Liberation Maiden, for better or worse, is a brief, fast-paced experience. I found myself laughing at the game's opening, and even though I never became genuinely engaged in the plight of Shoko and New Japan, I enjoyed taking it all in.

I don't regret my time with Silent Hill: Downpour, but mediocrity hung over most of my playthrough like a fog. [Apr 2012, p.82]

While XIII has style in spades, gameplay is nowhere near as groundbreaking. [Dec 2003, p.166]

It’s a retread of familiar territory in every way, such that a game like this five years ago would have had me reeling, but now leaves me feeling flat.

The AI is still riddled with holes and your money plays from last year will still work. [Oct. 2006, p.94]

If you tough it out, there are rewards. Just be ready to bleed. [July 2002, p.82]

Haunted Hollow’s biggest fault is that you have no incentive to keep playing; the asynchronous multiplayer works well, but all you earn for successful Haunted Hollowing are Game Center achievements. No new worthwhile content is unlockable without spending money.

I'm still not sold on the saggy engine, but the new Career mode storylines help to keep me playing. [Feb 2003, p.101]

They Need To Be Fed 2 controls well and I enjoy its gravitational gameplay, but the uninspired level design and neutered challenge hold the overall experience back. The short, easy levels are perfect for that brief moment in line at the store, but the simple-yet-fun premise doesn’t evolve much beyond the first few introductory levels.

Fails to establish any real mood or atmosphere, and just ends up being boring. [May 2005, p.110]

A serviceable, inexpensive RPG that will satisfy fans curious about this "lost" chapter in the KH series and the few people who really enjoyed the ­original CoM.

The structure is here for a great title, but it doesn't help when half the game's gone up in smoke. [Apr 2006, p.135]

What was an average nostalgic sword-slashing game on the PS2 has become a choppy, awkwardly-paced handheld adventure with a soundtrack player and a couple of new minigames tacked on to throw you off the obviously evil scent. [Apr 2006, p.133]

The main reason I am less than enamored with this title is that it features some of the worst jumping controls in memory. Frustrating and painful. Bad Mickey. Bad. [Oct 2003, p.145]

Pretty visuals can only get you far, however, and Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising doesn’t offer enough entertaining or unique content to keep it from being anything more than a passable RPG. At the very least, it introduces the Eiyuden world and some characters involved in Hundred Heroes, but that’s very little incentive for putting up with tedious gameplay and boilerplate characters.

While Drakensang easily exceeds any expectations regarding presentation and scope, the finer points of RPG design - notably combat and player-driven interactions with the game world - are lost on the game. [Mar 2009, p.92]

Jett: The Far Shore shines bright in some narrative-heavy sections, and its visuals can be impressive, but – despite starting off full of potential – it fails to fulfill its promise. Sadly, Jett’s finale, much like my time spent piloting its interstellar spacecraft, feels more unfulfilling than thought-provoking.

It's just unfortunate that Otogi has come this far with its visuals only to be undermined by the subtle oh-so-important aspect of vids known as gameplay. [Oct 2003, p.133]

Aside from the obvious problems, the real problem is that nearly every part of the now-aged Driver formula has been done better elsewhere. [May 2006, p.98]

There's a fair amount of depth, with various tricks, items, and things to do with your dog. [Feb 2006, p.113]

There is little in the gameplay that can't be done by a freakin' Commodore 64! [Dec 2003, p.174]

Unlike a lot of titles geared toward the younger set, this one is actually fun and well designed, with great graphics and good sound. [Aug 2003, p.93]

If you're looking for a weekend rental, this could be an okay retro choice. [Dec 2008, p.124]

It’s a decent brawler that doesn’t do anything new or interesting, and it stars a skeleton on fire. I’ll gladly take it over yet another collect-a-thon platformer.

I'm glad Gearbox stepped up and finished this game, but after hearing about it for 12 years, I have no desire to relive any of it again. I'm now satisfied in my knowledge of what Duke Nukem Forever is and ready to never talk about it again. Welcome back, Duke. I hope your next game (which is teased after the credits) goes off without a hitch.

The reboot, in spite of its dumb writing, felt fresh and was consistently entertaining throughout its campaign thanks to its focus. The sequel, however, feels stretched out, like it’s trying to be an RPG, an open-world game, and a shooter all at once with little success. In the end, there’s precious little of Shadow Warrior 2 that makes for a compelling experience.

