If it got a visual downgrade, Pid would be right at home during the 8-bit era. Might and Delight have created a fine homage to retro gaming, but it comes with that era's often redundant gameplay and maddening boss battles. Game design has moved on, and unless you're ready for a frustrating experience (with a few key moments of promise), I suggest doing the same.

Because of everything that is spectacular about Silt – its stunning art style, atmospheric environments, and pensive story – I wanted to love this game. It just wouldn’t let me. Exasperating puzzles with little guidance frequently slowed my progress to a halt and left me banging my head against a wall. Even so, I still encourage players to pick up the title, if for no other reason than to experience so gorgeous a game.

Long load times, especially when quickly moving up and down floors in succession or engaging in Tokyo Death Metro, take a serious toll on the fun, and the fact that the seemingly fair free-to-play model allows anyone with a big bank account to smash bosses, eliminate research times, and basically just breeze through situations where non-paying players may falter is a serious hindrance to being the amazing game it could be.

In spite of those very real problems, I’m still quite fond of State of Decay and the Year-One Survival Edition. Although the parts that are great don’t counter its many flaws, when taken as a whole, it’s still worth playing.

Resonance of Fate may appeal to the JRPG connoisseur who is looking for an interesting and challenging new take on combat. Others most likely will be thrown off by the silliness, steep learning curve, required grinding, and other pains – especially when there are so many recent well-rounded RPGs out there.

Rain tries to tug at the heartstrings, but I never felt connected to the characters.

If you’re looking for a bite-sized dungeon crawl, Guild of Dungeoneering delivers – but don’t expect a lofty foray into the realms of exploration, customization, or strategy.

The last section of the game, where you guide a spherical object through a series of traps and obstacles, is fantastic. It’s one of the rare times when everything clicked, and it was both challenging and fair. I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t make it that far. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a game based on a gimmick that simply doesn’t work all that well.

It's a lackluster, repetitive experience that will only appeal to the most Clancy-crazed gamer. It's not terrible or broken, but I've been doing the same thing, with the same problems and frustrations, for years. [Nov 2005, p.141]

The addition of Conton City alone makes Xenoverse 2 an improved sequel. Running (and later flying) around its large space with other Dragon Ball Z fans is fun, and walking up to familiar characters to learn their iconic super moves makes seeking out everyone worthwhile. It all eventually points to the combat, though, and I struggle to get excited about entering each new battle. It becomes a hurdle to what has the potential to be a highly replayable experience with lots of interesting unlockables.

The graphics and gameplay of FIFA 21 deliver fun and functional football, but its ambitions don’t extend far beyond that. Over time, the grinding leads to burnout and boredom, and the gear and rewards you’re working so hard to obtain are rarely satisfying enough to make the chase worthwhile. Nailing the fundamentals is important, but it takes more than that to be a real winner.

While some gamers may be turned off by the hundreds of dollars worth of day-one DLC, I felt that the $15 download easily offered a full experience on its own. The large majority of DLC is cosmetic, except for the ability to purchase double-XP time for yourself or your team. It's hard to argue the value included with this title, as it contains a substantial shooter experience, unique weapons and gadgets, and more than enough incentive to keep playing. FPS fans that have tired of the typical shooter formula should find plenty to like about this high-flying, slapstick-heavy download.

Boasting fantastic locales from Cairo to the Himalayas and strange experimental fighters never seen in the history books, the titular secret missions in question are pretty unbelievable. The exaggerated weapons and battles are actually the most exciting and engrossing aspect of the title; much of Blazing Angels 2 veers heavily into frustration and obfuscation.

Alone With You is an endearing adventure, albeit a flawed one. Despite its dark subject matter, it somehow remains to have a lighthearted tone with its pastel, washed-out aesthetic. I admired the different locations and existential tone, but longed for a more captivating storyline. Like the holographic cast it chronicles, this experience lacks a distinct personality, leaving it as a charming but forgettable adventure.

