It hurts to see an awesome game in a series I love be diminished by bugs. With some good patching, SFC III will be an excellent game. [Feb 2003, p.64]

A fun, unconventional RPG with interesting new ideas that aren’t entirely overshadowed by its repetitive nature and stale combat.

The second problem is that your squad will heal each other and you: you "die" only when your entire squad has been felled. [Apr 2005, p.76]

Black Plague actually made me scream aloud in fright at one point. Even horror movies don't have that effect on my anymore. [July 2008, p.68]

An accessible, customisable off-road racer let down by a half-hearted career mode.

Fixes most of Elemental’s technical and design problems, making it an addictively complex and rewarding strategy game.

More LOTR action is always welcome, be aware that Rise doesn't add a whole lot on. [Feb. 2007, p.67]

Doesn't do enough to be the uncontested definitive version, but provides a fresh perspective on an exceptional RPG. [March 2014, p.72]

Unfortunately, there's so much frantic micromanagement involved in keeping your biz going that you scarcely have any time to do anything that feels like play. [May 2006, p.102]

A first-rate RTS game that just may revitalize the genre. [Sept 2000, p.110]

Lots of flash, low substance. Try "Freespace" or "Tachyon" for a more fulfilling experience. [July 2000, p.84]

This one goes right back to the roots of hardcore action gaming. [Nov 2000, p.118]

Not even close to being a worthy successor to "NBA Live 2000." [May 2001, p.60]

An entertaining but unambitious sequel that collects up the best features of previous games and adds in some interesting new twists.

No flashy new features or buzzwords, just magnificent racing stemming from a refinement of Grid 1’s greatness.

NightSky delivers a short but sweet physics puzzle experience. [April 2011, p.76]

Despite its strengths, Solar Ash fails to skate free from the gravity of its influences.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 fulfills the promise of being the most true-to-life and detailed game of its kind.

A much-needed and fun refresher for Blizzard’s card battler, although the next card expansion will need to be more sizeable.

The new maps make getting into the heart of the battle much quicker and easier, and the new vehicles make battles go by much faster. [Feb 2005, p.64]

While Ubisoft was right in aborting its earlier incarnation--as a standalone subscription-based game, it would've bombed--Myst Online is a fantastic fit for Gametap.com, letting you drop in for brief visits without feeling like you have to linger. [July 2007, p.60]

Crashes booted me to the desktop a dozen times. And a save corruption resulted in the loss of a level-17 garden and my last shred of patience. [Feb 2008, p.83]

The freshest shooter to sprout in recent memory, PvZ is shackled by asinine DRM.

This latest Medal of Honor proves to be the best of the series, and one of the deepest and most challenging World War II shooters I've ever played. [Nov 2007, p.68]

An approachable and thought-provoking meditation on life's only certainty.

As far as looks go, Red Faction is more like the cute girl next door than a hot fashion model from the Upper West Side: It’s pretty, but it won’t make a man drop to his knees and thank God for giving him sight.

A very competitive RPG, if not quite up to BioWare caliber. [July 2001, p.65]

It's just a few new features away from glory. [Holiday 2002, p.85]

It's the only choice for PC fans, but as luck would have it, it still gets the job done. [Nov 2000, p.128]

Now, some folks may be happy to rule over a leauge of made-up players, but it drives me insane. [July 2002, p.69]

Good for fans of collectible card games, bad for fans of anything else. [Jan 2004, p.94]

These niggles aside, Need For Speed Carbon delivers an entertaining blend of racing, performance tuning, and professionally acted FMV storytelling. [Feb. 2007, p.64]

An exciting, kinetic single-screen multiplayer with excellent level design, but little to reward the solo player.

A fantastic return of The Walking Dead, letting Telltale experiment with form without losing any of the magic.

