Besides sending your foe’s infantry sky-high, EndWar includes little beauties that’ll have you giggling with glee: fluid battle animations, multiple terrain (from hillside villages to urban Paris), destructible buildings, and more. With such attention to detail and exciting co-op battles, EndWar will draw you in until you start issuing commands in your sleep.

If you're predisposed to cuteness, level-grinding, and some outright earnest, sweet-tempered madness, ditch all disbelief and consider Sonata your match made in heaven. [Sept 2007, p.70]

For a game that captures the danger and heroism of wartime flying, look no further. [Holiday 2005, p.89]

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]

Not every activity enthralls, and it's a brief overall affair with little incentive for repeated solo-play once you complete a couple of cycles. But Happy Action Theater is an absolute powder keg of a party experience, instilling childlike delight in nearly anyone that crosses its path while proving imaginative minds can still make inspired use of Kinect.

But these hiccups are easily overlooked--with high replay value and strong presentation, Tournament of Champions is a fine bet at $40. [Holiday 2006, p.87]

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]

PES 2014 shows its strengths in the most important places, but ultimately could be more appealing to a wider audience with some polish in the right places. Even so, it's a strong entry in the series that proves there's definitely room for two on the pitch.

Despite issues regarding its distribution method, DoA5 Ultimate remains a fun, gorgeous, and accessible fighter, made sweeter by the wealth of new content. There's no better time to hop into the ring.

This game excels at staging space battles on an epic scale. [Jan. 2007, p.70]

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 doesn’t deliver the presentational kick in the pants that the series still needs, but the Legends of the Majors mode serves as a superb centerpiece to perhaps the most expansive entry to date.

Hydro Thunder: Hurricane revitalizes the rumbling core of the 11-year-old coin-op, serving up a winning combination of arcade accessibility, tense maneuvering, and cartoonish maritime mayhem. [Oct 2010, p.84]

It’s not as deep as Madden, by design; Blitz: The League II is an action game wearing pigskin, tucked inside a salacious sports soap-opera with a sick sense of humor. But ultimately, it’s the accessible gameplay that makes Blitz a pleasure — guilty as charged.

What makes this game so much fun is the pure speed and power. [May 2002, p.80]

We'd have welcomed a simplified Arcade version of Risk with open arms, but Factions surpasses expectations. [Oct 2010, p.85]

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]

Graphically gorgeous, especially when you crank up its brilliant dynamic weather effects, F1 2013 reproduces every car and track from the current season in stunning detail (making the game’s short, non-savable replays even more perplexing).

This add-on’s best parts — its boss battle and final fight — might be better than DmC’s biggest brawls, but the surrounding content is overshadowed by a superior sibling.

So mindlessly enjoyable that you'll soar right past those flaws. [May 2008, p.73]

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]

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

Naturally, this mortality will drive some players nuts, while others will relish the undeniably heightened sense of danger.

Finally, the Chronicles pack offers three short-ish missions, each centering on one of Last Light's supporting characters. [Jan 2014, p.70]

NiGHTS is like the dreams it's based on: it's easy to dismiss as silly nonsense, but when you dig deeper into it, you'll find something beautiful and revelatory.

After just four or five enormously fun games of Scene It?, we’d racked up 27 Achievements worth over 600 points — great! We just can’t comprehend why there’s no online film festival.

Moving, melancholy, and even a bit hopeful, it's a true stunner; don't be surprised if it leaves you a little teary-eyed.

With a semi-open layout that requires return visits to a base camp to resupply and save, it's unlike any other mission in Last Light, and more than worth the $5 all by itself. [Jan 2014, p.70]

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

The real draw is the mix of action and hardcore puzzle-solving. [May 2009, p.84]

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

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]

Simply having the game online is a significant enough step forward. [Feb 2003, p.77]

Shank 2 isn't quite as robust or refreshing as its predecessor, but it's another damn fine (and fun!) downloadable adventure.

Aimed at pre-teens--some overly cutesy characters and patronizing narration make it a little too cloying for grown-up gamers--Thrillville hits its marks well on most fronts. [Jan. 2007, p.75]

Revolution definitely punches up the Black Ops II multiplayer experience with fantastic maps and an SMG, while the exciting new "Die Rise" sweetens the deal.

With three "episodes"--two story episodes and Croft Manor--the price tag is easily justifiable: Anniversary offers a respectable four to eight hours per slice. [Holiday 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.

