I was harsh towards the console version, and although this edition shares many of its faults, it's still pretty good. [Apr 2006, p.133]

Encouraged by Aggro Crab to try the game out on Steam Deck, I was impressed with how well Another Crab’s Treasure performs on the handheld PC device. Its visuals popped on the smaller screen, and the performance rarely dipped below 30 FPS, often climbing higher, even to 60 FPS at some points. Locking the Steam Deck’s FPS to 40 ultimately made for the smoothest experience, and Steam’s cloud saving worked flawlessly, making Another Crab’s Treasure an easy game to play at a desktop or on the couch, Steam Deck in hand.

I can't believe that you can't build your own custom stadium and/or pitches - what else are the Legos for? [Sept 2002, p.81]

The overall storytelling of Episode 3 is the strongest so far. The ending especially strikes a chord, and has left me more intrigued for the next episode than any of the previous cliffhangers.

After the novelty is gone, it's an adequate, if goofy, golf title with passable technical execution. [June 2004, p.123]

For all of its attempts at garish glitter, Rage 2 is a muted, cliché, and uninspiring experience that's propped up by spectacular shooting and neverending battles that sometimes live up to the promise of a carnival of carnage.

Probably a great game to give someone who isn't really familiar with the genre. [Dec 2002, p.130]

FIFA 22 might tout next-gen visuals and solid gameplay, but there aren't enough exciting changes to differentiate it from last year's experience.

Agent 47’s ultimate skill has always been patience, and the newest Hitman demands the same from the player more than ever before. Some may enjoy devoting hours to planning and pulling off the perfect hit, but the supersized levels have made 47’s latest adventure an overly drawn-out affair, above and beyond the initial episodic release schedule.

I like the overall idea of Aquila, but eventually the gameplay comes off as silly and a little contrived. [Feb 2003, p.98]

Tales of Hearts R is an adequate RPG, but it doesn’t do much to make itself memorable.

If you are more concerned about recreating the spectacle of Dragon Ball Z than playing a refined game, you will have a good time here. Battle of Z values style over substance, but for an anime about super humans fighting super aliens while flying through the air, maybe it is the appropriate direction.

In spite of its lack of polish, I enjoyed The Good Life. It has some rough edges, but these can contribute to its charm, and it’s undeniably entertaining when the story is purposely silly or when I had time to just breathe in the world. The Good Life has heart, even if its features don’t always work together and its design holds it back.

As we approach a new console generation, Visual Concepts is building a version of NBA 2K21 from the ground up for the new systems. As a result, this current-gen NBA 2K21 feels left in the dust. It still offers the strong gameplay the series is known for, but compared to last year, it’s not making many leaps. I know I’ll still play it a good amount until I move on to the new-gen edition, but it’s disappointing that loyal fans playing on current-gen consoles didn’t get more of an upgrade. It still gives you a decent basketball experience, but we’ve come to expect better and more.

None of it has the magic supplied by the much better "Mario Kart," and the game starts feeling less like a drive to the finish and more like a time waster.

I enjoyed Scribblenauts Unmasked's encyclopedic exploration of DC's universe. I had a blast creating my own characters and fleshing out their powers. Many of the puzzle challenges are also quite clever in their design and solutions. I just wish the heroes and villains would put aside their differences. In most cases, when they come to blows, the experience turns into a bothersome mess.

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]

When the laughter dies and some of the jokes fall flat, however, Sam & Max teeters as its gameplay is unable to support much interest for some stretches. [Sept 2008, p.105]

The magic just isn’t here. Repeating the success of Star Wars with a radically different license requires more than Star Wars as a foundation. It really never finds Indiana Jones’ pulse, and ends up being somewhat of a mess, albeit a moderately fun one.

The game controls often feel unresponsive in real-time, but using the Clash meter slows the action down and allows you to make cuts that spell the difference between torn tendons and touchdowns. If senseless violence and arcade football are your passions, Blitz is the league for you.

Numerous (but lackluster) courses and a local wireless multiplayer option give the game some legs, but there's not much beyond the enjoyable swing mechanic that really impresses. [Feb 2006, p.111]

This version of WWE 2K15 works if you’re not planning on buying a new-gen console anytime soon, are a big fan of the careers of the four leads, would like to play the exclusive Who Got NXT mode, and like the mechanics just the way they are. Custom creators, on the other hand, might as well continue to build up their creations on 2K14.

Pokémon Conquest takes the Pokémon you know and recognize (and love?) and places them into the world of tactical turn-based strategy with little kicking and screaming. Unfortunately, its simplicity will turn away tactical purists, and its complexity and management demands will turn off fans of the traditional Pokémon RPG.

It's both rewarding and frustrating. [Feb 2002, p.100]

Indivisible is full of ambitious ideas and uneven execution. When it succeeds, you see glimpses of the fantastic game it could have been – but those flashes never last long enough for the dream to take shape. What you’re left with is an experience full of noteworthy successes and confusing failures, and like the game’s title suggests, they are all too intertwined to separate.

I found myself frequently resisting the urge to throw down my controller in frustration. This wasn't my cup of tea, but I can't help but admire its dramatic artistic sheen. [Oct 2004, p.140]

Overall, Mass Effect fans could take or leave Infiltrator. It's not some important lost lore chapter. It's the best mobile Mass Effect experience yet, but it's got a long way to go to catch up with its console big brother.

If the gameplay had more to recommend it, this would be a must-play on the DS. As it is, it’s an amusing if uninspired romp that should give more than its share of belly laughs to the beat ‘em up ­faithful.