There’s definitely a charming old-school spark to this reboot, but without anything beyond the constant monster mashing and levels that seem to blend together, you may find yourself needing excitement badly.

The multiplayer core at the heart of Rainbow Six Siege is a great foundation. But given its lack of infrastructure around the mode and severe lack of meaningful modes to buttress it, Siege feels slight when compared to its past entries and the other big-name first-person shooter franchises it competes against.

The RPG-style fights are uninspiring, and the storyline is simplistic. Still, the graphics are bright and inviting, with menus that are easily navigable. [June 2004, p.138]

The game's steep learning curve will have sim-heads in heaven, but may be a little too tough for most. [Nov 2002, p.128]

The tactical demands Siege puts on players is unlike anything else on the console market today, and may prove enough for those seeking this flavor of first-person shooter. However, Siege doesn’t do enough to unite players who understand the importance of communication or provide variation in rest of the package.

Overall, the game is just average, but the potential is there for something really special if a sequel cam our way. [Sept 2005, p.115]

The story is barely present, and persistent elements that tie the rogue-lite experience together – like crafting and store expansion – have too little impact to convey a satisfying sense of progress. When viewed on a smaller scale, the accessible combat and simple formula make it easy to pick up and enjoy Moonlighter casually. However, my excitement and enthusiasm were at their highest during the brief window when I didn’t know exactly what to expect next.

Fans of the well-crafted, single-player campaigns of previous Rainbow Six games will find nothing of value in Siege. The short tutorial missions lack replay value, and the popular Terrorist Hunt mode, which can be played with up to five friends, gives players little options other than ramping up the difficulty. Locking players out of selecting the map they want to play on is a curious decision, as are many of the battle tactics you see the enemy A.I. employ.

Despite its sparse offerings, Danger Zone still proves that you can do beautiful things with a car, no matter how damaged it is.

The first 15 to 20 minutes were a lot of fun. Then the rest of the game set in. [July 2002, p.90]

A decent addition to the series. [Nov 2002, p.133]

Even though none of these elements are so astounding as to bring outsiders into the fold, the franchise's debut on the GameCube ("Pokemon Channel" doesn't count) is a trainer's dream come true. [Mar 2004, p.110]

While Danger Zone undoubtedly sets the world ablaze, it also requires thinking along different lines. Danger Zone's more open levels and moving traffic creates situations requiring a more calculating kind of destruction.

Minecraft Legends battles to blend its open-world adventuring with the intricacies of real-time strategy, a war that sometimes detracts from the overall fun you can have. Even so, its gorgeous environments and clever world-building inspire familiar creativity that makes up for its growing pains. Where other strategy games feature more profound complexity, Minecraft Legends has heart, and it’s hard to resist its charm. Mojang’s first expedition into this genre occasionally holds your hand too tight. But when its grip loosens, there’s a vibrant world of combat challenges to discover, ultimately making it an enticing endeavor.

I stared at the television in disbelief for a good hour wondering how Capcom cold have messed up this bad. Devil May Cry 2 in not only a grave disappointment, it's a painful one. [Mar 2003, p.78]

Ultimately, New Tales From The Borderlands feels like more of the same and fans of the first are likely to enjoy this, but given it’s been nearly eight years since that first one, I wanted more of an evolution.

You have to be way more forgiving than the gameplay is to enjoy Lucidity.

ModNation Racers remains a bastion for creativity, and I can only hope its focus on user-made content influences other kart racers and the racing genre as a whole. Road Trip's new touchscreen controls further refine content creation, but they aren't a game changer. Unfortunately, the lack of online multiplayer is.

A definite upgrade for casual gamers who want a deeper tennis experience than Wii Sports. [July 2009, p.85]

Considering all of the extras Eurocom added to Reloaded, I have no doubt the developer tried to make the definitive version of a modern day GoldenEye. However, I still feel like I would've been happier playing a $10 downloadable HD remake of the original game, similar to last year's XBLA release of Perfect Dark. GoldenEye 007: Reloaded still entertains, but stripped of its nostalgia, it fails to reach the status of an elite agent.

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

While the character animation is the game's strong point, the camera will trick you into a falling death more often than not. [June 2002, p.81]

Keep your expectations in check, and there's some fun in the mayhem. [Oct 2005, p.126]

The addition of Conton City alone makes Xenoverse 2 an improved sequel. Running (and later flying) around its large space with other Dragon Ball Z fans is fun, and walking up to familiar characters to learn their iconic super moves makes seeking out everyone worthwhile. It all eventually points to the combat, though, and I struggle to get excited about entering each new battle. It becomes a hurdle to what has the potential to be a highly replayable experience with lots of interesting unlockables.

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.

Rush of Blood is straightforward in its execution. It’s a simple action game that feels like an evolution of the light-gun shooter, but in this early age of virtual reality, it’s the right call. Pointing and shooting at scary things on a fun-house roller-coaster might not seem like the right direction for Until Dawn’s character-focused storytelling, but for PlayStation VR, it’s one of the best ways to get your feet wet, even if it doesn’t do anything bold or particularly innovative in the world of game design.

The 360 version of the game is identical to the PC incarnation, but the control blows. [Dec 2008, p.113]

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]