the 1200-point ($15) price of admission.

Sable is a little rough around the edges, then, yet these shortcomings are far outweighed by its numerous strengths. This is a relaxing adventure that's both familiar and quite unlike anything else. It gives you the freedom to approach things at your own pace--in your own way--while managing to dispel any notions of aimlessness. Even if you don't have a particular objective in mind, you're guaranteed to discover new sights and sounds by hopping on your hoverbike and simply exploring. It's the antithesis to most open-world design, where the onus is on getting you to the next point of interest as soon as possible, and so it stands out even if you remove its beautiful art style from the equation. Sable is methodical, introspective, comforting, and fully deserving of your time.

There's a lot to love about Wizard of Legend. While it does have some issues, the cycle of exploration, discovery, failing, learning, and exploring again will keep your determination to conquer the Chaos Trials high. Wizard of Legend might not look like much on the surface, but there's some good magic underneath.

After almost a decade away from the sport, EA's return to the golf course is a promising one. The range of shot types, courses, and tangible variables make for a methodical and tactical game of golf that's both challenging and rewarding. It stumbles by barely introducing players to its robust mechanics, while a laggy swing and inconsistent putting are notable flaws on what is otherwise a fantastic golf sim. EA Sports PGA Tour represents a solid re-entry for the series and lays down a sturdy foundation for an auspicious future.

Some flight-combat buffs will probably dislike the game's loose style, but people who aren't necessarily looking for a pitch-perfect simulation of the conflict will enjoy Heroes of the Pacific.

While some great strides have been made since last year, as far as the actual gameplay is concerned, the dynasty mode is still broken, which makes the game feel like an incomplete product.

Delivers the thrill of being in the ring with a totally new control scheme that offers players a greater degree of control over their fighters. Plus, the mobility of the fighters has been drastically increased.

It has a lot of things going for it, including beautiful graphics, oodles of detail, and lots of depth. Sadly, it's a game that doesn't quite hit the million-dollar jackpot due to some cumbersome gameplay, an unusually and often frustratingly high level of difficulty, and interface issues.

R-Type Dimensions is a faithful albeit somewhat pricey update of the coin-op classic with few surprises.

A solid game, worth the time of anyone who enjoys a good puzzle/adventure title. Those who lost interest in the series with "Tomb Raider II" may want to give it another look with the third.

Fans of the classic 2D games will no doubt find much to love in X5, while those who can't get into the aging conventions and mechanics probably won't care a great deal for it.

Both a very good side-scrolling shoot-'em-up and a spectacular follow-up to the original game, but, like so many other similar games on the GBA, it doesn't really bring anything new to the genre.

Completely linear and will take you 15 to 20 hours to finish...The story has at least a couple of fine twists, and Kain is as memorable of a main character as they come.

The additions are noticeable, but it may still be tough for owners of last year's game to justify a purchase, considering that it hasn't even been a year since the release of "MLB Slugfest 2003."

Despite the rough edges, however, it is the Spider-Man character itself that makes Spider-Man: The Movie fun to play.

Though WrestleMania XIX is a definite improvement over its predecessor, the game's few graphical hang-ups and detrimentally bad story mode ultimately mar what could have been a really great game.

Its puzzlingly addictive nature simply cannot be reasoned with, yet at the same time, it helps solidify the game as one of the best games of pool to come out on a console platform in many years.

Won't hold the Tony Hawk pro's attention for long, but it's still a fun, well-designed skating game.

When Ghostrunner rips, it really rips. Wall-running, jumping, sliding, and cutting through enemies as you go is empowering and impressive. For a good portion of the game, you'll only experience how impressive it feels to dart around a room in short bursts, but even that's enough motivation to keep you pushing forward to master the art of robot ninja parkour. There's bound to be a lot of frustration along the way, so it isn't all smiles, exactly, but the rush you feel in the moment as you perfectly run a room is worth the grit.