This is the first SOCOM in a while that I've felt comfortable recommending to anyone. [Dec 2007, p.159]

While the controls on this PC port are okay, they are clearly not refined for a console experience. [Oct 2003, p.139]

Apart from the cute twist of playing as a cat, Gato Roboto does little to innovate and feels like a decent game you’ve already played.

With all of the side quests and collectibles, Lego The Hobbit is a complete and entertaining game. If you were counting on the Lego version of a movie adaptation of a 70-year-old book to deliver an unsullied narrative experience, you were expecting too much anyway.

WWE '12 only introduces a few welcome elements. Setting up opponents for finishers with wake-up taunts is fun, the new comeback moments are a nice way of getting back into the match, players can now target specific limbs during grapples, and new creation options (like the new create-an-arena) make the series more customizable than ever before. However, none of these can make up for the awful Road to Wrestlemania.

Speaking of strategy, Wolfenstein is in dire need of a new one. Grinding through waves of predictable enemies in corridors is no way to pay homage to the franchise’s unquestioned legacy in the genre.

The nice backend clan support is wasted since the game just isn’t much fun to play. The shooting lacks the high-intensity lethality of Counter-Strike, the lightning-paced speed of Tribes, and the great cooperative mechanics of Battlefield. You won’t spit this hamburger out, but you probably won’t tell your friends about it, either. [Oct 2009, p.92]

Stranger of Paradise is the strangest Final Fantasy game yet, bounding wildly between awful and fantastic. If you can tolerate Jack (and that’s a big ask), the excellently crafted combat is worth a look. You may be coming to this game for the story and Final Fantasy experience, but it’s all about combat and little else.

I was too busy questioning character decisions (theirs, not mine), rolling my eyes, and grappling with an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu to ever enjoyably engage in Directive 8020.

I was left wanting more from the love story incidentally promised by the protagonist’s names, but I was eager to keep playing to make Romeo stronger, see where I was going next, and learn more about the colorful cast of characters.

Decent, but there's better Star Wars action to be had. [Feb 2003, p.98]

The new Legend, Challenge, and Xtreme modes offer more scenarios for each character. This helps keep things fresh, even if the beat 'em up routine is the same. [Dec 2003, p.150]

Painfully addictive. [June 2003, p.119]

NFL Fever has more or less stayed the same, which means that it has actually lost ground. [Sept 2002, p.88]

With each release this series keeps losing more and more ground. [Dec 2003, p.170]

Enough with the damned analog swing already! [Jan 2003, p.102]

I'll be the first to admit that SUmmoner has a few problems; but, for whatever reason, I am utterly mesmerized by it. [Apr 2003, p.88]

Brink is not a bad game. If Splash Damage can stabilize the performance and fix some glaring omissions (like a pre-game lobby) with a patch, I'd gladly spend more time with it. But with only eight multiplayer maps, 20 progression levels, no clan support, and average gunplay, it's not a good value proposition. Especially considering many Xbox Live games offer a similar amount of content for a fraction of the price. [July 2011, p.86]

Those interested in games that stretch the boundaries of interactive narrative will appreciate this startling and emotionally nuanced examination of a complex topic.

Battle Grounds is not the super-polished experience of many of today's top brawlers, but it's definitely worth a look if you're interested in the genre and are at peace with familiar anime tropes.

From its art style and writing to its structure and design, Super Daryl Deluxe is strange. I enjoy the combat, humor, and the checklist structure of the quests, but the nondescript method by which you complete some missions mars the experience. Super Daryl Deluxe features multiple good ideas, but the execution is limited in its success.

The Chinese Room proves once again that it has wonderful, affecting stories to tell and can create environments that ooze atmosphere. The same could be said of some of the horror film genre’s best directors. However, A Machine for Pigs guides players along the bloody processing line too strictly, removing the impact of interactivity.

