It's too simplistic. While the game gives the illusion of Splinter Cell-style freedom in how you want to take out your enemies, Batman only really ever has one course of action: knock something over, scare the bad guys into dropping their guns, then come in punching and kicking.

All of Death by Degrees' good points - impressive graphics, entertaining sniper scenes, solid upgrade and combo systems, unorthodox analog fighting that actually works well - are offset by poor enemy A.I. and one of the most user-unfriendly camera systems I've encountered in a long time. [March 2005, p.121]

It's like "Morrowind," minus the best part - exploration... The gameplay simply isn't fun. [Sept 2003, p.122]

It's too simplistic. While the game gives the illusion of Splinter Cell-style freedom in how you want to take out your enemies, Batman only really ever has one course of action: knock something over, scare the bad guys into dropping their guns, then come in punching and kicking. [Sept 2005]

As an "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance" derivative, and despite a few graphic and camera glitches, Tactics delivers a competent and, at times, engaging ride through Middle-earth. [Jan 2006, p.129]

And I'm somewhere in the middle, because even though Contagion does have an interesting techno facade and a completely tolerable control scheme, it still feels like every shooter I've ever played. [June 2007, p.95]

Faceless-cyborg-smashing melee battles are repetitive, uninspired, and glitchy. And with each story line presented in a series of minimissions averaging 3 to 4 minutes apiece, you spend a lot of your time switching characters and saving and loading instead of just playing the darn game.

Fans looking for a quick ride through the events of teh book and movie will be pleased with Potter GBA, because that's all it is. [Feb 2002, p.172]

Finally, the vague puzzles and unhelpful map also had me questioning whether this was next-gen. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

Darkness' molasses pace, cut-rate presentation, and simplistic throwaway quests leech any sense of drama or importance. [Aug 2005, p.113]

This premise would still be stupid even if Shadow didn't suffer from slowdown issues, a nonexistent lock-on system, a horrible camera, and bottomless pits in which to fall. But it does, and it is stupid--just like this is a stupid way to spend 50 bucks.

Without a doubt, this is the best Digimon game I’ve ever played, but it’s still nothing special. [Mar 2002, p.144]

True fans of the books will look past the problems and enjoy the game. [Dec 2002, p.210]

Although the mech designs are beautiful and the presentation is slick, an overly busy HUD and vague control feedback make hunting enemies much more problematic than it should be. [Apr 2003, p.132]

The problem is, the control is so sluggish that combat is a chore while exploring is a bore. [Feb 2006, p.110]

The developers got so many of the visual details dead-on...didn't they think that maybe the gameplay should be at least marginally decent too. [July 2007, p.86]

I am certainly a big fan of the game's vibrant, anime-inspired graphics, but with no replay value and a lot of frustrating, nonsensical puzzles, Touch Detective isn't quite worth solving. [Nov. 2006, p.141]

Most gamers, however, will be immediately overwhelmed - it's just so hard to get into, and quality results demand a monumental time commitment. [Dec 2003, p.216]

Just look at the screenshots of Ridge Racer for the PSP to get an idea of Namco's priority as far as the next generation of handhelds - it ain't DS. [Jan 2005, p.140]

It fuses a boring turn-based strategy game with a lackluster one-on-one fighter...In short, two half-assed components combine to make...well, you do the math. [March 2004, p.114]

Gameplay is average first-person shooter fare bogged down by a convoluted control scheme – switching weapons on the fly is its biggest problem. [May 2002, p.113]

It fuses a boring turn-based strategy game with a lackluster one-on-one fighter...In short, two half-assed components combine to make...well, you do the math. [March 2004, p.114]

The only snag: You spend most of Combat Elite shooting at offscreen Germans, placing you at a natural and frustrating disadvantage. [Sept 2004, p.100]

Play is for people who don't really play games, and as someone who really does, that's a problem. [Feb. 2007, p.86]

The only snag: You spend most of Combat Elite shooting at offscreen Germans, placing you at a natural and frustrating disadvantage. [Sept 2004, p.100]

Flatout 2 is pretty much like the first "Flatout", which was pretty much like a poor man's "Burnout". [Sept. 2006, p.98]

Beautiful Katamari does something very wrong--it tarnishhes the series' hallmark simplicity and ease. [Dec 2007, p.126]

These visuals are mediocre at best and not up to par with today's Xbox standards. [Jan 2004, p.156]