Pikachu made a delightful Watson to my Holmes, full of genuine charm and laughs. I enjoyed exploring this Pokémon-filled world with a surly Pikachu so much that I almost didn’t care how we filled our time.

A nice addition to any 360 library, but probably not worth upgrading to if you already own the current-gen edition of Tiger 06. [Jan 2006, p.149]

The big problem with Middle Manager is that it feels hands-off, but still demands your attention.

Rubble Without A Cause is a small step backwards for this new vision for King’s Quest, but the series has enough momentum and potential that I’m not scared off yet. King Graham’s endearing self-doubt mixed with the collection of oddball puzzles helps carry this episode, despite some early stumbling blocks.

Asura's Wrath isn't as brainless as it may want you to believe. The ridiculous moments and likable characters kept me smiling, which was odd, considering it's essentially a story about misery. It's a nice change of pace from other hack-and-slash games, featuring an interesting story that's not blocked off by insurmountable difficulty.

The bulk of the thrills in ScreamRide come early, then taper off as the experience becomes more complicated. After that, the frustrations stack up and make everything feel like a chore – not the ideal mood for a game about amusement park attractions.

The gameplay is electric and fun, and the plethora of awesome new enemy types will make Star Wars action figure collectors salivate.

This game’s biggest selling point is the crazy juxtaposition of its units (ninjas, Triceratops, and jetpack-wearing Norsemen are all there), but it certainly doesn’t fall flat in other areas.

Moves slower than Jacque Cousteau on the toilet. [Jan 2003, p.96]

What you do in the first ten minutes is what you're going to be doing for the rest of your excruciating experience with this game. [July 2003, p.106]

The jokes cater mostly to the kids, and that's exactly who should enjoy this fairy tale jaunt the most. [July 2004, p.112]

Combined with clunky controls and a bad camera, Monster Hunter Freedom winds up about as appealing as a pile of the Wolfman's droppings. [Jun 2006, p.119]

The game is still basically a 2D title with multiple horizontal planes. [Dec 2001, p.118]

This brings us to the juncture where Fist of Mars unfortunately falls to keep itself together: its story. [Mar 2002, p.90]

A fun little title with decent combat controls, but there is absolutely no incentive to play it again after beating it the first time. [Nov 2003, p.73]

Falling somewhere between a traditional Ridge Racer title and a Burnout game, Unbounded fails to fully succeed at recreating either experience, ending up in between the two racing franchises in terms of quality.

39 Days to Mars does a better job of relaying comedy through gameplay than most games, but the jokes it tells aren’t worthwhile. Little is terrible about the core concept or its execution (aside from the awful single-player mode), but nothing was outstanding or notable, either. I had a few laughs with the people I played, but by the time I reached Mars, I was ready to just shrug my shoulders and go back home.

What Hellgate does, it does well – few games have core gameplay this strong. However, it doesn’t venture far outside of the scope of filling an XP bar or finding that next upgrade. The story isn’t much more than a thin excuse to kill demons, and the truly memorable encounters are few and far between. If you like faster-paced combat than you’ll find in the rest of the MMO genre, though, this could be a great fit.

Firmly back in the second dimension where it belongs, this portable entry in the "Worms" franchise will take you back to the glory days of "Armageddon" and "World Party". [May 2006, p.113]

Deadly Premonition has its faults, but the quirky dialogue, self-directed exploration, and perfect pacing form an addictive and fascinating mystery unlike anything else in gaming. If you’re a newcomer to Agent York’s adventures in Greenvale (or found the controls too awful to tolerate on Xbox 360), you should definitely try Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut. It asks players to overlook a lot of problems, but if you can do that, it pays even greater rewards.

Castlevania fans will definitely be pleased with the direction this series is going in. It's a shame that it feels so dated. [Nov 2005, p.151]

The Enigma lives up to its name of being difficult to understand from start to finish. Telltale is all over the place in this episode, but the desire to be gritty and different is exposed too much, and the story suffers from it, feeling more like an odd one shot than the first part of something larger. Mysteries abound, however, and enough engaging narrative threads are left dangling to potentially right this second season’s direction.

It's a very good game that could have been much more. [Jan 2004, p.149]

It's hard to forget the unresponsive controls, ludicrous story, and questionable combat encounters. The game is uneven and inconsistent enough to scare away even eager fans who have patiently waited 20 years for another swing. [June 2009, p.83]

Terminator 2D: No Fate nails the feeling of a game that should have existed in the early ‘90s to coincide with the release of the film. It’s the kind of game that, had it released at that time, would have likely been revered as a great adaptation to this day. In 2025, it is still a strong retro adaptation of a beloved film, but it is not without some design annoyances that we’ve moved beyond.

While this sequel does succeed in proving Rayne is more than a pretty face, a few more tweaks are needed before her playtime prowess matches her dark mystique. [Nov 2004, p.147]

Armageddon is an unimaginative shooter, showing more creativity in Darius' tribal tattoos than in any of its combat scenarios. If you're looking for a memorable Red Faction experience, you're better off playing Guerrilla again.

It makes the bumpkin lifestlye charming, unique, and (dare I say it) honestly iteresting. [Oct 2005, p.138]