I might have recommended this simplistic formula for younger gamers except for the fact that encounters with Omnidroid are some of the most tedious and unforgiving bouts I've ever fought. [Jan 2005, p.118]

It's a shame that the career structure isn't better considering I like the new XP format and the fact that your rider unlocks skills as you go. You can select two skills at any one time, and they include helpful boosts like increased clutch effectiveness or faster crash recovery time. THQ is promising additional DLC through its MotoClub Depot, but enough has been taken out of the game in the first place that I don't think you can gain it all back simply by adding some new gear.

Warmind effectively rounds out Destiny 2’s first year, and represents a franchise in a strange period of transition. The game seeks to maintain some of its successful new features, like better destinations and clan integration, even as it simultaneously tries to recapture some of the magic and investment that characterized its predecessor. The weapon is aiming at the right target, and now it just needs to hit that precision shot.

This game is stuffed with things to do, but it doesn’t take long to figure out that you’re just going around in circles. The gameplay fails to elevate this title, and players are unable to take advantage of the possibilities all around them.

"Quotation Forthcoming"

If chaotic, over-the-top shootouts are your thing, there’s plenty to like in Fuse amongst the frustrations. Just be sure to bring some friends along for the ride.

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.

Playing Sonic 4: Episode II co-op is like returning to your favorite family vacation destination as an adult and bringing along a friend. You point at the broken attractions and try to convince them how good things used to be, but no amount of nostalgia can change the fact that the powers that be have let your beloved memory deteriorate.

Bloodlines 2 is a let-down, but not irredeemable. Despite a sparse open world and a story that's inflexible until the later hours, there's fun to be had here. Action and stealth gameplay help fulfill the vampire fantasy, and strong performances from the voice cast make the noir narrative one that I didn't mind revisiting each session. My 22 hours with Bloodlines 2 were mildly entertaining, but like an insatiable vampire, I'm left feeling a little empty.

Combat feels more like a slugfest than an intense tactical experience; not once was I able to recover from bad odds through strategic expertise. [May 2004, p.107]

The noticeable graphical uptick and the Sixaxis controller are not nearly enough to warrant a purchase over Sony’s own current-gen NBA title, and certainly not over the 2K series.

I didn't think a side-scrolling boxing game would work in this day and age, but Rocky comes through as a solid, if unspectacular, GBA title. [Jan 2003, p.122]

Though you can get used to the sub-par controls, there’s still no real reason to play Vanguard, from the uninspired level design to the tired subject matter. Sure, it works on a basic level in that you shoot Nazis and they fall down. Beyond that, there isn’t much here to enjoy.

The problem I had is that you cannot calibrate your cars' steering wheel to your liking in order to get rid of its large dead spot. [Jan 2005, p.145]

In the end, the sparse content maims Kof XII. Next time around there better be more stages, characters, modes – more everything. You can’t just rip the five-minute-per-play arcade code straight to consoles and expect people to invest the full $60 over a few coins.

The touchy controls, coupled with an uneven difficulty curve, result in a game that fails to live up to its promise. [July 2009, p.83]

It's not the sort of game that works well when you want to cozy up on the couch for a few hours. It becomes repetitive, and you will come up with all sorts of new profanities when doing the same thing over and over on the same level miraculously works because that one brick fell slightly to the left. Angry Birds is a fun game, but the console is not where it belongs.

The game is more enjoyable than the movie, but only if you intend to put your skills to the test in the competitive arena.

Fracture comes close to greatness, but the story’s disappearing act, half-hearted approach to level design, and poor enemy AI holds it back from being anything other than mediocre.

Call of Cthulhu may not be fun to play, and often feels like an amusement ride that is just pulling you along, but succeeds in delivering a mind-bending story that lives up to the Lovecraftian breed of cosmic horror. In the end, I’m glad I played it, but for roughly five or six hours, I questioned why I was subjecting myself to it.

Has one of the coolest interfaces of any title in the music genre. [July 2002, p.83]

The best thing going for it is the very well done graphical style. [Mar 2004, p.114]

Arcania isn't what anyone thought Gothic 4 would be. It's a marginally competent action/RPG with all the depth of a kiddie pool, not the huge open-world role-playing epics the series was previously known for.

It's interesting to see how pinball has progressed through the years, noting the considerable point score inflation that's taken place. [Feb 2005, p.113]

As a fan of Michael Jackson, I can say The Experience on Kinect is fun despite its shortcomings. Working through each track and learning the routines is a refreshing reminder of his greatness as a performer. I may never dance like MJ, but after my time with The Experience, I am much closer to perfecting the moonwalk.

Lacks all the fundamentals that a game of this type so desperately needs. [Nov 2003, p.143]

Yes, it's simple and not terribly original, but it does provide plenty of fast-paced action and some solid visuals. As action games go, you could do much worse. [Mar 2004, p.100]

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