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.

While Tokyo Xanadu has some enjoyable elements, it suffers from its monotonous dungeons and predictable story structure. I look back fondly on some of the characters, and Nihon Falcom still has wonderful skill at constructing a believable and welcoming world. In the end, though, Tokyo Xanadu's flaws hold it back from standing out and being memorable.

With its juvenile humor and low difficulty this is probably targeted for kids, but it's a decent holdover until "Super Mario Galaxy" comes along. [Nov 2007, p.142]

Sure, it’s a little silly that the Enterprise is flinging itself around the galaxy taking out Klingon Birds of Prey to and fro, but there are some classic Trek moments to be had, from beaming off away teams to outrunning the shockwaves of exploding planets.

I'm fine with a game that has me tearing my hair out from the difficulty--but the gameplay sure better hold up during those frustrating hours. In this case, I'm not sure it does. [Oct. 2006, p.110]

EA Canada continues to make minor improvements across the board, yet the NHL series has yet to tap its true potential this generation. As any sports fan will tell you, there’s always next year.

A nice little blue light special for racing fans. [Mar 2003, p.83]

Innocent Life is a good fit for the PSP, working well in short bursts or long doses, but too many elements drag down the pacing and prevent true agricultural greatness.

I applaud Digimon Survive for being a dark, harrowing, and wonderful visual novel, and subverting what I thought a Digimon story could be. While I wish the combat evolved as much as the surrounding story presentation, it’s not enough to deter someone from seeing the narrative through. Don’t expect a tactical masterpiece, but rather a well-made melancholy tale depicting Digimon in a light they haven’t been in before.

Gotham Knights didn’t wow me with its overly familiar objectives, combat, and activities, but it didn’t leave me sour. It’s fun to control some new heroes as they brood over Gotham from its building overhangs and uncover hidden plots against its people. Those heroes are right to wonder if they’re living up to a vaunted legacy. And even if they’re not quite up to snuff, Gotham has enough baddies to punch to make for a good time, whoever you are.

I love hockey, so I’ll play NHL 17 for most of this upcoming winter. But similar to my hometown Minnesota Wild, I have mixed feelings about the quality on display. EA Canada continues to make minor improvements across the board, yet the NHL series has yet to tap its true potential this generation. As any sports fan will tell you, there’s always next year.

Even though the Wii controls work extremely well, you'll spend most of the game mashing the Z button to harvest every stick, stone, and pineapple you see. [Nov 2007, p.148]

This is a small step forward, but for a series that hasn’t moved an inch over five installments, it’s a mind-boggling breakthrough.

The physics are so over-the-top and the steering so loose that the races are essentially one big power slide. [Nov 2002, p.128]

If you dig R-Type and strategy (or just the latter), Command definitely does the trick, but shooter fans are better off waiting for the next one.

The great art style and smart writing sometimes mask the staid gameplay, but, in the end, the cookie cutter platforming buries the game's strengths.

The ironic thing is that Namco has removed the pictures of the riders during the races - that's a feature I used to like! [Feb 2002, p.82]

A great time for younger folks obsessed with the movie, and a reasonably competent but entirely by-the-numbers platformer to more seasoned gamers. [May 2007, p.86]

Most handheld sports games (and launch ones, at that) have a hard time presenting gamers with a compelling feature set or satisfactory gameplay experience. Pro Evo 2011 for the 3DS goes some way toward alleviating that problem, but in the process comes up with new ones all its own.

For a gussied-up remake of an NES game, Dragon Quest IV features some nice touches.

Isn't a horrible game in the end, but you shouldn't even think about playing it until you have beaten "Advance Wars 2" and "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance." [Oct 2003, p.144]

A complete turnaround from last season, and a direction that I hope EA steers clear of in the future. The user should always have control over the most basic gameplay functions. [Sept 2005, p.96]

If your lonely GameCube is starved for a new RPG, this is your best option. [Nov. 2006, p.139]

As you can probably imagine, gameplay can be tedious, but the title does a good job of changing things up and adding new elements to the mix. [Dec 2003, p.187]

A decent game, but its lack of depth makes it the poster child for an average game...On a side note, the music is some of the best I have heard in a game in a long time. [Mar 2002, p.83]

NASCAR '14 is not just a carbon copy of Inside Line, but most of its improvements are either minor enough or exposed by other flaws that the sum total of the experience doesn't equate to a lot of positive momentum.

When you find the right offbeat item, or barely squeak by a guard in Escapists 2, it's incredibly refreshing. However, the monotony of gathering items and playing errand runner for other inmates sours the experience, and the awkward controls don't help. For those who crave unforgiving challenges, the Escapists 2 brings them in spades, but it often comes at the cost of your patience.

Add in some middling environment and character visuals on top of the lackluster gameplay, and X-Men Destiny has some big problems.