Inordinately long load times, repeated onscreen notifications, and a couple of hard freezes prove that Unity is a complex game that hasn’t yet had all of its bugs smashed. However, Unity’s frequent missteps are balanced against an astonishing array of engaging content set in a stunning world.

I suppose it’s fitting that Mercs 2, like most topics bearing the weight of political posturing, is ultimately flaccid. But that doesn’t stop me from expecting more.

The core first-person melee combat is incredibly solid and the exploration, storytelling, and character growth are integrated brilliantly to create a unique and compelling experience.

By rigidly following Dragon Quest traditions, we end up with flat, cartoonish characters who inhabit a repetitive, cyclical world. But The Dark Prince plays to its strengths to deliver a solid RPG experience with a cozy narrative seasoned by a long list of charismatic creatures and entertaining dungeons.

The best parts of Beastie Bay make me wish it was exclusively a simulation; Kairosoft's fusion of creature collection and island simulation is charming, but shallow combat and repetition kill the desire to catch 'em all.

If you’re a diehard Disney fan in the mood for a short, breezy platformer, this may hit the spot. However, the core gameplay beneath the endearing Disney aesthetic left me wanting more.

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone that wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. [July 2011, p.84]

It’s barely been a week since I first installed XDefiant, but I don’t think I’d miss it from my hard drive. While the gameplay at its core is fun enough, the game is barren compared to most other shooters—including the free ones—with even bare-basic modes like team deathmatch and free-for-all or features like a ping system or skill-based matchmaking nowhere to be found. Its maps are well-made, sure, but with no rank to strive for, daily missions that ask me to commit to playing ten whole matches, and very little to look forward to in the battle pass, I don’t understand why this game would gain any traction over others beyond the fact that it's free.

This isn't new as much as it is an expansion pack through and through. [Jan 2003, p.90]

Blistering combat that's wrapped in an almost flawless presentation. [Oct 2002, p.89]

Although Outlaw Golf isn't on the same level as "Hot Shots 3," It's about 10 times as funny. [July 2002, p.87]

In general, the minigames work about as well as Wii games always do: just enough to prevent me from calling them broken.

Dream Daddy is a surprisingly wholesome game about fatherhood, and about finding love again after loss. The well-written dialogue surprised me, and so did the fact that it is an incredibly heartwarming game. Rather than focusing on titillation, Dream Daddy has a cast of characters that are both real and diverse, even if it doesn’t always bring enough depth to the topics it tackles.

While it doesn’t offer the same breadth and reimagining of core systems found in The Taken King, Bungie’s latest release has a sentimental tone that is refreshing. This adventure through forgotten legends stands strong on its own, and continues an unbroken string of content drops that have each made Destiny a richer universe.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is often stupid and frequently silly, but I got caught up in shredding my way through the ridiculous experience. It doesn't matter if I was laughing with the game or laughing at it; I was entertained.

I enjoyed my time with the game, and I can see it grabbing a rabid cult audience. I'd recommend it to anyone who can relax their expectations a bit, particularly when it comes to the voice recognition. The more you're able to focus on where it succeeds and look past its obvious failings, the better.

I recommend Dungeon Siege III to anyone that wants to connect with friends and kill a whole mess of monsters together. [July 2011, p.84]

Halo 2 on Vista is a solid port that brings the Master Chief’s heroism to more gamers, and that’s indisputably a good thing. If it’s additional content or a new experience you’re looking for, though, this direct translation to Windows Vista will feel like $50 wasted.

For gamers looking for something different on the Wii, this might be the ticket – provided that you’re willing to cope with the unpolished mechanics.

This newer game is by far the more impressive choice, with fully fleshed out features, excellent animation, solid soccer gameplay, and an exciting presentation, replete with another batch of great music from around the world. [Jun 2006, p.112]

Indy’s newest adventure wasn’t built to last.

