Engaging combat carries Space Marine's campaign and multiplayer a long way, although we can't help but feel like a little more time - or maybe ambition - would have made this game a superstar. Still, it's one heck of an entertaining fragfest, and the ideas here should nicely set up a bolder, hopefully more memorable sequel.

Though its mix of strategy and simulation is something of a console rarity, this franchise endures, thrusting you into a new dictatorial power trip over the burgeoning populace of a Caribbean island. [Nov 2011, p.83]

The online options are still a little wonky in that they work, but with the Champions League license, we'd like more depth and options in how fans can compete with each other. Nevertheless, the style and impressive ball-movement physics help PES maintain its impressive fidelity.

The 2010 version's numbskull partner A.I., for instance? Fixed. And the even more frustrating opponent A.I. that still makes us angry just thinking about it? Also rectified, although all their old dirty tricks emerge during the masochistic Jambot matches you must complete to earn Platinum medals.

Unless you're a Sesame Street super-fan, playing alone or with another adult will rob those sequences of their full impact. As with the TV show, kids are clearly the center of Monster's universe. But for parents seeking a videogame to share with their children, this game offers hours of joy.

And holy cow, if it's sheer bat-guano crazy you're after, you'll love Versus mode. Pick from 45 (!) unlockable characters and square off against 11 other nutjobs (humans or bots) in completely ridiculous battle royales over Live. We'd happily pay 10 bucks just to listen to the chaos in each wild melee.

A handful of heinous difficulty spikes will try your patience - especially when you're protecting something other than your own backside - but even in the game's roughest moments, its unexpected diversity keeps you engaged.

Don't get us wrong: Orcs Must Die! is lots of hyperactive fun. Just don't expect lavish long-term depth that'll keep you slaughtering for weeks.

Diamond Mine. This enticing new mode has you catching gems atop gold deposits and untilled earth to earn bonuses and dig ever deeper before time runs out. Don't surprise if you awake in a slack-jawed daze to discover that dawn has come and gone.

If you were curious about MvC3 but never bought it, we wholeheartedly recommend this version. But if you own the original, this $40 upgrade will probably leave you feeling more slighted than delighted. There's consolation in the fact that UMvC3 will soon be getting an extra mode (Heroes & Heralds) via free DLC; and if you're interested in being competitive in one of the most frenetic, frenzied games of all time, it's worth paying for this ride twice.

Okay, so you're mostly just blasting away at anyone not wearing your current colors, but it's still plenty addictive.

An abbreviated runtime (three to four hours per playthrough) and the absence of any new gameplay modes don't diminish the joy of facing RAAM in a boss fight, or of leveling a building to crush a string of Seeders, or of defending against a horde of Reavers. It's these Gears-specific thrills that make RAAM's Shadow a short but worthy co-op–able history lesson told with guns and roadie runs.

The Moon Knight and Ghost Rider tables are definitely our favorites here, but all four are fun enough and replayable enough to make this DLC pack well worth the $10.

The return of Battlefield 2's Conquest Assault mode doesn't bring a ton to the table, either: giving one side possession of all control points right at the outset is an interesting wrinkle, but it hardly reinvents the experience. On the other hand, when those four classic maps are this much fun to storm around in, who says anything needs to be brand-spanking-new?

The game's arguably a bit short (though it is $10), and some of the ghost encounters are marred by attack prompts that aren't always recognized. But if you have the patience (and the health reserves) to endure a few irritating battles, you'll find Haunt worth the visit.

SoulCalibur V feels new without feeling reinvented. It's not genre-defining and it's not the complete overhaul probably needed to make SoulCalibur important in tournament-fighting circles, but it's still flashy enough to keep fans interested and technical enough to convert some series holdouts.

Not every activity enthralls, and it's a brief overall affair with little incentive for repeated solo-play once you complete a couple of cycles. But Happy Action Theater is an absolute powder keg of a party experience, instilling childlike delight in nearly anyone that crosses its path while proving imaginative minds can still make inspired use of Kinect.

