The unique abilities of Constantine and scary atmosphere that Bits has established will make your mouth water, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who can tolerate the shoddy gameplay. [Apr 2005, p.120]

Given its diehard fan base, it would be easy for Nintendo to forget that the point of first-party launch titles is to sell consumers on the capabilities of a new system – especially when it has Breath of the Wild up its sleeve. But most consumers would like more than one reason to buy a new console, and 1-2-Switch is insultingly shallow. Nintendo has created an intriguing piece of hardware, but its default runner-up launch title presents the Switch like it's a cheap gimmick machine.

Two dorks driving around in an incredibly ugly and generic city chasing bad guys with laughable AI doesn't qualify as good entertainment. [Oct 2003, p.136]

Demonstrates that FPS games can be done on the DS, but the real question is if they should. [Aug 2005, p.107]

It might be confusing as hell in the beginning, but trial and error will let gamers with perseverance reap some fun rewards. [Jun 2006, p.113]

Time Machine VR is a unique tool for learning about certain breeds of underwater dinosaurs, but it isn’t fun. I enjoyed the more dangerous moments in the campaign, but the scales are tipped too far to the academic side. If you’re looking for a distinct interactive way to learn about prehistoric creatures of the deep, that’s exclusively what Time Machine VR accomplishes. [Tested with Rift]

While you can play any of the games solo, Wii Play is clearly designed as a pastime for friends; every one of the nine is best played with two remotes. It’s also a little odd that the entire game seems oriented towards teaching players how to use the Wii remote.

Punch Time Explosion had a good opportunity to impress 3DS owners hungering for a worthwhile experience following the handheld's weak launch lineup, but it simply falls in line with the other disappointments. Cartoon junkies may love seeing their heroes in action, but those used to Smash Bros. polish will want to pass on this one.

Considering the highly frustrating boss battles and some irritating level designs, Mega Man X7 is likely to only appeal to the Blue Bomber's hardcore fans. [Nov. 2003, p.151]

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

Barely even a game. [Nov 2005, p.154]

The cutscenes look good, and surprisingly, the voice acting is some of the best I've heard lately. [Nov 2002, p.128]

The idea behind this game is intriguing, but the execution is way off the mark. [Mar 2002, p.91]

Like a real strip club, BMX XXX loves to tease you. But at the end of the day, you feel a bit ripped off. [Jan 2003, p.106]

The game's complete lack of refinement and polish... renders all of its strengths irrelevant. [June 2003, p.112]

The enemy AI is weak, and fog blankets backgrounds like a tarp of ugly. [Oct 2004, p.129]

Unless you know who Tucker Hibber is, avoid this one. [Dec 2002, p.144]

The Rabbids games have always been about silly, disposable fun, and Alive & Kicking at least delivers on two of those fronts. This installment includes the additional challenges of long load times, poor controls, and a palpable sense of déjà vu. These might not be deal-breakers for everyone, but at this point I'm ready to let the Rabbids rage by themselves.

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.

Unfortunately, no amount of options can overcome the inane gameplay. I’ve defended the series in the past as harmless, dumb fun, but Island Tour is wholly unenjoyable.

On the other hand, despite all the effort that clearly went into this game's visuals, story points, and even gun customization, making Dirge of Cerberus fun to play slipped to a disappointingly low priority somewhere along the way. [Sept. 2006, p.93]

It's atmospheric, creepy, and sloooooow, even by survival horror standards. [Nov 2004, p.158]

Pong Quest delivers fun and novel concepts in small bursts, but is weighed down by generic dungeon crawling, unbalanced abilities, and repetitive encounters.

Despite my multiple gripes with Sonic Forces, I still enjoyed the adventure. 3D Sonic games still aren't to where they should be after such a long time of iteration and experimentation, but through improved gameplay and level design, Sonic Forces continues the series' evolution in the right direction.

In the end it's all about the racing and nothing here is that compelling. [Dec 2001, p.93]

Tac Ops' fun will fizzle within an hour of play. [July 2002, p.91]

With no multiplayer, however, Wolfenstein doesn't seem as attractive when compared to another classic GBA rerelease. [July 2002, p.93]

You have to keep buying new cars to progress. Because you are discouraged from altering your autos, you just forget about them, which severs any possible emotional connection this game attempts to develop. [Sept 2003, p.121]