Don't let the allure of authentic arenas and improved NBC-branded commentary fool you - NHL 15 is a colossal disappointment. Missing modes like the six-on-six EASHL, GM Connected, and Live the Life, NHL 15 starts the game down a man. When you add the fact that existing modes like Be a Pro and Be A GM have been fundamentally stripped of essential features, it's downright insulting to hockey fans everywhere.

The overriding feeling during my entire playtime was, "Oh no. I have to do another race." [Dec 2005, p.156]

Keep expectations in check, and your band should have a good time, even if it’s nowhere near the “ultimate” music game experience.

The general feeling this game conveys is confusion and chaos, akin to being flushed down a jet-powered toilet. [Apr 2006, p.118]

Those who can look past Locomotion's hideous shell and see its inner beauty will be treated to an economic simulation that is very well-designed, both detailed and accessible, and a lot of fun once you get into it. [Nov 2004, p.167]

Tiresome and repetitive.

I can't let my desire to root for an underdog discount the fact that this game is really nothing special. [Sept 2004, p.111]

Not only is the running game slow as ass, but I once saw a failed field goal earn my opponent three points. [Mar 2003, p.85]

Nintendo’s handheld systems used to be the last refuge for quality Sonic titles, but the series’ awful 3D gameplay has infected that lineage with Sonic Lost World. This portable version of Sonic’s latest adventure hits the same sour notes as the recent console games, while maintaining the subpar side-scrolling feel established in the 3DS version of Sonic Generations.

Hicks is clearly talented; Pillar has a lot of interesting concepts that, sadly, don't come together in satisfying way. I have no doubt that he'll make a great game someday. This isn't it.

Like those vacuum-powered hair trimmers, this one sucks while it cuts. [July 2004, p.116]

Art that fails to distinguish between moving yet non-interactive backgrounds and gameplay elements is a problem as well in this otherwise tightly tuned action/platformer. [Feb 2009, p.87]

I'm genuinely sad that a game rooted in the joy of Disney failed to evoke any in me, but Epic Mickey 2 is so disjointed and rambling, I was ready to escape Wasteland when the time came.

The Inpatient is a difficult game to recommend, with inconsistent scares and a mundane cast. It still offers some frightful moments, but they aren’t wrapped up in a captivating enough narrative to keep you engaged. Even if you’re a hardcore Until Dawn fan, this watered-down horror experience is probably worth skipping.

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]

Sure, the PSone-like crowds look terrible, but Wii Boxing fans finally have a meatier boxer to obsess about than Wii Sports.

Van Halen deserves better. [Jan 2010, p.79]

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.

At the most, this game is great for punishing ill-behaved children.

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.

This is one of those games that I find myself raving about one second, and dragging through the mud the next. Is it worth your time? I think so. Despite its numerous shortcomings, I was entertained to the point of not wanting to put it down.

The creatures you make aren't always what you mean to, some of the minigames are beyond tedious, the graphics are a little primary color-happy, and the rewards (outside of new stuff for your monsters) are surprisingly uninspired. [Sept 2004, p.112]

Ultimately, I appreciate the vibrant and unique world that Krome Studios creates, and despite the substandard voice work, I enjoy Blade Kitten's wacky characters as well. However, aside from a few puzzles and boss battles, the gameplay fails to leave a lasting impression.

But the list of shortcomings is so long that you wonder how the company has the cajones to charge $10 more for this version over the current-gen titles. Those are some big brass basketballs.

Never has a hero looked so stupid. As catastrophic as these missteps are, they pale in comparison to Spidey’s egregious video game blunder, Friend or Foe.

With the enhanced version of "Midnight Club 3" retailing for $20, I see little need for this title. [Nov. 2006, p.134]

Saw fails to deliver the suspenseful crescendos, surprising twists, and apprehensive atmosphere of the films. Instead, it’s padded with unremarkable gore, poor pacing, and uninspired level design.

A game that is likely to be frustrating to experienced players of the miniature game and nearly impossible to grasp for newcomers. [Dec 2006, p.157]