The missions have a shocking lack of variety, mostly just forcing you to do the same handful of things, but with stronger foes.

I want to like Panzers – the basic design is full of concepts that I enjoy, and the presentation is outstanding. It’s a pity that the gameplay sadly lacks the chops to pull it all together.

Outside of the art style, The World Next Door feels generic and doesn’t do enough to make the adventure feel exciting. I expected something to pay off in the long run, whether it was the story, my choices, or time I spent with characters, but I instead ended the game saying, “That’s it?” It made me feel like I wasted my time getting to know this world and the people who inhabit it.

Merging pinball and puzzles isn't a bad idea, but the balance between the two aspects simply feels all wrong. [July 2005, p.119]

It feels like National Geographic and Ultimate Fighting mushed together in a bad, bad way. [July 2006, p.106]

Costume Quest is cute and funny, so it may look like a good game for kids. Let me assure you: After completing the adventure (which took me about five hours), I can't recommend Costume Quest to gamers of any age.

Costume Quest is cute and funny, so it may look like a good game for kids. Let me assure you: After completing the adventure (which took me about five hours), I can't recommend Costume Quest to gamers of any age.

The missions have a shocking lack of variety, mostly just forcing you to do the same handful of things, but with stronger foes.

The gameplay really needs an upgrade before I can recommend this series again. [Nov. 2006, p.130]

Games should always be engaging – at least for a few moments – but I did not find myself interested in what Orwell had to say about terrorism or totalitarianism. For the bold face it puts it on, Orwell is simply content to repeat what novels and films have more eloquently said about the terrifying intersection of our lives and technology. That’s a shame, because games could tackle those heavy subjects in a thought-provoking manner. Unfortunately, Orwell doesn’t.

An amazingly generic action title. It's a shame, as Samurai Jack is easily one of the most unique cartoons on the air today, so this could have been so much more. [May 2004, p.93]

Last time I played this game, it was being released by THQ and was called "MX Superfly." I didn't really like it then, and I don't cotton to this generic motocross stunt title now. [Aug 2003, p.93]

I wouldn't be sad if an RPG initiate tried his hand with Harbinger, but for hard-cores like myself, it's definitely forgettable. [May 2003, p.93]

Many points where the puzzle design, level layout and management of the teens' special skills are just plain clumsy and almost unusable. [June 2005, p.127]

Without any narrative to speak of, you are just left with the repetition of taking on quests, going into the dungeon, and then returning to the hub town to take on more quests.

Magikarp Jump doles experience out at a steady pace, so it took a long time before I considered looking at the available microtransactions. This bodes well for the game, but even if there is nearly always activity to do without having to wait too long, it doesn’t mean I enjoyed doing them. Training is boring; the jumping competitions are boring; and having to click through the dialogue of the guy who can’t tell if I am a boy or a girl who gives me a handful of coins is incredibly boring. The lack of interactivity sometimes makes it feel like a visual novel, but without any real story. The bits of enjoyment I did draw from the game were based mostly on the goofiness of the silly premise, but repeating jokes only makes them less funny.

These various problems aside, though, The Callisto Protocol is still doing a lot of what Dead Space did, for better and worse. And to that end, there are moments of fun, even if, in contrast, they’re light on genuine terror. I’m okay with The Callisto Protocol being another version of its spiritual predecessor, but it struggles to nail even the basics. As a result, I’m underwhelmed, annoyed, and disappointed. If you wanted anything more out of this second crack at making a new sci-fi IP in survival horror, or something markedly different that acknowledges just how far gaming has come since 2008, The Callisto Protocol is not your answer.

Daggerdale is a lengthy adventure, but most of the monsters and quests start to feel reiterative after the first couple of hours. Nonetheless, there are few other places to go right now for a downloadable fantasy game with co-op included. Someone should really get on that problem, because Daggerdale isn't the solution.

What the deal with the blander-than-bland texturing? If I wanted to be lulled to sleep, I would read a selection from Minnesota's penal code. [Feb 2003, p.104]

The Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins experience is like asking for a complex Lego set for your birthday and finding a box of Duplo under the wrapping paper instead. It’s technically similar, but the differences are critically important.

Daggerdale is a lengthy adventure, but most of the monsters and quests start to feel reiterative after the first couple of hours. Nonetheless, there are few other places to go right now for a downloadable fantasy game with co-op included. Someone should really get on that problem, because Daggerdale isn't the solution.

EA Sports PGA Tour captures the intricate nuance of golfing. However, the systems struggle with what a user can reasonably decipher from a mere analog stick, leading to a frustrating experience. EA Sports PGA Tour is a game at odds with whether it wants to compete with rival 2K’s realism or veer closer to its own more arcade roots, and in the process, lands its first drive on this new round in the rough.

