Old arcade pros will miss the coin-op's grippy spinner knob, but the right analog stick approximates it well; finesse players can still win games with superior targeting skill. [July 2007, p.79]

Soundtrack worthy of a Danny Ocean and Tarantino showdown. [Feb 2008, p.80]

F.E.A.R. 3 isn't expertly polished or perfectly balanced, but it's got sufficient creeping dread and more than enough gameplay variety to fan our desire for more of Alma's apocalyptic evil.

And holy cow, if it's sheer bat-guano crazy you're after, you'll love Versus mode. Pick from 45 (!) unlockable characters and square off against 11 other nutjobs (humans or bots) in completely ridiculous battle royales over Live. We'd happily pay 10 bucks just to listen to the chaos in each wild melee.

Giving us the option to bypass the mini-games and get straight to the story would've made this charming visual treat even tastier. [Holiday 2007, p.73]

And as a whimsical, sweet-natured tale of a princess who learns she must earn her right to return home, it's a warm-hearted departure we found difficult not to embrace. [July 2014, p.68]

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.

It's easy and incredibly fun to use, but also powerful, and content can be shared with friends. Even as additional play sets and figures are released in the coming months, it'll be the Toy Box that keeps us hooked, and it's how Disney Infinity remains so endearing even as it commands ample cash.

Amid shelves crammed with me-too mediocrity, we'll take Overlord's wicked humor and creativity, warts and all. [Sept 2007, p.80]

A slightly uneven but still arresting journey back to BioShock’s past, future, and present that makes a worthy protagonist out of Elizabeth, while introducing some downright cool new gameplay into the series’ mix.

A complex puzzler. [Feb 2010, p.88]

These standalone levels may not compare to a proper game of chess, but they have the same sort of vibe, and that makes Band of Bugs challenging and addictive enough in its own right. [May 2007, p.80]

SoulCalibur V feels new without feeling reinvented. It's not genre-defining and it's not the complete overhaul probably needed to make SoulCalibur important in tournament-fighting circles, but it's still flashy enough to keep fans interested and technical enough to convert some series holdouts.

As the cricket-like Wik, you use your tongue to collect grubs to feed your slow-moving monster and snatch acorns to spit at your insect foes. [Jun 2006, p.64]

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

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]

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

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.

For a fair price of $40, the high caliber of NASCAR 07's tune-up keeps the good times rolling--and turning left, of course. [Oct. 2006, p.82]

You might think calling NBA Live 08 "much improved" is a backhanded compliment, but its first two years on 360 really did leave it no place to go but up. [Nov 2007, p.84]

For 15 to 20 hours of laughs and gameplay, it's a steal. [Sept 2009, p.85]

While the game feels rough around the edges, the core is so entertaining that such flaws don’t dominate the experience. Whether you play solo or with pals, solving Sanctum 2’s many challenges proves deeply absorbing.

It clearly aims to include everyone and exclude no one, and that's just plain refreshing amid a holiday season stuffed full of deadly serious, high-learning-curve me-toos. [Nov 2007, p.96]

Still, with its collectible treasure pieces, butterflies, and toys, a plot that puts a fantasy spin on pirates, the ability to hop-in as a challenger during mini-games, and exquisite artistic elements (just look at the map and watch the credits roll), Lemuria is a world you'll be glad to visit for a little quality time with your younger self.

We're just sad to see that after all this time, as Xbox 360's only MLB game, it's not the superstar we wish it was. [May 2011, p.81]

Is 2K10 going to the Series? Not quite — but it’s fundamentally solid all-around, and that’s enough to keep it entertaining all year long.

With four distinctive maps and a fun new mode, Naval Strike is a stellar pick-up for Battlefield 4 fans. [July 2014, p.77]

All told, Advent Rising does a whole lot more right than it does wrong. If this really is the first of a trilogy, we'll be first in line for the next installment. [July 2005, p.86]