DeathSpank is Diablo meets Monkey Island, but it fails to achieve the fun of the former or the humor of the latter. [Jan 2011, p.76]

With its fast-paced combat, Tabbula Rasa offers a fantastic change from the usual elvish offerings in the MMO landscape. However, its lack of community-building tools and single-path progression may hinder its long-term appeal. [Feb 2008, p.78]

Hell is Us' rich world and gorgeous design prop up its uninventive structure and simple combat.

Rime is a middling puzzle platformer with some genuine narrative depth, but the latter doesn't quite justify the former.

A fresh infusion of high-quality role-playing quests and new gear to Fallout 3, but The Pitt isn't an entirely glitch-free experience. [June 2009, p.80]

The wonderful chaos of the open world and your choice of how to tackle it is occasionally stifled by bad boss fights and worse boss speeches.

Five hours of fun, frantic platforming that’s unwieldy and all the better for it.

Offers the best "bang for the buck" of any current racing title. [Apr 2001, p.73]

Challenging but immaculately calibrated controls power an exciting and enormously rewarding sci-fi roguelike.

Lovely Planet Arcade is a fast, challenging deconstruction of old school FPS design that can be frustrating, but makes up for it with heaps of charm.

Ambitious in the extreme, Shadow Empire is a unique sci-fi wargame that's a little lost in its own details.

Hard science, harder simulation, and narrative innovation make Per Aspera a real gem.

Roguebook stands out from the pack on a few qualities, but it's not a must-play.

Tinykin's minion management might be shallow, but its platforming shines.

A charming traveling artist adventure which uses image capture in interesting ways.

Awesomenauts has fantastic potential, but is not quite there. Tweaks to the balancing and AI will make this one a star.

The clips provide great primers for how you should approach many of your starting hands, and for that reason alone, World Class Poker can be a valuable learning tool. [Dec 2005, p.96]

I continue to get whiffs of deja-vu. largely due to the blizzard of dumbass trade offers that seem to be a series trademark, but this is the best Mogul I've played in years. [Sep 2006, p.98]

A simple design that's devilishly clever at messing with you.

Fun combat, great writing, and a great look, but with pacing and progression tuned for a mobile experience, not the PC.

It may be shorter, but it still packs a punch. Like a Dragon: Gaiden does little new, but its story is fascinating and heartbreaking in equal measure.

Worth it for the two vibrant mini-campaigns, but only if you're dying for more KB. It doesn't sex up the formula at all.

Master its complex systems and Offworld Trading Company is ruthless, immediate and thoroughly rewarding.

To be clear, Destiny 2 is still an engaging shooter that—when you step back and take stock of all it has to offer—is absolutely packed full of stuff to do. Shadowkeep is both an entertaining assortment of new activities and a solid base from which the game at large can build and improve. But Shadowkeep also doesn't feel like Destiny 2's final form, and there's a real sense that there's still much left to be tweaked and tightened. The subway is being refurbished slowly, one station at a time. That doesn't stop me from enjoying the ride.

Enemies retreated when necessary, attacked when prudent, and anticipated what I thought were brilliant feints, like my fake out at the Khrisophy airport. That kind of cunning AI makes Conquest of the Aegean a great ode to board-style war gaming. [Nov. 2006, p.78]

An excellent turn-based strategy that shines in spite of some minor annoyances.

Titan Quest doesn't do much more than "Diablo II" did to innovate in the action RPG space, but it's still a hell of a good time. [Sep 2006, p.70]

True multiplayer support could've nudged this expansion over the top, but as it is, it's mostly a tinker tool and not for those seeking substantial new content. [March 2005, p.71]

Don't hesitate to try it as a flavorful and humorous new way to experience a beloved strategy template, with the AI or distant friends. [July 2011, p.69]

Offers more of the same good stuff, but no real creative innovation. [Nov 2002, p.128]

Veteran F1 racing enthusiasts - those who don't like to see their PC sims equipped with meddlesome graphic controls and training-wheel physics - are advised to stick to "F1 2002." [Dec 2002, p.98]

Involved, spectacular, space battles packaged into satisfying campaigns, and great fan service too.

