Excitebike: World Rally is a retro remake done right. Even with the unfortunate lack of local multiplayer, this one falls under the “must buy” category.

The story is serviceable for moving you from one puzzle to the next, but not particularly engaging, and there isn't much to do in the world except tap through dialog and receive the next puzzle in a fairly linear fashion.

Madden 22 goes for broke on improving Franchise mode after years on the backburner, and it mostly works, even as it comes at the expense of most other modes in a pandemic-struck year.

If you expect groundbreaking insanity and innovative gameplay based on Grasshopper's legacy, Lollipop Chainsaw falls short of expectations. If you can successfully curb those expectations, then you've got yourself something quirky for a simple weekend playthrough, even if it's a game with some ups and some real downs.

A decent game - it just doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from all the other games like it. And while it's true that those games don't blend martial arts with duck-and-cover shooting, Conspiracy's approach to both of those things is just too shallow and repetitive.

This is about as solid a next-gen port as we’ve seen on Wii, but it’s probably going to take an act of God to make us think a downscaled port is better than the original. Other than an earthquake, we mean.

Just know that the game does one thing, and it does it well. Admittedly, Neves is a simple, no frills affair, but its addictive nature and robust length makes it just as hard to put down as any other quality puzzler out there.

Although it remains a simple - and for the most part unchanged - concept, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong formula has been honed to near-perfection over the years. Tipping Stars is far from revolutionary, but for quick bursts of action-puzzling, there’s little better. While the cast of robotic minis might be brainless, the game they star in is anything but.

It admirably bridges the gap between deep simulation and enjoyable "just one more turn" gameplay and would be a worthy addition to any strategy fan's game collection.

Scorn works wonders with Giger's and Beksiński's artwork, not only in terms of aesthetic fidelity but in creating a world that's utterly strange to exist in. This is a violent, painful, but fascinating place, thick with symbolism and interlocking puzzles that hint at some terrifying grand design. While it can be overly obscure and frustrating, especially in combat, Scorn serves up one hell of a journey.

A stunning open world, brutal combat, and deep customization combine to bring Ghost Recon roaring back from the dead.

Code Vein 2 feels like the first post-Elden Ring Soulslike to try something of a similar scale, but it's made too many compromises to get there. Inspired moments are trapped in a bland, repetitive experience with far too much padding to recommend seeking them out. Time travel back six years and play the first Code Vein instead.

With a lengthy campaign, an addictive battle system, and a cooperative multiplayer mode, Luminous Arc is the kind of title that you can lose yourself in.

Encore is a solid sequel and an enjoyable experience, but in 2008, Karaoke Revolution is starting to feel a bit outdated compared to the emerging competition.

The grown-up Buzz! games might make you feel smart, but this makes us feel evil. And sometimes, that's way more fun.

The big problem is that the PS3 has the SingStore, where we could have downloaded only the tracks we wanted. Hence, tossing out what is essentially a track pack is pretty much useless to us.

Our biggest beef with Volume 2 is the lack of online play (the Japanese version offered it, but cost more). Also, the absence of any sort of bonus content feels like a glaring omission.

Even though this game is rife with innovation, the narrative is still heavy-handed, and that ultimately means that you need to suspend disbelief and fully invest in the story to get the most out of the game. Forgive its flaws and Beyond offers a truly special story-telling experience that you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

Truth be told, we were put off by Legends’ quick-time event-heavy controls. Yet at the same time, we felt driven to replay matches and earn unlockables. Yes, we had fun but we griped a bunch too. Maybe the next Legends game can return to the right-analog stick action we’re so used to. Or maybe it’s we who are blinded by nostalgia.

Legion royally shakes up Watch Dogs' open-world template with a Play as Anyone mechanic that just about outweighs any headaches left by its rough edges.

Yes, the action can get tedious over time, as you realize that strategy takes a back seat to cheap super-moves and quick fingers. But there's something here.

What's here is well polished, and it works. Much like a favorite food, the DDR series has settled into a comfortable groove. Perhaps the next outing will be a bit more daring.

Atomic Heart has a lot of big ideas, but it doesn't do a good enough job with the basics. With an incomprehensible storyline, weightless combat, and frustrating first-person platforming, Atomic Heart is left to stand in the shadow of the video games that so clearly inspired it.

All the trudging, mundane puzzles, and hours spent on air vents are worth it at the end when secrets are revealed and the scattered memories all start to make sense.

The biggest head-scratcher about GHTPM is this: why did it take a whole year to get it ported from the Xbox version? But only slightly less perplexing is why, rather than spending a few hours twiddling the sticks of a PS2 controller, most of the game's target audience wouldn't instead heave the ol' butt out of its couch groove and go play some real paintball?

Cars has its flaws and frustrations, but it does a nice job of wrapping up a decent arcade-style racer in a very shiny package. Unfortunately, not even the crisp visuals, hopping cars and dynamic tracks help it pull ahead of the huge pack of racers already available for the PSP.

Funny in bursts, regularly creative, yet held back by distinctly average combat and poor exploration elements. High on Life 2 is a surreal trip well worth taking, although you'll need to adjust your expectations accordingly. Do that, and it'll regularly put a (sometimes guilty) smile on your face.

Swings in multiple different directions without ever making a convincing impact. While Mario Golf: Super Rush isn't too rough in most places, it's just not on par compared to other recent golf games.