With IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover, a beloved series crashes and burns.

The battles in Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi look intense and exciting, but dull mechanics prevent the gameplay from channeling any of that excitement.

Ghost Rider steals liberally from several major action games, yet somehow avoids stealing the parts that made those games fun.

This stripped top-down shooter is the very definition of a cheap cash-in.

There are a lot of neat ideas here, but none of them pan out. The game's creators clearly adore 4X strategy games in general, and Alpha Centauri specifically, is clear here, but Pandora: First Contact is not a proper tribute. I want to love Pandora, I really do, but nostalgia can't fix a game that doesn't work even at the most basic level.

Falling Skies picked a fun, unique genre to hitch its wagon to, but it's woefully behind the curve. There’s not enough of the television series in it to make it interesting, and frequent strategists will breeze through it in a weekend. The end result is a game without an audience.

The most egregious problem with Hell Yeah is that it's not fun to play. A slew of shallow ideas thrown into one game do not make for a worthwhile experience.

Like The Asylum's film oeuvre, Mind Zero is capable, at times, of at least holding your attention, but it's rarely entertaining, and when you're done, you'll be wondering why you didn't invest your time in a superior alternative instead.

Mass Effect's latest add-on is an insult to fans clamoring for new content.

Even as a longtime fan of the series who adored Kingdom Hearts 3, it's hard to muster up any sort of enthusiasm for Re:Mind. What's more, Re:Mind made me understand Kingdom Hearts 3's story even less, which is a testament to how bonkers it really is. It's not all that surprising this happened; after all, it's Kingdom Hearts. Nevertheless, Re:Mind is an incredibly peculiar expansion that simultaneously falls flat and partially obscures the brilliance of Kingdom Hearts 3.

Its ideas reveal the game Kholat wanted to be, but its aspirations soar far higher than the game it became. What good is a mystery if you don't care about what it might tell you?

War World is an uninspired mech combat game that isn't worth your time.

No budget and no new ideas make Gods a less than enthralling action RPG, even with its Penthouse Pet star.

At launch, Fallout 76 is a poor experience. There are echoes of the series' admirable qualities, but look past that facade, past the cute Vault Boy animations, past the familiar radio tracks, and you'll find no heart--just an inconsequential wasteland doomed to be nuked over and over again.

Randal's Monday is blind hero worship that ignores decades of design theory and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste thanks to its thoroughly unlikable, homogenous cast.

At launch, Fallout 76 is a poor experience. There are echoes of the series' admirable qualities, but look past that facade, past the cute Vault Boy animations, past the familiar radio tracks, and you'll find no heart--just an inconsequential wasteland doomed to be nuked over and over again.

There is no shortcut to boss doors, nor an opportunity to save outside them--you must traverse the preceding dungeon in its entirety again, which begins to disrupt and destroy the decent dungeon-crawling. As a result, despite the fact Snack World is initially most exciting when you're exploring the depths of its dungeons, that excitement is soon painfully wrenched into tedium. This phenomenon seems to permeate Snack World in its entirety: although it's exciting and captivating early on, each of its constituents become tedious before long, and all of its strengths are weathered away by repetition and a sense of feeling incomplete.

I could go on and on, but Mirrorverse is stuffed with predatory tactics like this. They shred any remaining desire to further explore what is truly a bold and unique take on the Disney universe, which is a real shame. I'd hoped these Guardian versions of the Disney characters I'd grown up with would get more time to shine and show off their new abilities. Instead, I got buried in resources and currencies, which relegated these amazing heroes to posing on the menu screens, and the result is a big disappointment. I'm looking into the Mirrorverse, but I don't like the reflection.

A shockingly repetitive platformer.

The Warriors series continues to set the standard for repetitive button mashing in this dull, ugly sequel.

These shortcomings and ongoing server issues aren't easily overlooked, and work against what promise Friday the 13th shows. As of now, a week after launch, it's short on content and performs poorly all around, especially on consoles. The story goes that the developers weren't prepared for amount of people who wanted to jump on day one, but that does little to assuage players who were convinced that they were paying for a finished product. Despite showing potential that may one day be realized, Friday the 13th comes across as an unfinished game that shouldn't have been released in its current state.

This action game teaches a valuable lesson: Avoid poor film tie-ins.

Proves once again that the name of a popular movie and even the likeness and voice talent of its star aren't nearly enough to make an otherwise bland and uninteresting game seem enjoyable.