Portal's systems, if not its clever humor, are put to good use in this fun physics-based puzzle game.

A conservative but confident return to form from the masters of a much-loved genre.

This is the detective game L.A. Noire claimed to be. It doesn’t have the inflated budget of Rockstar’s game, but it makes up for its rough edges with quality detecting, compelling cases, beautiful world-building, and and endearing gusto.

Amnesia: The Bunker is an essential horror game and an inspired next step for the series.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw lives up to its name among space sims. It’s spirited, good-looking and vibrant, effectively spraying several cans of blue and pink graffiti over the existing space sim template. None of its systems are particularly deep, but skimming along over them can be an exhilarating journey.

A faithful representation of modern F1 diehard fans will praise for its depth while railing about real or perceived missteps. [Holiday 2013. p.70]

Life is Strange elegantly meshes time-travelling with nostalgia-riddled teen drama, producing a sympathetic debut.

An underwhelming story but a massive, exciting sandbox of parkour and kinetic combat.

Much deeper than "Axis & Allies," but just as accessible. A new strategy addiction. [June 2005, p.70]

A visual stunner with strong AI, fast-moving gameplay, and a lot of depth. [Feb 2002, p.79]

A must own for soccer fans. [Feb 2002, p. 73]

Despite all those flaws, Resistance's branching, 20-mission campaign dishes out some of the best gameplay scenarios yet seen in the genre. [Nov 2002, p.110]

Immense fun for both the empire-builder and the medieval combatant with all the intrigue and bloodletting you could want. [Feb 1997, p.148]

A completely welcome contrast to anything you've ever played, supported by the most intense first-person fisticuffs we've seen in a game. [July 2009, p.78]

Still awfully limited relative to the encyclopedic scope of regular FIFA games, 2006 FIFA World Cup features just enough content to sate footie fans who aren't getting enough of a World Cup fix from their tube. [Aug 2006, p.91]

The only drawbacks to Soldiers are its murderous difficulty and speed. [Sept 2004, p.72]

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams may provide a few hours of polished puzzle-platforming, but don't be surprised if you ultimately end up estranged.[March 2013, p.65]

A great repository of nostalgia-heavy stories, but it doesn’t make the most of being an MMO.

Made with affection and artistry, this retro appetiser is a very pleasant surprise.

Whispers of a Machine is like a good episode of your favorite police procedural: familiar and fun, no more and no less.

A smart historical 4X that doesn't quite match the inventiveness of the studio's best.

As a Baldur's Gate adventure, Siege of Dragonspear works well. While it's not entirely tonally consistent with the original series, it does a good job of inserting itself into the middle of the story without feeling like sacrilege. As a result, though, it requires that you still be invested in that story. The fact is, a decade and a half later, there are much smoother, more enjoyable RPG experiences available.

With a huge load of content comes unforgiving difficulty and complexity. Challge seekers inquire within. [July 2008, p.58]

Vivid and tactically demanding, Assault Squad is a brilliant multiplayer game that's even better with friends. [June 2011, p.78]

An otherwise strong season drops the ball at the death. Clementine deserved better.

The least amicable city council meeting you've ever attended and probably the best game you'll play this year.

I'm a sucker for giant robots. Especially when it's giant robots dishing out beautifully rendered displays of mass destruction. With Arena Wars, that's exactly what you get, wrapped in an extremely simple but nonetheless fun RTS package. [Holiday 2004, p.94]

Element4l knows what it wants to be, a new kind of platform game, and nails it with audacity. [Oct 2013, p.66]

When the smoke clears, you're left with a great feeling of satisfaction at having beaten such vicious single-player AI. [Feb 2004, p.66]

Deep, brutal, and hauntingly atmospheric, The Long Dark is a survival game done right.

Solasta's storytelling may not be up to much, but its tactical combat and accessible approach to D&D rules make it worth considering for CRPG fans.

Cute, with a battle system that has more depth than it lets on, but the game's tone gets rather irritating.