After squeezing off I don't know how many rounds into untold numbers of bodies, I'm more prone to being lulled into a nice nap than a frenzy. [Oct 2005, p.128]

I'm glad Gearbox stepped up and finished this game, but after hearing about it for 12 years, I have no desire to relive any of it again. I'm now satisfied in my knowledge of what Duke Nukem Forever is and ready to never talk about it again. Welcome back, Duke. I hope your next game (which is teased after the credits) goes off without a hitch.

Even though you are the coach in this game, you're still little more than a bystander. [Aug 2006, p.84]

The AI is still riddled with holes and your money plays from last year will still work. [Oct. 2006, p.94]

The technical feat of getting a game of this pedigree up and running on iOS is impressive. Without competent combat, however, all that work is for naught.

I have a hard time recommending this to Patapon newcomers. Even experienced players will likely get steamed over the roadblocks. If you think you have what it takes to form a good multiplayer co-op team and you're dedicated enough to overcome the difficulties and coordinate online meet-ups, you have a good time. You'll have to decide for yourself whether this storm cloud's silver lining is worth it.

It tarnishes the hallowed GoldeneEye name that gamers have held close to their hearts since 1997, and is the equivalent of tossing a martini into Bond's face and then shooting him in the family jewels with a tranquilizer dart. [Jan 2005, p.114]

The worlds are fun to explore and navigation captures the right balance between challenging and doable. Checkpoints are generous and things you've already killed or collected stay that way so backtracking isn't an issue.

The worlds are fun to explore and navigation captures the right balance between challenging and doable. Checkpoints are generous and things you've already killed or collected stay that way so backtracking isn't an issue.

Deliver Us Mars’ protagonists quickly cobble together a space shuttle that barely manages to get them to their destination. A similar story feels true of this game. A gripping narrative fuels gameplay that otherwise feels functional but underbaked, making my time on the planet a mixed bag. Deliver Us Mars shines best when it lets you absorb its story, but expect to stumble over several design craters along the way.

There is nothing that makes this worthy as a standalone release. [Jan 2005, p.68]

As it stands now, the cartoony graphics don’t really make you hungry or even make you feel like you actually made food, nor is the game ridiculous enough to give you that silly kind of fun like WarioWare. Any future entry in this series will probably have to go one of those two ways.

If you go into it knowing that stretches of it can be aggravating, either because they push your skills to the test or make you question the gameplay, it should do the same for you.

Good fun - nothing more, nothing less. [Feb 2005, p.113]

The touchy controls, coupled with an uneven difficulty curve, result in a game that fails to live up to its promise. [July 2009, p.83]

Like a pair of pants that make you butt look big, the tedious exploration and flimsy story just highlight too many unflattering curves to make the adventure truly worthwhile. [Jan 2006, p.156]

Windjammers 2 is an enjoyable throwback that proves its unique sport is still a blast, but the thrill is fleeting. I’m happy to see it return; I just wish it gave me more reasons to step on its court more often.

Just be warned: the sheen of newness that once glossed these games has faded with time, and several might be better left in your memory. But if you're committed to reliving the good old days, this is a reasonable way to go.

The racing itself is pretty good, and the rest of the game feels like a total hackjob. [Oct 2004, p.123]

Touch Detective is packed with such funny dialgue and stylistic quirk that it may take a few hours to realize that it isn't a very good game. [Nov. 2006, p.146]

Some of the best horror games of the last decade have offered combat-free frights. After all, abandoned buildings are scarier when you can’t push back against the shadows. However, The Medium’s lack of combat highlights the challenge of letting atmosphere and puzzles carry a horror experience. The idea of exploring split realities is neat, but Bloober Team needed another gameplay hook to hang its hat on, because this horror show is a bit shallow.

Its boring, unimaginative combat lays shame to the fact that Philip K. Dick (whose short story the movie is based on) came up with a pretty original idea to write about.

These are great characters that have been the same since the start of the franchise. I want more now. [July 2004, p.123]

This game expands the show’s fiction and reveals a few mind-blowing twists, including one that has completely altered all of my theories about the show. As of the time of this writing, it is one of the biggest reveals yet.