Though there are some clever moments to be found in the platforming challenges, the majority of the levels are either disappointingly tepid or downright frustrating. Irritum's flawed attempts to challenge your dexterity and engage your mind aren't enough to inspire you to linger in this limbo.

Woolfe barely comes into its own before it's over, with the entire game taking about 2–3 hours tops. It's apparently only half of a two-part experience, but the halfway mark of the game doesn't show much promise for the second.

Monochroma is a game that I wanted to enjoy, and I thought it would be worthwhile even halfway through the adventure. But things really go off the rails as you push onward, with most of the later puzzles demanding precision that's just not possible.

Extinction shoots itself in the foot time and time again. It's so frustrating to see its good ideas buried under repetitive missions, a forgettable story, and embarrassing production values for its AAA price.

Extinction shoots itself in the foot time and time again. It's so frustrating to see its good ideas buried under repetitive missions, a forgettable story, and embarrassing production values for its AAA price.

Flawed motion controls and baffling design choices sap all the fun from this goofy martial-arts-themed brawler.

Wing Commander Arena has the right idea, but the gameplay and presentation come together to form an extremely dull experience.

This Japanese role-playing game is made of equal parts dull combat and insipid story, A Witch's Tale isn't worth the time it takes to play.

Play one hour of it and you've basically done a bit of everything it has to offer; then it's rinse and repeat for as long as you can bear to stick with it. It's a frail and monotonous game destined for the bargain bin.

This small collection of minigames offers little for even the most fervent Dead Space fan.

Most disappointing, though, is that Sym manages to successfully convey nothing enlightening, moving, informative, or even coherent about social anxiety. Hiding may be a central mechanic in Sym, but obscuring your meaning to this baffling degree is never the answer.

It’s the same as it always was, and that isn’t exactly a point in its favor.

On both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Friday the 13th has been intermittently unplayable. Yes, private matches with friends are sometimes possible, but if you wish to join up with a band of strangers online for a bout of deadly hide-and-go-seek from the comfort of your couch, you're either entirely out of luck or stuck waiting upwards of ten minutes for a match--after days of not being able to play at all.

Terrible motion controls and poor visuals sap all the fun out of this poor excuse for a tennis game.

Despite being a huge fan of the series Demon Slayer: Sweep the Board offered very little to keep me entertained. A few hours in, the experience became repetitive and tedious to a degree that it’s hard to recommend to even the most ardent of manga and anime enthusiasts. You’re better off grabbing The Hinokami Chronicles, made by the same studio, if you’re into Demon Slayer, and those who prefer party games or board games already have a plethora of other options.

This small collection of minigames offers little for even the most fervent Dead Space fan.

Legends of Pegasus had a grand plan, but developer Novacore didn't come close to pulling off what it set out to do. Like storied Bellerophon, its hubris has proved its ultimate undoing.

Cruddy hit detection and poor hazard placement ruin this otherwise decent action romp.

Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains is further proof that the seemingly obvious genre for an anime-to-game adaptation isn't always the best one.

With a proactive and broader range of enemies and more distinct environments, along with a more balanced system that didn't penalize you for playing in the manner that appears to have been intended, Nutjitsu might have offered a simple but enjoyable time. Instead, it has settled for a tedious stroll from Rank 1 through 25, rather than the engaging romp that was called for. Nuts to that!

Dreadful graphics and worse controls make this a battle to avoid.

Its sci-fi galaxy is mostly abstracted, and its unit models are simple and blocky. It's not those issues that really put me off of Starships, but rather the way it seems to aspire to that narrow, dated idea of what makes a "good" mobile game. I can turn aside the quick and obvious assaults on PC sensibilities--the rough graphics, the lack of options--but it's the cynical design that guts me, in the end.

It would make sense if the addition of loot were in service of guiding people to spend real money on better guns, but even then the stats are so meaningless it would take a lot of convincing. There's some surprising fun to be had stealthily infiltrating enemy compounds and playing with friends, but Breakpoint is still a generic and distinctly sub-par game. It's essentially every Ubisoft open-world game rolled into one, failing to excel in any one area or establish its own identity. Breakpoint is a messy, confused game and a ghost of the series' former self.

Good songs can't save this poor attempt at a rhythm party game from being a dull and repetitive experience.