Daggerdale is a lengthy adventure, but most of the monsters and quests start to feel reiterative after the first couple of hours. Nonetheless, there are few other places to go right now for a downloadable fantasy game with co-op included. Someone should really get on that problem, because Daggerdale isn't the solution.

Black Mirror is a difficult game to recommend. The story falls flat, characters are forgettable, and exploration is tedious because of poor environmental design and wonky camera angles. Despite a few clever puzzles, this emotionless journey into gothic horror left me with more questions than answers.

About as much fun as giving an elephant a suppository. [Jan 2006, p.157]

Black Mirror is a difficult game to recommend. The story falls flat, characters are forgettable, and exploration is tedious because of poor environmental design and wonky camera angles. Despite a few clever puzzles, this emotionless journey into gothic horror left me with more questions than answers.

Art that fails to distinguish between moving yet non-interactive backgrounds and gameplay elements is a problem as well in this otherwise tightly tuned action/platformer. [Feb 2009, p.87]

Beating up enemies and stealing their heads works, but is rarely compelling. Navigating bite-sized environments is easy to do, but almost never offers a sense of exploration or accomplishment.

This title is like a burrito stuffed with dirt, topped with soap shavings, and wrapped in a warm leather shell. [Feb 2003, p.98]

Although it looks nice, this game has a number of problems; the fact that chariots are really slow and tip over very easily is the most glaring. [Apr 2002, p.83]

With the enhanced version of "Midnight Club 3" retailing for $20, I see little need for this title. [Nov. 2006, p.134]

If you want to play something that feels like an expansion pack without an original game at its core, Nine Breaker is the perfect choice. [Sept 2005, p.102]

Eschewing the expected hack-n’-slash mindlessness, a timing-based evasion and blocking system is required to master the melee. It’s not enough to save an otherwise lackluster effort, but Secret Level was definitely on to something with the combat.

Unfortunately, it still isn't very good. The fighting system remains pretty simplistic and feels like it was awkwardly transplanted from 2D into 3D space. [Sept. 2006, p.92]

While WRC 5 offers a decent experience, it lacks bite or any distinguishing characteristics.

While it pains me to say this, maybe Crash should make like the entire cast of "Blossom" and disappear. [Nov 2004, p.146]

The missions have a shocking lack of variety, mostly just forcing you to do the same handful of things, but with stronger foes.

The good news is future updates can address most of my more minor gripes, but the game is an unbalanced mess at release. Developer Saber Interactive’s commitment to fan service is commendable, and die-hard Evil Dead fans will find this release enjoyable. However, it’s hard to see the lasting appeal for the rest of us.

There used to be a time when I liked the 2K hockey series over EA's franchise, and that was because I liked the way the skating felt. It was tight and responsive, even if the games themselves were more arcade-like. How I long for those days after playing NHL 2K11.

The action is slow and unresponsive,and there is very little direction spurring you through its grainy, muddy-looking world. [Jan 2006, p.150]

It feels like National Geographic and Ultimate Fighting mushed together in a bad, bad way. [July 2006, p.106]

Hicks is clearly talented; Pillar has a lot of interesting concepts that, sadly, don't come together in satisfying way. I have no doubt that he'll make a great game someday. This isn't it.

Saw fails to deliver the suspenseful crescendos, surprising twists, and apprehensive atmosphere of the films. Instead, it’s padded with unremarkable gore, poor pacing, and uninspired level design. [Issue#199, p.101]

I couldn't help but wish the game was organized into traditional levels with beginnings and ends. The arena combat lends nothing to the story when every level is just a fight to defeat a certain number of enemies, and without the need to move from area to area, there is no reward or even a feeling of progression. Fighting lots of dudes is well executed, but it's not exciting.

Double Dragon IV has some nostalgia value for longstanding fans of the franchise or those that just want a glimpse of what brawlers looked like in times long gone, but it offers little in terms of compelling gameplay or interesting mechanics. I’m a big fan of seeing old series recapture glory, but in this case, Double Dragon is an experience better left in the past.

Throughout the game, I felt no connection to Raze or the fate of his people, which hardly makes for a compelling experience. [June 2005, p.131]

When I show my friends what Xbox One is capable of graphically, I’m going to pop in Ryse. The visuals are breathtaking, but the gameplay flips on a dime between being legitimately fun and downright bad. There is no middle ground. It’s very much the extreme of both.

The production values in this game are so poor, I would have thought that some dude made it in his basement. [Jan 2004, p.128]

Ninja Gaiden 3 is not a complete train wreck, but it does suffer from a multitude of problems. The action can be fast-paced and engaging at times, but many design decisions significantly bring down the experience. Dumbed-down A.I., a limited arsenal, the series' notoriously difficult camera, no inventory/currency system, and an incoherent story combine to make this the most disappointing title in the series.

