Between some innovative new online features and a mess of shrewd tuning, it’s the kind of compulsively playable game that sports fans will have a hard time tearing themselves away from.

With a song list that ranges from Louis Prima to the Ghostbusters theme to Katy Perry, and choreography that includes Charleston and chair dancing, JD2014 makes vamping like a diva (and shedding some pounds in the process) an astonishingly engrossing timesink.

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

Greatness. The one-liners and parodies are still funny, the level design is outstanding. [Nov 2008, p.64]

We love the new ability to craft an extreme weapon out of a couple of items: you can sample a handful of the full game's countless possibilities - including a Spiked Bat (baseball bat + nails) and head-pulping Drill Bucket (bucket + electric drill) - and discovering new combos and unleashing gonzo gear like the Air Horn (pylon + spray paint) is a blast.

Scott Pilgrim hardly has an original idea of its own, and that's entirely the point: it's a wonderful homage to its predecessors, while still proving thoroughly enjoyable in its own right.

All told, you'll have a hell of a good time blowing up and blowing past your friends. [Dec 2011, p.78]

Absolution has the pacing and exotic set-piece locations of a James Bond film, which seems appropriate given that 47 is essentially Bond stripped of his smirk, gadgets, and vices.

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]

Grid 2 might not be quite up to the lofty standards of an all-inclusive open-world competitor like Forza Horizon, but it does more than enough to carve out a comfortable niche worth exploring.

What's here is already a fun reminder that gem-bashing is the best way to raid dungeons. [Sept 2010, p.86]

The beating heart of chess is laid bare with such care that aspiring Kasparovs might yet be lured from the PC dungeon.

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]

You Monster may not convert every tower-defense holdout, but it's definitely one of the most devious and memorable bits of DLC we've played.

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]

The whole thing meshes well, is addictive in its playability, and looks absolutely beautiful (in a wonderfully detailed 3D anime way) in the process. [Feb 2003, p.68]

The challenge comes from learning how to avoid the enemies, not figuring out what to do...it provides a quick paced progressive story with a very nice game. [Sept 2002, p.89]

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.

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.

If you like twitch games, Heavy Weapon is an explosively explosively good time. [Feb. 2007, p.75]

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.

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.

As with any vertical shooter, there's no escape from the laborious memorization of unforgiving patterns. That fact alone means that not everyone can fall in love with Radiant Silvergun's unique mix of frenetic combat and fast-paced puzzle-solving. But if you don't mind working for every inch of progress and using your noodle more than usual, you'll happily spent innumerable hours perfecting your patrols through enemy space.

The 360 sure has a wealth of terrific shooters, and while Vegas isn't the very best of the bunch, it's elite enough to deserve your trigger time. [Holiday 2006, 68]

Titanfall is a wonderfully fast, open, and instantly accessible 12-player shooter, and if playing online is at all important to you, it’s an essential addition to your Xbox One library.

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

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]

Telltale has a lot to deal with out of the gate for All That Remains, and is successful managing most of it. It still doles out plenty of handwringing, emotional moments (in both brutal and overarching flavors), but we’re waiting for Telltale to tie this package together in a truly satisfying manner.