DICE succeeded in creating a Star Wars experience I always wanted to be a part of, but it didn’t hold my interest as a gamer long. It’s a game I plan to revisit often, but not for extended periods of time. Forthcoming DLC could certainly change this approach, but for the time being, the thrills out of the box are extremely limited.

With multiplayer significantly less user-friendly than in other titles and a lame single-player mode, LoE falls well short of the genre's top dogs. [Feb 2004, p.111]

Once you accept that Killzone is a mere mortal and not the legend it made itself out to be, you can enjoy this title for the above-average FPS that it is. [Dec 2004, p.176]

Never Yield is a slick package. Once I raised the game's difficulty, the fantastic soundtrack, fun world, and engaging gameplay made it an experience I've enjoyed playing through a couple different times. Especially on Switch, it’s a game worth seeking out if you can. While it may have some minor stumbles, I found it a worthwhile run.

Old-school fanatics should enjoy the gorgeous audio and visuals, but beware the slow crawl to victory. [Mar 2009, p.94]

This is a concept that I love, and an execution that is lacking. [Apr 2005, p.126]

Citizens of Earth is a cleverly written, charming, and nostalgic game that is hindered only by repetitive combat combined with a high encounter rate. Those who see past the minor design flaws and few technical problems will find a strong EarthBound-inspired RPG that is entertaining from start to finish.

There are a lot of cool ideas at play in Full Auto, and the races can be giddily enjoyable, especially online, but overall it doesn't quite reach the heights that a weapons-based racer could. [Mar 2006, p.110]

I can't stress enough that this expansion is for hardcore Dungeons & Dragons nerds. Go into it knowing what it is, though, and this will deliver the kind of no-frills classical Western fantasy RPG experience that made series like Might & magic and Wizardry great. [Jan 2009, p.78]

EA is definitely focusing on an area of the sport that I feel that all developers should be, but the series has fallen far behind "NBA 2K6" in nearly every category. [Nov 2005, p.145]

The best Turtles game in years, which admittedly is kind of like saying you just got the best punch in the gut you’ve had in years. Nonetheless, TMNT entertains pretty consistently, delivering fast-paced thrills but almost no genuine challenge.

It's one thing for the current-gen versions of this game to be not as visually compelling (such as the sense of speed not being as good), but it's unfortunate that you only race against three other cars during typical challenges.

The gore may be too extreme and nauseating at times, but the decent animations, nice-looking restaurants, and compelling narrative kept me pushing through to the last cuts. Ravenous Devils is unlike anything out there, and it won’t be for everyone, but there’s no denying that it’s a nicely made and oddly enjoyable experience.

There’s a lot to love about Miitopia, even though I was fatigued during the last several hours. I enjoy games like The Sims, where you can create characters and watch their personalities interact in unexpected ways. That element is abundant here, along with the mechanics of a respectably deep RPG – regardless of whether you enlist Pringles Guy.

Despite all of these cool minor additions, the core gameplay feels mostly like one big retread. With all of the great new games coming out this holiday, it’s hard to justify replaying this series. For diehard fans, however, this is the definitive LEGO Star Wars game.

Keeper is strange in many ways, and sometimes crosses over into genuine psychedelia. In evaluating it as a game, some things didn’t work for me. As a piece of art and creative endeavor, it fares far better.

The game's lack of polish is also another problem. The graphics and textures aren't impressive at all. [Dec 2005, p.158]

HumaNature Studios has created something genuinely good-natured and charming with Doki-Doki Universe. Even though elements get tedious, it was overall a welcome change of pace from the ordinary.

There's a ton of content here, and even more gameplay to be had. [May 2007, p.97]

If you have a broadband connection, but this game. If not, I highly suggest a rental. [Jan 2004, p.147]

The strategy is intricate, the creatures are totally awesome, but some sketchy execution on the combat side of thigs keeps Wrath Unleashed from oattaining immortality. [Feb 2004, p.108]

Regardless of your skill, everyone will be thankful for the improved battle interface. [Feb 2004, p.114]

It's fun to play, even if the managerial options of our season are missing. [Nov 2005, p.182]

Far from revolutionary. [Dec 2002, p.123]

Hopefully, updates will stamp out these issues because RoboCop: Rogue City provides a respectable adventure that feels like a long-lost shooter of the early 2010s in mostly good ways. Admittedly, the license carries the game through its rougher patches; if you’re not a RoboCop fan, the adventure may feel dated or buggy compared to other shooters. But as a B-tier love letter to the tin man in blue, Rogue City is a nice return to the limelight for Alex Murphy.