There really isn't enough game here to justify a purchase. [Apr 2002, p.89]

It just doesn't do anything to make the gameplay more accessible or enjoyable to the general gaming public. [Jan 2004, p.157]

Ninja Gaiden 3 is not a complete train wreck, but it does suffer from a multitude of problems. The action can be fast-paced and engaging at times, but many design decisions significantly bring down the experience. Dumbed-down A.I., a limited arsenal, the series' notoriously difficult camera, no inventory/currency system, and an incoherent story combine to make this the most disappointing title in the series.

I do really like the unique way the game uses the touch screen for special moves, but that doesn't make up for the general sense of mediocrity that pervades Snowboard Kids. [Jan 2006, p.157]

#WarGames’ TV-style branding suggests a second season might soon emerge, but I’m not invested in seeing it continue at this point. It has potential as an experiment in interactive storytelling, but it’s going to take better acting, more meaningful choices, and meatier subject matter to keep me on board.

Disintegration’s core idea of blending a first-person shooter with a strategy game is neat, but it takes so many missteps that the promising concept gets lost. The action is repetitive, and the basic mission design is tired – you can’t even save the game mid-mission, which is particularly baffling. Amid the tedium, I had an occasional moments of fun in Disintegration, but those moments were fleeting.

Rise of the Argonauts is an average action game. [Feb 2009, p.84]

The framerate chugs from time to time, and the controls feel looser than the strippers at the Bada Bing. Still, the story and dialogue had me laughing out loud a few times. If you are a big fan of the show it is worth a look, but don’t expect much.

Trust me, it's just as fun as it sounds. [Jan 2004, p.160]

The gameplay really needs an upgrade before I can recommend this series again. [Nov. 2006, p.130]

You could fit the amount of innovation this game has into Yoda's shoe. What's that you say? Yoda doesn't wear shoes? Exactly...It somehow loses the magic of the movies and feels flat and lifeless. [Oct 2004, p.146]

Many points where the puzzle design, level layout and management of the teens' special skills are just plain clumsy and almost unusable. [June 2005, p.127]

The core gameplay is simply tired. Jumping around collecting random doodads is just old - it's time to move on to new objectives in platformers. [Dec 2004, p.167]

This game, like the monkey villain I speak of, is also quite bad. [Jan 2002, p.98]

It has potential, but doesn't deliver the gameplay necessities to warrant a purchse. [Feb 2003, p.110]

Puzzle gaming has had a number of complex entries recently, and this isn’t one of them. It is, however, a fun diversion for about an hour.

This meter is somewhat emblematic of my overall experience of this game. Ideas that were once novel are outdated or uninteresting by today’s standards. While Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a welcome update to a classic farm sim, stripping away nostalgic fondness leaves you with an experience that feels lacking in the genre's modern landscape.

Despite a few memorable sequences, the occasional good puzzle, and some barely adequqte multiplayer modes, Geist fails in most respects. [Sept 2005, p.106]

Quite and ugly game. There's more pop-up than a toaster, and the music is unappealing to anyone without a straw hat. [Apr 2002, p.79]

House Flipper seems like a killer idea for a sim game, and while your first few sales deliver some of the before-and-after magic, the game fails to capture the larger remodeling fantasy. Empyrean has been delivering a steady stream of updates and improvements to House Flipper, but it’ll take a lot more elbow grease to get this fixer-upper ready for market.

The Wii version is notable for using motion slashing on both the nunchuk and remote, although the attacks you generate aren't that sophisticated. The game's areas are also slightly bigger and require less loading on the Wii. [Apr 2009, p.81]

As much as I wanted to love it, Risen 2 ends up as another entry in the long list of games with a great premise, a few interesting ideas, and an unforgivable anchor dragging the whole thing down.

It simply doesn’t have enough to redeem itself from its laundry list of flaws.

All of the spoken dialogue is loaded with swearing, prostitutes are everywhere, and the talk radio stations may contain the most sexually explicit content in any video game to date. The result is an immature and offensive clone of a far superior game ["GTA III"]. [Oct 2003, p.118]

As much as I disliked lumbering through levels as Sonic’s hulky Werehog, I disliked hunting through the hub worlds looking for coins even more. Sega, if you really want to fix Sonic, the first thing you should do is stop trying to fix him.

