This excellent sequel capitalizes on its precursor's strengths while breaking some fresh ground for the simulation genre. With its snazzy additions, sharper visuals, and gearhead-focused customization options, Shift 2 Unleashed strikes a fine balance between appealing to sim newbies and grizzled vets.

A marvelous action game that outshines everything in its class. [Aug 2011, p.73]

It sometimes feels overwhelming to navigate labyrinthine passageways while directing a team and trying to not get flanked by a flak cannon, but that’s exactly the kind of chaotic depth that helps replay value.

Given the countless enhancements to this version of Sonic CD, it's surprising that Sega is selling it for a mere $5. Make no mistake: no corners have been cut, and the developers have put in more than enough extra content (in the form of audio and video options) to properly pay tribute to Sonic's finest spin.

This impressive update beats out its 360 counterpart...just like it did last year. [Sept 2007, p.83]

This package is great for old and new players alike. It’s just hard to shake the feeling that it could’ve been a smidge more monstrous.

Quotation forthcoming. [Holiday 2005]

What The Pinball Arcade set out to do - lovingly and accurately re-create true genre classics - it does very well, and pinball purists won't be disappointed.

If you like action-RPGs, superhero games, or both, a smack-tacular adventure awaits. [Holiday 2006, p.82]

It's a genuinely great football game, but this edition delivers the kind of small-scale updates that only a paints-his-chest-and-face-on-Saturdays fan could love.

Oodles of action that feels like "Riddick" in all the right ways. [Sept 2007, p.72]

Don't let its modest $40 price fool you into thinking this is bargain-bin junk: Test Drive Unlimited is an A-list driving game on every measurable level. [Dec. 2006, p.76]

Beautifully balanced vehicles. [Aug 2010, p.82]

Dragonborn gives players plenty more of what they loved about Skyrim, and is worth buying for that fact alone, but it could've and should've been so much more.

Doom is still a blast, but it could have been so much more. [Holiday 2006, p.86]

It's more like a frenzied full-body execution of the instructions on a binary punchcard, but it's addictive and fun. [Jan 2004, p.83]

From its quirky mechanical enemies to its strident strains of deliciously lo-fi music, this run-and-gun platformer honors the 8-bit era.

If you're a Hitman fan, Blood Money will make you fall in love all over again, and if you never dipped your toes in 47's particular brand of wetwork yet, the time has never been more ripe. [June 2006, p.74]

The developers' ambition and enthusiasm are undeniable. [Holiday 2009, p.84]

Every inch of the hand-drawn kingdom is brimming with endearing eccentricity. [Oct 2008, p.76]

The allure of this package is irresistible. [May 2009, p.70]

Some innovations (like the group combo system) work well, while others don't (the out-of-place cel-shaded characters). As an addictive substance, Legends is pure X-tasy. [Dec 2004, p.94]

A visual feast with each car modeled with incredible care. Everything from the texture work right down to the tiny car logos on the hoods is impeccable. [Oct 2002, p.110]

Controls are idiot-proof, and deliberately simplified to make sure that controlling your squad is never an impediment to the action... This is an approachable and enjoyable shooter. [Oct 2003, p.76]

Graphically, FIFA charms, but the gameplay is sublime. [Dec 2003, p.146]

The tense atmosphere conjured in the Thief universe is fantastic. [July 2004, p.74]

Rounded out by strong play-by-play announcing, good A.I. on both sides of the ball, and solid visuals, 2K6 is your best bet for college hoops this year. [Jan 2006, p.74]

MvC2 rewards hardcore fighters; we just wish Capcom had better rewarded hardcore fans. [Sept 2009, p.84]

In fact, developer Gameloft has managed to give the game a beautiful 3D overhaul and a few minor gameplay updates while mostly maintaining its timeless brilliance. [Aug 2007, p.79]

It's still a great ride; just don't expect to be as bowled over by it as you were when you strapped in for it last year. [Jan. 2007, p.72]

Lets you race through four action movies that have been melted down and poured out on the pavement - who are we to criticize that? [July 2010, p.74]

This feature-rich ode to the classic that started it all is an impressive upgrade - one that deserves a place in any fan's library.

While Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance can’t match the majesty of Metal Gear Solid’s epic campaigns or the fluid combat of top action titles like DmC, there’s still plenty to like in Raiden’s true action debut. If you can forgive some combat issues, you’ll dig the outlandish story and crazy carving mechanics.

Does Sonic's latest racing romp transform the genre? Not really. But it is an enjoyable mishmash of many elements, and a delightful treat that does much more with the Mario Kart template than even Mario Kart itself has managed to do in a long time.