Ultimately I can't recommend Lost In Shadow to everyone. The puzzles and combat are too difficult for children (even on easy mode), and platforming fans will be put off by the unresponsive controls.

The Wonderful 101 experiments with inventive concepts and has plenty of charm. No matter how noble its intentions, it is brought down by the same thing that has ruined so many other superhero teams. The individual aspects are interesting alone, but they just have trouble working together.

I like the game's added depth, but I expected a little more creativity. [Dec 2003, p.149]

Observing the little beasts gleefully swarm, destroy, and stab every creature and object in sight is one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen in a video game. The problem is that Overlord only shines this brightly when you’re just watching it. When it comes to managing your minions and directing them through the puzzles, the game is just as frustrating as it is humorous.

Laughable enemy AI, a poor targeting system, and sluggish movement really hold it back from being anything more than average. [Feb 2005, p.112]

While I can forgive The Wreckateer for lacking innovation, I can't forgive these lapses in execution – especially in a game that demands so much of the player. I enjoyed the game despite its flaws, but it's a missed opportunity for developer Iron Galaxy and Microsoft.

Juiced certainly has the makings of an average street racer, with lots of customizables and affected street appeal. [July 2005, p.116]

Whether it was a more engaging skill system or a bigger map, I was often left wanting something a bit more — yet, I could play it for hours. As the final game in Lara Croft’s origin story, it just didn’t hit the high note it needed to. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s not a crazy, high-stakes adventure worth taking.

It's sequel time and all NFL Street 2 can come up with on the field is one new move. [Feb 2005, p.113]

I had a hard time putting it down, although I'd probably pick up Xbox's "RalliSport" first if it came down to the two of them. [June 2002, p.79]

It feels a little bit like "Zelda" and has the depth of "Diablo." Not bad. Not bad at all. [Feb 2004, p.114]

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

Graphically, it's uglier than a backwoods beauty pageant... On the default difficulty setting, the missions offer little challenge and quickly grow boring. The plot doesn't help any either. [Nov 2003, p.166]

Van Halen deserves better. [Jan 2010, p.79]

All of that level design stupidity can't stop Magicka's brilliant core gameplay from shining through, though.

The glaive is something that every action nut has to wrap his or her hands around. Like the BFG or the cerebral bore, you’ll remember this weapon forever. Sadly, you’ll remember the weapon more than the game itself.

Despite its flaws, Spy Fiction does deliver enough "wow moments" and inventive set pieces to make up for the too-frequent bouts of tedium or spotty AI. [Oct 2004, p.132]

It’s one thing for the current-gen versions of this game to be not as visually compelling (such as the sense of speed not being as good), but it’s unfortunate that you only race against three other cars during typical challenges.

I like Guitar Hero Live; FreeStyle has crafted an innovative and intriguing variation on the standard music game formula. But as I played, I couldn’t help feeling like my enjoyment was on a slowly burning fuse, and the inability to play my favorite songs was waiting to blow up the fun.

Still, it's addictive, and the humor of the patient cards you unlock is motivation to keep going after the gameplay grows stale. [May 2008, p.99]

Some people will surely love this game, but I feel that it'll be a much better time for adventure and RPG types than action fans. [Jan 2005, p.139]

Ubi obviously had to remove the voices and animated segments, but in doing so, it also sacrificed the story. [Feb 2003, p.108]

It fails to really capture that edge-of-your-seat feeling due to its slow combat. What it does do, however, is stir your emotions a little, which isn't easy. [Jan 2004, p.151]

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

The deep Dynasty mode is the only feature worth the price of admission. The day-to-day tasks are organized better than NBA 2K7’s Association mode, and new features like the NBA rumors and managing assistants give sports fans a greater sense of control.

Although the vehicle models are still the best in the biz, I was expecting more from an Xbox game. [Nov 2001, p.121]

If a slower-paced, more complex title in the vein of EverQuest is what you’re looking for, Vanguard will serve you well. A lack of polish in several areas and strong competition keep this game from being particularly special, though.

Unsurprisingly, this looks better than the PS2 version, but me timbers remain unshivered. [June 2002, p.83]

Despite all of these cool minor additions, the core gameplay feels mostly like one big retread. With all of the great new games coming out this holiday, it’s hard to justify replaying this series. For diehard fans, however, this is the definitive LEGO Star Wars game.

