Between the playoffs and the inevitable cribbing of Madden 13's bigger features (like Connected Careers), next year's NCAA Football will surely implement some bold changes. But NCAA Football 13 feels more like another effective iteration than a genuinely new, thrilling experience.

Even by military-shooter standards, Spec Ops: The Line is an uncompromisingly bleak journey into the mouth of madness. Sharing almost nothing with its predecessors except the Spec Ops moniker, this squad-based shooter tries to make you think - sometimes successfully, sometimes not - about the lines you're willing to cross in battle.

As long as you possess ample patience and an abiding affection for mental gymnastics, you’ll still emerge with a smile on your dial.

With a few frustrating puzzles, some unclear solutions, and no cooperative play, Quantum Conundrum isn't quite as polished as Portal 2 - but it's a very close homage at a fraction of the price. If you've been aching for more drops from Valve, this game will satisfy your quandary.

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

There are too many holes in March Madness to really get crazy about it. [Holiday 2005, p.70]

You might fail to see what all the fuss is about if you're not a shmup historian, but for the faithful it's a pleasure to rediscover R-Type with friends and flash. [Feb 2009, p.81]

Blood Omen 2's world is so realistically brought to life that you'll be checking your fingernails for grit after climbing Kain up the sides of rocky walls. [Apr 2002, p.63]

Great controls and well-implemented action features, like punching and turbo, that add a different type of depth than that seen in typical baseball games. [May 2003, p.78]

You may tire of the basic gimmick before you're skilled enough to succeed on elaborate, brutally competitive four-player online maps, but Half-Minute Hero's charms still last a surprisingly long time.

Shadows of the Damned saddles itself with too much fetch-the-widget downtime to be the wholly unpredictable thrill-ride it aspires to be, but it is stuffed full of boisterous personality and pulse-pounding bloodshed.

Even with a new action-oriented emphasis, the game's targetting system, spotty collision detection, and lead-footed "companion" in the game's second half means it doesn't exactly handle like a dream. [Oct 2004, p.72]

Capcom's done a sweet job of porting a coin-op legend, and Hyper Fighting is officially one of our favorite Live Arcade games. [Oct. 2006, p.83]

As with Lego Rock Band, however, Band Hero is essentially a track pack. In this case, it's a $60 one, but you get over 60 songs--most of which are exportable to GH5 for just $5. [Jan 2010, p.72]

Okay, so most of it isn't that fresh, and none of it is revolutionary. But if you're looking for the most robust and entertaining dance package currently available, this is it. [Holiday 2006, p.80]

Surprisingly fun. [Nov 2003, p.130]

Combining classic action with a tried-and-true exploration-based formula, Strider is a fine update to Capcom’s long-ignored brand with plenty to recommend it to nostalgia hounds and newcomers.

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.

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.

Doesn't make any earth-shattering changes to its predecessor, but it also doesn't break anything, either. [Aug 2009, p.76]

Basically, Madden 08 is just an 07 redux. [Oct 2007, p.81]

Hardcore fighting fans looking to dive back into a franchise classic should take note: this probably isn't the exact version of the game you remember. The core gameplay, for reasons unknown, is based around the European PAL release, which had a few distinct elements that were changed for the North American version. Casual players won't care, but diehard competitive players will find some attacks are much nastier than they remember.

What is surprising, however, is that content of this quantity and quality costs just $15. With its meaty eight- to ten-hour campaign and near AAA-caliber execution (plus an endlessly replayable arcade mode), this game could have easily been a full-priced offering just two or three years ago.

While Lego Batman is loaded with goofy charm and humor, its original storyline is paper-thin.

It's a cute toy without enough pieces to build anything truly great. [May 2005, p.84]

If this is what like as a drug kinpin is like, we'll stick to our day jobs. [Nov. 2006, p.74]

Celebrity cameos by Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, Chazz Palminteri, and Joe Pantoliano are fun perks, but what really stands out is how expansive and enthralling this hour-or-so mission is.

Galactrix is perfect for puzzlers who want to chip away at an epic quest over many, many sessions. And yes, it's 1,600 Microsoft Points - but worth all 20 bucks. [Apr 2009, p.80]