[A] few soft spots are what keep Kingdoms of Amalur from being truly dazzling. It's a great RPG - one that gives you an almost Bethesda level of freedom - and it has so much content that you could be playing the game for a couple of months. [Mar 2012, p.72]

Whether you're tackling it solo or with friends, Simpsons Arcade likely won't take more than an hour to run through from start to finish, making the $10 price tag seem a little steep. Even so, there's a lot to take in, especially in this version.

Shank 2 isn't quite as robust or refreshing as its predecessor, but it's another damn fine (and fun!) downloadable adventure.

Quarrel does have some odd quirks, such as claiming words like "Monday" don't exist while accepting more obscure words. But for logophiles, its mix of strategy and vocabulary is a true pleasure.

It may not live up to the series' impossibly high standards, but it's still a gem in its own right. [Apr 2012, p.56]

The series' best effort yet. Though many little issues remain, its fundamentals are strong throughout, forming the foundation for a largely stellar baseball experience. [Apr 2012, p.84]

A full, unique experience that's equal parts familiar and new, technical and mashy.

Even if you're aggravated early on, don't take this game at face value. From Software has developed some of this generation's most interesting games, and obtuse or not, Armored Core V is one of them.

Kinect responsiveness can be spotty, especially jumping, but it works well enough to keep kids (and adults) grinning ear-to-ear while playing.

The constant shuffle between real-time mobile defense and time-pausing tactical route planning is both seamless and nerve-wracking. Even after you know every crisply rendered map back to front, you may find you just want to keep playing.

When you consider what you do get for your $15 - a beautiful, darkly humorous game with one of the most well-made, finely tested fighting engines around, plus great online play - fighting-game aficionados have plenty of reasons to hang out with these dysfunctional damsels.

Even when your objectives sound about as thrilling as a Sunday-afternoon grocery run, the sheer chaos Heller unleashes upon the distressed and detailed world of New York Zero while completing them keeps Prototype 2 from feeling like a chore. If you can turn off your brain and just enjoy the frenzied carnage, you'll have a blast.

Awesomenauts' peculiar mix of fast-paced 2D action and ever-shifting strategy plants it in a strange niche, but it also rewards adventurous players with hours of warfare and entertaining experimentation. [June 2012, p.74]

Seemingly cognizant of how tough it can be, the game gives you an extra bottle of health-restoring painkillers for every few times you restart at the same spot, but the situation is gratingly exacerbated by Max Payne 3's erratic checkpoint system. More often than not, you'll have to replay painfully long stretches of white-knuckle sequences, turning levels into chores, not treats.

It all feels rather complicated at first, but you'll quickly settle into a satisfying groove.

With mostly excellent pieces, this seven-pack is an easy pickup for anyone still playing Modern Warfare 3 with pals - or seeking a good reason to dive back in.

The best thing here is still the three games, which hold up amazingly well after all this time. You could get them by buying the now-very-cheap Ultimate Genesis Collection (which includes dozens of other classics), but for purists, these fully featured versions are a must.

Though we question these changes to the tried-and-true gameplay, the majority of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD works as well as (or better than) the originals did when they first captivated us nearly 15 years ago. This update isn't all it could have been, but it's the best take on those early games we've had yet.

We wish the developers had included some offline bots instead, though, or allowed players access to so much as the main menu when the servers are down, as they were on launch day. Thankfully, Hybrid's combat is so pleasantly addictive, it's tough to hold a grudge.

Not only is the couch-friendly design a big shift for Rock Band, but so is the newfound emphasis on score rather than accuracy.

What's here isn't radical, ending-altering content, so much as a slightly uneven but deeply worthwhile journey that adds intriguing lore to the series' canon - and instills a wide-eyed sense that we're nowhere near done with this universe.

If NHL 13 has a problem, it's that it feels like a stopgap ahead of a much bigger update. Momentum is a terrific addition, but it doesn't change the fact that the game's animations looks stiff, and that the Be a GM mode lacks increasingly common sports-game elements such as news headlines, RPG elements, and players who have to be kept happy.

Joe Danger has a potent ace up his sleeve: a flexible level editor that lets you easily build new tracks even as you roll and rocket through them. Joe Danger 2's movie sets don't always know the difference between a joy ride and a death race, but this feature alone is bound to keep fresh, fun new content flowing for ages.

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.