NASCAR 08's driving model is so demanding that you should probably stop diddling with those half-inch thumbsticks on the stock controller and buck up for Microsoft's wireless wheel. With physics this good, it's a worthwhile upgrade for NASCAR fans. [Sept 2007, p.77]

Whether you're tackling it solo or with friends, Simpsons Arcade likely won't take more than an hour to run through from start to finish, making the $10 price tag seem a little steep. Even so, there's a lot to take in, especially in this version.

Though the combat grows repetitive, the game manages to look lovely while you slap around your foes. If you’re a fan of large-scale battle games à la Dynasty Warriors but prefer to play solely as one character, Circle of Doom makes for a great after-holiday snack.

Condemned 2 was designed to mess with your head, and boy, does it succeed. We’re glad we got the chance to return to Metro City, but the old town has changed — in some ways for the better, but a little for the worse.

With just one map for each lane approach (split between two play styles), Guardians' limited scope left us itching for just a bit more variety. But the game rewards obsessive, repeated play with extensive tactical depth, making such a streamlined approach remarkably effective.

Even when your objectives sound about as thrilling as a Sunday-afternoon grocery run, the sheer chaos Heller unleashes upon the distressed and detailed world of New York Zero while completing them keeps Prototype 2 from feeling like a chore. If you can turn off your brain and just enjoy the frenzied carnage, you'll have a blast.

If you can weather the campaign's slow start and the game's wildly overwrought menu system, you'll find more than enough incredible content here to satisfy your Akrid-killing, giant robot-piloting fix. [June 2010, p.74]

A full, unique experience that's equal parts familiar and new, technical and mashy.

But it’s that feeling of stumbling into gunfights — ones that aren’t meticulously designed with shoulder-high slabs of concrete to hide behind — that makes Metro so organic…and unlike anything else on Xbox 360.

Defiance's story and visuals really shine through. The combat may be repetitive, but it's solid and fun and the well-paced plot does a great job of tying the knot with the long paths of Kain and Raziel. [Jan 2004, p.80]

The design has managed to capture the essence of the genre while making everything contextual to your controller, an impressive feat. [Jan 2004, p.84]

Colonies ups the frigid fun and arachnid ass-kicking while lowering the price: thirty bones buys the original's content plus tons of new multi- and single-player offerings. [June 2008, p.77]

The best thing here is still the three games, which hold up amazingly well after all this time. You could get them by buying the now-very-cheap Ultimate Genesis Collection (which includes dozens of other classics), but for purists, these fully featured versions are a must.

Though Dead Block's zombie combat would benefit from easier targeting, its rockabilly music, amusing characters (zombie clowns, anyone?) and manic pacing more than compensate. The campy madness only gets better in split-screen co-op, so not having online multiplayer is a shame, but for hectic puzzle-action fun, this game delivers.

It's a solid, fun fighter for sure, but it also lacks that special something previous installments had. Dead or Alive is a series known for pushing the envelope in many different ways, and DoA 5 simply doesn't deliver that same sense of daring design that previous titles offered.

A handful of heinous difficulty spikes will try your patience - especially when you're protecting something other than your own backside - but even in the game's roughest moments, its unexpected diversity keeps you engaged.

If you're an armchair general, it's hard to imagine a more appealing game on your Xbox than this. [Feb 2005, p.76]

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

Okay, so you're mostly just blasting away at anyone not wearing your current colors, but it's still plenty addictive.

It's a dense, intelligent game, and we felt smart for having finish[ed] it. [Sept 2011, p.78]

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]

Roogoo is a treat for anyone with a penchant for puzzlers. And be sure to try the Party Play mode with three pals - it’s a competitive/cooperative hybrid that’ll have you blaming each other for your failures while laughing the whole time.

A campaign of surprisingly smart A.I. opponents. [Sept 2009, p.87]

This explosive follow-up builds on all the things we enjoyed about the first game while enhancing--or completely replacing--most of the elements that dragged Dead Men into the doldrums. [Oct 2010, p.70]

Easily the best original console RTS out there in a market that relies on, usually, not-so-good ports from the PC. If Jaleco adds in Live play for next year's release, RTS fans may just find a new addiction. [Jan 2004, p.77]

What makes Stubbs worth finishing is the wacky story and raunchy cutscenes that would've been censored into oblivion in the real 1959. [Holiday 2005, p.78]

Crucially, the difficulty has been adjusted: whereas GHIII wanted you to bleed, GHA simply expects that you come ready to rock.