It may not be the most elegant or thoughtful of strategy games, but C&C 3 can't be beat when it comes to super-slick, visceral mayhem. Pledge you allegiance to Kane if you've been craving sizzling RTS action - he won't disappoint you. [June 2007, p.68]

While the game's first 10 hours still give me pause, the 60 magnificent hours after those initial steps onto Cocoon make up for the tunnel-vision tutorial. [Apr 2010, p.68]

Quite simply the best two-player basketball game ever made. [Dec 2002, p.108]

A PS2 port that went un-enhanced but otherwise plays fairly well, but it's not without some flaws. [Jan 2002]

If Episode 1’s satisfying twists and gut-punch of a cliffhanger are any indication, a pitch-black journey into fairytale land lies ahead. Count us in for the long haul.

For longtime gamers and those who can stomach the blocky graphics and touchy controls, it's great retro fun. [Dec 2007, p.78]

All of this action and adventure is brought to life by a combination of tight technology and superb control. The graphics are colorful and do a great job tapping into the Xbox GPU while maintaining a great frame-rate throughout. [Nov 2003, p.100]

Another year, another FIFA--and consider us happy. [Dec 2007, p.78]

You'll probably crave a bit more challenge than you'll find, but by the time you arrive at your destination and its revelations, you'll clamor for the story to continue. [Nov 2010, p.78]

Though it's not a first-person shooter, Halo Wars packs all the Halo fixings you've come to expect: an engaging campaign, co-op play, engrossing multiplayer, efficient party-friendly matchmaking, hidden skulls, Legendary difficulty, and impeccable controls. We can confidently say that it's the foremost example of a real-time strategy game done right on a console. [Mar 2009, p.72]

As with top TV shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men, a merely good chapter of Telltale's Walking Dead game feels like a great chapter of anything else.

Mind-bogglingly inconsistent difficulty. [Apr 2012, p.74]

Like any human, Sam Fisher stumbles occasionally when the pressure’s on. But as long as you’ve got the patience to accept a handful of limitations, you can expect to have a damn good time saving the world once more.

But at $20 for what is basically last year's quality game on original Xbox or $60 for the irresistible package on the 360 title offers, there's a lot to love on either platform. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

Joe Danger has a potent ace up his sleeve: a flexible level editor that lets you easily build new tracks even as you roll and rocket through them. Joe Danger 2's movie sets don't always know the difference between a joy ride and a death race, but this feature alone is bound to keep fresh, fun new content flowing for ages.

Sound bizarre? Well, it is. Yet the madness is spellbinding - if you have the stomach to survive Catherine's grueling tower-puzzle scenarios.

For the ride alone, Condemned's super-creepy serial-killer yarn cannot be beat. [Holiday 2005, p.82]

So while the elder console looks like it's stuck with the 360's scraps, the series' next-gen evolution isn't complete either. Project 8 is a strong start and one worth playing, but it definitely feels immature--it's merely a beginning. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

It's all worth it...for the unbridled fun of wreaking havoc at high speeds and experiencing the laughs and unexpected emotional highs of Saints Row IV's storyline. Simultaneously more and less impressive than SR3, it's not quite the highest point the series has reached, but it's nonetheless a satisfyingly explosive send-off for the Saints.

Injustice is fast, destructive, and extremely accessible without sacrificing its hardcore edge, and its slick visuals and nonstop craziness put it in a class by itself. This fighter is DC and NetherRealm at their finest, and while certain aspects (like Super Moves) wear thin, there’s enough great content here to keep fans busy for months.

It's the full package, with enough new goodness to justify an upgrade from last year's excellent iteration. [Dec 2007, p.62]

At its core, Tiger 07 has ditched most of the bad case of the sillies that's possessed it for the past few years, and it finally feels authentic. [Nov. 2006, p.80]

With four massive game modes to choose from that could all serve as standalone titles plus a strong core gameplay engine, NHL 14 is about as good as it gets.

Fortunately, what this exceptional new version of a PC favorite lacks in story, it more than makes up for with deep character customization, ever-more-powerful loot, and a dungeon-generation system that'll devour whole days of your life. [April 2011, p.76]

Despite the inexcusable omission of Xbox Live support, this is the best college basketball game on the Xbox. [Dec 2003, p.94]

Though it might sound like a backhanded compliment, Saint's Row manages to climb atop the huge pile of GTA wannabes as the most well-excuted and enjoyable of the bunch. [Oct. 2006, 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]

Ironically, these rough edges seem almost at home in the messy, funny, in-your-face world of Saints Row 2. Stilwater isn’t pretty; it’s a dark, dangerous place. But as it turns out, there’re lots of big thrills here, and it’s well worth the $60 to live here for a while — whether you’re a lawful citizen or a would-be gangster.

The controls work extremely well. [Jan 2003, p.60]

This will surely upset some hardcore hockey fans, but there's no denying that NHL Hitz 20-03 is a better hockey videogame this year than "NHL 2003." [Dec 2002, p.133]

The fastest, smoothest, best sounding, best playing version of an already great game. [Dec 2002, p.88]

Feels slighly unfinished: the load times are long, the camera hiccups and stutters on occasion, and some of the onfield play should be tighter... but the game's bright spots are so good that we're still enthusiastically playing. [Sept 2007, p.82]

One of the best trips down puberty lane you'll probably ever have. [Dec 2005, p.112]

It's the fighting that matters, and that, fortunately, is deep. [Feb 2005, p.74]

As a whole, you’ll find the roughly 4 hour Dishonored finale enjoyable, but not quite as thrilling as what came before it.