This underwater adventure is beautiful, enchanting, and a big improvement over the original.

WWE 2K22 is a surprising return to form after the Shockmaster-sized disaster that was 2K20. The extra year of development has done a world of good, and the only hope now is that the series doesn't return to an annual schedule. There are still failings when it comes to multi-person matches, and not all of the new modes are particularly engaging, but 2K22 establishes a solid foundation for the future. Ideally, WWE will calm down when it comes to gutting its roster, and the next game in the series won't feel quite as outdated. It will also be interesting to see how Yuke's upcoming AEW game fares. Competition can only be a good thing.

The new touch-screen controls, level creator, and colorful presentation make March of the Minis an even better puzzle game than its predecessor.

You wouldn't guess it from the title, but Half-Minute Hero is good for hours of role playing against the clock.

Q.U.B.E. 2 struggles to contextualize its clever puzzles with a narrative as engaging as their solutions, but it’s still one nut that is consistently rewarding to crack.

It features some attractive visuals and a few particularly dramatic scenes. Still, Black Hawk Down is a deeply flawed shooter that has a moment of disappointment or frustration for every moment of fun.

Delivers a satisfying team-based shooter experience that many hardcore Star Wars fans will probably enjoy greatly. Ironically, though the PC version of the game is technically the best, it also faces the stiffest direct competition, because to many PC shooter fans the game may come off as old hat.

One of the most accessible and uniquely addictive strategy games this year.

Shadows of the Damned balances strong gameplay with artistic delights to create a mesmerizing experience.

With only six chapters that run roughly 30 minutes apiece, Unravel Two doesn't last long, but it's a game where the time you have is meaningful, memorable, and downright pleasant from beginning to end.

It can sometimes be tough to appreciate games from the past because so much of game design is built on iteration. That isn't a problem with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered. There are archaic elements to both games, yet it's surprising just how well they hold up today. There's no doubt that improvements to the game's controls and, to a lesser extent, their visuals contribute to this, but the main reason they persevere is because of their masterful melding of story, worldbuilding, and mechanics with a handful of innovative ideas. Much like Raziel, this isn't a perfect revival, but it preserves a pair of classic games and, in an ideal world, will attract a new audience to a series that has been dormant for far too long. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of its resurgence.

Inconsistent writing and shallow characterizations keep this adventure game from fully resonating.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is almost exactly what I was expecting from a Yoko Taro-led card-based RPG. That is primarily a compliment, as it still managed to take some odd turns and retained the somber, melancholy aesthetic of his past projects without sacrificing humor. Somehow, the games' all-card structure actually works within the confines of a traditional role-playing game, and it does it with so little fat that it never overstays its welcome. It also sacrifices some of the more jaw-dropping moments I want in a Taro game--what I expect most from him is the unexpected, and it's why Nier: Automata 2 is such a bad idea. But failing to make my eyes fill with tears as I contemplated the nature of my existence and the necessity of hope a second time isn't exactly striking out on three pitches.

A good addition to the series, but it's not different enough to appeal to anyone other than the biggest of DDR fans.

The Pets expansion adds an interesting wrinkle to The Sims 2 but won't set the world, or even your sims' house, on fire.

This beautiful, gravity-defying multiplayer action game is a robot-killing blast.

Pairs third-person and new first-person gameplay with an emphasis on combat and item management. The resultant hybrid has some flaws, but The Room retains the dark, disturbing soul that is the unsettling center of the Silent Hill experience.

Saints Row IV's crazy missions, fun superpowers, and funny writing make it an enjoyable way to live out your destructive fantasies.

There's nothing especially unique about Escape Goat 2 aside from its protagonist, but it thrives due to its masterful execution of puzzles, simple controls, and a kind learning curve.

Best of all, though, this world is so stunning that you'll just look at the trees, the water, the rocks--everything. It’s a shame that some of the puzzle solutions are needlessly frustrating and present significant obstacles in getting through the story, but aside from that Operencia provides a truly special experience.

