The creators at Obsidian have crafted an amazingly compelling story with just the right tweaks and upgrades to keep the action fresh. [Jan 2005, p.30]

Mortal Kombat still isn't quite up to Street Fighter's level of complexity, but it's a deep, incredibly brutal fighter nonetheless, offering tons of variety and hidden extras. It's a goofier reboot than we were expecting, but it's also the most fun the MK series has been in years.

It's truly a wonder what could've fizzled into a pat, saccharine-sweet puddle of a tale ends up being much more, making Brothers an experience definitely worth having. [July 2013, p.70]

We're guessing may of these issues will be sorted out by 2012, but for now, this year's version offers the most technical and comprehensive college-football experience yet. [Oct 2010, p.74]

A series of very difficult parry and combo trials are what you're given to learn the game. Completing them is a slow process, but it's a fantastic and compelling way to figure out this notoriously complex sequel.

The surface changes lead to a more varied world and relatable characters, while the action itself is a benchmark for the genre.

After weathering the somewhat diminishing returns of Revelations and ACIII, Black Flag is exactly the shot in the arm Assassin’s Creed needed. It’s dependably fun, endlessly engrossing, and filled with tons of ready distractions everywhere you look, all while bringing to life a fascinating period of history with an engaging story and memorable characters. And if that isn’t enough, it’s the best game about pirates we’ve ever played.

Dance Central 2 blew our minds because of its artful mix of movement and gameplay; it makes using your body to respond to what's onscreen an afterthought. You just think: "Man, what a great game."

The concept is incredibly simple--Asteroids on crack, essentially--and there's not much strategy beyond "don't die," but Geometry Wars still has the ability to put its hooks into you and not let go. [Jun 2006, p.61]

To put it simply, Fight Night Round 3 kicks our ass. [Apr 2006, p.74]

Though we found ourselves wishing the gameplay and story had just a little more depth and variety, the game's definitely captivating. Carefully crafted and full of charm, Bastion is irresistible.

Best Xbox Live game ever made? Yeppers. Best first-person shooter this year? Indeed. [Dec 2003, p.54]

It's focused tightly on perfectly re-creating the atmosphere and physics of Rally driving, without any arcade-y distractions. [Jan 2003, p.69]

Without any significant, newly added gameplay beyond a single additional optional tomb, we still find ourselves wishing for more side areas to explore and less of the game’s insistence on nudging us in the ribs about the locations of collectibles and secrets. Still, there’s no denying that Definitive Edition is the best way to experience Lara’s origin story for those who haven’t yet pick-axed their way through this incredibly surefooted reboot.

Wrapped around the entire single-and-multiplayer package is, again, some of the best presentation in any Xbox 360 game to date...With single-player delivering another snipe-'em-if-ya-got-'em ride and multiplayer upping the ante with its everything-you-could-imagine delivery, GRAW2 easily achieves must-play status. [Apr 2007, p.54]

Seemingly cognizant of how tough it can be, the game gives you an extra bottle of health-restoring painkillers for every few times you restart at the same spot, but the situation is gratingly exacerbated by Max Payne 3's erratic checkpoint system. More often than not, you'll have to replay painfully long stretches of white-knuckle sequences, turning levels into chores, not treats.

Skate finds the sweet spot between boring simulation and hyper-realism--then totally owns it. [Nov 2007, p.98]

NHL 12 is an improvement over last year's game, but hardly a revolutionary title. It's the best hockey game on Xbox 360 - though, of course, it's also the only hockey game on 360.

Whereas we loved DC2 and its routines with a fierce consciousness, Dance Central 3 infiltrated our bodies without our knowing it. [Dec 2012, p.80]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

It offers a clever Deniable Ops mode, a co-op campaign that’s equal or superior to the solo section, and best of all, a solo campaign with lots of excellent missions in unique locations threaded by the series’ best narrative.