If you've never played Virtua Fighter, this is the best entry yet, and if you're a fan, well, spend the $15. Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is still everything it was in 2007 - fluid, complex, and fun. It's just not much more.

While the exterior looks great, within is a flawed baseball game that needs a good bit of work. [Apr 2005, p.85]

The fast pace, aged artifacts, and new online multiplayer functionality might make Sensible worth a peek for the curious, but only the truly devoted will even consider purchasing it. [Feb 2008, p.80]

If you're a Hitman fan, Blood Money will make you fall in love all over again, and if you never dipped your toes in 47's particular brand of wetwork yet, the time has never been more ripe. [June 2006, p.74]

Improves on the first game in almost every way.

We still think you gotta play it (or at least rent it) because the good parts are truly majestic. Just go in with your eyes wide open, and listen for the snik! of the game’s hidden blade popping out to kill off any hope of this game living up to its full potential.

An outstanding meal for one. [Feb 2011, p.72]

At 400 Microsoft Points(or $5), this game costs less than a real deck of UNO cards and comes with built-in-friends. [Aug 2006, p.82]

Mastering the saber and the associated Force powers is a Herculean task, but when you do, this game turns from great to truly fantastic. [Dec 2002, p.151]

The game suffers from a baffingly stupid and fundamental flaw that puts a crimp in all that style: Season Mode and Rivals Mode have no difficulty levels. [Nov 2005, p.120]

The absence of the PC version's multiplayer modes is a bummer, as is the removal of the penultimate mission from the original campaign. But by the time you reach the conclusion of this exciting bargain, you'll be too amped on adrenaline to care.

It completely nails what a sequel should be: it expands on everything its predecessor did best without sacrificing what we loved most about it in the first place. [May 2010, p.74]

Puzzlingly, Rage even lacks a competitive FPS multiplayer mode - the very thing id Software is best known for. Instead, you get nine two-player co-op side stories (they're decent 20-minute missions worth rolling through once) and a suite of lackluster six-player buggy-racing modes in which you shoot at someone for a while before someone else swoops in and steals the kill at the last second.

It's a labor of love, yes--and one that you'll love playing. [July 2006, p.81]

A big, deep game with more than 50 tough missions and sturdy Xbox Live support, and while it lacks a certain mass-market sparkle, its gameplay will thrill the niche of gamers that it attracts. [Dec 2004, p.84]

It's a bafflingly well-done license that not only does justice to the show, but turns out to be a brilliant "Grand Theft Auto" clone in its own right. And one that isn't violent or scary, but is addictive and genuinely amusing. [Oct 2003, p.82]

Features the ability to visit other locales. This is huge...Sims fans, get ready to kiss the next month of your life good-bye. [Holiday 2003, p.104]

It's like a bunny-sloper stuck in five feet of powder. [Dec 2005, p.118]

Laggy texture pop-in dulls some of the shine, and some of the more minor goofball characters are more intriguing than Scarlett herself. But you'll find enough charm, loot, and gritty challenge to merit getting some sand in your boots.

Vampire Smile simply reasserts Ska Studios' placement on the top-tier rung of Xbox Arcade developers. [May 2011, p.80]

Skulls of the Shogun is anything but a typical turn-based strategy game, and not just because of its colorful cartoon style and silly sense of humor.

What sets Terraria apart from its obvious inspiration is more than just 2D design; it’s the action-centric tone that emerges the more you dig around and buddy up with pals, especially online ones who have cultivated their own worlds and arsenals (though local split-screen multiplayer is included).

It's not a question of whether or not you'll enjoy this latest deliciously gore-filled brawler; it's where you'll find the freakin' time to fully explore everything the game offers. [Dec 2004, p.86]

Overall, Madden remains quite raw. The engine shows a great deal of promise, and Connected Careers features a lot of interesting ideas, but there's no question that this is a rebuilding year. The best news is that EA finally seems to be on the right track. Give it another year, and Madden may at least be a true contender. [Oct 2012, p.72]

Unless you absolutely loathe poker or puzzlers, buy this game. [Feb 2008, p.75]

For our basketball dollars, pound for pound College Hoops 2K8 is the sure-fire way to tip off the '08 season. [Jan 2008, p.67]

A fun game unlike anything we’ve seen on Xbox. Don’t be surprised if it sneaks off with your time and money.

An extremely solid racer with moments of greatness; but just enough flaws to keep it from the ranks of the classics. [Dec 2008, p.82]

Catan is a slow-paced, cerebral game better played with friends than against the somewhat wonky A.I. Convince a few like-minded "siedlers" to buy and play Catan with you, and a good time is guaranteed. [mar 2007, p.81]