Throw in an inconsistent targetting system and some of the ugliest texturing this side of the Sega Saturn, and it would seem that this title was created with the sole intent of hurting your feelings. [Feb 2004, p.109]

With other exceptional titles out there like "Street Fighter Anniversary Collection" and "Guilty Gear X2," I just don't see a reason to waste your time with this jumble of problems. [Nov 2004, p.163]

Rise of the Argonauts is an average action game. [Feb 2009, p.84]

Even if some features, characters, and new locations deserve more depth, this first DLC pack hides some thoughtful renovations and new opportunities for adventure behind an underwhelming first few hours. The robust community has a lot to say about the game, and I share some of the concerns being voiced. Simultaneously, my frustrations are tempered by several fun activities and loot chases that continue to keep me engaged.

The Wii U version also offers excellent graphics and motion controls, but exhibits some slowdown at times.

Much of the iconic music, sounds, and emotive quality of the classic cartoon are absent here, making the game a fairly standard sci-fi romp with little of the magic it might have had. [Oct 2004, p.128]

There is nothing here that you can't experience elsewhere in a better game. [Dec 2006, p.156]

Pencil Test Studios clearly needed time to fix the litany of embarrassing bugs that plague Armikrog at launch. Even then, it wouldn't have helped the overly simplistic story and bland puzzles. If the developer ever plans on doing a sequel, I hope it's an animated film – the visuals are the only thing Armikrog has going for it.

Overall, it’s about what you expect from SpongeBob on Wii – just barely good enough for a younger kid that loves the show and made a little more interesting by the novel controls.

The game, on the other hand, is just plain gruesome, and for all the wrong reasons. Avoid it like the plague. [Nov 2001, p.131]

If there's one thing this game suffers from, it's that you can't control the receivers. [Mar 2002, p.85]

Fans will appreciate the classic versus bombfests and the multitude of modes and maps, but the lack of online play means many solo players will be stuck competing against lame bots.

The basic gameplay remains painfully the same. [Dec 2005, p.176]

Single-player is utterly forgettable, but the online play is much smoother and more solid than what most of us have come to expect out of a $30 under-the-radar release. [May 2006, p.98]

Black Mirror is a difficult game to recommend. The story falls flat, characters are forgettable, and exploration is tedious because of poor environmental design and wonky camera angles. Despite a few clever puzzles, this emotionless journey into gothic horror left me with more questions than answers.

Initially amusing, but it wears out its welcome quickly thanks to a lack of variety. [Mar 2012, p.95]

Unlike John Daly himself, this game is devoid of personality. That being said, the ProStroke controls have their advantages over Tiger in some cases (except using PlayStation Move doesn't feel as good as in Tiger). With such a bare career mode I hope this game takes advantage of the fact that is has room to grow in future iterations.

Riptide’s flaws are many, but they couldn’t hold me back from having a blast. Few games nail the visceral feel of melee combat and co-op fun like Dead Island. At its worst, an annoying hiccup breaks the immersion of the grizzly trek through a zombie-infested paradise. At its best, Riptide hits the same high notes as the original.

The way Stormfront has chosen to apply the new rules of gameplay has essentially neutered the most exciting part of 3rd Edition. [Nov 2001, p.127]

This is a quirky Japanese kissing game. I say kiss it goodbye, because it’s not worth your time. Some games are just made broken. I don’t mean broken in the bug-riddled sense, but Chulip is probably one of the most poorly designed games I have ever played.

So many other titles offer a richer, more fulfilling experience that it's hard to imagine why someone would want to tackle this anachronism. [Nov 2004, p.156]

Edge of Time is a major step back from the formula that worked.

I suspect the developers might have been better off contstructing this as a pure racing title (as it does do the basics of racing well) and avoiding the shooting action altogether. [Aug 2004, p.94]

It looks and plays (especially in the first "go and get this" section) like a cheap "Hitman 2." [Sept 2003, p.109]

I went from disliking the lack of depth in EOE, to enjoying all the extras, to getting fed up with the control flaws; all in the span of one sitting. [Apr 2002, p.74]

Games like this make defending the adventure genre harder work than it already is. [July 2006, p.109]

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

These hardware features may offer gamers a way to show off the capabilities of their new handheld, but Little Deviants isn't supposed to be a tech demo. It's a game, and not a good one.