A bit too complex to please conventional fighting fans, but the game more than pays off for anyone who enjoys character progression - including anyone who's obsessed with "Final Fantasy." [Oct 2009, p.76]

Its biggest downfall is its complete ordinariness. [Nov 2009, p.76]

It's no Call of Duty, true, but then CoD doesn't let you tear apart giant monsters with machine gun turrets or battle Nazis in a zeppelin, does it? [Nov 2009, p.66]

The potential is staggering in a variety of ways. [Nov 2009, p.70]

The addition of trophies is welcome. [Aug 2009, p.73]

Maybe hardcore fans will appreciate the subtle mechanics at work in KOF XII, but as fighting game fans who aren't devoted enough to count frames of animation and the like, we can't help but feel indifferent. [Aug 2009, p.78]

The nice surprise is that it's entertaining and polished enough that you're not gonna need to swill that rat poison you were initially planning on feeding to the guinea pigs. [Sept 2009, p.80]

Badman's core mechanic is frustrating in that you can't directly control your troops, so it feels like luck plays as much a role as skill. [Nov 2009, p.84]

Boss fights are mundane affairs with no special mechanics, only larger health pools. [Oct 2009, p.82]

Despite the new animations, new moves, and features, this year's model plays a lot like last year's game, with very subtle, often ineffective changes. [Sept 2009, p.79]

Answers many of last year's criticisms with a well-rounded experience packed with the depth hardcore gamers demand and the accessibility newcomers will enjoy. [Aug 2009, p.77]

A fun, wildly varied romp through the Wild West. [Oct 2009, p.76]

It's too easy to beat enemies, even in the tournament, by simply running forward and punching repeatedly. [Oct 2009, p.82]

BlazBlue has the moves and goods to back it up. [Aug 2009, p.71]

Like many games earning classic status, FNR4 generates repeated standout, jaw-dropping moments, and none of them are pre-scripted. [Aug 2009, p.64]

Pangya should provide golf fans (and RPG fans mildly interested in golf) dozens of hours of entertainment with its several modes, gentle learning curve, and unlockable content. [Aug 2009, p.73]

If you don't know your Grey Elves from your High Elves though, its many flaws probably outweigh its heavily referential charm. [Sept 2009, p.78]

If romancing the three kingdoms is your thing, you're going to go bananas for this already-established RTS twist on the DW franchise. Otherwise, it's totally niche, so approach with caution. [July 2009, p.81]

It's the best Monster Hunter game yet. [Sept 2009, p.81]

The game, despite being a solid effort, ultimately falls shy of total satisfaction due to the brevity of the play experience (you'll complete it under 10 hours and earn earn just a few videos and a lot of concept art for your troubles). [Aug 2009, p.68]

Even without perfect controls or jaw-dropping visuals, it offers a terrifically evil time for action game fans. [Sept 2009, p.74]

Niche-dwelling masochists will thrive on mastering the murky depths of Heroes, but everyone else should throw a smoke bomb and run away. [July 2009, p.83]

If you're a seasoned pro of the Virtua Tennis series, the latest tweaks don't necessarily add enough layers to warrant an upgrade. [Sept 2009, p.79]

Vague disappointments aside, Rock Band Unplugged offers a clever portable twist on the music game formula that is mostly engrossing and fun...even if it can be damned frustrating. [July 2009, p.84]

Sadly this year, it's hard to find a compelling reason to upgrade if you played 09. [Aug 2009, p.76]

A decent game, but it feels like the developers invested too heavily in the physic-based destruction and neglected to create a well-rounded experience that could contend with the likes of its own "Saints Row." [Aug 2009, p.70]

A top-notch addition to the genre. [Aug 2009, p.67]

The whole game screams "last-gen." [Aug 2009, p.72]