Mario Tennis Fever is hardly a revolutionary entry, but it nails the series' most important element by offering a well-rounded experience with myriad ways for players of all skill levels to enjoy the game of tennis.

Every time I was about to demolish my television and PS2 in a rock-star room-trashing fit, some neat little gadget or cool sequence came back to keep me hooked. [Nov. 2003, p.149]

To paraphrase Wooderson, Matthew McConaughey's character from "Dazed and Confused": "Racing games keep getting better; Auto Modellista just stays the same." [Apr 2004, p.106]

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more. [Apr 2008, p.88]

Ultimately, Rango's another example of how to do a licensed property justice. Rather than simply rehash the movie's story, EA and Paramount are giving players a new adventure to experience. It's a little on the short side – and even then it starts to get repetitive near the end – but it's definitely one of the better tie-ins I've played over the years.

While Xbox is essentially PC junior, the monotony of Morrowmind may be a little much for console gamers to bear. [July 2002, p.86]

True fans of the series can take heart at its improvements, but it looks like next year will have to be its Cinderella season. [Sept 2002, p.79]

White Night adeptly merges survival horror with noir to create an alluring visual style and atmosphere. However, neither the story nor the puzzles are exceptional, and the game comes up just short. It has substance to its style, but it also doesn't satisfactorily build off its base components – as well done as they are. In the end, like many noir stories, this game exists in the grey.

The Campaign mode offers a little variety with slightly varied missions and even some boss battles, but if you’ve never liked Worms’ brand of zany, artillery-heavy 2D action, well, not much has changed.

Those desiring a fast-paced FPS should search elsewhere, but Arx will certainly be up some people's alleys. [Jan 2004, p.150]

Its turn-based tactical squad battles are a pleasure to master, even if they tend to be a bit short and shallow.

At the end of the day, I walked away with a handful of great memories and the satisfaction that I had experienced something so innovative and insane. Unfortunately, I also left Killer7 with an insatiable hunger for answers and clarity. [July 2005, p.115]

Blazing Angels is definitely a sight for sore eyes. Its visuals will leave you gazing in wonder, but at the same time, the gameplay will have you fighting back tars. [May 2006, p.94]

Combining picross with a relatively obscure anime (and not even using the anime’s name in the title) is a weird choice, but if you’re looking for more picross, you can’t go wrong here. The quality-of-life improvements are good, the Color Picross mode is fun, and having a little bit of story is a nice change of pace, even if the plot doesn’t have much to it.

While the gameplay is still fun, Shining Force certainly feels like it has gathered some dust over the years...More enjoyable as a piece of nostalgia than a fresh gaming experience. [June 2004, p.137]

All of the basic attacks have been moved to the Wii remote's d-pad, which is awkward enough by itself. The bigger change is that the special moves are now associated with controller movements. [June 2007, p.113]

Madden NFL 25 is a consistently good entry in the annualized franchise, but it does little to push for the highlight reels.

The core action is top-notch, and the roster rocks, but the Fusion attacks and half-hearted story hurt the experience, turning a once great play into a punchless grind.

NHL 20 is an uneven experience. One minute I’d feel the high of setting up an awesome play and seeing the puck land in the back of the net, but then I’d slam my stick into the ice frustrated by disappointing aspects across its modes. Seeing similar issues continually bleed over year after year is getting harder to forgive the longer they go on, but it’s still the only way you can really experience the thrill of being on the ice, and at the very least, it captures that well.

Hopefully, down the line, someone else can give us a similarly high-concept RPG with a little more meat on its bones. [Feb 2004, p.103]

It’s not polished enough to hang with the games that inspired it – the action gets messy to the point of frustration far too often, and the level designs are rudimentary to say the least – but if you’re looking for a weekend sugar-rush you could do much ­worse.

Fun for what it was worth, but I didn't have a problem walking away from it when the time came. [Dec 2001, p.117]

Downwell is at its best when you’re bounding from one enemy to the next, blasting through obstacles, and frantically scanning for a safe path through the chaos. This moment-to-moment challenge is fun, and the later levels (and final boss) put your skills to the test. Unfortunately, the journey to that level of proficiency feels like a grind. Though each run is technically different, they all start to feel the same.

All the monsters look like cold-blooded killers that just crawled out of hell. [Aug 2004, p.75]

One of those game where you can actually enjoy driving. [May 2003, p.83]

NBA Live 08 is a vastly improved game that is nearly ready for primetime. With another year under its belt, NBA Live may be contending for the championship.