This title's humorous tone and engaging gameplay are charming, even if the game itself is a bit on the repetitive and shallow side (just like real politics!). [Nov 2004, p.167]

50 Cent’s first foray into video games (50 Cent: Bulletproof) was a hot mess of action clichés and poor control, so kudos to new developer Swordfish Studios for delivering a vastly improved sequel. It’s a thuggish, high production value exercise in excess – not unlike the music of the man that inspired it.

While many aspects of the story are on a linear path, the consequences of some defining choices do echo into the season’s end, including a few important characters being alive or dead. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that Guardians of the Galaxy offers a particularly compelling spread of choices across its many episodes. Instead, the biggest selling point of the season is the opportunity to glimpse some backstory for these popular superheroes, and explore the interpersonal dynamics that those histories have on the team. If that sounds appealing, there’s good reason to give Guardians a shot. The action may be lackluster, and the path through the story may not be filled with surprises, but I did manage to care how it all shook out for this mismatched squad of heroes, and that’s more than I can say for a lot of video game characters.

Last year's game showed promise and a commitment to getting this series back on track. This year's installment is a disaster. There's a decent game of baseball to be played here, but you are more likely to pitch a complete game than play through nine innings without a bug or glitch.

They Are Billions is an interesting mashup of classic RTS, tower defense, and survival that successfully conjures up that “one more game” feel, assuming you can persevere through countless defeats.

The best Tiger in years just appeared on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but this game just doesn’t feel the same in comparison. Of course, with the Wii controller it shouldn’t – but it also shouldn’t leave me guessing half the time as to where my ball is going.

While – both graphically and in gameplay – Saints Row feels behind the standards set by GTA IV, it has an ace up its sleeve in the online arena: true online co-op. And it works. [Dec 2008, p.105]

Here we have a tactical shooter that has all the thrills in all of the right places. [July 2002, p.91]

It's a great puzzler. Definitely a little weird, but most certainly good. [Sept 2003, p.109]

If you fell in love with the virtual pet aspect within the original, the Creature AI is more dynamic and the insertion of variety keeps the adventure from becoming redundant. [Mar 2002, p.88]

But after spending a mere 30 minutes to complete the adventure, you'll soon discover that there's too little sustenance to provide a satisfying portion of gameplay.[Nov 2002, p.138]

I have a feeling that hardcore role-players will completely devour and praise Lost Kingdoms for its ingenious strategies and addictive design. [July 2002, p.84]

Shortcomings in the pacing and the lack of diversity in the combat pull down the experience, but I liked the time I spent with Kenshiro. The Fist of the North Star franchise feels dated in many ways, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better representation of its strange and violent world in a video game.

Despite these complaints, Nostalgia is a worthy distraction. [Nov 2009, p.114]

Rush of Blood is straightforward in its execution. It’s a simple action game that feels like an evolution of the light-gun shooter, but in this early age of virtual reality, it’s the right call. Pointing and shooting at scary things on a fun-house roller-coaster might not seem like the right direction for Until Dawn’s character-focused storytelling, but for PlayStation VR, it’s one of the best ways to get your feet wet, even if it doesn’t do anything bold or particularly innovative in the world of game design.

Shaun may have walked away with the gold, but his games still can’t qualify.

While there's not much new, it takes something old and makes it seem fresh. And where gaming fun is concerned, that's worth a lot. [Dec 2004, p.177]

Although Narcosis’ runtime is fairly short (about four hours), it’s padded by frustrating stealth segments and banal puzzle-solving that get in the way of some great storytelling and voice-acting. While captivating, those aren’t enough to make this experience worth wading through.

Earth Defense Force 5 has none of those things – but that’s okay. This series has always had a single-minded commitment to one simple truth: It’s fun to use weird weapons to blast lots of aliens. That fact may never change, but in an industry that has been steadily raising the bar, Earth Defense Force 5 allows the series to fall further behind.

That cooperative vibe echoes the way many players first encountered the genre – a group of friends gathered around a screen, laughing at the crazy solutions required to slip past a perplexing blocked path. In replicating that novel experience, The Cave succeeds.