The onscreen golf is just as poor as the disappointing gameplay mechanics. [July 2008, p.93]

"Robotech" has the hot license and nifty cel-shaded look. Where does this leave Gun Metal? Nowhere, I'm afraid. [Oct 2002, p.91]

Scattered across its unnaturally lengthy campaign, Payback has several fun event sequences that blend cinematic action with rousing racing. And as players begin to control more sophisticated cars, the sense of excitement and speed can be engaging. Unfortunately, too much of the rest of the game feels lackluster, unpolished, and catered to other priorities besides fun. Payback hits a lot of the checkpoints on a bullet list for a big modern racing adventure, but lacks the discipline and execution to come in for anything but a disappointing finish.

For all the harm the middling presentation does to Jump Force, the fighting does have satisfying explosive moments and the online versus mode does work well. There is depth to uncover in the combat, but it never truly sang to me or made me excited to tackle the next fight. Mostly I was just happy to not have to repeat a fight when I won, even if I was performing iconic attacks from some of my favorite anime.

Altas Mugged ends on a huge cliffhanger, with the fate of all four protagonists hanging in the balance.

The word I would best use to describe Black The Fall is perfunctory. It mostly functions, but has no highs outside of the opening. It offers no narrative incentive to deal with its onslaught of boring and outright bad puzzles. I rarely finish games that make me wish I could have the time I spent with them back; Black The Fall is an unfortunate exception.

Frustrating instead of addictive. [Sept 2004, p.118]

I love this title’s core idea of using custom-leveled heroes and their squads of minions to conquer the world (or defend it; same difference) in a turn-based framework. Until I can do that without attending to details that I don’t care about through bland menus, though, I’ll be sticking with "Fire Emblem."

It’s one of those experiences that falls apart as it unfolds.

It feels like a war machine that is too far behind the times, and it gets blown away by its competitors before it can even begin the battle. [Feb 2005, p.121]

Though you can get used to the sub-par controls, there’s still no real reason to play Vanguard, from the uninspired level design to the tired subject matter. Sure, it works on a basic level in that you shoot Nazis and they fall down. Beyond that, there isn’t much here to enjoy.

I can't see the point in playing a boring retro-wannabe when there are plenty of good games that are actually retro and don't use "old-school" as an excuse for lack of originality. [Jan 2006, p.156]

I’m a firm believer that a puzzle game needs to stand apart from whatever license or theme it has slapped on it. The game is the mechanic, after all. This is a case where characters are really the only really appealing thing there is. Games like Puzzle & Dragons have successfully juggled a similar mechanic and character-collection elements, proving that it can be done – and done well. Pokémon Battle Trozei is too superficial to remain interesting in the long term.

Long story short, this is a flawed game through and through. Even the most devout Spyro fans should avoid it. [Jan 2009, p.69]

Card Shark features an attractive art style, subtle writing, and a promising premise. But I couldn’t get past my dislike of the core gameplay encounters and the endless teaching segments. I applaud the effort to pull together a unique concept, but the accompanying frustrations mean I have to discourage a sit-down at this particular table.

Dynasty Warriors may have once provided a novel experience, but like metrosexuality and Jennifer Aniston's hair, things that fascinated us a decade ago eventually grow tiresome.

Eschewing the expected hack-n’-slash mindlessness, a timing-based evasion and blocking system is required to master the melee. It’s not enough to save an otherwise lackluster effort, but Secret Level was definitely on to something with the combat.

The Lego Movie 2 Videogame rarely pushes the player to do anything other than go into their building menu to select one object, and ends up being a shockingly bland experience in a series that has been mostly consistent in doing fun things with different properties.

Although there's really nothing outrageously bad about Dino Thunder, I ofter found myself a little bored with being a giaint robotic dinosaur, which just shouldn't happen. [Dec 2004, p.16]

Dynasty Warriors may have once provided a novel experience, but like metrosexuality and Jennifer Aniston's hair, things that fascinated us a decade ago eventually grow tiresome.

My feelings about the music extend to the whole of Baby Steps, I suppose. I see what they are going for. I understand why and how it’s funny. And I appreciate how unique it is, but I would be lying if I said I enjoyed it. It’s a truly singular experience, something we will always need more of in games. Some will enjoy struggling to climb sandy dunes and laughing at their friends falling down the same cliffside for the hundredth time, but no amount of creative appreciation will change how I felt playing Baby Steps. Every time I put the controller down, I dreaded picking it back up.

The characters, dialogue, and plot are all about as engrossing as run-of-the-mill fanfic, and the battle system is as boring a turn-based snoozefest as I’ve seen in years.

Despite repetitive gameplay, Floor Kids presents a distinct approach to the rhythm genre and allows you to enjoy the music in unique ways. I had a good time in small chunks, but the gameplay of every track just blends together extended gameplay.

If the pool itself is the sweet caramel, everything surrounding it is a moist, fetis sponge. [May 2004, p.101]