The steely smash-and-crunch of the combat merrily pushed me through its 20-hour campaign and beyond into New Game +, compelling me to ignore the rudimentary world and focus on those glorious moments where sparks, limbs and scrap metal fly with brutal abandon. Deck13 has come a long way, welding together a solid, structurally sound Soulslike that adeptly showcases what makes this genre special.

A wonderfully absurd tale of insurrection and kicking stuff in a cheery-looking world.

Gates is a fun game. [May 2005, p.67]

About as deep and immersive as naval combat sims come. [May 2002, p.68]

Entertaining futuristic aerial action, and a good value at the price. [May 2004, p.66]

That sloppiness nags at me because it blows what could have been a great immersive experience, but given that The Awakened managed to engage my brain without demolishing it, lets just say I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers. [Nov 2007, p.74]

One of the more enjoyable PC arcade racers to come along in years. [July 2003, p.84]

Gory and moody, The Callisto Protocol doesn't mess with the survival horror formula, instead embracing all its beats and clichés to tell a grim sci-fi tale that drips with menace.

Exapunks is a hacking game that will make you feel like a genius or an idiot—sometimes both in quick succession.

Smooth action blends seamlessly into smooth traversal, making this the better modern 2D Prince of Persia.

A rich, interesting, and honest experiment in history-as-game: If you're interested, play it.

A chance for PC gamers to experience the best of teh lat generation of console games. [Dec 2000, p.156]

It has a realistic edge and a hardcore, immersive feel. [June 2005, p.66]

Exceptional building mechanics support a game that sometimes feels like a chore.

A smart, unembellished survival horror adventure which rewards patience and inspires introspection.

An atmospheric world with deep, absorbing puzzles, Bonfire Peaks is thoughtful and charming—but without establishing its tricks, it risks leaving less fluent puzzlers behind.

The setting of Onomichi proves that the long-running series still has some tricks, making Yakuza 6 a worthy finale for its main protagonist.

A well-designed level that forces you out of your comfort zone and fills in some of Adam Jensen’s backstory.

It's too repetitive and easy, but Crying Suns story and frantic combat are worth experiencing anyway.

Thoughtfully-designed levels and versatile combat abilities make Katana Zero worthy of a rewind despite cookie-cutter characters.

Available online for 10 dollars, Armored Fury is yet another recommended addition to BF2. [Sep 2006, p.44]

A must-have for Medal of Honor fans, but we still like "Call of Duty" better. [Jan 2005, p.70]

It’s a welcome addition to the Crusader Kings family, but The Republic can’t quite overthrow its liege game’s throne.

Great fun, but tough to recommend until more maps are available. [Holiday 2005, p.72]

An entertaining game, and though it still can't quite match Konami's "Winning Eleven 6" on PS2, it's heading in the right direction. [Feb 2004, p.74]

Crash 4 is the kind of retro throwback that actually earns its spot as a successor to the original trilogy. There’s the occasional bandicoot stumble, but it's a responsive, precise platformer that looks as good as it plays.

The Inquisitor is a grim yet strangely gripping dark fantasy story, memorable if a little rough around the edges.

Absolute Power is a collection of small, but welcome enhancements--a splash of new content that doesn't change what the game is, but enough that anyone still investing hours in the perfect republic will love. [Sept 2010, p.84]