It’s tricky but rewarding.

It's great fun to build your own good or evil hero, and with the Lost Chapters content, there are easily 20-plus hours of fun to be mined out of it. [Jan 2006, p.58]

We're happy to report that Madden NFL 09 represents the pinnacle of the modern Madden era. [Sept 2008, p.68]

Magic 2014 manages to retain what made the previous games great, while more than justifying the series’ yearly releases.

Slinging, jumping, and crawling your way up to the very tip of the Empire State Building and surveying the traffic below is almost worth the price of admission alone. [Sept 2004, p.78]

If NHL 13 has a problem, it's that it feels like a stopgap ahead of a much bigger update. Momentum is a terrific addition, but it doesn't change the fact that the game's animations looks stiff, and that the Be a GM mode lacks increasingly common sports-game elements such as news headlines, RPG elements, and players who have to be kept happy.

It may still be the best gridiron option by default, but Madden 07 is a disappointing step backward on the Xbox. [Oct. 2006, p.77]

Maybe it's fitting that a game about pies leaves you hungry. Even if it ultimately ends up with your stomach growling, Winterbottom's very best bites are still worth every penny. [Mar 2010, p.80]

With tons of user-customizable elements, hones core gameplay, and plenty of surprises to discover and explore, no other action sports game can touch Tony Hawk's Underground 2. [Dec 2004, p.64]

With the string of 3D-style casualties in this series' history, Lords is the first time we've been looking forward to where this shining new direction takes us. Go, Team Belmont.

Satisfying, fast-paced combat. [Feb 2010, p.82]

If you still have Pac-Man Fever, this game is a must-own. Otherwise, just sample the remix with the free demo. [Sept 2007, p.76]

As a catchall franchise compilation, Tekken Tag 2 works for fans who aren't seeking anything too radically different, delivering plenty of fighters and solid fun, even if it's traversing well-worn territory.

It’s the perfect military shooter for Halo and Unreal Tournament players who find the Clancy titles too real to be fun.

It's just too ambitious, too immersive, and too freakin' cool to be anything but captivating. [Jan 2003, p.89]

Great blend of the series' best bits: customizable cars, high-octane races, and cop chases. [Holiday 2005, p.86]

It absolutely nails the atmosphere. [July 2010, p.81]

If you're a Formula One fan, the sport has seldom been treated as well. [Feb 2002, p.76]

Just like a Bond girl - incredibly pretty, smart (but not too smart), entertaining (but not too entertaining), and good for a couple of great surprises. And just like the movies, you're left salivating for the next one. [Mar 2004, p.76]

All told, the addictive, approachable gameplay that made "Puzzle Fighter" a cult hit feels as fresh as ever, and the HD Remix is arguably the series' best incarnation to date. [Oct 2007, p.76]

Ultimately, how much you enjoy Alan Wake’s rollercoaster ride depends on how invested you become in its sophisticated yarn. And it’s one hell of a story, capped off by a quiet, breathtaking denouement that makes good on the opening lines of Alan’s initial descent.

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

Crafted with painstaking attention to inventive detail and charm, Dust is never less than an outright joy to experience.

Quarterbacks lead out receivers with passes much more effectively and realistically, and there’s much less of a "pro" feel - mistakes are made that open up holes in coverage for you to exploit.

Given the slew of impressive upgrades and new features, the purchase of this new installment is a must. [Holiday 2005, p.90]

You can still technically play through the entire adventure with just one Skylander, but to scratch that completist itch you’ll need both a fat wallet and the willingness to hunt down specific physical character figures.

A veritable clinic on how to enhance your game for a follow-up. Most of Splosion Man's niggling issues have been replaced with a dizzying grab bag of interesting and compelling design choices. Well done, guys.

One of the finest examples of the burgeoning tower-defense genre on Xbox 360. [Nov 2009, p.70]