It offers a nice variety of gameplay, and the story ties in perfectly with the existing lore. [July 2008, p.95]

It may not be the be all end all Sonic game that professed enthusiasts like myself have been waiting 15 years for, but Sonic 4 is a fun, frenetic download for fans and newcomers alike.

The game may actually be a little text heavy at times, and the early hours are a tad simplistic, but overall this was a pleasant surprise. [Aug 2006, p.93]

Other than a couple Vita-specific features, an easier difficulty level, and a collection of trial missions, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus doesn't offer anything new. If you loved the original game enough to play through its numerous updates, then you may enjoy taking this new version on the go. However, action fans accustomed to the polished games of this generation may become frustrated with the eight year-old mechanics.

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s campaign misses the mark, but multiplayer and Zombies do the heavy lifting to get the title to a good place. If you’re most invested in the single-player experience, you can pass on this year’s entry, but if you’re into the other modes, Call of Duty remains an excellent choice for some shooting, looting, and zombie executing.

Ultra Despair Girls would be easier to bear if it were just an incidental side story that fans could ignore. Unfortunately, it is important to understanding the world of Danganronpa, but the gameplay and dialogue make you suffer every step of the way.

Dead or Alive 6 sports a robust fighting system, but the framework around it doesn’t capitalize on that. While the tutorial and DOA Quest mode do a decent job of getting you up to speed on what makes combat tick, the awful story mode does it no favors, and the barebones online puts a damper on what could have been a second wind for the series.

The one thing that makes this game worth it to NASCAR rubes like you and me is that the new speed blur makes side-by-side racing pretty damn cool. [Oct. 2006, p.94]

Divinity II isn’t without its charms, but weak game design sullies the thrill of digging into the many secrets of its outstanding world.

As an educational tool, Never Alone is a great success, but the gameplay does more to burden than bolster that achievement.

A certain population of gamers will no doubt find exactly what they're looking for here. especially as they get into the higher-level content and PvP areas of the game. [Jun 2006, p.117]

Excellent arrangements of Dig Dug, Galaga, and Pac-Man maintain the integrity (and brilliance) of the originals. [Feb 2002, p.85]

The physics, audio, and accuracy are lacking. [Oct 2002, p.84]

Can't be praised enough for its truly excellent storytelling, but the greatest coup for the title is that the game wrapped around this tale is engaging, surprising, and very well done. [July 2003, p.103]

It became clear at this point that Horizons follows the MMORPG cannon to the letter, that the graphics are very average, and that there's no reason to play outside the social aspect. [Feb 2004, p.111]

Through the fog awkward mechanics and unsatisfying decisions (not to mention some dumb story twists), the fun and intriguing core of Vampyr is sometimes visible. Unfortunately, that fog lifts only rarely, leaving most of the experience shrouded in darkness.

It just fails to capture the urgency of the console version to a degree that I wish they'd left the cop angle out entirely. [Jan 2006, p.157]

Even in this realm of sub-average platformers, you have several better options than Mushroom Men. [Dec 2008, p.124]

Considering all of the extras Eurocom added to Reloaded, I have no doubt the developer tried to make the definitive version of a modern day GoldenEye. However, I still feel like I would've been happier playing a $10 downloadable HD remake of the original game, similar to last year's XBLA release of Perfect Dark. GoldenEye 007: Reloaded still entertains, but stripped of its nostalgia, it fails to reach the status of an elite agent.

Like dysfunctional characters in a buddy flick, Army of Two has some annoying problems, but if you just want a fun cooperative experience, it gets the job done and delivers sizeable thrills you won’t find anywhere else.

Light Fall draws you in with its stylistic visuals and the promise of a new twist on a classic formula. Creating your own platforms is fun, but Bishop Games didn’t develop this gimmick into a meaningful series of mechanics. As it stands, Light Fall is a handful of interesting ideas that are missing the elements they need to really shine.