Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game.

While tech backdrops of futuristic cities are great, the fundamental racing mechanic has inched forward at a snail’s pace, delivering an experience that is almost identical to every Wipeout game that came before.

If you can put up with the game’s complete and total linearity and don’t mind a largely forgettable multiplayer offering, there is a ton of brutal amusement to be had with Dark Messiah’s excellent melee combat.

Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game.

Jumper fails on all fronts; animation, sound, level design, control, combat, storytelling, balancing, item management...all of it. It can also be completed in approximately two hours.

Jumper fails on all fronts; animation, sound, level design, control, combat, storytelling, balancing, item management...all of it. It can also be completed in approximately two hours. [Apr 2008, p.88]

As thankful as I am that there are role-playing titles that strive to innovate, I am also glad that games like Lost Odyssey are still being made. It is a testament to the philosophy that time-tested concepts, when implemented well, can be just as gratifying as they were at the genre’s inception.

What’s really frustrating about this game is that although the puzzles themselves are fun to figure out, all the big mysteries presented by the story are solved for you via cutscenes. The fact that you aren’t allowed to actually solve the questions that have been on your mind all game long is simply a mistake.

Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game. [Apr 2008, p.86]

Poorly spaced checkpoints, dank too-similar environments, and magical teleporting allies are a few other annoying and strange traits that cause this game to fall down a few notches.

Poorly spaced checkpoints, dank too-similar environments, and magical teleporting allies are a few other annoying and strange traits that cause this game to fall down a few notches.

As a strategy board game, Culdcept Saga integrates luck and skill well enough to be generally entertaining, and even more so if you are prone to obsession when it comes to collection and optimization. [Feb 2008, p.101]

I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.

I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.

The limited inventory system often forces you to waste items to make room, and multiplayer is a complete waste – unless prancing through the fields collecting faeries with a net is your cup of tea. However, for a children’s movie licensed game you could do a lot worse.

Downstream Panic’s Lemmings-esque gameplay is hard to resist.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.

For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more. [Apr 2008, p.88]

The three-dimensional game world is basically linear, but a brave attempt to add verticality adds some scope.

This final PS2 installment doesn’t move the franchise forward, but it does take us all along for a ride into its past. With a collection of goodies for fans of the franchise, this budget-priced game offers some thrills but fails to stand particularly well on its own.

A highly polished, very original, and extremely fun strategy title.

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.

With a little more polish BigBig might have had a good series on its hand, but it's not quite there yet. [Feb 2008, p.102]

What's here is nothing short of amazing, but I can't help but wonder what could have been. [Feb 2008, p.94]

What's here is nothing short of amazing, but I can't help but wonder what could have been. [Feb 2008, p.94]

It’s a unique take on open world play, and its almost nihilistic fixation on violence for the sake of violence has a satirical and darkly comedic edge. Unfortunately, the repetition and lack of substance behind the flash left me cold.

With an excellent soundtrack and a simple concept, Endless Ocean succeeds in its goal of being a relaxing, educational experience. However, it fails miserably when it comes to feeling like a game. [Jan 2008, p.95]