In a crowded holiday season, however--and in a year when racing fans have already been satiated by the stellar likes of "Dirt" and "Forza 2"--this more-or-less "do over" of "PGR3" is a bit disappointing, despite how good it actually is. [Dec 2007, p.72]

Yes, NHL 08 can feel challenging and hard, but it rewards you with the sport's best representation in videogame form that we've seen yet. [Oct 2007, p.73]

Dynasty Mode is NHL 2004's best feature. It's literally an RPG. [Oct 2003, p.80]

Live is quite simply the best-controlling basketball game ever. Player control is unprecedented. [Dec 2003, p.152]

Ultimately, GHIII succeeds as a polished technical workout for top-tier shredders, but the game's magic was never really about pressing buttons anyway--it was about making the player feel like, well, a guitar hero. Now, we just feel unworthy. [Dec 2007, p.64]

Almost the definition of a triple-A title. It's got everthing - good online play, amazingly fun and addictive action, options up the wazoo, a graphics engine that will make your eyes well up - and it's all polished to a glistening shine... It's a spectacle to behold. [March 2005, p.32]

Much more evolutionary than revolutionary, but the series remains one of the 360's finest sports sims. [Apr 2011, p.74]

It's a fine set of fresh experiences for Modern Warfare 3. If the rest of the year's DLC is this strong, consider that Elite subscription well worth the investment.

Guardian of Light plays out like a deftly crafted, fun piece of arcade-style shooting and puzzling expressly made for buddy co-op night on Live. Who knew Lara was such a team player?

Visually, Aggressive Inline is up there with the best of them. The levels are loaded with small details, all of which can be interacted with in some way. [Oct 2002, p.104]

Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of a BMX bike, which gives you a new way to attack courses. Sadly, you can't ride it in the main game, but it's still a welcome addition, as it controls drastically different than the other bikes and looks totally ridiculous with the rider constantly pedaling.

Just think of Double Agent as the least amazing Splinter Cell yet, rather than the worst game in the series - because it's simply not. It's the gutsiest, and the chances it takes (but doesn't quite nail) give the series room to evolve into something better than could've possibly imagined to iterations ago. [Dec 2006, p.70]

It really is like the developers played every PC shooter from "Doom" through "Quake" and "Half-Life," even "Sin" and "Soldier of Fortune," and applied cool elements from them all into this package. [Nov 2005, p.112]

Complementing the on-field awesomeness is Year Two of online franchise mode. It’s better than before — you can even manage it from EA’s website or from your iPhone — and we encountered no issues during our testing.

Nevertheless, at it's reduced price, Continuum Shift is undoubtedly the definitive version for newbies and vets alike. [Oct 2010, p.77]

World Tour is a big leap in content and polish over last year’s game, but we’re disappointed by a few unsatisfying creative calls. The extended song endings aren’t always enhancements, the unlockable gear doesn’t match the effort put forth to earn it, and we prefer Rock Band 2’s looser career-unlock structure. Most of all, Rock Band 2 simply feels more musical and organic; we get the suspicion that some World Tour songs had notes added to their charts simply to make them trickier, and not because the music suggested it.

The game is absolutely brilliant. [July 2002, p.74]

Without a doubt, MotoGP 3 is the finest superbike grand-prix simulator available for the Xbox. [Nov 2005, p.130]

Fan’s of Itagaki’s “jujitsu-jousting” philosophy….can comfortably mark DOA 4 as the most refined version of their beloved fighter to date. [Mar 2006, p.73]

Gameplay depth comes from mastering the basic skills..., but none of this is overcomplicated: Pure delivers that prized "pick up and play" experience with several shots of adrenaline. [Oct 2008, p.72]

To our surprise (and relief), adding the diminutive Jedi master to the melee mix turned out to be more than just a Force-fueled marketing ploy. He controls like a dream, animates as acrobatically as his Attack of the Clones counterpart, and amuses when responding to the conceited cast with his backward-speak: "Once you start down the dark path, consume you it will."

Modes aplenty and a fun, refreshing points system. [Dec 2001]

Major kudos are in order for accomplishing the goal of creating an RPG where you truly have an immense amount of freedom. [Nov 2004, p.72]

Horizon may not be the natural successor to Forza 4, but it manages to steer the franchise in a fresh and entertaining new direction. Serious Xbox racers need a lot of room to properly stretch the legs of their Ferrari F-40s and Audi R8s, and Forza Horizon delivers that room - and those wonderfully responsive cars - in spades.

The on-court action is a monstrous, 52-inch vertical leap forward in authenticity and immersion. [Dec 2004, p.88]

Minor control quirks and some tricky puzzles aside, Monkey 2's rare combo of comedy, brain-teasing, and all-ages appeal will have you ready to buy all the fine leather jackets it's selling. [Oct 2010, p.75]

We didn't get the "face in the game" feature that the PS2 has, which admittedly sucks, but this is still the best out there and it keeps getting better. [Jan 2004, p.66]

The magic of the game is in its approachability... For both hardcore fighting fans and genre newbies, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 offers a whole lotta bang for your buck. [Mar 2011, p.70]

If you’re into party gaming with tons of tunes and opulent options, this is the Guitar Hero to own — easily the best since Guitar Hero II, and the most flexible and friendly interactive jukebox the genre has ever seen. All the elements really came together in GH5; this is musical fun done right.

