Eidos PR "managing" review scores of new Tomb Raider

Eidos is at it once again, this time asking publications to hold low review scores of Tomb Raider: Underworld until Monday, in order to keep a high Metacritic score.

November 21, 2008 - 01:00PM CT - by Andrew Webster

Co-op resurrected: Ars reviews Left 4 Dead

Left 4 Dead is a monstrously fun co-op title that has you helping your friends survive a zombie invasion while a sadistic AI god called the Director throws death at you from all angles. Welcome to the game that will make PC gaming cool again.

November 18, 2008 - 11:30PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Wii Music a rare Nintendo miss, but it's a fun two hours

Wii Music has flashes of brilliance, but the lack of an actual game and compelling music makes this feel more like a $50 tech demo.

October 24, 2008 - 10:13AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Review: Lego Batman is saved by the co-op

Lego Batman plays it safe with game play and content, but if the words "Lego" and "Batman" put a smile on your face, you'll get your money's worth.

September 30, 2008 - 12:30PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Wario Land: Shake It is a classic, simple romp

Wario Land: Shake It doesn't reinvent the world of platformers, but it does do nearly everything right. The graphical style also adds to the fresh, fun experience.

September 25, 2008 - 10:20AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Rhythm perfected: Ars reviews Rock Band 2

It's here, and it's a doozy. Ars reviews the rhythm game that fans are hoping is the greatest thing since Rock Band 1, and we give you the lowdown on the new instruments, tracks, and gameplay modes.

September 14, 2008 - 11:30PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Intelligently designed? Ars reviews Spore

Spore has much riding on it, as it comes from the mind that gave us the Sims and the company that gave us infinite expansions to the same. Will Spore turn you into a God, or a frustrated consumer? The truth lies, maddeningly, in the middle. Our full review, inside.

September 07, 2008 - 11:35PM CT - by Mark DeSanto

This is war: insider describes how devs punish game journos

It's not rare to hear talk about the pressure developers put on game writers for favorable coverage. What is unusual is hearing someone from the other side describe how he or she can break game writers... and why they think it's perfectly ok to do so.

September 05, 2008 - 11:06AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Game Review: Rock Band (Wii)

Rock Band for the Wii asks you to give up many features in order to play one of the best rhythm games on the market on Nintendo's system. Is it still worth it? Our verdict inside.

July 22, 2008 - 03:11PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Slash and burn: Activision cashes in on Guitar Hero

Activision has made piles of cash from the Guitar Hero franchise, but can it create something special without the help of Harmonix? We explore this question, and along the way we review Guitar Hero: On Tour, and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.

July 06, 2008 - 11:45PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Atari goes after site after it posts negative, early review

Game reviews come with a good amount of baggage. In most cases, the publisher assigns a date that you're allowed to run your review, but then allows some sites to break that date. What happens when you try to buck the system? According to one report from Germany, lawsuits.

June 23, 2008 - 11:25AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

EA complains of game review cult, but does one exist?

EA seems to think that some games get a pass on review scores, while its games are held to higher standards. Is there a cult of reviewers? Probably not, but it doesn't seem like there is something to EA's complaints.

June 18, 2008 - 10:18AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

The job: playing Metal Gear Solid 4 in one sitting

Reviewing games is an odd challenge, and with a game like Metal Gear Solid 4, things get even stranger. We talk to someone who knows what it's like to marathon the game: our own Frank Caron.

June 16, 2008 - 01:29PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Game review: Ninja Gaiden 2 (Xbox 360)

Ninja Gaiden 2 removes some of the things that made the original so satisfying, while refining the things that made it so good. All this is expected in sequels, so while this is an excellent game, it still feels a tiny bit disappointing.

June 10, 2008 - 12:05PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

EGM's Metal Gear Solid 4 review.... isn't

Konami imposed restrictions on what game reviewers can say about Metal Gear Solid 4, and they're so extensive one of the leading gaming print magazines refused to give the game a score at all.

June 02, 2008 - 01:58PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Game reviews: the ugly path from publisher to publishing

In the world of game writing, reviewers have few ways of fighting the control that publishers and PR companies have over their livelihoods. The ugly business of reviewing games is a hot topic right now, and deserves to be explored.

June 01, 2008 - 09:02PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Game Review: Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)

We take a look at the adventure/brain teaser Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village for the DS, and we're shown just how good an entire game of puzzles can be.

February 14, 2008 - 12:32PM CT - by Andrew Webster

Review: Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles (Nintendo DS)

Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles creates a nice 3D world on the DS, but fails at nearly everything else.

February 13, 2008 - 09:42AM CT - by Ben Kuchera

Nero, my god, to thee: a review of Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 4 may not push the genre forward in any meaningful way, but there is a reason the series is so popular. We look at one of the best action titles of the year.

February 11, 2008 - 11:23PM CT - by Ben Kuchera

The GameSpot controversy as a window into the world of gaming journalism

When a game reviewer is fired soon after a bad review, people raise awkward questions about the relationship between advertising and editorial in the gaming world. Our take on the dangers facing the gaming press inside.

December 03, 2007 - 11:23PM CT - by Ben Kuchera