Resident Evil 6 is solid, challenging, and at moments outright amazing, but razzle-dazzle Hollywood production never quite masks a subtle, intangible lack of focus and pacing that pervades its formidable spread of content.

As with top TV shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men, a merely good chapter of Telltale's Walking Dead game feels like a great chapter of anything else.

On the whole, XCOM will keep fans spellbound with its depth, but it could've used a little more time in the cooker to add that something extra.

NiGHTS is like the dreams it's based on: it's easy to dismiss as silly nonsense, but when you dig deeper into it, you'll find something beautiful and revelatory.

If you're looking to change up your workout, Zumba Fitness Core will noticeably kick things into high gear: with a broader selection of dance types and music genres, and an extremely focused approach in its routines, it'll help you tone your body without having to do a single drill or lifting any kind of weight.

WWE '13 is another great match from Yuke's, but calling it better than WWE '12 is tough. If you're hoping to re-ignite a wrestling addiction, WWE '13 is a great gateway, but the organization's more ardent fans (like us) will enjoy this year's effort while still clinging to their copies of WWE '12 like an Anaconda Vice.

Considering you're getting two good mecha shooters at a reasonable price, we heartily recommend this package.

A top-notch physics-simulation engine convincingly handles even the most outlandish shots, while concise tutorials and cleverly rendered aiming aids help you get comfortable with everything from backspin to jump shots. You can even lock in how much power to use, or rewind time if you make a mess.

Laggy texture pop-in dulls some of the shine, and some of the more minor goofball characters are more intriguing than Scarlett herself. But you'll find enough charm, loot, and gritty challenge to merit getting some sand in your boots.

Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of a BMX bike, which gives you a new way to attack courses. Sadly, you can't ride it in the main game, but it's still a welcome addition, as it controls drastically different than the other bikes and looks totally ridiculous with the rider constantly pedaling.

Does Sonic's latest racing romp transform the genre? Not really. But it is an enjoyable mishmash of many elements, and a delightful treat that does much more with the Mario Kart template than even Mario Kart itself has managed to do in a long time.

With just one map for each lane approach (split between two play styles), Guardians' limited scope left us itching for just a bit more variety. But the game rewards obsessive, repeated play with extensive tactical depth, making such a streamlined approach remarkably effective.

There's a gentle magic in Giants' cunning formula, but it's a spell that collectible-minded gamers of all ages will find incredibly hard to resist.

The jokes alone make flaming skags worth weathering.

It's been a long time since we've been reminded of how fun it is to just cut loose without caring how you look--and Just Dance 4 gives every opportunity to recall that carefree joy. [Feb 2013, p.85]

Revolution definitely punches up the Black Ops II multiplayer experience with fantastic maps and an SMG, while the exciting new "Die Rise" sweetens the deal.

Even in its best moments, Dead Space 3 never quite reaches the highs of Dead Space 2: there's nothing as unforgettable as the gym battle, as beautiful as fixing the solar array, or as jaw-dropping as watching a mother and her necromorph baby explode. But this sequel's pulse-pounding action, epic scope, clever co-op play, and (mostly) absorbing story still deliver hours of fun.

This add-on’s best parts — its boss battle and final fight — might be better than DmC’s biggest brawls, but the surrounding content is overshadowed by a superior sibling.

This package is great for old and new players alike. It’s just hard to shake the feeling that it could’ve been a smidge more monstrous.

Its engrossing multiplayer modes make Judgment easy to recommend, even if we found its main story campaign weaker than its predecessors’.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 doesn’t deliver the presentational kick in the pants that the series still needs, but the Legends of the Majors mode serves as a superb centerpiece to perhaps the most expansive entry to date.

Besides delivering the roots-respecting experience seasoned demon-slayers demanded, it’s brimming with enough replayability (via Chapter and Tests of Valor challenges, competitive Clan Battles, co-op Ninja Trials, and all of Ninja Gaiden 3’s DLC) to keep players butchering away long after the blood’s dried in the main campaign.

A fun game unlike anything we’ve seen on Xbox. Don’t be surprised if it sneaks off with your time and money.

While the game feels rough around the edges, the core is so entertaining that such flaws don’t dominate the experience. Whether you play solo or with pals, solving Sanctum 2’s many challenges proves deeply absorbing.