Breakpoint is a messy, confused game and a ghost of the series' former self.

Personality can only take a broken and repetitive game so far. The attitude behind Agents of Mayhem has potential, at least if it's executed properly. But there's little to Agents of Mayhem beyond its foul-mouthed and bombastic attitude, which push the game into grating and obnoxious territory. Throw in the poor mission design and bugs, and you've got a game with loads of mayhem, but not much else.

The more important question is whether these Definitive Editions are the ideal way to experience the trilogy, and that is a resounding "Hell no." No matter how the vaunted feature list looks, there are scant few creative decisions implemented for these ports that make themselves at all superior to the other versions released over the years. It's hard not to think about the games that this trilogy would inspire--stuff like Mafia, Saints Row, Yakuza, Sleeping Dogs--and how well each of those series have been preserved and updated. The fact that the Godfather of open-world crime sagas has been outclassed so thoroughly in that regard is infuriating enough to push fans into a rampage. Thankfully, it's raining outside.

While it's not a complete waste, Mercenaries is a disappointment, and it left me second-guessing my allies in war.

Moebius: Empire Rising starts with an interesting idea, but the plot never takes off. Some moments may briefly grab your interest, but disappointing puzzles, shallow characters, and tedious methods behind investigations keep the game feeling lethargic all the way to its uninspiring climax. Instantly forgettable, this game is better off lost to time.

Most of the minigames are lame and the touch-screen controls rarely work like they should.

This is a game that isn't particularly terrible, but the derivative, uninspired gameplay and production certainly don't make this an attractive title.

There’s enjoyment to be found within the game’s combat, but it’s just not worth stomaching the tedious design and perverse activities to find the pearl inside.

Ironically, while this penguin-themed puzzle game seems geared toward younger players, it may be too challenging for the average kid.

Deadliest Warrior: Legends may make you laugh for a little while, but its sloppy fighting is dead on arrival.

Awkward controls and shallow gameplay make Deca Sports 2 a game to avoid.

Unlike EA's game ["NBA Street"], Street Hoops is ugly, shallow, and incredibly dull.

Envision the dullest possible game about giant robots beating one another up, and then find a way to make it even duller. That's Transformers in a nutshell.

A game that--despite its lengthy development cycle--still feels rushed and incomplete.

Despite its glimmers of inventiveness and artistry, Giga Wrecker Alt is its own worst enemy. The puzzles are too frustrating and the platforming too fiddly to recommend it. Game Freak set out to make something very different than the series it's most known for, and the studio's trademark creativity shines through in brief moments. The execution on the whole, though, is sadly lacking.

It's a confused, overly chaotic mission-based action game that tries to recreate the team-based camaraderie oft seen in its source material, but more often than not falls flat on its face.

What ultimately sinks Battle of Z isn't the little fan nitpicks, it's just ill-conceived design as a whole. It's certainly not the worst DBZ game ever released, but if there's ever been a statement that's damning with faint praise, that would be it.

The Harry Potter film tie-ins end on a low note with this short, tedious, and conceptually vapid cover shooter.

The on-court action is so sloppy and unsatisfying that even rubbing defeat in Carmelo Anthony's face loses its appeal. NBA Live needs serious work in just about every aspect in order to raise its game to a respectable level.

Madden NFL Football offers up a bare-bones experience that fails to satisfy on any level.

These microgames are so brief that you spend more time wrestling with the camera than you do actually playing.

The Transformers are a great property, one that seems like it should lend itself to the creation of great games, but Rise of the Dark Spark is so sloppy and incoherent that it feels more like a cheap knockoff than a proper Transformers game. Optimus Prime deserves better, and so do you.

A decent strategic foundation is rendered all but meaningless by horrific bugs, missing features, a poor interface, and plenty of other defects.

While the game re-creates what we played in the 1990s, misty water-colored memories of hours spent with Eye of the Beholder are not enough to fix numerous design miscues, performance problems, and bugs. This is a tough sell to all but the most dedicated and patient retro fan.

As it stands, investing in Ancestors' journey demands too much effort for too little reward.

Minority Report just isn't fun to play, and all because of a horrible targeting system.

3 on 3 NHL Arcade is overpriced and annoying.

If you don't already have an established love for Takara's customizable line of toy cars, you'll find that ChoroQ has little in the way of redeeming qualities.