On the gameplay end, it's still a little shallow in the moves department, but it's tighter on the whole. [Feb 2003, p.105]

Unfortunately, bad mechanics and ho-hum gameplay progression bring things down.

Graphically, it's definitely improved, but that's not going to save Ty from his own mediocrity. [Nov 2004, p.149]

For all those complaints, however, I do admire that Nintendo tried and arguably succeeded at creating something unique that could not really be ported to another platform even if Nintendo wanted to. Nintendo does not automatically get credit for making something different, of course – the game still needs to be fun to play and give you reason to play – but I will always appreciate Drag x Drive for being unlike anything else and working better than I expected.

The bad: camera work from the lowest pits of hell, confounding interface. [July 2002, p.83]

Even when it fails, though, Rune Factory: Frontier is packed with so many other activities that there's always more than enough to do. [Apr 2009, p.85]

A mundane action title that screams mediocrity in almost every way. [Feb 2003, p.101]

Despite the new gameplay types, Re:coded's mostly recycled content feels too stale to recommend to anyone outside of the most diehard fans.

Mafia III is a missed opportunity to put an important time in American history in the spotlight, and ends up being one of the most lifeless and one-note open-world experiences I’ve come across. You can see the potential for a great game here, but it sticks to safe and simple gameplay and storytelling conventions, and ends up being a bloody bore.

Mutant Football League brings back visions of the over-the-top arcade sports games of yesteryear, but its lack of mode depth makes it tough to recommend to anyone beyond nostalgia seekers. Should Digital Dreams build a more engaging infrastructure around the bloody gridiron action in subsequent updates, the game could deserve a second drive, but after reading the field of play on this fourth down I advise you to punt.

Mafia III is a missed opportunity to put an important time in American history in the spotlight, and ends up being one of the most lifeless and one-note open-world experiences I’ve come across. You can see the potential for a great game here, but it sticks to safe and simple gameplay and storytelling conventions, and ends up being a bloody bore.

It tarnishes the hallowed GoldeneEye name that gamers have held close to their hearts since 1997, and is the equivalent of tossing a martini into Bond's face and then shooting him in the family jewels with a tranquilizer dart. [Jan 2005, p.114]

Its trial-and-error gameplay seems a bit too old school for the sexy new system. [May 2005, p.130]

Graphically, it's definitely improved, but that's not going to save Ty from his own mediocrity. [Nov 2004, p.149]

Good fun - nothing more, nothing less. [Feb 2005, p.113]

Katrielle is the highlight of this adventure, and I want to solve more mysteries with her (especially the two left hanging), but this first month of her detective agency being in business is disappointing. None of the cases stand out as noteworthy, with the possible exception of the final one. An underwhelming first outing certainly doesn’t spell doom for the new Layton Detective Agency, but I was hoping for more from this series’ reboot.

The base gameplay is decent, although the inclusion of power-up attacks and platforming obstacles only serves to muddle the experience, making success feel more like a matter of blind luck than skill.

As an inclusive party game that only takes a few moments to get fun even for inexperienced players, Videoball succeeds. But for the lone player looking to partake in a different kind of esport, options are limited.

Overall, it’s about what you expect from SpongeBob on Wii – just barely good enough for a younger kid that loves the show and made a little more interesting by the novel controls.

With a full crew, Videoball is a lot of fun. It hits that difficult-to-balance level of controlled chaos where a lot is happening on screen, but those playing and those watching can keep track of the action. It leaves plenty of room for close calls, last-second saves, and the equivalent of the slam dunk, but playing online proved difficult and the slow firing speed kept me feeling like I was coming up short.

The graphics are crisp and the physics are solid once you get used to how loose they are, but there's nothing to keep you coming back after the initial fun of t-boning someone and watching them explode wears off. [May 2004, p.99]

Wilson’s Heart gets a lot of things right. The spooky atmosphere, charming camp, and long-form narrative are great proofs of concept for virtual reality adventures. Considering most VR titles available right now feel more like glorified tech demos than full-fledged games, I enjoyed the extended sessions of this six-to-eight-hour experience. But Wilson’s Heart’s limited interactivity, lack of freedom, and wooden combat show developers still have a lot to learn about creating truly immersive virtual reality experiences.

