When a series' 13th installment leaves us amazed with its highlight moments and has us playing all-nighters again, it's an easy pick-up-call. [Nov 2012, p.86]

Epic Games' new first-person shooter franchise packs so much tongue-in-cheek machismo and comically exaggerated action we're going to run out of ways to say "over the top." [April 2011, p.76]

What a bummer--we had high hopes for this one. [Jan 2011, p.83]

SSX on ATVs. Not a perfect analogy but it's darn close, and fans of the seminal snowboarding franchise should probably just stop reading now and go buy this game. [Nov 2008, p.78]

Eight years after the fact, the game remains a curious muddle, but this time it's a curious muddle in high definition. [June 2011, p.83]

While much has been made of the improved graphics and gameplay--with good reason thanks to a whole new motion engine, more intuitive controls, the elimination of the exciting-but-not-very-realistic-turbo button, and the AFL and Super Bowl options--it's online where Madden 11 really shines. [Nov 2010, p.83]

Creating new players with your buddies and forming online crews to play five-on-five matches against other crews is cool. [Dec 2009, p.74]

The graphics only represent the topmost layer of a pervasive meticulousness, and every last detail feels thoroughly polished. [Apr 2010, p.66]

Borderlands may be a little rough around the edges, and the story is less than engaging, but the overall experience is satisfying and compelling. [Holiday 2009, p.66]

It's by-the-book Lumines, and it's amazing. [Apr 2012, p.59]

There's just so much to do here and, when our creativity's at the top of its game, it's just so much fun to destroy. [May 2010, p.67]

This is the football game we've wanted since the PS3 era began. [Nov 2012, p.83]

Does everything we expect, and it does it all very, very well. It's sky-high production values and focused design create a to-the-point experience that's predictable, but also massive, exciting, and predictably, a whole lot of fun. [Nov 2011, p.78]

Even for first-timers who aren't craving a nostalgia fix, this one's an easy recommendation. [Nov 2012, p.86]

Those who aren't alread obsessed with Final Fantasy VII may disagree, but I for one am grateful for the depth Crisis Core has added to the FFVII universe and wholeheartedly recommend it to fans and newcomers alike. [May 2008, p.64]

A very complete, eminently playable handheld baseball experience. [June 2008, p.78]

InFamous 2 easily meets and surpasses these requirements, but it's a number of subtler tweaks that make it a better game than its predecessor. [Aug 2011, p.80]

The mechanic is both clever and well implemented, and Outland is a smart choice for those seeking a fun PSN diversion. [July 2011, p.86]

There've been a few games that have made owning a Vita worthwhile, but Gravity Rush is the first to make it absolutely essential. [Aug 2012, p.78]

Arguably the purest, most hardcore hack-and-slash fighting game on PS3. [Nov 2009, p.68]

After its tumultuous history, Sleeping Dogs needed to emerge from cancellation as something special, and it doesn't disappoint. [Oct 202, p.77

Other than that, Stacking is a doll of a game. [March 2011, p.83]

The sheer number of unlockables and challenges adds tons of replayability to a game that already demands multiple playthroughs. [Holiday 2012, p.74]

You don't have to be a Metalhead to love Brutal Legend, but if you are, you'll love it even more. [Holiday 2009, p.68]

Even longtime fans will enjoy a second romp through this simple, yet slick, PSP re-release. [Dec 2009, p.84]

There are problems in Valkyria Chronicles II, but most of them have to do with the parts we don't actually play. [Dec 2010, p.78]

A game of precision and timing that demands a perfect port. Here, it gets one. Fighting fans will be pleased. [Apr 2012, p.61]

Even with all the solo bulk, the most exciting addition to Wipeout Pulse is undoubtedly that of Wi-Fi play via the PSP's Infrastructure mode. [Apr 2008, p.86]