Game Reviews

Tony Hawk: RIDE's shoddy hardware and ill-conceived software merge to form something completely abysmal.
reviewed on Nov. 20, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

If more Left 4 Dead is what you're after, this sequel has it. A lot of it.
reviewed on Nov. 17, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Assassin's Creed II elaborates on the good ideas of its sneak-and-stab forebear, making an experience that requires far fewer excuses to enjoy.
reviewed on Nov. 17, 2009 by Ryan Davis

LEGO Rock Band's charming premise crumbles under the weight of a scattered track list and a clumsy execution that doesn't do justice to either LEGOs or Rock Band.
reviewed on Nov. 13, 2009 by Ryan Davis

To outsiders, the changes in Modern Warfare 2 might sound minor. But if you've played a significant amount of Call of Duty 4, they range from "neat idea" to "totally mindblowing."
reviewed on Nov. 10, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It's Guitar Hero 5 with different graphics and a more diverse setlist. If you like these 65 songs, you should probably get Band Hero.
reviewed on Nov. 4, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Tekken 6 is a great fighting game, but it's bogged down by a lot of extraneous baggage.
reviewed on Nov. 3, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Without strong characters or story to rely on, The Ballad of Gay Tony highlights the ways in which open-world games have been refined and improved since the original release of Grand Theft Auto IV.
reviewed on Nov. 3, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Even the most nostalgic Infinity Engine stalwarts will find a lot to love in this story-heavy RPG.
reviewed on Nov. 3, 2009 by Dave Snider

DJ Hero's gameplay is challenging and exciting with a feel all its own, making it a welcome addition to the world of peripheral-based rhythm games.
reviewed on Oct. 27, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

The gameplay is pretty clunky, but everything else surrounding it makes WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2010 a really interesting package for wrestling fans.
reviewed on Oct. 23, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Borderlands' blend of first-person shooting and role-playing works because it puts the shooting first, resulting in a satisfying action game with enough depth and skill development to keep you hooked for 50 hours or more.
reviewed on Oct. 19, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Whether you're on the track racing or off the track tuning and designing cars, Forza Motorsport 3 is incredible.
reviewed on Oct. 14, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

The heavy metal fantasy world of Brutal Legend and the characters that populate it are far more well-realized and engaging than the ambitious-but-flawed gameplay.
reviewed on Oct. 13, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Saw captures the rusty, sadistic aesthetic of the films well enough, though like the series, the longer it goes on, the less interesting it is.
reviewed on Oct. 12, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Eagle-eyes will notice a few rough spots, but there's enough good, solid virtual pinball here to keep players satisfied.
reviewed on Sept. 25, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Physics and sadism combine to great effect in this motocross action game on Xbox Live Arcade.
reviewed on Sept. 23, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Improvements on the original in every area make Dirt 2 the one to beat when it comes to off-road racing.
reviewed on Sept. 23, 2009 by Drew Scanlon

If you like the way Bungie makes first-person shooters, you'll enjoy Halo 3: ODST.
reviewed on Sept. 19, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It trades its predecessor's goofy fan-service enthusiasm for something approaching relevance and seriousness, but MUA2 still packs a superhero punch.
reviewed on Sept. 18, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Wet's terrific lead character deserves to be trapped in a better game.
reviewed on Sept. 18, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Need for Speed: Shift does a lot of the things you'd expect a sim-style racing game to do, but it does so in a passionless way that's really off-putting.
reviewed on Sept. 15, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Section 8 has some cool ideas at its core, but the execution falls flat too often to be wholly recommendable.
reviewed on Sept. 11, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

A loving tribute to one of the most influential pop groups of the 20th century with an abundance of catchy, recognizable songs to make up for the gameplay's relative simplicity.
reviewed on Sept. 9, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Neversoft delivers a bubbly, slick-looking Guitar Hero game that benefits from big production values and a more accessible feel, and suffers from some questionable choices and a track list that lacks cohesion.
reviewed on Sept. 4, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Arkham Asylum is a very nasty place, but Rocksteady gives you enough tools to make foiling the Joker's latest plot thrilling from start to finish.
reviewed on Sept. 1, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It's not going to blow your mind with new, never-before-seen features or anything like that, but Wolfenstein is well-designed and engaging from start to finish.
reviewed on Aug. 18, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It's really hard to imagine anyone having anything that even resembles a good time while playing G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
reviewed on Aug. 10, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

The core fighting in King of Fighters XII is really sharp, but everything surrounding it is a little disappointing.
reviewed on Aug. 4, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

While there's certainly substance to Arc's 2D fighter, you have to dig through so many layers of loud music and flashy visuals that the whole experience becomes a bit exhausting.
reviewed on July 21, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Despite some frustrating early network issues, this lean, mean sequel to the grandaddy of all Battlefield games still has it where it counts.
reviewed on July 13, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

While it lacks the "Bible-as-a-weapon" innovation found in the previous game, this prequel tale merges adequate gameplay with a plot good enough to keep you focused.
reviewed on July 13, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Street Fighter IV combines old and new in powerful ways, resulting in a game familiar enough to bring retired fans back into the fold while being different enough to appeal to the players who have stuck with the genre since day one.
reviewed on July 7, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

This decent movie tie-in has competent combat starring the robots in disguise--but fails to do a whole lot with it.
reviewed on July 1, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is better than it sounds, but it'd probably be even better as a collection of downloadable tracks for Guitar Hero: World Tour.
reviewed on June 25, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Between its legendary roster and authentic gameplay, Fight Night Round 4 is a great homage to the sport of boxing.
reviewed on June 23, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

In its quest to serve up as much Ghostbusters fan service as possible, Terminal Reality delivers a game that's brimming with homage, but one that's not as funny or fun as you might hope.
reviewed on June 19, 2009 by Ryan Davis

The range of absurdly destructive combat powers stops just short of the kitchen sink in this wild open-world superhero game from Radical Entertainment.
reviewed on June 10, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Who knew that blowing apart buildings, bridges, and other Martian structures could be so satisfying?
reviewed on June 9, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

If you're the type of person who can appreciate arcade shooters of the 1990s, this budget-priced collection will certainly satisfy.
reviewed on May 26, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It's not a poorly made game, but Terminator Salvation is too simple and too fleeting to recommend.
reviewed on May 21, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Battlestations Pacific provides an epic sense of scale with some unique mission types, but the hybrid nature of its action-strategy gameplay presents a sword that is often dull on both sides.
reviewed on May 20, 2009 by Dave Snider

The single-player options are a little slim, but taking the fight to opponents over the Internet is absolutely awesome.
reviewed on May 19, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Bionic Commando has moments of brilliance that help cover the game's flaws, but really, it all comes down to how much you like swinging around.
reviewed on May 17, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

Tedious, contrived, repetitive stealth mechanics make this a game you should try your best to hide from.
reviewed on May 15, 2009 by Brad Shoemaker

Wolverine's satisfying combat and hearty enthusiasm for creative mutilation help distract from the repetition and rough edges.
reviewed on May 4, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Ninja Blade is a handful of cool moments surrounded by tedious, repetitive gameplay.
reviewed on April 26, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

The Godfather name is little more than bait for this empire-focused take on the Grand Theft Auto-style of criminal action.
reviewed on April 13, 2009 by Ryan Davis

Wheelman has some great ideas that are executed well, but a lot of the peripheral stuff is underwhelming.
reviewed on April 13, 2009 by Jeff Gerstmann

It's not technically inferior, but Galactrix just doesn't excite in the same way as Puzzle Quest did.
reviewed on April 9, 2009 by Ryan Davis