The controls are where the game falls apart: Movement is imprecise, with every jump a disaster waiting to happen; targeting an enemy with any degree of accuracy is simply impossible. [June 2004, p.81]

Bruised offers a motley band of pugilists (a pry Irishman, a fat convict, etc.) and the opportunity to win every brawl by randomly jamming on buttons. [Apr 2003, p.72]

Spartan in its design and curiously devoid of such necessities as customizable bikes or the option to change the controller configurations, Superstar can barely keep pace with the middle of the pack. [Sept 2003, p.67]

You'll be on the edge after the first instances of enemy ambushes, but near the end of the game, that effect will wear off, and the initial tension will eventually turn into boredom and frustration with each new encounter. [Oct 2004, p.116]

Bruised offers a motley band of pugilists (a pry Irishman, a fat convict, etc.) and the opportunity to win every brawl by randomly jamming on buttons. [Apr 2003, p.72]

Overly generic... This game has been made before, and its has been made better. [July 2003, p.71]

Snide voice acting turns cutesy bit players Globox and Murfy into electronic annoyances, and Hoodlum Havoc revels in its lame humor. [Apr 2003, p.68]

But it's been streamlined much too much—redefined as absolutely average.

The short of it is -- you've played it before. N-d of story. [Mar 2003, p.72]

Without the cel-shaded aesthetic to bolster what's an otherwise mediocre shooter, even those seeking simply to relive their glory days of after-school anime and protoculture will find this sorely disappointing.

A decidedly by-the-numbers movie tie-in. [July 2004, p.85]

Snide voice acting turns cutesy bit players Globox and Murfy into electronic annoyances, and Hoodlum Havoc revels in its lame humor. [Apr 2003, p.68]

Little more than an exercise in monotony. [Sept 2003, p.77]

Fever feels like some shareware game you could download for free on a PC. [Sept 2004, p.92]

There are no more than a handful of truly danceable tracks. The rest are either slow, boring, or both. [Jan 2004, p.64]

The gameplay is still plagued with glitches and flaws. [Dec 2003, p.82]

But what holds Fire Warrior back is some rather uninspiring gameplay. You play the entire game as a single lowly Tau warrior and must fight your way through legions of increasingly difficult enemies. Pretty standard stuff.

Snide voice acting turns cutesy bit players Globox and Murfy into electronic annoyances, and Hoodlum Havoc revels in its lame humor. [Apr 2003, p.68]

99.99 percent of us should be completely befuddled by this incomprehensible "game" of a day-planner simulator. [Nov 2003, p.80]

It's vexing to play a meticulously crafted and pretty 3D platformer when it's devoid of fun. [Apr 2003, p.71]

Despite the evolution of the UFC itself, the series has gone absolutely nowhere. [July 2004, p.92]

A highly mediocre experience.

Competing and breaking records proves to be the main source of excitement, but wearing out your fingers gets old fast. [Sept 2004, p.82]

If you dig its goofy sense of humor, or if you're a fan of previous Worms games, you might find something to like once you get past the 3D-induced flaws. [Apr 2004, p.93]

At times it's great, at other times, it's buggy and unfinished. What a waste. Condition Zero does not do the Counter-Strike name proud. [Mar 2004, p.90]

A monumental bore. [Nov 2004, p.130]

Between the hostile camera system (which routinely obscures enemies), the dull pacing of the levels, and the repetitive combat, it loses something big. [Dec 2003, p.86]

The slow tracks still outnumber the fast ones; here's hoping the downloadable packages include a few more peppy songs. [Dec 2004, p.132]