Imagine if "Hot Shots Golf" had been developed by Larry Flynt Publications, and you might have an idea of the humor and content included in this otherwise sharp-yet-strangely-normal golf game. [August 2002, p.81]

What it lacks in style or personality, Gun Metal more than makes up in gameplay and action.[Sept 2002, p.90]

A damned fun game...[but] its pre-rendered backgrounds, "Resident Evil"-style "forward, backward, swivel" control scheme, and static camera angles just can’t compare to the real time environments, dynamic camera, and elegant analog controls of more modern fare like Capcom’s own "Devil May Cry." [Mar 2002, p.74]

The controls scream "simulation," but the action skews heeavily toward the side of the arcade camp. [July 2002, p.83]

Despite a wide array of team-specific offensive plays, you can't call specific defensive formations and the new zone defense that was legalized in the NBA this year is nowhere to be found. [Apr 2002, p.79]

A fun and absorbing game. Shallow, noisy, and still slightly cool. [May 2002, p.72]

The controls are spot on and the levels offer a lot of variety with tons of entertaining objectives, making this a solid overall game. [Apr 2003, p.77]

The game is missing a dose of innovation that could've helped it become stunning. [July 2002, p.77]

The Snowboarder mode...is simply the deepest and best career mode we've seen in any snowboarding game – or any sports game, for that matter. [May 2002, p.74]

The graphics are pretty drab and there are some pretty nasty glitches that take it down. [Dec 2002, p.108]

It's not the best racing game on Xbox, but every racing fan should try it just for its unique approach and tense chase action. [Dec 2002, p.92]

Although there's a lot of play time available, this mostly comes as a result of playing the same levels over and over with loads of characters. [Sept 2003, p.82]

The look of the game is quite stylized, and it works very well, while learning the controls takes little time. [Oct 2002, p.108]

With a good combat system and a high smash factor, The Hulk is a winner. [Aug 2003, p.77]

A much more enjoyable, involving game than its predecessor. [Feb 2003, p.80]

Combat in G:DAMM is both slow and simple when compared to smooth, combo-heavy fighters like "Tekken" or "Street Fighter." Giant monsters can't be bothered with fancy combos, juggles, reversals, or counters. [May 2003, p.80]

It's hard not to be pleased with these improvements and additions, but when it comes to BGDA2's plot and level design, it doesn't quite match up to our expectations. [Feb 2004, p.72]

There is still plenty of variety in gameplay and the AI makes for a more than decent opponent. [Dec 2003, p.92]

Feels bare-boned and unrefined compared to the other two. [Oct 2003, p.74]

There are definitely better b-ball games on Xbox. [Dec 2003, p.94]

The graphics aren't the greatest, the core gameplay doesn't deliver great innovation, but there are so many game types, mini games, and little pieces to play with that it doesn't seem to matter. You'll have fun, whether you intended to or not. [Apr 2005, p.86]

An amazing-looking sports sim backed by great commentary, improved animations, and better tactical awareness of the AI-players. If you missed "FIFA 2004," this will tide you over admirably until, well, next year! [Aug 2004, p.82]

Solid shooter fun; it's just not the mind-altering experience we've grown accustomed to seeing out of this studio. [Sept 2004, p.76]

For 2006, soccer fans will get the most complete representation of the top leagues, best players, and fanciest skills, but will still be waiting for the total killer app package. This one is a good step in that direction. [Nov 2005, p.118]

It's everything you'd expect from NHL 2003, except - isn't it time you expected more? [Dec 2002, p.133]

The most glaring fault is that the twitchy controls and the sometimes less-than-perfect camera angles can lead to frustrating falls, especially on the vertigo-inducing rail levels. [Feb 2004, p.80]

Fast, furious, four-player party action that satisfies the old-school gamer and casual gamer alike. [Dec 2001]

A massive, fun, diverse, challening single-player shooter that requires you to use a bit of your brain as well as your brawn, and will keep you coming back for more. [Aug 2003, p.82]

A near-exact port of a dated game, and as such is not impressive visually. [June 2003, p.84]

It's not very original. However, it still manages to capture that oddly addictive quality that every puzzle game must have, especially as a two-player game. [Dec 2002, p.118]