While this translation of one of the greatest fighting games of all time is mostly intact, its sloppy online mode and bland presentation will leave Street Fighter fans feeling cold.

Band Hero makes fake plastic rock easy to pick up, family friendly, and a whole lot of fun.

The outdoor levels are much more fun and enjoyable than the indoor levels--so much that the game could have been considerably better had there simply been more of the former and less of the latter.

Geometry Wars is a classy arcade-style shooter, but this PC release is missing a ton of features that would make it last longer.

While it doesn't spring any surprises, Green Day: Rock Band packs high-energy rock into a solid package.

A thick, unsettling atmosphere fills this ambitious first-person action adventure, which makes up for some frustrating moments and dated graphics with plenty of chills, variety, and originality.

The Clone Wars offers an ambitious step up from previous games in the series, but a ton of small issues across the board lead to boredom and frustration.

The structure of the game is pretty sound, but moving the tricks into a racing scenario completely changes the game, and not always for the better.

Crysis 3 is stunning to look at, successfully portraying an uneasy partnership of the natural and the artificial. As the story presses on, the conflict deepens and the visuals darken; it's as if you can feel the evil spreading throughout the city. As a piece of technology, Crysis 3 lives up to the series' legacy. As a game, it doesn't reach the same heights.

Imperator: Rome feels undercooked. As it stands, it's a strange mish-mash of several of Paradox's existing (and, let's be honest, superior) games without much to distinguish or recommend it. Paradox recently outlined a "One Year Plan" for the title in an effort to reassure players that they are aware of its shortcomings and intend to address them. That roadmap appears insubstantial to my eyes, but we'll see when we get there. For now, Imperator: Rome remains a decidedly modest strategy game.

Pacific Fighters uses the acclaimed IL-2 Sturmovik engine to simulate this epic conflict, but unfortunately it turns out to be the biggest letdown of the series.

While it abandons the the long-running story that defines the franchise, Suikoden Tierkreis offers a brisk, beautiful role-playing experience.

Ultramix 4 has all of the modes you'd expect from a DDR game, but whether or not any of that is worthwhile depends on how you feel about the song list.

Won't hold the Tony Hawk pro's attention for long, but it's still a fun, well-designed skating game.

If you're dying to see how Vergil fares against the Order of the Sword or feel the need to test the extreme difficulty, take the leap. Just be warned that some aspects of the game would have been better left in the past.

Technical issues aside, the upgrades to Rome II have helped blur the lines between tactics and strategy, creating a powerful, engaging drama that works well on every scale.

It may not offer much of a challenge, but Solatorobo: Red the Hunter has enough variety and quirky charm to stand out from other action RPGs.

Whether it's Kessler's empathy or the supplementary notes you find, The Old Blood seems to have something to say about the evolution of games, but never arrives at a solid point. The sledgehammer that is B.J.'s philosophy always wins out, stranding the gray areas in a game that clearly won't give them the time of day.

From the moment you embark on your journey right up until the final deathblow, Strider is a blast to play. Controlling this agile ninja feels empowering right out of the gate, and each new upgrade brings with it an enjoyable new way to engage your foes.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong feels very retro in certain respects. It's designed to be played in short bursts, which can feel anachronistic on a modern handheld hybrid that's perfectly suited for long play sessions. But it's also a throwback in the best ways, recapturing the clever aha moments of puzzle-platforming that made its predecessors so memorable, all while packing distinct visual improvements and quality-of-life tweaks that bring out its charm like never before.

Dead or Alive 5 is a deceptive game. The subtleties of its solid fighting mechanics are easy to miss under all the flashy visual effects layered on top. It is a game new players can pick up and enjoy without feeling overwhelmed by too many options, while still offering complexity to those who know where to look. It's a dynamic fighter that can be enjoyed by players of all skill types.