The 2010 version's numbskull partner A.I., for instance? Fixed. And the even more frustrating opponent A.I. that still makes us angry just thinking about it? Also rectified, although all their old dirty tricks emerge during the masochistic Jambot matches you must complete to earn Platinum medals.

If you can stomach the entrance exam for learnning the game's tough ropes, Dead Rising's got your name written all over it. [Oct. 2006, p.67]

Polished, clever, and full of fun, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones wraps up the Prince's saga with the style and grace it deserves. [Jan 2006, p.82]

Other than the unforgivable lack of online multiplayer mode on Xbox, this is one of the best ways to experience NASCAR short of making the pilgrimage to Thunder Valley. [Nov 2003, p.126]

Pound for pound, this is the Madden you've been waiting three years to play. [Oct 2007, p.80]

Between the remarkably replayable eight-hour campaign and competitive multiplayer, BattleBlock Theater already offers an exceptional value for your $15. But the cherry on top is a level editor that allows anyone to create, decorate, and upload their own collections of linked levels, complete with secret areas.

By far the most commendable feature is the massive influx of new fighters and divisions within UFC 3. The Featherweight and Bantamweight classes (imported from UFC's recently absorbed sister company, WEC) add faster and more agile fighters to the Undisputed roster, but the bigger addition comes by way of Pride FC, the former Japan-based MMA promotion purchased by the UFC in 2007.

The greatest boxing game you've ever played - but not the great boxing you will ever play. [Apr 2004, p.71]

Traveller's Tales has done it again: Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is an even quirkier blend of off-kilter humor, weird puzzles, and blaster-blazing, lightsaber-slashing action. [Oct. 2006, p.84]

If you can get past the unfamiliar (though movie-faithful) look, you'll find an incredibly well-crafted game full of bonus levels, variety, and emergent gameplay that's as entertaining as it is brutally violent. . [Holiday 2005, p.72]

Red Faction is not a glorious revolution, yet neither is it a wafer-thin façade of the sandbox genre. Its foundation is strong, it’s fun in a mindless way, and its design intrigued us, but ultimately it’s not something that has been built to last.

F.E.A.R.'s downsides mean it's thrilling at first and much less absorbing later on, but its magnificent combat sequences still make it irresistible for serious FPS fans. [Dec. 2006, p.62]

Another riveting experience in what should be a creatively exhausted landscape. [Dec 2005, p.113]

Trine 2 is easily the most beautiful Xbox Live Arcade game we've seen. Charming voiceovers and an evocative sound design work small wonders, but the stunning scenery is suitable for framing.

So yes, we recognize and appreciate that this is an exact remake of a classic game, but the bottom line is, many of you will decide that its unforgiving nature saps too much fun out of what is otherwise a lovingly reassembled classic.

The controls feel loose and non-responsive, which makes executing everything from a simple dunk to a pick-and-roll more exasperating than it should be. [Dec 2004, p.89]

The biggest disappointment is that the six character classes, experience-based upgrades, and full-featured level editor can't elevate online play past the sheer rote familiarity of deathmatch, capture the flag, and control-point variations. But even though Far Cry 2 isn't quite a sandbox-shooter masterpiece, it is a consistently fun and intensely challenging trek into the ailing heart of the dark continent.

Impressive. After several plodding annual upgrades, FIFA 07 shows significant improvement and delivers its best soccer game in ages. [Nov. 2006, p.85]

World at War is like watching a fireworks show that you’ve seen a few times before. You’re simply not wowed by the buildup, the grand finale, or any of it anymore. When - not if - the next sequel arrives, it’s going to have an upstream swim against an apathetic tide of familiarity.