Although the drift is especially forgiving, as is the collision penalty, the lateral sway on the vehicles is some of the best ever put in a game. [Sept 2003, p.84]

The entire career mode can be beaten in a single sitting, and the AI offers little or no threat from its racing skills or its use of the game's fifteen weapons. [Dec 2003, p.160]

The graphics range from okay to great and the colorful cast of characters inject infrequent doses of levity into the proceedings, even if some of the dialogue is two monkey jokes beyond eye-rollingly lame. [May 2004, p.82]

The game's one weakness is that it's simply not a lot of fun for a lone combatant. [July 2003, p.80]

Doesn't last long enough to feel like anything more than a bunch of tasty side dishes lacking a main course. [Sept 2003, p.81]

What you end up with is a solid but average action game with only truly great concept. Sure, it's a one-trick pony, but at least the pony's cute and doesn't smell. [Dec 2003, p.156]

If you want an action-packed ride that finally allows you to cut loose as Darth Vader, then you've come to the right galaxy. [July 2005, p.84]

For 20 bucks, this is almost a must-have for the old-school Sega nut inside us all. [Holiday 2004, p.67]

The AI isn't so good. The perps never move or run away - they just stand and fight to the death or give up. [Dec 2003, p.124]

What kills ASB '04 is simply how it plays. Hitting is incredibly difficult and pitching doesn't "feel" very good. [Apr 2003, p.81]

It's truly a surreal (and kind of sleazy) videogame experience to be watching a scantily-clad, silicone-enhanced woman gyrating on-screen as a reward for your racing skills. [Oct 2004, p.82]

Level design is well done, giving players the illusion of a non-linear world while deftly guiding them down a path. Well-placed hints ensure that Scooby never gets stuck. [Nov 2003, p.130]

It's the fighting that matters, and that, fortunately, is deep. [Feb 2005, p.74]

Though no aspect of it truly screams triple-A, the entire effort is one that patient players who can endure the early hours will surely enjoy. [Holiday 2004, p.84]

A good step in the right direction for a great franchise. [Aug 2005, p.81]

It'll have to settle for merely squeaking into the playoffs. [Dec 2005, p.117]

Does a fantastic job of putting not only putting "it" in the game, but you as well. [Feb 2002, p.75]

There are plenty of great moments, but the complete package falls a bit short. [Nov 2002, p.112]

This has never been a game for just anyone. It takes a specific type of gamer to be able to wade through the seemingly mundane tasks and details. [Dec 2002, p.112]

As any gamer will tell you, it's not necessarily about the innovative pathways a title forges, but in how it handles - and Tork handles the curves smoothly. [March 2005, p.79]

If this innovative gameplay was attached to visuals like the ones in "Wreckless," we'd still be playing... and I'd have sideburns. [Nov 2003, p.102]

Pacing is very slow. [Dec 2005, p.110]

The triggers control the flippers, and the ball physics are outstanding - every hit feels like it has real weight. [Nov 2004, p.77]

While Tak 2 won't score points for innovation, it delivers enough humor and action to satisfy your platforming desires. [Dec 2004, p.82]

Despite quirky animations and some long-drawn-out relationship-building, I found myself quite enthralled with the magazine-publishing gameplay. [March 2005, p.82]

A merely pleasant romp that has very little spunk or spine. [Jan 2005, p.76]

Go ahead, fanboy - this one's for you. [Dec 2005, p.116]

The floaty physics is surely intended to make the game more "mass market," but it's just silly to watch vehicles drift through the air like gravity was a myth. [May 2005, p.81]

It's a testament to Tecmo's long-running reputation for making tough yet rewarding games that are hard to put down. [Nov 2005, p.124]

It's fun, just not next-gen sparkly. [Jan 2006, p.62]

It's a crying shame that Gun for 360 didn't get the next-gen love it deserves. [Jan 2006, p.62]

If staring down a virtual swarm of Japanese Zeroes gets your heart racing and your under-used flight-shooter trigger finger itchy, this game certainly has the scratch. [May 2006, p.71]

Ultimately, the promise of Far Cry's early enjoyably beachy facade doesn't entirely pay for the derivative sins of its latter half. [Jun 2006, p.83]

