Just a little too barebones for its own good. [May 2007, p.97]

This is the first licensed game I’ve played that is actually shorter than its movie. I’m not exaggerating; in a little over an hour I had received trophies in all of the main surf events.

Before the tedium set in, I had fun with Garden Warfare.

Companies ought to respect their history enough to let it be. [Apr 2005, p.128]

I have no idea why this title was even made. [Apr 2006, p.118]

The slowly paced story turns the fossil digging into a chore, and the real-time battle system starts to feel the same not long after that.

I definitely prefer Chocobos when they are being ridden into war, not when they are forced to climb beanstalks and play rhythm games. [May 2007, p.96]

With so many genuinely good action/RPGs that aren't riddled with archaic missions and gameplay, I have trouble recommending Nier solely on the basis of a decent (but unevenly executed) story.

Unlike "The Sims," which allows you to build your own destiny from the ground up, Playboy: The Mansion is done in by the very fact that all you can do is be Hefner. [Apr 2005, p.117]

I was often left scratching my head wondering why my bridges kept collapsing.

As interesting as the question of “What would mankind do?” is, The Station rarely has an answer. Perhaps thinking deeply about the dilemma is part of its charm, but it ended up being a hollow experience that didn’t deliver enough resolve on its alien ambitions.

However, the clunky controls, frustrating camera, and broken combat all spoil the game's flow. [Apr 2009, p.86]

While OutRun 2 has some moments (when the Viagra takes hold) where it's "still got it," the game is pretty much past its prime. [Dec 2004, p.183]

In the face of stiff toys-to-life competition, Vicarious Visions and Activision took a chance on a different style of play for this annual series, and it didn’t pay off. Here’s hoping the series gets back to the basics, or finds a fun new way to put the characters' personalities and talents front and center and not hidden behind a vehicle’s hull.

The levels and missions are equally unremarkable, which makes for yet another promising stealth title that doesn't live up to its potential. [June 2005, p.127]

Chasing Aurora has some cool elements, but overall I found the experience lacking. Flying the birds feels fluid, and the art style and character design of the birds are very enticing, but this game needs to be more than an incredibly shallow single-player experience and half-baked multiplayer modes.

Alone in the Dark can be applauded for its innovation, but it cannot be saved from its dysfunction. Had Eden Games added polish, or dare I say it, play-tested the game, it could have been a welcome addition for survival horror fans. [Aug 2008, p.85]

Journalism is far from a glamourous job, but stories that make a difference are the most gratifying part. Unfortunately, The Westport Independent never made me feel that was possible.

With a history including games like Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2, the team at Obsidian Entertainment knows role-playing. Alpha Protocol isn't necessarily a counter-point to that expertise; the RPG systems under the hood are solid. I just wish that I could experience them in the context of a compelling espionage adventure, not a last-gen third-person shooter.

Being average isn't what anyone aspires to be. [Dec 2001, p.109]

NES Remix is a fun little distraction for a while, and brings back plenty of memories. Some of those memories are great, and others are along the lines of remembering how much Ice Climbers sucks. This isn’t a must-play highlight for the Wii U eShop, but it’s worth spending some time with if you grew up with an NES controller in your hand.

The offerings are generally pretty decent (Word Whomp, Tri-Peaks Solitaire, and Poppit! are among the best), but there should be a lot more, considering that the website has hundreds to choose from.

The camera is troublesome, hit detection feels odd, and the characters are completely unbalanced. [Nov 2005, p.180]

While I appreciate the desire to try something new with the game structure after so many titles, the resulting mishmash of ideas is frustrating, repetitive, and unfriendly to both kids and adults.

Decent play mechanics aside, the gameplay doesn't excite. [Jan 2004, p.151]

My arms are sore from web swinging, I have a headache from fighting monotonous rounds of thugs, and I’m frustrated that in an “open world” I don’t have more control over my destiny. I guess it’s not as fun to be a superhero as I’ve always thought.

This is the first licensed game I've played that is actually shorter than its movie. [Aug 2007, p.93]

As an educational tool, Never Alone is a great success, but the gameplay does more to burden than bolster that achievement.