A full-service Bomberman experience - Live Arcade is the perfect platform for it, and $10 is a fair price. We just can't resist. [Sept 2007, p.73]

It's good, solid fun, but it offers very little that we haven't experienced before. [May 2011, p.68]

A prettier, better-playing sequel that fails to make any new gameplay strides but is an incredible thrill ride for the all-too-short time it lasts. [Jan 2004, p.68]

Viva Pinata is a sandbox game in the vein of "The Sims" and "Zoo Tycoon". There's no real way to"win". Your reward for playing is increasing your level, unlocking new content, and, of course, earning achievements. [Jan. 2007, p.80]

Tantalizing. [Holiday 2004, p.86]

There's a vast supply of goodies for determined 'sploders, making this a sparkling, silly treat. [Oct 2009, p.80]

But 10 bucks will net you a fulfilling and thoughtful odyssey, just in time to leave you salivating for the long-awaited sequel. [May 2011, p.78]

Excessive loading times and way too many menus to button through are also annoying, but the on-court and online tennis are so terrific and pure that these faults are easily overlooked. [May 2011, p.84]

We're not saying that multiplayer's rippling muscle excuses the solo campaign's disappointing flab. But as long as you're not dead-set against venturing online, Battlefield 3 is a tremendously satisfying way to go to war.

The game successfully achieves the goal of making its predecessor obsolete. [Aug 2010, p.76]

There's so much goodness packed into Tides of War that it's impossible not to find something to like. Return to Castlewolfenstein is truly an incredible, value-laced package. [May 2003, p.20]

This strategizing is made easier by excellent level design tht allows players multiple, open-ended ways to accomplish objectives. [Dec 2002, p.122]

Technical quibbles aside, Deus Ex is a brilliant RPG that manages to pull off freeform gameplay without a hitch. It's as smart as you want it to be, and cuts no gameplay corners. [Holiday 2003, p.72]

Bottom line: does the game live up to AC II? Well, no. Ezio's grand introduction is pretty damn hard to top, at least in terms of story content and franchise innovation. But that doesn't invalidate Connor's journey by any means. Assassin's Creed III's newly refined gameplay and incredibly rich setting are captivating stuff, and we're excited to see what adventures lie ahead for our new hero.

Whether you work together or dive in solo, this unique journey is worth taking. [July 2011, p.79]

It’s these sneaky moments of sweetness across Citadel’s five-hour journey that make it a pricey but wholly affecting excuse to linger just a little longer under Mass Effect’s spell.

On 360, you'll get a basketball simulation that, while a bit short on extras(sorry, but 24/7 Mode just can't compare to "NBA Live's" slick All-Star Weekend package), tickles the twine where it counts: on the court. [Dec. 2006, p.87]

The prospect of racing everything including the kitchen sink should be a recipe for disaster, but for Toca 3, it's not. [Mar 2006, p.80]

It'll have to settle for merely squeaking into the playoffs. [Dec 2005, p.117]

There's a tragic amount of recycling here. You spend too much time in levels with not much to do; too much time slicing thorugh obvious padding to teach a climax that we can promise won't satisfy you. [Mar 2008, p.86]

My only real complaint is that too many levels are spent fighting tanks and Hulkbuster mechs with too few appearances by familiar Hulk villains. But no matter: This is the first game to make me feel like I am a mindless behemoth. Hear me roar. [Sept 2005, p.87]

It’s Metallica’s underlying design that is the hero of the day, however. For starters, Neversoft has finally mastered the difficulty curve. A far cry from the torturous days of Guitar Hero III’s Hard setting, the songs here are a treat on any skill level. Better, though, is how the career mode is structured. It’s star-based, meaning you’ll unlock new venues and blocks of songs at certain star milestones.

Civilization Revolution's sunny presentation and bountiful depth might not be sufficient to draw legions of newcomers to turn-based strategy, but it easily the single greatest example of the genre ever to grace a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

The controls scream "simulation," but the action skews heeavily toward the side of the arcade camp. [July 2002, p.83]

Racing fans interested in a quick fix of adrenaline probably won't find what they're looking for in McRae 04, but autophiles will adore the game for its physics, handling, and depth of play. [Apr 2004, p.81]

If there's one notable flaw in Midnight Club 3, it's that the graphics can't quite hang with "NFS Underground 2." [June 2005, p.72]

Episode 2 does an excellent job of keeping the adventure going while setting the scene for plenty of struggles ahead. If Telltale stays on target, their full, five-part Walking Dead saga may prove to be one of the best, most ambitious zombie games ever.

It's a lot of value in such a small package, but the sometimes overly precious presentation can be befuddling at times, making Stacking an experience best savored by gamers predisposed to cutesy cleverness.

Realistic animations anchor that gameplay. When LeBron drives the lane and fades away for a jumper in the paint, or when Tony Parker stumbles around a pick, every elbow, jersey, and sweatband organically articulates their momentum.