It's single-player may be mediocre, but the online play will put a big exclamation point on the end of your summer. [Oct 2007, p.72]

Playing alone, you'll remember why simple arcade shooters got left behind in the smokey pizza parlors of yesteryear; play along side a friend, the experience into a frantic race for survival that's well worth the small pittance for admission. [Jun 2006, p.60]

There's actually a story, but you'll ignore it to get to the wall-bashing action. [Jun 2006, p.61]

Aside from the odd cut-scene, the game basically has no story, and the four campaigns essentially differ only in their starting-territory distributions. [May 2006, p.84]

As far as gameplay goes, World Cup performs a notch better than "FIFA 06" did(although taking free kicks from midfield is an odd moment with limited options for control and strategy). [Jun 2006, p.77]

It's certainly no "Dirt"--Codemaster's off-road racer is still in a league of its own--but Sega Rally Revo's uniquely interactive terrain and unrefined bounce-me-off-the-walls driving dynamic help compensate for its thin venue count and constrained physics. [Dec 2007, p.73]

Sure NCAA is prettier on 360 (the stadiums and crowd atmosphere are particularly sweet), and hey, we love racking up Achievements as much as you do, but the vastly deeper Xbox 1 version (OXM score: 90) is really the only serious option. [Sept 2006, p.81]

So while the elder console looks like it's stuck with the 360's scraps, the series' next-gen evolution isn't complete either. Project 8 is a strong start and one worth playing, but it definitely feels immature--it's merely a beginning. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

But for those of us who love a bit of fruity melodrama to go with our genocidal tendencies, N3's simple, responsive controls--along with the singular, satisfying thrill of netting 2,000 kills in one stage--is exhilarating. [Oct. 2006, p.80]

All told, Small Arms is straight-up, button-whacking action. [Jan. 2007, p.77]

Winning Eleven may still be a more joyful celebration of the sport, but FIFA 07's beauty and fluidity mark it as the early champ of the next generation. [Holiday 2006, p.74]

You don't hear "digging" and think "Oooh, fun!"--but somehow, Dig Dug makes you crave it. [Holiday 2006, p.86]

High-concept and high-action from beginning to end, Jericho is far closer to "Gears of War" and "Painkiller" than to "Condemned", but it's darker and gorier than all three combined. [Holiday 2007, p.66]

But the compelling big-play action, an addicting career mode, and an amusing Home Run Pinball mini-game make The Bigs worth plenty more than the Cracker Jack-toy letdown you might have expected. [Aug 2007, p.78]

A very lengthy, beautifully wrought, and next-gen 1998, but 1998 nonetheless. [Oct 2007, p.82]

The series is back on the right track, and a year ago, that's something we seriously doubted we'd ever say. [Apr 2007, p.86]

It's over too soon, the quickie mini-games aren't worth more than five or 10 minutes, and the inexplicable lack of online co-op play stinks of missed possibilities, but Alien Hominid is still great fun and a joy to watch. [Feb. 2007, p.74]

Destruction is simply more fun than obsessive tuning, assuming you've got a few screws loose to start with. [Nov 2007, p.84]

At the very least, the 360's first "Worms" game recalls the series' hearty roots--and for that, we're thankful. [Mar 2007, p.79]

With its non-branching storyline and no multiplayer, Force Unleashed is certainly less ambitious than the classic "Jedi Knight" games - and ultimately, its design makes it feel more videogame-y and less of an all-engrossing Star Wars experience than Xbox entries like "Jedi Knight II" or "Jedi Academy." But when the game is on, it's on. [Oct 2008, p.70]

Whether its quirks annoy you more than its strengths entertain you, though, all boils down to how much of a Quake fan you are.

It’s a giant, busy sandbox full of all kinds of fiery and destructive toys, but you have to get a firm handle on the game’s uneven tempo and immersion-breaking little quirks to fully enjoy the amount of freedom it offers.