The console releases are better than the truly execrable PC game of the same name, but there's still no reason for it to exist.

Darksiders 3 retrogrades on its predecessors with an unfocused approach that constantly clashes with itself. There are remnants of a good game here, buried within the vivacious combos of a combat style this game doesn't want to embrace. Unfortunately, it's buried far too deep to ever salvage.

The game is brief and polished, so I think it's possible someone who loves the games You Will Die Here Tonight is affectionately cribbing could manage to enjoy this too, but probably only if they're really itching for something else to play. There's no shortage of games resurrecting this style, and many of them have been memorable. Others have been worse, but at least some have been interesting in their shortcomings. The overarching issue with You Will Die Here Tonight is that the death alluded to in its title can be attributed to boredom.

Ryse is all sizzle and no steak, a stunning visage paired with a vapid personality. Everything from the leveling system that's so painfully easy to complete (and so devoid of any impact on the game that it might as well not be there), to the story that does little to flesh out its lead characters beyond puerile notions of revenge is a testament to how little Ryse can back up its gorgeous visuals with anything more than a shallow set of fisticuffs.

This slapdash role-playing game shows some promise early, but quickly becomes tedious and frustrating.

Aegis Defenders is disappointing because it had potential, and I still think that potential exists. There is satisfaction to be found in setting up its towers and combining them in interesting ways to make bigger and better turrets. And its loop of exploring, defending, and upgrading is alluring. But the game never meets your expectations. Whether it's the nonsensical narrative, the frustrating combat, the numerous bugs, or the simplistic platforming, Aegis Defenders stumbles more often than it excels.

Awful gameplay.

Akiba's Trip has a bizarre concept that might turn a few heads, but once you strip away the promiscuity, there's little left to keep your attention.

Inspired by a number of popular sc-fi properties, Dark Matter held the promise of offering an appealing mash-up of Metroid-style gameplay and Dead Space-like scares. While it mostly gets the mood right, due in no small part to its slick lighting and audio work, its other elements barely range from subpar to serviceable.

Omerta feels like nothing but work, and dull, repetitive work at that. It's certainly not a success, but a soulless, bland, incoherent experience that frequently frustrates with its inability to capitalise on a handful of good ideas.

Recycled environments, mediocre gameplay and the absence of online play cripple this disappointing top-down adventure.

Neither a groundbreaking VR experience nor a strong dungeon crawler, The Mage's Tale ultimately squanders its potential. It offers a couple of high points--some jokes do hit their marks from time to time--but there are so many problems, and there’s so little of substance to drive the experience forward, that The Mage's Tale feels more like a shallow experiment than a reason to get excited about VR.

Knack's downfall is that it focuses entirely on combat, but doesn't offer enough variety or depth within its system to compel you onward.

Getting pounded in the face with a real dodgeball might be more fun than this postmodern rendition of the schoolyard sport.

Though Storyteller's premise might be creative, its repetitive puzzles and lack of challenge quickly make the game feel stale.

The whole thing is just so dull and tedious that it captures all the worst qualities of a road trip, but none of the exciting ones.

It would make sense if the addition of loot were in service of guiding people to spend real money on better guns, but even then the stats are so meaningless it would take a lot of convincing. There's some surprising fun to be had stealthily infiltrating enemy compounds and playing with friends, but Breakpoint is still a generic and distinctly sub-par game. It's essentially every Ubisoft open-world game rolled into one, failing to excel in any one area or establish its own identity. Breakpoint is a messy, confused game and a ghost of the series' former self.

An emphasis on style over substance defines Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit, though unfortunately even the stylish aspects have serious problems.

It was an interesting mix of action back in its day, and it's still interesting today. Unfortunately, even the three-player online play can't make up for the PlayStation 3 version's terrible, touchy control.

It's not zombies you need worry about in the painfully dull The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.

Unbound Saga is one brutally boring brawler.

These flashes of satisfaction aren't enough to hold up a game that’s mediocre at best and vexing at worst. Together with a host of minor annoyances, they add up to a long, dull stint with a bad game from a great franchise that deserves far better treatment.

Here's the thing: lack of accuracy in the controls is the whole point of Surgeon Simulator. That is the joke. However, when it comes to the difference between fun and frustrating, it's a matter of degrees. Playing Surgeon Simulator on PS4 is like listening to someone stumble through the telling of what could have been a hilarious wisecrack.