Golf: Tee It Up! loses points for its minimalist approach (only 2 courses and limited character customization doesn't help) but because it still has a full-game-for-the-price-of-an-arcade-game feel, attractive visuals, and holds the promise of more downloadable content in the future, it's a great value.

However, I realize there is indeed a market for this kind of game, and for those looking for a fun (albeit masochistically hard) old-school RPG, there is no better place to go than The Dark Spire. [Apr 2009, p.80]

SWAT’s action isn’t of the highest caliber. But with 21 levels, some cool concepts, and great multiplayer support, it’s a fine rental for most and an enjoyable mission for FPS fans.

You can easily beat the game in one sitting -- pretty disappointing, especially for "Strider" veterans.

A poor fighting system + awkward cameras + endlessly respawning, cookie-cutter bad guys = (it turns out) hours of frustrating, ruin-your-day gameplay.

Even if you're new to the series, this is a nice, easy way to get the gist of Monster Hunter without going through the motions of the main games' early quests and other tutorials.

In the end, Order of War is a typical World War II RTS through and through. It does what its supposed to do, namely provide two campaigns and some skirmish play, but that's about it.

Something else that blindsided me was the killer sense of speed. Dropping behind the wheel of a Charger or Cobra for a quick race was immediately satisfying and while NITRO definitely suffers from low-res car models and building textures, that doesn't stop the game from feeling frighteningly fast.

Much like its Kefling cousins, the Akimi provide a cute, safe environment for gamers to build a truly unique world. If you're looking for a break from the usual gaming fare, the peaceful Akimi Village makes for a great diversion.

But as pretty as the game is, and as great as the soundtrack might be, the game's real draw lies in the eight amazingly detailed rumble locations. [Apr 2007, p.83]

The inability of this series to learn from its mistakes is baffling. You'll often find yourself fighting enemies you can't see because some decorative element in the foreground entirely blocks your view, and you've zero control over the camera.

Ghosthunter's main flaw is that it fails to develop a cohesive and believable internal logic; abilities like astral projection are accessible only at specific locations and only useful in highly contrived situations. [Sept 2004, p.85]

A great start for this sequel to FFIV. The bad part is that while 800 and 300 points sound small you’re going to be spending roughly 3700 points ($40) to get the full experience. That’s a big chunk of change for a DLC title, so being a fan of Final Fantasy is a must.

Oni looks bad, sounds bad, and plays even worse -- all of the anticipation for this game is left unfulfilled.

Enough options to keep off-road enthusiasts tearing up the dirt for quite some time, and the physics and damage modeling is a nice surprise. However, Insane, never really makes you say "Wow!" It's a solid, but not exceptional racing game that won't lock you up in an asylum (as the title suggests).

There’s nothing wrong with Mario Party 5 as it stands, but the next installment sure could use an overhaul to freshen the formula.

While Runespell: Overture is a solid first attempt from developer Mystic Box, it ultimately feels more like an appetizer than a main course.

I really enjoyed my brief time with Ivy: it's a well-made game with broad appeal (unless you're a person who refuses to play anything that doesn't have bullets in it).

The minigames will wear thin quickly for adults, while the management will prove too confusing for the little ones. If you love building roller coasters or playing party games with your buddies, you'd be better off with Rollercoaser Tycoon or Mario Party.

Turok is a solid enough shooter that won't wow you the way triple-A titles like "Call of Duty 4" or "Bioshock" will. [Mar 2008, p.85]

Fans of the Conan books will likely be disappointed by the disjointed narrative and surprisingly dispassionate vocal performances, and most gamers will see the button-tapping mini-games and bare-breasted maidens as the hollow window-dressing they are, but Conan is still an agreeable diversion despite its obvious faults.

At first, combat seems too twitchy and simplistic, while the training sequences last too long, but as you grow in power, and unlock your substantial latent wealth of special moves and combination plays, the rich combat possibilities reveal themselves.

Silent Line’s claim to fame is the new first-person view, which looks very cool but ups the practice requirements, too.

Far from a bad game. Stellar art and a darkly unique stage help set it apart from the brown and bloom of this console generation, and Spicy Horse should no doubt be commended for their approach to an underfed genre in the HD-gen platformer.

Still a blast to play, and with online multiplayer and CPU controlled bots readily available from the get-go, you'll never find yourself fighting a battle alone. It may not be deep, but it sure as hell is fun.

Poor controls, frustrating gameplay and a repetitive single-player mode mean it's three strikes and you're out for Mario and his friends.

By the last level of the first world the game had become absolutely brutal. Don't get me wrong -- I think it's an excellent game that's perfect for the platform, but I wound up more stressed than anything else while playing those more difficult levels.

Despite it's aesthetic weaknesses, Sempai Legends is a good trading-card game and definitely a match for its competitors.