Soulcalibur still controls like a dream, allowing button-mashers to unleash a flurry of unintentional moves, and even better, rewarding seasoned stratetists with a sophisticated set of beat-downs. [Aug 2008, p.79]

It may not share the same rarified air as Microsoft's genre-leading "Crimson Skies", but Blazing Angels 2 elevates the franchise a helluva lot closer. [Dec 2007, p.66]

Feels bare-boned and unrefined compared to the other two. [Oct 2003, p.74]

The game is missing a dose of innovation that could've helped it become stunning. [July 2002, p.77]

There is still plenty of variety in gameplay and the AI makes for a more than decent opponent. [Dec 2003, p.92]

The graphics are pretty drab and there are some pretty nasty glitches that take it down. [Dec 2002, p.108]

A much more enjoyable, involving game than its predecessor. [Feb 2003, p.80]

A fun and absorbing game. Shallow, noisy, and still slightly cool. [May 2002, p.72]

It's not the best racing game on Xbox, but every racing fan should try it just for its unique approach and tense chase action. [Dec 2002, p.92]

An amazing-looking sports sim backed by great commentary, improved animations, and better tactical awareness of the AI-players. If you missed "FIFA 2004," this will tide you over admirably until, well, next year! [Aug 2004, p.82]

It's everything you'd expect from NHL 2003, except - isn't it time you expected more? [Dec 2002, p.133]

Although there's a lot of play time available, this mostly comes as a result of playing the same levels over and over with loads of characters. [Sept 2003, p.82]

Imagine if "Hot Shots Golf" had been developed by Larry Flynt Publications, and you might have an idea of the humor and content included in this otherwise sharp-yet-strangely-normal golf game. [August 2002, p.81]

The most glaring fault is that the twitchy controls and the sometimes less-than-perfect camera angles can lead to frustrating falls, especially on the vertigo-inducing rail levels. [Feb 2004, p.80]

With a good combat system and a high smash factor, The Hulk is a winner. [Aug 2003, p.77]

For 2006, soccer fans will get the most complete representation of the top leagues, best players, and fanciest skills, but will still be waiting for the total killer app package. This one is a good step in that direction. [Nov 2005, p.118]

What it lacks in style or personality, Gun Metal more than makes up in gameplay and action.[Sept 2002, p.90]

The graphics aren't the greatest, the core gameplay doesn't deliver great innovation, but there are so many game types, mini games, and little pieces to play with that it doesn't seem to matter. You'll have fun, whether you intended to or not. [Apr 2005, p.86]

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

There are definitely better b-ball games on Xbox. [Dec 2003, p.94]

Despite a wide array of team-specific offensive plays, you can't call specific defensive formations and the new zone defense that was legalized in the NBA this year is nowhere to be found. [Apr 2002, p.79]

The controls are spot on and the levels offer a lot of variety with tons of entertaining objectives, making this a solid overall game. [Apr 2003, p.77]

It's hard not to be pleased with these improvements and additions, but when it comes to BGDA2's plot and level design, it doesn't quite match up to our expectations. [Feb 2004, p.72]

A damned fun game...[but] its pre-rendered backgrounds, "Resident Evil"-style "forward, backward, swivel" control scheme, and static camera angles just can’t compare to the real time environments, dynamic camera, and elegant analog controls of more modern fare like Capcom’s own "Devil May Cry." [Mar 2002, p.74]

The Snowboarder mode...is simply the deepest and best career mode we've seen in any snowboarding game – or any sports game, for that matter. [May 2002, p.74]

Combat in G:DAMM is both slow and simple when compared to smooth, combo-heavy fighters like "Tekken" or "Street Fighter." Giant monsters can't be bothered with fancy combos, juggles, reversals, or counters. [May 2003, p.80]

The look of the game is quite stylized, and it works very well, while learning the controls takes little time. [Oct 2002, p.108]

Solid shooter fun; it's just not the mind-altering experience we've grown accustomed to seeing out of this studio. [Sept 2004, p.76]

Fast, furious, four-player party action that satisfies the old-school gamer and casual gamer alike. [Dec 2001]

A near-exact port of a dated game, and as such is not impressive visually. [June 2003, p.84]

The game's one weakness is that it's simply not a lot of fun for a lone combatant. [July 2003, p.80]

If you want an action-packed ride that finally allows you to cut loose as Darth Vader, then you've come to the right galaxy. [July 2005, p.84]

Although the drift is especially forgiving, as is the collision penalty, the lateral sway on the vehicles is some of the best ever put in a game. [Sept 2003, p.84]

The entire career mode can be beaten in a single sitting, and the AI offers little or no threat from its racing skills or its use of the game's fifteen weapons. [Dec 2003, p.160]