Sword Coast Legends has some great ideas and a wonderful world to draw upon, but struggles to live up to its potential.

As an inclusive party game that only takes a few moments to get fun even for inexperienced players, Videoball succeeds. But for the lone player looking to partake in a different kind of esport, options are limited.

What starts out as a promising romp through a demented Wonderland devolves into a few good ideas stretched across redundant gameplay. [July 2011, p.85]

The art and combat are killed in their tracks by the game's downright shameful dialogue. [Nov 2004, p.158]

I appreciate the new freedom that Blood Ties affords combos, but there isn’t much else in place that dramatically changes up the formula from what we’ve seen before.

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.

With no gameplay enhancements and only surface changes to presentation, this FIFA 12 expansion is a cosmetic add-on with no redeeming new features. The UEFA tournament mode is a lazy attempt to capture the glory of the competition, and the new Expedition mode is a boring grind. Only the most devoted of national fans should bother with this otherwise forgettable expansion.

With no gameplay enhancements and only surface changes to presentation, this FIFA 12 expansion is a cosmetic add-on with no redeeming new features. The UEFA tournament mode is a lazy attempt to capture the glory of the competition, and the new Expedition mode is a boring grind. Only the most devoted of national fans should bother with this otherwise forgettable expansion.

I still wish this game was sexier. The play is serviceable - the control scheme grows on you - but the character models are quite shoddy. [Aug 2003, p.91]

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]

On the other hand, despite all the effort that clearly went into this game's visuals, story points, and even gun customization, making Dirge of Cerberus fun to play slipped to a disappointingly low priority somewhere along the way. [Sept. 2006, p.93]

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]

Call of Cthulhu may not be fun to play, and often feels like an amusement ride that is just pulling you along, but succeeds in delivering a mind-bending story that lives up to the Lovecraftian breed of cosmic horror. In the end, I’m glad I played it, but for roughly five or six hours, I questioned why I was subjecting myself to it.

Star Fox Zero isn’t ever bad, but it’s generally uninspired. It’s a musty tribute that fails to add much to the series, aside from tweaked controls and incremental vehicle upgrades. I loved Star Fox when it came out, and I’ll even defend Star Fox Adventures (to a reasonable degree). For now, I’ll stick to Super Smash Bros. when I feel like reuniting with Fox.

One of the more unfortunate things about this game is that for a supposedly comical kart racer, the drivers’ personalities rarely come through. At its worst, NASCAR Kart Racing stands out as little more than a marketing opportunity in a sport already filled with them.

No flash, no pop, just a straight-up baseball game that looks great and plays okay. [Apr 2002, p.76]

Neither the RTS-style combat nor the castle sim elements of the game live up to today's standards. [June 2005, p.135]

I enjoyed the Deception series on PSone, but this sequel hasn't made any strides forward. [Dec 2005, p.174]

The improvements to the fundamental gameplay in Madden 24 continue to pay dividends with some of the most authentic football the series has ever seen. But, like an ill-timed penalty, the dreadfully slow menus and funneling toward tedious minigames wipe out any forward progress and move the series backward overall.

This game is like your favorite team going from a 5-11 season one year to a 6-10 record the next. Regardless of whatever improvements have occurred, you aren’t going anywhere with that kind of record.

In the end, this would-be epic is nothing more than a series of lock-and-key puzzles - the same outdated concept that developers have been shoving down our throats since the first "Prince of Persia." [May 2003, p.80]

This game expands the show’s fiction and reveals a few mind-blowing twists, including one that has completely altered all of my theories about the show. As of the time of this writing, it is one of the biggest reveals yet.

It's interesting to see how pinball has progressed through the years, noting the considerable point score inflation that's taken place. [Feb 2005, p.113]

Get ready to crash into some rails - a lot of rails. [Dec 2003, p.150]

It tarnishes the hallowed GoldeneEye name that gamers have held close to their hearts since 1997, and is the equivalent of tossing a martini into Bond's face and then shooting him in the family jewels with a tranquilizer dart. [Jan 2005, p.114]

Ashes of the Singularity is a solid title, but ultimately too unambitious in areas that matter. It demonstrates it can do amazing things with tons and tons of units on screen, but fails to provide compelling reasons to play beyond that.