Eets is fun in small doses, and while it's worth the $10 asking price, few will crown it a new classic. [May 2007, p.79]

There's a tragic amount of recycling here. You spend too much time in levels with not much to do; too much time slicing thorugh obvious padding to teach a climax that we can promise won't satisfy you. [Mar 2008, p.86]

Four-player online co-op also takes the sting out of the dumb A.I., and it showcases how this $10 game should be played. [Holiday 2007, p.70]

Mild targeting problems aside, Phoenix is the most engaging Potter game to date, with the 3D richness that adults expect but straightforward hidey-seeky gameplay that won't overtax a tween audience. [Aug 2007, p.74]

If Petroglyph can fix the single-player AI, smooth out some of the game’s graphics slowdowns, and provide a camera that zooms back more than a few inches, chapter two of Universe at War could well challenge Battle for Middle-earth II for overall Xbox 360 RTS honors.

In fact, developer Gameloft has managed to give the game a beautiful 3D overhaul and a few minor gameplay updates while mostly maintaining its timeless brilliance. [Aug 2007, p.79]

Bourne Conspiracy screams weekend rental. It isn’t a one-trick pony, but it has three or four moves at best - enough to truly impress you for a while, but not enough to compel most of you to punch, kick, and shoot all the way to the end of the game.

NFL Tour doesn’t go to cartoonish extremes, and its self-imposed limitations send some long-term potential off the field on a stretcher, but the smooth play and slick presentation keep it a worthwhile sport.

Party's certainly not as deep as its predecessor, but it features some of the most engaging mini-games on 360 to date. [Holiday 2007, p.80]

It's enjoyable enough for a few go-rounds, especially in co-op mode, and that makes it one of the more endearing retro ports to hit Live Arcade. [Oct 2007, p.78]

Though this re-release lacks any of the nifty extras you might be hoping for, you're paying a mere five bucks for a perfect port of an undeniably classic. [Oct 2007, p.78]

Sure the graphics are dated, but the game is just as fun--and frustrating obtuse!--to play as it was then. [Nov 2007, p.94]

The Simpsons Game is wittty and well-written, and it intelligently plays into the nerdy sensibilities of gamers; really, only the by-the-numbers gameplay sometimes comes up short. [Holiday 2007, p.68]

It feels a lot like that last "007" movie: plenty of fun, but nowhere near as awesome as we hoped it'd be. [Mar 2009, p.76]

For longtime gamers and those who can stomach the blocky graphics and touchy controls, it's great retro fun. [Dec 2007, p.78]

Combining the cutesiness of a Pixar flick with the depth of a theme-park tycoon game, LucasArts' Thrillville series smoothly transitions onto the Xbox 360 with Off the Rails, a souped-up and entertaining follow-up to last year's Xbox release. [Dec 2007, p.76]

If you played last year's "Avatar: The Last Airbender", you'll know pretty much what to expect from this sequel, although this time around the game looks cleaner, offers new combos, and has a larger list of characters, including Appa, Jet, Toph, Zuko, and Uncle Iroh. [Holiday 2007, p.82]

The developers' ambition and enthusiasm are undeniable. [Holiday 2009, p.84]

If you're a veteran player, you're probably already grinding away at the new jobs. But for those of us who are sitting on the fence, there's enough here to make the jump worthwhile. [Feb 2008, p.77]

But though the grandiose soundtrack may fool you at first into mistaking this for an epic Square-esque RPG, it’s not. It’s slightly smaller-scale, and the somewhat odd (and kinda bland) character designs never really reach the iconic eye-candy levels of more accomplished J-RPGs like Final Fantasy.

While the formula feels a bit dated now, the result is a shooter that is still incredibly fun. [Dec 2008, p.90]

UEFA Euro 2008 narrows the FIFA ranks to just 52 teams in competition for the confederation's crown, but it still delivers realistic control, convincing independent ball physics, and smooth online play-making. [June 2008, p.81]

Afro Samurai persisted in mesmerizing us. And really, with Sam Jackson spouting lines like “That girl puts the two ‘asses’ in ‘assassin’” in feudal Japan, how can we resist?

Twenty-plus playable characters (including fisticuff faves Krillin, Goku, and Piccolo), ground-based and sky-bound battles, a brimming list of offline challenges, and an addictive around-the-globe online Versus mode (complete with leaderboard tracking) fill out this beefy package.

There’s still a lot of entertainment value here: the cutscenes, the puzzles, the whip, the unlockable areas, the light-hearted humor. But, moreso than with Lego Star Wars, you don’t need a microscope to see the flaws in this shiny new jewel.