A bare-bones affair that has little in the way of depth or real strategy, nonetheless delivers a solid meat-and-potatoes (or fish and chips, in this case) fishing experience. [May 2002, p.83]

I didn't think a side-scrolling boxing game would work in this day and age, but Rocky comes through as a solid, if unspectacular, GBA title. [Jan 2003, p.122]

This Advanced Warfighter tries to follow along the same evolutionary path as the Xbox 360 title, but it can only make half the effort. [May 2006, p.106]

If you're ten, or simply itch for a decent, albeit short action title, Blender Bros. should fit the bill. [June 2002, p.87]

I realized that playing this game is a little like having a girlfriend: You experience brief periods of joy followed by extended intervals of utter confusion. [Nov 2001, p.29]

Even through my multiple gritted-teeth attempts at the battles, I loved figuring out the puzzle of how to take down each monstrous foe. Finally executing on your plan to defeat a boss you’ve been stuck on is beyond rewarding. Mechstermination Force is action packed and exciting, but hit-or-miss controls and a disappointing final boss prevent it from reaching its best form.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity looks a lot like Breath of the Wild, but it lacks the exploration and puzzle-solving elements that define the mainline Legend of Zelda series. Age of Calamity may not resemble a traditional Zelda game, but it’s not a bad time. The action is repetitive, but also relaxed and comfortable. It trades on your love for Nintendo’s classic franchise, and I was happy for the excuse to return to this version of Hyrule. I still feel like I'm chasing Breath of the Wild's high, and Age of Calamity is a small solace.

Outlast is a virtual tour through a hall of terrors. Even playing the game in full daylight makes me uneasy. However, the game's overall level design and gameplay were sacrificed at the altar of fear. If you're looking for an experience that will get your adrenaline pumping, Outlast is hard to beat, but if you’re looking for a meatier horror experience then you might want to run past this one.

After Us poses some well-tread but timely questions about our impact on the world and its living things. However, optional discoveries throughout the game suggest that Piccolo is trying to present a slightly more ambivalent take on the subject. Some of that is best left for the player to discover for themselves. I recommend After Us strongly as a piece of visual artistry. It’s less successful as an interactive experience, but none of its problems are so glaring that it should dissuade someone from discovering its striking and haunting world.

Being predictably solid is both a blessing and curse for the Hot Shots series, and at the end of the day I try to not overthink the fact that World Invitational is simply a fun experience. I approach it a lot like my real-life golf game, where I just try to enjoy being out in the sunshine and not get too wound up at the numbers on the score card.

Rune Factory 5 is rough around the edges, but I still loved my time with it. Something about how all the parts work together keeps pulling me to it. Even after completing the main story, I’m still playing, as I have recipes I haven’t unlocked, a romantic journey I’m embarking on, and many upgrades I can still do to the town. It has its flaws, but Rune Factory 5’s enchanting loop of constant progression and discovery helps mitigate a lot of these annoyances, so they don’t sting so much.

If Luna had not been so obtuse, it might have been close to greatness. I loved the atmosphere and the little touches in this world. Many puzzles are a joy to solve, but the bad ones are so poorly constructed that they tipped my frustration over the edge. As much as I wanted to love Luna, I felt like the game was pushing me away.

This game hasn't solved all of its pivot-based racing problems, so unfortunately that doesn't help matters, but at least it's better simply because the tracks are more interesting and the sense of speed is pretty good. [Sept. 2006, p.88]

Unmistakably an SMT title: It still features the distinctive art of Kazuma Kaneko, demon fusion, and an atmospheric story. It may not have the gameplay or challenge that fans have come to expect, but it does a good job of taking small steps toward the mainstream without renouncing its roots.

Crashlands unfolds a structured progression and ongoing story in a branch of games that often feels too freeform for many players; that framework is what makes this the crafting game that could finally appeal to those who’ve never grasped the genre’s charms.

It's nice that this sequel let's you freestyle more often, and the scoring seems more logical than before. [Feb 2002, p.82]

All-Stars is clearly similar to Smash Bros., especially because it's far more fun to play with friends. Solo, it quickly becomes repetitive and doesn't give you much reason to continue. If you have company over, however, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale can be a lot of chaotic fun.

Inazuma Eleven is a quirky and novel RPG, but the on-field action is too unrefined to be rewarding.