World at War is like watching a fireworks show that you’ve seen a few times before. You’re simply not wowed by the buildup, the grand finale, or any of it anymore. When - not if - the next sequel arrives, it’s going to have an upstream swim against an apathetic tide of familiarity.

A decidedly old-school FPS that modernizes itself just enough to make it fun today. [Nov 2009, p.68]

So sure, Lips doesn't offer the challenge of other music games, but the presentation is incredibly slick. [Feb 2009, p.81]

With just a five-area adventure mode and a points-focused championship mode (and no multiplayer). there's a lot less content here than in, say, the recent "Geometry Wars 2". [Nov 2008, p.80]

Though it deftly combines action, strategy, and resource management, Godfather II simply never evolves. [May 2009, p.74]

But with a core game that stands strong, and Live matchups that are fairly smooth, Samurai Shodown II remains an enjoyable beatdown for fighting fans. [Dec 2008, p.93]

A good time can be had, but only if you're patient...and a really big fan of Most Wanted. [Holiday 2008, p.68]

From its quirky mechanical enemies to its strident strains of deliciously lo-fi music, this run-and-gun platformer honors the 8-bit era.

There's a definite downshift in graphical swagger (no more heat-haze and speed-blur visual effects), but MotoGP 08 delivers pretty much everything else a two-wheeled racing fan could ask for. [Dec 2008, p.87]

It seems content to merely bridge the gap between the quirky RPG charm of "Episode 1" and whatever's next without even getting out of the car to stretch a bit. [Dec 2008, p.72]

Stoked is priced at a sweet $40. So even if a tricks-splosion isn't your personal boarding nirvana, there's enough great stuff in this game that you'd be crazy not to check it out. [Mar 2009, p.82]

Fortunately, the combat and RPG gameplay are where this game sizzles. [Feb 2009, p.82]

While we miss the tactile feeling of physical pieces, the incredible customization options make Puzzle Arcade a great option for both dabblers and jigsaw enthusiasts. [Feb 2009, p.85]

If the sheer act of dungeon-crawling is your bag and you don’t mind a subpar story and an unending flood of other random errands to run, Sacred 2 is a great romp that lasts 25 to 30 hours.

And to top it off, it’s almost shockingly short: for a full-priced game, we expected more than four hours of gameplay with no multiplayer in sight. If it cost $40 or less, we’d be singing a different tune…

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]

What you get, really, is Battlefield at its most pure. [Aug 2009, p.71]

That full price is steep for what feels like an add-on disc. Gather your bandmates for a money-saving weekend rental, and you’ll have more fun with the oldies than you might expect.

Section 8 also offers a lot of customization options, with players able to tweak their weapon loadouts, tools (like healing abilities and various flavors of explosive), and even a whole slew of buffs and perks called “passive modules.” Best of all, racking up kills nets you points that you can use to buy deployable gun turrets, hard-to-drive tanks, or hulking mech suits.

Even with the gigs and events to participate in, Lego Rock Band is, with its lack of any new features, essentially a lego-skinned track pack. [Jan 2010, p.72]

Well worth $5. [Oct 2009, p.77]

Okay, so Magna Carta 2’s not a meticulously crafted masterpiece. But as long as you go in knowing what annoyances await, you should have a pretty good time kicking monster butt.

100% exact port of a stellar series. [Aug 2009, p.74]

Nitpicks are plenty, but so are the surprisingly fun aspects — whichever side of planetary strip-mining you fall on.

Feels a bit like an expansion pack. But it's a big expansion pack that you can completely vanish into and emerge a couple of weekends later feeling like you got your money's worth. [Dec 2009, p.74]

At $5, there's no excuse not to relive the joy. [Oct 2009, p.77]

If only the title had been given a full HD makeover instead of sticking with its decade-old graphics, more players would've been turned on to this lost gem. [Oct 2009, p.82]

Sliders compensates with stupid-fun multiplayer. [June 2009, p.75]

Packs each and every turn with extreme imagery and wickedly macabre imagination. [Apr 2010, p.82]

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]

Commit to your fiefdom, and Tropico 3 becomes a gift that keeps on giving. [Apr 2010, p.81]